Trying to lose 45 lbs. Help me.

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KingFish1997
KingFish1997 Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm starting my diet with the best attitude I can muster. I love to eat. Can I lift weights, & still lose weight. I already know muscle weighs more than fat.

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  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Lifting weight is ideal while you are losing weight because it helps you preserve your muscle mass. So eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight and lift weights for the awesome physical results. You can ignore muscle weighing more than fat (it doesn't, anyway) because you aren't going to add much muscle -- if any -- while in a calorie deficit.
  • HealthierRayne
    HealthierRayne Posts: 268 Member
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    1 lb of muscle weighs the same as 1 lb of feathers, fat, rocks, teddy bears etc.

    You can absolutely lose weight while doing strength training. Be sure to take body measurements as you can see a lot of change on the measuring tape too, not just the scale.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
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    I'm lifting and losing. I have learned the hard way, however, that my success lies not in the lifting, but what I am doing in the kitchen. Buy and religiously use a food scale. Log everything, the good and the bad.

    You can do this! Good luck!
  • KingFish1997
    KingFish1997 Posts: 14 Member
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    HealthierRayne wrote: »
    1 lb of muscle weighs the same as 1 lb of feathers, fat, rocks, teddy bears etc.

    You can absolutely lose weight while doing strength training. Be sure to take body measurements as you can see a lot of change on the measuring tape too, not just the scale.

    If muscle weighs the same as fat, why are all the people saying muscle weighs more than fat?!!? Thanks
  • redmaryclare
    redmaryclare Posts: 33 Member
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    A lb of fat takes up more space than a lb of muscle, I assume so anyway. So it has higher density. Someone will probably have the exact figures.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    KingFish1997 wrote: »
    HealthierRayne wrote: »
    1 lb of muscle weighs the same as 1 lb of feathers, fat, rocks, teddy bears etc.

    You can absolutely lose weight while doing strength training. Be sure to take body measurements as you can see a lot of change on the measuring tape too, not just the scale.

    If muscle weighs the same as fat, why are all the people saying muscle weighs more than fat?!!? Thanks

    People say all sorts of things that aren't so. Some people say it because they've heard it and assume it must be true. Others are saying it because what they mean to say is that a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.

    But a pound is a unit of measure. A pound of one thing will always weigh as much as a pound of something else. A pound of spinach weighs a pound. A pound of potatoes weighs a pound. It's the same for muscle and fat.
  • KingFish1997
    KingFish1997 Posts: 14 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    KingFish1997 wrote: »
    HealthierRayne wrote: »
    1 lb of muscle weighs the same as 1 lb of feathers, fat, rocks, teddy bears etc.

    You can absolutely lose weight while doing strength training. Be sure to take body measurements as you can see a lot of change on the measuring tape too, not just the scale.

    If muscle weighs the same as fat, why are all the people saying muscle weighs more than fat?!!? Thanks

    People say all sorts of things that aren't so. Some people say it because they've heard it and assume it must be true. Others are saying it because what they mean to say is that a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.

    But a pound is a unit of measure. A pound of one thing will always weigh as much as a pound of something else. A pound of spinach weighs a pound. A pound of potatoes weighs a pound. It's the same for muscle and fat.

    Thank you. It blows my mind how people open their mouth, not knowing what they're talking about! I ask questions to learn, and have heard this pound of muscle garbage all my life. Thank you
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
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    KingFish1997 wrote: »
    I'm starting my diet with the best attitude I can muster. I love to eat. Can I lift weights, & still lose weight. I already know muscle weighs more than fat.

    Common wisdom says you can't out-train your eating. Only eating less per monitoring (not guessing) is your best chance to lose weight.

    Personally I find attitude, motivation tend to be short lived. It's factual thinking, reasoning and concrete results give you sustenance.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    KingFish1997 wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    KingFish1997 wrote: »
    HealthierRayne wrote: »
    1 lb of muscle weighs the same as 1 lb of feathers, fat, rocks, teddy bears etc.

    You can absolutely lose weight while doing strength training. Be sure to take body measurements as you can see a lot of change on the measuring tape too, not just the scale.

    If muscle weighs the same as fat, why are all the people saying muscle weighs more than fat?!!? Thanks

    People say all sorts of things that aren't so. Some people say it because they've heard it and assume it must be true. Others are saying it because what they mean to say is that a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.

    But a pound is a unit of measure. A pound of one thing will always weigh as much as a pound of something else. A pound of spinach weighs a pound. A pound of potatoes weighs a pound. It's the same for muscle and fat.

    Thank you. It blows my mind how people open their mouth, not knowing what they're talking about! I ask questions to learn, and have heard this pound of muscle garbage all my life. Thank you

    I thought I knew so much about weight loss and fitness that turned out not to be so. This can be a great place to learn stuff. Good luck!
  • lauranewman130
    lauranewman130 Posts: 36 Member
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    Gee I think you're getting confused because people aren't articulating things correctly or clearly. Muscle does weigh more than fat..its denser. That is all. And you will gain some muscle if you start doing some form of training that is pushing your muscles to repair themselves and grow. However at the stage you're in I think its safe to say this fact is irrelevant. As someone pointed out earlier -- just worry about your calories in and energy out first. Start there and work on creating the habit of exercise and meal planning. I'd be happy to help you off-board.. Just drop me a line anytime!
  • FallGirl84
    FallGirl84 Posts: 33 Member
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    I tried out lifting weights & counting calories last year, but I soon noticed it's better to get more aerobic exercise when your main goal is losing weight (my weight stopped going down when I begun training). When you're getting closer to your goal it's good to start training muscles - in both phases it's still important to eat enough protein but not forget the carbs either.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    FallGirl84 wrote: »
    I tried out lifting weights & counting calories last year, but I soon noticed it's better to get more aerobic exercise when your main goal is losing weight (my weight stopped going down when I begun training). When you're getting closer to your goal it's good to start training muscles - in both phases it's still important to eat enough protein but not forget the carbs either.

