Confused over muscle gain vs fat loss

First of all, congratulations on taking these steps to become fitter and healthier! It will make a difference , and you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, particularly if you are just starting the weight training. Can you be more specific in regards to how you plan to "do weights"? For how long each session, whole body workouts or split routine, are you planning to follow a specific program, etc? To gain muscle, you need to lift heavy weights and in sufficient volume. I'm not familiar with the kettlercise but assume it involves kettle bells? If so, unless the kettle bells are really light, that may also be considered a weight workout. Four weight workouts per week may be a little too much, especially when you are just starting out - I don't want to discourage you, but I don't want you to overtrain and give up either. Maybe consider a longer cardio session instead, unless the kettlercise is considered more of a cardio workout. Good luck!

I'm 5'9", medium/ large frame, and weighed 225 at my heaviest last August, so let me tell you a little bit about my progress.

Between August 2013 and January 2014, I lost 10 lbs because I started a new job as a walking tour guide, and so I was suddenly walking up to 10 miles a day (although I average between 3 and 5 miles). I wasn't watching what I ate *at all*, in fact in those months it was a lot of fast food and I was almost certainly in calorie surplus most of the time, but even so I did actually gain muscle definition in my legs, and noticing that in January gave me the impetus to really start taking things into my own hands.

I started making better dietary choices around the 2nd week of the year, and added some 3 lb weights in the morning a few times a week. I didn't lose a lot of weight.

I added stuff slowly. I got a pair of Nordic walking poles and started walking 3 miles or so in the mornings several times a week (with the poles I can keep about a 15 minute mile pace consistently, so it takes about 45 minutes). Then, by mid-April, is was warm enough here in New Orleans to start swimming. I do water aerobics a few times a week, too.

The biggest difference has been in my diet, though- I cut out soda, including diet soda, and WHAM. The weight started just melting off. Keeping my sugar intake on the low side has actually reduced my sugar cravings, and I'm seeing now that my addiction to sugar was really the driving force behind my weight.

I stepped on the scale today and am below 190 (barely! But under!) for the first time in a very long time. My clothes do fit differently. I have a very expensive pair of leather pants that I wore in my early 20's, and they almost fit again. I wear a size 12 on top again. I've lost two inches off my waist, and my arms and shoulders are actually starting to look *nice.*

I'm still a plus-sized person, but I joke to my fiance that I've gone from "standard plus-size shopper" to "plus-size model."

Make small, accumulative changes as you are able and ready to commit. Sometimes the weight will fall off faster than other times. But I've personally seen an incredible difference in less than a year with small changes.

Oh! I'm a really big fan of body weight exercises. I do a lot of countertop push-ups, squats, doorframe pulls, yoga poses, etc. I find I see results faster overall just working against my own balance and bodyweight vs the free weights. I've mostly abandoned those, and just stick to my body weight routine, plus a resistance band.

Great plan!

You might be better with a full body routine, rather than a split if you're planning to workout MWF though. (SL 5x5, starting strength, NROLFW or strong curves are some good ones to consider).

First off - make a note of your weight, take pictures and also measurements. I have all of this info (but have not shared it with anyone, LOL). I've read lots of people that haven't seen "scale loss" but had seen their inches go down.

I do either Body Pump or the weight machines ( all body parts) M, W & F and it takes me about 45 minutes . On the other day's I do spin. I don't know if this is "correct" by a true body builders standard but it fits my schedule and it works for me now. Of course once I get into it more I might devote each day to a specific body part. What's more important for me is that I'm taking a rest in between these workouts. When I first started using the machines I was doing 3 rep and today I did 5 rep instead and was surprised at the difference it made.

Congrats on making the decision to incorporate a workout plan and for joining us. Keep us posted on how you are doing!

That Ice Cream one looks like Stronglifts with added accessory work. Many people find Stronglifts quite enough without adding anything to it, but if you want to do that (and have the extra half hour or so to spend in the gym), go for it!