Weight Training and Weight Loss

dlwyatt82

Take a week off from the weights once every couple of months. You'll probably see a silly amount of weight come off (according to the scale) as your body flushes all the water it decides it doesn't need to recover your muscles.

Heidi252

I am going to add that by taking his advice I went from 30% body fat to 16% at my lowest. I tracked my body fat % and lean muscle to make sure I wasn't losing muscle mass. He talks about that in the book. It took me about 9 months to get that low, but I really started to lose when I (oddly enough) cut my cardio in half and upped the protein grams.

My routine is 3 days of weights - legs, shoulders/ triceps, chest/biceps,back so that every six days I work the same muscle group. I work out heavy too. I do 2 hours of cardio crunched into 1 hr on the weekends.

tigersword

I know that a friend of mine, who is a fitness trainer, recommmended 3 days of strength training alternating with 3 days of cardio. It seems to have worked so far and it gives your muscles a break on cardio days. I just changed up my routine, which also helps, because it causes muscle confusion. Today I my cardio was 5 minutes on the treadmill, then 5 on the elliptical and I just kept alternating every 5 minutes for a total of 60 minutes. That was a butt kicker!! Also, look at your daily caloric intake. Are you eating enough to compensate for your strength training?

So my suggestion would be to look at your calories and see if you've been eating enough to compensate for the strength training and also consider changing up your cardio routines and maybe adding an extra day of cardio. Also, be sure to get your water in. I find that makes a big difference for me too. However, I am not an expert, I am just sharing what works for me, that my supportive friends have shared with me.

If in doubt, ask your trainer. This way you will feel confident about whatever changes you make. Congrats on your amazing loss of 125 pounds!! That's fantastic!!!

There's no such thing as muscle confusion. That's just a marketing gimmick.

strikerjb007

First of all, get a set of calipers. Guessing if you gained some muscles doesn't help and it doesn't tell you the truth.

Next, if you are trying to lose weight, you need to increase your cardio. It seems to me that with that routine, you would (if eating at a surplus) gain muscle but also a lot of fat. You need to track your body fat and determine whether you are getting leaner or fatter. That's it.

Whether you workout 4 or 6 days, you need to alternate weights and cardio. Do not exercise the same muscle groups consecutively.

By alternating weights and cardio, you will be able to lose fat and keep whatever lean muscle mass you have now.

erickirb

Next, if you are trying to lose weight, you need to increase your cardio. It seems to me that with that routine, you would (if eating at a surplus) gain muscle but also a lot of fat. .

Why increase cardio when cardio only allows you to eat more while having the same deficit you can achieve from diet alone?

That is not true even in a surplus cardio does not determine how much fat vs. muscle you add. that comes down to the strength training program you are on, the size of your surplus, and the amount of protein you are getting. Cardio does not have to be part of the equation, and if you do cardio you need to eat more as the energy that would have gone in to building larger muscles would be diverted to cardio activity, meaning your muscle may not get the calories they need to grow.

fdny9943

Thanks everyone. Seems to be a lot of great advice. I may try to shake things up and do 3 days cardio and 3 days weights and see if that has any effect. I do have to eat leaner and cleaner and that does account for some of the gains.

I'm 48 years old and I'm not a little person (6'2" and now 335) but I haven't lifted since high school but I do make big gains when I lift. I have been doing the traditional powerlifting lifts. I have just been really hitting it hard (for me that is) for over an hour at a time with big weights and I can feel the difference in my chest, arms and quads.

I am sure as some of you have said its not 10 pounds of muscle but can you help me out with the water? Why does the muscle hold more water? Is that what is causing the weight gain? I always seem to show the most weight gain after a hard lower body, leg workout.

Thanks for the great advice!

mangohead100

Hi all,

I've had a similar problem. I started a lifestyle overhaul last year that involved working with a personal trainer and a naturopath to overhaul my exercise and eating habits. My weight didn't budge from 142 lb for 8 months but I dropped 2 pant sizes (Hooray!).
For some reason, I suddenly lost 4 pounds in the ninth month and kept them off for another 6 months. I started gaining the weight back about a month ago, so started keeping a food diary again, in addition to adding another cardio day to my workouts (2 cardio, 2 weight training sessions/week). Even then I gained 7 lbs in two weeks, which was weird; it was too much too quickly to be explained by water retention, fat gain, or muscle gain. It's now dropped back down to 142lbs, but I'd like to get back to under 140 lb (I'm 5"5).
My trainer has suggested experimenting with cutting different types of food from my diet to see which is affecting my weight. For example, dropping dairy for two weeks to see if this is the variable causing weight gain. If not, then I add it back in and try dropping nuts. Any other ideas would be great!

jacksonpt

I am sure as some of you have said its not 10 pounds of muscle but can you help me out with the water? Why does the muscle hold more water? Is that what is causing the weight gain? I always seem to show the most weight gain after a hard lower body, leg workout.

