Will strength training really stall my weight loss?

bethann51774
bethann51774 Posts: 19 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi. I'm hoping someone who is more knowledgeable than me can give me the truth about this one, and not sugarcoat it.

I started logging my food and doing cardio right after Christmas. I steadily lost about 7.5 lbs. But I worried that I wasn't doing any strength. So, I started doing 30 Day Shred. Now, I know that 30 Day Shred is by no means a "real" strength training program, but it's all I could add right now. Problem is, now my weight loss is stalled.

I know people say that when you first start strength training, your muscles retain water and you lose less. But I really want the honest truth. Is 30 Day Shred enough strength training to make that theory true, or do I need to cut more calories or do more cardio? I just want to figure out why I've stalled.

Also, I'm still doing cardio - C25K about three times a week and lots of walking. Eating about 1500-1700 calories a day if I work out, 1200-1300 if I don't.

Replies

  • valchemist
    valchemist Posts: 28
    did you see this thread?
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1196778-trying-to-lose-weight-should-i-stop-lifting

    maybe it will give you a different perspective.

    sounds like you are doing too much cardio and too little strength... not the reverse. just a thought/suggestion.
  • rahlpn
    rahlpn Posts: 551 Member
    So you're doing 30 Day Shred and C25K? If I remember correctly 30DS is a 6 day a week program and C25K is 3 days a week. 1500-1700 cals a day may not be enough if you're working out that much. If I were you and wanted to do both programs I'd first buy a heart rate monitor to wear and log my cals accurately so that I could eat my exercise calories. I would also only do one program a day and take at least one rest day a week.
    I did 30 Day Shred last year, I lost 11 lbs in the 30 days. It definitely didn't stall my weight loss.
  • dshalbert
    dshalbert Posts: 677 Member
    Congrats on your weight loss snice Christmas! That is awesome!

    For me the 30 Shred (and all of JM's DVD that I have done) have increased my strength, so I would not say it is not strength training. Squats, push -up, lunges, lateral moves with weights seriously work multiple muscle groups. Building muscles help you burn calories as well. It may be water retention and that will work itself out.

    The other advice above is good too, but I think that if you are ok with doing both programs go ahead. Many people do additional cardio with the Shred.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Nope. Eating more will though.
  • bethann51774
    bethann51774 Posts: 19 Member
    Thanks for the replies. I really think I am OK doing both on some days. 30DS is only a 25 minute work out, and C25K takes me about 40 minutes, since I take a longer cool down. So I'm only slightly over an hour total. I usually break them up, one in the morning and one after work. On the days I do my long walks, I only do one or the other. I take a rest day from 30DS every three days -probably not exactly what JM expects, but works into my schedule better that way.

    I am probably eating more than I did initially, but initially I was trying to stick to 1200 calories a day without accounting for any exercise calories. As many people say on here, I was starving all the time and that was not the way I was going to stick with this long term. I have about 25 pounds left to lose, so I just want to keep things going.

    Thanks dshalbert and congrats on your weight loss too. I think my real question was whether or not I was truly strength training with the 30DS. I'm glad you were able to help me with that! And rahlpn, glad to hear 30DS was so successful for you!
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    It won't stall your fat loss.
  • NJL13500
    NJL13500 Posts: 433 Member
    Weight loss and fat loss are very different. I got down too low with a 1400 calorie a day diet and massive amounts of cardio. It worked, but not for the long term. I was sidelined due to surgery and gained 12 pounds back when I started eating like a "normal" person again.

    I educated myself a little better. I started to focus more on strength training and eating around 1800 calories. I have super slow losses now. This week I lost 0.2 pounds, but I think that it is something that I will be able to maintain for the rest of my life. I'm no longer shivering because I didn't eat enough food and although I would like to lose about 10 pounds I'm okay if that takes me 6 months instead of 2.

    My advice is to do what you can maintain for the long run. There are so many women on here and online that show they are smaller in inches and weigh more after lifting. I love the definition that lifting gives me, but I enjoy cardio too for the heart benefits and stress relief for me.

    So as others have said...strength training will not stall fat loss (with a proper diet), but it may not make the number on the scale drop as quickly. The best fitness routine is one that you enjoy and will do long term. Good luck!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It won't stall your fat loss.

    this...scale loss will slow due to substantially increased water retention as well as the fact that before doing resistance training you were losing both fat and muscle...maybe not in completely equal parts, but it can be as much as 50/50..now you are preserving more lean mass and maximizing fat loss which will slow the rate of overall scale loss. You really need to wrap your head around the fact that the number on the scale is indicative of many things, not just fat.

    also, most plateaus are a result of getting sloppy in your diet so you might want to make double sure you're not allowing calorie creep here and there.
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    How long has your weight loss actually stalled for? Unfortunately, the process is not as linear as many of us would like and there will be days or weeks when loss slows or stops naturally, then picks up again. Just double check your calories as cwolfman suggested, and keep on. The fat will come off.
  • jessicasummers7140
    jessicasummers7140 Posts: 1
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