Looking to see if I can lose weight by weightlifting
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johnnyr24
Posts: 90 Member
I weigh 200 lbs. I use to weight 140 lbs once upon a time. I have struggled with my weight for a long time. My goal is simple- to get back down to the 140 lbs I used to weigh. I am highly motivated to get this done and I will continue on my journey until I have reached my goal.
Well I was meeting with a trainer at the gym who insists that weight training is the way to go. He told me that although I love running (and I run a lot) that when I lose all the weight I will eventually gain it all back because I am not weightlifting and he says weightlifting helps keep the fat off. I assured him that my only goal here is to get down to 140 lbs and that I will do whatever it takes to do that. But he says weightlifting can actually make you weigh more so although I will look better from lifting weights he doesn't know that I will get the scale down to the 140 lbs I was talking about.
So I ask- How does one lose weight and get to their goal weight by lifting weights? Can it be done? It's been 2 days now of me doing weight training but I also mix in some cardio (treadmill) with it. I just hope there is a way I can meet my goal.
Well I was meeting with a trainer at the gym who insists that weight training is the way to go. He told me that although I love running (and I run a lot) that when I lose all the weight I will eventually gain it all back because I am not weightlifting and he says weightlifting helps keep the fat off. I assured him that my only goal here is to get down to 140 lbs and that I will do whatever it takes to do that. But he says weightlifting can actually make you weigh more so although I will look better from lifting weights he doesn't know that I will get the scale down to the 140 lbs I was talking about.
So I ask- How does one lose weight and get to their goal weight by lifting weights? Can it be done? It's been 2 days now of me doing weight training but I also mix in some cardio (treadmill) with it. I just hope there is a way I can meet my goal.
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Replies
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You lose weight by eating less. Cardio helps, but what you eat is more important. Go on a big, long cut. Weightlifting doesn't burn a lot of calories.
Wear some noise-cancelling headphones around that trainer.
And of course you can be 140 lbs even if you are shredded. Just google 140 lbs bodybuilder, plenty of examples there. But you need to cut. You cannot outrun or outlift a bad diet.0 -
I weigh 200 lbs. I use to weight 140 lbs once upon a time. I have struggled with my weight for a long time. My goal is simple- to get back down to the 140 lbs I used to weigh. I am highly motivated to get this done and I will continue on my journey until I have reached my goal.
Well I was meeting with a trainer at the gym who insists that weight training is the way to go. He told me that although I love running (and I run a lot) that when I lose all the weight I will eventually gain it all back because I am not weightlifting and he says weightlifting helps keep the fat off. I assured him that my only goal here is to get down to 140 lbs and that I will do whatever it takes to do that. But he says weightlifting can actually make you weigh more so although I will look better from lifting weights he doesn't know that I will get the scale down to the 140 lbs I was talking about.
So I ask- How does one lose weight and get to their goal weight by lifting weights? Can it be done? It's been 2 days now of me doing weight training but I also mix in some cardio (treadmill) with it. I just hope there is a way I can meet my goal.
Any physical activity burns calories. Weight loss is a matter of eating fewer calories than you burn. Lifting weights is a physical activity that burns calories, which can help you get the caloric deficit you need in order to lose weight.
I am a big believer in doing both cardio and weights. Cardio is good for lung/hear health and weights make you strong, build muscle that burns a few more calories, and will make your physique look better. You might lean more toward one or the other and even that may change with the seasons (e.g., you might lift twice a week during the summer when the weather is nicer for running and then switch to 3-4x/wk when running weather gets rough) but I really like a mix. I definitely would not drop the running if you love it. For now, actually, I would just start with a 50/50 mix. A full body weight plan 3 days a week and running on the in between days. Then as you go along you could adjust in either direction if you'd like.0 -
Weightlifting raises your basal metabolism. Muscles need calories just to exist, so if you build up your muscles you'll burn more calories even when idle.0
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Yes but that doesn't tell me if I can get down to my 140 lb weight goal by lifting weights. I'm trying to find out if the trainer was right or not when he said he didn't think I would get down to 140 by weight lifting. Because if the answer is no that I can't reach that goal I might as well ditch the weights and stick to my running which has already helped me lose the last 10 lbs I lose along with my better diet and eating choices.I weigh 200 lbs. I use to weight 140 lbs once upon a time. I have struggled with my weight for a long time. My goal is simple- to get back down to the 140 lbs I used to weigh. I am highly motivated to get this done and I will continue on my journey until I have reached my goal.
