To feel disheartened about not losing weight but losing inches/sizes

[Fressia123]

I'm 8 months pp. I actually like how I look (I'm a size 8). I train five days a week and I'm conscious about how I eat. In two weeks I've lost a bit more than half a pound. (I've been consistently following my plan for 8-9 weeks now). I've lost a decent amount of inches (started as a large 10) and my waist is now around 27in. Yet I'm still classified as overweight. You can see my muscle tone and all of that and I know I'm healthy and again I think I'm more or less the size I want to be but staying overweight is starting to get to me.

I think clothes sizes are most misleading of all. I'm 4 inches taller than you, weigh slightly less and am a 10-12 so I guess unless you're in petite clothing that's an extra four inches of fabric you have to play with, just by being shorter, if that makes sense.

Most useful across the board measurements are abdominal as that seems to correlate with health risks- if you carry all your weight on your stomach it's unfortunate but you'll still be more 'at risk' than someone the same height weight and dress size who carries it on their hips.

If you're very fit and healthy it's unlikely that your weight is a health problem, but it's worth asking your doctor if you're worried. Tracking dress size or number just as an arbitrary measure makes little sense though: do you feel good, healthy, do you eat enough veg, do you exercise? If all that is a yes, and you're just edging into overweight. I don't imagine there's much point being preoccupied by numbers.

You must have a lot of muscle or you’re wearing clothes that are too small. I’m 5 foot 3 and size 8 but I’m in the lower end of the healthy bmi range.

5'3" 68kg and 27 inch waist is pretty outlier weight/height combo

We focus too much on weight. I think it's really sad when someone posts that they have been following a healthy eating / exercise plan for a period of time, haven't lost any weight, so feel that it was a waste of time. Stop weighing yourself, and focus on non-weight loss goals - inches lost is fine, but also training goals - weights lifted / reps / distance run etc. It sounds as if you have been doing incredibly well, and have achieved a huge amount, so I would ignore the scales and acknowledge your achievement!

OP gap size 4 is a UK size 8.

You’re not overweight, if you’re working out 5 days a week your losing fat but gaining muscle and muscle weighs more than fat.

BMI calculators do not work for people with higher muscle tone and less fat percentage.

You clearly have a lovely figure and have nothing to worry about.

BMI is inaccurate if you have a lot of muscle. It often says bodybuilders are obese.

Go off your hip to waist ratio rather than your bmi if you are very fit.

@Howyiz

About 3/4 of the way down the page. Think it was about her 4th/5th post.

At Gap I'm American size 0, so 4 UK. Anyways thanks for the support. I'm definitely a lot stronger. I was able to carry my 40kg daughterupstairs all the way to her bedroom the other day.

I've increased how much I can lift in my workouts, like I've said. I'm very satisfied apart from the scales not moving!

I'm not sure what the point of any of this is.
You're not fat. You know you're not fat.

No, I'm not fat. But I'm overweight. Both my parents have weight related conditions (diabetes and hypertension) so I do worry about it from a health POV.

@KeepingPlain she didn't post her weight until after I posted. Hence why I couldn't see it.

@Fressia123

No, I'm not fat. But I'm overweight. Both my parents have weight related conditions (diabetes and hypertension) so I do worry about it from a health POV.

Your waist measurement means you have a lower chance of developing these.

You're not overweight.

Please, somehow drum it into your brain that BMI is useless.

Stop being an attention seeker.

@Chanjer

5'3" 68kg and 27 inch waist is pretty outlier weight/height combo

I was thinking this. We’ve lost sight of a healthy weight. I’m 70kg at 5’8 and I could do with / am in the process of trying to lose at least 7lbs. 64kg would be slender. I’d be happy a few kilos over but not many.

And also... MUSCLE DOES JOT WEIGH MORE THAN FAT!

A kilo is a kilo whether it’s feathers or lead.

Muscle is more dense than fat so takes up less space (hence the OP’s measurements decreasing) but it does not weigh more.

Muscle is heavier by volume. A body that consists mainly of muscle will be heavier than one consisting mostly of fat.

I have lost inches but not weight too -enjoying my new Renpho scales as it conforms it is far gone muscle gained so I am smaller ! My clothes confirm it too :)

Fat not far gone

A visual aid !

As I said, muscle is more dense and takes up less space. But a pound of it does not weigh more than a pound of muscle (as other have said).

(Cross post)

@CalmConfident do you have a link to those scales?

Same height as you and at that weight I am a size 12, sometimes 14. It has to be muscle!

I’m about the same height and weight are you, I am definitely overweight, and in a size 10-12.
My suspicion is that your scales are broken if you fit in a size 8.
BMI doesn‘t work for super athletic types (think several hours training every day), but is fine for us average people.
Most people are overweight or obese, so somebody slightly overweight looks small. Its still not healthy!