Weight Loss and Working Out

J., I didn't read the responses so I don't know if you have heard this already. I gained 65 lbs with my first child and worked out every day to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight. The problem was that I was still twenty-five pounds overweight. I worked out and worked out, everythining from step aerobics to cross training, spinning, you name it. The problem was that I didn't lose a pound. It wasn't until I started Weight Watchers that I lost the 25 lbs. I understand what you mean about it being tough, but it can be done. I used slimfast shakes (3pts) in the morning while I was running around and then watched lunch (mcDonalds snack wrap with no sauce 5pts) then ate one decent portion for dinner. I suggest thinking about which meal means the least to you and using slimfast to replace it. I was really happy with the results. As a MOM who has been there, I firmly believe that weight loss is "all about the food" and not that much about the working out, that is for strenghth and health. Even though I only weigh 121 now, down from 145, down from 210, I still go to the meetings because I need the support. If you go back to WW e-mail me if you want any support including recipes!

It could just be that you're converting fat into muscle, which as we all know, weighs more, so while you're getting thinner and more toned, you're not loosing weight - but it's good weight, so I wouldn't worry about it.

It sounds as if you gained muscle mass which ways more than fat...but its a good thing!!! Keep up the good work.

Hi J.,

You are on the right track. Your body is building muscle as it gets rid of fat. Of course, this is what you want because more muscle means increasing your rate of metabolism, and in the long run, a higher rate of metabolism means that you burn more calories.

BUT, I want to clear something up. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound of muscle is always equal to a pound of fat, weightwise. The big difference is density; muscle is leaner than fat. SO, a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat. When you aren't losing weight but your clothes fit looser, it is because you are not only burning fat but also building muscle which is leaner. In the long run, having a leaner look is really nice to have.

You are on the right track. Good luck and keep on moving...

Hey J.! If you are doing weight training the scales won't show that you are losing weight. Since you are weight training you are gaining a lot of muscle and that ways much more that fat. You are losing inches and fitting into your clothes and probably look much better than before you did weight training. Don't worry about what the scales say, as long as you feel good and can fit into your clothes that is what matters. Keep up the great work!!!

I started running/jogging about 2 years ago and actually finished a 10K run and a 5 mile run. For awhile I would run about 30-40 mins per day 4 days a week. I did not loose a pound! I didn't gain, but I did not loose either. In the last 3 months, I stop the cardio completely and have focused on weights and machines. In the last 3 months I have lost 6-8 pounds! I've only been able to get into the gym 2 times per week this summer. But when I am in there, I workout for about an hour. I have 9 sets of stations/machines/workouts that I focus on. I try to do 3 sets of 12 reps per station and I've focused more on increasing the amounts of resistance at each station (trying to increase the weights by 5 pounds as much as possible). I've definitely come down to a size 4-6. I've never been at this weight b4. I still each and drink what I want to eat and drink. However, I've noticed that when I do cardio, I want to eat more. There's actually a book out about that: cardio just leads to a bigger apetite. I'm thinking that the muscles that I'm building is "eating" away at the fat cells that I had stored up over my life. So my vote is to cut out the cardio and increase the weight training. As our body gets older it needs more muscles.

Keep at it! Weight training builds muscle, which actually weighs more than fat, that could explain no changes in the numbers on the scale. I will tell you from personal experience that when you stop nursing your metabolism slows considerably and it is easy to pack back on a few. I gained 10 lbs within two weeks after I stopped nursing! So just be prepared to cut your eating a little when baby is weaned!

Good luck! At 32 I'm finding it is just harder to drop the weight... unfortunately, I am a food monger! I love to eat, which makes weight loss harder! HA

Congratulations and keep up the good work! What happens when you are working out is you are replacing fat with muscle and muscle is smaller than fat which is why you are smaller but the scale hasn't moved much. It is much better to measure your success with size rather than weight and also how much better you feel from the exercise. I am sure you have noticed that you are stronger and better able to keep up with your baby. These are also benefits from exercising.