Well I was meeting with a trainer at the gym who insists that weight training is the way to go. He told me that although I love running (and I run a lot) that when I lose all the weight I will eventually gain it all back because I am not weightlifting and he says weightlifting helps keep the fat off. I assured him that my only goal here is to get down to 140 lbs and that I will do whatever it takes to do that. But he says weightlifting can actually make you weigh more so although I will look better from lifting weights he doesn't know that I will get the scale down to the 140 lbs I was talking about.
So I ask- How does one lose weight and get to their goal weight by lifting weights? Can it be done? It's been 2 days now of me doing weight training but I also mix in some cardio (treadmill) with it. I just hope there is a way I can meet my goal.
Any physical activity burns calories. Weight loss is a matter of eating fewer calories than you burn. Lifting weights is a physical activity that burns calories, which can help you get the caloric deficit you need in order to lose weight.
I am a big believer in doing both cardio and weights. Cardio is good for lung/hear health and weights make you strong, build muscle that burns a few more calories, and will make your physique look better. You might lean more toward one or the other and even that may change with the seasons (e.g., you might lift twice a week during the summer when the weather is nicer for running and then switch to 3-4x/wk when running weather gets rough) but I really like a mix. I definitely would not drop the running if you love it. For now, actually, I would just start with a 50/50 mix. A full body weight plan 3 days a week and running on the in between days. Then as you go along you could adjust in either direction if you'd like.
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Yes but that doesn't tell me if I can get down to my 140 lb weight goal by lifting weights. I'm trying to find out if the trainer was right or not when he said he didn't think I would get down to 140 by weight lifting. Because if the answer is no that I can't reach that goal I might as well ditch the weights and stick to my running which has already helped me lose the last 10 lbs I lose along with my better diet and eating choices.I weigh 200 lbs. I use to weight 140 lbs once upon a time. I have struggled with my weight for a long time. My goal is simple- to get back down to the 140 lbs I used to weigh. I am highly motivated to get this done and I will continue on my journey until I have reached my goal.
Well I was meeting with a trainer at the gym who insists that weight training is the way to go. He told me that although I love running (and I run a lot) that when I lose all the weight I will eventually gain it all back because I am not weightlifting and he says weightlifting helps keep the fat off. I assured him that my only goal here is to get down to 140 lbs and that I will do whatever it takes to do that. But he says weightlifting can actually make you weigh more so although I will look better from lifting weights he doesn't know that I will get the scale down to the 140 lbs I was talking about.
So I ask- How does one lose weight and get to their goal weight by lifting weights? Can it be done? It's been 2 days now of me doing weight training but I also mix in some cardio (treadmill) with it. I just hope there is a way I can meet my goal.
Any physical activity burns calories. Weight loss is a matter of eating fewer calories than you burn. Lifting weights is a physical activity that burns calories, which can help you get the caloric deficit you need in order to lose weight.
I am a big believer in doing both cardio and weights. Cardio is good for lung/hear health and weights make you strong, build muscle that burns a few more calories, and will make your physique look better. You might lean more toward one or the other and even that may change with the seasons (e.g., you might lift twice a week during the summer when the weather is nicer for running and then switch to 3-4x/wk when running weather gets rough) but I really like a mix. I definitely would not drop the running if you love it. For now, actually, I would just start with a 50/50 mix. A full body weight plan 3 days a week and running on the in between days. Then as you go along you could adjust in either direction if you'd like.
No, weight training alone is unlikely to get you to 140. That can only be achieved by a caloric deficit. Weightlifting can contribute to that. Running can contribute to that but your diet is the most important factor.0 -
No, weight training alone is unlikely to get you to 140. That can only be achieved by a caloric deficit. Weightlifting can contribute to that. Running can contribute to that but your diet is the most important factor.
But if I eat following the right calorie deficit I should be able to reach my 140 goal no matter how much weight lifting I do? Weight lifting builds muscle which in return makes you weigh more not less from what I understand which is why I ask. Yes you will look skinnier but will weigh more. It would be nice to see the scale continue to go down instead of up.
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Yes but that doesn't tell me if I can get down to my 140 lb weight goal by lifting weights. I'm trying to find out if the trainer was right or not when he said he didn't think I would get down to 140 by weight lifting. Because if the answer is no that I can't reach that goal I might as well ditch the weights and stick to my running which has already helped me lose the last 10 lbs I lose along with my better diet and eating choices.I weigh 200 lbs. I use to weight 140 lbs once upon a time. I have struggled with my weight for a long time. My goal is simple- to get back down to the 140 lbs I used to weigh. I am highly motivated to get this done and I will continue on my journey until I have reached my goal.
