So, I've been on this plateau for about 8 weeks now. (I'm only 4 mo.out from surgery) I've only lost about 25lbs since surgery. I had been going 3-4 times a week to the gym doing 30 min cardio and Nautilis machines. I got sick with a cold and did not go for a week and then started losing weight! did not go for another week. had lost about 3 lbs over the last 2 weeks. Monday I started back at the gym, have gone every day and have gained the 3 plus 1 lbs back? This is not logical I did go out to dinner Monday night but did not eat anything outrageous and brought home most of it. So why in the world would I be up 4 lbs? I was so happy thinking I'd broken the plateau, only to be back where I was two weeks ago! Any ideas? and I don't by the building muscle theory.

thanks for letting me whine!

What are you eating? Is your diet high in protein. If so perhaps when you are working out you gaining muscle, which as you probably already know is heavier than fat. Do you see any other changes in yourself? Are you clothes fitting better? Do you measure yourself with a tape.

muscle does weigh more. Often times when you first start working out it will take a while for things to even out and the scales to show a loss. Try measuring your chest, waist, hips- weekly and watch them go down- this is more of a tell tail sign than the scale. My weight has been stuck in the same 5 lbs slot for 2 months now, but I have gone down 2 inches- go figure.

"Muscle does not weigh more than fat, any more than lead weighs more than feathers. A pound is a pound is a pound. Where the misunderstanding often comes in is that muscle is much more dense than fat, so that, by volume, it seems to weigh more. That is, a pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat. In addition, because a pound of muscle burns more fat than a pound of fat, even at rest, by increasing your lean muscle tissue mass, you're helping your body burn more calories.

If you only have a small amount of weight to lose, then you may feel like the weight training is not helping you move down on the scale. In fact, the number may even go up, but you will look thinner. This is due to an increase in lean body mass (muscle, bone, blood volume) and a decrease in body fat. In other words, even if the scale doesn't change much, you will probably see a difference in how your clothes fit."

Muscle does not weigh more than fat, put 5 pounds of muscle on a scale and then put 5 pounds of fat on a scale. I got 20 bucks that says they will both weigh 5 pounds, muscle just takes up less room in your body than fat....I agree measuring is your best right now..I know we all want the scale to move down and I feel your pain. All I can say is, get plenty of protein, drink plenty of water, track every calorie and keep on doing what you are doing. Best Wishes

I did not just start working out. I have been working out for 3-4 years off and on but pretty steadily until I was sick two weeks ago. I do use a tape measure and honestly haven't seen much (if any) movement there either. My diet is high in protein at least 80 grams (or milligrams however the measurements) per day. I have dropped 2-3 sizes and 64-69 lbs (since I started actually in April when I began the whole surgery circuit)but, my concern is in the last couple months. Well Thanks for all the support. I will surely keep plugging along!

To be technically correct, muscle is denser, and as such weighs more by volume (A cubic inch of lead will weigh more than a cubic inch of feathers.)

Having a cold can dehydrate you so it's easy to lose fluids. I can gain 5 lbs over one weekend if I eat foods with a lot of sodium and carbs. Like a pizza. I had a pizza last night for my wife's Bday. I gained 4 lbs overnight. It will take 3 days to squeeze those fluids out but I'll do it.

Restaurant food has a lot of sodium in it. If you want to break the plateau, put the salt shaker down, stay away from carbs, especially simple carbs, for a week.

tmf

http://www.livestron...avier-than-fat/

Muscle vs. Fat Weight

Muscle is heavier by volume -- or more dense -- than fat.

Muscle does not weigh more than fat, since 5 lbs. is 5 lbs. For example, a 5 lb. bag of potatoes weighs the same as a 5 lb. dumbbell. However, 5 lbs. of potatoes is much bulkier than the dumbbell. The same goes for fat and muscle tissue. The fat tissue will take up more room on your body while muscle will take up less. That's why muscle looks better on your body and therefore, your progress might not be seen on the scale.

Read more: http://www.livestron.../#ixzz2MDOCGz4q

Hi Misty,

There are so many factors why our weight stalls, gain, etc, when we are following the rules to weight loss. Ask yourself do you track all of your foods daily? Getting in all your Protein? What about your sodium intake? Taking any new/recent medications? What about your caloric intake daily? Menstruation? Do you know how many grams of carbs/sugar you are eating/drinking a day?

Everything I wrote above is how I have learned from "personal' experience what I was doing or needed to adjust. We all don't lose the same, what works for one does not work for the other. I find investigating what you are eating/drinking daily by tracking is key, from there you can learn to adjust your nutrients that fits into your lifestyle that works for YOU.

