Lifting heavy = weight gain?

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ok, so i have been on this consistant roller coaster of trying to loose weight, of trying to get fit, of trying to change my eating habbits, and lets just say i fall down a LOT, but i want to say i get UP even more! i am not trying to just lose weight. i want every muscle in my body DEFINED and TIGHT. i LOVE intense workouts, but when it comes to the lifting, i feel, in my heart, that lifting HEAVY is the only way to go! thats where i FEEL the burn. where i FEEL the soreness after. and my body is STARVING after. but i am a girl, i still have about 25-30lbs to loose and lately i have fluctuated between 5 lbs up and down UNABLE TO LOSE! ugghhh so frustrated!

i guess my biggest question is can i/should i LIFT HEAVY and still lose? the last thing i want to do is gain! i see super hot LEAN &THIN women who lift HEAVY, but they are at their maintance level so i get that. i still have quite a lot to lose and i dont want to build muscle over fat that needs to be gone<
that is possible right?

HELP PLEASE!!!
thx

Replies

  • katedonn5
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    I'm doing my first body building contest so I am on here to track my foods for that purpose (not to lose weight). Not to deter you, but I have gained a couple of pounds throughout the process. The difference is that I'm not getting bigger (ex my pant size isn't going up). I am replacing pounds of fat with pounds of muscle and we all know that muscle weighs more than fat. I wouldn't be afraid of lifting weights for the reason that the muscle will "eat" your fat and while the weight on the scale might take longer to change, you will see your body begin to tone and tighten. Of course, to lose weight and not just body fat, you do need to do cardio. I think weight lifting/strength training is an excellent idea to work into your game plan and can only benefit you.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    ok, so i have been on this consistant roller coaster of trying to loose weight, of trying to get fit, of trying to change my eating habbits, and lets just say i fall down a LOT, but i want to say i get UP even more! i am not trying to just lose weight. i want every muscle in my body DEFINED and TIGHT. i LOVE intense workouts, but when it comes to the lifting, i feel, in my heart, that lifting HEAVY is the only way to go! thats where i FEEL the burn. where i FEEL the soreness after. and my body is STARVING after. but i am a girl, i still have about 25-30lbs to loose and lately i have fluctuated between 5 lbs up and down UNABLE TO LOSE! ugghhh so frustrated!

    i guess my biggest question is can i/should i LIFT HEAVY and still lose? the last thing i want to do is gain! i see super hot LEAN &THIN women who lift HEAVY, but they are at their maintance level so i get that. i still have quite a lot to lose and i dont want to build muscle over fat that needs to be gone<
    that is possible right?

    HELP PLEASE!!!
    thx

    It depends how you fuel. You have to eat to gain muscle mass, unless you're starting quite over weight. Trust me, I've been trying to gain and haven't been eating enough, it's been really discouraging. Also remember, the most important part of your fitness isn't necessarily on the scale, the scale is just one of many tools that can be used to measure your fitness. I use calipers and a measuring tape.

    You can build muscle under fat, and the more of that there is the more fat will burn.
  • crystalmichelle82
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    I am currently lifting heavy b/c i dont wanna be scrawny or boney. i want to build muscle and Chalene Johnson (in my DVD's) says to go heavy or go home, lol :smile:
  • patssarah
    patssarah Posts: 146 Member
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    I HATE the scale, its really a horrible thing to rely on to show results. The mirror, the way your clothes fit, measurements, those are much better ways of seeing results!!
    Keep lifting heavy if thats what you like!! Unfortunately muscle hold about 3x more water than fat, so most people with muscle will weigh more than a skinny soft person.
    But your clothes will look and fit better, muscles are healthy, sexy, and well worth the extra few pounds!

    Everybody is different, you will need to play with your meals and calories to create a plan that works perfect for you!
    With lifting your body needs protein at every meal! And you will need more calories than a sedentary person because your body burns more throughout the day (even on your rest days)
    I say lift heavy, dont forget your rest days, get plenty of sleep and protein!! and you should start seeing some serious results if you stick to a plan that works for you. Give it some time though, results DO NOT come over night, it could take weeks for a scale loss, but you could be losing inches and burning body fat w/o seeing any loss on the scale, but you will see results in the tape measure, body calipers and the way your clothes fit! I promise!!
  • sportsforfun
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    In order to gain, you must be eating at a surplus so as long as you continue to watch your diet and eat below your maintenance calories you should be able to lose the dreaded lbs of fat.Heavy lifting will actually help 'tone' your muscles while you lose the fat. Keep cardio as part of your routine though as it definitely speeds the process of losing lbs of fat. If cardio tends to bore you, try using High Intensity Interval Training a few times a week as part of your cardio routine to not get into the usual drool of cardio boredom.
  • ambermichon
    ambermichon Posts: 404 Member
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    I lift heavy and am still losing. So its probably more diet related than the fact that you are lifting heavy since muscle will help to burn fat even when you are at rest. I am starving as well after I lift heavy but I still always stay within my allotted calories and I am still losing weight. :-)
  • SweetStrawberry
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    I am currently lifting heavy b/c i dont wanna be scrawny or boney. i want to build muscle and Chalene Johnson (in my DVD's) says to go heavy or go home, lol :smile:

    I like that Modo! Thats why i've increased my weight to 8lb dumbells instead of 5 and let me tell you I feel the burn!!! I love it!!!!!!!!!
  • Fight2bFiT
    Fight2bFiT Posts: 48 Member
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    THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR RESPONSES! you all have really helped!
  • jeffwaller3
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    Yes, weight lifting is a very crucial part in losing fat and in turn losing weight. Remember that lifting cannot do it alone. You must also be on a diet.