Women/men who lift to lose weight-motivation please

jodescorinna

Some basic info - I started weight training November '13 but never really watched my calories or nutrition. So I got stronger but didn't really change weight wise. Then I got an injury due to dead lifting wrong and it kinda scared me off so I changed up my routine but again didn't really take it all that seriously.

An old gym that I used to do a boot camp with re-opened around May so I started going there and since I have always wanted to learn Olympic lifting thought I'd start with a PT there too. I had my first session 28th May and one per week thereafter....so today was my 6th. I have been following my programme at least 3 times a week on my own in the gym plus the 1 with my trainer and were I can do a metcon or boot camp class, normally 2 times a week. I normally have at least 2 rest days.

I set my MFP to work out calories to lose 2lbs /week - hoping to lose as much as possible before my wedding in August then I was going to set it for 1lb or so as I am not in a rush and would rather go the slow and steady route long term.

MFP recommended 1300 kcal which I thought was way to low. So I set it to 1500 and add on my exercise calories. I am 106kg, 5ft 7, 28 and female. My job is working for a lab brewery so it can be a mix of quiet days or busy days so I set my lifestyle to sedentary.

When I started with my trainer she took measurements and today we re-took them and that's where my issue lies. They haven't changed!!! My body fat has stayed at 45% and my weight actually went from 105kg to 106kg.

I am aware of water retention and newbie gains but I figured after 6 weeks this would have evened out. I'm just abit gutted there has been no change at all. I don't necessarily eat 'clean' but I try to stay within my calorie limit but if I go over I don't beat myself up because I don't tend to go over maintenance but if I do it's once in a blue moon.

I am not going to quit and I'm going to try not letting it get to me because I feel so good and I feel slimmer and tighter and there's no way I won't see a change eventually but really what I'm looking for is some personal reflection off people who have been in my shoes.
Did you notice a change straight away?
Is there anything you were/weren't doing before you noticed a difference?
Just some advice of people and from their own journey because I know everyone is so different.

Thanks!!

scooterjay_wwis

Heavy lifting has helped me get firmer, stronger, and drop weight and inches.
I personally use the Stronglifts 5x5 workout. 45 minutes in the gym 3x a week that's all.
IT DOES WORK..

jodescorinna

I know it definitely works-I've seen the evidence on these forums but I was looking more for people personal experiences. Timescales. Hardships etc.
Glad it's working for ya-lifting is awesome !

sweet2def

Ah, these are my kinda posts lol

I am a lifting convert. Under my cellulite :laugh: I feel so much tighter and firmer and my endurance to do other activities such as running on the treadmill have become easier. I am drinking waaaay more water during my workouts simply because my body CRAVES it. It's this hydration that took my lifts to the next level.

It took about 7 weeks of continuous and progressive (higher weights each week) lifting before my curves came through (my butt was like a donkey's!!). What I will say is never allow yourself to get ''comfortable'' with a weight - it hinders progress.

Diet:
Sounds bad but I do not go by calories as I too have a sedentary job but when I get in the gym in the morning, I train like an animal so I go by my macro's (I discovered what works by trial and error not what MFP tells me). I found when I began eating majority of my daily carb's at breakfast along with a significant portion of protein with this (porridge made with soya milk and 1 x scoop of protein powder), my weight was plummeting but I was still looking tight and lean. I then spread the rest of my macro's out over snacks and small meals over the course of the day.

Prior to this, I wasn't consuming enough calories. I was working hard and my body was always hungry but the scale did not move from one week to the next. . .

jodescorinna

I suppose everyone is different - i was tempted to up my calories a little bit but then I do eat back my exercise calories (or the majority of them) so I'm a little unsure. I've tried upping my protein too.

I feel the same as you though, under my fat layer I feel so much tighter and I am getting way stronger. Just don't want to stay this weight

I guess trial and error and perserverance is the way to go!

beastmode_kitty

Hang in there girl! I don't eat what MFP tells me as I find its too little. I found a good site that tells me to eat approximately 1800 calories a day so thats what I stick to.

I lift 3 times a week and do cardio at least 2 times a week. I'm starting to feel leaner and tighter all over. It comes with time!

jodescorinna

Hang in there girl! I don't eat what MFP tells me as I find its too little. I found a good site that tells me to eat approximately 1800 calories a day so thats what I stick to.

