Does Strength Training prevent losing weight

Mercenary1914

If someone has 5 lbs to lose....they need to stop looking at the scale and look at the tape...

Losing lb's at somepoint can become overrated

myak623

If someone has 5 lbs to lose....they need to stop looking at the scale and look at the tape...

Losing lb's at somepoint can become overrated

^^^+1

wookiemouse

^^^^ ITA.

Take your measurements and focus on those instead. The scale will become useless at this point.

In the first year I started lifting heavy, I lost 8 lbs over the entire course of the year! But - I dropped 3 clothing sizes. A pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh the same. But muscle takes up a LOT less room on your body than fat. Think about it - would you rather be covered in a pound of lead or a pound of feathers? Which will help you fit into smaller jeans?

ShannonMpls

I started strength training day 1. With very little exception, I've done three hours of strength training every week. As you can see from my ticker, which shows what I've lost since June 2011, it hasn't prevented me from losing weight at all. And the bonus is that my body fat percentage is better than expected given my height/weight. I'm quite glad I've been lifting all along.

Jugie12

1st: muscle does not turn to fat and fat cannot turn into muscle. Strength training with weights will add lean muscle to your frame which will result in some sort of "weight gain." Lifting weights skyrockets your metabolism and actually burns body fat longer afterwards than cardio does.

You will lose body fat and probably gain a small amount of weight. You'll actually be leaner and more sculpted though, so no worries and lift on!!

holleysings

I have strength trained twice a week for 10 weeks and lost 21 lbs (obviously ate well too.) So, you can definitely strength train and lose weight! Note, I also put on about 10lbs worth of muscle which I know from my starting and current BF%.

LabRat529

You've gotten a lot of great responses, but I thought I'd add mine.

I haven't really lost weight since October. A few pounds up, a few pounds down, up down, up down.

I started lifting seriously in January. I still have not lost weight. I really can't say whether strength training is preventing me from losing weight or if I just kinda suck at this calorie deficit thing.

BUT I CAN SAY:

I love love love love what weight lifting has done for my physically, mentally, and emotionally. If I were given a choice: Stop lifting and lose weight, or keep lifting and stay the same weight forever, I would not stop lifting. I'd rather stay fat than give up lifting.

taso42

some friend told me that if I do Strength Training I will not lose anymore lbs, because it convert fat to muscles and no change in the weight……

I wonder if it's the same person who posted something similar on the forum earlier. Patently untrue.

mmapags

One of the reasons strength training can, and I say can because it doesn't always, slow weight loss is because without it, you are losing both fat and lean body mass in the form of muscle tissue while in a deficit. Strength training along with adequate protein intake helps you retain the lean body mass. Also, if you are new to strength training, you may experience some "newbies gains" in muscle but at the very least develop the muscles you already has that were underdeveloped or in some cases atrophied. This will cause some "mass" gain along with water and glycogen that can make the scale go up.

There is nothing that will help you burn fat like strength training. Start measuring yourself and your body fat and use that to determine you progress. The scale is only one way of measuring and not always the best way. In fact, not often the best way.There's nothing wrong with mixing in some cardio also. I mix in HIIT, steady state and low intensity steady state. Use every tool available!

albinogorilla

I only do strength training, and have lost plenty.

Rae6503

I love love love love what weight lifting has done for my physically, mentally, and emotionally. If I were given a choice: Stop lifting and lose weight, or keep lifting and stay the same weight forever, I would not stop lifting. I'd rather stay fat than give up lifting.

Rae6503

some friend told me that if I do Strength Training I will not lose anymore lbs, because it convert fat to muscles and no change in the weight……

Please tell me what you know is that correct ????
If I am doing Strength Training I will not lose more weight ????

Also, you say this like it's a bad thing. If it were true, it'd be flipping awesome.

ninerbuff

If you don't lose weight, but look way better and lost body fat................................then really why care about losing weight?


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

mmapags

If you don't lose weight, but look way better and lost body fat................................then really why care about losing weight?


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

What ninerbuff said!!

JennieAL

If you don't lose weight, but look way better and lost body fat................................then really why care about losing weight?


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

This, for sure.

Orient_Charm

That is my experience too - my weightloss has stalled at 41lb but I am lifting heavy. Five weeks ago I had my body fat measured, and the results this week are that I have lost 4.5% body fat so I am pleased with that. Forget the scales! If you are lifting you will change shape and tone your new body.

Thank you for sharing this.....

Orient_Charm

Hi,
I started MFP in Jan and have lost 12 kilos.
I have just started on higher protein and weights. After nearly 2 weeks I have actually gained 900g but I have lost quite a few cms (inches, whatever - sorry Im from Australia) off my body. My clothes are getting bigger and bigger on me.
I've decided not to worry about the number on the scale too much while Im toning up/doing weights.
Good luck and my advice is to definitely keep up the strength training x

Thank you for your reply, good result.....

Orient_Charm

Hi,
I started MFP before 4 months and I have reached my goal about 10 days ago ( lost 16.5 kg = 36 lbs ) . Now I set a new goal to lose more ( 2 kg=4.4 lbs ).

Before I reach my goal I used to do only Cardio training, now I have started Strength Training in the gym…….

some friend told me that if I do Strength Training I will not lose anymore lbs, because it convert fat to muscles and no change in the weight……

Please tell me what you know is that correct ????
If I am doing Strength Training I will not lose more weight ????

Please share your experience…..

Thank you and have a great time.

First of all, discount your friend's thoughts on that, because for a start, you cannot convert fat to muscles the same as you cannot turn muscle into fat. Muscle and fat are totally different substances and one of them will never transform into the other, no matter what you do.

You can burn off the fat by using it as energy. Therefore, if you take in less calories that you use up, your body needs to get that energy from somewhere and it will use the excess fat and burn that off as fuel, this is how it works.

So, in regards to your question, if you have taken in less calories than you burn during your strength training, your body will go for that fat and burn it off, because it needs the fuel and in turn, you will lose weight.

ps if doing strength training, watch your protein, you need that to repair the muscles you tear during your workouts - they will always tear (very tiny little rips).

Thanks for your replay, about point of convert Fat to muscles , as I told it really form my bad English and I understand it as you have explained it .........thank you for your useful information.