When you work out you damage the muscle tissue. Your body increase blood flow to the muscle to protect/repair it.

mes1119

I know it is frustrating, but you need to remember that weight loss is MOSTLY diet, not exercise. So maybe you need to take a look at your intake and adjust some things?

Abells

OPEN YOUR DIARY. you can work out all you want but diet is your key to increasing and decreasing weight
Or friend people that can help you.

Also take photos. Cardio is NOT the only way to lose weight.

strikerjb007

Next, if you are trying to lose weight, you need to increase your cardio. It seems to me that with that routine, you would (if eating at a surplus) gain muscle but also a lot of fat. .

Why increase cardio when cardio only allows you to eat more while having the same deficit you can achieve from diet alone?

That is not true even in a surplus cardio does not determine how much fat vs. muscle you add. that comes down to the strength training program you are on, the size of your surplus, and the amount of protein you are getting. Cardio does not have to be part of the equation, and if you do cardio you need to eat more as the energy that would have gone in to building larger muscles would be diverted to cardio activity, meaning your muscle may not get the calories they need to grow.

I don't eat them back so if I increase cardio, I am speeding my metabolism and I create a bigger deficit. I have dialed in my nutrition so that even with no exercise, I am able to maintain my weight. I agree with the factors you mentioned on your post. I just omitted them in my answer. And you are right, if you do cardio and you are trying to gain weight, then you need to eat that back. Otherwise, you will never GAIN weight. I don't do that. I just reduce cardio so I don't have to worry about eating more.

Yes, my initial assumption was that he doesn't eat his calories back. I don't. I dial in my nutrition so I don't have to worry about adding calories based on my HRM.

sunshinesonata

First of all, get a set of calipers. Guessing if you gained some muscles doesn't help and it doesn't tell you the truth.

Next, if you are trying to lose weight, you need to increase your cardio. It seems to me that with that routine, you would (if eating at a surplus) gain muscle but also a lot of fat. You need to track your body fat and determine whether you are getting leaner or fatter. That's it.

Whether you workout 4 or 6 days, you need to alternate weights and cardio. Do not exercise the same muscle groups consecutively.

By alternating weights and cardio, you will be able to lose fat and keep whatever lean muscle mass you have now.

^^THIS

tigersword

I am sure as some of you have said its not 10 pounds of muscle but can you help me out with the water? Why does the muscle hold more water? Is that what is causing the weight gain? I always seem to show the most weight gain after a hard lower body, leg workout.

Thanks for the great advice!

Two reasons, one is to aid in muscle repair, strength training causes micro tears in the muscle tissue, and the extra water helps fusion and protect the tissue while repairing. Also, increased activity can lead to increased glycogen stores in the muscle (glycogen is the energy source that muscles use when doing high intensity activities like sprinting and weight lifting.) Glycogen requires 3 to 4 parts water for every 1 part glycogen. So if you start heavy lifting, your body may build up glycogen stores, to be ready for more work, and adding a pound of glycogen could come with 3 or 4 pounds of water.

Also, beyond water, it could be bone. Bones get denser during strength training, which can also contribute to weight gain.

cutethang1

Bump!

twinmom01

I've gained 6 pounds since lifting in Feb. I also do cardio like the elliptical, stairclimber, jogging and haven't lost a pound. I haven't lost much in inches either. Very fraustrating.

I would take pictures and take measurements if I were you. That might be a better way of tracking your weight while you are lifting.

THIS - take pictures and measurements....

Since you are a male it is easier for you to add on a bit of muscle while at the same time burn fat (way way harder for us ladies due to lack of testosterone). So your body shape could change dramatically while the scale barely budges or even goes up.

I know my husband has been working out and while he has lost some weight it hasn't been a whole lot but his body has changed and he has been able to get into clothes he hasn't been able to fit in for a while - Just the other day while he hasn't lost any more weight he put on a pair of exercise shorts that didn't fit him a month ago - all while not loosing weight on the scale...

Azdak

The author is/was a professional body builder so if anyone knows about fat loss it's a professional body builder, right?

One of the more optimistic statements I have seen in a long time.

tigersword

The author is/was a professional body builder so if anyone knows about fat loss it's a professional body builder, right?

One of the more optimistic statements I have seen in a long time.

:laugh:
Most of them succeed in spite of what they think they know.