Weight lifting doesn't burn fat

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Replies

  • lks802
    lks802 Posts: 65 Member
    At your height and weight, I don't think 1800 calories is really a deficit if you that doesn't include your exercise calories.

    Wrist heart monitors are not as accurate at chest monitors for cardio output. 1800 cals a day seems more maintenance than loss.
    Try eating 1200 base and eating back calories from a chest strap monitor.

  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    edited August 2017
    lks802 wrote: »
    At your height and weight, I don't think 1800 calories is really a deficit if you that doesn't include your exercise calories.

    Assuming accurate logging, this is almost exactly what MFP gave me as my current goal at 5'2 and 188 lbs for a half pound loss a week. OP is totally fine at a similar height, similar age, and current heavier weight. I've lost 20 lbs over the past seven months averaging 2000-2400 calories. And I'm fairly sedentary, too.

    ETA: I mathed it out and I'd be at about a 4K deficit a week too if I managed to keep to 1800 calories. Which I don't generally, but like I said, I am still losing weight at around 2000. I wouldn't be shocked at all if the OP's tracking were off 500-600 calories between under logging and over crediting the weight lifting.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Another point on the logging. Don't use complete dishes in the database. Like the pasta, if you haven't put that recipe in yourself it could be anything as it will be user created. I just cook for myself so I tend to skip the builder and just enter the ingredients in my day, either all of them to cover several days (and not log that meal for the next however many days it's being eaten) or split it over a few days. All works itself out with the weekly average.
    .


    It was a recipe I built. I don't trust a lot of the pre set things that can be searched. Too much left up to be inaccurate

    Good. The database is full of horrible information. Enter your recipes, use the scale to weigh your foods. Stick with the 1800 for now, and see what happens over the next 4-6 weeks. Then consider dropping the calories by 100-200 if the weighing thing isn't making the difference for you. And yes, weighing your foods can make a significant difference.
  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
    edited August 2017
    Even if my calories are off on my fit bit I don't eat any of them back so shouldn't I still be in a calorie deficit even if the calories are overestimated

    That leaves the issue of whether you're calculating your food intake accurately. Use a scale and remember the calories counts are only estimates. The caloric content of fruit can change depending on how ripe it is. With meat, it can depend on how the animal was fed and how much fat it has. Manufacturers are given some latitude in estimating calories.

    You have to keep careful records and make judgments. There are many variables.

    Weigh yourself frequently, every morning if possible.
  • mustb60
    mustb60 Posts: 1,090 Member
    Yes. And I use my fit bit heart rate monitor to track my calories burned from workouts

    From my personal experience when I was eating back my exercise calories I wasn't losing at all. So I started to eat only the suggested daily calorie intake and not the work out calories. Then I started to lose again. And few times in a month I do eat 100-200 calories up than daily target.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Just to chime in with everyone saying 1800 could be maintenance because of her height. She's also 230lbs. My maintenance now, excluding exercise at 5'5 and 160lbs is 1800. I think the issue here is logging accuracy. Her TDEE is definitely more than 1800 when you add in the exercise.

    yeah now that we know that she is logging inaccurately.
  • Bimby46
    Bimby46 Posts: 33 Member
    CharlieBeansmomTraceyCharlieBeansmomTracey
    Posts: 4,839
    Member
    Bimby46 wrote: »
    Danicandothis wrote: »
    That's what my doctor told me. I went in for a wellness check. I workout. I eat reasonably well and I'm not losing weight. She told me to increase cardio and do less weight lifting. I think she wrong.

    Some background: i'm 5'1, currently 230lbs. 40 years old. I work out 4-5 days a week 3-4 days of weight lifting. An hour per session. 3 cardio sessions (Zumba) per week. I eat 1800 calories a day. I measure everything.
    My math has me at about a 4,000 calorie deficit per week.

    What am I missing?


