not losing weight since I started lifting weights

jennifer_417

If you just started, then your muscles will retain water for a bit in order to repair themselves. This is temporary.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

How long have you been lifting?

How long has your weight been stalled?

lisalsd1

My guess for 1.5lb...water retention. When I started lifting, my weight loss stalled at the beginning (for a little while). In just about a year and a half, I have lost just about 10lbs; BUT I am down from a size 8 to a 2. Seems like that should be more than a 10lb loss, right?

I noticed I had to increase the cardio on my lifting days to about 30 minutes. As the weight that I have been lifting has increased, so have the changes in my body. I've noticed the big changes with the "big" weights. So just give it time.

I didn't check your diary, but you said you are staying within your calorie limit...what is your protein intake like? On lifting days, I'm eating about 150 grams, which definitely helps me stay fuller longer and helped to decrease snackiness.

donnylou

I've been lifting for just over 3 weeks...so not that long....I didn't take measurements but sounds like I should so that I don't freak out about not losing weight....I will do that once I get home.

AliceDark

you're not building muscle mass yet, if you've only been lifting for a few weeks. What happens is that when a person starts a new exercise routine, in your case lifting, your muscles will retain water for cushioning and repair, until they get used to the different routine. This can mask weight loss significantly - and it can happen over and over as you progressively increase the amount of weight you're lifting. So... Don't sweat it, just keep on. You'll see the water weight drop and the scales shift soon enough. Patience is key here.

Ding! Right answer.

Cielazul

I stalled on weight loss for nearly six weeks when I started weightlifting. This was after three solid months of losing 2 pounds per week every single week. It was frustrating, but I stuck with it, and at the end of the six weeks my weight on the scale suddenly dropped down 9 pounds in only two days. I attributed the stall to water retention due to healing muscle tissue and increased weight of glycogen/water storage in muscles that were suddenly being used much more than they ever had before. Muscles access local glycogen deposits for energy, so as you work your muscles more, they tend to store more glycogen and water, increasing your weight a bit.

Amanda4change

The first 10 pounds I lost was on diet and cardio only (during this time I went down 1 pant size), then I added weights 3 days a week, over the same amount of time I lost 5 pounds, but 2 pant sizes.