I have also been working out regularly and I am having the same issues. Scale doesn't move but I feel so much better so I am keeping with it and trying to not focus on the scale. Take care.

First off, congratulations on getting back into pre-preggers clothes! Second, remember that while you may have lost a significant amount of weight when you did WW the first time, if you are doing strength training while working out this time, you will lose inches before lbs. Muscle weighs more than fat, but it also more effectively uses calories. So in the long run, while losing weight may have been your main goal, what you are doing is getting stronger and healthier; and that is never a bad thing. So for right now, ignore the scale and enjoy feeling better and looking better.

Hello, Muscle weighs more than fat, it is denser! so that's why you look and feel thinner (you are). but the scale hasn't changed because of the fact that the muscle weighs more. You are replacing fat with muscle. In time as the muscle that you have added burns even more fat, you will start to see some results on the scale, but remember it's not about the number, it's about how you look and feel. so with all this new muscle, you may never weigh what you used to, but you might look as thin and even more toned! as you add cardio, you will burn even more fat with all that new muscle. Muscle burns a lot more calories even just sitting than fat does! Your on the right path, just add some cardio! I am a yoga instructor and have been involved in the gym for many years. Good luck, and keep it up!

J.,

It's because you are weight training. Muscle is smaller than fat, but it weighs more. So you are going to lose inches but not as much weight, you might even gain a little. Just make sure that you are doing more res with less weight, so you aren't buliking up. That can happen.

S.

J.,

Muscle weighs MORE than fat. So forget about the scales and keep doing what you are doing! CONGRATULATIONS -- on your baby and your shape-up!

God Bless you,
K.

I am in the same position you are/were. I had lost 30 pounds before I got pregnant with the help of WW and working out. I was back to my high school size. Now that I have the baby I gained it all back.

I can tell you that you have definitely lost the fat, but you have mostly turned it into muscle....you are doing weights. You will not see a change on the scale, but you will see it in measurements/clothing size. Since you are weight training you should measure yourself.

If you want to lose weight (on the scale) you should do more cardio. That is what I'm doing and was doing before.

You should ask a trainer at the gym you are going to (if u r going 2 one) and tell them your concern.....that is why they are there for. Most likely they will tell you what I said because I was not losing any more weight on the scale n I thought I hit a plateau, but a trainer at the gym told me that since I was doing weights I was creating whatever fat I had left into muscle.....that is what u did.

Good luck!

Hormone balancing will help with weight loss. ###-###-#### See Dr. Duve for more information.

Congrats on take the time to work out. When you weight train you may not loose weight as in pounds so quickly as you are gaining muscle mass. I wouldn't be so concerned with the number on the scale . Judge yourself according to how you look & feel. Also you may loose inches in the process. You will notice with the weight training you will also tone up which looks great. Keep up the good work.

HI J.,

Muscle weighs more than fat. When you started weight training you started adding the lean muscle mas. It is common to lose inches at first instead of pounds. That is what happens to me. When you work out to make sure that you are not bulking up do more reps at a lighter weight. That way you tone.

I am due any day now and I plan to use the nutrition plan from afterbaby.com to lose weight. It is safe to use even while breast feeding.

Remember, muscle weighs alot more than fat, so don't look at the scale, look in the mirror and at how your clothes fit! Keep it up, you will also feel much better and have more energy.

If you are doing weight training, you are gaining muscle which is why you aren't seeing the scale go down. Obviously, you are losing fat...that's why your clothes fit better. Sounds like you've found what works for you. Keep it up!

The reason why your clothes are fitting better but the scale may show an increase in weight is because your are gaining muscle. When you weight train you will build muscle and burn fat. Fat weighs more than muscle, but will give you a lean toned look. The more muscle you have the more fat you will burn. Your metabalisium (sp?) will sky rocket. Keep up the good work. I worked out very hard after my baby. I didn't see results untill about 3 months later. It can be discouraging. Give your hormones time to readjust and eventually it will start melting off. I promise. Also, keep up the weight training it will do wonders for your body. Good job!