    It's actually best to do resistance training the entire time you're losing weight. This helps reduce the amount of muscle you will lose while in a calorie deficit. You're working it, so it sticks around. Someone who isn't doing resistance training *may* lose weight faster, but that's muscle weight. It's exactly what we don't want to lose. A slower weight loss, where the weight is coming from fat, is better both for our health and our appearance.
  • lindzgayle
    lindzgayle Posts: 131 Member
    edited April 2016
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    lauranewman130 wrote: »
    Muscle does weigh more than fat..its denser. !
    No. It IS denser, that doesn't make it weigh more.
    If you filled up 2 containers, one with fat and the other with muscle, the muscle would weigh more because it's denser(as you said). It takes up less space. That's why 155 lbs of mostly muscular person looks a lot thinner than 155 lbs. of a mostly fat person.
    A pound is a pound is a pound.

  • lindzgayle
    lindzgayle Posts: 131 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    FallGirl84 wrote: »
    I tried out lifting weights & counting calories last year, but I soon noticed it's better to get more aerobic exercise when your main goal is losing weight (my weight stopped going down when I begun training). When you're getting closer to your goal it's good to start training muscles - in both phases it's still important to eat enough protein but not forget the carbs either.

    It's actually best to do resistance training the entire time you're losing weight. This helps reduce the amount of muscle you will lose while in a calorie deficit. You're working it, so it sticks around. Someone who isn't doing resistance training *may* lose weight faster, but that's muscle weight. It's exactly what we don't want to lose. A slower weight loss, where the weight is coming from fat, is better both for our health and our appearance.

    This. ^^ Plus, more muscle= more calorie burn throughout the day.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    KingFish1997 wrote: »
    I'm starting my diet with the best attitude I can muster. I love to eat. Can I lift weights, & still lose weight. I already know muscle weighs more than fat.

    One of the key elements to my success (and this is still a "work in progress" as I'm only in my 18th month of maintenance, so I have to keep learning and keep adjusting), was to get my attitudes in line. I started wanting to do a 180 degree turn, was ready to give up everything I liked (almost) and get out running every day, to get that fat off. I had the same amount to lose as you do, actually. I had started the low fat route again (yes, I've lost and regained several times before) and felt better. After a while I got a little sad when I thought about never being able to eat candy, cake and chocolate again - but I wanted to be healthy, so some sacrifice was necessary, right?

    But then finally all the talk about "low carb" became to loud to ignore, I found MFP, and I decided to try to up my fat, nothing dramatic, just eating full fat instead of low fat, and add some butter and not drain stuff. Then I felt a lot better. Cooking started to be fun, because the food had taste. Cravings lessened, because I ate better, and because nothing was off limits anymore, no rigid food rules, just hit calorie and macro goals. I started to understand the concept of portion control, it was new to me that I can know beforehand how much I need, I don't have to eat until I'm stuffed. I started to eat more vegetables, because everything tasted better. I thought I loved food before, but I just couldn't stop eating. What I have now is love of food.

    I implemented lots of small changes to lots of habits, no revolution, but an evolution. The biggest change has been to my attitude, though. I no longer think about taking care of health and weight management as deprivation or being strict or saintly, and something that will give me a reward in the end, being fit at 80 and that *kitten* - not even as a chore; buying and cooking and feeling envigorated is just as easy as buying and heating and feeling defeated - but as a small ongoing effort that pays off tremendously every day.

    Please, please, don't go on a diet. Just eat food you like and log it and hit your calorie allowance every day.
  • KingFish1997
    KingFish1997 Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    KingFish1997 wrote: »
    I'm starting my diet with the best attitude I can muster. I love to eat. Can I lift weights, & still lose weight. I already know muscle weighs more than fat.

    One of the key elements to my success (and this is still a "work in progress" as I'm only in my 18th month of maintenance, so I have to keep learning and keep adjusting), was to get my attitudes in line. I started wanting to do a 180 degree turn, was ready to give up everything I liked (almost) and get out running every day, to get that fat off. I had the same amount to lose as you do, actually. I had started the low fat route again (yes, I've lost and regained several times before) and felt better. After a while I got a little sad when I thought about never being able to eat candy, cake and chocolate again - but I wanted to be healthy, so some sacrifice was necessary, right?

    But then finally all the talk about "low carb" became to loud to ignore, I found MFP, and I decided to try to up my fat, nothing dramatic, just eating full fat instead of low fat, and add some butter and not drain stuff. Then I felt a lot better. Cooking started to be fun, because the food had taste. Cravings lessened, because I ate better, and because nothing was off limits anymore, no rigid food rules, just hit calorie and macro goals. I started to understand the concept of portion control, it was new to me that I can know beforehand how much I need, I don't have to eat until I'm stuffed. I started to eat more vegetables, because everything tasted better. I thought I loved food before, but I just couldn't stop eating. What I have now is love of food.

    I implemented lots of small changes to lots of habits, no revolution, but an evolution. The biggest change has been to my attitude, though. I no longer think about taking care of health and weight management as deprivation or being strict or saintly, and something that will give me a reward in the end, being fit at 80 and that *kitten* - not even as a chore; buying and cooking and feeling envigorated is just as easy as buying and heating and feeling defeated - but as a small ongoing effort that pays off tremendously every day.

    Please, please, don't go on a diet. Just eat food you like and log it and hit your calorie allowance every day.

    Thanks so much

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