Yes, your body changes physically, and you may not always notice a difference on the scale. Living healthier (better eating and exercising habits) can sort of shift what's in your body around. I notice differences in my rolls smoothing out before I actually see a drop on the scale. It happens to lots of people (if you search around, there are many other threads on 3FC about this topic) because our bodies can change without actually losing anything. We become more toned, but not necessarily lighter. you are not alone, and congrats on the tape-measure victory! Personally, I wouldn't care if my scale said 500+ pounds if I were a size 8, so I'd rather lose the inches than the pounds!
I notice differences in my rolls smoothing out before I actually see a drop on the scale.
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.
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??
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.
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...
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.
I don't know what Tae-Bo tapes you're doing, but many of them can actually help with muscle. I know all of his workouts are moving, but at the same time, you'redoing isometric exercises. When he has you stand on one leg with your kneee bent, even if you're kicking with your other leg, that one leg that is bent is supporting your whole body, which uses pretty much every muscle in your leg. It's this wearing of the muscles that allows them to build. That's why Tae-Bo is such an amazing workout (jeez, you'd think I worked for the company!)--it's both cardio and strength.
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
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?
Last edited by jillybean720; 08-11-2005 at 08:38 AM.
Pounds Vs. Inches
