@jyeung You go, girl! Weight training and muscle gain will increase your weight. Especially if you start from a low body weight. You might stay stable if you lose fat in the same time. I was 150lbs, so for a long time my weight did not change, but my measurements went down, and then I started putting on even more muscles, and gained 7-10lbs. (Lost a bit recently due to stress and some health issues).
@shaunf I've been taking my measurements as a way to track this without taking photos!
In what I'm sure is a sadly common situation, my mom is the person who harps on my weight the most. Whenever I recomp she is shocked and says that I must have lost weight even though I haven't lost a pound. And you know her reaction is 10000% honest.
@sanhen143 As a naturally thin person it still shocks me to hear people think that way. Like I have always been thin and my weight has changed by 10/15 pounds but nobody can EVER tell. I’m at my second highest weight ever right now and I’m the smallest size (clothes-wise) I’ve ever been.
The scale is a liar and “losing weight” is not as effective as getting strong and fit. I really hope this entire conversation changes and I never have to hear anything about weight *loss again.
@dawn16 As unreliable as they are this is sometimes why I think clothes sizes is a good way to measure all this. Maybe pick a single consistent store or something, but to be honest a lot of people want to be smaller. That doesn't have to be pounds on the scale, but it does usually translate to smaller clothes.
@sanhen143 What is it with moms? I'm in a recomp and my mom keeps commenting on how "thin" I look. I know she means it as a compliment, but I'm over here intentionally trying to pack on muscle and "thin" just feels antithetical to my goals. I don't know if you call your mom out on her comments; I suddenly get terrified of confrontation and awkwardly try and switch the subject. It's very healthy
@trust_in_the_name Actually, this is a matter of a few years ago. I wasn't trying to get muscular so it wasn't antithetical, so I didn't say much. But since then in general I've shut down any comments about weight "we are not talking about weight. do not talk about my weight" and it actually stopped it.
I've been working out and tracking macros since November 2021. Scale didn't move for months, BUT I was losing inches. Seeing non-scale progress helped keep me motivated and taught me that the scale really ain't shit.
@sanhen143 I have the same experience. The women in my family think weight loss is a compliment so they're always like "You've lost weight!" And I'm like 'I literally have gained weight'. And then they're like "Well you've look like you lost weight!" It's like I know they want me to say 'thank you' but I don't want to affirm their mentality that skinny = good. Plus, they are often the ones struggling with weight loss. I wish they'd come to me for tips, lol.
@klara6 Oh my gosh this has been happening to me for weeks now. Everyone keeps telling me that I've lost weight and I'm like nope, trust me, I haven't lost a pound, in fact, I've gained weight. And they're confused, or think I am. I let them stay confused cos it's nunyabizniss.
@klara6 I try to reply "I've gotten stronger" or "It's because of swimming, not dieting" - dieting to them just means eating fewer calories - but still get the same responses.
@sanhen143 Same issue here. I always explain the concept of building muscle but they're obsessed with doing these 10 minute cardio videos on YouTube lol
@sanhen143 Or, you can even gain weight (muscle) and look skinnier. Weight is important, especially for certain medical situation (for example drug dosage, or extreme under or overweight) but otherwise body composition is much more telling about a person's health and fitness.
@earthboundmisfit929 This is so TRUE. I looked my leanest/healthiest/strongest at my heaviest when I was working out much more consistently and eating more and paying attention to adequate nutrition.
@shaunf I have also been failing at a similar cut for the past month - thank you for posting this. You've clearly made a ton of progress at putting on muscle & you look great! I'm glad you realized what was really happen. I'll have to take some pictures (& smash up my scale?).
@shaunf Thanks for this....perfect timing as I am about to embark on a 2 month shred. I have a hard time getting protein up over 110 g a day and have to fold in cardio clearly! Anyway, you look great and strong!
@shaunf It’s such a pity of our society that women like you, with a slim body, flat belly and even some abs, look at the scale and think that loosing weight is the best course of action! If you are 5’11 then most numbers that you hear in media are way to low for you. I would continue too recomp or even bulk a little (depending on your goals), but overall not restrict too much.
@coffeefiend I agree, and I appreciate the comment! I actually started therapy after a really misguided dieting phase last year, and we talk a lot about disordered eating and dysmorphia and how to focus more on achievement-based workouts, which this sub has really helped me with. That said, I don't want to spread my own bad habits or any disordered mindsets that may still stick with me, so let me know if this post is detrimental in any way and I'll take it down!
@shaunf I really, really appreciate your post. I'm your height and I've been all over the weight map, and part of it is this cultural ideal from certain weights/measurements that do NOT come from women this height. The "120" or "110" or even "100" number would get stuck in my head, even though those weights nearly killed me.
I know I'd also get the "but supermodels are tall" thing when I'd kvetch about my height, but people fail to realize those "super sexy" supermodels are also facing ENORMOUS amounts of pressure to have essentially zero muscle or body fat. Not exactly a good "tall girl goal".
Fitness and what a body can do were a lifesaver out of my ED, but it can still be triggering to see people here with stats that are just so, so small for me. Logically I know I have a bigger starting frame, but there is a lot of conditioning around the number on the scale. I am SO glad to see a tall girl perspective on here.
@sscablao Plus, models are paid to be that thin, why 'regular' people should be held to that standard for free? (Not that it is a good or healthy standard anyway).
And most super thin models are very young for a reason (16-20yo), they have that high metabolism and had a growth spurt (before their weight 'normalize') that allow them to be thin 'naturally'.
I let them stay confused cos it's nunyabizniss.