I lift 3 times a week and do cardio at least 2 times a week. I'm starting to feel leaner and tighter all over. It comes with time!

thank - you :flowerforyou:

margannmks

Why did you decide 1300 was too low ( which it is) and just change yor goal to 1 lb loss aweek instead of just deciding to do 1500 + adding back in exercise. Unless your counting every morsel and getting exact calorie burn figures your just eating too much. Weight lifting is wonderful and should be done while trying to lose weight but the bottom line is what your putting in your mouth has to be less than you need.

christina2012

I started atending a bootcamp class in April, but wasn't making it a habit or priority until end of April - so going on approx 8-10 weeks - the camp is HIIT based but with significant lifting involved.

Its only when I increased my calorie intake from 1500 to 1900 that I started seeing the scale move - and that has only been in the last 4 weeks.

However I have gone down 4 jean sizes and lost over 15 inches all over.

I would check out the scooby calorie calculator for an idea of upping your calorie vs what MFP istelling you ... good luck and keep at it!

Valtishia

I totally get this. I strength train 4 times per week, run 2 times per week and walk 4 km 5 times per week. And there is usually some other fun stuffin there like swimming or something else with the family.

I feel tighter under the chub and much stronger, but seems the inches don't move at all or very little. My thighs actually went up an inch over the last while but you can feel the muscle under there. I am always challenging myself and feel extremely happy with myself when I move higher in weights for different exercises.

QueenBishOTUniverse

I started weightlifting in november and upped my calorie intake to compensate for the weight lifting. Now, I was only aiming at the time for a 0.5 to 1 lb per week loss, but I stalled out for a solid six weeks and then whoosh 3-4 pound loss followed by regular steady monthly losses.

I added running in three weeks ago....no loss, not worried about it.

For me, any major change in my routine causes an apparent stall for up to six weeks, then everything I lost over that stall falls off and weight loss returns to a normal steady state. So no need to start panicking. :drinker:

jodescorinna

Why did you decide 1300 was too low ( which it is) and just change yor goal to 1 lb loss aweek instead of just deciding to do 1500 + adding back in exercise. Unless your counting every morsel and getting exact calorie burn figures your just eating too much. Weight lifting is wonderful and should be done while trying to lose weight but the bottom line is what your putting in your mouth has to be less than you need.

well considering unless your pretty petite and inactive, as a general rule 1200 kcal is not a good amount to eat to be healthy. As i am certainly neither petite or inactive I figured only eating 100kcals more than this was too extreme.

my maintenance kcal amount is well above 2000kcals even if I put in a completely sedentary lifestyle so again I didnt think I was in danger of eating at maintenance following a 1500kcal plan and forgetting the odd splash of milk or spoonful of sugar in my tea here or there.

jodescorinna

I have just rechecked again with the scooby calculator rather than MFP and it suggests (set at a sedentary lifestyle cuz i prefer just adding on exercise calories as my workouts are not routine due to my shifts) that to have a deficit of 20% that I should be eating 1773kcals.

hmm...maybe as I'm not now in any rush to lose the weight - i have accepted that for my wedding in august there will not be any 'big' changes - i might try upping my kcals for a few weeks to see if it makes a difference. if nothing changes I can always look into it again.

margannmks

Why did you decide 1300 was too low ( which it is) and just change yor goal to 1 lb loss aweek instead of just deciding to do 1500 + adding back in exercise. Unless your counting every morsel and getting exact calorie burn figures your just eating too much. Weight lifting is wonderful and should be done while trying to lose weight but the bottom line is what your putting in your mouth has to be less than you need.

well considering unless your pretty petite and inactive, as a general rule 1200 kcal is not a good amount to eat to be healthy. As i am certainly neither petite or inactive I figured only eating 100kcals more than this was too extreme.

my maintenance kcal amount is well above 2000kcals even if I put in a completely sedentary lifestyle so again I didnt think I was in danger of eating at maintenance following a 1500kcal plan and forgetting the odd splash of milk or spoonful of sugar in my tea here or there.

I agreed that 1300 was too low and i thought that going to 1800-2000 was maybe too much of a jump. Your diary is showing 1800-2000 calories and your exercise some days is 600-700. If your not losing doing that and its tracked correctly your sure not gonna lose by eating more.