Working out like crazy, eating well and gaining inches???

Question

I power walk to and from work 5 days a week. It is a total of 10 miles a day and usuallly hike one weekend day with my husband. This is my 4th week walking. I have lost inches in my waist and arms, bust as well. I tried on some jeans that I know should fit and I wasn't coming close. I have for sure gained and inch or two on my hips. I feel much more toned, but I really was hoping to get back into some clothes. What am I doing wrong? I am sooooooooooooooo discouraged......I am really close or at a healthy weight and I know its not easy to get there, but I am working so hard.

Will the inches eventually come off if I continue? Should I be dieting more strictly?

Answer 1

I agree. It sounds like you are building muscle in your butt and thighs, and I've had your problem before: there is an intermediate phase when you are building muscle, where you start to build muscle before all the fat is gone, and your clothes might actually feel tighter for a while. But keep at it, and soon that layer of fat will be gone, and your pants will feel nice and loose. I know it can be very discouraging, but it's happened to me, too: just keep doing what you're doing and give it another 4 weeks. You should start to see major differences then. You're doing a great job! :)

The next 4 weeks, try shaking up your routine a little-try interval training. It has never failed me! A good way to start is by throwing in a 30-second sprint every 4 minutes during your power walks. This will also help to keep it more interesting. Hiking is a great workout, and if you're going up mountains, you probably will be working harder than when you're powerwalking, especially if you're carrying a backpack. Add more weight to your backpack if you're going up hills, and invest in walking poles-they help to burn more calories and tone your arms while hiking. If you're hiking on flat land, though, you might want to try bicycling every other weekend to challenge your body more-it can get used to all the walking. Go for a long bike ride and try to keep up a quick pace-it will work your muscles differently and will help to speed up your metabolism. Try different activities-if you'd still rather hike, mix it up there, too-carry a lighter backpack or switch to a fanny pack, and throw in a minute of jogging every 4 minutes. This will really challenge your body.

If, in another month, you find that you are still not getting the results you want, consult a personal trainer. He or she will be able to give you diet and exercise advice if necessary, and tell you what you need to change, if anything needs changing. A personal trainer will also be able to give you a strength routine to complement all that cardio, and give you ideas for mixing up your walking so you don't get burned out and can continue to see results. :)

But keep going and don't get discouraged. Give your body a chance to do its changing-it does take a little time. Good luck, and may you reach your goals very soon!

Answer 2

Okay, a couple of things--

First, when you lose weight, your body loses fat in an area before it loses inches. That may sound a little odd, but let me explain a sec. As you lose weight, the fat pockets become softer to the touch. More spongy, if you will. Then, as you continue losing weight, they will shrink. The reason they feel different to the touch is that there is less fat there to support the skin, so the area feels softer to the touch.

How does that relate to your problem? Well, it sounds like you are losing fat, AND putting on muscle. Muscle fitness can have a couple of effects. First, if you were largely inactive prior to starting your program, you could have significant amounts of fat in the muscle. As you progress, that fat is pushed out of the muscle tissue, and will eventually get burned.

Second, if you are putting on muscle, your legs may be getting bigger under the layer of fat. Until such time as the layer of fat shrinks, your legs will get larger overall. This issue can be a little exacerbated by my inital point--you may have lost fat, but not inches in your hips yet.

Don't be discouraged! Even if you have put on a little size NOW, you have increased your muscle mass, and more lean muscle means you are burning more Calories even while at rest. You're making your body even more efficient in the long run.

Keep it up! You're doing exactly what you need to. As long as you are burning more Calories than you are ingesting, you will lose pounds and inches over time.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Don't be discouraged, you might be gaining muscles. I personally think it's better to look toned, at an average size, rather than skinny but flabby. Skinny and flabby people tells me that they lose weight by not eating, nothing to be proud of.

Continue your routine!Simply get a larger size, people can differentiate whether you're toned or fat. Don't worry about oversized muscles, women need a very specific diet and much more intensive work out to gain clearly visible MUSCLES rather than looking toned.

Answer 4

there is a website that just might do a little more than the power walking or at least help with the power walking... have you tried cardio in the morning and maybe weight training...ther is a website that has a challenge on it, it's great..you follow the challenge ways and you will lose the weight..you and your husband ought to try it, my wife and i are on it right now....go to this site(s)

Answer 5

dont be disheartened you sound as if your doing great keep it up what people seem to forget is that the body wont always go back to way it use to be if your looking for specific changes the you should target the problem area it sounds like your after an overhaul seek advice on working on the parts of your body you most want to change with some1 that knows your body type and fittness level keep going your doing great:)

Answer 6

This is easy. Your building muscle. The best advice is to speak with a personal trainer who can help you directly with your needs since no two people are the same.

Answer 7

With that much walking and hiking you have most likely gained muscle on your butt, thereby adding an inch or two. If you don't want to gain that much muscle, don't walk so much.

Answer 8

You are building up the muscles in your butt, thighs and legs and they take up more room than fat. That's why your jeans are tight. Just buy slightly bigger jeans or modify your workout so that you don't bulk up in your bottom half.

Answer 9

you are still eating too much....