Can I lose weight by strength training?

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rhileyschubbygranny
rhileyschubbygranny Posts: 145 Member
in Getting Started
Have many people out there have had any success losing weight by just strength training?

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  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
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    I lost weight while doing strength training exercise but not because of the strength training. Losing the weight is all about diet. Calories in vs calories out. I think a lot of people find they like the end result better if they incorporate some sort of strength or resistance training into their routine, though.
  • denelifet
    denelifet Posts: 27 Member
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    ^^ I 2nd what JenAndSome says....and to add to that, altho cardio, like running, will burn more calories, weight lifting burns more fat....and fat is really what we are all striving to shrink....so clean up your diet first and foremost then add in weight lifting with a side order of cardio and you will be smokin' hot in no time!
  • AmberSpamber
    AmberSpamber Posts: 391 Member
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    Yes, as long as your diet is on track. I would add cardio though at some point since it helps you burn more calories.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    rhileyschubbygranny wrote: »
    Have many people out there have had any success losing weight by just strength training?

    Nobody at all

    You lose weight through calorie control
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
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    rhileyschubbygranny wrote: »
    Have many people out there have had any success losing weight by just strength training?

    Strength training has helped my body be in better shape but a healthy diet is what helps me with my weight loss. If I stop accurately tracking my food, I start gaining. My trainer says, "You can't exercise away a horrible diet."
  • megginanderson
    megginanderson Posts: 276 Member
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    rhileyschubbygranny wrote: »
    Have many people out there have had any success losing weight by just strength training?

    Absolutely!
    Im down to 128 from 141 in 12 weeks.
    but nutrition has played about 85% a role.
  • abac30
    abac30 Posts: 9 Member
    edited October 2015
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    Not only can you, you need to!. You can lose weight other ways but strength training will allow you to build muscle and lose fat. Once you build muscle your metabolism will move faster!
  • JustaJoe00
    JustaJoe00 Posts: 777 Member
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    you'll lose fat....but gain some muscle weight...people tend to get discouraged if the scale doesn't show that they've lost weight right away or as much as they think.....just be aware of this if you choose to go the weight training route.....:) Good luck....lots of people here for support..
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    JustaJoe00 wrote: »
    you'll lose fat....but gain some muscle weight...people tend to get discouraged if the scale doesn't show that they've lost weight right away or as much as they think.....just be aware of this if you choose to go the weight training route.....:) Good luck....lots of people here for support..

    If OP eats at a deficit (to lose weight) .....gaining muscle is highly unlikely.

    Most people here strength train (while eating at a deficit) to hang onto the muscle that they already have. But yes, this helps lose a larger portion of fat.
  • abstractbunyip
    abstractbunyip Posts: 7 Member
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    my wife never wanted to do strength training for fear of getting to bulky but since she finally got convinced and not by me she has seen an incredible change in her ability to lose weight. a few posts above have alluded to it but when you damage your muscles in strength training the need to repair. the need a regular source of protein but the also need other fuel sources from either carbs or good fats. as your body uses this energy your metabolism increases. also if you do something like circuit training with bursts of expended effort it will have a more prolonged increase in your metabolism for the next twenty four hours then say a straight thirty minutes on a walker with no adjustments in speed or incline
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    I lost weight WHILE strength training, yes. Not because of it.
  • Aani15
    Aani15 Posts: 172 Member
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    debrakgoogins wrote: »
    rhileyschubbygranny wrote: »
    Have many people out there have had any success losing weight by just strength training?

    Strength training has helped my body be in better shape but a healthy diet is what helps me with my weight loss. If I stop accurately tracking my food, I start gaining. My trainer says, "You can't exercise away a horrible diet."

    Beautifully said, +1
  • Aani15
    Aani15 Posts: 172 Member
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    I was weight training for 18 months before joining MFP app ( even if I gained a lot of muscle mass during that time, my weight was fluctuating a lot, in MFP language, yo-yo?? ) After joining MFP app, I started tracking my calories and it solved my problem with weight loss.

    Strength training builds muscle mass.
    Calories tracking keep a check on weight loss.
    You can lose weight without exercising but weight training will tone up your body and enhance your looks even better.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Strength train to maintain muscle mass while eating at a deficit. To build muscle mass after you have lost weight you need to eat at a surplus. Types of cardio like strength training (if you will) such as circuit training will help you maintain your mass, increase in calorie burns therefore helps you loose fat/weight. I really like circuit training when I am trying to cut.

    Recomp is another avenue one can do where you can eat at maintenance with a slight (oh so slight deficit) to build some muscle and loose fat concurrently but this is a really slow process (really slow) and will work if you have your diet and strength training pretty much perfect.

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Weight loss comes from being in calorie deficit....the strength training has so many advantages that its really worth doing. Cardio helps weight loss as you have more calories to play with and that keeps your deficit higher. Overall its about how much you eat - CICO.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    I lost weight WHILE strength training, yes. Not because of it.

    ^^ good quote :smile:
  • Sevendust912
    Sevendust912 Posts: 122 Member
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    it helps, but if you strength train you should lift heavy and do compound lifts. Tossing around a couple of 5lb dumb bells isn't going to do anything.

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