Well I was meeting with a trainer at the gym who insists that weight training is the way to go. He told me that although I love running (and I run a lot) that when I lose all the weight I will eventually gain it all back because I am not weightlifting and he says weightlifting helps keep the fat off. I assured him that my only goal here is to get down to 140 lbs and that I will do whatever it takes to do that. But he says weightlifting can actually make you weigh more so although I will look better from lifting weights he doesn't know that I will get the scale down to the 140 lbs I was talking about.
So I ask- How does one lose weight and get to their goal weight by lifting weights? Can it be done? It's been 2 days now of me doing weight training but I also mix in some cardio (treadmill) with it. I just hope there is a way I can meet my goal.
Any physical activity burns calories. Weight loss is a matter of eating fewer calories than you burn. Lifting weights is a physical activity that burns calories, which can help you get the caloric deficit you need in order to lose weight.
I am a big believer in doing both cardio and weights. Cardio is good for lung/hear health and weights make you strong, build muscle that burns a few more calories, and will make your physique look better. You might lean more toward one or the other and even that may change with the seasons (e.g., you might lift twice a week during the summer when the weather is nicer for running and then switch to 3-4x/wk when running weather gets rough) but I really like a mix. I definitely would not drop the running if you love it. For now, actually, I would just start with a 50/50 mix. A full body weight plan 3 days a week and running on the in between days. Then as you go along you could adjust in either direction if you'd like.
I think I did answer the question of whether you can get to 140 lifting weights when I said:Weight loss is a matter of eating fewer calories than you burn. Lifting weights is a physical activity that burns calories, which can help you get the caloric deficit you need in order to lose weight.
Granted, I should have said fat loss so let's pretend I said:Fat loss is a matter of eating fewer calories than you burn. Lifting weights is a physical activity that burns calories, which can help you get the caloric deficit you need in order to lose weight.
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No, weight training alone is unlikely to get you to 140. That can only be achieved by a caloric deficit. Weightlifting can contribute to that. Running can contribute to that but your diet is the most important factor.
But if I eat following the right calorie deficit I should be able to reach my goal no matter how much weight lifting I do? Weight lifting builds muscle which in return makes you weight more not less from what I understand which is why I ask. It would be nice to see the scale continue to go down instead of up.
You won't gain muscle weight if you are eating at a deficit. Your body needs calories to create muscle.
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No, weight training alone is unlikely to get you to 140. That can only be achieved by a caloric deficit. Weightlifting can contribute to that. Running can contribute to that but your diet is the most important factor.
But if I eat following the right calorie deficit I should be able to reach my 140 goal no matter how much weight lifting I do? Weight lifting builds muscle which in return makes you weigh more not less from what I understand which is why I ask. Yes you will look skinnier but will weigh more. It would be nice to see the scale continue to go down instead of up.
You will continue to lose fat if you eat at a deficit. If you lift hard, then the scale will go down slower than if you didn't lift, because it is possible to build muscle in a deficit, even if it's difficult. But you wanna look good, so lift. It will take a while either way.0 -
I weigh 200 lbs. I use to weight 140 lbs once upon a time. I have struggled with my weight for a long time. My goal is simple- to get back down to the 140 lbs I used to weigh. I am highly motivated to get this done and I will continue on my journey until I have reached my goal.
Well I was meeting with a trainer at the gym who insists that weight training is the way to go. He told me that although I love running (and I run a lot) that when I lose all the weight I will eventually gain it all back because I am not weightlifting and he says weightlifting helps keep the fat off. I assured him that my only goal here is to get down to 140 lbs and that I will do whatever it takes to do that. But he says weightlifting can actually make you weigh more so although I will look better from lifting weights he doesn't know that I will get the scale down to the 140 lbs I was talking about.
So I ask- How does one lose weight and get to their goal weight by lifting weights? Can it be done? It's been 2 days now of me doing weight training but I also mix in some cardio (treadmill) with it. I just hope there is a way I can meet my goal.
You cannot. You can lift weights and lose weight, by eating less calories. Same as you can lose weight by eating less and dancing, or eating less and sitting on the couch. Not changing your eating and adding weights will result in building more muscle, not in losing weight.0 -
No, weight training alone is unlikely to get you to 140. That can only be achieved by a caloric deficit. Weightlifting can contribute to that. Running can contribute to that but your diet is the most important factor.
