weight ??

[Autumn68]

I know muscle weighs more than fat, but for some reason I am loosing inches much faster than weight (numbers on scale). When do #'s catch up? I need to loose 40 # to be at my perfect goal weight, but 30 # might be enough if it keeps going the way it is. I read on these forums where someone else mention this but I am wondering when I can see the #'s change faster.
I'm loosing like 1 # a week and sometimes just a half, once in a while 1 1/2 a week.
Autumn

 

[JodelleFitzh20]

Hi, coming from a personal trainer, you are right where you need to be. I always like to see my clients go down just 1- 1.5 lbs each week, because more than that is usually muscle loss or water loss as opposed to fat loss. From what you indicated you are lose pure body fat and you are doing it the right way. You will get the results you want, you just have to keep up what you are doing and keep eating well. That's the biggest key to weight loss. But I encourage my clients not to worry about the weight on the scale, but rather use measurements and clothes sizes as goals because when you are losing body fat, that is more realistic. Measure your waist and then set a goal of how many more inches you would like to lose, and go after that. Shop for a pair of jeans and buy one size smaller than what you fit in and use that as your goal. You will never be satisfied with the scale because hormonal shifts, water rentention, food intake, and muscle building are all factors that will make the scale move slowly or even go up and down. In the end, will it really matter if you weigh 40 lbs less or if your body is svelt and thin and you fit into the clothes you want to beautifully??

 

[Afreet]

Hey, one or one-and-a-half pounds a week? That's actually a GREAT rate of weight loss! As the above poster explained, any faster than that and it's just going to come right back. I recently shed several pounds, and although I lost three pounds the first week and two the second, I was steady at 0.5-1 pound a week after that. I think the first two weeks were just my body's response to a really clean diet, after a long period of crappy eating.

Anyway, sounds like you're right on target. Be patient - you'll get there!

 

[Autumn68]

thanks

Thanks Jodelle, I can see my body is starting to look chiseled, even my abs. My husband say's he notices a difference daily. I'm unemployed so I'm taking the time to workout 2 times a day, but I do 4 w/o's. Like Cardio with pilates, then later weights with yoga and sometimes an extra cardio. I'm eating like 1500 cals. I have all my jeans to size 5, but am in 10/12's now, depending on the stretch they have. LOL. So I have clothes to try each week to see how I'm doing, I'm in most of my 10's now from 14 about 6 months ago. Thanks for the encouragement. You sound like DH.
Autumn
PS Thanks Afreet

 

[Lastchance09]

Technically, muscle takes up less space than fat. It doesn't weigh more. A pound of muscle would weigh the same as a pound of fat.

 

[JodelleFitzh20]

Wow! Autumn way to go on the progress, being down from a 14! That's awesome. Just keep going! However be careful with that many workouts. That's really hard on the body. You do have at least one day of rest right? And you are pretty good with your ratio of carbs, fat and proteins?

 

[dorothyrd]

I work out most days 2 times a day. It is because it is easier to get what I want done in two parts. So I will do weights in the morning, and swim after work, or the other way around. So it usually equates to 1.5-2 hours total a day. Since my job requires me to sit on my behind 8 hours a day, I figure it all balances out. I also take 1 or 2 rest days a week, depending how I feel, and after about 6 weeks of intense working out, I take an extended rest. I have been doing this type of thing since my early 30's and am 48, so it can work to do 2 a days, you just have to listen to your body.

Also, don't listen to numbers on the scale. You may be surprised with your weight and size correlation. Because muscle takes up less volume than fat, you will weigh more and fit into smaller clothes than someone who does not work-out. The rate of weight loss you are having will mean you can maintain it easier. You are doing great. Be patient and it will come off.

 

[Autumn68]

thanks

I generally don't take a day off, but there were 2 times in the past 3 months that I felt my body needed a break, and I took it and ironically I lost the next day. I remember being surprised. But I'll take a day when I need it.
Thanks for the encouragement guys, I needed it.
Autumn.

 

[dorothyrd]

Autumn, I highly recommend that you schedule a rest day in each week, whether you feel you need it or not. Resting is important to your body and if you are working out intensely, you will do more harm not resting at least once a week. On that rest day, don't plan to rake the leaves, paint the garage, or other physical labor, because that is not rest. I actually like to take my rest day in the middle of the work week so I am not tempted to work on the house and such on a weekend.