Why lose weight and then "tone"?

woman_of_steele

I look up a lot of before and after weightloss success stories and photos and I have noticed that the majority of big losers (50lbs +) all say that they lost their weight before starting to workout at all and most lost to goal weight before starting any strength training. Is there any reason for this? I love strength training and always believed it was an important part of fitness as well as cardio. Just curious as to why someone would wait til maintenance to start working out.

knitapeace

Maybe because cardio is faster and more deceptive. Burn the fat off around your muscles so they start to show, and you find yourself thinking "Hey, pumping my arms while running is clearly all the upper body strength training I need because see? Muscles!" Strength training is slower in showing the fat loss results. I agree a combo is best, and that's how I'm doing it now, but I confess in the beginning I was all about the cardio burn and the number of calories I got to "eat back"...and to be honest I don't know if I would have stuck with it if I hadn't had those extra calories to eat.

KylaDenay

IMO those people probably were too busy to workout, didn't want to or were not aware of the many benefits of strength training while having a high body fat. Many think that there is not point to lifting until you get to your goal weight or body fat. I didn't know that years ago, until I came on here and did a lot of research.

Also to lose weight all you need is the deficit. Fitness is for health. While cardio helps you to burn more calories, strength training is great for maintaining current muscle mass (along with sufficient protein). It is not needed though.

jemhh

I see a lot of big losers say that they lost weight and then started strength training and then they follow it up by saying that they wished they would have started strength training sooner. There seems to be this idea that cardio is the best exercise for weight loss. I'm not sure why people think that but they do. Also, I think that a lot of people are intimidated by strength training and they feel like they will be less intimidated once they get thinner and "look" the part of somebody who "belongs" in the weight room.

AmyRhubarb

Yeah, I don't know - there seems to be a mindset that people can't do certain types of exercise or work with weights until they've lost the pounds first. :huh: (yes, in some cases there ARE medical reasons why some folks can't do certain exercises, but in general....)

Granted, the scale numbers may drop faster with just slashing cals and doing some cardio, but many find they are left with a slimmer yet still soft and squishy version of their former selves, rather than the firm & fit body they were hoping for, because they've lost muscle right along with any fat.

I'm all about grabbing the weights ASAP, along with some reasonable cardio. No need to go gonzo on the treadmill or eliptical for 2 hours and eat tiny amounts of food - eat well, plenty of protein, pick up heavy stuff, go for a walk, run, or bike ride. The scale numbers may go down more slowly, but the inches will come off, and as the fat is lost, nice, firm muscle is revealed underneath.

Why wait? Go for it!

4legsRbetterthan2

I agree with alot of what was posted previously.

Mostly I think because there is the idea that cardio burns calories and weight lifting not so much, which depending on your routine can be completely incorrect.

Part of it might also just be education, everyone knows how to run or walk up some stairs. Weight lifting takes more equipment and learning a few moves. As people spend more time at the gym or reasearching about healthy lifestyles they learn more about lifting so start making it part of their goals.

jkal1979

Just to add what has already been said, some of them might have decided in the beginning to work on the food part and once that's mastered to work on the exercise portion. That was the road I was going down when I was doing Weight Watchers. Once I started reading the boards on here I changed that.

lemurcat12

I actually think that MFP (and the other things I've read) tend to push getting started with strength training as soon as possible, which I agree with. Why people don't do it is probably due to a lot of reasons. One, as others said, is simply that cardio burns more calories, so lots of people may prioritize just getting the weight off or want to be able to eat more. My guess is that it's even simpler--people (especially women) are more likely to be familiar with cardio and not as familiar with strength training. Starting strength training can be intimidating or confusing even when you are in shape, if you feel really uncomfortable about how unfit you are and like you will be really obviously out of place in the weight room, it is yet another barrier. I'm not surprised people wait until they feel a little more confident from success or until it hits home to them that they won't accomplish their goals without it.

Advaya

People always talk about the weight not coming off as quickly while weight lifting vs cardio.. and I have a question that I'm not sure I can ask in a way that makes sense.

For example, I weigh 179 and at 5'3 thats pretty overweight. Even if all I lost were inches, my lean body mass can't be so high that the scale wouldn't also move, right? If I'm losing fat, I mean.

Does that make sense? ehhh

I guess I'm saying people are hung up on the scale numbers but it seems impossible that losing inches would be all that could happen... but that is what *I* personally fear with weight lifting.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I look up a lot of before and after weightloss success stories and photos and I have noticed that the majority of big losers (50lbs +) all say that they lost their weight before starting to workout at all and most lost to goal weight before starting any strength training. Is there any reason for this?

