I honestly weigh only 2 1/2 pounds more than I did a year ago. BUT my weight has definitely redistributed itself. I went from a size 6 to a size 8 or 10 depending on the clothing. Should 2 1/2 pounds make that much difference?
- Clothing label sizes are not reliable, compared to measuring yourself.
- A noticeable gain in waistline with little or no weight gain is a bad sign -- it means that you gained body fat, but lost some other kind of weight (usually muscle).
To add to what ucb said.
Thumper, it is possible that some manufacturers actually adjusted their sizing. I recently tried on a pair of pants in the same size/same fabric/same style by the same maker as the ones I had on - the new pair did not fit. I put the two pieces - my pants and the new pair - together, and I could see that the new pair was smaller. Same size 6! Ditto tops.
I really stressed over the scale for a long time. I am active; I do Pilates or TRX 2 to 3 times a week and run three days a week. I eat a healthy diet and average 1500 to 1700 calories a day. I’m not losing weight, but I’m losing inches. To those of you who are exercising and frustrated by the scale, try an experiment - measure yourself now and one month later, measure yourself again. See any change?
Eat real food, journal your diet, throw in some exercise (including some weight-bearing) and I suspect you’ll see some positive results.
UCBA…I might agree, but I’ve upped my exercise regimen significantly in the last year.
I am the most uncoordinated, unathletic person I have ever met. That is one reason I like walking because it is something I can actually do. I am fortunate to live in an area that has decent enough weather and a walking trail literally right outside of my house. If I can’t be outside, I walk on my basement treadmill.
I started yoga about 10 months ago. I used to be terrible, but I am getting better. It’s vinyasa which is a pretty good workout. The yoga teachers where I go are very kind and supportive so I don’t feel bad about my lack of coordination.
To lose weight I really have to track what I eat and watch the portion sizes. And I have to avoid sweets as if I start I can not stop.
I love yoga…go,three times a week now. A great work out, but also relaxing at the same time.
I really like yoga. I just can’t find a studio that has classes late enough in the evening for me. (7:30 or later). So I just go on Saturdays. I’m still in search.
And Fallgirl, wish there was some kind of contest to determine which of us really is the MOST unathletic!
I am the most unathletic! I know it.
No, I am. Clearly. I haven’t set foot in a gym since high school, and haven’t intentionally “exercised” in about 20 years.
wow, ano, I, we, eat so many more veggies and would hate that diet, which I understood is "silly. But many people to eat like that . While many do not really count things like berries and they can add up.
mp, took me nearly a decade to accept exercise but then I did and now just see it as watching cooking or home show time. But working full time and over as you do–well, just not enough time in the day.
But so agree about being told by others how to do things and so on. I grew to hate yoga class because I disliked being told some little tiny thing to perfect. Really? Leave me alone. And then the instuctor argued with me about wearing shoes even when I explained my feet and their issues…so stopped going even though I had done yoga for a few decades before she was born.
I am still at a standstill about the no wine message. Yet today my count is 1310 and I did have a drink. To really lose I have to stay at 800-1100 for a long time. It is tough. I am a fabulous cook and my H is skinny. I hate sweets and never would willingly eat a piece of cake or brownie. Gave up potato chips a long time ago.
I do agree with everyone that it is more calories than workouts. That said, no one is discussing cardio and with my high cholesterol (thank’s dad) and cannot take statins–well that is about the only thing other than flax and fish oil.
@deb922 My BMI is about 24.2. But I think I forgot to mention one thing. When I walk, I wear a 40 pound weighted vest and I use 2.5 pound ankle weights on each leg. It significantly increases the calories I burn when compared to walking or running without the vest. That is how I burn such high amounts of calories walking alone. Adding the weighted vest is very difficult at first. I felt miserable the first couple of weeks using it. So, if you choose to do this, start with 10 pounds and gradually go up. My vest goes up to 50 pounds and I found that I can not tolerate that much weight.
I think the BMI calculators are just ridiculous. How do they know that much of your weight doesn’t come from muscle? How can they just use height and weight to calculate fat? The calculator says my BMI is 21.5, yet I have way too much body fat. I can even see it on my skinny ankles, and I can’t fool own eyes. I need a way that doesn’t make you completely miserable, to get rid of body fat. I’m not really that concerned about the weight number, but just getting rid of that annoying body fat!
I have big dense bone because I can lift lots of heavy stuff for a female my age. Come to think of it, I like myself being pleasantly plum. I like the old standard beauty, may be back to the 15th century.
Don’t discount BMI measurements. Body fat measurement techniques vary widely and the accurate tests are inaccessible to most individuals. Also, actuarial risk assessment are based on BMI. I agree with you that BMI alone do not tell body fat percentages. But other measurements such as waist circumference or waist to height ratios also lack in that parameter. Personally, I prefer BMI along with some form of standard fitness test. I have patients who struggle to laterally move from the transport stretcher to the operating room table. I don’t care what their BMI or body fat percentage happens to be, that patient isn’t healthy and should be considered high risk.
When I got back into running, I started running with a 25 lb sack…The sack got lighter and lighter as my running progressed. 
Another book recommendation:
Strong Women Stay Young, by Miriam Nelson
Missypie, we would have been buddies in junior high PE. I loathed and dreaded it, and it affected my feelings about any kind of physical activity too. Then in January I decided that like it or not I had to get serious about my osteoporosis so I started walking. That went fine until the first 80 degree day, and thinking ahead to our triple-digit summers, I knew I was going to have to take it inside. So I really joined the gym just for the treadmill. It was only once I got there that I decided that since I was already there and sweaty, I might as well check out the weights.
One benefit I never expected is that my ancient aversion to exercise is gone. I actually look forward to my workouts. It’s weird, as in, none of my loved ones can quite believe it. But it’s just a completely different environment than junior high. No mean girls, no being chosen last, no being laughed at because I once again missed the ball, no community shower (which was my special hell). Just me challenging myself at a pace I can handle, and a supportive and encouraging trainer who wants me to succeed.
I had those same feelings about PE. I was extremely thin, and uncoordinated. Always picked as one of the last, never could do anything with a ball. However, it gave me great pleasure to outrun all of the girls, and most of the boys.