There is a total mind game that happens when you first begin to lose body fat. At some point when dropping body fat, it is very possible that you look slightly flabbier than when you first began your diet and exercise program. I have never read about this fat loss principle, but I have observed it so many times that I know it is very common. Lets talk about why this happens, so you know what to expect when you start a strict fat loss plan.
[Meaghan isn't good with the measuring tape. She always gets a much higher number than her actual measurements for some reason.]
“If I’m Losing Weight, Why Do I Still Look Flabby?”
The best way (and only way) to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit. This means you are burning more calories per day than what you consume. When you are in a strong deficit, your muscles are typically depleted of glycogen (the carb energy stored in your muscles). When your muscles are full of glycogen, they are full looking. When your muscles are depleted of glycogen, they look a bit flat. When your muscles flatten out a bit due to dieting, it can actually appear that you have less muscle in proportion to your body fat…you will actually look like you have gained a bit of fat.
Your Muscles Will Lose Glycogen Faster Than You Lose Fat
Have you ever heard of someone who lost 10 pounds in their first week or two of dieting? Many people claim that this is just a loss of “water weight”. What happens is that glycogen binds to water molecules and the more glycogen in your muscle means more water gets stored in your muscle cells as well. When people go low carb or create a strong calorie deficit, they lose a lot of the glycogen in their muscles as well as the water that was binded to that glycogen. Their muscles lose a lot of volume. In contrast, they may only lose 2-4 pounds of fat in that same time period, so it “appears” that they had a fat gain even though the scale shows that they are 10-15 pounds lighter.
The Weight You Lose From Glycogen Loss is Limited
Your muscles can only store up a limited amount of glycogen, so once your muscles flatten out you will cease losing water weight. This will happen quickly, depending upon how strong your deficit is…it happens even quicker on a low carb diet. Don’t worry about the “apparent loss” in muscle mass as glycogen loss is just a temporary cosmetic thing. You will gain back all of this muscle volume once you go into maintenance mode.
Here is the Point When You Will Look Visibly Leaner…
When your loss in body fat equals your loss in water weight, you will begin to look leaner from that point forward. I like to tell people to not worry too much about what they see in the mirror their first month of dieting. Although they are making progress in losing body fat, the mirror will not show that progress yet. Once they reach a certain fat loss level, that is when things get exciting and dieting becomes very rewarding. It is fun to get visible feedback when you are working hard to get lean!
This Illusion of Being Flabby is Even More Drastic In the Gym
When you lift weights in a dieted state, your muscles will look flatter than normal. If you are used to getting a big pump, then this will be a big change for you. The problem with getting a pump, it that it actually hides a lot of body fat. The body fat stays at the same level while the muscles temporarily increase in volume. A “pumped up” person is tricked into believing they are in better condition than they really are. A person in a dieted down state achieves very little pump, so won’t appear to be in as good of condition as someone who is carbed up. This typically happens the first month of a strict fat loss program, and from that point forward your body will increase in definition each and every workout…you will have a tough time not staring at your remarkable transformation in the mirror.
So What Happens After You Reach Your Fat Loss Goal?
My suggestion is to keep dieting hard until your body looks really sharp in a glycogen depleted state. Remember…you still don’t have the benefit of having full looking muscles. Once you go back to eating at a maintenance level, your muscles will go back to their normal state and you will look even sharper and more lean than you did when you were dieting hard! You muscles will still look hard and defined, just slightly bigger, hiding any bit of body fat left on your body.
Note: This is a strategy I use before going on vacation. I am going to write a short e-book or report on how to prep for a vacation and look outstanding the entire time. I keep putting it off, but I promise I’ll get around to it soon.
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I know I’m a little behind the 8 ball here, like 3 years behind, but just wanted to thank you for your article, I’ve been slowly building up my cardio over 2 weeks from 30 mins – 100mins and gained a kilo.. no loss at all, and my stomach is so bloated, and my legs looks so much worse than when I started (at 67kg trying to get down to 57kg, Im female, 5’7, 20 years old) You have restored my faith in exercise and I will keep at it now! Thank you so much!!!!
my weight is 105 kg and i am five feet tall, i have been doing fitness exercise for the past three month and my weight is still the same. please advice me on what to do because i really need to loose 15kg weight.
can i feed on vegetables and fruit only while i am pregnant?
thanks,
Glory Tom
29 yrs old 130weight use to be an athlete. now not so much anymore after i had a spinal surgery. i only surf but thats the work out i get to these days. working monday-saturday doesn’t give me a lot of time for it. im trying the tabata protocol exercise but all i have been feeling is bloated and weight has plateaued. I don’t feel healthly at all and most of my friends are telling me i have been looking flabby. this is not good. my diet has been fruits and vegetables during the week with cheat days in between. what’s wrong?
hey im on a calorie diet and i lost 18 p
ounds but it seems like in the beginning of my weight loss i looked a whole lot smaller but noe when i look
In the mirrior my stomach looks bigger for some reason
Hi Rusty,
I like your article, it explains a lot of what I can expect while I am on Day 3 of carb-depletion. I am 27, female, 110lbs. I am pretty toned in my legs and arms but my tummy can use some weight loss. I’d like to have a flat stomach not really ripped.
