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Lifting heavier but weighing the same..?

Hausisse1
Hausisse1 Posts: 165 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! So as the title suggests I've been able to lift heavier as I get stronger and better at it- and I can even see muscles developing- although I weigh the same. I'm not trying to lose weight or gain weight necessarily, but building muscle would be nice- and as I understand it if I were building muscle I'd be gaining weight. I dunno. Why might this be?

Replies

  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,206 Member
    Lifting heavier doesn't always mean muscle gain. If you're seeing more muscles without a weight change, it's possibly (probably?) a body re-composition situation. It's a slow process, but it happens.
  • Hausisse1
    Hausisse1 Posts: 165 Member
    thesupremeforce wrote: »
    Lifting heavier doesn't always mean muscle gain. If you're seeing more muscles without a weight change, it's possibly (probably?) a body re-composition situation. It's a slow process, but it happens.

    That makes sense. Thank you!
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 13,291 Member
    There are three ways to lift heavier:

    1. More muscle
    2. More efficient use of the muscle you already have (neuro-muscular connection)
    3. Better form technique

    Note only one of these actually involves getting any bigger, and as pointed out it could be accompanied by a loss of body fat at the same time so even that may not actually involve gaining weight.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    being female you aren't just gonna start packing on pounds of muscle.
  • Hausisse1
    Hausisse1 Posts: 165 Member
    nossmf wrote: »
    There are three ways to lift heavier:

    1. More muscle
    2. More efficient use of the muscle you already have (neuro-muscular connection)
    3. Better form technique

    Note only one of these actually involves getting any bigger, and as pointed out it could be accompanied by a loss of body fat at the same time so even that may not actually involve gaining weight.

    Oooh, I didn't think about the latter two things. True. Thank you!
  • Hausisse1
    Hausisse1 Posts: 165 Member
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    being female you aren't just gonna start packing on pounds of muscle.

    Fair point!
  • vinerie
    vinerie Posts: 234 Member
    I'm in the same boat. I do know that heavy lifting results in micro-tears to your muscles, and muscles will hold on to water as part of the repair process. I've noticed my loss is in big bursts (whooshes) about once or twice a month. My sense is this is from the body letting go of water following recovery. Stay super hydrated and you may see that drop. If you are lifting and eating at a deficit, you are burning fat. The scale may be deceiving due to the water/recovery issue.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,154 Member
    Neuromuscular adaptation.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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