Scared to strength train because...

Sandytoes71
Sandytoes71 Posts: 463 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Im wanting to strength train or weight train (not sure what exactly I need to do), but I am worried that I wont see the scale move. All I seem to see are people saying they are losing inches but not weight. But I thought you couldnt gain muscle at a calorie deficit. And if that is true then how can inches be lost and weight not go down? And I dont know how I would handle not seeing my weight go down. What could I expect to see if I started weight training? And do I weight train or strength train? And is there a difference? Im afraid this is a loaded post, lol, im sorry. If anyone has a link or two that might help me know what to do, then please feel free to point me to one :)
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Replies

  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Soooooo......what's more important- the scale moving or your clothes getting looser as the inches are moving?

    Lifting weights make the inches move.
    But I thought you couldnt gain muscle at a calorie deficit. And if that is true then how can inches be lost and weight not go down? What could I expect to see if I started weight training?
    For 99% of the people on here, it's not actually gaining muscle, what's happening is that their muscles retain water- inside the muscle (it doesn't feel like bloating) and it causes the muscles to temporarily feel tauter, so they *think* they're gaining muscle. The swelling goes down by ~6 weeks and you start losing weight again, often in a "woosh" where you lose several pounds basically overnight
    And do I weight train or strength train? And is there a difference?
    They're the same thing.

    I would suggest picking up a copy of "New Rules of Lifting for Women" and reading it cover to cover- everything will be explained and you'll know exactly what you're doing when you start. If you feel like the book didn't properly explain something, hire a trainer for one session and have them walk through the exercises with you.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you are at a calorie deficit you will lose weight. Frankly, I doubt the veracity of many of those claims. You can lose inches without much weight loss, but that generally happens when you're eating to maintenance and re-comping. I strength trained throughout most of my weight loss and I lost weight. Your scale losses will likely be a bit slower given that your muscles will be inflamed and holding onto water for repair...this water retention can mask scale weight loss to a degree making your losses slower...but over time, if all you're losing is inches and not weight then you are not at a deficit. I think most people who make those claims are either fooling themselves or they just haven't given it enough time to see their losses due to water retention. For me, that water retention resulted in losing scale weight at a rate of about 1/4 to 1/2 Lb per week as a general trend rather than the 1 - 1.5 Lb per week rate I was losing at previous to strength training...but yes, my waste line was shrinking.

    Strength training while dieting is critical to preserving your muscle mass. Without it you will burn muscle and fat and this can be as much as 50/50. Strength training is very important.
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
    These above are good responses. There is no need to be scared about strength training... It will do wonders for a person's figure/physique.
  • hoyalawya2003
    hoyalawya2003 Posts: 631 Member

    For 99% of the people on here, it's not actually gaining muscle, what's happening is that their muscles retain water- inside the muscle (it doesn't feel like bloating) and it causes the muscles to temporarily feel tauter, so they *think* they're gaining muscle. The swelling goes down by ~6 weeks and you start losing weight again, often in a "woosh" where you lose several pounds basically overnight

    Yep, that's exactly what happened to me. I was so excited by the changes in my body I stuck with it, but it was frustrating. In reality it only lasted 2-3 weeks, but I get frustrated easily so I was going a little crazy toward the end. I started steadily losing again (well, until Christmas glutttony took over).
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    <
    I weight lift. (see ticker below)
  • MrsJS5
    MrsJS5 Posts: 41 Member
    Thanks for this information! I just started lifting heavier weights and my weight has held steady for a week even though I have been counting calories very carefully (cooking everything myself, measuring everything and checking calorie counts from at least 4 sources before I believe I've got it right). My muscles are sore and I thought there must be some issue with water retention. I feel great though and that's the most important thing :).
  • Sandytoes71
    Sandytoes71 Posts: 463 Member
    Thanks guys. I will have to check out that book too. I wont be using a gym so i will need to see what equipment i will need at home. Also what exercises and how often etc... I have no idea about how to do this. Hopefully that book will explain it. So, the water retention will go away?? Promise? Lol :)
  • heyjay31
    heyjay31 Posts: 79 Member
    You won't regret strength training! I still lost weight because I ate at a deficit but I also lost mega inches because of lifting. Grab a copy of New Rules of lifting for women to get you started!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Thanks guys. I will have to check out that book too. I wont be using a gym so i will need to see what equipment i will need at home. Also what exercises and how often etc... I have no idea about how to do this. Hopefully that book will explain it. So, the water retention will go away?? Promise? Lol :)

    I promise it will go away, just don't start and stop along the way, or it will keep coming back fresh and never seem to go away.

    If you don't have access to a gym, try a different book- though the NROL book is still a very valuable read- but the one to try with no equipment is called "You Are Your Own Gym" available on amazon. Its a very good program that requires nothing but household items like chairs, water jugs, phone books (although I'm not sure I have a phone book these days! haha)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Thanks for this information! I just started lifting heavier weights and my weight has held steady for a week even though I have been counting calories very carefully (cooking everything myself, measuring everything and checking calorie counts from at least 4 sources before I believe I've got it right). My muscles are sore and I thought there must be some issue with water retention. I feel great though and that's the most important thing :).

    more than likely water retention is why no loss….you need to drink a lot of water to flush it out….I am talking peeing like a freaking race horse…:)
  • gwhizeh
    gwhizeh Posts: 269 Member
    Just do it! Lol.
    I was partial to lifts anyway, but for me this write up pushed me into it more.



