What's normal muscle weight when trying to lose weight?

FNixieS
FNixieS Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all,
For all of my adult life I've hovered around 163-165 Lb at 5'8". I'm usually pretty active, though I went through a phase of not doing any form of exercise. My weight remained at around 165 - maybe 167. Still in the same realm. But my size was bigger and I was just more saggy.
I've been away on a trip to india and then europe where in I didn't exactly eat well, but when I came back I weighed in at 163 Lb.

My goal weight now is 140-150 ( At my highest point of fluctuation, like after a meal or a party I don't want to exceed 150Lb. So I assume I want o be somewhere around 143), however I have gained 5 pounds since I started working out again. So I've been reading through articles and asking people and my general answer is don't look at the scale it your size that matters. I'm not sure what to buy into anymore. I want to lose weight on the scale because even though m=I've lost an inch around my waist since my inactive phase a year ago, I am still no smaller anywhere, just tone which I like but I want to be rid of the excess fat and be lighter.
How much "Muscle weight" can one gain before it starts to help lose weight? And how do I lose the weight rather than gain muscle weight? Am I supposed to wait it out for six weeks to see results? Don't get me wrong I don't want to lose my muscles I just want to lose weight but be strong also.
Please help!

Replies

  • mammakat0830
    mammakat0830 Posts: 117 Member
    bump cuz I want to know :)
  • FNixieS
    FNixieS Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks! :smile: I'm impatiently waiting for answers!
  • puppy_amor
    puppy_amor Posts: 42 Member
    Your muscles are probably just holding some extra water and glycogen for repair from the new exercise. Once your body gets used to it this should go down again (maybe a few weeks). Just keep up the good work and be patient. Taking measurements and looking in the mirror is a better gauge of your progress.
  • dietstokes
    dietstokes Posts: 216 Member
    You said you recently just just started to work out again. What you are probably seeing is your muscles retaining fluid to help with repair. Workouts are hard on your body. If nothing else has changed (water intake, calorie intake, sodium levels, etc) except for your workout frequency/intensity, I would say its water retention in your muscles. Give it a little more time. And remember to use other forms of measurement besides the scale. Use your tape measure and use progress photos.
  • Stoli24
    Stoli24 Posts: 14
    Assuming you are at a calorie deficit, muscle gain is at a minimum. Over time you will actually start to lose muscle despite gaining strength. You can minimize this muscle loss by eating a good amount of protein each day (1g per lb of body weight), strength training, and rest.

    When you start a workout routine, it's common to see an increase in weight. This is due to the extra water and glycogen being stored in your body. This usually stops after a few weeks. Even though the weight on the scale is going up, your body fat should be decreasing during this time.

    So, in a nut shell. Make sure you are at a calorie deficit (a food scale helps with this, 500 cal/day deficit is a good place to start). If you get good rest, keep hitting the weights, drink water, and eat well, the weight should start steadily coming off in no time.
  • fitmusiclifeviola
    fitmusiclifeviola Posts: 99
    I hear you asking what's the normal amount healthy muscle contributes to weight, and I would instead look at why/how you've chosen the 140 to 150 lb range for your height. For 5'8, 140-145 is awfully skinny! Tough to have much muscle weight at that range. You might consider putting more value and emphasis into how you feel, being active in the ways that interest you most, (perhaps put some kind of goal in there to strive towards, but enjoy where you are now), eat foods that make you feel good and well fueled, and don't worry about your exact weight. You're nowhere near dangerous/unhealthy amounts of weight, and as such, weight doesn't really give you the information you need. Consider the qualities of your diet rather than quantity. If you want to measure something, measure strength, endurance, and other functional measures.

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