Weight loss and lifting weights?

Michele81287

Ok here's the scoop. I definately want to lose 10 pounds--that is my goal. I've determined that my TDEE is probably 1900 and I'll need to eat 1400 calories a day to lose a pound a week.

I plan on sticking with an upper/lower body split the usual Mon (upper), Tues (lower), Thurs (upper), Fri (lower). Here's where the confusion lies. By creating a calorie deficet I'm telling my body hey lose weight. By lifting weights I'm telling my body hey build muscle and I need calories for that growth.

So is it essentially a waste of my time to lift weights, when I'm really aiming to lose weight? I mean won't I not make any progress with my lifting if I'm not eating enough calories? But if I eat enough calories to build muscle I won't lose weight and I really want to lose weight! Thanks!

MB_Positif

What I do know is that you should not completely skip lifting weights for the reasons you have listed below. Are you sure you actually need to lose 10 pounds or could you just get leaner by lifting and eating the calories you need to support it? I hope that someone who can give you a more intelligent answer will come along.

NormInv

definitely. with an i

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

You lift weights to preserve your muscle while you lose weight. That way you lower your body fat percentage and end up looking good naked when you reach your goal weight. With only 10 lbs to lose you shouldn't be aiming for 1 lb per week though. Set up your calories to lose half a pound per week. That will further ensure that you're losing mostly fat.

ETA: instead of a split if you're a newbie I'd recommend a 3 day per week compound routine like Starting Strength or Stronglifts.

MB_Positif

You lift weights to preserve your muscle while you lose weight. That way you lower your body fat percentage and end up looking good naked when you reach your goal weight. With only 10 lbs to lose you shouldn't be aiming for 1 lb per week though. Set up your calories to lose half a pound per week. That will further ensure that you're losing mostly fat.

ETA: instead of a split if you're a newbie I'd recommend a 3 day per week compound routine like Starting Strength or Stronglifts.

Thank you! We all know my brain can't always come up with something concise like this that makes sense. I do Stronglifts and love love love it. Just for an example...I lost two pounds in 6 months at the beginning of 2012, but I went down from a size 10 to a size 6 during that time while eating at a calorie deficit.

psuLemon

You won't build any new lean body mass while on a calorie deficit. At best, you can do recomposition if you eat at maintenance. But if you want to gain new muscle, then you need a surplus of calories. Are you doing any cardio too or just splits? Like others said, lifting weights will just preserve lean body mass. I would suggest not getting stuck on a number. Use a tape measure and mirror instead to figure out goals. You can easily mask fat loss with water retention from lifting.

Ninkyou

Read this!

http://scoobysworkshop.com/gain-muscle-lose-fat/

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

You lift weights to preserve your muscle while you lose weight. That way you lower your body fat percentage and end up looking good naked when you reach your goal weight. With only 10 lbs to lose you shouldn't be aiming for 1 lb per week though. Set up your calories to lose half a pound per week. That will further ensure that you're losing mostly fat.

ETA: instead of a split if you're a newbie I'd recommend a 3 day per week compound routine like Starting Strength or Stronglifts.

Thank you! We all know my brain can't always come up with something concise like this that makes sense. I do Stronglifts and love love love it. Just for an example...I lost two pounds in 6 months at the beginning of 2012, but I went down from a size 10 to a size 6 during that time while eating at a calorie deficit.

I also agree that weight loss might not even be necessary. Once you get that close to goal it's usually body fat % that's bothering a person and not the actual number.

luckydays27

And is yoru TDEE without exercise included? If so, you need to eat those cals.

I ask because my TDEE is 1850 without exercice. With exercise my TDEE is around 2400 cals. I work out 4-6 hours a week.

lgladybug

Bumping for later, I'm interested in others responses.

Michele81287

What I do know is that you should not completely skip lifting weights for the reasons you have listed below. Are you sure you actually need to lose 10 pounds or could you just get leaner by lifting and eating the calories you need to support it? I hope that someone who can give you a more intelligent answer will come along.

I am definately sure I want to lose 10 pounds. This is where I'm coming from--I was at a consistent, happy, don't need to lose any more weight for years. Within the past 6 months I became ultra-strict with my diet, in my quest to find the "perfect healthy one." The irony is it that being stricter backfired. Eating that way wasn't sustainable for me and I would end up binging on all the things I couldn't have. Then I would try to go back to being clean again, only to repeat the cycle. So here I am 6 months later 10 pounds heavier

As for my lifting background I starting lifting weights a couple years ago. Started with full body workouts and got great results from that...ok so basically if you lift weights when you are losing weight you are telling your body to preserve muscle while burning fat? Whereas if you just focused on cardio and diet you might become more skinny fat?

Michele81287

And is yoru TDEE without exercise included? If so, you need to eat those cals.

I ask because my TDEE is 1850 without exercice. With exercise my TDEE is around 2400 cals. I work out 4-6 hours a week.

That's my TDEE with exercise included. Even though I workout about 5-6 times a week I'm pretty sedentary when I'm not working out so that seems about right. I couldn't eat 2400 calories, I know I would definately put on weight if I ate that many calories!