Hello, my weight trainer told me that you would not see a weight loss with weight training without cardio. you would need to add some cardio, such as waslking or aerobics. But on the top side doesn't it feel good to get in a smaller size. Good luck.

You will gain weight at first because muscles weighs more than fat. As you build more muscle eventually your body will be more efficient and then you will see the weight loss. I'm going through the same thing too now.

You're on the right track. The main thing to remember is...muscle weighs more than fat. If your are satified with your clothes and the way they fit, don't worry about the weight. A long time ago when I was into exercise and weight training, I went from a size 9 to a size 6. My weight went from 125 to 133.

Congrats to you on your clothes size loss!

Hi J.,
You are definitely on the right track. Don't even worry about what the scale says if your clothes fit better and you feel good. A pound of muscle and a pound of fat both weigh the same amount - a pound. However, muscle is more dense than fat and takes up a smaller amount of space so you could absolutely weigh more, but be smaller than you were. Keep it up!
L.

Your on the right track, your building muscle which weighs more than fat. Muscle is what burns calories, so the more you build the more calories your body will be able to burn even if your just siting there. You must start to incorporate cardio into your routine too. That will give you more energy, is good for your heart, and will help start to show the definition of your new muscles. You also need to be getting your protein while you are weigh training. There are shakes or things you can eat to help maximize your work out too. My hubby is a personal trainer is is very knowledgeable on this stuff, you can contact him if you have questions. (he doesn't sell products) Let me know if you want his info.

HI J.. You've received some really good responses. The only thing that I would have to add to it - I once dated a personal trainer and he gave me all sorts of advice --- is that you do a little bit of cardio. The cardio is what is going to burn the fat, while the weightraining will tone and give muscle. Getting into your old clothes is a HUGE accomplishment. I have a 2 1/2 month old and a 2 1/2 year old... so I know how hard it is to lose weight and take care of little ones... I can't wait to get into MY old clothes. SO WAY TO GO AND KEEP IT UP!!

Hi J.,

Congratulations on going down a size. You may not see the scale go down as much as you would like because muscle weighs more. You are building and toning your muscles. Try not to focus too much on the scale (it's hard to do) and be proud of yourself. I have always heard it's not how much you lose or weigh; it's how your clothes fit. It sounds like you are on the road to success. Press on Girl!!:)

throw away the scale, the only sane way to gauge weight loss is with those old pants and that mirror you like looking into now, muscle weighs more than fat.

Hi J..

Muscle weighs more than fat. If you are weight training, your clothes are fitting better and you're even down a size...keep doing what you're doing! The fat will shed...eventually. Remember, to lose fat you have to eat right and exercise. It sounds like you are doing just that. Keep up the good work.

p.s. I'm jealous!

The trainer at the gym should be able to answer this question,

I only notice a change in dress size after 4-6 weeks of a consistent cardio workout. Do you feel like your weight training is challenging enough? (a good sweat during every workout)
I feel like dramatic changes on the scale doesn't happen until a month or two.

Hey J....You are absolutely right...you may not see results on the scale in the way you want them to go. When you begin a weight training program, it's typical to see a gain, because muscle weighs more than fat...so for now, you may be converting your body weight from muscle to fat and you also may still be holding onto water and a little bit of fat as a reserve to make breastmilk. Dont worry so much about the scale, a more accurate way to tell if things are happening is a body composition monitor....a gym would have one (like Aggieland Fitness Dome) But if you feel better and you can fit into your old clothes, that's a start...don't worry so much about the number on the scale, but take your measurements too...when you see a difference there, you know you're firming up!
Any more questions, let me know...I am working on losing my baby weight for the second time around!

Good luck!
M.

I have always heard that. Make sure to mix all of your workouts with a little cardio though. Even 10 min. of jump roping will shead those pounds! Good Luck!

