building muscle over fat?

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kmm7309
kmm7309 Posts: 802 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm a seasoned user of MFP, and I think I already know the answer to my question, but I don't like to be so sure. Yesterday I was told by someone that they were told in weight watchers not to do any strength training until I lost all the weight I wanted to lose or else I'd build all my new muscle on top of my fat layers.

That just seems odd to me, but I don't know everything. What do you think about this?

Replies

  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    Lol wut

    No, that's a myth. You should lift now to retain lean tissue. WW doesn't want people to lift so they lose more weight. Breaking down a pound of muscle only utilizes 600 calories (vs. 3500 from fat) so you can lose more weight faster if you're losing muscle. But, we don't want to lose muscle, now do we?

    TL; DR: Lift!
  • kmm7309
    kmm7309 Posts: 802 Member
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    That makes sense. That's why I hate getting tripped up over the pound numbers.

    I've been light lifting for awhile, and was still losing inches, so it seemed like an odd "truth".
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    Muscle is attached to your bones via tendons. Literally the only way you can build muscle on top of fat, is if the fat is visceral fat (in and around the organs). Subcutaneous fat lies on top of muscle.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    Tell your friend that they advice they got is based on complete and utter nonsense. That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard and I've been on these forums a lot. I'm glad you took it with a grain of salt and found it odd. Strength training while losing weight will help you keep the muscle you already have. Muscle is good, no matter how much extra fat you have on your body.

    And to finish, you can't even put on additional muscle while at a calorie deficit. That requires a calorie surplus and heavy lifting.
  • kmm7309
    kmm7309 Posts: 802 Member
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    And to finish, you can't even put on additional muscle while at a calorie deficit. That requires a calorie surplus and heavy lifting.

    Well you learn something new every day!

    I just told her that I understand that muscle burns more calories at rest so I was looking to encourage that process :ohwell:
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    Lift now so that when you get to your goal weight you don't have to gain 10 or more pounds just to add back the muscle.

    Trust me, the lose-first way sucks big time.
  • NanaWubbie
    NanaWubbie Posts: 248 Member
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    I know I need to work on strength training. I am seasoned too, and have been in weight loss mode for quite a while. I have been exercising.....mostly hiking and biking, but I do need to start working on building up some strength. I do have weighted balls to throw around....just need someone to play with and help me get my butt to the gym!!!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    That is not official WW policy.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    building muscle on top of fat would be a miracle, unless that person is like an inside out person or something.
    seriously though, that weight watchers person needs to take an anatomy 101 class or something. there's no way i could take anything based in science seriously from someone who thinks muscle lies on top of fat
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    I was hoping this would be about exoskeletons. Oh well. it was a good laugh.
  • bfanny
    bfanny Posts: 440 Member
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    I'm sorry but I'm a WW member "lifetime" for 6 + years and never heard such thing, that's just one person's (wrong) opinion!!!
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    And to finish, you can't even put on additional muscle while at a calorie deficit. That requires a calorie surplus and heavy lifting.

    Well you learn something new every day!

    I just told her that I understand that muscle burns more calories at rest so I was looking to encourage that process :ohwell:
    I hate when people say you can't build muscle while in a deficit. How did my arms magically grow 1.5" while losing weight? First, there's newbie gains which can be pretty significant. Second, if you time your meal(s) properly and stay on point with your diet you can gain muscle in a deficit. Not as quickly as you would in a surplus, but it still happens.

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