Weight Loss/Muscle Gain Help?

Wunderlandz

Hi, I'm a 19 year old female who joined Weight Watchers maybe 3 months ago. It was going great at first, but for a month and a half now I've been starting to lift pretty heavy at the gym AND at home and my hunger has gone through the roof.. so lately I've been eating more 'points' than I should, and well, what's the point of sticking to the program if I really can't? So I'm thinking of stopping it, but, I don't know. I'm really trying to lose weight and a lot of fat here, but also trying to put on muscle! It seems almost impossible with weight watchers because my muscles (well, what's there anyway) feel absolutely starved all the time! If I were to quit weight watchers, what would be my suggested intake of protein that I could gain muscle coupled with weight loss? I really need to lose this fat.. I'm 5'5 and 155-160 lbs.

dfranch

Common school of thought is that you can't add muscle and lose fat at the same time. This is because you need to eat a surplus of calories to build muscle and a deficit to lose weight. That doesn't mean the gym is wasted, it will help you to lose weight faster, and you will get stronger, you will not add new muscle.

corgarian

Try a different program?

I've been lifting weights all through my weight loss and I've managed to lose, and when I lift I get HUNGRY... So I eat.
Try eating foods higher in protein, it will keep you fuller longer.

xmichaelyx

1) The hunger caused by lifting subsides as you lift more. When you first start out, it's near impossible to ignore, so don't. After a month you won't have nearly as much hunger.

2) If you're lifting heavy to build muscle, you need more protein than WW is going to give you. Protein & fat will also make you feel fuller than carbs.

3) As a beginner, it's entirely possible to gain muscle while losing weight. Anyone who tells you differently is lying or uneducated on the subject. The muscle will come slowly, and will eventually stop coming at all and you'll need to switch to a surplus. But in the short term, enjoy you muscle gains and weight loss. In 6 months of lifting, you'll want to reevaluate you diet if you want to keep making gains.

pander101

You need a surplus of calories to build muscle, need a deficit to lose weight. But lifting is important for weight loss, it will help strengthen what muscles you have while burning calories.