Pounds Vs. Inches
 

Has anyone else had the issue of losing inches but not pounds?

Me too,

I actually did make a post about it because I was worried. I was working my tail off but the scale was going UP!! I was so discouraged until I noticed that around the bottom of my stomach was getting smoothed and smaller. I stopped worrying about it and the scale finally says it is in fact coming off. Hang in there, as long as you're exercising and eating right, it will come off in one way or the other, then both.

Nikki

Hi guys!! Im new here... just signed up last night this is my first post... just need the extra support. working to lose 30 lbs. weigh 150 and want to get to 120. thats what I weighed when I got married 2 years ago. No kids yet so I dont have to work with baby fat.... just really really out of shape. Any suggestions on a kick start for working out??

sammythanks

Hi,

I thought I would reply to this because a funny thing just happened to me. I have been dieting since May but have not been taking measurements just weight, I did it for the first time last week. Well my sister and I have decided to start measuring once a month starting today. So I took my measurements this morning, well come to find out I have lost 2 inches in my stomach and 1 inch in the thighs! That was in just a week. I think that is a pretty good start, well I hope anyways. So inches are definetley a big thing in the weight loss battle.

Good luck to you all!

I have also noticed inches. Like my pants are falling off of me, and my shirts are loser. But the scale is just a #, and remember as long as you are feling better, then the scale means nothing!!

Thank you for your replies. I was really getting annoyed at the scale not moving at all. One time, it did actually go up. So far, I've lost 2.5 inches off my waist since I started measuring in January. I just hope the scale will start moving down...

Don't give up!! Keep trying!! We are all here for ya when ya get irratated to push your butt into gear!! ;)

Keep in mind that you may have actually lost fat (the main reason I'm sure you're wanting to lose weight) but gained muscle to replace it. Because muscle is denser than fat a pound of muscle takes up less "space" in your body than a pound of fat would, and so you can physically be getting smaller without necessarily weighing any less.

The scale has been stuck at 142.5 for me for about a month now, but my clothes are still getting looser, and I'm loosing inches. I had my body fat calculated a week ago and it's gone down 5% during this plataue (sp) period, so I know the "weight" (read: fat) is coming off, I'm just putting on muscle at the same rate. :)

See, that is what I wonder about. I havent done any weight training in quite some time because I can't go to the gym. I've been doing Tae-Bo and walking, but I don't think either of those are supposed to build muscle. Thank you all for the encouragement.

Im doing the orginal...at least I think its the orginal Billy Blanks Tae-bo. I do think its a great workout, I just always thought of muscle work as being at the gym on a machine. I just got some new tapes today, I hope they help.

UniversityPrincess - Don't even bother with most of the machines at the gym. With just a few dumbbells you can do your strength training at home (it would really help if you could fit an adjustable bench in there somewhere as well). You will yield better results if you incorporate some form of real strength training. Then just buy a few books that outline exercises you can do with dummbells at home. I know that Body for Life has a good at-home weight lifting plan (with step-by-step instructions for each exercise) that is great for beginners and yields good results. There are other books as well, check on Amazon, and good luck! Sorry if my unsolicited advice was not wanted...but maybe it could help:)

Amanda

Amandaholly, why don't you like the machines at the gym? I think they are great...when I can actually get to the gym. I've been hearing about the Body for Life program, but I haven't really read into it yet. LOL, the only thing I'm doing to really build muscle now are push ups. One day I will work up to the military style push up, but for now...I'm ok with the bent knee. Jillybean said that Tae Bo builds muscle, so I guess I will count that as strength training. I just don't feel like I'm building muscle when I do Tae bo. But you know, my tummy is a lil sore after one of Billy's workouts.

If you're doing your Tae Bo workout like Billy tells you, you should feel it in more than just your tummy "a little." Keep your butt and abs tight throughout the entire workout, and when doing kicks and punches, really clench and snap those muscles (not snap as in jerk, that could do damage, but be very controlled and firm). When kicking with one leg, make sure the leg you're standing on is bent enough so you feel it in that thigh, too. I usually end up sore just about from head to toe after a workout, even after doing them 4 times a week for MONTHS at a time! Let's me know I'm really working those muscles ;)

Of course, I didn't feel much at all when doing the Basic tape in his original series--didn't seem like much of a workout. I really like the Basic tape of the Tae Bo II series (I think it's called "Get Ripped"). So I suppose which workout you're doing also makes a difference.

