Fighting mentally to shift from weight loss to buildingmuscle

Totally.....it is a very real problem for a lot of people. But, with a new mindset, it is really easy to overcome that "problem".

For me, and I am a 50yo male who has been very fit and active for 95% of my life....when I was about 40lbs heavier and got down to a really amazing weight (for me) and then started lifting and eating I was focused on the scale for a short period of time. I mean, I spent a lot of time (about one year) seeing the number on the scale getting smaller and smaller and smaller. Now, it is going up? Holy crammo!!!!!

I focused on body composition. I was running a lot when I went down in weight (got up to running 13 miles in about 75 minutes....which is a pretty good pace). I then turned to weight training and WOW! My body changed. In a great way (not bragging......). EVERYONE noticed. In a very positive way. So, that really helped. The number on the scale going up did not bother me so much. Plus, that heavy stuff - I could lift it! And, looked GREAT doing it! LOL!

If you can do two things differently then that might really help you:

1. Focus on your new body composition (yes, talking about THE BOOTY)
2. Try to view food as nothing but fuel for the machine!


Does that help you?

You are most welcome! Always glad to help.

That answer will vary for everyone. For example, I did 34 straight days of heavy squats and did roughly 15 minutes of cardio every night to mitigate DOMS (delayed on-set muscle soreness) and benefited greatly. That may or may not work for you. It will likely for some but not for others.

I do significantly less "cardio" than I used to do (I used to run 13 miles five or six times a week....as mentioned....so there is going to be a huge drop, all things being equal) but I kinda build into my weight training some cardio-vascular goals.

So, essentially I do six to 10 minutes of "cardio" before weight training (solely to get my body temp up that extra 1 or 2 degrees) and might do 20 - 30 minutes of cardio (I use the tread mill) two or three times a week. So, that would be - roughly - what I do from a purely Steady State Cardio perspective.

Bulking - generally speaking - dramatically reduces "cardio". Again, everyone is different so find what works best for you.

I try to keep cardio (either that old school steady state cardio or HIIT) in the same perspective as I keep food: it is a tool. Depends on my goals are and what I am doing and what I enjoy. Food is nothing but fuel, right? It is really challenging to get to that mind set, but that is what it is. That is, obviously, on the "Calories In" side of the equation. In that light, cardio is also just a tool.....and that tool obviously is on the "Calories Out" side of the equation.

Does that help?

It is a mind shift and work. I am working on toning and more stamina after losing 123 pounds. I do 30-45 min of cardio and then about 30 minutes of weights focusing on at least 2 areas in a session. I am finding it to be a great routine and stays interesting. My goal is to workout at least 5 times a week. I am seeing my stamina and strength go up each week.

@beckyr06 - I really think that if you stick with the weight training that the results will greatly assist you.

And the urge to stick with a ton of cardio - generally speaking - is strong, I know. I really miss the 13 mile runs along the river in Roanoke, VA. So peaceful. The thing that helps me now - I am pretty sure that I would die (a very peaceful death, to be sure....but dead is dead!) were I to run 13 miles today. Er, better said, were I to try to run 13 miles today. That was some five years ago (at age 45). I mention it still today because if you make a goal - no matter what it is - you are gonna reach it!

Are you a person who does well with setting goals and achieving them? More because you have the goals and you started? Or, are you a driven person?

Anyway, stick with the weight training. It will pay off.....I promise.

@Trex5009 - hey, not criticizing or jumping on you or anything like that. I would fear that you are under-nourishing yourself if MFP has you at 2,450 but you are taking in roughly 1,800. You seem to be doing a lot of cardio (everyday like 25 minutes, right?) and the five days a week lifting.

Great work on the 40 pounds in 12 weeks (just making a general comment that 40lbs in 12 weeks is really aggressive.....call it 3 lbs a week). How did you do that?

Anyway, I want to stress that I am not attacking you. I just see something that - at a quick glance - looks like it could lead to an issue for you down the road. So, since we are all here to help each other I feel that I would be very remiss if I did not ask you about this!

And, not trying to hijack @kris8482's question.....

@CWShultz27105 - I think I do fairly well with setting goals and keeping them...even though I have lost and gained over the years, my diet has vastly improved through trial and error and finding what foods I feel best eating, and I have steadily become more active and enjoy it. I have the mindset now that this is the LAST time I will yo-yo; at this point in my life, I just don't want to be dealing with having to lose weight again, even though I've never gotten as heavy as I was originally. Am feeling determined

I have done weight training in the past (with machines) and did like it - I decided on body weight conditioning for the simple reason that I can do it at home - didn't really want to invest in a gym membership or buy weights for home, and wanted the freedom of knowing I can complete the routines wherever I'm at. The downside is that ...I have to do it at home, and that has been a struggle. But I'm seeing some modest gains so far, so you're right, it is working. I also came across Matt Schifferle (has the Red Delta Project) and his approach to body weight conditioning is refreshing and doable. Have watched a lot of his youtube videos and a lot of his advice just resonates with me....he preaches PROGRESSION... and outlines a lot of ways that can look. I started logging the workouts today, based on his advice, and I think that will also be motivating for me

Thank you again (and to all of you above)...very helpful to have your input and shared experiences.

