Should I Stop Lifting In Order to Resume Losing 8 more pounds?

brandigyrl81

I made the mistake of beginning a lifting program, before I reached my goal weight of 162.

When I started my lifting program 1 month ago, I weighed 167 and I've since gone up to about 170. I know the scale has gone up due to my lifting program, which I do 3-4 days a week.

My issue is that I feel like I would be seeing better results if I actually got down to 162 like I originally planned (the last time I was 162, I could see the results of my weight lifting much better than I can now).

Should I stop my lifting program (and risk losing the muscle I've gained) so I can get down to my goal weight OR should I just exercise a little patience and continue down the path I'm going to eventually see my desired results at a much slower pace?

LaurenMT96

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10743353/the-last-few-pounds-what-gives#latest

i had the exact same problem... Sitting at 165, goal weight 161. Read the replies to my thread, people gave some really useful advice around pages 3-4. hope it helps you as much as it helped me!

LivingtheLeanDream

Never think its a mistake to have started lifting - it has so many benefits: it helps with bone density and also increases our muscle mass which leads to us being stronger as we age and helps with day to day normal movement/activity. Think of it as helping the aging process.

If you are new to lifting you will see increased weight gain on the scale but this is temporary and will settle down in a few weeks. Stick with it.

You can eat in very slight deficit so you still lose albiet it more slowly.

All the best.

sardelsa

Lifting while losing is never a mistake (unless you have a medical condition or injury).

While lifting can cause some water retention and potential delays in actual scale loss, the results are worth it. Not only physically but strength, health and confidence.

quiksylver296

I personally wouldn't quit. Lifting heavy for 4+ years, my goal weight has changed because 180 pounds now looks amazing. Before lifting, 170 pounds looked terrible. If you're going to continue to lift weights, you may find your original goal weight isn't where you really want to end up at.



Also, read this article:

http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

erickirb

The only mistake you made was not starting to lift even soorner.. that would have ensured you were a lower BF% at your current weight than you are now.

the only weight you would have gained would be water weight, assuming you are still in a deficit. lifting helps you retain the muscle you already have while in a deficit, instead of your loss being fat and muscle, among other lbm

MikePTY

If you are eating at a deficit, you could have made some small muscle gains as a beginner, but you are very highly unlikely to have gained much significant muscle. Rather you are probably experience some water weight gain due to your muscles needing it for repair. This will go away as your body gets more adapted to working out.

There is never a wrong time to start lifting during weight loss. It's something I think every person who is physically able to should do from day one. It helps maintain the muscle mass we would otherwise lose during weight loss, allowing more of our loss to be fat and ultimately for us to look leaner and skinner.

Id be surprised if your weight lifting was making you not look as good as if you didn't do it. My guess is that because you are unhappy with the number on the scale, you are associating that feeling to other areas of your progress.

brandigyrl81

Thank you all so much for the information. I feel so much better now about what I'm doing. Also, I found this article from LaurenMT96's link she posted and it's also very helpful:

https://legionathletics.com/water-retention/

collectingblues

Just to echo what it sounds like you already know... That water weight will shift off -- it's not a permanent thing. For me, I know that it takes about six weeks. So consider this a little blip, that's going to likely reward you with a big shift in a few weeks or so.

Case in point, with real-life anecdata if it helps you:

Just about the middle/end of April I decided that I *really* needed to get on the ball with hydrating again, and actually getting my 60 oz a day (I suck at getting enough water and fluids). I immediately saw about a 5-pound gain. And it was *awful*. And I cried. And then I remembered my six-week thing.

So I set a calendar alert on my phone for about six weeks out -- June 2. Well, sure enough, I spent most of last week peeing like toilets were going out of style. I proceeded to lose 5 pounds in a week, *on top* of the marginal loss that I'd already seen during that time.

Likewise, I took a brief hiatus from lifting when I was tapering for my half marathon in May, because I'd heard that lifting during a taper was a bad idea. And then I sort of got lazy and didn't restart.

I picked it back up again (no pun intended) on Monday. It hurts to lift my arms right now. Yay DOMS. But I'm not panicking about the marginal gain that I saw on my scale (literally, just a couple of pounds), and I set another calendar alert. I know that if it's anything substantial, it'll come off in early August.

Bodies generally know what they're doing. Keep lifting, and trust the process.

flippy1234

brandigyrl81 wrote: »

Thank you all so much for the information. I feel so much better now about what I'm doing. Also, I found this article from LaurenMT96's link she posted and it's also very helpful:

https://legionathletics.com/water-retention/

I read this article. Excellent. Thank you for sharing the link. It really explains a lot.

brandigyrl81

flippy1234 wrote: »

brandigyrl81 wrote: »

Thank you all so much for the information. I feel so much better now about what I'm doing. Also, I found this article from LaurenMT96's link she posted and it's also very helpful:

https://legionathletics.com/water-retention/

I read this article. Excellent. Thank you for sharing the link. It really explains a lot.

You're welcome!!!!

Chieflrg

Resistance training is never a mistake, quite the opposite actually. Way to many benefits from it.

I would check into more advanced programming before you begin to stall though.

If your concern is mainly the weight loss has hovered, I would give it another couple of weeks assuming your caloric intake is valid. Weight loss is not linear and adding activity sometimes one of those bumps not to worry about.