is it my scale or my clothing lying? or am I crazy? :)
this is sort of a random, but bear with me
It has been almost a month since I started this new healthy lifestyle and I
have been limiting my calories to about 1200-1300 (with about 3 days of it being a bit higher) and drinking the requisite 8 glasses of water. I
have been more active but I still have to get my daily exercise going. I
thinking I have been doing fairly well BUT, other factors have made me think I haven't been.
In other words, my scale says that I have lost about 9 or 10 pounds. YET, my
clothing does not feel any different. It all seems to fit me the exact same way. Also, I have measured myself and they are no different than my original measurements. All of this leads me to think that my scale was wrong or something strange is happening with that bloody device because it is the only thing telling me I have lost weight. I always thought that clothing was the best guide. But mine fit no looser and my measurements haven't
budged.
So after this rambling, I am asking for the wisdom of those how have done all of this before or are doing it now.
How can this contradicition be going on? Should I see a difference now? I know it's not like I have lost a lot of weight but I thought I would see SOME change. Or am I just being overdramatic? Is there a certain magical
number when things start changing?
Basically anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated. I am definitely confused and feeling a general stewing frustration !
First of all, you need to be patient. I don't know how often you have dieted in the past, but if your anything like me you have to be persistent and your body will catch up with your calorie intake. Keep a journal to make sure you are not in advertently getting more calories then you think you are. It has to be a lifestyle change, if you are persistent it will happen just not over night. Are you using too much salt, that can stall you too. Don't get discouraged and hang in there, we've all been thru the frustrating experience of doing everything right and not getting the immediate results we want. Kep the faith and don't give up you can do it. Judy
Yes, home scales are notoriously inaccurate. That doesn't mean yours is, but it's something to keep in mind. Also, you want to be sure to weigh at the same time under the same conditions. To get the most accurate weight possible, weigh first thing in the morning, naked or in your underbunnies, before you've had anything to eat or drink but after you've been to the bathroom. That will help you eliminate variables and keep some of the guesswork down.
If you've lost 10 pounds in the first month, that is actually quite a lot, so don't be discouraged. The truth is that 10 pounds off of 238, especially given your height, just isn't going to make a big difference in your clothes or measurements. Keep in mind that a chunk of your initial weight loss is going to be water, not fat, too.
I agree that patience is all that's needed here. You MIGHT want to make sure you are eating more like 1300-1400 per day, at least for a while -- 1200 is a bit low for someone of your weight, and if you don't get ENOUGH calories your metabolism could actually slow down, which can hamper long-term progress. It sounds like you are doing a great job so far, just keep doing what you are doing. Work on increasing that exercise gradually -- just being "more active" is a great start. Just try doing a little more every week and you'll be at your goal before you know it.
P.S. One thing that changes a person's body composition and affects size more than anything is strength training. The more muscle you have relative to weight, the slimmer you are.
I agree with everything Funniegrrl said. Your calories may be a little too low--try multiplying your current weight by 12 to see how many calories you need each day to maintain that weight. Then, subtract 500 calories per day for every pound you aim to lose per week. Two to three pounds a week is healthy in the beginning.
I can eat up to 1500 calories a day and still lose 2 pounds a week--but when I averaged 1000 calories a day one week, my weight stayed the same.
I started at 250 lbs, and I'm 5'8" (and I did lose 12 the first month--my body was in a hurry to slough off some of that dead weight). I'm on week 13 of calorie counting (down 30.25 lbs!!) and I have only just gone down my first pant size--my stubborn butt and thighs are to blame. I'm down to a L in knit tops and sweaters, though. It took a long time for me to see a difference; after the first month, my girlfriend noticed that my stomach was smoothing out some, and my mother commented that my face was thinner and my throat elongated. I couldn't tell. I didn't believe it until last month, when I was dressing for an interview and a suit I hadn't worn in 3 months suddenly seemed huge.
It'll come upon you suddenly like that, because it's hard to notice the miniscule difference from day to day. Just stick with it, and you'll notice gratifying results soon.
And hey--Congratulations on your first 9 pounds down!!
Thanks guys for your thoughtful responses and great advice. Everytime I feel down or completely alone in all of this, this community and people like you guys just seem to lift me back up
I definitely agree that I have to work on my "patience". I don't know a lot about dieting but I think there are some "diet itch" periods when you just don't see the results and it is unbelievably frustrating.
I think I will raise my calories a bit. I have read about your metabolism slowing down from eating too little and I really don't want to be counterproductive!!!
Thanks again everyone. Hopefully I can return the favour at some point!
When i started out on this journey of losing weight, I also lost 10 pounds in about a month, and so far have taken off about 24, i couldnt tell in my clothes or see a difference, but last weekend i went shopping and got a new outfit that was smaller and when i went to work on monday everyone told me how i looked so much thinner, they said they knew i was dieting but that day it just seemed to show wo much more..... i think it happens that way sometimes, it just shows up all at once..... good luck to you!!
is it my scale or my clothing lying? or am I crazy? :)
