Why No Change Since Lifting? Weightlifters Opinions Needed

skinnyinnotime

IF you still have weight to lose the fat will be masking your muscles, when the fat drops your definition will be clearer.

Mandyw58

Weight-lifting will help with your shape - but diet (i.e. calorie deficit) will be the key player in body fat loss. You have to do both of these things (with the diet piece being 80-90% of the battle, for me) in order to change your shape.

I agree with this.

I wouldn't worry about being tired walking up the stairs still. I've only been lifting for the past 3 months as well, and I still get a little bit of a burn in my quads on stairs or when kneeling for awhile. But last time I went for a hike with steep switchbacks and over 550m elevation, I charged up that mountain much more easily than I had before. It just took a couple minutes for my muscles to warm up and get the blood flowing before the burn went away.

I also think you might need to increase the weights more often. Increasing them just a little in 3 months is probably an indication you haven't been lifting heavy enough. You can always to a one-time session with a trainer just to make sure you're on track. I know that on my own I would lift a lot lighter and be a lot lazier, but my trainer pushes me beyond what I thought was possible.

timbrom

I'll further recommend looking at diet. From October-February I was working out regularly (4-6 times a week) doing weights, P90X and running. Lost two pounds, slight, if any difference in appearance. I was getting stronger and in better cardiovascular shape, but that was it. From March until now? Lost 26 lbs, huge difference in appearance and fitness. March 2nd was the day I decided to get my diet under control. Started eating a proper number of calories for my size and activity level (Started with the MFP recommendation + eating back exercise calories, then switched to TDEE - 20%, both worked equally well for me) and the weight just started falling off.

wibutterflymagic

Yes, I'm trying to lose. I'm 5'3" and currently 167. The number isn't important, though, if I look thinner.

Yes, I think I've gotten a little stronger. I increased my weights a tad in the last couple weeks although my legs still get tired just walking up the stairs to my apartment

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that's one thing that seems really odd to me.

My logging is what you see. I know my sodium can be high at times and I don't know how I can get more protein. I have it in every meal and I've started drinking a protein shake after workouts in the last 2wks.

Wait, are you saying that you didn't increase the weight progressively until 2 weeks ago? If you use the exact same weight for 3 months, you're not going to see much change.

No, there was one other time I increased. And on this new routine I'll be increasing more often(I hope).

Warchortle

I only just started lifting but maybe this will help:
There 3 body types : Endomorph, Mesomorph and Ectomorph. Maybe you are an Endomorph
Typical traits of an Endomorph:
Soft and round body
Gains muscle and fat very easily
Is generally short
"Stocky" build
Round physique
Finds it hard to lose fat
Slow metabolism
Muscles not so well defined

When it comes to training endomorphs find it very easy to gain weight. Unfortunately, a large portion of this weight is fat not muscle. To keep fat gain to a minimum, endomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights.
Here is a test to find out your body type : http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm

I'm not saying body types don't exist, but it's primarily used as an excuse "OH IT'S MY GENETICS!" If people just STFU about how hard it is for them and easy it is for others while spending that energy being disciplined.. maybe they wouldn't have aesthetic problems.

jennkain97

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What routine were you using *before* you started NROLFW?

You need to increase the weights progressively in order to make progress. I walk up 6 floors' worth of stairs without getting winded now that I do squats. That should be one of the outcomes if you do anaerobic training. If you haven't seen any progress, I suspect you haven't been challenging yourself enough.
[/quote]

This. With NROLFW, you should be increasing your weights each time you decrease reps/set. And you should be lifting as much as you can. There should be no question about whether or not you are getting stronger-- if you can lift more now than you could before, you are stronger. If not, then you're not.

As far as "seeing" a difference, as others have stated, it's hard to see that gradual progress w/o pictures. And this is not to sound the least bit mean or rude, just honest-- you are still "overweight", so w/o losing the fat that is covering your muscles it will be harder to see them. You should be taking your measurements weekly. If you are eating at a modest deficit and truly following NROLFW (lifting as much as possible and eating the proper proportion of carbs/protein/fat), the numbers should be dropping even if you can't actually see the muscle definition yet.

darrensurrey

Thought you'd appreciate this:

wibutterflymagic

I only just started lifting but maybe this will help:
There 3 body types : Endomorph, Mesomorph and Ectomorph. Maybe you are an Endomorph
Typical traits of an Endomorph:
Soft and round body
Gains muscle and fat very easily
Is generally short
"Stocky" build
Round physique
Finds it hard to lose fat
Slow metabolism
Muscles not so well defined

When it comes to training endomorphs find it very easy to gain weight. Unfortunately, a large portion of this weight is fat not muscle. To keep fat gain to a minimum, endomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights.
Here is a test to find out your body type : http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm

Hmm, interesting. I'll look at that. I was at a plateau for a couple months and it wasn't until I started a part-time job where I was getting some added activity that the scale moved. Thanks!

gigglybeth

No, there was one other time I increased. And on this new routine I'll be increasing more often(I hope).

That is the problem. You need to increase more regularly to see results.

As for getting tired going up the stairs, try adding a little cardio. It doesn't have to be a ton, but just 10-20 minutes will make a world of difference.

LorinaLynn

Thought you'd appreciate this:

And that right there is why photos are so damn important. Like I said before, it's really hard to see changes in the mirror, since you see yourself every day. Take photos about once a month, and you'll see progress a lot clearer.

wibutterflymagic

As people have touched upon, if your previous training was vastly different to NROLFW (ie not progressive, not heavy) then technically, you've only been strength training for 2 weeks.