    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/01/what-burns-more-calories-cardio-intervals-or-weight-training/

    The numbers on the scale are just numbers. What you see in the mirror will be what counts imo. Give it an honest try. You will see change. Good luck.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Thanks guys. I will have to check out that book too. I wont be using a gym so i will need to see what equipment i will need at home. Also what exercises and how often etc... I have no idea about how to do this. Hopefully that book will explain it. So, the water retention will go away?? Promise? Lol :)

    starting strength is a good option too..

    do you have access to a gym?
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    Thanks guys. I will have to check out that book too. I wont be using a gym so i will need to see what equipment i will need at home. Also what exercises and how often etc... I have no idea about how to do this. Hopefully that book will explain it. So, the water retention will go away?? Promise? Lol :)

    That book is a great place to start. When I started lifting again, it's what I used. I also lift at home and it was easy to adapt to that (lots of exercise substitutions listed in the book)

    The water retention will go away. If you're already doing some sort of exercise it may not even be an issue for you. I lost the majority of my weight while strength training.
  • mammamaurer
    mammamaurer Posts: 418 Member
    i have an irrational fear of breaking a limb and craping myself if i pick up something over 100lbs and try to squat with it.... oh wait this isnt the TIM thursday thread is it?

    backing-up_a_GIFSoupcom.gif
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Not going into great details, but in the last two years I have lost about 3-4 pounds but went from a size 10 to a size 4 thanks to lifting with very minimal cardio.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    When I started strength training I lost 15 pounds in 8 weeks. My scale hadn't moved for months and I didn't change my diet at all.

    Lifting was the best thing I did for my body.
  • Sandytoes71
    Sandytoes71 Posts: 463 Member
    No, no gym access. I have weight bands, but thats all i have right now. But ill read up on it and get other things that i can afford like dumbbells or....
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    I think you over over thinking things.

    you will be happy you did it and you will LOOK better at whatever weight you are.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    i have an irrational fear of breaking a limb and craping myself if i pick up something over 100lbs and try to squat with it.... oh wait this isnt the TIM thursday thread is it?

    backing-up_a_GIFSoupcom.gif

    Dang, I squatted 135# last week and I totally didn't poop in my pants. Promise
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I think a lot of times the scale seems to stop moving because there are natural weight fluctuations anyway and water retention can mask fat loss.


    But even if the scale does stop moving, wouldn't you rather weigh more and look smaller than weigh less but look larger?
  • 1ZenGirl
    1ZenGirl Posts: 432 Member
    bump
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    I agree with everything above.

    I wanted to add: Before you start any strength training program, take pictures and measurements! Side, back, front, flexed and unflexed. Use a tape measure and record all of your measurements. That way, for the first 2-3 weeks while the water is in your muscles (making them look sleek and powerful by the way) you have the other numbers to focus on. Better yet, put the scale away for the first month.

    Good luck! This is a wonderful step you are taking.
  • Sandytoes71
    Sandytoes71 Posts: 463 Member
    Ok i really like what u guys are saying. I think im gonna try it.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    No, no gym access. I have weight bands, but thats all i have right now. But ill read up on it and get other things that i can afford like dumbbells or....

    Check Craigslist. I wasn't so lucky but someone on my friend list got a bench and weights for $30. I told her I hate her a little since I paid $300 for mine. :laugh:
  • heyjay31
    heyjay31 Posts: 79 Member
    No, no gym access. I have weight bands, but thats all i have right now. But ill read up on it and get other things that i can afford like dumbbells or....

    I had no clue when I started either. I bought a cheap bench from kmart. Then extra plates as I needed them. New Rules as at home variations. You can do it and you will glad you did. My post menopausal mom started with me last year and she not only looks great she's off of her osteoporosis meds!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    No, no gym access. I have weight bands, but thats all i have right now. But ill read up on it and get other things that i can afford like dumbbells or....

    is joining a gym an option?

    If not, do you have room for a barbell and some weights…?
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    No, no gym access. I have weight bands, but thats all i have right now. But ill read up on it and get other things that i can afford like dumbbells or....

    I second the You Are Your Own Gym suggestion this is all you have access too. for New Rules you will need at least dumbbells, a bar, and some weights. You might be ale to find them on Craigslist relatively cheap. But YAYOG is also a great place to start as well.
  • Sandytoes71
    Sandytoes71 Posts: 463 Member
    U mean i have to get a bar and weights? I thought like dumbbells would be good enough. Im not interested in gaining tons of muscle, just enough to tone me and help me lose inches. Does that make sense?
  • Amyyy2014a
    Amyyy2014a Posts: 1
    In the majority of fitness articles I've read, strength training is so important to dieting/weight loss! I've even read you should do more strength training than cardio. Muscle mass increases metabolism, which means you burn more calories when you're resting or not exercising. Strength training helps protect your muscles when you do exercises such as cardio. It makes a huge difference in weight loss and body physique because it helps tone your muscles.
    Start small, some dumb bells or even look up different exercises you can do without any equipment, but using your body weight, such as push ups or bicep lifts.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    U mean i have to get a bar and weights? I thought like dumbbells would be good enough. Im not interested in gaining tons of muscle, just enough to tone me and help me lose inches. Does that make sense?

    You won't gain muscle eating on a deficit whether it's a bar or dumbbells or bodyweight exercises.

    But, like I explained before, it will *feel* initially like you're gaining muscle, but it's really just water retention.

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