Also, you won't build bulky muscles doing these workouts. You'll work and tone what you have. So often when we lsoe weight, we lose a lot of muscle in the process, but workouts like Tae Bo can help to keep the muscle we have so we lose mostly fat instead. Don't expect to look like a body builder from these types of workouts--I am sorry if that's what I sounded like I meant previously. You'll strengthen what you have while burning fat, and unless you want to be a female Arnold, isn't that what most of us are trying to do?

Hey Jill
I think, though I am not sure that the reason I do not feel sore from doing Tae-Bo is because I already have a lot of muscle. I'm not trying to look like a body builder, but I have a lot of muscle esp in my thighs so maybe that is why I do not feel it as much. I've been doing the Basic and I just got the Advanced and the 8-minute Tae-Bo.

Ya'll are making me want Tae-Bo tapes! Share! *G*

And that is my random comment of the day.

Just wanted to mention, unless you're doing massive amounts of drugs or injecting testosterone somehow, it's almost impossible to end up bulky. Building muscle is building muscle, whether you're doing it from Tae Bo or weight lifting or farm work. Weight lifting is more direct and can increase muscle faster, but the whole "women bulking up from weights" thing is a myth ;) I was scared to try anything but mild "toning" for a long time, and now I kick myself for all of the time I wasted doing ineffective movements.

If you're losing inches while working out then you're losing fat somehow. I would guess that you're gaining water weight, and that's what is keeping you from seeing a scale loss. Every time you work those muscles you're creating tiny tears, and those fill up with fluid to heal and rebuild themselves. They rebuild slightly bigger and better, which is what gives you muscle gains. I wouldn't say that you'll keep making huge gains from Tae Bo (it's very hard to gain muscle for women), but you've almost certainly gained a bit just from using them. They say you make your biggest gains in the first few months. Losing inches is what it's all about anyway, and if you give it time you'll not only see a scale loss, but your metabolism will be faster, meaning better losses in the future.

I feel you on the frustration, though. I added weight training to my routine about 6 weeks ago, and I've lost 7 inches but no lbs, eating at about the same level as before. I want to be fabulous and healthy and able to eat more at goal, so I'm just ignoring the scale for now and focusing on exercise and nutrition. Measure and keep up the good work, and don't let the scale bring you down :dance:

Yeah, I'm not worried about looking like a body builder. No offense to any body builder who could possibly read this, but I think they look a little...special. I do have a lot of muscle and I do want to lose fat to show it off, I just don't want to be bulky. And, since I am not doing anything to make me bulky (steriods) I'm not worried. Since I cannot go to the gym, I think I should invest in some free weights. WOW!! Did you lose 7 inces from one body part or all over? Either way, to do it in such a short time is GREAT!

Yeah, I have no desire to be that muscley, but it's nice to know I don't have to worry about it either (ha! as if).

My DB traded a guitar for a weight bench, but we have a very cheap home setup. You can have an entire home "gym" consisting of a barbell, dumbells, swiss ball, jumprope, resistence bands, etc. for under $100. There are also a million things you can do at home to train, from using soup cans to sand bags to your own body weight or the toddler next door for resistence (bonus points if you have your own toddler. The resistence goes up as they get older and squirmier! :p ) Carrying sandbags (or even heavy groceries) up and down a set of stairs is some full body workout, let me tell you! Stumptuous has some good examples. She also has a great workout using only dumbbells at home. ExRx also has a body map I use when I need a new exercise (I get bored sooo easy). You just click on the body part and it lists exercises and what equiptment you need to do them. It also has examples just in case you're a clutz with poor form like myself. I got a really cool barbell pullover exercise from there that has almost completely rid me of that pesky bra strap roll/hangover I've always had.

I lost 7 inches all over since beginning this new routine (a lot of it in the waist and lower body, nothing in the arm area yet, sadly), but I had a lot of room for improvement. After losing so much without WT, it was getting to the point where I could envision myself being very unhappy at goal with my shape (and dare I say flab :( ) I plan on making these last 10 lbs count, though. Even if it means I have to wait longer for them. And I think I'll be pretty happy at goal after this.