Your attitude of "The number isn't important, though, if I look thinner" is spot on, though, so have faith and you will succeed.

My previous workout wasn't too much different but yes, it appears I may not have been increasing often enough.

rose228822

I'll further recommend looking at diet. From October-February I was working out regularly (4-6 times a week) doing weights, P90X and running. Lost two pounds, slight, if any difference in appearance. I was getting stronger and in better cardiovascular shape, but that was it. From March until now? Lost 26 lbs, huge difference in appearance and fitness. March 2nd was the day I decided to get my diet under control. Started eating a proper number of calories for my size and activity level (Started with the MFP recommendation + eating back exercise calories, then switched to TDEE - 20%, both worked equally well for me) and the weight just started falling off.

I was glad you posted this comment because I was not showing signs of weight loss on the scale though I was working out with weights and once I started eating the proper number of calories instead of exceeding (and quite alot) I started seeing the weight loss. I really do believe it's a combination of both eating healthy/right and working out whether it's with weights or cardio:)

darrensurrey

As people have touched upon, if your previous training was vastly different to NROLFW (ie not progressive, not heavy) then technically, you've only been strength training for 2 weeks.

Your attitude of "The number isn't important, though, if I look thinner" is spot on, though, so have faith and you will succeed.

My previous workout wasn't too much different but yes, it appears I may not have been increasing often enough.

What you may find is that you are increasing the load every 2-3 weeks.

wibutterflymagic

I'll further recommend looking at diet. From October-February I was working out regularly (4-6 times a week) doing weights, P90X and running. Lost two pounds, slight, if any difference in appearance. I was getting stronger and in better cardiovascular shape, but that was it. From March until now? Lost 26 lbs, huge difference in appearance and fitness. March 2nd was the day I decided to get my diet under control. Started eating a proper number of calories for my size and activity level (Started with the MFP recommendation + eating back exercise calories, then switched to TDEE - 20%, both worked equally well for me) and the weight just started falling off.

That's the thing, I don't have any type of monitor to figure out what I am truly burning during my week. I'm currently at about 1900 cal which is my TDEE -15% with activity calculated between light to moderate.

wibutterflymagic

As far as "seeing" a difference, as others have stated, it's hard to see that gradual progress w/o pictures. And this is not to sound the least bit mean or rude, just honest-- you are still "overweight", so w/o losing the fat that is covering your muscles it will be harder to see them. You should be taking your measurements weekly. If you are eating at a modest deficit and truly following NROLFW (lifting as much as possible and eating the proper proportion of carbs/protein/fat), the numbers should be dropping even if you can't actually see the muscle definition yet.

Nope, not mean. I know I'm still overweight. This is one of the things that I've been wondering since I still have a lot of body fat.

PikaKnight

I'm doing Stronglifts and have never bought the NROLFW book, but even those that are doing NROLFW that I've seen are increasing their lift weight a lot more often/regularly then you seem to be.

Did the program not mention how often to increase weights?

With stronglifts, I try to increase every session (or at least once a week for one of my workouts). If not increase the weight amount, at least push to make sure I get my full 5x5 done with the current weight.

manic4titans

I did NROL4W last year. I did not see a difference at all.

I am doing it again now THE RIGHT WAY. Are you engaging muscles? are you squeezing/tightening the working muscle? Take the time and feel the movement. Don't just go through the motions . Place thought and work those muscles.

That's what I am doing this time around. I hope to get more out of it this time.

timbrom

I'll further recommend looking at diet. From October-February I was working out regularly (4-6 times a week) doing weights, P90X and running. Lost two pounds, slight, if any difference in appearance. I was getting stronger and in better cardiovascular shape, but that was it. From March until now? Lost 26 lbs, huge difference in appearance and fitness. March 2nd was the day I decided to get my diet under control. Started eating a proper number of calories for my size and activity level (Started with the MFP recommendation + eating back exercise calories, then switched to TDEE - 20%, both worked equally well for me) and the weight just started falling off.

That's the thing, I don't have any type of monitor to figure out what I am truly burning during my week. I'm currently at about 1900 cal which is my TDEE -15% with activity calculated between light to moderate.

I don't have a monitor either. How accurate is your logging? Are you weighing/measuring everything to make sure your numbers are accurate?

I'd suggest sticking with the NROLFW and the weight progressions for a few weeks, I would be willing to bet that you'll start seeing a difference with that. I was going to suggest that you drop your calories by a couple of hundred, but decided against it because you'll need the fuel to support the weight program. If you still aren't seeing progress after 4-6 more weeks, I'd suspect that your metabolism may be a bit on the slow side and you could try dropping your calorie intake to maybe 1700 or so, but don't do that now.

Hexahedra

Wait, are you saying that you didn't increase the weight progressively until 2 weeks ago? If you use the exact same weight for 3 months, you're not going to see much change.

No, there was one other time I increased. And on this new routine I'll be increasing more often(I hope).

One time increase in 3 months? I increase my weight once every week or two.

jacksonpt

Yes, I'm trying to lose. I'm 5'3" and currently 167. The number isn't important, though, if I look thinner.

Yes, I think I've gotten a little stronger. I increased my weights a tad in the last couple weeks although my legs still get tired just walking up the stairs to my apartment

---

that's one thing that seems really odd to me.

My logging is what you see. I know my sodium can be high at times and I don't know how I can get more protein. I have it in every meal and I've started drinking a protein shake after workouts in the last 2wks.

If you're trying to lose but you aren't seeing any progress, the issue is your diet, not your exercise.