Why does weight loss slow down when lifting?

FlittyGetsFit
FlittyGetsFit Posts: 94
in Fitness and Exercise
I've read that building muscle is impossible on a calorie deficit (for the average person). So why is it that my weight loss has slowed down since I started lifting? I was losing on average 2lb per week, but the last 2 weeks I've lost 2lbs in total. Is this normal? I'm not losing weight to a deadline that is unacheivable, I've lost 47lbs since February and I want to lose the rest of my weight (41lbs) by next summer. I just want to make sure I'm doing it right!
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Replies

  • marthathebear
    marthathebear Posts: 498
    Muscle weighs more than fat
  • hamiltonba
    hamiltonba Posts: 474 Member
    How do you figure muscle weighs more than fat? Muscle is denser, and more compact, but a lb is a lb.
  • Annaruthus
    Annaruthus Posts: 301 Member
    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. However, muscle is denser than fat, so you can seem smaller, but weigh more than someone who has more body fat than you. Muscle takes up less space than fat. I recommend taking your measurements, like your neck, waist, hips, etc, and also track your progress that way.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat

    ^^^^This. I also wouldn't pay attention to the scale. Use body fat as a guide and how your clothes fit. Much more accurate picture IMO.
  • Annaruthus
    Annaruthus Posts: 301 Member
    How do you figure muscle weighs more than fat? Muscle is denser, and more compact, but a lb is a lb.
    Lol, thank you! I've been telling people this all day!
  • 714rah714
    714rah714 Posts: 759 Member
    Not to worry, you're doing great
  • Monkeymomma05
    Monkeymomma05 Posts: 116
    How do you figure muscle weighs more than fat? Muscle is denser, and more compact, but a lb is a lb.

    True. Perhaps you are just building muscle while losing the fat? Do your clothes feel different? Do you have more stamina? Don't just go by the scale, take measurements and observe what you are wearing.

    Either way congratulations on the loss!
  • Skeels
    Skeels Posts: 929 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat

    ^^^^This. I also wouldn't pay attention to the scale. Use body fat as a guide and how your clothes fit. Much more accurate picture IMO.




    This
  • basillowe66
    basillowe66 Posts: 432 Member
    Are you running or other cardio ? Weight lifting is supposed to speed up your metabolism, but if you are doing lifting in place of cardio, that might explain it!!
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    a pound is a pound. Muscle weighs the same as fat, it just takes up less space.

    BUT when strength training, your muscles retain a lot of water, which could make it look like your weight loss is slowing.
  • darrcn5
    darrcn5 Posts: 495 Member
    Weight lifting makes your muscles hold onto extra water to help repair themselves.
  • knowwhentoshutup
    knowwhentoshutup Posts: 318 Member
    You may not be adding muscle when you are strength training, but when you work your muscles they tend to retain water - which affects your weight.

    I'm not an expert, but there are a number of great articles focusing on it. STOP looking at the scale, and take measurements. It is more accurate.

    Besides, you still lost a pound. Be proud of yourself!
  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
    pound is a pound

    the body will retain some water but it will come off don`t pannic :)
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    Let the mirror, Tape measure be your scale. Once you start lifting, in my opinion, Your mindset needs to change from weight loss to body composition.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    1 pound loss per week is still very good.

    It usually takes several weeks for a woman to gain a pound of muscle. It's not something that happens this quickly. You're likely retaining a bit more water as your body tries to heal the muscle damaged during strength training. This damage is NOT a bad thing. The process is needed for them to grow.
  • jenniet04
    jenniet04 Posts: 1,054 Member
    You also retain quite a bit of water when lifting because your muscles use it for healing. You won't see large losses while you're lifting, but when you take a break from it and your muscles release that water, you'll see it. And you won't necessarily build muscle on a deficit, but you will maintain it when lifting so you will only be losing fat and not muscle, hopefully. Ditch the scale and go with measurements. Good luck!
  • Cllinna
    Cllinna Posts: 4
    Muscle does not weigh more than fat, but if you lose 1lb of fat and gain 1lb of muscle from lifting the scale will show you lost 0lbs. It's that simple. I would measure your waist or trouble areas to see if you are going down in inches, not weight.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    First off, muscles retain water to help repair when you lift. If you're feeling any soreness or stiffness, that's inflammation and inflammation is fluid retention.

    Secondly, as you get closer to your goal, your weight loss will naturally slow. You may not have enough excess body fat to support a two pound a week loss any more... at this point, you're probably better off switching to lose one pound a week.

    That's what happened to me. I had it set for two pounds a week, but typically only lost one pound. So I switched to one pound a week, was able to eat a little bit more and felt better, and kept losing one pound a week.

    Third, when you're not lifting, you risk losing more muscle mass. Since muscle by volume is heavier, you're going to see a bigger drop on the scale if you're losing muscle AND fat than if you're just losing fat. Keeping muscle is the main goal in lifting, and by doing that, you'll likely reach your goal body before you reach your goal number on the scale.
  • HornsUT32
    HornsUT32 Posts: 146 Member
    Please don't be worried. At the beginning of the summer I weight 192 pounds, but wasn't lifting much. I was losing weight, but my body was hardly changing. Perhaps it was getting smaller, but not more "athletic."