Is it safe to go on a carb depletion diet for a week (20g or less) and then gradually work my way up to a maintenance diet. Along with cardio 30 min a day (4 – 5 times a week). But I don’t know if this is beneficial, will work, or if I need to do some other type of exercises for a flatter belly.
Thanks,
Rizz
Hi Rusty! I have a quick question:
How… Intense should you jog or run to REALLY start to lose that jiggle. I am almost 17 so im young and i look “skinny fat” as someone here said. I noticed that when i jump up and down or when i walk aster, my fat on my tummy, thighs, arms, even FACE jiggle so much!! I have been exercising and eating very well for about a month and its scary!! When will this skinny fat phase be over with? And may i mention, i dance and seeing my whole body jiggle is very VERY unnattractive xD
I am thrilled to read your comments, Rusty. You are down to earth, and understand the exaggerations and myths related to exercise and weight loss. As a weight loss dietician, it is a breath of fresh air! Keep up the good advice!
Im a overweight person who started working out 3 weeks ago and it looks like I enactually gained weight but when I step on the scale it says I’ve lost 15. Is this normal
Hello, I been working out for two months. For breakfast I eat something really small (ceral or piece of sweet bread or fruits). Lunch (I eat veggies with food like a burger or sandwich etc). Dinner (something really small) but sometimes I eat good when I go out with some friends. I lift weights, bench press, curl ups three times a week. I try to do cardio everyday. But for some reason I see myself fat especially my face and neck but I see a differerance on my stomach. I also realized I gained strength and muscle but I don’t see any difference on my face. I want know if you could please tell me if I’m doing something wrong. Thank you for your time.
-erick
how do i get rid of the fat that is under my arm pit area between my lats and chest
Rusty,
I have been dieting and exercising for the past month and it seems I have hit a halt on the scale. I still have 25lbs to go and don’t know what else I should be doing or not doing to get rid of the weight. I work out every morning Monday through Friday. My wo regimen includes a mile run, some ab exercise, then strength training. I have also changed my diet. I have some berries in the morning, a salad for lunch, and one piece of chicken for dinner with veggies as my side. Mind you I am drinking plenty of water through out the day. I do allow one cheat day on the weekend, but I never take it over board as my stomach seems to feel full much quicker.
Do you have any suggestions to help promote my weight loss in a quicker manner? Your time and assistance is much appreciated!
Lyn, you’re not eating nearly enough. Figure out your maintenance calories and consciously begin to eat a few hundred below that number. Once you know what these cals “look like” in a day, continue to adjust and lower them as weight comes off. Carb up once a week if low carb is the option you choose during the week.
help i am really trying to up the ante with exercise i could briskly wAlk 6 miles and cycle 7 alternate days with circuit workiut and 2km jog then aqua aerobics feel much bigger. clothes are tighter and scales are up i have a bad back and reslly doing as much as i canpls help getting so upset
Hi there! I just have a quick question. I have about 50lbs to lose and I recently started taking kickboxing classes (4 days per week min) and I have actually gained about 6 pounds in the last three weeks. I look flabby and bigger than when i started! Any thoughts?
Hello Rusty! Two years ago, all I did was run and became very very thin. I needed to gain some weight so I did…. And got a little carried away.. I am now a lot bigger than I have ever been. I have always kept running, but recentlty I have started doing kickboxing, pilates, and some weights… Well I am still trying to work on my eating (I still probably eat too much) But I feel larger than ever. I have worked out more than usual this week and my stomach feels extremely fat. Not muscle, but I feel like fat is sticking out. And it’s gross and I am more self conscious than ever. I have looked everywhere for an answer and I’m hoping you can help me with some advice. I’m tired of gaining weight…
This is about the millionth time I am being convinced that sport sucks in the “thin ‘n sexy department”! I started running and playing with (5 lb at first, now 10 lbs) dumbbells after being an anorexic before I was 27 (BMI 16 and wanted to lose even more) and gained like 25 lbs (no no no, its not all muscle. I started eating it all! Healthy and crap – sugar). I want to be real skinny and bony again and can not stop working out, because every day I want to burn off the extra calories from the prior day. My appetite has never been this monstrous. And I used to be sexier when I was skinny. That’s right, sexier. I felt like I could fly through the air. Now I feel healthy and fat (as a swine)! My BMI is now 19. I tried fasting for a couple of days recently and then started eating again. I am so going to fast again and finally break this nasty cycle of FAT.
The first few weeks of working out again is usually very disheartening for people, especially if you are working out hard! The body stores glycogen and retains water, which gives the you a puffy look. But stick with it, this will change and as Rusty states, there comes a point where you will start looking much better each day you workout.
I have always worked out for aesthetics, but now I realize that the goal is futile in itself. Workout for a better sense of well being and the aesthetics will fall in place. I recently started going hard again, working out for 2 hours 5 times a week, 1 hour of cardio and 1 hour of heavy weights. I am probably eating at the point of thermodynamic balance. Despite the staggering weight gain of 10 pounds, I feel much better, stronger and healthier, and this should be the goal of working out. The art of challenging oneself each and every workout is much more satisfying than simply looking good. Good luck to y’all!
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