Why Didn't I Lose Any Weight?

The most common cause of discouragement in a weight loss program is because of lack of weight loss. Some lose 2 sizes in a month, but because they failed to lose weight on the scales they became overly concerned.

A person who is successfully losing fat every day will begin to shrink in size. As fat is burned, the body must get rid of waste products generated (mostly water) through the kidneys.

Sometimes this waste water is retained for some time and it falsely raises the weight of the person ON THE SCALES! Unless you are aware of what is happening, you can lose your motivation to lose weight.

Think of your body as a living warehouse, one we can weigh on the scales every day. Inside the "building" you have stored fat, protein, water, salt, bone, brain tissue, and waste products. During every day of your life you are taking in water and getting rid of water.

When you burn 16 ounces of fat, you generate about 22 ounces of water in the process. This water has to go somewhere. While this is going on, if you exercise, healthy muscle tissue is being built up and added to the body with what is called "good weight."

All of these items in your "building" affect what you weigh, depending on how much of each is present at the moment you step onto a scale. Water retention from medications, excess salt intake, hormones, or menstrual cycle changes can force the net weight upward, even though you are losing fat during this time.

Irregularity can produce a temporary gain of as much as three pounds. Having a full bladder can add tip to 2 more pounds. WEIGHT from muscle growth can add poundage too.

What does this all mean to you when you step on the scale? You basically have a number given to you by a scale. If the number is less than before, you have lost "weight" on the scale.

You can usually believe this indicator of progress, but not if you are changing fat into muscle. Look at the way your clothes fit you. Are they looser than they were? Are you able to get into things that had gotten too small for you before you started your fat loss program? If so, you have lost FAT, and this is the name of the game, FAT LOSS INSTEAD OF WEIGHT LOSS!

The scales will lag from one to two weeks behind the body fat analysis.

In summary, quit being a slave to the scales. Take the time to really observe what is going on in your body. As the fit is burned off, your healthy protein stores are increased and your size shrinks as you get slimmer and slimmer.

Don't let your friends get you discouraged so they have lost more "weight" than you have. Everyone is different, and besides, they may be stretching the truth when they tell you how much they have lost.