[justsomegirl]

I started working out recently (resistance weights and sit-ups) and since then I have either gained weight (about a pound and a half now) or there was no change in my weight at all. I reviewed my food and nothing has changed, I'm not under any added stress, and it's not that time of the month or anywhere near it. This happened last time I started working out as well so I stopped working out... but I am not going to be stopping this time since we bought a gym. Does anyone know the reason for the weight gain and no loss? Or any way to get the weight to start dropping again?

[Tammy]

Muscles weigh more than the fat, and you are firming up. We just talked about that at a WW meeting recently. Don't give up on the workouts!! Keep following the plan and things should get moving for you again.

[justsomegirl]

Thanks Tammy. A friend just sent me an article from the WW website (which is below in case anyone is interested) but it is still very discouraging and it's getting me depressed I'm trying so hard and it's actually having a reverse effect! Anyway... here's the WW article:

Q: My husband and I have both noticed that on weeks when we exercise more, we tend to lose less weight on the scale than if we don't exercise as much. Why is this?

A: Stop the presses! Exercise is still your friend! First off, the scale only gives you a limited picture of what's happening in your body. It only tells you total body weight, but nothing about body composition.

You need to understand that exercise induces a series of normal biological changes. Habitual exercise promotes an increase in muscle enzymes that allows you to store carbohydrate more efficiently. This is a desirable effect since this muscle carbohydrate (called glycogen) allows you to exercise longer and harder without running out of fuel. Carbohydrate is very "hydrophilic" meaning it attracts water. So a little extra scale weight is a result of water binding to your muscle glycogen. Also, an exercise bout stimulates a slight increase in volume of plasma (the fluid portion of your blood) so this too may add a bit of weight.

Don't let this minor change in scale weight discourage you from exercise. Carry on with your fitness regimen and focus on your long-term goals. Over time, you will see a drop in body fat that will eventually be reflected on your bathroom scale.

[boaterswife]

JustSomeGirl, stick to it! Even if you don't see the scale move for a bit, I'm sure you'll notice a change in your clothing! The scale isn't the only way to measure progress!

[MomToKaylaAndTwins]

JustSomeGirl,
I was at my WITS END with the gym a while back. I was stuck on a plateau like you would not believe. I started doing more cardio and lowered my weights a little and did more reps, and things started moving along for me again.
You have to just really make sure you're changing your work outs...otherwise your body gets so used to it that nothing happens.
Good luck!
Keep at it! These are some of those small things that discourage many people into just quitting everything all together.
I also *hate* people telling me to not look at the scale, but how my clothes fit, and I am one of those people that NEED to see results on the scale. But once I let it go for a while, I started hearing people tell me my clothes looked looser, and that is when I really knew that things were working for me.
GOOD LUCK!

[Kelly_S]

Originally Posted by justsomegirl

I started working out recently (resistance weights and sit-ups) and since then I have either gained weight (about a pound and a half now) or there was no change in my weight at all.

When you start or change an exercise routine your muscles will retain water until they adjust show either gains or no losses. Once your body adjusts it will release this.

I reviewed my food and nothing has changed,

Try eating your actvity points and some if not all of your weekly points. Your body will need added nutrition. I tend to use my APs for added protein and dairy.

Originally Posted by Tammy

Muscles weigh more than the fat, and

No muscle does not weigh more than fat. 16 ounces is a pound. Muscle is more dense than fat thus takes up less room, however it takes months of weight training (and usually very hard and very high weights) to build muscle.

http://www.onemorebite-weightloss.co...le-to-fat.html

[KiKi22]

Drink you water!!!

Last night at our meeting our leader told us that muscle needs lots of water to survive. And when you 1st start working out your body will retain water to feed the muscles. But if you continue to work out and feed your body lots of water then everything will balance out. Your body will know that more water is on the way and it will stop retaining water.

What ever you do DON'T STOP WORKING OUT!!