Exercise! When do I see results???

rajgrover · February 21, 2006

I have been going the gym for over 3 weeks, 4-5 times a week.

Been doing:

24-28 minutes on treadmill, 3.5-4 mph, 0.5% incline

Some weights for arms and shoulders

15 minutes on Elliptical trainer

Now I am doing 15-20 minutes on treadmill

and 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer.

According to the excercise machine computers, I am burning approx. 500 calories /workout. ( adjusted for my weight).

BUT... I haven't lost any weight over the last 3 weeks (maybe 1 pound!!!).

Some people I speak to attribute this to conversion of fat to muscle.

Is this true? When can I expect to see some results.

Only big difference I notice is that I am no longer cold all day long.

Jill_S · February 21, 2006

Are you keeping your calories up?

When I started burning over 600 calories/day, I upped my calories to compensate. When I slide below 500 net calories for the day (food - exercise), I do not lose, period.

rajgrover · February 21, 2006

I think my calories are almost the same, if not lower.... as I sleep ealier... I'm not munching at night!

Thanx,

RG

Marimaru · February 22, 2006

I usually don't see results until I've done good solid exersize for at least 6 weeks. Unfortunately these days, something keeps getting in my way (be it a 'real' or 'excuse' type reason) and I stop before six weeks to have to start up again.

Jachut · February 22, 2006

You feel it more than see it anyway. I think if you are exercising purely to "see" results you just wont keep up the motivation. Most long term exercisers dont do it for what they "see" they do it for the way it makes them feel.

Things like getting on the treadmill and just out of the blue finding I can jog for 30 minutes motivates me!

vinesqueen · February 22, 2006

Well, you are warmer now than you were before, so that's "seeing" some result.

What are you expecting? Toning? Definition? Weight loss? All of the above?

Muscle does indeed weigh more than fat, so you might be converting fat weight to muscle weight, which in the long run is what you want. The more muscle you put on, the less fat you have to lose. Yay!

Have your fat free mass (FFM) checked now so you know where you've been. Easier to know where you are going that way.

Before you start to "see" any changes you will notice increased strenght and stamina.

rorysmom · February 23, 2006

yes, up your calories by a few hundred and see if you start losing something.

Dianechef · February 23, 2006

I have been working out regularly for 3 1/2 months & I can tell you from experience that your scale will trick you. You won't lose any weight at first. (I am assuming you're still eating the same as BEFORE you started exercising!) You WANT to gain muscle & it does indeed weigh more then fat. Our body takes a while to figure out what's going on & to regulate itself. For me, I never exerised & then WHAM, I start exercising 5x a week. I think my body was saying - "Is this for real?" After a few weeks it figured out that it indeed was for real & that I was going to continue exercising. The weight started dropping at about 4 weeks. And when it dropped, it was 5 lbs!! I also dropped a whole pant size as well. Good things happen when you exercise. Keep it up!!!

FunnyDuddies · February 23, 2006

Anytime you are starting a new excersize regimine it will take approx 5 to 6 weeks to really strt seeing major changes. ntil then, it is like everyone has been saying. you are gaining muscle mass, the boddy is holding onto fat because it thinks it needs the extra energy stores for all the new work you are doing. up the cals just a few hundred with maybe a Protein Shake or two. this will help you to also heal the muscles you are growing. a losing body does need food. Good luck! And keep up that workout! Its sounds like a great one!!

shanna · February 23, 2006

"Ditto" to what everyone's saying about it taking a while to see the difference in the scale. I know the thing that motivates me more with exercise is taking a few simple measurements: waist, hips, breast, arms, thighs.

You'd be amazed at the inches that come off, instead of your scale going down. And pretty soon, your scale will start going down, too.

Take some measurements today and compare them in 4 weeks - I think you'll be amazed.

Good Luck!

shellyj. · February 23, 2006

i am gonna take what ya'll said and use it for me too! i have been working out like a maniac with no results. when i get discouraged i go more!

i am up to 45 minutes on the eliptical

and 30 minutes on various weight machines

3-5 times a week

i do feel AWESOME when i leave and i DO love the way i feel from it but COME ON!!!i want some results!!!

this weekend i am going out of town, getting all gussied up so that will be the real test, wearing a dress or going frumpy in jeans 'cause i dont care for how the clothes fit me!

lets keep on keeping on rajgrover!!!

donali · February 23, 2006

The tape measure will tell you your success more than the scales.

No need to measure, though - I bet you can already feel it in how your clothing fits.

This is why the phrase "The scale LIES." was born...

smilo · February 23, 2006

I sincerely hope I'm building muscle too. I haven't lost any weight in three weeks and it's getting really depressing. But, I'm walking a mile a day and doing 35 sit-ups every morning. I also do some old-fashioned isometric pushing/pulling things with my arms while I watch TV at night.

I do feel better and more energetic than I have in quite a while, so I'm forging ahead and hoping that the scale will show some results eventually. You hang in there too, Rajgrover.

Smilo