Best of luck,

Here is the medical reasoning for the weight gain. Once you stop exercising for a few weeks or even days you have to get the muscles going again. When you do this, Fluid gathers around the muscles you are working. This is a protective mechanism to keep the stretches muscled lubricated and to keep the joints lubricated.

As for the muscle weight compared to the fat weight ... Yes, a pound is a pound is a pound. However, it takes a LOT more muscle to fill the spaces than it does fat. It is denser than fat and it is tighter "wound" if you will than fat. So, ideally, muscle does weigh more than fat since it takes a lot more muscle fibers to fill a glass for instance than it takes loose-fibered blubber.

Hope this helps!

Here is the medical reasoning for the weight gain. Once you stop exercising for a few weeks or even days you have to get the muscles going again. When you do this, Fluid gathers around the muscles you are working. This is a protective mechanism to keep the stretches muscled lubricated and to keep the joints lubricated.

As for the muscle weight compared to the fat weight ... Yes, a pound is a pound is a pound. However, it takes a LOT more muscle to fill the spaces than it does fat. It is denser than fat and it is tighter "wound" if you will than fat. So, ideally, muscle does weigh more than fat since it takes a lot more muscle fibers to fill a glass for instance than it takes loose-fibered blubber.

Hope this helps!

Uh, I think not? Where did you hear that?

A lb of muscle will take up less space than a pound of fat. Now I've never taken out a lb of my own fat and compared it to a lb of my own muscle but my nutritionist has these 1 lb models in her office and clearly, muscle takes up less space. Your two sentences contradict each other BTW.

"It is denser than fat and it is tighter "wound" if you will than fat" VS "muscle does weigh more than fat since it takes a lot more muscle fibers to fill a glass for instance than it takes loose-fibered blubber"

Dense means more weight per cubic inch.

tmf

OK, found this awesome video on youtube. Or maybe it's just gross?

Anyway, fat vs muscle and of course as we all know, "They can't put it on the internet if it isn't true"

Okay, let's just cut to the chase here! Going to the gym 3-4 days a week doing cardio for 30 min and nautilus machines are not going to gain that much muscle in that amount of time! I'm not trying to be rude, but why does everyone say muscle weighs more than fat to try to make others feel better! I have had plateaus and setbacks also, but I have never seen the scale move upwards during a muscle weighs more than fat period! Make sure you track your food, make smart food choices, maybe increase the length of your workout and up it's intensity. Stick with it! You should be patting yourself on the back for going to the gym! Isn't it about a healthy body or is it just about the numbers on the scale?! If your working out, no matter what the scale says your getting heathier! You can be unhealthy and thin and you will have accomplished nothing! Remember the goal is health, you need to keep going to the gym and put the scale away for a while! It can mess with us and even cause us to fail by not showing us what we expect! Don't let that little square object determine your future or judge your progress! That is my rant! I don't mean to offend anyone, I just get upset that we think the scale measures our success! I am guilty of this obsession and trying very hard everyday to take my power back! I will no longer bow down to it! Amen! That concludes my service! LOL

Here is the medical reasoning for the weight gain. Once you stop exercising for a few weeks or even days you have to get the muscles going again. When you do this, Fluid gathers around the muscles you are working. This is a protective mechanism to keep the stretches muscled lubricated and to keep the joints lubricated.

As for the muscle weight compared to the fat weight ... Yes, a pound is a pound is a pound. However, it takes a LOT more muscle to fill the spaces than it does fat. It is denser than fat and it is tighter "wound" if you will than fat. So, ideally, muscle does weigh more than fat since it takes a lot more muscle fibers to fill a glass for instance than it takes loose-fibered blubber.

Hope this helps!

Very Helpful Thanks

Uh' date=' I think not? Where did you hear that?

A lb of muscle will take up less space than a pound of fat. Now I've never taken out a lb of my own fat and compared it to a lb of my own muscle but my nutritionist has these 1 lb models in her office and clearly, muscle takes up less space. Your two sentences contradict each other BTW.

"It is denser than fat and it is tighter "wound" if you will than fat" VS "muscle does weigh more than fat since it takes a lot more muscle fibers to fill a glass for instance than it takes loose-fibered blubber"

Dense means more weight per cubic inch.

tmf[/quote']

I apologize for contradicting myself. But, I have seen the comparisons of the sizes of the individual cells and fat cells are empty under a microscope where muscle cells are "full". Is that better? That being said, yes, muscle weighs more than fat when weighing INDIVIDUAL cells.