[angelshine90]

Good morning everyone!
I have a quick question about the scale vs how my clothes fit. When I started south beach two years ago my lowest weight was 132...and I felt great kinda tired but I was not excersising at all- now two years later I fit into the same clothes...size 4 on a good day 6 on a normal day and 8 on a pMs day-
I run every day in the am and strength train every other day I burn on adverage about 400 calories a day...yet the scale is tipping at 140....I dont understand it?

I almost dont want to weigh myself anymore but I used to get such enjoyment when I saw the scale drop! my body is changing very muscle like ...the scale just really bothers me....I should stop eating sugar perhaps I really am taking in too many calories because I think I will just burn it later...
anyways thanks for reading this..any insight would be helpful.
Thanks
-Chelsea

[2frustrated]

Sounds like you've gained muscle which is GREAT!

A cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat, so while you are the same physical size, you are denser... Like a cubic inch of lead is very very heavy, but a cubich inch of feathers is light... muscles are equivalent to lead, fat is dumpy bulky feathers.

Don't place too much enphasis on the scale weight, when you are at the kind of weight you are, concentrate on getting your body fat % measured every month or two. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

Oh and I forgot to mention, a cubic inch of muscle actually BURNS calories, while a cubic inch of fat doesn't. So the more muscle you have, the more food your body will need. (which technically means you can eat more when you have lots of muscle, partially a reason why men can eat more than women and stay slim)

[Heather]

2frus just said it all!

You are in better physical shape with lower % body fat than you were before. Celebrate yourself!

When most of us say we want to lose weight, we mean we want to lose body fat. But the scale we use measures it all: bone, muscle, fat, water, etc. It's really a poor tool for the job, when you think about it.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that much of the research on risk factors and obesity actually involves % body fat. If I'm right, that means reducing body fat has also put you at less risk of disease, as well as made you stronger AND more able to burn calories! Win-win-win!

[angelshine90]

That makes sense..I just was confused once I realized that muscle really doesn't weigh that much more then fat....So I will just continue what I am doing..and try to cut back on the sugar *oooh Halloween candy*..Thanks for the insight..I feel much more motivated!