How long before I lose weight instead of build muscle?
MrsKosal
Posts: 415 Member
Everyone keeps telling me that due to my workouts, that right now I am building muscle instead of losing weight. But, I am not at a healthy weight right now. It would be different if I were close to goal, but I am not anywhere near my goal of 130-135. I've been hardcore at this for about 6 weeks now, have lost 3 lbs, and keep gaining and losing 2 of them. I've lost inches over the last few weeks, but its actually been 4 weeks since I had a loss on the scale. I see everyone around me losing all this weight and I am doing pretty intense workouts 6 days a week, at 1200 calories, and eating back my calories from working out as suggested. At what point do I actually start losing this weight?
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Replies
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You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.0
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I have found the same thing, however, I am losing inches slowly and people have noticed that I look healthier and a little more toned and asked me if I've lost weight. Honestly, sometimes I think that scales rule our world but I want to be healthy and toned. If that means I don't lose as much weight, but I lose inches, I think I'm fine with that. If the fat is being replaced by muscle, I'm fine with that. Don't lose heart - perhaps your doc could look at your food diary and suggest something different diet wise?0
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I have been learning that you need to eat way more than 1200 cals b/c your body thinks its starving & won't let go of the fat...Find Helloitsdan on here & he will help you with the numbers that you need in your diet....Send him
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/helloitsdan
Age
Height
Weight
BF%
Waist measurement.
I am sure that he won't mind helping you...He's great!!0 -
Im in the same boat! Plateau for about three months...lose a pound gain a pound! Sigh. But working out hard for me and eating well...and nothing. Im sure ive lost inches but grr...waiting for it to move down!0
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I have been learning that you need to eat way more than 1200 cals b/c your body thinks its starving & won't let go of the fat...Find Helloitsdan on here & he will help you with the numbers that you need in your diet....Send him
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/helloitsdan
Age
Height
Weight
BF%
Waist measurement.
I am sure that he won't mind helping you...He's great!!
How do u learn ur body fat %0 -
First off, congratulations on sticking with it despite not seeing the results you want!! It's so hard to continue on if you're not seeing the results on the scale. I am definately not an authority on this, but seeing as no one else has commented I'll let you know what i think The more muscle you put into your body, the higher your metabolism will go, so even after you finish working out your body will still keep burning calories. The way I think of it, is that it is easier to turn fat into muscle than it is to turn nothing into muscle......unless your goal is to be anorexic looking, you are going to want muscle tone and definition when you get to your goal weight. I think it is easier to put on a little muscle when you are heavier than once you have no fat to spare! You didn't say how much weight it is that you want to lose so I don't know if this applies or not, but I am 23 years old, and right now I weigh 138 and only plan on losing about 4 more lb. But the first week I was on here I gained 2 lb and was at 142. I was actually happy to see that number go up, simply because I know that regardless of what I weigh, I never want to be "skinny." I want to see muscle definition everywhere! No I don't want to be a bodybuilder, but I don't want to look like an anorexic dancer either. If you are losing inches but not yet the weight I am still so excited for you.....because once that weight does come off you aren't going to be one of those "hollow" looking people, you are going to have beautiful muscle definition under there! I don't know what you do for cardio, but I love Turbo Jam workouts as far as cardio goes.....they really do work.....my mom actually took them away from me when I was about 19 because I got so addicted I couldn't stop, and got down to about 126 lb, which was NOT a healthy weight for me! They tone a little too, but they also give you a HUGE calorie burn.0
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bump0
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haha, let me clarify...there were no comments when i started, but then it took me so long to respond that there were LOTS of comments by the time i hit post!0
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I have been learning that you need to eat way more than 1200 cals b/c your body thinks its starving & won't let go of the fat...Find Helloitsdan on here & he will help you with the numbers that you need in your diet....Send him
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/helloitsdan
Age
Height
Weight
BF%
Waist measurement.
I am sure that he won't mind helping you...He's great!!
