What happens when you stop weight training.

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beenisafe
beenisafe Posts: 49 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, I joined the gym 5 weeks ago after taking a break of 4 years. I have been doing mostly cardio workouts with a few weight machines. I've lost approx 1.5kg which is quite disappointing.
I then started reading the posts on MFPs notice board and saw so many success stories. One of the common things that most of them had was that each person was mainly doing weight training as opposed to cardio.
I am thus very seriously thinking of looking into weight training. I was very opposed to it before as i thought I would bulk up, not a great look for a female. I still have one question. What happens when you stop weight training. Will my muscles turn into fat, so everntually I'll be fatter and flimsier than I am now? Ive seen guys when they stop training and they just look fat. What happens with females. I dont think I can sustain weight training all my life?

Replies

  • ColleenRoss50
    ColleenRoss50 Posts: 199 Member
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    Muscle and fat are two different components of our body composition. They are not interchangeable. You can't turn muscle into fat or fat into muscle. What can happen to some people when they stop weight training is they might let themselves go and continue to eat as much as they did when they were training. They will likely lose some of the muscle from not exercising but the gain in fat is caused by consuming more calories than they are expending in energy.
  • sexforjaffacakes
    sexforjaffacakes Posts: 1,001 Member
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    bump
  • MustBeTheRows
    MustBeTheRows Posts: 377 Member
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    Muscle does not turn into fat. But the body doesn't keep muscle it doesn't think it needs.
  • Lost_Mermaid
    Lost_Mermaid Posts: 136
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    Muscle and fat are two different components of our body composition. They are not interchangeable. You can't turn muscle into fat or fat into muscle. What can happen to some people when they stop weight training is they might let themselves go and continue to eat as much as they did when they were training. They will likely lose some of the muscle from not exercising but the gain in fat is caused by consuming more calories than they are expending in energy.

    This. Excellent answer!!
  • sdow
    sdow Posts: 71
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    No need to stop. As a woman, the weight training is very good for you--as is the cardio. As we age, exercise of all kinds keeps us healthy and allows for movement and a generally good lifestyle.
    Well, it is good for men, too. I am just talking as a woman to is aging.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
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    Hi, I joined the gym 5 weeks ago after taking a break of 4 years. I have been doing mostly cardio workouts with a few weight machines. I've lost approx 1.5kg which is quite disappointing.
    I then started reading the posts on MFPs notice board and saw so many success stories. One of the common things that most of them had was that each person was mainly doing weight training as opposed to cardio.
    I am thus very seriously thinking of looking into weight training. I was very opposed to it before as i thought I would bulk up, not a great look for a female. I still have one question. What happens when you stop weight training. Will my muscles turn into fat, so everntually I'll be fatter and flimsier than I am now? Ive seen guys when they stop training and they just look fat. What happens with females. I dont think I can sustain weight training all my life?
    Muscle can't physically turn into fat. What happens is muscle that gets unconditioned atrophies (shrinks) and becomes "soft". Usually people who use to train, get overweight because they stop training, but continue to eat the same while they were training. Calorie surplus leads to weight and fat gain. Doesn't matter if you're a man or woman.

    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
  • KaleidoscopeEyes1056
    KaleidoscopeEyes1056 Posts: 2,996 Member
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    There's an older woman who lifts at the gym I go to. And, when I say "older," I mean stereotypical white permed hair, fragile-looking, grandma type. She lifts more than most of the women who lift there.
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,984 Member
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    :bigsmile: read "Strong Women Stay Young" and find out about continuing weight training for the rest of your life.:bigsmile: :bigsmile:
  • LOLTrish
    LOLTrish Posts: 37
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    There's an older woman who lifts at the gym I go to. And, when I say "older," I mean stereotypical white permed hair, fragile-looking, grandma type. She lifts more than most of the women who lift there.

    AWESOME!! Good for her :drinker:
  • Picola1984
    Picola1984 Posts: 1,133
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    Hi, I joined the gym 5 weeks ago after taking a break of 4 years. I have been doing mostly cardio workouts with a few weight machines. I've lost approx 1.5kg which is quite disappointing.
    I then started reading the posts on MFPs notice board and saw so many success stories. One of the common things that most of them had was that each person was mainly doing weight training as opposed to cardio.
    I am thus very seriously thinking of looking into weight training. I was very opposed to it before as i thought I would bulk up, not a great look for a female. I still have one question. What happens when you stop weight training. Will my muscles turn into fat, so everntually I'll be fatter and flimsier than I am now? Ive seen guys when they stop training and they just look fat. What happens with females. I dont think I can sustain weight training all my life?
    Muscle can't physically turn into fat. What happens is muscle that gets unconditioned atrophies (shrinks) and becomes "soft". Usually people who use to train, get overweight because they stop training, but continue to eat the same while they were training. Calorie surplus leads to weight and fat gain. Doesn't matter if you're a man or woman.

    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 is exactly what happened to my brother. I rarely see him, for years or so at a time.

    He went to uni a very muscular teenager who was into weight lifting and had a healthy high protein diet

    The last time I saw him he was vastly over weight yet still eating as he was when lifting


    It was very hard to see him like that, as it wasn't the brother I knew
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
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    That's why when some of the "young bucks" come up and talk about how "buff" they are too me (it happens alot) I scoff at them and say that when they can look like that at my age, then you have my respect. It's easier to do it when you're young and have no real responsibilities and another to keep it up and still have responsibilities of family and work to take care of.

    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
  • mikewpg1ca
    mikewpg1ca Posts: 86 Member
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    It's easier to do it when you're young and have no real responsibilities and another to keep it up and still have responsibilities of family and work to take care of.

    This ^^^.
  • kazzari
    kazzari Posts: 473 Member
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    It's easier to do it when you're young and have no real responsibilities and another to keep it up and still have responsibilities of family and work to take care of.

    This ^^^.

    Keeping healthy and fit should be your biggest responsibility. It is the most important thing, everything else comes after. I raised four kid and found ways to stay fit. They are grown, but I still have to work full time to live. All you need is 3-4 little hours per week. That isn't much, if you think about it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
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    It's easier to do it when you're young and have no real responsibilities and another to keep it up and still have responsibilities of family and work to take care of.

    This ^^^.

    Keeping healthy and fit should be your biggest responsibility. It is the most important thing, everything else comes after. I raised four kid and found ways to stay fit. They are grown, but I still have to work full time to live. All you need is 3-4 little hours per week. That isn't much, if you think about it.
    It should be at the top of the list. Unfortunately the majority of adults put it on the back burner which is why 65% of adults are overweight or obese in the US now.

    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
  • renkath
    renkath Posts: 91 Member
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    I dont think I can sustain weight training all my life?

    Isn't that sort of the whole problem with weight control and why a board like this exists in the first place? I see how great these people who use Insanity and other programs look after a month or so, but I don't have any intention of doing a program like that for the rest of my life and see no point (for myself) in getting to look like that for a couple months and then returning to pot over another couple months. Slow, steady, lifestyle changes. For me, that does include a lot of cardio (which happens to be my mental/spiritual health training as well) and weight training, but I have built up, not down in time and have no trouble imagining this "all my life".

    Best of luck!
  • beenisafe
    beenisafe Posts: 49 Member
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    Thank you everyone for the information. As a result I had my first ever weight training session. I hurt all over now and its sooooo different from cardio. To be honest I still mentally have to convince myself that this is a faster way to fat burning. Hope I succeed.
    Thank you once again.
  • dwiebe85
    dwiebe85 Posts: 123
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    bump

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