But if I eat following the right calorie deficit I should be able to reach my 140 goal no matter how much weight lifting I do? Weight lifting builds muscle which in return makes you weigh more not less from what I understand which is why I ask. Yes you will look skinnier but will weigh more. It would be nice to see the scale continue to go down instead of up.
You will continue to lose fat if you eat at a deficit. If you lift hard, then the scale will go down slower than if you didn't lift, because it is possible to build muscle in a deficit, even if it's difficult. But you wanna look good, so lift. It will take a while either way.
You will likely have some newbie muscle gains as an overfat beginner lifter but you're not going to build appreciable muscle mass while simultaneously losing 60 pounds.0 -
Yes but that doesn't tell me if I can get down to my 140 lb weight goal by lifting weights. I'm trying to find out if the trainer was right or not when he said he didn't think I would get down to 140 by weight lifting. Because if the answer is no that I can't reach that goal I might as well ditch the weights and stick to my running which has already helped me lose the last 10 lbs I lose along with my better diet and eating choices.I weigh 200 lbs. I use to weight 140 lbs once upon a time. I have struggled with my weight for a long time. My goal is simple- to get back down to the 140 lbs I used to weigh. I am highly motivated to get this done and I will continue on my journey until I have reached my goal.
Well I was meeting with a trainer at the gym who insists that weight training is the way to go. He told me that although I love running (and I run a lot) that when I lose all the weight I will eventually gain it all back because I am not weightlifting and he says weightlifting helps keep the fat off. I assured him that my only goal here is to get down to 140 lbs and that I will do whatever it takes to do that. But he says weightlifting can actually make you weigh more so although I will look better from lifting weights he doesn't know that I will get the scale down to the 140 lbs I was talking about.
So I ask- How does one lose weight and get to their goal weight by lifting weights? Can it be done? It's been 2 days now of me doing weight training but I also mix in some cardio (treadmill) with it. I just hope there is a way I can meet my goal.
Any physical activity burns calories. Weight loss is a matter of eating fewer calories than you burn. Lifting weights is a physical activity that burns calories, which can help you get the caloric deficit you need in order to lose weight.
I am a big believer in doing both cardio and weights. Cardio is good for lung/hear health and weights make you strong, build muscle that burns a few more calories, and will make your physique look better. You might lean more toward one or the other and even that may change with the seasons (e.g., you might lift twice a week during the summer when the weather is nicer for running and then switch to 3-4x/wk when running weather gets rough) but I really like a mix. I definitely would not drop the running if you love it. For now, actually, I would just start with a 50/50 mix. A full body weight plan 3 days a week and running on the in between days. Then as you go along you could adjust in either direction if you'd like.
Here's the thing with weight lifting, you shouldn't have a weight goal as much a BF% goal.
When we're in a deficit we lose water, fat, and muscle. Lifting in that deficit helps maintain that muscle so that we lose mainly water and fat. What this means is that you can diet down to your goal weight of 140, but if you include lifting (and if you love running, for the love of life keep doing it) you may actually hit your aesthetic/BF% goal more like 145-150lbs. Maintaining that muscle so you lose mainly water and fat removes the fat from the muscle you're maintaining, thus lowering your BF% even though the scale may not be moving as fast as you like.
I'll use myself as an example. For my ht and via BMI chart my ideal weight is 140. I dieted and cardio'd down to 165 and just couldn't go any further....and honestly didn't like how I looked. I continued to diet, but ate a little more, kept going on my cardio but started hitting the weights a hell of a lot harder. When I hit football in the fall (about 8-9 months after making the change) I gained about 7lbs, my cardio was as strong as ever, and they guys on the team who I hadn't seen in that time said I looked like I had been shooting up. I went through a pretty rigorous recomp.0 -
No, weight training alone is unlikely to get you to 140. That can only be achieved by a caloric deficit. Weightlifting can contribute to that. Running can contribute to that but your diet is the most important factor.
But if I eat following the right calorie deficit I should be able to reach my 140 goal no matter how much weight lifting I do? Weight lifting builds muscle which in return makes you weigh more not less from what I understand which is why I ask. Yes you will look skinnier but will weigh more. It would be nice to see the scale continue to go down instead of up.
I've always heard that you cannot build muscle while in a calorie deficit. While in a deficit you will lose both fat and muscle. Lifting will help preserve what muscle you already have, but it will not build more.0 -
But if I eat following the right calorie deficit I should be able to reach my 140 goal no matter how much weight lifting I do? Weight lifting builds muscle which in return makes you weigh more not less from what I understand which is why I ask. Yes you will look skinnier but will weigh more. It would be nice to see the scale continue to go down instead of up
Is it actually more important to you to be lighter than to have a lower body fat percentage?