    Now, over two months later I weigh 189, but I am almost 2 sizes smaller. My body has completely changed, and so many more people have noticed. They ask if I have lost weight, but I am only down 3 pounds.

    I hate that I weigh 189 pounds, but at the same time..who cares what the scale says if I look and feel better!
  • Cllinna
    Cllinna Posts: 4
    Thanks for the info!
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    Let the mirror, Tape measure be your scale. Once you start lifting, in my opinion, Your mindset needs to change from weight loss to body composition.

    what he said
  • Cwyman1
    Cwyman1 Posts: 72 Member
    Before lifting if you were doing a lot of cardio, you were probably burning muscle as well as fat. I'm a true believer that you need to have a balance of strength training and cardio. Strength training will help you keep off the weight in the long run as muscle burn more calories when your sedative. I've yo-yo'd up and down with weight loss until I found the proper balance. I can lose weight easily by doing a lot of cardio, but gain it back easily as well. Plus I'd rather weigh a 180lbs and be built like a brick **** house, than be a 150lbs of bones and skin. I don't care what the scale says anymore. I care more about my measurements.
  • ErinBeth7
    ErinBeth7 Posts: 1,625 Member
    I've read that building muscle is impossible on a calorie deficit (for the average person). So why is it that my weight loss has slowed down since I started lifting? I was losing on average 2lb per week, but the last 2 weeks I've lost 2lbs in total. Is this normal? I'm not losing weight to a deadline that is unacheivable, I've lost 47lbs since February and I want to lose the rest of my weight (41lbs) by next summer. I just want to make sure I'm doing it right!

    2lbs in 2 weeks? That sounds great to me! 1 lb a week is a healthy, recommended loss. I'd start measuring yourself every 2 weeks to a month since your weight lifting. The scale doesn't accurately portray what you've lost.
  • mdmcmillen
    mdmcmillen Posts: 97 Member
    Same thing happened to me this week. I hit the weights hard and gained 3 pounds. Kind of freaked me out but I know i'm not over eating so i'm just going to keep at it and ignore the scale.
  • LisaKunz
    LisaKunz Posts: 73 Member
    I've noticed this, too. Was losing consistently, both inches and pounds until I added lifting to my workouts (which always include some amount of cardio). Now I've stalled in both. I'm getting stronger - I can lift more than when I started, but my weight & measurements have plateaued. It's been a month...so hard to not be discouraged.
  • m60kaf
    m60kaf Posts: 421 Member
    OMG - If the trolls start on the a pound is a pound again I'm deleting my account
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    First off, muscles retain water to help repair when you lift. If you're feeling any soreness or stiffness, that's inflammation and inflammation is fluid retention.

    Secondly, as you get closer to your goal, your weight loss will naturally slow. You may not have enough excess body fat to support a two pound a week loss any more... at this point, you're probably better off switching to lose one pound a week.

    That's what happened to me. I had it set for two pounds a week, but typically only lost one pound. So I switched to one pound a week, was able to eat a little bit more and felt better, and kept losing one pound a week.

    Third, when you're not lifting, you risk losing more muscle mass. Since muscle by volume is heavier, you're going to see a bigger drop on the scale if you're losing muscle AND fat than if you're just losing fat. Keeping muscle is the main goal in lifting, and by doing that, you'll likely reach your goal body before you reach your goal number on the scale.

    All excellent information! I think you are right on track!
  • Ebwash89
    Ebwash89 Posts: 180 Member
    Fluid retention when muscles are repairing and you could be building muscle. Muscle is denser than fat.
  • GaidenJade
    GaidenJade Posts: 171
    Weight lifting makes your muscles hold onto extra water to help repair themselves.

    ^^^ This. #1 you are gaining muscle #2 your body needs to hold onto water to repair and build your muscles.

    I know it's frustrating, but in the end you will be healthier and that muscle will help you lose weight.

    Since it's beneficial to change things up once in a while, after doing a good round of strength training and cardio....giving it proper time and attention, perhaps taking time off weights and go to cardio and interval training. That should help speed up the 'fat' loss. However, you are doing very well and I wouldn't worry too much. fat % is much more important than weight loss. Either way you are getting stronger and healthier.
  • dlcam61
    dlcam61 Posts: 228 Member
    Here's why, when you start lifting you retain water. When you are breaking down & rebuilding muscle the tissues retain fluids to help repair it. And, when you start building new muscle it raises your metabolic rate slightly. The more you build the more you will burn fat. At first I stopped losing weight & gained it. But my size was shrinking. Muscle and fat weigh the same, but they are different in size. What is happening is you are trading fat for muscle. Some of that fat may be the visceral fat that is internal, and yes you want that gone too. But keep lifting, and don't forget cardio to boost that fat burning.

    But a pound is a pound, so no muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. It is more dense, and it takes up a quarter of what the same weight in fat does. Fat is squishy and blobby, muscle is tight and condensed. Google 5 pounds of fat and muscle in photos and see what I mean. Good luck with your training!

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