Lifting Heavy- Should I Expect to Stop Losing?

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SarahSwimmer
SarahSwimmer Posts: 125 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys! I've started a heavy weight regimine and generally stepped up all my exersize. I'm 5'4 and I've pretty much stopped losing weight as of three weeks ago. Should I give up the scale, resign myself to my 140 lb, and only rely on measurements?

Feel free to check out my public diary to see if there's any changes you would make.

In your oppinion, is it healthier and more aesthitically desirable to do cario or lift? What do you guys do and how do you measure success? Are you happy with what you're doing?

Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • SarahSwimmer
    SarahSwimmer Posts: 125 Member
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    Looks like another poster juuust beat me to pretty much the same topic. Never mind :)
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    You get 100 million points for being the first person to actually read other thread titles when posting. You broke the combination of 10 "Has anyone heard of Zumba?" posts and 3 "Am I eating too much protein?" topics.
  • tabinmaine
    tabinmaine Posts: 965 Member
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    well another thread or not, you are my friend so I am going to answer you here :)

    The answer is YES, I have gone down 4 pant sizes in the last 2.5 months but have not lost 1 single pound !!
  • bigswish
    bigswish Posts: 1
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    Depends. What is your goal? do you still want to lose weight? Do you want to gain muscle? I really can help you figure out a plan to do either or both. Send me a message and I will help you design a plan! :smile:
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Depends. What is your goal? do you still want to lose weight? Do you want to gain muscle? I really can help you figure out a plan to do either or both. Send me a message and I will help you design a plan! :smile:

    Who cares what she weighs? Honestly. Losing bodyfat...that would be a worthy goal.

    The number on the scale, is just a number. If you're capable of ignoring it and using a tape and your clothes as a judge...then by all means...DO IT!!

    Also...congratulations on doing the heavy weight thing...the benifits are many and...to be honest...the only negative i can think of is the possibility of dropping a plate on your toe =p.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    I've lost 20 inches all together, and no weight. I know it will be coming off soon, but I lift heavy 2 days a week and do cardio at least 5. Since i've started lifting, i see the scale as my enemy. I measure once a month, and I have an outfit that i'm going fit into eventually, that's how I measure.
  • SarahSwimmer
    SarahSwimmer Posts: 125 Member
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    Wow! I'm glad there's support out there for lifting. Frankly, I don't know if 140 lb is good for me- I have been measured at 22% bodyfat and I'm not sure if that is a good number or not.

    I'd love to build muscle but if I work out more, eat more, I suppose measurements are the only accurate measure of body fat loss? Maybe, just maybe, what I'm asking is what the optimal body fat percentage AND the total weight I should be? THEN I should ask how to measure it.

    And thanks for being nice to me :) I get nervous on the forums
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Wow! I'm glad there's support out there for lifting. Frankly, I don't know if 140 lb is good for me- I have been measured at 22% bodyfat and I'm not sure if that is a good number or not.

    I'd love to build muscle but if I work out more, eat more, I suppose measurements are the only accurate measure of body fat loss? Maybe, just maybe, what I'm asking is what the optimal body fat percentage AND the total weight I should be? THEN I should ask how to measure it.

    And thanks for being nice to me :) I get nervous on the forums

    :flowerforyou:

    That's actually the point...the weight isn't really relevant. 22% bodyfat is pretty healthy for a woman (for a man it's even in the healthy range if I recall...to be honest). Your bodyfat is really the only true measure of health. I mean...look at me, I'm 190lbs right now, and since my injury I'm back up to about 22% bodydat myself (most of my pictures in my profile...I'm about 18%). By the BMI chart, I'm obese lol. But the point I'm making is...no one would look at me and say 'wow, that guy's overweight!'. That's all the number on the scale is, a number.

    If you'd like to drop more bodyfat, keep lifting heavy, and keep eating clean on a deficit. It will just keep dropping. Once you're happy where you are (bodyfat wise!)...raise your rough calorie intake to maintenance...and you'll be set.
  • SarahSwimmer
    SarahSwimmer Posts: 125 Member
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    Wow! I'm glad there's support out there for lifting. Frankly, I don't know if 140 lb is good for me- I have been measured at 22% bodyfat and I'm not sure if that is a good number or not.

    I'd love to build muscle but if I work out more, eat more, I suppose measurements are the only accurate measure of body fat loss? Maybe, just maybe, what I'm asking is what the optimal body fat percentage AND the total weight I should be? THEN I should ask how to measure it.

    And thanks for being nice to me :) I get nervous on the forums

    :flowerforyou:

    That's actually the point...the weight isn't really relevant. 22% bodyfat is pretty healthy for a woman (for a man it's even in the healthy range if I recall...to be honest). Your bodyfat is really the only true measure of health. I mean...look at me, I'm 190lbs right now, and since my injury I'm back up to about 22% bodydat myself (most of my pictures in my profile...I'm about 18%). By the BMI chart, I'm obese lol. But the point I'm making is...no one would look at me and say 'wow, that guy's overweight!'. That's all the number on the scale is, a number.

