Strength training/weight gain

sarahlucindac
sarahlucindac Posts: 235 Member
edited November 27 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all, this is probably a newbie sort of question, but here it goes.
I’ve lost 25 lbs since the beginning of March. Until about 3 weeks ago, I had done it by watching my calorie intake (usually around 1300/day) and hiking about 20 miles a week. Since the summer has set in along with the ticks, I’ve been unable to keep up the hiking.
I joined a gym to get through the summer. I do strength training 3x a week and elliptical for 30 minutes on weights days and an hour on days in between (I take 1-2 complete rest days/week).
Since starting the weight lifting, my weight loss has been very slow. Is it possible that I’m gaining muscle and that’s why the scale is moving slowly? I didn’t think that was possible while eating at a calorie deficit. I usually eat back around 50-75% of my exercise calories btw. Any insight is appreciated!

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    water retention form a new exercise probably.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    When you start new exercise, the exercise causes micro-tears in your muscles. Your body retains water to repair these tears. As your body becomes more used to the exercise, it will regulate the water better and you won't retain like you are currently.

    Just keep doing what you're doing. It's just your body doing its thing!
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    sirenserenade wrote: »
    It is definitely possible to gain muscle mass, even on a calorie deficit - you just can't make 'massive gains'. This is especially true if you are new or only just returning to lifting (called "newbie gains"). If you are still losing weight, even just a little, or at least maintaining it, then it's possible you are slowly killing off some small levels of fat while at the same time making tiny muscle gains. This will of course even out your weight.

    Ignoring what the scale says: how do your clothes feel? Any looser at all, or about the same? Perhaps tighter? That will be a better judgement to what's going on. If your clothes are fitting better, you're probably losing fat by gaining lean muscle (since muscle takes up less space that fat, but weighs the same). If your clothes are tighter, you may be "bulking" - gaining muscle but not losing any fat either. This can happen on a calorie deficit if your macros aren't balanced.

    On that note...
    sarahlucindac wrote: »
    I usually eat back around 50-75% of my exercise calories btw.

    This could be your problem. You should NEVER be eating back any of your calories... Let's just say your maintenance calories are 1800, and you cut out 500 to get down to 1300. Well, if you eat 50% of your cut calories back, then you're actually consuming about 1600 calories a day and only cutting out about 200... That is going to lead to very, very slow progress, especially if you've started picking up weights.

    Bulking is typically in reference to eating in a surplus with the goal to gain muscle. However fat also comes with it. You can arrange your macros all you want but if you are in a deficit you will not be gaining (actual) weight. Otherwise I'd love to know the secret I will go let the bodybuilders who have to eat 5000+ cals know that all they need to do is change their macros to gain.
  • sarahlucindac
    sarahlucindac Posts: 235 Member
    Thanks so much for all the insight, guys!
    My clothes are very baggy (haven’t bought any new ones since losing the 25 lbs). I am starting to see muscle definition in new places- super exciting.
    As for eating my exercise calories back, I’m starting with a relatively extreme deficit of only 1300 calories/day. If I burn 600 working out, I eat back roughly 300. That’s a total calorie consumption of 1600 with a total burn of 600 calories- that’s a net 1000 cal for the day. If I didn’t eat any of those exercise calories back, I’d only net 700 for the day, which is obviously not enough. Am I not thinking of this correctly?
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    sarahlucindac wrote: »
    Thanks so much for all the insight, guys!
    My clothes are very baggy (haven’t bought any new ones since losing the 25 lbs). I am starting to see muscle definition in new places- super exciting.
    As for eating my exercise calories back, I’m starting with a relatively extreme deficit of only 1300 calories/day. If I burn 600 working out, I eat back roughly 300. That’s a total calorie consumption of 1600 with a total burn of 600 calories- that’s a net 1000 cal for the day. If I didn’t eat any of those exercise calories back, I’d only net 700 for the day, which is obviously not enough. Am I not thinking of this correctly?

    You are correct.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    sarahlucindac wrote: »
    Thanks so much for all the insight, guys!
    My clothes are very baggy (haven’t bought any new ones since losing the 25 lbs). I am starting to see muscle definition in new places- super exciting.
    As for eating my exercise calories back, I’m starting with a relatively extreme deficit of only 1300 calories/day. If I burn 600 working out, I eat back roughly 300. That’s a total calorie consumption of 1600 with a total burn of 600 calories- that’s a net 1000 cal for the day. If I didn’t eat any of those exercise calories back, I’d only net 700 for the day, which is obviously not enough. Am I not thinking of this correctly?

    if someone told you they were eating 1000 cals, would you think that was enough?
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    My approach (which worked for weight loss and continues to work for maintenance) is to use the MFP recommendations for a 1lb per week loss (or maintenance), then add in calories for substantial cardio workouts, but nothing or very little for weights.

    In any given week, your loss can vary. In fact, for any given day your weight can vary by several pounds. Averaging over several days (5-7) gives a better indication of your progress. It takes patience.

    I think wights (resistance) work outs are incredibly beneficial for just about anyone, but particularly for people who haven't done them much previously. It makes a huge difference in overall fitness.

    Best of luck!
  • sarahlucindac
    sarahlucindac Posts: 235 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    sarahlucindac wrote: »
    Thanks so much for all the insight, guys!
    My clothes are very baggy (haven’t bought any new ones since losing the 25 lbs). I am starting to see muscle definition in new places- super exciting.
    As for eating my exercise calories back, I’m starting with a relatively extreme deficit of only 1300 calories/day. If I burn 600 working out, I eat back roughly 300. That’s a total calorie consumption of 1600 with a total burn of 600 calories- that’s a net 1000 cal for the day. If I didn’t eat any of those exercise calories back, I’d only net 700 for the day, which is obviously not enough. Am I not thinking of this correctly?

    if someone told you they were eating 1000 cals, would you think that was enough?

    Good point! I just find it hard to eat all of my exercise calories back, plus I’m trying to account for the fact that calories burned are usually over estimated by MFP and any mistakes I make logging intake (I try to be as accurate as possible, but I’d rather play it on the safe side of not overeating)
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