What is the point of weight training while you're in calorie

SolidGoaled

I read on here over and over how "women can't bulk up while they're in a calorie deficit" usually during the debates over how much muscle is attractive on a female....

So, what IS the point of a person lifting while they're in a calorie deficit? Is there any benefit for it, or is it a waste of time until you get into maintenance mode?

asyouseefit

Fat loss.

SolidGoaled

Yes, but how is the fat loss different or better when you're lifting weights than it would be if you just did cardio and reduced calories?

asyouseefit

Lifting weights (while eating a decent amount of protein) will help preserve lean mass.

BerryH

Changing your body composition, having more active tissue to torch calories even while at rest, looking awesome, protecting yourself from injury while doing cardio, walking and running faster, being able to carry heavy shopping upstairs without panting, opening your own jars... need I go on?

Since I added in weight training, my scale weight loss has slowed but there's a noticeable change in shape, especially round the waist and upper arms, I'm running faster than ever (thus blasting even more calories during cardio) and haven't had any of the recurrent injuries I was getting.

jakejacobsen

If you don't do any strength training your body can and will likely consume your current muscles as well as fat. Also lean muscle can be built at a calorie deficit especially for new lifters. Muscle burns calories just being there so the more muscular you are the better your body can burn calories. I have some really ripped friends who eat 5000 calories a day and don't gain weight, and they do little or no cardio.

asyouseefit

What BerryH said + feeling like a bad *kitten* because you venture into the free weight section of the gym.

BobbyClerici

Preservation of lean body mass, more strength and a finer physique.
Plus, I just feel great after a good workout - same goes with cardio.

SolidGoaled

Ok - its starting to make sense. I was just having a hard time putting the logic together - if bulking is not possible while in a calore defecit, then what ELSE is not possible while in calorie defecit (in terms of the reasons for weight training)

I'd love to hear from people who have done it both ways - lost weight with just calore reduction and cardio vs. lost weight with calorie reduction + weights + cardio. Then I'd like to hear from people who also did it with just calorie restriction and no exercise whatsoever... lol

I can say for myself, I once lost 45 lbs with calorie reduction only and no exercise at all. When I finally did try to incoporate some cardio, I was so weakened it was pathetic. This time, I lost it with cardio in the mix right from the beginning - and after losing 45 lbs again, I was actually smaller than the last time I lost 45 lbs and I think it was because my legs were solid muscle from running this time.

I am now adding weight training into my routine after a loss of 45-50 lbs and its HARD. I am SORE. I am WEAK. LOL... probably should have added it earlier - but my concerns about the value of weight training while losing weight has always held me back.

Newfiedan

If you hate being sore then you are best off doing a caloric spike day unless you are obese. I cycle my cals according to my body needs and workout schedule. You can add muscle and shed fat at the same time if you plan cals out accordingly. In order to add muscle you need excess cals usually around 10% above your daily cal needs. However if you were to backload the carbs for that day to post workout and later in the evening the results will be greater as that is the time of day when the body is least insulin sensitive and working out pretty much ensures that those excess carbs/protein are used for muscle gain and not fat gain. If fat loss is your primary goal with a secondary goal of adding muscle you plan it out for 6 days fat loss and 1 day muscle gain. So 6 low days and 1 high day. I usually save my excess cals for post workout eating the bulk of them at the end of the day as I usually workout later in the day (6 pm-8 pm) and I am up at 5:30am so no morning workouts for me. I also do not believe in eating preworkout anymore as I am stronger and faster with no food in me preworkout.

jsteffen80

You can absolutely make meaningful muscle gains while maintaining a calorie deficit... You might not be able to end up looking like a bodybuilder, but generating lean muscle mass is a great way to speed up your fat loss.

My previous weight loss (several years ago I went from about 350 to 225) I started dedicated two workouts a week to strength training at about the 300 mark and my weight/far loss accelerated very rapidly.

This time I have incorporated it much earlier, and while I think it is slowing down my scale numbers a touch, I am confident it will speed it up in the long run. Not to mention, I feel much stronger after just a month or so.

