Hi everyone, I'm new here. I am a 5'9" 230 lb, 20 year old male. I recently decided to start a diet and aim to get down to 220 lbs before August 23rd 2008. I have followed my calories 1850 (nearly 1000 cal deficit) every day this week and have done 30 minutes each day on an elliptical machine. Yet I have weighed myself everyday and have seen no loss whatsoever. Is there a reason for this? Thanks, I've been kinda discouraged since this is my first week and it's already failing on me.
New Guy Needs Help!
- Thread starter ilpb87
- Start date
Random water weight fluctuation. Some people see a big initial drop. Some people (me included) don't. In the long run, you'll see scale results that approximate what you expect from your caloric deficit, assuming you're estimating reasonably accurately. But in the short term, there are all sorts of things that can mask loss.
Stick with it. Be patient. You'll get there.
Stick with it. Be patient. You'll get there.
If you're VERY new to exercise, that may be the reason you're not seeing those initial drops. When I started eating right and running, after never having run in my entire life, I maintained for about 2 weeks before seeing the first losses. I attributed that to building leg muscle, since running was new to me. 
Also, as mentioned above, water weight is among many possible reasons you don't see that immediate weight loss. Remember, eating right and working out isn't just something you do once to get to where you want to be. You have to adapt it as a lifestyle. Keep at it, and I'm sure you'll get where you needed to be.
Also, as mentioned above, water weight is among many possible reasons you don't see that immediate weight loss. Remember, eating right and working out isn't just something you do once to get to where you want to be. You have to adapt it as a lifestyle. Keep at it, and I'm sure you'll get where you needed to be. I would recommend that you extend your workout on elliptical machine to one hour. Why? Because our bodies start melting down the fat only after at least 20 minutes of steady workout (try to keep your heart rate between 135 and 140 when you exercise). So if you exercise only 30 minutes you warm up your body and when it is ready to melt that fat, you stop. Try to extend your workout for 5 minutes every day to get to that 1 hour.
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Fuel substrate means very little in the realm of fat loss. Just b/c you're using fat for fuel or glycogen for fuel isn't important in the context of fat loss. What is important is net energy expenditure.
How long did it take for you to see results, scale-wise? I know people say I shouldn't be too concerned with what the scale says, but it's hard to ignore. I still eat the right amount and run at least 30 min a day, but I have lost only a little over half (lbs wise) as I should have at this point. Am I doing something wrong, or am I overreacting? Patience has never been a strong suit of mine unfortunately.