Ignorance.

lindsey1979

People always talk about the weight not coming off as quickly while weight lifting vs cardio.. and I have a question that I'm not sure I can ask in a way that makes sense.

For example, I weigh 179 and at 5'3 thats pretty overweight. Even if all I lost were inches, my lean body mass can't be so high that the scale wouldn't also move, right? If I'm losing fat, I mean.

Does that make sense? ehhh

I guess I'm saying people are hung up on the scale numbers but it seems impossible that losing inches would be all that could happen... but that is what *I* personally fear with weight lifting.

I think there is some truth to this. The more muscle you lose, the quicker the scale will go down because 1 lb of fat only releases 3500 calories whereas 1 lb of muscle releases somewhere between 600 and 1700 calories (there seems to be some dispute on the number). So, if you create a 7000 calorie deficit and lose only fat, you've only dropped 2 lbs. Whereas if you lose only muscle, you could drop up to 10 lbs. Thankfully, no one loses 100% muscle (or rarely 100% fat -- but a combo of both).

Unfortunately, losing muscle is not something we really want to do for a variety of reasons. Because 1) it is so incredibly difficult to gain muscle so you want to keep as much of it as you already have when you're losing weight/fat, 2) the more muscle you have, the greater your RMR will be and 3) the more muscle you have, the more "toned" you'll look when lowering your body fat percentage. So, yes, if you're lifting heavy, you'll do a better job of maintaining or reducing the loss of your LBM, but your scale numbers will go down slower. If you're only doing cardio, you will lose more muscle along with the fat, so your scale will go down quicker.

It's a counterintuitive mechanism that looks good on the scale, not so good on the body -- and ends up with people in the "skinny fat" variety where their weight is good, but their body fat percentage is not.

Bj0223

I don't think its ignorance, I think its self confidence. Many overweight people are afraid of the gym, afraid to take those first steps into the weight room. Weight rooms/areas can be very intimidating. To each their own and to each their own path.

VelcroButt

I agree that it is often being intimidated by the weight room and sometimes even the gym itself. It's fairly easy to get cardio without a gym by walking, jogging, biking, hiking etc but unless you can install a home gym it's hard to replicate weight lifting at home.

TheSatinPumpkin

I prefer to focus on my WOE then when i am ready then i will focus on strength training. Just my personal choice. I admit that i am nervous about using correct form. A while ago i pinched my lower back nerve just putting on my socks and took me about a month to recover lol.

lemurcat12

I guess I'm saying people are hung up on the scale numbers but it seems impossible that losing inches would be all that could happen... but that is what *I* personally fear with weight lifting.

It would eventually move (probably not all that long a delay, although sometimes people get weird results). It's just that water weight might mask it for a bit.

jahess26

I've been at this weight loss thing for the last 3 years and I have lost 120 lbs. I have about 60 to go. I lost the majority of mine with cardio. In the last few months I have switched to mainly all weight lifting and some cardio.. I also upped my calories to help with the muscle growth with less of a deficit. The scale hasn't moved up or down, but I do notice I have a lot more "fluff" in my mid section. What do some of you suggest for trying to get rid of that and also how much cardio do you do with your weight training?

BigGuy47

Ignorance.

*** raises hand ***

Guilty as charged.

kimbelle_vie

Because. Weight as in scale weight goes down faster. When u r xxx weight it's more motivational to see pound go down quicker. Cardio and a healthy diet is awesome! Great recepie for success. But what gets me is people who say "lifting weights is best... Blah blah!" I am a female, I am not afraid of getting bulky I just don't like lifting weights. So I do what I do love to do. Maybe it's best for u but not best for me. Just cause u like it doesn't me I will. Your way is not always the right way

SingRunTing

Too much change all at once is unsustainable. Having someone start with diet, cardio, and lifting all at once is a big ask. Better for them to ease into it than get overwhelmed by trying to do it all and give up.

ETA: I do agree that all three are important, but for many people, introducing it in stages is better for sustainable change.

awesomek001

Just to add what has already been said, some of them might have decided in the beginning to work on the food part and once that's mastered to work on the exercise portion. That was the road I was going down when I was doing Weight Watchers. Once I started reading the boards on here I changed that.

I totally agree with this - - It's easier to focus on tweaking one area of habits at a time.

Liftng4Lis

I think for some people the whole thing is a bit overwhelming and they're doing what they can, others its ignorance thinking they're going to bulk and then additionally you have those people that just want the quickest results.
I started weights 2 weeks into my loss and I'll admit it is discouraging, because the pounds aren't magically dropping off, still I would much rather maintain my lean muscle and it take longer.