When will I see some weight loss?

[gillian27]

Hello, just joined this but last night completed Week 8 (28 minute run). Was feeling good, but my weekly weigh in shows I have put on 3 lbs since I started this? Any tips for losing weight?

[Beek Graduate]

Have you looked at Low GL way of eating? It may help a bit.

[Gilder]

Hello, I have only just signed up to this forum, even though I too am up to week 8., it is only now that the odd pound has started to move (and that is with a healthy diet, and cycling, walking and N.W Morris dancing too - and yes I am deemed to be 'overweight'!). That said, I went to buy some new shorts/trousers yesterday and it was clear that although the pounds may be sticking, the inches are not. Have you tried doing your waist/hip/upper arm (and any other you fancy) measurements instead? You may be surprised and encouraged!

[Asby in reply to Gilder]

Hello guess who your very dear sis just know it's you Shropshire to E. Sussex

[Gilder in reply to Asby]

Hello to you too!

[ksed Graduate]

Maybe you are putting on muscle which weighs heavier. I'm just about to start week 8 and i also have put a couple of pounds on, but i think maybe i'v toned up a tiny bit!!

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Take out the tape measure, you will be toning up and muscles will be much firmer than before. But the thing I noticed most was the reduction of inches, dropping dress sizes came next. Good luck with the programme and your weight loss.

[Burstcouch Graduate]

its the healthy diet that will do it. I have been a 5k graduate over a year. and sad to say have gained 14lbs.

So the conclusion, excercise alone never equals weight loss.

[Janeymiddlewife]

Hi Gillian, agree with the others that a combined approach of different types of exercise plus healthy lower calorie diet works better, running is not the best form of exercise to burn fat.

Having said that, I am currently testing trousers for a high street store and ordered my former size in error. They fell straight down, so although I haven't lost massive amounts of weight, my shape is changing, don't bother with measurements generally as I find them too embarrassing, but some people like to measure as well.

[DavD Graduate]

I'm joining everyone on this - losing weight is about 70% eat clean and 30% cardio + strength workouts. I'm afraid exercise alone is not enough but you'll get fitter anyway. I have lost a lot of inches but only dropped a few pounds since I started running as muscle is heavier than fat.I feel so much better than 4 months ago though!

[Cazvs Graduate]

I'm the same weight as when I started, I've dropped a dress size though.

[Tuffers Graduate]

I've lost a stone since starting c25k(and another stone before that) and I swear by a phone ap by Fat Secret which records your calories and guides you as to how many you should consume daily for your height/current weight/lifestyle. It doesnt teach you about healthy eating and choices but if you have some knowledge in that area, it works a treat it hasn't been fast weight loss but easy enough and so far still going in the right direction. I know these fussy aps aren't everyone's cp of tea but thought id share what's working for me:). But as everyone else has commented, the inches are absolutely going faster with the running. Quite satisfying to get the old tape measure out good luck. X

[FirinBlanks Graduate]

Don't get too hung up on weight, I'm now just about to start week 6 and gained half a kilo but had to pull in extra belt hole today.

As others have said muscle weighs more than fat. Shape, tone and health although harder to measure is what you're getting out of this.

[lincolnbecs]

I've been confused by this too, lost 8lbs by diet (calorie reduction) prior to starting C25K then got stuck at a particular weight, doesn't seem to matter if I'm good or bad the scales read the same so decided it was time to add in exercise. On week 3 and scales still jammed but clothes getting looser, annoyingly at a 'half' size so although current wardrobe too big can't quite go shopping for smaller size yet. I find I'm actually less hungry on run days but doesn't stop me treating myself as a reward for going!

[Amethyst_isis]

As muscle is more dense than fat when you burn off the fat reserves and build up muscle you will notice that your weight doesn't move but you lose inches from all over your body (muscle is not heavier than fat - A pound of muscle is the same as a pound of fat) .

[Laney0378 Graduate in reply to Amethyst_isis]

Since muscle is more dense than fat, equivalent volumes of fat and muscle will weigh differently - a pound of muscle will weigh the same as a pound of fat but it will have a smaller volume which is why you lose the inches as you build muscle and lose fat, even if your weight stays the same...

[roundbutsound Graduate]

I haven't lost any weight but I have lost a dress size. A pound of fat does weigh the same as a pound of muscle but the fat would take up more space. There are comparison pics on Google images type in 'pound of fat' and you can see the difference, it's a bit gross though so be warned

[Malcy Graduate]

I wish the community had a search facility because there are a lot of good posts & discussions on this topic. Problem is, of course, they fall off the screen within a day or two, never to be seen again.

I lost over 30kg, with running being part of that. Once your body builds up to handle the new level of exercise, you'll be capable of doing enough of that exercise to make a difference. But the truth is that you need to run a mile just to burn off a single slice of bread! I wrote a brief post last night to say that, in a moment of weakness, I had bought some sweets last night. It took 70 minutes on the treadmill to burn off the calories ...

So the answers above are correct - you do burn fat, but you do build muscle. But the muscle is more dense than fat so, although your weight doesn't change much, you will be thinner. For me, the first sign was that my watch became loose and I had to take a link out of hecstrap. A year later, I have 5 links in a drawer.

Stick with it. Count your calories and do the exercise, and the weight will soon fly off.

[Legion Graduate]

As others have said, a good diet needs to go hand in hand with exercise. I don't think anyone else has mentioned this... are you sure you aren't consuming more calories as a subsconcious reflex?

I found myfitnesspal an invaluable companion throughout c25k, helping me understand how many calories I was consuming but also how many calories I could afford to 'treat' myself when I exercised. I rarely use mfp now (just too busy, I still think it's great) but the weeks I spent using it really helped to train my way of thinking about food and taught me what I can 'get away' with eating in relation to how much I exercise.

Finally, I also found the weight loss took a while to get going (and even went backwards some weeks) but by exercising regularly you are building up muscle and the good news is that musle burns more calories than fat does. So keep at it and you will reap the rewards.