Because it's possible to be skinny and still have a lot of body fat, if you have very little muscle.
If you want to look good and be healthy, don't worry about gaining pounds. Worry instead about your fat/muscle ratio.
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Lift can help by burning a bit of calories while lifting and after burn and increasing resting metabolic rate during repair and increased muscle density/mass.
Overall though, the number factor in losing weight is caloric deficit - making sure you take in less calories than the total calories (TDEE) you burn in a day.
Nothing will trump that.0 -
I weigh 200 lbs. I use to weight 140 lbs once upon a time. I have struggled with my weight for a long time. My goal is simple- to get back down to the 140 lbs I used to weigh. I am highly motivated to get this done and I will continue on my journey until I have reached my goal.
Well I was meeting with a trainer at the gym who insists that weight training is the way to go. He told me that although I love running (and I run a lot) that when I lose all the weight I will eventually gain it all back because I am not weightlifting and he says weightlifting helps keep the fat off. I assured him that my only goal here is to get down to 140 lbs and that I will do whatever it takes to do that. But he says weightlifting can actually make you weigh more so although I will look better from lifting weights he doesn't know that I will get the scale down to the 140 lbs I was talking about.
So I ask- How does one lose weight and get to their goal weight by lifting weights? Can it be done? It's been 2 days now of me doing weight training but I also mix in some cardio (treadmill) with it. I just hope there is a way I can meet my goal.
Strictly lifting weights, I lost 97lbs I only started doing cardio because I plateaued and wanted to hit 100lbs lost mark.
100% agree with your trainer, you need to lift weights! not just to lose the weight but you want to look good do you not? or you just want to see a number on a scale? I can give you a marker if you want to see a number.
I would say you don't need to spend money on a trainer, you can learn for free with youtube. There are 10000000 channels trying to get famous/popular who upload workout routines, that's what I did when I first started worked great for me. I like POG (physics of greatness) and Beastmode training camp (both by the same person) just go on youtube look up his channel then type in "back workout" or "chest workout" then go to the gym and try what you just saw.
I weigh 204lbs right now, size 34-32 waist IDK if that helps but it might help you understand a number on scale versus body composition...0 -
For what it's worth, here is my anecdotal story. I started at 165 pounds, and through only weightlifting AND and 1 pound a week caloric deficit have lost about 35 pounds and have a much much higher TDEE than every calculator gives me. My body is also much smaller at a higher weight, and I look fit instead of skinny . however, the caloric deficit was why I lost weight, lifting just gave me a nice shape.0
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Diet adjustments are the only way to truly keep weight off. Weight lifting is more effective at helping keep the weight off than cardio is without diet adjustment, but the gains aren't nearly as high as following CICO. A pound of lean muscle burns more sedentary calories than a pound of fat, so this is what the trainer is referring to by weight training will keep the weight off. Strength training and High Intensity Interval Training are also the only workouts that will continue to give your body a metabolism and calorie burn boost after a workout, even up to 36 hours after the work out. Cardio you only burn the calories that come off during a work out, and as you lose weight, an activity like running will burn even less calories because it takes less energy to move that amount of mass. There's also a risk depending how much cardio you do where you may start losing muscle mass as well as fat, despite keeping up with your proper protein needs. So there's definitely a ceiling on the intensity and effort you should put into running. That said, there's really nothing wrong with whatever workout choice you make for losing fat so long as you're adjusting your diet appropriately. It's best to do the workout that you enjoy most. You may want to consider some HIIT workouts though, such as sprints, as an effective way to get a bigger metabolic boost if you're going pure cardio.0
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No, weight training alone is unlikely to get you to 140. That can only be achieved by a caloric deficit. Weightlifting can contribute to that. Running can contribute to that but your diet is the most important factor.
But if I eat following the right calorie deficit I should be able to reach my 140 goal no matter how much weight lifting I do? Weight lifting builds muscle which in return makes you weigh more not less from what I understand which is why I ask. Yes you will look skinnier but will weigh more. It would be nice to see the scale continue to go down instead of up.
I think you should be flexible about your 140 # goal. My goal weight is based on a weight that I was at a time when I was strength training. Should I get down to the weight while NOT lifting weights, I would reassess, and quite likely want to drop a few more pounds.
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I agree that you might be to focused on 140 lbs. You can get there anyway you want, lifting and/or cardio, as long as you have a calorie deficit. IMO your results would be better if you included lifting and you may not have to get down to 140.0
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