Is it true that you gain muscle first and THEN the weightlos

mischa_12
mischa_12 Posts: 126 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm exercising everyday doing weights and cardio, plus eating a well balanced healthy diet...I suspect.

I can see that my stomach is getting flatter but I don't weigh any less on the scales. Is it true that you start to gain muscle and then the weightloss begins?
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Replies

  • Sipah
    Sipah Posts: 31 Member
    It would be great to get an answer to this as I have the same problem. I am eating under my calorie intake. I exercise every day or there abouts but no change in weight.
  • jessica_johnson2011
    jessica_johnson2011 Posts: 61 Member
    bump
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    No.

    Most likely water retention from exercising. It takes a lot of time, and a lot of calories to put on pounds of muscle. It doesn't happen by accident, or by mistake. You can't build muscle without knowing it.

    People that have muscular builds spend years working hard to look like they do, it doesn't happen by accident in a week while you're trying to lose weight. It's just water. Eventually it will go away once your body adjusts to the exercise.
  • cc11395
    cc11395 Posts: 121 Member
    Well - it's sort of true. The reality is that you lose fat by building lean muscle. So, if you are strength training and building the muscle, as the muscle gets stronger, you should see better results on the scale. For cardio, although great for your heart and indurance, it burns calories (not fat).

    Remember, it IS true that muscle weights more than fat.

    So, the bottom line is, keep doing what you are doing and you will eventually see the results on the scale that you see in the mirror!

    GREAT JOB!
  • bahacca
    bahacca Posts: 878 Member
    No-it isn't true. The body is a very complex machine and multiple things may be happening all at once, some not at all, etc given different circumstances. You are asking about WEIGHTloss. Weight can be any number of things-water stored in your muscles to help them heal, actual fat loss, loss of lean muscle mass, even the amount of food in your stomach/intestines can alter your WEIGHT at any given time. Here are a few articles to help you understand:
    http://bankshealth.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/weight-gain-with-new-exercise-programs/
    http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/scale_lies.htm
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    No - it depends on what your focus is.
    But very important point to keep in mind.

    1 - Diet is for weight loss.
    2 - Exercise is for body shaping and heart health, and can support #1, but can also hurt it.

    If you are feeding the workouts, then indeed you may be gaining muscle to support your level of activity while you lose fat too, so weight stays the same.

    If you stop pushing your self so hard, the muscle will be enough to support your level of activity, so just the fat loss will occur, and now weight will drop.

    You can also calm down on the workouts and lose weight first, making certain workouts easier at light weight.

    Just remember, if you selected a weight loss goal in your setup, your daily NET goal ALREADY has a deficit in it, whether you workout or not.
    That's why you are given credit for exercise, to eat it back, your treat for hard work. You still have a deficit.

    Don't shoot yourself in the metabolism by underfeeding yourself.

    Remember, if you eat 1200, and you exercise 1000, you just left your body 200 calories to work with. I hope that sounds scary, and you'll research what your BMR is (Tools - BMR calc) and what BMR means - http://www.shapefit.com/basal-metabolic-rate.html
  • bahacca
    bahacca Posts: 878 Member
    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGvoXn_m1Y_40bqRhj4coiEWKEQrjOjBKp_xtbi_Bz8QmmfZrvYA
  • ssweet1020
    ssweet1020 Posts: 39 Member
    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGvoXn_m1Y_40bqRhj4coiEWKEQrjOjBKp_xtbi_Bz8QmmfZrvYA


    Ugh everyone knows that a pound is a pound. But a 2 inch square of muscle weighs more than a 2 inch square of fat...so in that case YES, it does.
  • edinat
    edinat Posts: 159 Member
    bump
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    like others have pointed out, weight loss in terms of changes.on the scale comes mainly from reduction on calories exercise, especially strength and cardio intervals, helps make sure those losses are mainly from fat
    and that you dont losr muscle

    also if you're eating reduced calories, its very hard to gain muscle unless you are working out in specific ways (lifting heavy weights clse to you max and constantly pushing those maxes) and eating a specific way (high protein)
  • dancingdeer
    dancingdeer Posts: 373 Member
    bump
  • MissJay75
    MissJay75 Posts: 768 Member
    Be patient and give it a little time. It says you joined mfp just this month, so at most it's been a few weeks. Keep doing what you are doing, and the weight will come off. One suggestion is to measure your food carefully, consider getting a scale. There have been a lot of studies, and people tend to way overestimate their portions. If you think you are at a 500 calorie deficit, but you 'guessing' wrong, and really only at a 250 calorie deficit, it will take you 2 weeks to lose 1 pound, and you might not see it right away if you are retaining water.