@Trex5009 - cool beans. Everyone is different (man, I sound like a broken record on that) and it sounds like you had a very pleasant surprise. Good for you! Now you know, right? And, I like your mindset shift from "weight" to "fat". Cool beans. Super important. It makes all the difference in the world....it is like with dead lifts - where I am not pulling that danged bar up...I am pushing my feet through the floor. That subtle mindset shift makes all the difference.

Do you by chance do a meal prep? Are you one that can eat the same foods over and over again? Not talking, necessarily, about eating the same five things for the next good bit. But, is eating the same foods over and over again something that is feasible for you? I ask, because if it is something that you can do then I will share some of my experiences with you.

Shoot - I will share anyway....

So, what I did to help me be better with nutrition was to find certain meals that I liked and find the right combination so that BOTH calories and macros were meet. Then I just sorta 'conveyor belt' the process. So, I have - as an example for this post - the following each day:

1 cup of Harris Teeter Fiber Way cereal
1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
2 1/4 lb. ground lean turkey burger patties
1 can TJ Yellow Fin Tuna (with apple sauce and spicy brown mustard)
2 1/4 lb. ground lean turkey burger patties
2 servings of steamed broccoli
1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
1 can TJ Skip Jack Tuna (with light mayo with olive oil and spicy brown mustard)
2 servings green beans
1 super juicy grilled chicken breast

There will be a few other things, but that is a typical day.

If you can figure out several 'day of eating' configs for you it will be sooooo much easier for you.

Then, with time, you become more familiar with the process and more confident as to what has how many calories | macros | micros and you will not end up having some odd number of macros to 'take care of' at 10PM. We have all been there.

So, find what works for you. It takes a little bit of work, but once you get it! BAM! And, once you find that template, you can substitute one thing for another.

Make sense?

CWShultz27105 wrote: »

@Trex5009 - cool beans. Everyone is different (man, I sound like a broken record on that) and it sounds like you had a very pleasant surprise. Good for you! Now you know, right? And, I like your mindset shift from "weight" to "fat". Cool beans. Super important. It makes all the difference in the world....it is like with dead lifts - where I am not pulling that danged bar up...I am pushing my feet through the floor. That subtle mindset shift makes all the difference.

Do you by chance do a meal prep? Are you one that can eat the same foods over and over again? Not talking, necessarily, about eating the same five things for the next good bit. But, is eating the same foods over and over again something that is feasible for you? I ask, because if it is something that you can do then I will share some of my experiences with you.

Shoot - I will share anyway....

So, what I did to help me be better with nutrition was to find certain meals that I liked and find the right combination so that BOTH calories and macros were meet. Then I just sorta 'conveyor belt' the process. So, I have - as an example for this post - the following each day:

1 cup of Harris Teeter Fiber Way cereal
1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
2 1/4 lb. ground lean turkey burger patties
1 can TJ Yellow Fin Tuna (with apple sauce and spicy brown mustard)
2 1/4 lb. ground lean turkey burger patties
2 servings of steamed broccoli
1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
1 can TJ Skip Jack Tuna (with light mayo with olive oil and spicy brown mustard)
2 servings green beans
1 super juicy grilled chicken breast

There will be a few other things, but that is a typical day.

If you can figure out several 'day of eating' configs for you it will be sooooo much easier for you.

Then, with time, you become more familiar with the process and more confident as to what has how many calories | macros | micros and you will not end up having some odd number of macros to 'take care of' at 10PM. We have all been there.

So, find what works for you. It takes a little bit of work, but once you get it! BAM! And, once you find that template, you can substitute one thing for another.

Make sense?

Definitely makes sense, and btw I do eat the same things everyday.. been substituting small things and adding small things. I weighed in today since exactly two weeks ago. I've gained 1.6 pounds. And I don't see any "fat" gains so I'm happy with that.

I can relate. I used to be all about the strength and loved the sheer number of things I could do. I did not even weigh myself back then, but something in my mind clicked back to scale obsessing and here I am now, just under 5'10 and 126 Ibs and struggling to switch my mind back to the mentality I had when I took my profile picture. I am hoping at some point, the switch will click again and I will rediscover my interest in weights, boxing and having more visible muscles. My bodyfat is not an issue as it is still very low, but the scale obsession ... yeah, it gets boring.