    Dani, what do you think about keeping track of your measurements? Are you noticing a difference in how your clothing fits?Since toned muscle is a lot smaller in size than an equal weight of fat, could you possibly be developing muscle along with fat loss so the weight loss numbers aren't what you would like right now?


    you dont have toned muscle. you either have muscle or have a toned appearance. its also hard to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time and its not going to equal out to where the scale hasnt moved

    Thanks, you're correct, I should have said gained muscle. Danmason posted some interesting information about strength training's metabolism benefits.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Bimby46 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTraceyCharlieBeansmomTracey
    Posts: 4,839
    Member
    Bimby46 wrote: »
    Danicandothis wrote: »
    That's what my doctor told me. I went in for a wellness check. I workout. I eat reasonably well and I'm not losing weight. She told me to increase cardio and do less weight lifting. I think she wrong.

    Some background: i'm 5'1, currently 230lbs. 40 years old. I work out 4-5 days a week 3-4 days of weight lifting. An hour per session. 3 cardio sessions (Zumba) per week. I eat 1800 calories a day. I measure everything.
    My math has me at about a 4,000 calorie deficit per week.

    What am I missing?


    Dani, what do you think about keeping track of your measurements? Are you noticing a difference in how your clothing fits?Since toned muscle is a lot smaller in size than an equal weight of fat, could you possibly be developing muscle along with fat loss so the weight loss numbers aren't what you would like right now?


    you dont have toned muscle. you either have muscle or have a toned appearance. its also hard to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time and its not going to equal out to where the scale hasnt moved

    Thanks, you're correct, I should have said gained muscle. Danmason posted some interesting information about strength training's metabolism benefits.

    ok even for gaining muscle she would have to be in a surplus of calories which if she were she would be gaining weight, if she was doing a recomp(eating in maintenance and lift weights,which is really slow) she could gain some muscle but it not going to be the same ratio of fat loss and muscle gain to stop the scale from moving,shes isnt going to lose a lb of fat and gain a lb of muscle . its hard to build muscle for women even in a surplus and takes time. we established that she is not logging accurately and food isnt being weighed properly so that is most likely the culprit.
  • Mr_Healthy_Habits
    Mr_Healthy_Habits Posts: 12,588 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    I know the cico crowd is going to disagree, but don't eat anything after 6pm and spend your evenings walking outside...

    It really does work, however they want to rationalize why...
    Works for you. I eat up till 11:30pm just about every night. For years....................................works for me.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png


    Keyword... Works
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    I know the cico crowd is going to disagree, but don't eat anything after 6pm and spend your evenings walking outside...

    It really does work, however they want to rationalize why...
    Works for you. I eat up till 11:30pm just about every night. For years....................................works for me.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png


    Keyword... Works

    I don't think anyone would argue that it doesn't work if you can manage it. The problem is that plenty of people aren't going to be able to, or want to, manage it. And it certainly isn't necessary to lose weight - it's just another strategy to reduce calories consumed.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    Bimby46 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTraceyCharlieBeansmomTracey
    Posts: 4,839
    Member
    Bimby46 wrote: »
    Danicandothis wrote: »
    That's what my doctor told me. I went in for a wellness check. I workout. I eat reasonably well and I'm not losing weight. She told me to increase cardio and do less weight lifting. I think she wrong.

    Some background: i'm 5'1, currently 230lbs. 40 years old. I work out 4-5 days a week 3-4 days of weight lifting. An hour per session. 3 cardio sessions (Zumba) per week. I eat 1800 calories a day. I measure everything.
    My math has me at about a 4,000 calorie deficit per week.

    What am I missing?


    Dani, what do you think about keeping track of your measurements? Are you noticing a difference in how your clothing fits?Since toned muscle is a lot smaller in size than an equal weight of fat, could you possibly be developing muscle along with fat loss so the weight loss numbers aren't what you would like right now?


    you dont have toned muscle. you either have muscle or have a toned appearance. its also hard to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time and its not going to equal out to where the scale hasnt moved

    Thanks, you're correct, I should have said gained muscle. Danmason posted some interesting information about strength training's metabolism benefits.

    ok even for gaining muscle she would have to be in a surplus of calories which if she were she would be gaining weight, if she was doing a recomp(eating in maintenance and lift weights,which is really slow) she could gain some muscle but it not going to be the same ratio of fat loss and muscle gain to stop the scale from moving,shes isnt going to lose a lb of fat and gain a lb of muscle . its hard to build muscle for women even in a surplus and takes time. we established that she is not logging accurately and food isnt being weighed properly so that is most likely the culprit.

    this!! even if she were gaining muscle, it certainly would not be at a rate that would outpace fat loss!
  • danny27greaves
    danny27greaves Posts: 5 Member
    Your doctor is an idiot
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    That's what my doctor told me. I went in for a wellness check. I workout. I eat reasonably well and I'm not losing weight. She told me to increase cardio and do less weight lifting. I think she wrong.

