Scale not budging, not even an ounce?

[Anonymous]

I’ve been working out in the gym with a trainer for about two months. I recently took my cardio outside and it’s definitely using different muscles and INTENSE. I’ve upped my water. I’ve been tracking macros diligently (I paid to have my macros and use a digital scale) I’m in a calorie deficit. I’ve been doing two-a-day intense cardio workouts for three weeks (training for a race) and checked the scale again for the first time a week ago. It hasn’t moved, not even an ounce! I thought the scale was broken, so I changed the batteries, placed weights on the scale (it’s accurate!) and weighted myself on two other scales. Just checked it today and also not an ounce! How is this possible?

I can’t cut calories any more with this level of intensity. I asked. My trainer says “you’re building muscle”. That’s fine, but not even an OUNCE of difference in the scale? What could be going on?

[Anonymous]

You may not be eating enough. Your body may think you are in crisis, so is storing calories.

[Anonymous]

Go to your Dr for a CBC.

[Anonymous]

The only way to know what's going on is to get a baseline InBody or Dexa measurement--and to do it periodically to check progress. Weight alone doesn't tell the whole story. The scans will tell you about percentage of fat and muscle. You have probably lost some fat but have also gained muscle, assuming you're doing some strength training consistently. Scans will track that over time. It's also important to know your resting metabolic rate and to adjust your daily calorie intake accordingly, factoring in exercise time. As a PP said, it's quite possible you're not eating enough.

[Anonymous]

What is your current weight/height? Age? Male/female?

[Anonymous]

How are you feeling, and how are your clothes fitting? Do you have a significant amount of weight to lose or are you already a normal BMI or just a few pounds overweight? If you’re lifting and working out, it may be entirely possible that you really are building muscle - I’m sure you’ve seen the before and afters of people who have built muscle and their weight is just about the same (if not even a little more!) but their body looks better, clothes fit better, smaller waist and bigger butt, etc.

[Anonymous]

What did you eat yesterday? Be honest.

[Anonymous]

Just give it time. Also, since you have been at this for two months your INTENSE workouts are very unlikely to be all that energy expenditure intense because you are incapable of that. Unless you are saying you are running for 1.5 hours at 7 minute splits or doing 2+ hours on a bike averaging 200+ watts.

[Anonymous]

Are you taking your measurements? Are your clothes fitting more loosely? Those are better indicators when you’re building muscle vs just trying to lose weight. Sometimes you get thinner and the scale doesn’t budge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may not be eating enough. Your body may think you are in crisis, so is storing calories.

Ya, no, this is not a thing.

[Anonymous]

Not even an ounce? Something is off with your scalr. My weight fluctuates throughout the day by oz, water content, waste content, etc..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been working out in the gym with a trainer for about two months. I recently took my cardio outside and it’s definitely using different muscles and INTENSE. I’ve upped my water. I’ve been tracking macros diligently (I paid to have my macros and use a digital scale) I’m in a calorie deficit. I’ve been doing two-a-day intense cardio workouts for three weeks (training for a race) and checked the scale again for the first time a week ago. It hasn’t moved, not even an ounce! I thought the scale was broken, so I changed the batteries, placed weights on the scale (it’s accurate!) and weighted myself on two other scales. Just checked it today and also not an ounce! How is this possible?

I can’t cut calories any more with this level of intensity. I asked. My trainer says “you’re building muscle”. That’s fine, but not even an OUNCE of difference in the scale? What could be going on?

You talk a LOT about exercise but what I really want to know is how is the diet. I know you said you are tracking but what is your current weight, goal weight and your calories? With all that exercise are you possibly eating more than you think?

Are you tracking ALL calories and consistency; how many days out of the month you are hitting your calorie? Should be hitting calorie target at least 85-90% of the time.

How often are you weighing yourself? I find more often gives a better picture as once a week can mask normal weight fluctuations.

Now if you are doing a lot of cardio your body will build glycogen stores/retain more water. This will eventually even out. I know when I trained for a marathon I stored more water and was 3-4 lbs heavier, but as soon as the race was over and I cut back on all the running that went away quickly.

