You can't build muscle and lose weight! So whats the point?

Options
2»

Replies

  • soinbnsng
    soinbnsng Posts: 65 Member
    Options
    Thanks everyone for their input! so helpful!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Options
    NO, START LIFTING NOW!

    You dont' need to make new muscle tissue- your body already has tons of muscle fibers that you aren't using. The first few months to a year of strength training are all about training your CNS (central nervous system) to fire up muscle fibers that you don't use. For everyday activities you only use a tiny percentage of what you have. So you lift weights, and you fire up tissue, and then those fibers become hormonally active and start burning more calories throughout the day.

    Without building any new tissue you can:
    -lose weight/fat
    -get stronger
    -have more muscle definition
    -burn more calories
    -be better able to perform daily activities
    -strengthen your bones
    -look better
    -reduce daily pain (like back and neck pain)
    -Better regulate blood sugar

    and, most importantly,
    FEEL TOTALLY BADASS all the time.

    You don't need to make new tissue to get any of the benefits of weight lifting.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    Options
    You can lose 10 lbs of lean mass in a few months. It can take years to put that back on.
    Especially if you are a woman. I lament all the muscle I lost when I lost 50 pounds in my early 20s. I could be so awesome right now if I hadn't! :laugh:
  • edwardkim85
    edwardkim85 Posts: 438 Member
    Options
    Okay that wasn't an affirmative statement.
    I am trying to lose a significant amount of weight and have read tons and tons about how weight lifting can help more than cardio. But is that true? because I have also read in many different places that you cant build muscle and lose weight since losing weight requires a calorie deficit and gaining muscle requires a calorie surplus.
    So I am confused, Should I focus less on weights and more on cardio UNTIL I have lost the weight and are ready to tone up.
    If so, how many minutes of cardio should I do per week?

    That's if you're already lean and have a low body fat.

    If you have a lot of fat to burn, you can use fat as a fuel to gain strength and muscle.

    I've lost 30 lbs so far in 4 months and strength trained hard - had significant gains in all lifts.

    If you're new to lifting or have been away for a while like me, you will get stronger to a certain point.

    Those people are talking about people who are already lean + trained for years. Those people have an extremely difficult time to lose fat and gain muscle(almost imposs).
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Options
    I agree with everyone on this thread - train with resistance in the way you like, to retain lean mass.

    Put simply, your body when in a calorie deficit, it will be 'looking' for energy stores and wasters that aren't needed. Not lifting will mean, the body will 'see' it as not needed for daily activities and drop it accordingly. If it is being used (the muscle) the body will conserve it.

    Incidentally, one of the best ways to maintain muscle mass/recover between workouts is to use carbs around training time and eat simply protein/fats/veg around other meals.
  • HexyleneGlycol
    HexyleneGlycol Posts: 56
    Options
    NO, START LIFTING NOW!

    You dont' need to make new muscle tissue- your body already has tons of muscle fibers that you aren't using. The first few months to a year of strength training are all about training your CNS (central nervous system) to fire up muscle fibers that you don't use. For everyday activities you only use a tiny percentage of what you have. So you lift weights, and you fire up tissue, and then those fibers become hormonally active and start burning more calories throughout the day.

    Without building any new tissue you can:
    -lose weight/fat
    -get stronger
    -have more muscle definition
    -burn more calories
    -be better able to perform daily activities
    -strengthen your bones
    -look better
    -reduce daily pain (like back and neck pain)
    -Better regulate blood sugar

    and, most importantly,
    FEEL TOTALLY BADASS all the time.

    You don't need to make new tissue to get any of the benefits of weight lifting.

    LOL, nothing really to input except yes, weight training does make you feel badass and sexy! and LMAO Your weight loss scale quote is hilarious!!!!
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    Options
    Your muscles might get all nice and solid while in a deficit, and you could fool me if that's not gaining muscle. I'm not saying it is; it's probably glycogen or something, but it matters little to me :D My muscles are quite different, and that is very motivating on its own.

    Don't sweat the details. Try it and see if you like what you see and feel! And do it to preserve LBM at least, yes.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
    Options
    I see so many of these posts. Holy crap does NOBODY care about being strong enough to do more things in their daily lives? Does everyone just care about being cut and not the fact that they have trouble helping move furniture or even bringing in a case of water from the car? You can gain strength even if the muscle gains aren't huge. A stronger person is a more useful person.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    Options
    I see so many of these posts. Holy crap does NOBODY care about being strong enough to do more things in their daily lives? Does everyone just care about being cut and not the fact that they have trouble helping move furniture or even bringing in a case of water from the car? You can gain strength even if the muscle gains aren't huge. A stronger person is a more useful person.

    Man, I do! I'm disabled with a bad back. Stronger (with few flare-ups) is the key for me, yeah.

    How it looks is very nice, too, however :D

    (edited for wine typos!)
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    Options
    Okay that wasn't an affirmative statement.
    I am trying to lose a significant amount of weight and have read tons and tons about how weight lifting can help more than cardio. But is that true? because I have also read in many different places that you cant build muscle and lose weight since losing weight requires a calorie deficit and gaining muscle requires a calorie surplus.
    So I am confused, Should I focus less on weights and more on cardio UNTIL I have lost the weight and are ready to tone up.
    If so, how many minutes of cardio should I do per week?
    Is the number on the scale all that counts? So if something allowed you to lose 10 pounds of bone, you'd want to do that too?
  • happyrelation
    happyrelation Posts: 28
    Options
    Every body is different. A pound is 3500 calories. The more muscle you have, the faster you'll burn the fat.
    You need weight training 3 times a week, alternating days. Cardio is fine too.
    You have to eat and burn calories to take you under your maintenance calories. For instance, there are calculators out there to do this...my maintenance is 1800 calories a day. If I were to eat 1500 calories a day, that's 300 calories a day less than what it takes to maintain my body weight. 300 times 7 days is 2100 calories. Not quite a pound. So, let's say my goal is to workout 3 times a week and add cardio 2 times and I burned 1900 calories through that. 1900 plus 2100 is 4000 calories.
    One pound being 3500 calories, I've just lost just over a pound in a week.
    4 1/2 pounds a month times 6 is 27 pounds.
    Plus, people that are very overweight, tend to lose more in the beginning because there's water weight etc. that comes off faster.
    But that's the basic foundation.
    I'm doing a program just for women at http://inshapenow.net. It's amazing with great support from women doing this program or have already succeeded.

    Just remember...
    Less calories, build muscle through weights, eat protein and carbs through veggies and fruit. You need fat in your diet, don't cut it all out. There are good fats. Dump the diet sodas, they won't help, and actually have been proven to hurt weight loss.

    Good luck

Categories