    Some background: i'm 5'1, currently 230lbs. 40 years old. I work out 4-5 days a week 3-4 days of weight lifting. An hour per session. 3 cardio sessions (Zumba) per week. I eat 1800 calories a day. I measure everything.
    My math has me at about a 4,000 calorie deficit per week.

    What am I missing?

    If you are not losing weight, you are eating more than you should.
    It is very hard to outrun (or outZumba, outweightlift, outswim ;) ) overeating.
    In general, you have two ways of approaching weight loss, or a combination: being overall more physically active (burning several thousand calories per week) or eating less. A combination is ideal for health, but exercise alone will rarely help in weight loss. If you are more or less sedentary and add a few hours of exercise per week, this is great for your health, but it will not help much is managing weight. Especially since, realistically, someone who is not in the best shape is not really going to burn a ton with a 1 hour workout (yes, it will feel like dying, no, this does not mean burning a ton of calories).
    Weight lifting or rather, strength training, is great for your body, your strength, your bones. You will not burn more than half a slice of pizza because of it though.
    Cardio is also great for your heart and should be a part of your life. It will burn more than weight lifting, but you need to go for duration rather than intensity as a beginner. 2 hours of walking are going to be far more effective in burning calories than a Zumba class, especially since most beginners, and especially overweight beginners, will just do small spurts here and there with lots of trying to catch their breath in between.
    Now, changing your lfestyle completely, like getting a phsycially demanding job, walking a few hours per day and then topping it off with an hour of jogging and an hour of calisthenics before bed will for sure help without focusing on diet, but it is nto something most of us can do.
    So, focus on how many calories you eat for losing weight, add as much cardio as you can to help (to an intensity you can comfortably do it for a while), add strength training for maintaining muscle and general health, and then do whatever else you enjoy just for the fun of it.
  • HardcoreP0rk
    HardcoreP0rk Posts: 936 Member
    kathleennf wrote: »
    Here's something different you could try: figure out your maintenance calories for the weight you want to be, and start eating that much. I am not sure what your goal weight is- but at 5'1" I imagine your maintenance calories are going to be under 1800. I've been at maintenance for about 5 years now. My maintenance is 1620 and I am 5'8" (usually about 135 lb). I do eat back my exercise calories, and I eat them back according to estimates from gym machines or MFP. I know a lot of people say they are inaccurate but they have worked for me, for 5 years.

    That's what I would actually try. Like others, I think you can benefit from getting more accurate with your food logging (weigh stuff, mainly). But I also think your BMR is probably way overestimated. At 230, what does maintenance look like for you? I bet it's really high compared to smaller women. For example, maintenance for me is only 1740 kcal per day. That's really not much. My guess is yours is way higher. I would plan a much larger deficit, personally. Which you would achieve using ^^^ that method. Although you might want to set interim goals and not just cut down to maintenance cals for your ultimate goal weight.
  • HardcoreP0rk
    HardcoreP0rk Posts: 936 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    I know the cico crowd is going to disagree, but don't eat anything after 6pm and spend your evenings walking outside...

    It really does work, however they want to rationalize why...
    Works for you. I eat up till 11:30pm just about every night. For years....................................works for me.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png


    Keyword... Works

    I don't think anyone would argue that it doesn't work if you can manage it. The problem is that plenty of people aren't going to be able to, or want to, manage it. And it certainly isn't necessary to lose weight - it's just another strategy to reduce calories consumed.

    Right? Im never even home by 6pm and and I cannot imagine not eating from 6pm til I sleep at 1130pm and am up again at 7am.