Advice Regarding Exercise and Weight Loss

Mauthos

I actually lost 15kg before finding MFP and have since lost a further 7kg which is awesome and I feel much better for it. However, I also achieved all of this before going back to the gym by simply chaging my diet, watching what i eat and some body weight exercise pretty much everyday for 1 year.

The question I have is that, now I have gone back to the gym and started lifting regularly, will I slow down my weight loss even though I am still eating at a deficit?

To be honest, I am not that concerned if it does, but the 22kg came off over a year period and I thought it was about time I tried to stregthen my body and basically I am curious if the weight loss will slow, even though I shouldn't build more muscle as I am in a deficit.

For information I go to the gym 6 times a week and perform a back and biceps workout 2x a week, a triceps and chest workout 2x a week and a shoulders workout 2x a week. I also throw in 20 mins cardio for warm-up at each of these sessions. I also participate in 2 body combat sessions per week, 1 Tang soo do session, 1 kick boxing session and teach 1 kenpo session weekly which, for those that are wondering, all contain a lot of leg work which is why my trainer decided I did not need to add in a weight training session for my legs.

I have seen a lot of change in my shape and the way my clothes fit, but not a great deal of movement of the scale, so really just wondering if I should be eating less/better or exercising more, or just be happy with a slower rate of weight loss as my body changes?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

Pinkranger626

It depends on person and how much weight you have left to lose. At first you may notice that your weight loss slows as you add in weight training, but if you're still eating at a deficit it should continue.

Now, I know you didn't really ask for opinions on exercise, but I'm going to give you mine anyway lol. Even though you do a lot of exercise that involves leg work, they're all mainly cardiovascular in nature. I would incorporate at least one day of weight training for your legs. This will help you keep from having muscle imbalances (think soccer players with stronger quads than hamstrings due to the type of exercise done during soccer). If you have imbalances then you can have injury. This is why runners are always recommended to strength train the legs. Also, if you train your legs with weight then you'll also get stronger, faster, etc. Just my two cents.

Mauthos

Appreciate your comments and thanks for the advice.

Tbh, I do have rather large legs (mainly muscle) due to a long time mountain biking comptetively, but I have started adding weighted squats and leg press into my routines, I just don't want to dedicate another routine to purely leg work outs and on the advice from the trainer at the gym he didn't think it necessary.

Also, I definitely don't want to imbalance myself as I think it would affect my martial arts training and I must admit there are a couple of guys at my gym that definitely don't do legs and quite frankly with their massive arms and chest, they look a little top heavy and odd with tiny stick thin legs.

I will definitely add some more leg work in though on your advice, thanks again.