J.,

Hello. Sounds like you've rec'd all the right responses you need. They are all correct. One last thing, in addition to your weight training, don't forget to "cardio-train" 3-5x/week also. We need to burn the calories we consume. Your on the right track! Please feel free to call me if you have questions. Keep it going J.! Good luck!

Thank you,

D. Peña, LMT, CPT
Licensed Massage Therapist
Certified Personal Trainer
Physical Therapy Tech
Group Fitness Instructor
Birth Doula
###-###-####

I had no time for exercise and was dying for quick weight loss which I put on during and after pregnancy. A friend suggested mummy magic weight loss tea. I shed total 37 lbs.

Sounds like your toning your muscles and muscles weigh more than fat. so that could be why your numbers are the same but your body is shaping up again.

J.
This is very normal. Muscle weighs more than fat. I have been told it is better to gain more muscle than to lose pounds. You will feel better and look better also. The pounds will come down but slower. I was told by my doctor to do it that way since in the long run it would be better for my body.

R.

I think what is happening J. is that you are toning up nicely and quickly too....and the weight loss will happen later.

Muscle weighs more than fat. If you're training with weights and building your muscle then you're not going to notice as much of a difference on the scale. But, you will lose inches which is why your smaller clothes are fitting even if the scale doesn't say so.

muscle weighs more than fat!!!!

Before I had my youngest son, I weighed in at 189 pounds wore a size 12 and I am 5'3". When I saw the scales peaking that high all I could think was I am so fat, I need to lose weight but in reality I wasn't. The only reason my scale went so high was not due to fat it was due to all the muscle I had gained because of the new job I had. I was the person that did all the heavy lifting for everyone. I would lift 70 to 80 pounds on down everyday all day and that is how I gained the muscle. My husband called me his little football player because I was so muscled. I am sure that is what is happening to you. Don't let it get you down. If your clothes are smaller then you are toning your self and the number on the weigher is not what matters it is rather you are losing inches. If you get to much muscle from weight training then the scale are going to stay where they are or they will go up due to the muscle you are making by weight training. Just keep up what you are doing if you like the muscle if not then lift less weight but keep up the training. Your muscle won't get so big and you will still tone up your body.

You're doing exactly what you need to do. Muscle weighs more than fat. So you are able to fit back into old clothes because you have lost some of the fat. You still weigh the same because the new muscle you are creating.

I'd be pretty excited about the progress you've made so far!

If the numbers are a concern, just add 3 days/week 30 min each of cardio (walk the baby around the neighborhood or jump on the elliptical at the gym). That should melt it right off! Enjoy! :)

I'm NOT a pro but I do know that when doing weights you tend to gain a lot of muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. So gaining weight at first makes since. If eating well and doing well balanced exercise routine your muscle should start burning away the fat. I like to incorporate pilates into my workouts to build the lean muscles. I really like the "quick fix" dvds. I don't know exactly how long it takes but keep it up!

Hi J.! I think it is great that you are working toward feeling better about yourself and getting healthy. As someone who loves running and working out, I wanted to tell you that you shouldn't look at the numbers at all. I am being completely honest when I tell you that I NEVER weigh myself (I don't even own a scale), but rather go by how I feel and how my clothes fit. Muscle really does weigh more than fat so if you are getting into lifting weights and strength training, chances are you will lose inches rather than pounds. Keep up the good work and throw the scale away.

If you are weight training you can loose fat while gaining muscle. Remember, muscles burn calories just sitting so the more you have the better!
Good Luck!
K.

You might not be seeing the scale move down, but that is because muscle weighs more than fat. Since your weight training your turning whatever fat was there into muscle so the scale might not move right now. Don't think about the number on the scale, just look at your body and if your happy with how your body looks then the number isn't relevant.

I'm the same way when I start a new exercise regimen. I usually gain a little weight at first- even if my clothes are a little looser- and after a month the weight starts to come back down. I figure it is because I'm gaining muscle which weighs more.

Congrats on working out and losing the inches!

(I'm assuming you are weighing yourself at the same time each day. My weight can fluctuate a little over the course of the day).