I’m feeling stuck right now because I’ve been putting in a lot of effort to lose weight, but the scale isn’t showing any progress. In fact, I’ve gained weight instead. I know people say it could be losing fat and gaining muscle, but I don’t think that’s my case.
The real issue is stress eating. Eating helps me feel better, so I reach for anything to chew on, no matter how unhealthy it is. Lately, I’ve tried drinking more water to handle cravings and focusing on high-protein foods to stay full longer. I also avoid too much sugar, salt, or fat but still allow small portions of my favorite snacks to keep myself sane. I’ve been doing pilates in the mornings and incline walks on the treadmill every other day.
Even with all this, I weighed myself recently and saw I’m 6 pounds heavier than before. I hadn’t checked in a while because I wanted to wait until I looked more toned. Seeing that number really disappointed me. I thought I was making progress, but now I feel like I was imagining it. What could I be doing wrong?
Dallas said:
Quick question; are you male or female?
I’m female.
That makes sense. Women deal with things like bloating from cycles that can cause weight to fluctuate. Also, a scale doesn’t account for muscle density or how weight is distributed. It takes time to see results because every body is different. Be kind to yourself.
My weight can jump by several pounds from one day to the next. I’ve started paying more attention to how my clothes fit instead of the number on the scale. A soft tape measure can also help. For example, my biceps have grown by 3/4" from muscle gain, but I’ve lost 1.5" around my bust.
Focus on nutrition; make half your plate vegetables so you’ll feel full and satisfied. Keep drinking lots of water too. And watch out for drinks with hidden calories; they add up fast.
Are you keeping track of your calories to make sure you’re actually in a deficit? Also, weight can fluctuate during your monthly cycle. I always see the scale go up before it’s that time of the month, but it balances out after. If you’re overeating, though, that’s probably the main issue.
