[Sheila53]

After meeting with a personal trainer, who is also a nutritionist, I'm following a balanced eating plan (protein, carbs and good fats at each meal) and lifting weights six times a week (splits) instead of my twice a week full body workout. I also do hydrofit (deep water aerobics) four times a week plus walk the dog. Walking the dog is kind of a start/stop sort of thing mostly--he's male ('nuf said, right?)--but sometimes I can yank him away from a bush and go at a good clip.

I was hoping this was going to kickstart my weight loss, but after one week of my new weight lifting regimen, I've stayed the same on the scale. I'm hoping it's muscles retaining water, but, frankly, I'm getting a touch discouraged. Any helpful hints? Words of encouragement much appreciated! I really would like to reach my goal of 100 lbs. lost by the end of the year, which, unfortunately, is approaching pretty quickly.

[Mel]

A week isn't long enough to see any results except maybe to feel sore Give yourself 8-10 weeks. I know...patience.....

Remeber, the goal of lifting weights is not to see an immediate drop of scale weight, but to slowly change the composition of your body so that when you do get to your goal size, your body has a high ratio of muscle to fat. You'll look better, feel better and be healthier. It takes a while to build enough muscle to make any difference in your body's fat burning capabilities.

Patience.....

Mel

[flipafart]

dang it took me 12 weeks to start seeing results but it is worth it. I just keep plugging away well once when I was at a stall my caloric intake was too high but once I adjusted that everything was fine. I realize it is hard to wait in a instant society but I promise it is worth the wait the saying is true Good things come to those who wait.
hang in there and enjoy the journey. Think about it you are tranforming your body
wow now that takes awhile.

[mezmerize]

Sheila, I'm not sure if this helps any but this is my 4th week of lifting and I'm not hitting it as hard as you. I don't have a personal trainer just me messing around trying to firm up my bat wings and pretty much everywhere else. I noticed I had a gain but was told that at times muscle will hold on to water then let it go. I found that to be true. I'm also now able to do pushups with out any effort. I couldn't lift myself off the floor before! So keep going your going to build muscle and get to onelander!

[kykaree]

I've been lifting now for six months, and my scale loss has gone from being a speedy-ish turtle to a sleeping snail. But my fat loss has speeded up. My body looks completely different. Strangers at the gym come up and ask me what I am doing to get such good results. And these people are English, Lancashiremen no less, and are very reticent by nature and rarely speak to strangers!!!! So it's working!!!!

I know when your on this journey the numbers on the scale take on an importance, but whilst your in transitition and changing your bodies makeup, you might just need to ignore the scales for a while. Has your trainer measured your body fat? I use this as my main indicator now, and have it done ever two months. I weigh once a month now, and there's always a difference, only now I lose in a month what I used to lose in week!

[2frustrated]

I'm totally with you - my scale loss has slowed to almost non existent but my trousers are a LOT loser now and I feel tighter!

[RobertW]

The slower my weightloss, the better my lifting progress. I consider it a "win" if I gain strength during a weightloss plateau.

As everyone else said, you have to take the long view and look at your bodycopmposition and strength after several weeks. My wife, after four years of lifting with me, is the same weight (128#) as when we started working out but she is leaner and has a much improved bone density. Her doctor was amazed to see the improvements in her latest bone density scan.

Even with her limitations due to arthritis and fibromyalgia (from the Rubella vaccine), she has made significant improvements in her physique.

[Sheila53]

Thank you all. Patience is obviously not one of my virtues! Weight lifting definitely has made me look a lot smaller than my weight indicates, and my clothing size reflects that. But. . .I so badly want that danged scale to move.

I talked to my PT today (she also teaches a class I take), and we're going to fine tune the balanced eating. I appear to be exceptionally carb sensitive.

Robert, that was interesting about your wife's bone density. Despite not fitting the profile whatsoever, I have osteopenia in my spine, and one vertebra with osteoporosis (possible cause is the synthetic thyroid I have taken for years). I took a bone density test on Thursday, and look forward to seeing if my exercise program has helped. I'm hoping to be able to get off the prescription medication.