YMTaylor

For me personally I love lifting because I feel so strong. I also feel tighter and leaner and have no issues with sagging skin. It may be that my weight loss journey is slower than some others because of the lifting (just my theory) but if it means no saggy skin along the way then I'm all for it. (My journey started Oct 2009 and I'm over halfway to my goal of 100 pounds lost).

Nikstergirl

I started this current journey with just running. Then I added strength (after about 6 months and only losing 10-15 pounds). Then I started calorie tracking. Once I was doing all three the weight was falling off!!! Now, after very nearly getting to my goal, I'm about 15 pounds heavier than I was in high school but my body is tighter and smaller and more toned (not to mention I feel better) than I was then... and that was over 20 years ago!

Bottom line... your body NEEDS the exercise... both the cardio and the weights, along with a healthy diet and calorie deficit if you're going to be as healthy as you can be. I'm a convert... never again to be a couch potato!!!!

jakejacobsen

I have just recently went back to lifting weights. I started with the thought that Cardio was where it was at for weight loss. I was eating right and killing my self on the cardio (2 hours a day 6 days a week). I was dropping weight like crazy at first and gaining a bunch of loss skin. (gross) and then the weight loss slowed down. After much reading and thought I started lifting and since then weight has been melting off. I am sore when I lift but its a good sore, I have found more protein and water has helped me with that. If your just starting check out The new rules of lifting for woman, the mens version has been a wonderful help to me. Best of luck on your journey.

LorinaLynn

I may be wrong, but I think you can get stronger and give the appearance of larger muscles, without increasing your overall muscle mass or "bulking."

For instance, I was at a slight deficit (to lose .5# a week at most) in the photos below. And some of the difference might be that my pose was better in the bottom pic, but I definitely saw improvements in just a few months of weight training.

tidmutt

Ok - its starting to make sense. I was just having a hard time putting the logic together - if bulking is not possible while in a calore defecit, then what ELSE is not possible while in calorie defecit (in terms of the reasons for weight training)

I'd love to hear from people who have done it both ways - lost weight with just calore reduction and cardio vs. lost weight with calorie reduction + weights + cardio. Then I'd like to hear from people who also did it with just calorie restriction and no exercise whatsoever... lol

I can say for myself, I once lost 45 lbs with calorie reduction only and no exercise at all. When I finally did try to incoporate some cardio, I was so weakened it was pathetic. This time, I lost it with cardio in the mix right from the beginning - and after losing 45 lbs again, I was actually smaller than the last time I lost 45 lbs and I think it was because my legs were solid muscle from running this time.

I am now adding weight training into my routine after a loss of 45-50 lbs and its HARD. I am SORE. I am WEAK. LOL... probably should have added it earlier - but my concerns about the value of weight training while losing weight has always held me back.

I've lost weight (a large amount) in the past just dieting and cardio. This time I introduced a free weights routine right from the beginning (down 55 lb so far) and I can tell you I look more muscular, everything is tighter. When I lost weight in the past I lost so much that I looked much smaller but I was still flabby and basically skinny-fat, this time around it's very different and I feel like I'm heading towards a body I'd feel comfortable showing off in pair of speedos (there's an image). Lol I sometimes wonder if I had done weight training during previous weight loss efforts if I would have kept more of it off and wouldn't be back here trying to lose it all again. Basically I think resistance training is awesome, it has so many health and psychological benefits, and looking better naked is not a bad side effect either.

BerryH

Lots of additional information here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/414956-here-s-why-women-should-weight-lift-peer-reviewed-studies

mahidac

Here is how my journey wont

When I started I was 260 lbs - very overweight - and I hadn't lifted weights in probably 4-5 years, and even then I was pretty sporadic. I went from 260 - 220 just with weight training and I was able to add a fair bit of muscle, all of my lifts increased and I was pretty happy with the way it was working out

I have been 220 since august because all I was doing was weight training and adding more muscle without watching my diet and doing cardio - over the last month I added in about 20 min of cardio before my workout and am eating about 1900 calories a day and I dropped about 3.5 lbs this week. So at least for me the fat loss of purely weight lifting worked when I was more obese but I did hit a point where it stopped working.