How do u learn ur body fat %
http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-percentage-calculator0 -
I had this problem last year also. I used to workout 3-5X/week and didn't lose weight. So I added strength training and worked on my diet 2.5 weeks ago.
I noticed that the calories burned on MFP is almost double than actual calories bruned on my HRM. So if you are eating back your calories based on the MFP estimate, you maybe eating too much. There are days that I just cannot eat anymore because I am already satiated.
I do cardio for 45-60 min (90 if I have time) 5X/week, lift weights 2X/week and work on clean healthy eating. The strength training really kickup my weightloss faster than I thought. I am lost 9lb in a short time and I believe it is from cardio, stregth training and diet. For me, it has to be all three.
good luck!0 -
I agree with the folks who say don't let the scale tell you how much progress you are making. You need to trust your body and realize that every good habit you develop and every time you exercise, you are doings something good. We all want to be able to say "I lost 10 (or 20 or 100) pounds!" because that's how society values your health, your jeans size. Don't accept that as the full picture.
I am in a similar position, where I started to modify my diet in January, then added in working out in February. in 2.5 months, I've lost about 10 lbs, which I was a little depressed about because I've been working really hard...however, I've lost 27 inches all over my body-including 5 at my waist, dropped down a little more than a clothing size and am SO much stronger than I was before. That's what is a real improvement. I am sure, if you think about it, your body is showing you improvement also. If you're not all ready tracking your body measurements, you really should. Having that positive number to hold onto will help you let go of the scale number being your end all.0 -
I have been learning that you need to eat way more than 1200 cals b/c your body thinks its starving & won't let go of the fat...Find Helloitsdan on here & he will help you with the numbers that you need in your diet....Send him
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/helloitsdan
Age
Height
Weight
BF%
Waist measurement.
I am sure that he won't mind helping you...He's great!!
How do u learn ur body fat %
http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-percentage-calculator
32.11 % using the U.S. Navy body fat algorithm, or 40.00 % using the formula developed by the YMCA. ..which on do i go by?0 -
Wonders how those can be my bf% when i feel like im way fatter then the avarage person with those measurements! I have alot of extra skin too!0
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Cool i figured out my numbers! Woohoo! Im supposed to eat 1466 not 1220! And like 2100 with how active i am! Wow madness!0
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I don't know the answer to this but I can tell you my expereince.
Last year when I was going to zumba 3-5x a week I went through about 6 weeks without losing a single lb! I did however go down a pants size or even 2!
I know that it is hard to look and the scale and not see a change but I promise, if you stick with it and clean up your diet a little, IT WILL MELT OFF!!!!!!!
Unfortunantly you and I have the same issue, an accumulation in the midsection. I don't know about you but it seems like the fat wants to hang out there and it is the LAST place I lose at
Stick with your bootcamp and those classes you are doing and I bet the inches and the lbs start to melt away.0 -
You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.
Agreed. You aren't building muscle, you are retaining water.0 -
Honestly, sometimes I think that scales rule our world but I want to be healthy and toned. If that means I don't lose as much weight, but I lose inches, I think I'm fine with that.
DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!
We have a winner Bob! This may be the best thing you'll read on these forums all day.0 -
Thanks everyone! I am going to check the BF site you posted too. I've been using a HRM to calculate my calories too, since MFP was way overestimating them for me. I appreciate all of the advice. It's just hard to not obsess with the scale. I need to just hide it.0
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I started lifting heavy , eating right and doing cardio almost daily. I lost 2 lbs in a month! Needless to say I was really discouraged, until I went clothes shopping and found I went down a size. I still have about 30 lbs to lose, but as long as my clothes keep getting smaller I really don't care what the scale says.0
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You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.
Agreed. You aren't building muscle, you are retaining water.