    Keep your chin up, you can do this!
  • MrsSherrill
    MrsSherrill Posts: 58
    No-it isn't true. The body is a very complex machine and multiple things may be happening all at once, some not at all, etc given different circumstances. You are asking about WEIGHTloss. Weight can be any number of things-water stored in your muscles to help them heal, actual fat loss, loss of lean muscle mass, even the amount of food in your stomach/intestines can alter your WEIGHT at any given time. Here are a few articles to help you understand:
    http://bankshealth.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/weight-gain-with-new-exercise-programs/
    http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/scale_lies.htm

    OMG, thank you sooooo much for posting this. i just started a new workout and have gained 2lbs this week. didnt change anything other than the workout... i so needed this!!!!
  • sschoolfield
    sschoolfield Posts: 94
    Ahhh, the old weight of muscle vs the weight of fat debate rears it's head again....

    To say muscle does not weigh more than fat would be like saying steel does not weigh more than aluminum foil. Obviously a pound is a pound is a pound, but it takes a whole lot larger piece of aluminum foil to equal a pound than it does steel....therefore, steel weighs more than aluminum foil. By the same logic; muscle does weigh more than fat. I hate this debate, but just couldn't stop myself from weighing in on it this time.
  • Sipah
    Sipah Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks all for your input and advice.
  • mischa_12
    mischa_12 Posts: 126 Member
    im starting to lose all motivation :( i just dont know what else to do, i work my butt off with exercising and ive cut out dessert - my most favourite meal of the day...i miss chocolateee
  • JBott84
    JBott84 Posts: 268 Member
    Ahhh, the old weight of muscle vs the weight of fat debate rears it's head again....

    To say muscle does not weigh more than fat would be like saying steel does not weigh more than aluminum foil. Obviously a pound is a pound is a pound, but it takes a whole lot larger piece of aluminum foil to equal a pound than it does steel....therefore, steel weighs more than aluminum foil. By the same logic; muscle does weigh more than fat. I hate this debate, but just couldn't stop myself from weighing in on it this time.


    ^ Well Said :drinker:
  • Chipmaniac
    Chipmaniac Posts: 642 Member
    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGvoXn_m1Y_40bqRhj4coiEWKEQrjOjBKp_xtbi_Bz8QmmfZrvYA


    Ugh everyone knows that a pound is a pound. But a 2 inch square of muscle weighs more than a 2 inch square of fat...so in that case YES, it does.

    You are correct. However, some people think you can never say <item a> weighs more than <item b> without using the qualifier "by volume" even though it's obvious to just about everyone. Can you imagine having to say "Lead weighs more than feathers, by volume"?

    In honor of these pedantic people, I've vowed to add '..by volume' whenever possible so I don't have to hear the squawking.
  • Chester_1
    Chester_1 Posts: 26
    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGvoXn_m1Y_40bqRhj4coiEWKEQrjOjBKp_xtbi_Bz8QmmfZrvYA
    I think most people will understand "muscle weighs more than fat" to mean "a sample of muscle will be heavier than a sample of fat of the same volume." While the first phrase is technically incorrect, it's a lot less cumbersome than the second and nearly everyone will understand the writer's intent.
    A little unnecessary to correct semantics when the meaning is so easily understood, don't you think?
  • Chester_1
    Chester_1 Posts: 26
    im starting to lose all motivation :( i just dont know what else to do, i work my butt off with exercising and ive cut out dessert - my most favourite meal of the day...i miss chocolateee