Because I am at a calorie deficit now I think its' going to be hard to build much muscle but I am trying to keep my protein intake high - and I have the advantage of still only really been weight training since July - so it's fairly new to my body still. The reason I still weight train and I dont just go cardio to get to my ideal then start strength training is because It is difficult for me to get to the gym just to go for a run - but I love going to strength train, so its a more an internal motivation thing for me

twinmom01

Changing your body composition, having more active tissue to torch calories even while at rest, looking awesome, protecting yourself from injury while doing cardio, walking and running faster, being able to carry heavy shopping upstairs without panting, opening your own jars... need I go on?

Since I added in weight training, my scale weight loss has slowed but there's a noticeable change in shape, especially round the waist and upper arms, I'm running faster than ever (thus blasting even more calories during cardio) and haven't had any of the recurrent injuries I was getting.

Exactly - I have only lost 12 lbs over the past year and a half - but by doing some Cardio (mainly Elliptical) with lots of strength training, HIIT, resistance workouts (Kickboxing, Nike Training App, Body Boot Camp Classes) my body shape has changed - it is frustrating that the weight has come off slow...but I know I will never be skinny - so I might as well be solid and as non-jiggly as I can be...

DoubleE615312

I started with just watching calories, I slowly started cardio and a few months later added strength training. I can't tell you how much better I feel when I do strength training...I feel so much stronger and can feel my muscles growing. I also started incorporating strength training into my program because I have a lot of weight to lose ~100lbs and I don't want a lot of excessive skin. I know I will have some, but I believe strength training will help minimize it.

Iam918

Lifting weights (while eating a decent amount of protein) will help preserve lean mass.

^ What they said. You lift while in a deficit to preserve your lean mass.

Yanicka1

I lift and I am at a calorie defficite. It changed the shape of my body in a very positive way. I am smaller and toning up nicely

heykatieben

The point is to tell your body you don't want to lose muscle; you want to lose fat. Form follows function.

Without working out at all, you'll lose both.

Good luck!

ahamm002

It's critical to exercise while dieting. As already mentioned, you really do not want to lose lean mass.

If you don't exercise while dieting, you'll lose both fat and muscle. Then, when some of the weight comes back, it all comes back as fat. The cycle repeats, and eventually you'll become "skinny fat."

HeidiMightyRawr

1) To preserve the muscle you have. When doing just cardio, some of what you lose in scale weight will likely be muscle. A good strength training routine and sufficient protein can help reduce this

2) To get stronger. You may not build any actual muscle but you can definately get stronger!

3) When you're new to lifting and/or obese you can gain a little muscle mass on a deficit. It won't last forever, it won't be loads and it certainly won't make you bulky but it's still better than nothing IMO.

tangal88

I just posted this on another thread, But will add here as some of the links may also help you. Some are already listed above, a few are not.

The images may help. Some are of girls who lifted heavy, to "keep" muscle while they lost fat, which is what may are concerned with.

Over all, the weights will also help keep the muscle mass you alreay have, and help you better maintain and condition it. Then after you drop all the body fat - you can SEE some of the results of what you have done, because you will look more cut, more lean, and less flabby.

Then you can bulk if you choose to add on more muscle mass, and you already have a great foundation to start from. Rather then started completely from scratch.

Of course it also helps with long term cal burn, and metabolism increase. (as many above also noted)

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5'2" - I personally do not aim for a "scale" weight, as that is really inaccurate measure of true size, shape , composition. Muscle is dense, so you can have alot of muscle, look smaller, tighter, and leaner - but weigh heavier on the scale.

