Stall after starting workout program

I've been a slow loser, but slow and steady averaging 1-2 lbs per week and I am 14 weeks post op. I've recently started to incorporate exercise into my plan. I'm doing a boot camp type workout with a trainer 3 times per week. Since the day I started I have not lost any weight and it's been 2 weeks now.

I know I'm building muscle and losing fat but I'm just wondering when the scale will move again. Did anybody else have the experience of stalling when beginning a workout program and how long did it last?

Just stay on plan and you will start losing again. Stalls are a natural part of this weight loss journey. One thing to watch, make sure you are not giving yourself permission to eat more because you are exercising. Too often we overestimate the number of calories we burn with exercise and end up sabotaging our loss. Unless you are running marathons or other endurance activities, don't increase your calories. You've get this!

Starting a rigorous workout program always stalls weight loss, or even gain. You are damaging muscles, and your body works overtime to repair them.

You may be building strength, but if you are in a calorie deficit, you are not building new muscle, you are actually losing muscle mass. That's just the way that the long term calorie deficits we all go through after WLS works.

It takes excess calories to build new muscle, but it also adds fat. Calorie deficits burn fat but lose muscle. It's a roller coaster of cutting and bulking that all bodybuilders go through.

Weigh and log your food to make certain your calories are low. Do NOT eat extra because you are exercising. If your calories truly are low, be patient and you will lose.

I'm eating 600-800 cal per day, 75-80g protein. I haven't started eating more but I have changed when I'm eating so I have energy before my workouts. I'm definitely in a calorie deficit but if I'm not building muscle I don't understand how the weight loss would stall.

Fluid. Muscles get stronger after they are stressed, and stressing causes tiny tears in muscle. Lots of extra fluid is needed to repair muscle. This is all just a normal part of the process.

Either accept this as an inevitable part of the process. It's actually good for you, long term. But if the only important thing to you is watching the scale go down, just stop all exercise beyond regular walking. You'll lose more muscle that way, but you'll be rewarded by faster loss on the scale.

So question for you- Mr. Wise Grim :)... For me in maintenance my weight fluctuates - I was in a 5lb swing that I considered my 'zone' and I was good with. I was in the zone for 6 months...OK now I am in a 5 lbs swing above the 5lb swing- are you following me? LOL... I was always exercising...on and off between surgeries..:), but now no surgeries and back to a daily routine... Have changed things up in the last 3-4 weeks where I started with a trainer at the gym and in between I am doing the Running App JB suggested...so training harder than I had.... Since I made these changes I am hanging at a higher number and feel like no matter what I do it won't budge... also some days I am just so hungry....Do you think it could be the exercise? For awhile I was doing too many faux carb recipes- even though according to MFP I was in my calories- so cut those out...pulled back on the cheese last week, only used parmesan like twice... Do you think the change up in exercise could be causing a stall at this point? I don't feel like I am off the rails at all at this point and still nuthin'... I know I have had a lot of stress and transition the last few months...just banging my head a little.

You know we all fear the slippery slope of not addressing being out of our 'zone'... usually I pull back and in a couple of days it is gone....now again ...nuthin'

Any opinions/thoughts appreciated. :)

Have you done a Dexa scan since the upswing. If your body fat isn't up I wouldn't sweat the extra five. Exercise, especially cardio definitely fuels hunger.

No not a Dexascan...but the gym has this interesting Bodyfat testing machine they did on me before I started...it was within 2% of my last dexa... which is within their expected accuracy of 2-3%.... They said they will do it every six weeks so you can see your progress...I will wait a few more weeks and see what happens...

This happens pretty much every time. If you are really sure you aren't eating more, it's just fluid from all the new working out. It happened to JB as well, and even though she was expecting it, it got her a little riled up.

Just make sure you stay in that new 5 pound range. Your body won't retain 20 pounds of extra fluid just from working out . . .

Thanks... you know it's a brain game as well and our brains can drive us crazy...