Diet + Hard Core Strength Training = Frustration

tampascott22

My first weigh in with MFP was 1/24/12, at which time I started doing a good job tracking calories. I have 20 pounds to lose, and 30 to be extremely lean. Anyway, when I started my program just over a month ago, I went "hard core" into the strength training for the first time in years. I had actually started lifting a little earlier in January, around 1/7/12.

I very carefully log all of my workouts, and to give a reference (for those of you who know a lot more about these things then me), the following reflects what I was lifting when I started in Jan, and what I am lifting now (and would be my last set):

1) Bench Press: Started: 55 pounds x 10; Now: 135 pounds x8
2) Hip Adductions (machine): Started: 55 pounds x 15; Now: 100 pounds x 15
3) Pec Deck Flyes (machine): Started 65 pounds x15; Now: 135 pounds x 15
4) Leg Curls: Started 55 pounds x 15; Now: 85 pounds x 15
5) Cardio: Started 20 min on Eliptical, Now up to 40 min.

I do a lot more exercises than that, but that will illustrate that I am obviously getting stronger (it is nice to put on my undershirt in the AM and feel some "tightness" in the arms that was never there!).

However, I was still getting frustrated because as of the weekend, I had GAINED over a pound since my first weigh-in over a month ago. I kept telling myself that I was just putting on lean muscle, and that my metabolism had been ground to a halt from a sedentary lifestyle the last several years. Well, between the weekend and now I FINALLY had a breakthrough and shed 5 pounds.

So, my question is this: Has anyone else started their "diet" while at the same time starting aggressive strength training. Is this kind of weight loss lag normal? Is the scale my enemy, and perhaps the tape measure a better thing to go by? I still definitely need to shed some of this guy. Any tips for ramping up the fat burning while working out? One thing that is a fact is that, at least for me, I have to carb up some before hitting the gym. I am in there for 90 minutes and not screwing around. If I do not carb, I will hit a wall after 45 min or so. Thanks for any thoughts!

SteveTries

At a very high level your body needs two things in order to build muscle:
1) Stimulus
2) Fuel

Your workouts are providing the body with the stimulus is needs. You're pushing your body beyond it's current ability and in response it sets about building more muscle.

But to build that muscle it needs fuel. A caloric defecit isn't going to provide that fuel. You need to be taking in more calories than your maintenance metabolic rate. At least that is my understanding and I know from my own experiences that it's certainly possible to make some gains, especially when following a 5 day caloric defecit and 2 day regular eating regime but it's small, small gains.

I believe you have two conflicting goals here.

tampascott22

I think you are right, but I am not sure my goals are conflicting per say, just that they will require more patience. For example, if my goal was only to lose as much weight as possible and get to my target, I could have focused only on cardio and calories. The weight would fall quickly. The patience comes in because of your point about needing to "fuel" for this kind of weight training, which is correct. The patience is that instead of getting the "instant gratification" of seeing the drastic weight loss, I am going for a twelve month plan that see very gradual weight loss while building muscle. That's the way I see it, and I suppose the frustration is wanting to see quicker weight loss (and not staying patient)

btdublin

I actually disagree, and many on here will, about cardio v strength training. You will lose better AND quicker with strength training, providing it is the right training and intensity.

sj is right however that your diet must be right. However there is nothing to stop you eating a calorie deficit whilst strength training. Mainline the protein (and I mean really really loads of protein - 1g per 1lb of your body weight is what I aim for - c. 200g per day for me), you will need some carbs for recovery and fueling muscle but keep them clean and lean.

It is doable.

Yanicka1

Ditch the scale
I have been lifting for 6 months and in those months, I have not lost one single pound.....but I still lost many many inches.

Now I know I am a girl so my experience is not the same as yours. In my experience, in the first months of lifting, body recomp can happen. Eating at maintenance, you will lose a bit of fat and gain a bit of muscle (you can thank newbie gain for that) but in my experience, it is slow and not very efficient.

To gain muscles, you eat over your TDEE and lift heavy
To lose fat, you eat at a small deficit and lift heavy. That way to will lose fat and more or less maintain your muscles

You have to decide what you want.

ArroganceInStep

I don't know if I want to help a Bucs fan...=)


Anyhow, good job on making gains with your lifting, can you layout your basic workout though? Do you have a routine laid out? How many sets of each exercise do you do?

You said you feel a tightness in your arms, are your clothes fitting better (or looser if they already fit well)? Do you take measurements?

Also your diary is private or I'd go off that, but when you say you've done a good job of counting calories, what exactly do you mean? What is your average daily intake? What is you average macro spread? What are your target max cals and min macros? Do you have cheat days or days you go over? What's your height and age (I'm assuming you're a guy from your profile and the fact that you have Scott in your name)? If so, was one of those shortly before you weighed in last?

Finally, what time did you weigh in on your initial recording? Your most recent one?

The more info you have, the easier it is to determine what adjustments (if any) need to be made. As for your other questions, for me my first 'lag' tends to be around month two after starting a diet. It is perfectly normal to experience a lag like that. Weight loss, unfortunately, isn't always linear. It came come in big chunks and stutters.

I'm too lazy to take my own measurements, I go by how my clothes fit, but if you have the discipline to record that it's a MUCH better indicator in my opinion.

Also to sjbrain. Strength training while at a calorie deficit will make actual gains in lean mass practically impossible in all but a few select cases. That doesn't mean you can't increase strength on a cut. Strength training while cutting also helps your body preserve lean mass and burn fat instead, which will help to prevent the 'skinny fat' look.

carrie_eggo

Ditch the scale
I have been lifting for 6 months and in those months, I have not lost one single pound.....but I still lost many many inches.

Now I know I am a girl so my experience is not the same as yours. In my experience, in the first months of lifting, body recomp can happen. Eating at maintenance, you will lose a bit of fat and gain a bit of muscle (you can thank newbie gain for that) but in my experience, it is slow and not very efficient.

To gain muscles, you eat over your TDEE and lift heavy
To lose fat, you eat at a small deficit and lift heavy. That way to will lose fat and more or less maintain your muscles

You have to decide what you want.

^this.. You do have to decide what you want, but for now you have an excellent advantage because of the "newbie gains" (lose fat and gain muscle at the same time). You are doing well, imo You have lost 4-5lbs in 1 month. I think you should keep doing what you're doing. Hopefully you took measurements or checked your body fat % before starting, I'd be willing to bet you lost there. In another month or two you may have to tweak some things. I'd also suggest squats and deadlifts if you're not already doing them.