When you’re living with obesity and working hard to improve your health, stepping on a scale and seeing the same number week after week can feel discouraging. Many members of MyObesityTeam have shared their frustrations with not losing weight despite their clothes feeling looser.

“I used to weigh myself every week, but I had to stop because it was making me overthink my weight loss,” one member of MyObesityTeam shared. “My size and the size of clothes that I wear does not match the numbers on the scale.”

This experience is common, and it doesn’t mean your efforts are going to waste. Taking steps to improve your overall health is always a win, no matter your size or weight.

Learning more about the variables of metabolism, body composition, and weight loss can help you understand the changes you might see in your body. In this article, we share several reasons why you might be losing inches but not weight.

1. Gaining Muscle, Losing Fat

You’ve probably heard this before: muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space. If your weight loss plan includes lifting weights or another form of strength training, there’s a good chance that you’re building muscle mass. At the same time, a balanced diet and aerobic (cardio) activity contribute to losing fat mass. The process of muscle gain and fat loss at the same time is called body recomposition.

“I have been losing inches in my clothes but not pounds on the scale,” said one MyObesityTeam member. Another member commented, “If you have made changes in your diet and exercise routine, you may lose fat and gain muscle mass. That explains why you don’t lose much weight, but you fit in your old jeans.”

Fat takes up more space than muscle, and it builds up around the waist and hips. If you’re losing fat, even if you’re gaining pounds from muscle mass, you may notice looser fitting clothing and a slimmer waist. Muscle mass also boosts your metabolism and allows your body to burn more calories, and thus lose more excess fat over time. This change in body composition could account for why your weight isn’t budging even though clothes are fitting you differently.

2. Water Retention Masking Fat Loss

Your body naturally holds onto water for many reasons. These include:

• Hormonal changes, which can be influenced by menstrual cycles and stress
• Inflammation from various medical conditions or even exercising
• High salt intake or certain medications

Water retention can temporarily make the number on the scale higher. If you’ve recently started a more intense workout routine, your muscles may retain extra water as they recover. This is normal and temporary.

There are also several medical conditions that can cause constant and severe water retention, including heart, liver, and kidney problems. If you’re concerned about constant swelling in the arms and legs accompanied by chest pain or shortness of breath, see your doctor as soon as possible.

3. Uneven Body Fat Loss

You may notice one part of your body getting slimmer before another. People with gynoid obesity tend to maintain fat around the hips and thighs, so their abdomen slims down earlier in weight loss. In people with central obesity, belly fat is the last to go. “Does anyone else struggle to lose weight in their abdominal region?” inquired one MyObesityTeam member.

Many factors go into weight distribution patterns, including your genetics and your hormones. Where your weight tends to accumulate has also been shown to influence your health: those with central obesity tend to have more heart problems and a higher risk for diabetes than people with lower body obesity.

Because of this, the scale alone doesn’t tell the full story. “I stopped weighing myself and just went by how my clothes fit,” said one member. Paying attention to how your clothes fit or even taking body measurements can show progress that the scale misses.

4. Metabolically Healthy Obesity

Weight is just one measurement, and it cannot capture the full picture of health. Your health also includes blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, mobility, energy levels, and mental health. Some people with obesity can be metabolically healthy even when their weight doesn’t change.

“I used to be prediabetic, but now I have normal blood work after changing my diet,” shared one member of MyObesityTeam.

Instead of focusing only on the scale, consider other signs of health progress. These might include:

• Better sleep and mood
• More stamina for daily activities
• Greater exercise tolerance
• Normal blood work at primary care visits

Keep in mind that weight isn’t the only marker of health. “I’m trying to focus on nonscale victories,” one member stated.

5. Stress and Hormones

Stress has a big impact on both fat storage and water retention. When you’re stressed, your body produces more cortisol, a hormone linked to increased belly fat and bloating. Even if you’re losing fat, stress can temporarily keep your weight steady or make you feel puffier.

Other hormonal changes, like thyroid issues, insulin resistance, or menopause, can also cause weight gain or water retention. For example, people with hypothyroidism often report slow weight changes even when they’re actively making lifestyle adjustments.

6. Daily Weight Fluctuations

“How often do you weigh yourself, if at all?” one MyObesityTeam member asked.

Your body weight can fluctuate by several pounds in a single day due to water retention, hormones, and food intake. Focusing too much on the day to day changes can cause unnecessary stress. One member expressed frustration: “I gained 4 pounds last week despite eating a calorie deficit. That’s the first time I’ve gained weight since January.”

Instead of tracking your weight in the short term, try to look at trends in your health or weight over weeks or months at a time. Many people find that when they zoom out and look at the bigger picture, they’re making clear progress. “I usually weigh myself once a week to hold myself accountable,” one member said.

Another member shared this advice: “One needs to realize that weight is always fluctuating due to many body changes. Water retention, digestion, metabolism, etc. This means you often weigh differently in the morning than the evening, and day to day. To get a realistic comparison for how one is doing weight-wise, select one day of the week and the same time of day to compare weight numbers over time for more accurate calculations.”

Your Journey Is Unique

It’s easy to compare yourself to others, especially when you see dramatic weight loss stories online. But everyone’s body responds differently to lifestyle changes. Genetics, health conditions, medications, and stress levels all affect body size.

Remember that nonscale victories are just as important as pounds lost. One member celebrated her achievement: “Today’s been a good day. I tried on a pair of shorts that used to be really tight, and they were 5 inches too big. This life change is really working.”

Your journey doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. What matters most is the progress you’re making toward your goals. Your healthcare team, including your doctor, personal trainer, and dietitian, can help you make healthy progress toward your wellness goals.

Join the Conversation

On MyObesityTeam, people share their experiences with obesity, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Have you struggled to know if you’re making progress in your weight loss journey? Let others know in the comments below.