BTW, I'm very jealous of your location. I've been trying to move to Oregon for years, have lots of friends there. I'm going there next spring and can't wait to see the Pacific again :)

Seriously, keep up the good work and you'll get there. And just remember, beating up the scale with a sledgehammer is not only theraputic, it also targets the shoulders and upper back :D

UniversityPrincess - Sorry it took me so long to reply. I'm going to have to recommend the same link that I posted in my thread yesterday (on dependence) www.stumptuous.com/weights_index_revision.html

Also check out my thread from yesterday, I put in a bunch of useful links...many of which tout the benefits of free weights. The number one reason to use free weights (other than accessability and affordability) is the results you will get. When you use dumbbells your body is not only forced to lift the weight, but is also made to *balance* the weight, which in turn employs more muscles per exercise. When you are using a machine you are simply moving a set of weights along a predetermined track. The problem with this is that every body is made differently, and many of those machines really are made for men. Admit it, how many time have you sat at one of those machines, adjusted and readjusted the seat/pads/etc, and yet something still just doesn't feel quite right. You go through the required movements and something just doesn't seem *natural*. Maybe that shoulder machine has an uncomfortable starting position..."are my arms supposed to bend backwards like this"? That's where free weights come in. They are fully customizable (sp?) and employ more muscles per exercise. There are, however, some machines that are beneficial, and if you check the above link I think she goes through them. Good luck, and thanks for reminding me to dust off my Tae Bo tapes...maybe this will get me out of my exercise slump :D

Amanda

Jennifer, LOL, that is crazy! You want to come to Oregon and I am trying to figure out how to run away as quick as possible. Where are you at? Maybe we can switch places, lol. Hummmmm scale and a sledgehammer...I think you are right, that would be fantastic exercise! I've tried the soup can thing, but I end up losing interest in them quicker than I would if they were dumbbells...Then, I think...maybe I could eat what is in this can! Bad, I know.

Amanda, I did not know that those machines were built for men! But now that you mention it, it was VERY difficult to get a good position on them...some machines I didnt have that problem with...and others I would just REFUSE to get on! I'll make sure to check out those links you posted.

I'm not sure what is going on with my weight now. I got on one scale at the store and it said 235...then got on another and it said 222! Personally, I do not think I am either one of those numbers. 222 would be nice right now, but I don't think I've lost that much weight. And now, I'm having issues trying to measure AGAIN! LOL, is there someone I could pay to do this for me? Maybe they could be a lil more consistant.

UniversityPrincess - Store scale??? Girl don't even bother with those things! Here's an idea, see if your doctor will let you come in periodically just to weigh yourself. Either that or just skip the scale and use the pants-o-meter (I know, a funny concept coming from the girl who weighs every morning without fail). Good luck. As far as paying someone to do it for you, join Curves...although I didn't ever get in there to exercise, at least they did all the measuring/weighing for me. Just ignore that goofy hand-held fat percentage reader :)

Amanda

LOL at Pants-o-meter, Amanda! I did that for a lil while, I wear a size 20, but I realized it would have been a 22 if there were not strech jeans. So a mini goal of mine was to get back into non strech 20's. I did that...I was so happy. But the crazy thing is, I usually don't notice any difference in my body from when I was at my heaviest until now. Other people do, and I do when I see my pics on my camera phone that I took of my face (I dont' have to go to the store and develop those).

I don't have a doctor right now, so I can't go have her/him weigh me...any more ideas? I used to use the scale at my schoo gym. It was archaic, but I didn't think they did anything to tamper with it so I trusted it, but now, I am 125 miles away from that scale.

U.Princess - The next best thing I can think of is...do you have a drug store near you, like a CVS or something? I'm not sure if that was the store scale you were talking about, but hey, it's better than nothing. Before I bought the scale I have now (a pretty accurate digital one from Costco, $40) I used to weigh in at my local CVS, and I have to say that I think it was fairly accurate. Give it a try! Good luck!

Amanda

Amanda, no, I was talking about the display scale they put out on the floor. I don't know if we have a CVC...but i know that GMC has a scale that you can pay 50 cents to use. I've never tried it. Whenever I find a job...I'll be sure to buy a scale so I can get an accurate reading. Thank you!

Mel

I always worried that the scale at GNC will announce my weight to the world just like it says "Have you checked your weight today?"

Have you looked into buying a scale for home use? Sometimes they have good deals on decent models. Mine does body fat (though I don't trust those numbers) and weighs to .5lbs.