You are probably getting stronger, but like gaining fat building muscle also required a calorie surplus. You can't build fat or muscle without excess energy (calories) to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may not be eating enough. Your body may think you are in crisis, so is storing calories.

This is not a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been working out in the gym with a trainer for about two months. I recently took my cardio outside and it’s definitely using different muscles and INTENSE. I’ve upped my water. I’ve been tracking macros diligently (I paid to have my macros and use a digital scale) I’m in a calorie deficit. I’ve been doing two-a-day intense cardio workouts for three weeks (training for a race) and checked the scale again for the first time a week ago. It hasn’t moved, not even an ounce! I thought the scale was broken, so I changed the batteries, placed weights on the scale (it’s accurate!) and weighted myself on two other scales. Just checked it today and also not an ounce! How is this possible?

I can’t cut calories any more with this level of intensity. I asked. My trainer says “you’re building muscle”. That’s fine, but not even an OUNCE of difference in the scale? What could be going on?

You talk a LOT about exercise but what I really want to know is how is the diet. I know you said you are tracking but what is your current weight, goal weight and your calories? With all that exercise are you possibly eating more than you think?

Are you tracking ALL calories and consistency; how many days out of the month you are hitting your calorie? Should be hitting calorie target at least 85-90% of the time.

How often are you weighing yourself? I find more often gives a better picture as once a week can mask normal weight fluctuations.

Now if you are doing a lot of cardio your body will build glycogen stores/retain more water. This will eventually even out. I know when I trained for a marathon I stored more water and was 3-4 lbs heavier, but as soon as the race was over and I cut back on all the running that went away quickly.

You are probably getting stronger, but like gaining fat building muscle also required a calorie surplus. You can't build fat or muscle without excess energy (calories) to do so.

Not entirely true. First, if you are overweight, your body can absolutely use fat stores as fuel to build muscle. Secondly, the calorie surplus only needs to be right after the lifting. So you eat more calories than you burned right after you lift and then a deficit the rest of the day.

AS for fat, for a long time I had insulin resistance and was technically in a calorie deficit every day, but still gained weight.
The point is, the old rules are not accurate and too simplistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been working out in the gym with a trainer for about two months. I recently took my cardio outside and it’s definitely using different muscles and INTENSE. I’ve upped my water. I’ve been tracking macros diligently (I paid to have my macros and use a digital scale) I’m in a calorie deficit. I’ve been doing two-a-day intense cardio workouts for three weeks (training for a race) and checked the scale again for the first time a week ago. It hasn’t moved, not even an ounce! I thought the scale was broken, so I changed the batteries, placed weights on the scale (it’s accurate!) and weighted myself on two other scales. Just checked it today and also not an ounce! How is this possible?

I can’t cut calories any more with this level of intensity. I asked. My trainer says “you’re building muscle”. That’s fine, but not even an OUNCE of difference in the scale? What could be going on?

You talk a LOT about exercise but what I really want to know is how is the diet. I know you said you are tracking but what is your current weight, goal weight and your calories? With all that exercise are you possibly eating more than you think?

Are you tracking ALL calories and consistency; how many days out of the month you are hitting your calorie? Should be hitting calorie target at least 85-90% of the time.

How often are you weighing yourself? I find more often gives a better picture as once a week can mask normal weight fluctuations.

Now if you are doing a lot of cardio your body will build glycogen stores/retain more water. This will eventually even out. I know when I trained for a marathon I stored more water and was 3-4 lbs heavier, but as soon as the race was over and I cut back on all the running that went away quickly.

You are probably getting stronger, but like gaining fat building muscle also required a calorie surplus. You can't build fat or muscle without excess energy (calories) to do so.

Not entirely true. First, if you are overweight, your body can absolutely use fat stores as fuel to build muscle. Secondly, the calorie surplus only needs to be right after the lifting. So you eat more calories than you burned right after you lift and then a deficit the rest of the day.

AS for fat, for a long time I had insulin resistance and was technically in a calorie deficit every day, but still gained weight.
The point is, the old rules are not accurate and too simplistic.

Different poster - how did you get out of the insulin resistance?