You're losing fat but gaining muscle If you are eating well and going to the gym but aren't seeing a shift in the scale, it may be because you are gaining muscle, which is more dense than fat. This means you could weigh the same, even if your body composition has changed.
This happens because you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight may stay the same, even as you lose inches, a sign that you're moving in the right direction. Typically a scale shows your weight, but it doesn't break down how much of that weight is muscle, fat, water, bones, or organs.
If you're doing cardio and strength training, you may build lean muscle tissue at the same time you're losing fat. In that case, the scale may not change even though your body composition is changing. It doesn't reflect your health. The scale can't tell the difference between fat and muscle.
One of the primary reasons why you are losing inches but not weight is muscle gain. Muscle tissue is denser than fat tissue and occupies less space despite potentially weighing more. It means that even if you lose fat, the increase in muscle mass may nullify the decrease in overall weight.
Unexplained weight loss is a red flag because it's a common symptom of many serious illnesses. These diseases often get worse (progress) in stages. Some diseases — like diabetes or Addison's disease — can progress quickly. Others — like cancer — may progress more slowly.
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.
If you've recently started dipping your toe (or your triceps) into strength training, that could have something to do with the discrepancy between the scale and the mirror. While it's a myth that muscle weighs more than fat—after all, a pound is a pound—it is denser, which means it takes up less space in the body.
If you're exercising regularly and doing a mix of cardio and strength training, it's likely your body composition (ratio of muscle to fat) is changing for the better. “If the scale isn't moving, but your clothes fit better, and you feel stronger, that's a win,” Pelc Graca says.
While many aim to lose kilos, measuring inches might better indicate progress. Body composition changes, like fat loss and muscle gain, often don't reflect on the scale. Inches lost, especially around the waist, signal improved health, whereas merely losing weight can include muscle loss.
There is no definite way though, but if your weight is fluctuating a lot and you are losing weight really quickly, it's most likely water weight. On the other hand, if you are losing weight slowly while following a healthy diet and exercise regimen, your body has started to look leaner, you are losing fat.
The rule of thumb, Fernstrom says, is that losing 8 to 10 pounds translates to going down one size. Still, if you lose "up to 15 pounds, you may be OK in your old size," she says. But putting off buying new clothes until you really need them doesn't work for everyone.
Fluctuations are normal. Water retention, stress, or even a heavy meal can cause your weight to spike temporarily. But if it's been 4 weeks or more and you're seeing zero movement on the scale (even when you're sticking to your plan), that's when you're officially in plateau territory.
Water weight is not usually a cause for concern, but it can be uncomfortable and recurring. Reducing salt and carbohydrate intake, keeping hydrated, and frequently exercising are all good ways to lose water weight and prevent it from returning.
You're losing fat but gaining muscle
If you are eating well and going to the gym but aren't seeing a shift in the scale, it may be because you are gaining muscle, which is more dense than fat. This means you could weigh the same, even if your body composition has changed.
The 30/30/30 is a weight loss method that involves eating 30 g of protein within the first 30 minutes of your day and following it with 30 minutes of light exercise. This morning routine is rooted in sound science, and it could be a good way to increase your capacity to burn fat while keeping lean muscle.
Men's bodies generally respond to dieting by the loss of more weight at their trunk and women typically shed the excess weight from the hips area. The causes of it are related both to hormonal influence and the application of whole-body composition.
Weight loss resistance is a complex issue that is influenced by various factors, including hormonal imbalances, chronic stress, poor sleep quality, medications, poor gut health, thyroid disorders, sex hormone fluctuations, and blood sugar imbalance with insulin or leptin resistance.
A planned cheat day can sometimes shock your body into breaking through the plateau and going back to weight loss mode. It can also give you a mental break from being so careful with what you eat. Finally, a cheat meal gives you the chance to eat some of the high-calorie treats that may have been scarce recently.
Weighing weekly helps you manage your weight
A systematic review of 12 studies found participants who weighed themselves weekly or daily over several months lost 1–3 BMI (body mass index) units more and regained less weight than participants who didn't weight themselves frequently.