Calling all Weightlifters!! Have a question!!!!!

ffmary3858

I am a 35 year old female that is wanting to begin a heavy weightlifting routine. HOWEVER.... I have a job (flight nurse) that requires me to weigh less than 200lbs with all my flight gear on. I weigh in every 3 months and I weigh approx. 195-198lbs everytime!!!!! I want to lose fat and build muscle but I am scared that weight lifting will cause me to gain weight and ground me from flying!! So my question is if I start Weight lifting will I see an eventual weight loss.(numbers on the scale) and if so how soon? I weigh in again in May. I know that scale number don't matter if you are a size 2 and weigh 190lbs, but for my job I have to focus on the scale number right now. When I get lighter, I could care less what the scale says!!!

WhiteRabbit1313

Weight lifting doesn't cause weight loss. Eating at a deficit causes weight loss.

JTick

Your calorie deficit is what will cause you to lose weight. However, weight lifting can cause a temporary increase on the scale as your muscles will probably store water to help them repair for the first few weeks. If you are that close to your weight limit already, and a few pounds of water weight will ground you, this might be the first time ever that I would suggest dropping 5-10 pounds before starting lifting, simply to give you wiggle room for muscle repair.

_Josee_

^^^^^What she said.

Also, you won't gain weight if you eat at a difficit. You also won't gain muscles if you eat a difficit. Weight lifting will help you maintaining your current muscle mass and will help with the way you look.

But if you want to lose weight, you need to concentrate on your diet. I believe it's 90% food, 10% exercise.

cwolfman13

Weight lifting doesn't cause you to gain weight other than some initial water/fluid. If you're in a deficit of calories you will lose weight and the weight training will help ensure that most of that loss is fat rather than lean mass. If you are in a deficit you won't be building muscle, so you won't gain weight. Building muscle requires a surplus of calories just as building fat requires a surplus of calories.

Scale losses can appear slower as you will retain more water in your muscles for repair...that fluid can be as much as 3-5 Lbs...but if you are truly in a deficit of energy you will lose weight.

ETA: as has been mentioned, you may want to drop 10 Lbs or so before you start...I normally wouldn't recommend such a thing, but since you are already very close to your ceiling, you don't have any wiggle room for fluid retention.

rybo

Your calorie deficit is what will cause you to lose weight. However, weight lifting can cause a temporary increase on the scale as your muscles will probably store water to help them repair for the first few weeks. If you are that close to your weight limit already, and a few pounds of water weight will ground you, this might be the first time ever that I would suggest dropping 5-10 pounds before starting lifting, simply to give you wiggle room for muscle repair.

This^^^^^

scrappergrl66

So I am trying to understand this all - I have lost a total of 65 lbs and the scale the last months hasn't moved. Up one week down the next. I keep loosing and gaining the same 5lbs in months. I joined a gym and have mostly doing cardio. So I was told to increase my strength training and the lbs would come off. I have decreased my calorie count and watching everything really carfefull. Last week I lost 1.4 lbs (but thats what I gained the week before) I have increassed my strength training . My workout is usually Monday is all caridio 40-45 min Tues ,Wed, Thurs are stength training (a different muclse group each day) Fri, Off day, Sat - Cardio and strength training. off on Sunday. I don't want to gain I still need to lose another 5-10 lbs.

Sarah4fitness

So I am trying to understand this all - I have lost a total of 65 lbs and the scale the last months hasn't moved. Up one week down the next. I keep loosing and gaining the same 5lbs in months. I joined a gym and have mostly doing cardio. So I was told to increase my strength training and the lbs would come off. I have decreased my calorie count and watching everything really carfefull. Last week I lost 1.4 lbs (but thats what I gained the week before) I have increassed my strength training . My workout is usually Monday is all caridio 40-45 min Tues ,Wed, Thurs are stength training (a different muclse group each day) Fri, Off day, Sat - Cardio and strength training. off on Sunday. I don't want to gain I still need to lose another 5-10 lbs.

Keep going and be consistent. Also keep track of your eating, doing so will eventually bump you past your plateau. The yo-yo effect is probably due to laxness on diet.