Does Heavy Lifting Pay Off for Everyone?

Yes, it pays off for everyone who does it. FFS, this woman doesn't need an exercise program, she needs psychiatric intervention. I can't help it; I've always felt a little sad for her.

This thread was funnier than I expected.

Are you weighing and measuring all of your food?

Are you weighing and measuring all of your food?

I'm guessing not consistently.

I completely understand that eating at a deficit (and the counting that measuring that goes with that) is a pain in the rear. I've actually been struggling to find the motivation to stick with it for any extended period of time for almost TWO YEARS. I'll do it for 4 or 5 weeks, lose 2 or 3 pounds, then stop counting for 4 or 5 weeks (or longer) and gain 3 or 4 pounds, and then repeat the entire process. I have continued to lift 1-3 times a week throughout (but sometimes entire weeks were skipped).

Wanna know how much progress I've made in those TWO YEARS? Pretty much NONE. It actually resulted in a net gain of about 4 pounds, no noticeable differences in muscle size or definition, no great increases in strength. But I know why I haven't made progress. I'm not making excuses, or looking for easier/better ways to do it. I know what works, I just haven't done it. I have no right to complain about being stuck until I actually DO eat at a deficit for say, 12 weeks, logging, measuring, and everything.

And I actually have been logging for the last nine weeks. I was at a deficit for 7 of those nine weeks. I did have a couple of weeks with low motivation, but I forced myself to log it anyway and got back on track more quickly than I have in the past. In those nine weeks I am now down 0.75" on each thigh, 1" on my hips/bum, 0.25" on my naval, and 0.75" on my waist, and 4.4 pounds. I'm happy with this. Slow progress is still progress.

We aren't just being mean when we tell you you MUST log consistently. We are being truthful. You can't know that it's not "paying off" for you until you do it. 12 weeks. Log every. single. day. Measure as often as possible. Stay under your goal.

Are you weighing and measuring all of your food?

Squats and deadlifts.

that's broscience.

I completely understand that eating at a deficit (and the counting that measuring that goes with that) is a pain in the rear. I've actually been struggling to find the motivation to stick with it for any extended period of time for almost TWO YEARS. I'll do it for 4 or 5 weeks, lose 2 or 3 pounds, then stop counting for 4 or 5 weeks (or longer) and gain 3 or 4 pounds, and then repeat the entire process. I have continued to lift 1-3 times a week throughout (but sometimes entire weeks were skipped).

Wanna know how much progress I've made in those TWO YEARS? Pretty much NONE. It actually resulted in a net gain of about 4 pounds, no noticeable differences in muscle size or definition, no great increases in strength. But I know why I haven't made progress. I'm not making excuses, or looking for easier/better ways to do it. I know what works, I just haven't done it. I have no right to complain about being stuck until I actually DO eat at a deficit for say, 12 weeks, logging, measuring, and everything.

And I actually have been logging for the last nine weeks. I was at a deficit for 7 of those nine weeks. I did have a couple of weeks with low motivation, but I forced myself to log it anyway and got back on track more quickly than I have in the past. In those nine weeks I am now down 0.75" on each thigh, 1" on my hips/bum, 0.25" on my naval, and 0.75" on my waist, and 4.4 pounds. I'm happy with this. Slow progress is still progress.

We aren't just being mean when we tell you you MUST log consistently. We are being truthful. You can't know that it's not "paying off" for you until you do it. 12 weeks. Log every. single. day. Measure as often as possible. Stay under your goal.

Double fail is double fail.

1) You seem to understand the first fail, you must eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight. On and off on and off and you've made no progress. Totally expected. Sounds like you've turned this around, you say you're logging more now and its working. GREAT!

2) I'll also point out " I have continued to lift 1-3 times a week throughout" AND "no great increases in strength". Calorie deficit will cause the most dramatic impact on body weight, and perceived body composition. You can lift and lift and lift, and if you are eating too much, you won't SEE much result from the lifting.

BUT YOU SHOULD GET MEASURABLY STRONGER .... its your "I'm lifting and not gaining strength" that set's off a warning sound to me that the lifting part of your routine could be improved.

Lifting weights should make you stronger. If you start out doing 8 pound dumbbell curls, you should way be able to do 20 pound dumbbell curls 2 years later, a massive over 100% strength increase.

If you need tips on the lifting, you can get them here or on other forums, but, you really should be lifting "enough" to see strength gains. If you are lifting enough to see strength gains, AND at a calorie deficit, then its a win win, you'll lose weight and eventually look more fit and muscular.

Good luck!