From my personal experience, I don't agree. I have been lifting heavy for only 6 weeks and I can see a marked difference in my shoulders, chest, and especially my legs. There is definitely muscle there where there wasn't before. I have only lost 2 lbs in that time but have gone done a pants size. This at eating 1500-1800 calories a day.0 -
I noticed that the calories burned on MFP is almost double than actual calories bruned on my HRM. So if you are eating back your calories based on the MFP estimate, you maybe eating too much. There are days that I just cannot eat anymore because I am already satiated.
I also found that the MFP calories are way over the HRM calories. We all need to be careful about eating back the calories based on MFP.0 -
You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.
Agreed. You aren't building muscle, you are retaining water.
From my personal experience, I don't agree. I have been lifting heavy for only 6 weeks and I can see a marked difference in my shoulders, chest, and especially my legs. There is definitely muscle there where there wasn't before. I have only lost 2 lbs in that time but have gone done a pants size. This at eating 1500-1800 calories a day.
I agree! I am doing cardio and lifting. The trainers at my gym can see the muscle difference and they are the ones who told me I am gaining muscle. And I have lost inches. Just nothing really weight wise.0 -
Your body appears to be burning fat and turning it into muscle at a pretty equal rate, which is why you are losing inches, because 1 lb of muscle is way smaller than 1 lb of fat. So you should be proud, because you are getting healthier!! And the bigger percentage of muscles you have, the higher your basal metabolic rate is, because muscle eats more calories than fat. So that is good.
People who are losing "all this weight" probably aren't doing as "intense" of workouts as you. They either are burning fat AND muscle pretty quickly or just not building muscle as quickly as you are. Don't worry about comparing yourself to others! The more overweight you are the easier it is to lose the extra lbs. And rememeber, the goal should be to lose FAT, not just pounds, so you are already acheiving it. If you really want to lose weight, not caring if it is muscle or not, don't eat as much protein and don't work out, and stay under your caloric limit. Then your body will start eating your muscles and your fat at the same time. But I doubt you want to do that!
Indeed, be careful about "eating back" your calories burned, because as madameduffay said, MFP is a little generous with the amount of calories burned. It is good that you have a hrm.
Depending on how much your bmr is to start with, 1,200 may or may not be too much of calories for you to eat each day. I know MFP freaks out if you eat less than that, but for some people (say, under 5'), 1,200 may be too much. You should shoot for eating 80% of your BMR for weight loss, not just 1,200. So if your CURRENT bmr (as in, to stay at the same exact weight you are at the moment) is 1,700 you should be eating 1,360 to lose wieght healthily. If you are eating too few calories for all the working out you are doing you may be putting yourself into starvation mode, this is why it is important to judge your bmr accurately. And remember, Body Mass Index doesn't work for people who are super in shape, because it will think their extra muscle poundage is all fat. But I'm assuming you aren't at that point.
I suggest not to focus on the scale so much (I know it is super hard, I want to be at 130lbs too!) and just keep doing everything properly. Your body will right itself. My goal right now is to only work out as much to lose weight as I plan on continuing after I am at my goal weight. Because I don't want to go to all the hard work of putting on muscle if that isn't sustainable for me. My most important focus is to keep portion control and teaching myself to eat right, because that I need to continue after I reach my goal weight. It will come with time, don't get discouraged!!
So, in summation, JUST KEEP IT UP!!0 -
You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.
I disagree. You don't have to "eat a surplus" to build muscle! And lifting isn't the only way to build muscle. Hello, marathon runners? Do you think they aren't ripped with muscle?0 -
You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.
I disagree. You don't have to "eat a surplus" to build muscle! And lifting isn't the only way to build muscle. Hello, marathon runners? Do you think they aren't ripped with muscle?
Apples and oranges. Building muscle means growing new tissue, for which you need a surplus of cals. Marathon runners are so lean (i.e. have such low body fat) that you can see their muscles, which would be easily hidden were they not so lean.0 -
You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.
Agreed. You aren't building muscle, you are retaining water.
