Scale not budging, not even an ounce?

[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.

No you were not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Metformin, 1000. After two months on it, with zero changes to my diet, I started dropping weight. 20 pounds. I am now maintaining...6 months. For the two years before MF, I was eating about 1400 calories a day with an estimated burn of about 2000-2300. I continued to gain weight. After the metformin, 14-1500 calories got me to drop the weight instead of continually gaining. I now eat about 1700-1800 calories. I am 48 years old.

[Anonymous]

Sorry everyone, crazy work day.

I’m 39, 5’8” 166.5oz! So I am at the high end of a “normal” BMI.

My current calorie target is 1350 calories, and after exercise, I’m usually in a 50-100 calorie deficit on top of that, so around 1300 calories a day. I aim for mostly protein, I average around 90g a day, but have a pretty carb-heavy breakfast.

I eat pretty much the same thing every day, switching up only flavors of things:


Breakfast: Steel cut oats with protein powder and powder protein, strawberries

Lunch: 3oz leftover chicken, 1 chicken sausage, a couple dill pickles

Snacks: Greek yogurt, orange, mini protein bar

Dinner: 3oz grilled chicken, 1/2 cup rice, broccoli green bean mix

My leftover calories yesterday with the above day was 93

My exercises:

Outdoor bike ride: I ride on average 15-20 miles, takes me about 40 minutes, depending on wind.

I walk 20 minutes to a set of stairs and spend 10 minutes climbing them, then I walk home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Are you an idiot? Of course it’s “a thing.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Are you an idiot? Of course it’s “a thing.”

No it’s not. If you eat too little you burn muscle and fat for energy. You don’t store the calories you do eat because your body is in “crisis” mode. Like WTF??? If that were the case it wouldn’t be possible to starve to death.

Stop believing this BS. No one is getting fat or holding onto fat because they are eating too little.

[Anonymous]

Don't "eat back" exercise calories. Change that fact in your calculation and you will see change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry everyone, crazy work day.

I’m 39, 5’8” 166.5oz! So I am at the high end of a “normal” BMI.

My current calorie target is 1350 calories, and after exercise, I’m usually in a 50-100 calorie deficit on top of that, so around 1300 calories a day. I aim for mostly protein, I average around 90g a day, but have a pretty carb-heavy breakfast.

I eat pretty much the same thing every day, switching up only flavors of things:


Breakfast: Steel cut oats with protein powder and powder protein, strawberries

Lunch: 3oz leftover chicken, 1 chicken sausage, a couple dill pickles

Snacks: Greek yogurt, orange, mini protein bar

Dinner: 3oz grilled chicken, 1/2 cup rice, broccoli green bean mix

My leftover calories yesterday with the above day was 93

My exercises:

Outdoor bike ride: I ride on average 15-20 miles, takes me about 40 minutes, depending on wind.

I walk 20 minutes to a set of stairs and spend 10 minutes climbing them, then I walk home.

I think you’re not eating enough. I’m your height and 130 pounds. I eat 1600-1700 calories currently and I’m nowhere near as active as you. I lift weights a few times a week, walk occasionally and take yoga or Pilates one day a week. My BMR is 1400 so I can’t go below that without losing muscle. I used to eat less (around 1200-1300), weighed 10 pounds more, and favored cardio in my workouts. After increasing my calories and lifting more I started putting on muscle, which burns fat and calories. So I was able to up my calories while losing weight. Now I’m increasing my calories to 1700-1800 because I don’t want to lose any more weight.

I suggest you eat more (at least above your BMR), increase your protein to 30% of your diet, get an InBody or Dexa and repeat after three months.

[Anonymous]

Your diet is far too low in fat. This isn't the 1980s. We now know that fats from whole foods are not something to avoid.

Here's a challenge: keep this same calorie count for three weeks. But make it so your macros / daily ratios are 60% fat, 30% protein, 10% carbs.

Skip the orange and eat an avocado. Skip the rice and have brussels sprouts or cauliflower roasted in olive oil. Skip the oatmeal and have two or three eggs scrambled in coconut oil or butter.

I bet you'll lose weight and feel far less hungry than you do currently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your diet is far too low in fat. This isn't the 1980s. We now know that fats from whole foods are not something to avoid.

Here's a challenge: keep this same calorie count for three weeks. But make it so your macros / daily ratios are 60% fat, 30% protein, 10% carbs.

Skip the orange and eat an avocado. Skip the rice and have brussels sprouts or cauliflower roasted in olive oil. Skip the oatmeal and have two or three eggs scrambled in coconut oil or butter.

I bet you'll lose weight and feel far less hungry than you do currently.

You know what, on second thought: DON'T keep this same calorie count. It is too low for someone so active. Give yourself a couple hundred extra calories as you add in more fat (in place of carbs, not protein). Give it 2 weeks. See what the scale says, and how your clothes fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't "eat back" exercise calories. Change that fact in your calculation and you will see change.

OP should also have actually reasonable estimates to ignore anyways. 15-20 miles in 40 minutes on a bike is 22.50-30mph. That’s effectively impossible. Unless she is on time trial bike and planning on joining the women’s professional peloton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your diet is far too low in fat. This isn't the 1980s. We now know that fats from whole foods are not something to avoid.

Here's a challenge: keep this same calorie count for three weeks. But make it so your macros / daily ratios are 60% fat, 30% protein, 10% carbs.

Skip the orange and eat an avocado. Skip the rice and have brussels sprouts or cauliflower roasted in olive oil. Skip the oatmeal and have two or three eggs scrambled in coconut oil or butter.

I bet you'll lose weight and feel far less hungry than you do currently.

You know what, on second thought: DON'T keep this same calorie count. It is too low for someone so active. Give yourself a couple hundred extra calories as you add in more fat (in place of carbs, not protein). Give it 2 weeks. See what the scale says, and how your clothes fit.

Other than avocado and butter, what do you suggest for fat?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't "eat back" exercise calories. Change that fact in your calculation and you will see change.

OP should also have actually reasonable estimates to ignore anyways. 15-20 miles in 40 minutes on a bike is 22.50-30mph. That’s effectively impossible. Unless she is on time trial bike and planning on joining the women’s professional peloton.

I ride outdoors on an old railway trail. It’s a straight shot with hardly any stops, and I absolutely ride 15 miles in around 40 minutes. I ride distance races and I am currently training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Other than avocado and butter, what do you suggest for fat?

Eat fattier cuts of meat (chicken thighs instead of breast; ribeye instead of filet mignon, etc.) and oily fish (sardines, white anchovy, and mackerel tinned in olive oil).

If you like (avocado- or olive oil) mayonnaise, be generous with it: make chicken salad, or a mayo-based salad dressing for vegetables or as a dip for crudites. (For example, this is an easy, delicious recipe that always gets raves as both salad dressing and dip).

Scramble your eggs, roast your vegetables, and cook meats in oils (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, bacon fat).

Snacks: cheese (preferably aged, but string cheese and BabyBel are easy on the go), sunflower seeds, olives, toasted unsweetened coconut, macadamia nuts.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and FULL-FAT DAIRY. Fage 5%. Full-fat sour cream. Etcetera.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and FULL-FAT DAIRY. Fage 5%. Full-fat sour cream. Etcetera.

I’ve been doing the 20g protein yogurt because it’s easy dense protein and feels like a treat. I *think* it’s full fat? It’s definitely not low cal. I will check and see because now I’m curious.

It’s funny you mention this. I made a chicken wrap for dinner today on a protein wrap and I added mayo before I even saw your comment, and it was oddly satisfying.