strength training & weight gain

teejay002
teejay002 Posts: 15 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am struggling to get excited about strength training. I know that strength training is what I need to be doing to change my body, my mind and my confidence. But after years and years of full-on cardio and not really getting any where, I'm trying very hard to change my habits.

My problem is ever time I start strength training I gain weight and that just makes me want to give up, plus I find it quite boring and miss the sweaty-mess from cardio. Any suggestions/advice?

Replies

  • Unknown
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  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    The weight gain is water retention by muscles. Stop giving up and have patience and it will pay off. Anyone with success will tell you the same thing.

    QFT
  • uconnwinsnc
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
    Water retention is not fat. There is nothing wrong with gaining weight when it is your muscles holding onto water due to lifting.
  • mjudd1990
    mjudd1990 Posts: 219 Member
    Stay off the scale if you can. Building muscle and retaining water is gonna make the number on the scale go up but remember in the end it is just that, a number. Don't let an arbitrary number on a scale dictate how you feel about your body. Go lift heavy, get jacked, and proceed to throw that scale out the window.
  • RECowgill
    RECowgill Posts: 881 Member
    Strength training will also strengthen your bones. Increased bone density equals more weight. Ignore the scale and just lift.

    Look at me I've barely done any cardio, I really only lift, and I've lost quite a bit of weight. I've reduced fat while adding muscle. It has made me stronger, lighter, smaller and leaner. It has nothing to do with whether you are male or female, everybody should be doing this.

    There are so many different things you can do in strength training compared to cardio I don't see how you could possibly get bored with it. You might spend only a couple minutes doing one particular exercise with lifting, where as cardio you spend an hour on the elliptical doing the same repetitive task over and over and over for very little gain. Which is more boring? Which one is worth it?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,974 Member
    I am struggling to get excited about strength training. I know that strength training is what I need to be doing to change my body, my mind and my confidence. But after years and years of full-on cardio and not really getting any where, I'm trying very hard to change my habits.

    My problem is ever time I start strength training I gain weight and that just makes me want to give up, plus I find it quite boring and miss the sweaty-mess from cardio. Any suggestions/advice?
    HIIT train while lifting weights. Benefit of some fitness cardio along with explosive weight training. This seems to work a lot with my "cardio addicts" who seem to always want to gravitate back to cardio when then feel lifting isn't "hard" enough.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish
    SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish Posts: 831 Member
    Once you get strong enough, you'll be a "sweaty mess" doing weights too. Maybe do some circuit training to relieve your boredom and get you sweaty since you enjoy it. If you don't get sweaty doing circuit training, you almost certainly aren't doing it at the right pace and/or weight!
  • metalloz
    metalloz Posts: 77 Member
    I always gain weight when I start lifting again.

    I just did only 35mins of strength training (weighted squats, deadlifts etc) and I am dripping.
  • teejay002
    teejay002 Posts: 15 Member
    Thanks everyone, everything you have said is so right, need to just push through the slumps. I really needed to hear it from others to push me and motivate me. Thanks I'm back on the lifting.:smile:
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    run after lifting.. simple as that

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