“Per unit volume, muscle weighs more than fat, so shedding fat and gaining muscle may not immediately change the scale but will result in changes in shape, tone, and measurements,” says McGowan. In other words, you may look leaner as you build muscle and lose fat, but you may actually start to weigh more.
Yes, it's common to experience temporary weight gain before starting to lose weight, especially when beginning a new exercise or diet routine. This can be due to factors like water retention, muscle gain, or changes in eating habits.
Muscle is denser (meaning a lot less fluffy) than fat, says Dr. Calabrese. Put another way, 10 pounds of muscle takes up a lot less space than 10 pounds of fat. So, as you start working out regularly and building strength, the new muscle you build may eventually weigh more than the fat you've burnt off.
Short-term fluctuations are usually due to fluid retention and longer-term fluctuations can also occur due to lifestyle changes, such as changes in exercise routines or stress levels.
If you're asking yourself, “Why am I gaining weight when I barely eat,” several factors may be at play. Your body may be holding onto fat stores if your eating habits are inconsistent or restricted. Or, your weight gain may be the effect of a sedentary lifestyle, medical condition, or long-term stress.
Your Body Is Extra Prepared for Your Second Try
If you've lost weight in the past by exercising or changing your diet and try to use those strategies again to lose weight, your body ndash; mainly hormones and metabolism – will adjust to prevent similar damage and you'll see fewer weight loss results.
You Feel Like You're Looking Worse
The idea is that just before a significant weight loss occurs, you actually look a little pudgy and soft. Why? Because you've started to break down your fat cells and now they're filling up with water. Soon, these cells will flush themselves out and shrink.
Water retention may clear without treatment in a few days. However, if there is a health problem causing you to hold onto fluid, your swelling may worsen over time. You may find that the body parts retaining water become tight, swollen, and painful. If untreated, heart or kidney problems may get much worse.
Mostly, losing weight is an internal process. You will first lose hard fat that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and then you will start to lose soft fat like waistline and thigh fat. The fat loss from around the organs makes you leaner and stronger.
There are 4 phases of weight loss, rapid weight loss, slow weight loss, plateau and maintenance. Each phase has its own characteristics and physiological reasons.
To lose weight effectively and safely, aiming to lose 1 to 2 pounds (lbs) per week may be best. This means that losing 20 lbs may take 10 to 20 weeks. To lose weight, people will likely need to follow a healthy diet and get regular exercise. Some popular diets are effective initially but challenging to maintain.
CDC further recommends that you need to lose around 5-10% of your total body weight to notice changes. For instance, if you weigh 170 pounds, you need to lose roughly 8.3-17 pounds to notice a difference. The results should also be measured after at least three months, for certainty.
Losing fat and gaining muscle can be subsequent goals instead of simultaneous goals. Many people have found it most effective to focus on losing body fat first and then working toward toning and gaining muscles. You need a healthy diet and cardiovascular exercise to get into a calorie deficit that enables fat loss.
If you're gaining muscle while losing fat, the number on the scale may not change at all at first. In fact, it may go up. “Muscle gain often masks fat loss on the scale, as muscle is denser than fat but takes up less space in your body,” she says.
It is the type of loose, jiggly fat that most people think of when talking about body fat. Subcutaneous fat stores energy and protects your body from extreme temperatures, trauma injuries, and eating too much. However, too much puts you at risk for serious diseases. Losing subcutaneous fat can be a slow process.
You can strengthen and tone abdominal muscles with crunches or other exercises focused on your belly. But doing those exercises alone won't get rid of belly fat. The good news is that visceral fat responds to the same diet and exercise strategies that can help get rid of other extra pounds and lower total body fat.
Reduce Your Health Risks
Obesity increases your risk for many health problems. Losing the extra weight can help eliminate those health problems or lower your odds for them. Weight loss can reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol. It can also slash risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and osteoarthritis.
To get the most accurate assessment of your weight, the best time of day to weigh yourself is first thing in the morning. For consistency, we recommend checking your weight at the same time each day, with similar clothing, or no clothing, after you have been to the toilet, and before you have anything to eat or drink.