    If you'd like to drop more bodyfat, keep lifting heavy, and keep eating clean on a deficit. It will just keep dropping. Once you're happy where you are (bodyfat wise!)...raise your rough calorie intake to maintenance...and you'll be set.

    You make me wish it was a "body fat percentage ticker" instead of "weight loss". I just did my measurements and realized that I've lost 2 pounds but 3 inches from my waist. I don't know much, but I have a feeling that's a good thing.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    That is an awesome thing! You're doing great. It's tough to get out of the mindset that the number on the scale is what matters, I still get discouraged from time to time when I weigh myself, but then I remember that I'm building and losing inches.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    I've been lifting and steadily losing weight (and according to my crude bf% measures, put on half a pound of muscle). How many calories you eat dictates whether you lose, gain, or maintain. Lifting just ensures you look your sexiest at any number
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Wow! I'm glad there's support out there for lifting. Frankly, I don't know if 140 lb is good for me- I have been measured at 22% bodyfat and I'm not sure if that is a good number or not.

    I'd love to build muscle but if I work out more, eat more, I suppose measurements are the only accurate measure of body fat loss? Maybe, just maybe, what I'm asking is what the optimal body fat percentage AND the total weight I should be? THEN I should ask how to measure it.

    And thanks for being nice to me :) I get nervous on the forums

    :flowerforyou:

    That's actually the point...the weight isn't really relevant. 22% bodyfat is pretty healthy for a woman (for a man it's even in the healthy range if I recall...to be honest). Your bodyfat is really the only true measure of health. I mean...look at me, I'm 190lbs right now, and since my injury I'm back up to about 22% bodydat myself (most of my pictures in my profile...I'm about 18%). By the BMI chart, I'm obese lol. But the point I'm making is...no one would look at me and say 'wow, that guy's overweight!'. That's all the number on the scale is, a number.

    If you'd like to drop more bodyfat, keep lifting heavy, and keep eating clean on a deficit. It will just keep dropping. Once you're happy where you are (bodyfat wise!)...raise your rough calorie intake to maintenance...and you'll be set.

    You make me wish it was a "body fat percentage ticker" instead of "weight loss". I just did my measurements and realized that I've lost 2 pounds but 3 inches from my waist. I don't know much, but I have a feeling that's a good thing.

    There have bee a lot of people who have suggested the BF ticker would be a good idea

    3" is a lot - and the fact that you have not lost a huge amount on the scale is a big indicator of decreased BF%.

    Whether you stay the same or lose lbs really depends on a bunch of factors : how heavy, how often, your calorie deficit, genetics etc etc. Here is a good post to see how much lifting can do without impacting the scales:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/580019-the-scale-is-a-lying-torture-device-i-m-proof
  • SarahSwimmer
    SarahSwimmer Posts: 125 Member
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    Yeah...I've decided to dump the scale. After getting so much information from you guys it seems like my scale-centric ways were really hindering me. I was seriously considering stopping all but only a little cario and going on a severe calorie deficit because I was so desperate to see "results". Now I know what real reselts look like!!!
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Yeah...I've decided to dump the scale. After getting so much information from you guys it seems like my scale-centric ways were really hindering me. I was seriously considering stopping all but only a little cario and going on a severe calorie deficit because I was so desperate to see "results". Now I know what real reselts look like!!!

    Good girl!!

    You'll thank yourself in the long run :).
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,691 Member
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    Have a client who's only lost 5lbs in 4 weeks but 2 dress sizes. She used to just do cardio only an now she's all about the lifting. I told her to toss her scale in the attic for a month and let's see what happens.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    You're weight loss might be slower but you can still lose weight, but yeah, it's not the most important thing. Hopefully you'll keep most of your muscle and only lose fat. This fat will take up more space though than any muscle fat combinations you might have lost before, so your size will decrease faster relative to your weight. I looked at your diary (just yesterday actually) and I might suggest actually eating more, maybe around 1800 or so.
  • Maridelsol82
    Maridelsol82 Posts: 90
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    I've stopped losing weight but have still lost inches :) Kinda wish the pounds would go down to but all in due time.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    Ive lost about 2 feet in inches around my whole body and 4 sizes (from an 13 to a 7) since October of 2010 and havent lost a pound.
  • SarahSwimmer
    SarahSwimmer Posts: 125 Member
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    I'm getting the impression from you guys that the weight will go down, just "eventually"?

    Frankly though, after seeing what so many girls look like after hitting the weights, I'm starting to think it's silly to care about my poundage!!
  • jrreed1
    jrreed1 Posts: 57 Member
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    Oh, how I wish there was a body fat % ticker, too. I've been stuck at the same weight for roughly 10 months now and have only noticed modest changes to the areas I really want to see firm (ie. arms, belly). I'm starting NROLFW with the hope that lifting will improve on what I've already accomplished. I like the idea of lifting heavy. Good luck to you, OP!

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