Lose Muscle vs fat first?

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lornamarie57
lornamarie57 Posts: 31 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been working out and was suddenly forced to stop due to hypertension. I've been losing more rapidly since stopping working out than I had been before. Ideas whether I'm losing muscle or losing fat?

The working out I was doing wasn't crazy intense so its not like I was massively muscle building before stopping. I was weight lifting 2-3 times a week for 50 mins. I'm still walking daily but can't do the weight lifting till I see the doc for clearance.

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  • knotmel
    knotmel Posts: 80 Member
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    Depending on the time period, the increase is possibly due to water weight, rather than muscle or fat loss, since you've reduced activity. When I'm weight lifting, I carry some extra water that drops off when I stop.
  • lornamarie57
    lornamarie57 Posts: 31 Member
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    @knotmel - thanks for the response. water weight would be great news. I am glad I'm going down but it concerns me if I lose the hard earned muscle.
  • knotmel
    knotmel Posts: 80 Member
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    I get the fear, for sure! Good luck with your doctor's appointment--I hope you're cleared to resume training very quickly!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,997 Member
    edited July 2023
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    .
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,530 Member
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    You may shed a bit of water weight which your body adds while you're working out for repair. You may also shed a bit of water if your carbs intake has gone down a bit to reflect your lower activity.

    How fast are you losing? The faster you lose weight, not just water weight, the more likely it is to include muscle. You should keep your protein high to help mitigate that.

    The good news is, it won't take long to get any lost strength or muscle back.
  • collinsje1
    collinsje1 Posts: 54 Member
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    How much time has passed since you stopped working out? And how much weight are we talking?


    I know from personal experience when I was lifting, if I had to take a break for month or so, I would lose 8-12 pounds pretty rapidly. like over the course of 2-3 weeks. But then when I started lifting again it would come back seemingly overnight. So, I attribute that to water weight.

    I would be willing to bet that its mostly water weight.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,550 Member
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    From your posts elsewhere, I don’t think it’s been that long since you “began rest”.

    I get it. When I am out of town for two or three weeks, I have this insane fear I’ll forget how to lift or do yoga (particularly headstands). Or that I’ll get fat during that period, get winded easily, embarrass myself in the gym or a class. Or that I’ll lose all motivation and become a couch potato again.

    It’s your head screwing with you.

    I’ve been able to jump right back in, and usually stronger because I’ve had the rest.

    And for those things I fear, like resuming those headstands, benching, squatting, I make sure to do them immediately to get that fear out of the way. There’s a lot of truth to the old saw about getting back on the horse again.

    You’re going to be just fine. Work on finding and eliminating the root cause of the problem and don’t stress about the other.

    Hugs to you. I know you’re chomping at the bit!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,550 Member
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    And PS: props for the insatiable desire to get back at it. Did you ever in your life think you’d feel like that?

    Me, either. 😂
  • lornamarie57
    lornamarie57 Posts: 31 Member
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    Thanks everyong. @springlering62 - you're right, its only been since July 1st that I haven't been working out. I stopped when I did my trip and when I got back I found out about the BP. But since then I've lost about 6 pounds in 3 weeks and that's after a vacation I was pretty well just maintaining for a LONG time. I'm feeling stressed about the potential impact of this health blip on my weight loss. Its scary to think about losing my gains or to think about gaining back the weight. I've come so far! I'm on day 568 of all this!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,550 Member
    edited July 2023
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    You’re fine, sweetie.

    I soooo feel ya. You are so invested in not going back that you’ll be just fine.

    Have you talked to the doctor about what you can do? You’re able to start walking again some, right? You might make it clear to him that not being able to do anything is contributing to you blood pressure. It sure would for me. I’d be climbing the walls and snarling like a caged hyena.

    Any chance you’re on an Apple Watch have heart rate records to show them?

    Btw- and somebody call me out on this- could you have experienced one of those deep vein thrombosis things while traveling? Just a random thought.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,997 Member
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    LOL @springlering62 I started playing doctor in my post above, too. That's why I deleted it, didn't really want someone to call me out on it! (or to just say something that wouldn't be helpful. :lol: )


  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,550 Member
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    cmriverside wrote: »
    LOL @springlering62 I started playing doctor in my post above, too. That's why I deleted it, didn't really want someone to call me out on it! (or to just say something that wouldn't be helpful. :lol: )


    Humans are just compelled to offer advice, whether it’s nonsense or not. But she’s mentioned vacation several times in other posts. My feet swell badly on flights and I live in fear……

    We’re also susceptible to suggestion. 😖
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,565 Member
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    If it's been since just July 1st, then it's water weight. But over time when you lose weight, you lose muscle and fat. The amount of muscle you lose will be based on whether or not you're exercising those muscles and protein balance to keep them.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • allief6819
    allief6819 Posts: 3 Member
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    A pound of muscle also stores 700 calories compared to 3500 in a pound of fat. So when you stop working out you can lose weight and get fatter. if you lose say 2 pounds gain 5 pounds of fat lose 7 pounds of muscle you lost 2 pounds. But to do this you need a HUGE calorie surplus even though you lost weight. In my example you would have to eat an extra 12,600 calories to lose that 2 pounds. Its why you lose weight when you stop working out. At least I do.
  • rimcdave
    rimcdave Posts: 21 Member
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    lornamarie57 wrote: »
    I've been working out and was suddenly forced to stop due to hypertension. I've been losing more rapidly since stopping working out than I had been before. Ideas whether I'm losing muscle or losing fat?

    The working out I was doing wasn't crazy intense so its not like I was massively muscle building before stopping. I was weight lifting 2-3 times a week for 50 mins. I'm still walking daily but can't do the weight lifting till I see the doc for clearance.

    I had a serious illness and was unable to exercise and just barely eat for an entire year. I had BodPod measurements before and after I lost 100 pounds and the body composition readings showed that I lost equal amounts or lean muscle mass and body fat in pounds. I have always read that if you diet and not exercise you will loose as much muscle as fat and my case proved that true.

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