I'm on week six and I've actually gained weight?

[bethto5k]

Hi everyone, I'm currently halfway through week 6 and it's taken me a while to get here. I started the programme about three months ago! I ended up repeating weeks a few times, or taking time out because of injury.

For the first month or so, I didn't really watch what I was eating. I tend to stress eat and I had a lot of assignments due for uni. Recently though, I've been trying to control my diet a bit more and I honestly thought I was losing weight! I look in the mirror and I'm not so ashamed of what I see. I feel slimmer and healthier, one pair of jeans are even getting baggier on me!

However, according to the scales, I've gained three pounds. I'm now 10 stone 2 pounds and this may sound like nothing to some people, but I was aiming for the nine and a half marker. This has totally knocked me and I'm starting to think that the changes I'm seeing have all been imaginary. Basically, I'm having a bit of a confidence flap at the moment and was wondering if anyone else had experienced something similar?

[mason73 Graduate]

Hi your shape is changing thats why clothes feel looser as you are turning fat to muscle I never lost wieght until I hit week 9 when yourr running more then I lost hslf a stone keep it up and it will come off x

[moger Graduate]

it s fat turning to muscle dont panic it will drop off again i had this months ago mine kept going from ten to ten and half and nearly 11 but now is just over ten good luck with the running and keep going

[crox Graduate]

Like the others said, don't stress, but weight loss has little to do with exercise on the day. The muscles we build running burn extra calories to be sure, but diet control (not dieting) is the main cause of weight loss. Have a look at myfitnesspal, that and the c25k have helped me lose over 35kg in the last 2 years, slowly and steadily to be sure. Stick with it and don't fret.

[bethto5k Graduate]

Thanks guys. I guess I have to keep reminding myself that progress is progress, even if it's not coming in the form of a number on a scale.

I've joined myfitnesspal! I think it's going to be great in helping me to track my eating, thanks for the suggestion and congratulations on your progress!

[misswobble Graduate]

I gained a bit too but that was the food I ate after running the short distances involved in c25k. If you keep running and eat healthily the weight will shift

[gingernut49 Graduate]

Just don't eat the exercise calories you burn - they're a bonus according to Michael Mosley. That meant on fasting days I sometimes show negative calories as I always run on my fasting days - but I lost three stone in six months on 5:2 and now just need to fast one day a week to maintain my new figure.

[topsychicks]

Beth, I'm doing exactly the same. I weigh a bit more than you, started out at 12st4, and was convinced I had lost a little bit of weight - slightly baggier clothes, the start of a waist (!), but when I weighed myself last week I was exactly the same weight as when I started in mid-January, and although I hadn't been actively dieting, I was trying to eat more healthily. Very demoralizing. BUT, I tried to remind myself that even if I'm still chubby, I'm a lot more active and a bit fitter than I was then, and that's definitely a good thing..

[barge Graduate]

Same thing here! But progress is progress I guess and in the long run it will pay off!

[KerrieV]

It may be how you eat. I've done Slimming World for two years and stuck at a weight loss around 1 stone. I'm quite near (8 pounds) my healthy BMI range, and have started C25K as a 'desperate measure' - exercise as the hopefully missing element. SW I have found to be a useful and informative tool to identify my subtle issues with food and eating....I'm healthy and eat loads of veg - sometimes it is quite subtle things that I need to identify and make small but important changes. I know C25K will make the difference - now in the dreaded Week 4. I'll do it. And hope that both will work magic together! I'm 55, 5ft 1 and built for comfort not speed. But I will graduate!