    I wouldn't get discouraged just yet :smile: If you can see results on your body that's a sign that things are going well! My scale is moving, but my body looks the exact same. You'll see the numbers change in time.
  • sschoolfield
    sschoolfield Posts: 94
    I lost weight first and am now begining to focus more on toning and gaining muscle while I work on losing some more fat. Your results will depend on just how hard you are working out, what you are eating, etc. Don't focus too much on the scale, instead look for other ways to measure your success such as taking body measurements or taking pics every now and then and comparing them back to earlier shots. Keep up the good work and measurable success will come. Good luck.
  • Chipmaniac
    Chipmaniac Posts: 642 Member
    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGvoXn_m1Y_40bqRhj4coiEWKEQrjOjBKp_xtbi_Bz8QmmfZrvYA
    I think most people will understand "muscle weighs more than fat" to mean "a sample of muscle will be heavier than a sample of fat of the same volume." While the first phrase is technically incorrect, it's a lot less cumbersome than the second and nearly everyone will understand the writer's intent.
    A little unnecessary to correct semantics when the meaning is so easily understood, don't you think?

    Personally, I kind of like the notion that nothing can ever weigh more than anything else. It makes me wonder why bother losing weight since a pound of me weighs the same as a pound of Michael Phelps.
  • Chester_1
    Chester_1 Posts: 26
    Personally, I kind of like the notion that nothing can ever weigh more than anything else. It makes me wonder why bother losing weight since a pound of me weighs the same as a pound of Michael Phelps.
    I like the way you think!
  • jesusHchris
    jesusHchris Posts: 1,405 Member
    There will be a million different opinions on this, especially the "can you build muscle and burn fat at the same time" subject...

    I recommend researching all the viewpoints. This book is a great source of information:

    http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Health-Muscle-Authoritative-Building/dp/1579547699/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332134471&sr=1-1
  • tyrog11
    tyrog11 Posts: 35 Member
    Some great answers here so I am just chipping in.... I love that someone defined "weight loss" is fat loss. You can build muscle and lose no fat. They are two completely different parts of your body. Muscle doesn't "eat" the fat cells. Metabolism does. If you are eating right and your body needs more calories than you are providing it with your food consumption, your metabolism will take what is stored in the fat cells (like stored carbohydrates used for energy). One of the most frustrating parts of losing "weight" is when you are working out and watching the scale and not seeing the number results. Unless you are prepared for that, you should do what another poster suggested and lose the fat first, then work on building the muscle. That's how I did it. I watched the 90+ pounds melt off in 4 months with NO exercise...THEN (meaning now) I turned to exercise and muscle building combined with a healthy food lifestyle. The scale really doesn't move any more but I don't care because I can see the muscle building and see my running times improve day after day/week after week. If you are going to do both at the same time (lose fat and build muscle) throw the scale in the closet and get a tape measure. I saw a post earlier today that went something like...You lose fat in the kitchen and build muscle in the gym.
  • jesusHchris
    jesusHchris Posts: 1,405 Member
    A little unnecessary to correct semantics when the meaning is so easily understood, don't you think?

    Are you crazy? Correcting semantics, grammar, and spelling is probably the most funnest thing there is to do on the Internet. :)
  • downsizinghoss
    downsizinghoss Posts: 1,035 Member
    A little unnecessary to correct semantics when the meaning is so easily understood, don't you think?

    Are you crazy? Correcting semantics, grammar, and spelling is probably the most funnest thing there is to do on the Internet. :)

    I corrected a semantic once. It really pissed him off.
  • vanishingirl77
    vanishingirl77 Posts: 37
    A little unnecessary to correct semantics when the meaning is so easily understood, don't you think?

    Are you crazy? Correcting semantics, grammar, and spelling is probably the most funnest thing there is to do on the Internet. :)

    Most funnest. Haha!
  • aquasw16
    aquasw16 Posts: 342 Member
    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGvoXn_m1Y_40bqRhj4coiEWKEQrjOjBKp_xtbi_Bz8QmmfZrvYA

    But essentially that does mean that muscle weighs more than fat. If you have the same size of muscle and fat, the muscle will weigh more (yes because it is more dense, but it still weighs more) :)
  • Chipmaniac
    Chipmaniac Posts: 642 Member
    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is DENSER than fat.
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGvoXn_m1Y_40bqRhj4coiEWKEQrjOjBKp_xtbi_Bz8QmmfZrvYA

    But essentially that does mean that muscle weighs more than fat. If you have the same size of muscle and fat, the muscle will weigh more (yes because it is more dense, but it still weighs more) :)
    Stop making sense! It's funny that the picture posted which is often used to show that muscle and fat don't weigh the same is used to state the opposite.
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