Is it true that you gain muscle first and THEN the weightlos

mischa_12

I'm exercising everyday doing weights and cardio, plus eating a well balanced healthy diet...I suspect.

I can see that my stomach is getting flatter but I don't weigh any less on the scales. Is it true that you start to gain muscle and then the weightloss begins?

Sipah

It would be great to get an answer to this as I have the same problem. I am eating under my calorie intake. I exercise every day or there abouts but no change in weight.

jessica_johnson2011

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tigersword

No.

Most likely water retention from exercising. It takes a lot of time, and a lot of calories to put on pounds of muscle. It doesn't happen by accident, or by mistake. You can't build muscle without knowing it.

People that have muscular builds spend years working hard to look like they do, it doesn't happen by accident in a week while you're trying to lose weight. It's just water. Eventually it will go away once your body adjusts to the exercise.

cc11395

Well - it's sort of true. The reality is that you lose fat by building lean muscle. So, if you are strength training and building the muscle, as the muscle gets stronger, you should see better results on the scale. For cardio, although great for your heart and indurance, it burns calories (not fat).

Remember, it IS true that muscle weights more than fat.

So, the bottom line is, keep doing what you are doing and you will eventually see the results on the scale that you see in the mirror!

GREAT JOB!

bahacca

No-it isn't true. The body is a very complex machine and multiple things may be happening all at once, some not at all, etc given different circumstances. You are asking about WEIGHTloss. Weight can be any number of things-water stored in your muscles to help them heal, actual fat loss, loss of lean muscle mass, even the amount of food in your stomach/intestines can alter your WEIGHT at any given time. Here are a few articles to help you understand:
http://bankshealth.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/weight-gain-with-new-exercise-programs/
http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/scale_lies.htm

heybales

No - it depends on what your focus is.
But very important point to keep in mind.

1 - Diet is for weight loss.
2 - Exercise is for body shaping and heart health, and can support #1, but can also hurt it.

If you are feeding the workouts, then indeed you may be gaining muscle to support your level of activity while you lose fat too, so weight stays the same.

If you stop pushing your self so hard, the muscle will be enough to support your level of activity, so just the fat loss will occur, and now weight will drop.

You can also calm down on the workouts and lose weight first, making certain workouts easier at light weight.

Just remember, if you selected a weight loss goal in your setup, your daily NET goal ALREADY has a deficit in it, whether you workout or not.
That's why you are given credit for exercise, to eat it back, your treat for hard work. You still have a deficit.

Don't shoot yourself in the metabolism by underfeeding yourself.

Remember, if you eat 1200, and you exercise 1000, you just left your body 200 calories to work with. I hope that sounds scary, and you'll research what your BMR is (Tools - BMR calc) and what BMR means - http://www.shapefit.com/basal-metabolic-rate.html

bahacca

Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.

ssweet1020

Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.

Ugh everyone knows that a pound is a pound. But a 2 inch square of muscle weighs more than a 2 inch square of fat...so in that case YES, it does.

edinat

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meshashesha2012

like others have pointed out, weight loss in terms of changes.on the scale comes mainly from reduction on calories exercise, especially strength and cardio intervals, helps make sure those losses are mainly from fat
and that you dont losr muscle

also if you're eating reduced calories, its very hard to gain muscle unless you are working out in specific ways (lifting heavy weights clse to you max and constantly pushing those maxes) and eating a specific way (high protein)

dancingdeer

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MissJay75

Be patient and give it a little time. It says you joined mfp just this month, so at most it's been a few weeks. Keep doing what you are doing, and the weight will come off. One suggestion is to measure your food carefully, consider getting a scale. There have been a lot of studies, and people tend to way overestimate their portions. If you think you are at a 500 calorie deficit, but you 'guessing' wrong, and really only at a 250 calorie deficit, it will take you 2 weeks to lose 1 pound, and you might not see it right away if you are retaining water.

Keep your chin up, you can do this!

MrsSherrill

No-it isn't true. The body is a very complex machine and multiple things may be happening all at once, some not at all, etc given different circumstances. You are asking about WEIGHTloss. Weight can be any number of things-water stored in your muscles to help them heal, actual fat loss, loss of lean muscle mass, even the amount of food in your stomach/intestines can alter your WEIGHT at any given time. Here are a few articles to help you understand:
http://bankshealth.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/weight-gain-with-new-exercise-programs/
http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/scale_lies.htm

OMG, thank you sooooo much for posting this. i just started a new workout and have gained 2lbs this week. didnt change anything other than the workout... i so needed this!!!!

sschoolfield

Ahhh, the old weight of muscle vs the weight of fat debate rears it's head again....

To say muscle does not weigh more than fat would be like saying steel does not weigh more than aluminum foil. Obviously a pound is a pound is a pound, but it takes a whole lot larger piece of aluminum foil to equal a pound than it does steel....therefore, steel weighs more than aluminum foil. By the same logic; muscle does weigh more than fat. I hate this debate, but just couldn't stop myself from weighing in on it this time.

Sipah

Thanks all for your input and advice.

mischa_12

im starting to lose all motivation i just dont know what else to do, i work my butt off with exercising and ive cut out dessert - my most favourite meal of the day...i miss chocolateee

JBott84

Ahhh, the old weight of muscle vs the weight of fat debate rears it's head again....

To say muscle does not weigh more than fat would be like saying steel does not weigh more than aluminum foil. Obviously a pound is a pound is a pound, but it takes a whole lot larger piece of aluminum foil to equal a pound than it does steel....therefore, steel weighs more than aluminum foil. By the same logic; muscle does weigh more than fat. I hate this debate, but just couldn't stop myself from weighing in on it this time.

^ Well Said :drinker:

Chipmaniac

Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.

Ugh everyone knows that a pound is a pound. But a 2 inch square of muscle weighs more than a 2 inch square of fat...so in that case YES, it does.

You are correct. However, some people think you can never say <item a> weighs more than <item b> without using the qualifier "by volume" even though it's obvious to just about everyone. Can you imagine having to say "Lead weighs more than feathers, by volume"?

In honor of these pedantic people, I've vowed to add '..by volume' whenever possible so I don't have to hear the squawking.

Chester_1

Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.

I think most people will understand "muscle weighs more than fat" to mean "a sample of muscle will be heavier than a sample of fat of the same volume." While the first phrase is technically incorrect, it's a lot less cumbersome than the second and nearly everyone will understand the writer's intent.
A little unnecessary to correct semantics when the meaning is so easily understood, don't you think?

Chester_1

im starting to lose all motivation i just dont know what else to do, i work my butt off with exercising and ive cut out dessert - my most favourite meal of the day...i miss chocolateee

I wouldn't get discouraged just yet If you can see results on your body that's a sign that things are going well! My scale is moving, but my body looks the exact same. You'll see the numbers change in time.