From my personal experience, I don't agree. I have been lifting heavy for only 6 weeks and I can see a marked difference in my shoulders, chest, and especially my legs. There is definitely muscle there where there wasn't before. I have only lost 2 lbs in that time but have gone done a pants size. This at eating 1500-1800 calories a day.
Is there new muscle there, or added fluid? How do you know?0 -
You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.
Agreed. You aren't building muscle, you are retaining water.
From my personal experience, I don't agree. I have been lifting heavy for only 6 weeks and I can see a marked difference in my shoulders, chest, and especially my legs. There is definitely muscle there where there wasn't before. I have only lost 2 lbs in that time but have gone done a pants size. This at eating 1500-1800 calories a day.
I agree! I am doing cardio and lifting. The trainers at my gym can see the muscle difference and they are the ones who told me I am gaining muscle. And I have lost inches. Just nothing really weight wise.
Again, what you perceive to be happening more than likely isn't what's actually happening.
That said, people brand new to lifting, or people significantly overweight can built a VERY small amount of new muscle on a deficit. But the gains are small and don't continue.0 -
Your body appears to be burning fat and turning it into muscle at a pretty equal rate, which is why you are losing inches, because 1 lb of muscle is way smaller than 1 lb of fat. So you should be proud, because you are getting healthier!! And the bigger percentage of muscles you have, the higher your basal metabolic rate is, because muscle eats more calories than fat. So that is good.
People who are losing "all this weight" probably aren't doing as "intense" of workouts as you. They either are burning fat AND muscle pretty quickly or just not building muscle as quickly as you are. Don't worry about comparing yourself to others! The more overweight you are the easier it is to lose the extra lbs. And rememeber, the goal should be to lose FAT, not just pounds, so you are already acheiving it. If you really want to lose weight, not caring if it is muscle or not, don't eat as much protein and don't work out, and stay under your caloric limit. Then your body will start eating your muscles and your fat at the same time. But I doubt you want to do that!
Indeed, be careful about "eating back" your calories burned, because as madameduffay said, MFP is a little generous with the amount of calories burned. It is good that you have a hrm.
Depending on how much your bmr is to start with, 1,200 may or may not be too much of calories for you to eat each day. I know MFP freaks out if you eat less than that, but for some people (say, under 5'), 1,200 may be too much. You should shoot for eating 80% of your BMR for weight loss, not just 1,200. So if your CURRENT bmr (as in, to stay at the same exact weight you are at the moment) is 1,700 you should be eating 1,360 to lose wieght healthily. If you are eating too few calories for all the working out you are doing you may be putting yourself into starvation mode, this is why it is important to judge your bmr accurately. And remember, Body Mass Index doesn't work for people who are super in shape, because it will think their extra muscle poundage is all fat. But I'm assuming you aren't at that point.
I suggest not to focus on the scale so much (I know it is super hard, I want to be at 130lbs too!) and just keep doing everything properly. Your body will right itself. My goal right now is to only work out as much to lose weight as I plan on continuing after I am at my goal weight. Because I don't want to go to all the hard work of putting on muscle if that isn't sustainable for me. My most important focus is to keep portion control and teaching myself to eat right, because that I need to continue after I reach my goal weight. It will come with time, don't get discouraged!!
So, in summation, JUST KEEP IT UP!!
Thank you so much! Everything you just said totally clicked for me. I really really appreciate it. I am going to check my BF% and see how that changes my caloric intake.0 -
I disagree. You don't have to "eat a surplus" to build muscle! And lifting isn't the only way to build muscle. Hello, marathon runners? Do you think they aren't ripped with muscle?
The amount you can gain while eating at a deficit is minimal without assistance. New lifters and obese people, and people returning to lifting have a bit of an edge however.
Also, marathon runners tend to have very low bodyfat but most of them do not have big muscles.0 -
where did you go to determine this calorie number? I have the same issue where the scale is not moving - and I lose inches but put them elsewhere - not exactly a great trade.0
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