See this example:

Skinny fat vs fit: (heavy lifting)
http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/

Heavier scale weight - tighter and smaller body:
http://pinterest.com/pin/160933386653912536/

Both Size 2, one fit, one fat
http://pinterest.com/pin/160933386653912538/

Stacy, heavier weight, but tighetr. leaner and smaller: (heavier lifting)
http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

Body Fat percentage images:
http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

How to find Goal Weight based on Body fat desired:
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/body-fat-chart.php

Why women should lift Heavier for best results, not light with many reps.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/414956-here-s-why-women-should-weight-lift-peer-reviewed-studies

So with all that, I actually weigh much heavier then I look. But I am smaller, clothing wise. I am aiming for a roughly 19%-20% bodyfat range. For me thats probably about 120-130 lbs. Will know more when I get closer to that point.

I actually weigh More now, then I did a while back - but I am at least two sizes smaller in clothing, tighter all over, and leaner, with some cut abs starting to show. (yay) Many times I loss inches, but not scale weight.

I Lift heavy weights 3 times a week. I eat about 1600 cals a day right now doing the Olivia Method of MFP.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/409954-welcome-the-rules

I was eating 1200, lost weight then stalled. Moved upto 1400, lost a lb or two, then stalled. So now upto 1600 and looks like I am losing again.

For me, I want to loss fat, and keep my lean muscle. So to low a calorie count is a concern for me. I need to keep my muscle, that I work so hard for.

I eat 1 gram or protein per lb of lean body weight most days.

I have a free food/ no cal count day once a week. (lost 60 lbs doing that)

I do a P90X doubles program with heavy weights using P90x and Rushfit.

Thats fast heavier Weights circuits three days a week, cardio 3 days, with rushfit in the PM (cardio on some days, lighter weight circuits others)

When I lift heavy, I have much better, much faster results then lifting light with many reps, and or cardio only.

At 5'2", age 47 I am very strong for my size, many people are shocked. LOL
Edited by tangal88 on Wed 12/07/11 06:14 AM

engineman312

i started doing a lot of cardio when i started losing weight. riding my bike, and the occasional run and swim. i'm a budding triathlete, so i read what kind of work outs they do, and was surprised to learn that many do strength training, especially in the winter months.

so i started incorporating strength training. at first it was all body weight routines. i did lunges, squats, push ups, etc, in my home or in the park. it was great. after about 6 week of it, i headed over to a gym. i started doing the same routine, but with weights. and i really didn't care that i was only dead lifting 100 lbs. i was lifting something, lol. i hit the gym and lift 2-3 times a week.

yes, you won't see huge gains on a calorie deficit. i have seen muscle definition, but it's mostly "noob gains." when you went so long not strength training, you'll start noticing any improvement.

i also do cario 2-3 times a week. i do two short but fast runs, and one longer medium pace run. i also switch it up with the bike machine and swimming pool one week a month just to give my legs a rest from running.

also, i reduced my calorie intake from 1.5 lbs per week to just 1 pound per week. it allows me to eat more (i.e. chicken) and maybe in january i'll go to 0.5 pounds a week. but i need to continue lifting.

UponThisRock

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weight training + calorie deficit. no cardio

engineman312

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weight training + calorie deficit. no cardio

+eats his body weight in protein.

just out of curiosity (not trying to argue or start a monster thread) how long did it take you to get results, and how did you achieve them? where did you start off, weight wise?

trophywife24

I count calories, do cardio and weight train. After I lost my first 20lbs, we moved halfway across the country and I basically took three months "off".. maintained my current weight but enjoyed all of the ridiculous food that living in the South has to offer and had a lot of fun. However, at my re-start, I added strength training to my old routine and WOW. I will say that the scale is not moving as fast as it was the first time, which I guess is to be expected anyway. The way that I feel is amazing, though. I've been lifting 3-4x/week and had immediate results. I feel stronger and honestly, I crave the way I feel after lifting. I'm 5'2 and very petite and have no desire to bulk up.

ninerbuff

I read on here over and over how "women can't bulk up while they're in a calorie deficit" usually during the debates over how much muscle is attractive on a female....

So, what IS the point of a person lifting while they're in a calorie deficit? Is there any benefit for it, or is it a waste of time until you get into maintenance mode?

Retention of lean muscle, building strength, conditioning muscle and raising RMR to burn more body fat. Need I say more?

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition