Hi everyone! I'm a longtime board lurker, and decided to register today.

Today is the beginning of Week 7 on IP for me. I am down just under 9 pounds. My coach told me last night that this would be a disappointing result, if it wasn't for the fact that my body fat % has dropped over 7% now, and that my fat mass vs. my lean mass has changed dramatically. I am also losing inches.

My body fat % dropped from 33% to under 26%, and I am looking much less puffy, all over. I have dropped 3 inches from my lower abdomen as well as my hips, over 2 from shoulders, over 2 from waist and thighs, and one inch just about everywhere else.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? I am finding my clothes fitting differently, but I haven't had a huge radical drop in size. I can't really wear my size 12 pants anymore, and the 10's are too baggy in the thighs and fit in the waist. And I'm also fighting off feelings of failure for not dropping more weight, despite the fact that I know my body is changing in a positive way - just not all that quickly.

I'm in my late 20's, 5'3 and just shy of 140 lbs. I'm getting married in August and am trying to shed the weight I gradually put on throughout my 20's. I am really hoping to be able to fit into my dress, which I am currently 1.5" too big for, in the waist.

I was looking to see if anyone else had a slow start losing pounds. Is my coach correct? Should I still be pleased with my results, or is my disappointment valid? Any tips or tricks to ramp up weight loss so I can fit into my dress by my first fitting in early June?

Kitakitten
Are you working out? Muscle weighs more than fat and could explain a lot here.

Not really, only my regular walks to and from the bus stop and office - probably a grand total of 25 minutes of walking daily. On the weekends, will sometimes take a longer walk to the park with the dog (appx. 2 miles). Once a week or so, if I'm feeling energetic, a very light weight routine for my arms (maybe like 12 minutes, using 3 lb. weights.) So... not enough to explain it, most likely.

You also don't have much to lose. I've read that when you are so close to goal the pounds can come off a bit slower. Don't be disheartened.

You have not much to loose and if you have done IP for 7 weeks already, what you got so far is probably a reasonable average loss for your weight. You may see more dramatic results by doing toning exercises like the 30-day shred or 90-day body revolution from Jillian Michaels. It will mainly reduce inches and the 1.5" waist you can get with exercise alone. Better when combined with IP, but then you may have to adjust packages or protein intake.

Do you really want a certain number on the scale or do you want to look good? Your down almost 2 sizes in 7 weeks and have dropped 7% in body fat. I think that's fantastic!

Don't focus on the scale number, instead focus on how you look.

My losses have been getting lower and lower the closer I get to goal.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there's no way your body fat changed that much that quickly . Women can only gain about 1/2 lbs. of muscle at the most per month, and that's while eating in a calorie surplus and doing heavy resistance training. I would question how you are measuring your body fat as there are very few accurate ways, and they require expensive and specialized equipment. Skin calipers and electrical impedance scales just aren't reliable.

On the POSITIVE side, 9 lbs. of loss in 7 weeks at your weight is pretty amazing! I only lose about 1/2 lbs. a month. You are definitely doing the right things with your diet! You might see more changes by adding in some resistance training 3x a week.

Hmm, some math:
150, superduper conservative, 1500 calories needed per day
100% OP, for the sake of easy math, 1000 calories per day intake
500 calories per day x 7 days per week = 3500 calories = 1 lb/week
140, superduper conservative, 1400 calories needed per day.
same easy math, 1000 calories per day intake
400 calories per day x 7 days per week = 2800 calories = 0.8 lb/week

The "magic" of IP: as your body recognizes that you are feeding it what it needs, it starts to become a quicker burner, it starts to work they way it is supposed to. So, with preserving muscle mass, that conservative 10 calories per pound burn, increases.

You are losing at an appropriate pace even if it seems frustrating.
Regardless of the accuracy of the body fat device, you are obviously losing fat because you are losing inches.

If we pretend that the 33% fat is accurate, then you started with 100.5 of lean mass. If you only lost fat (more on that in a minute) and kept all the lean mass, you would be at about 27% body fat at 139 lbs. The impedance monitors are susceptible to many things, with hydration being one of them--water would "look like" lean mass to the monitor.

Adding some weight training will do nice things if you can, but isn't a tragedy if you can't.

You will make that 1.5" by August for sure! This is the paper towel analogy: Think of the new roll of paper towels--when you take off a few sheets from a new roll, you don't notice much. But, each sheet you remove as you use up the roll makes a dramatic difference. Plus, if you tend to carry your weight in your waist and hips, it will be the last to go, but go it will.

Hang in there. You are doing great.

Wow... I see you are almost to your goal! How long did it take you? Right now I am at 224.