Hummmmmm didn't think about that. Everyone in the mall turning around to see me standing on the scale...LOL When I was at Walmart and standing on the scale, some woman blatently came and looked at it! I mean didn't try to hide that she was looking at the scale with me on it. My mother was with me and we laughed at her. Thank goodness I'm not ashamed of my weight...


Liz, yes, I have looked into buying a scale...unfortunately they are usually out of my price range. I actually went looking again the other day at Walmart, found some cheap ones...stood on it and none of them said anywhere near to the correct weight. The last time I weighed I was 230...I figure I could have gained 2 pounds or I could have lost 2 pounds...either/or. On these scales (that are in my price range) I weighed anywhere from 222 all the way up to 240.


Mel

I remember once when we were at Bed Bath & Beyond and I stepped on one of the scales and my boyfriend peeked and said there is NO way you weigh 180lbs! i was beyond embarrassed and this woman walking past just sort of shook her head and looked at me sympathetically.

A little bit back in subjects, but I really love the TaeBo Cardio Circuit 1&2 DVDs. One is only 35 minutes, so I can fit it in whenever, and then two is for days when i have more time (53 min.). I really notice that I feel smaller and less floppy on days after I do them. Also, I got Billy Blanks' book from the library, and he really does inspire you to believe in what you're doing, so if you need extra motivation, I would check it out. I am definitely in agreement that I wouldn't care if the scale said 500# if I could fit into a size 8!!!

ab

Good for you ! Keep it up!
I also wondered the same thing 2 weeks ago when I started realizing I was losing alot of inches around my body but the scales never moved. I also do Tae Bo and 3 miles of walking everyday. I now realize when you see those commerceils on tv advertising those exercise things they always say "So and so lost X amount of inches" They hardly say pounds. Hmmm. Now I know why. :)

Lizz, OMG, I can't believe he did that! I hope you at least gave him a really dirty look back!

AB, I need to try some of the newer Tae-Bo's because I've been hearing great things about them! Do you like that Tae-Bo better than the older ones?


Rakkoon, it sounds like we have a smiilar workout routine. I walk 2-3 miles 5-7 days a week and do Tae Bo a minimum of 3 times a week.

Jill, I know that what you're saying is true...its all about the numbers going down. But I just don't like that big switch. I would be annoyed at a 13 pound difference in the scales...and plus, my cheap one broke...that was terrible. I can't believe I squished the scale...

Well, off to do some more Tae-Bo

Uprincess-

I used to do the Advanced Taebo workout (old school yellow box) and I love the cardio circuit in comparison!!! I'm not sure if your local library has DVDs/tapes or not, but I've been trying the various workouts by getting them there, that way I don't waste money on a workout if it isn't going to be something I really love.

Smiles,
ab

I just realized I lost a total of 18 inches since 7/27/05 all over my body. What bugs me is that I think I still look the same :( I have these pants (size 12)that I used to force myself into, now they fit good. My waist went from a size 35" to a 30 1/2" but I still wear a size L in dresses :(
This whole month I have been working out, well I took a week off b/c my stroller broke and I have been lazy to work out. But I will get my butt back on track as soon as I get my new one tomarrow I hope:) Its being delivered via Ebay.
Any ways I have been working out (I breastfeed also) this whole month I have only seen 1 inch come off my chest :( from a 36" to a 35" around.

AB, I will check my library to see if they have any more of the Tae Bo tapes. I'm pretty sure I would like anything that Billy did, but I have been burned by just going out and buying a workout tape...so I stopped doing that...two times was enough for me. So is it a more difficult workout? Does it last longer? Is it still the same technique?

Rakkoon, I'm mad that I'm losing off my bust! I was a D and now I am dropping back to my orginal C (Princess sheds a tear). I'm glad to see the inches come off, I just wish I saw the pounds drop some more. I know it will eventually happen, but dang!

I don't think the workout is any harder but he mixes stuff up and it seems less repetitive and more fun... same technique (unlike taebo bootcamp, so I've heard). I have also learned my lesson on the "just buy it" attitude for videos.... :dizzy:

Well, I got on one of those pay scales and guess what! It said a lovely 228.5..Yeah baby, YEAH

I want someone to try the bootcamp and tell me how they like it. As of yet, I don't think my library carries any other Tae Bo than the orginal...that sucks...BUT I do remember seeing at Ross, Dress for Less Tae Bo-Get Ripped a while back (it's probably gone now) Has anyone tried that one?