Weight lifting for losing weight?

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joshuaratliff
joshuaratliff Posts: 49 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I have a question for my weight lifting friends out there. I have been lifting lighter (dumbbells @ 20 lbs each currently) for about 2 months now. I have seen nice gains in muscle and strength.

My question is, I started this endeavor after hearing time and again that building muscle is the most efficient way to lose weight. Weight lifting, builds muscle, raises metabolism and therefor burns fat. I also run intervals for 35 minutes 3 days a week (on lifting days), 1 short road run (maybe), and 1 long road run (Always as training for a half marathon in October).

I get you gain muscle mass, but at some point it should switch and gains should slow. Meaning the scale should start going down again. I seem to be completely stalled on my weight loss. I am at a deficit or even for every day. Someday's even 1000 cal deficit. Why do I gain and lose the same 5 pounds for what has seemed like forever?

I was losing at a 2-2.5 lb per week rate before starting to lift. I raised my calories to 1500-1700 /day. I was at 1350 cal/day with cardio only 5 days a week, 1 hour at a session. I'm quite frustrated and ready to go back to cardio only so I can see a reduction on the scale even though I have seen about a inch reduction around waist. I'm 217-223, so this is not an ideal weight to be at obviously.

I was at 232 on April 13th. 12 pounds in 4 months sucks with the amount of work I'm putting in, and food I'm counting. Yes I splurge from time to time, but at 850-1100 calorie burns per workout...a few hundred calories added shouldn't mean stall or gains. Any Ideas? Should I stick with it? Am I being impatient, or is it time to tweak things like diet and routine?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Replies

  • toughmudderMN
    toughmudderMN Posts: 129 Member
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    What is your goal? Lose weight, or lose fat? The scale doesn't account for changes in body composition.
  • ShinjiruGhetto
    ShinjiruGhetto Posts: 54
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    Muscle building and weight loss is impossible, there are only few exceptions.
    1) noob gains
    2) illegal supplements
    You're most likely experiencing noob gains, after that stops I recommend you to cut using TDEE-500 deficit when you cut to awesome BF(10-13%) you should start bulking to gain some muscles, if that is your goal otherwise simply eat at maintenance.
    Also be sure to use a good routine to maximazie your gains
    I'd recommend SS, SL5x5, ICF or 5/3/1
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    calorie deficit = weight loss

    lifting on a deficit means you maintain muscle mass so you don't wind up "skinny fat" it optimizes fat loss and minimizes muscle loss. And lifting burns very little.

    As an adult male- you should be easily eating 1500 or more- probably closer to 18-2000- even on a deficit.

    Keep doing the cardio- it's a great way to increase your calorie deficit. But I'm a woman and I'm cutting at 1500+ eat back... so I average 1700 for my deficit.

    12 pounds in 4 months is a great loss- I'm struggling to lose a pound a month at this point- how much more do you need to lose?

    Where are you getting your 1000 calorie burns?

    I'll be honest, most people grossly over estimate calorie burns and severely underestimate food consumption.

    1.) track every single thing that goes in your mouth
    2.) don't eat back your full calorie burns
    3.) try a TDEE method
    4.) be patient!
    5.) stay the course- adjust after a 3-4 week period of no movement/progress.

    those are your best bets for success
  • lovebig30
    lovebig30 Posts: 167 Member
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    your not eating enough. iam female 5'4 and lose on over 2000 calories a day 3 days lifting 2 45 min cardio sessions and active job. you can gain strength but not muscle at a deficit unless you get some newbie gains. iam gong to maintaine calories for awhile to recomp and take a break from being in deficit at 2600 a day. when losing eating at 1350 a day you were loising muscle along with fat. lifting and eatting helps you to not lose the muscle which in the end will give you better results .
  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Glanced at your food diary. Why does your calorie goal change every day, sometimes by as much as 1000 calories from one day to the next?
  • joshuaratliff
    joshuaratliff Posts: 49 Member
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    toughmudderMN - My goal is over all BF%. Still I am in the obese category still at 220 lbs (5'8")

    ShinjiruGhett - Thanks for the info. I'm bored with the dumbbells and moving onto Stronglifts 5x5 in a week. I am a complete noob in regards to weights. Cardio I've worked hard from not being able to walk 3 miles to running 5-6, and progressing a mile a week.

    JoRocka - Thanks for all the advice. My calorie burns for long runs combined with weights is about 75-80 minutes @ 1100 calories burned. When I run only it is about 800-900. These calorie burns are all based on my heart rate monitor (Polar FT4). Food I weigh and log except Sundays where I have no access to a computer. I do splurge from time to time, but I make sure to account for that in my diary. My main issue is that even with splurges I am not even close to eating back my BMR+Workout calorie estimations. TDEE I guess is the right term.

    lovebig30 - Thank you. That is kind of what I was figuring. I knew I was losing muscle when on my strict diet. I was just used to seeing the 2-2.5 lbs a week lost. Now I get excited at 217, but them back to 222. Back and forth. Being fat and scale is what I know, so it tends to be what I focus on. I am able to do things strength wise I couldn't before, so I know it's working.

    mantium999 - Admittedly I don't log on Sunday, but the goal is based off of calories burned. So some days I burn 1000+ calories, and therefor MFP adds them to my daily goal. I never eat more than 20% back though.

    Thank you all for your fast responces

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