How does weight lifting effect weight loss?

[HamuChan 0]

I have been working out now 5 days a week for 3 weeks. My workout does include weight training. I have not lost a pound in 7 days and I have been watching my diet. In fact my weight may have even gone up a little. I am really depressed about this and am wondering if my weight training could be stalling my weight loss. I thought weight training may slow my weight loss but not reverse it. Does anyone know exactly how the weight training effects weightloss?

[Wheetsin 714]

A cup of muscle weighs more than a cup of fat. When you're starting to build muscle, it's easy to go through a period of not losing weight because the fat weight is being replaced (and sometimes added to!) by muscle weight. But remember that fat does not equal weight, and gaining weight does not mean you're fatter.

Does anyone know exactly how the weight training effects weightloss?

Do you mean the process? Long story short - muscle needs calories. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn. This is why bodybuilders can eat thousands of calories a day and maintain insanely low body fat percentages. If you maintain a healthy or restricted caloris intake, and bulk up for muscle mass, you will burn (at rested state) more calories than before the muscle was added. Burning more calories than you're eating = breaking down fatty reserves to "fill in the gaps".

That's WAY simplified.

[Jachut 487]

One thing I've learned is that exercise does work, but it takes longer than you expect, and certainly for the average person, longer than what you read it will take, to show. You're not going to show appreciable gains from lifting weights in just 3 weeks, six months however will really prove to you that its been worthwhile.

At a micro level though you will be gaining muscle and that can affect your weight. But weight lifting itself doesnt burn a lot of calories so wont show a fast reduction in weight, over time though of course you would know that the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn.

Cardio can show a difference in weight quite quickly due to the calories burned, but you have to work freaking hard at it. For many people, to expend huge calories running, they just get hungrier and eat more and the weight change is negligable.

Stick at it! It will so pay off over a longer time, its just a bit soon to see any results yet.

[LapBandit 5]

These ladies are right. The other thing I'd add is that over-exercising can be counter productive. My trainer said no more than 3 weight training sessions and 3 cardio sessions per week. So, I exercise every day for an hour but alternate between weight days and cardio days. Plus at least one day is a pure rest day with one other possible day of rest if I feel over-worked.

[tonya66 13]

The more muscle you have, the more calories your body is able to burn. It is amazing how much a difference muscle can do. Below is a link of one of my best friends who did a 12 week body for life challenge. She only lost 20 lbs, but gained muscle and the difference in her body is amazing. She also won 1st place in her age division and won $40K. So it was a sweet victory for her. You have to scroll down to see her after picture.

http://www.bodyforlife-tracker.com/showphotos.cfm?id=15910

[Kat817 19]

My DH and I lift light free weights every other evening. We have not been doing it for very long--6-8 weeks I'd say--and I had already hit a plateau, so I do not blame the lifting for it!!! BUT---when we began, that, my inches began to shift again, and while I did not lose a single pound in over a month, I did lose 6 inches. We do our bicep curls and hand weights while on a balance ball--and we end up doing a lot of laughing---it has been a good thing for us. I feel like I see a difference. The scale has begun inching down again---but as much as I like seeing the numbers go down---if I can be healthy and look good---I'll be happy. I hope the weight lifting will tighten up some problem areas...arms etc. If it does, great, if not---I'll have had good quality time with DH, and some well earned muscle won't hurt me at any rate!!!

Good Luck---hope your scale wakes up soon!!! I was told going into the banding, that the question is not IF you will hit a plateau, it is WHEN will I hit it....maybe you are there. If that's it, relax, follow your eating plan, and let your body adjust I guess, it will pass!!!

Kat

[marys 2]

Everyone has given good comments,suggestions, etc. and all I wanted to add is when I weight trained seriously I weighed more but wore 3 sizes smaller then before weight training. Granted, I trained a lot and heavy but I didn't look like a 'body builder' i was cut and looked terrific. I would continue and go by clothes (maybe try a pair of tight pants on and try them on every week) - you will probably notice it more like that then on the scale. Weight training can really transform your body.

[Kaydotrn 1]

I agree with the previous postings and wanted to add my 2 cents. I have been increasing the weight and reps I am doing in my routine and have recently gained weight ::gasp::: it is less than a pound but I was really frustrated since I feel I am working so hard! That being said, I can feel differences in my body and my colarbones are starting to poke out, my shoulders look less round, my tummy is getting flatter, so I am trying to not put too much emphasis on what the stupid scale says!

Hang in there...muscle is a metabolically active piece of your body that will burn those calories after you finish your workout. Work it until it is fatigues and then give it a rest!

[Wheetsin 714]

Katydotrn - especially with an increase in weight and reps, your weight gain was probably new muscle mass. Formation of muscle mass is a little more straightforward than fat loss. You damage the msucle, new muscle comes in place. It happens, period. Breaking down and metabolizing fat reserves, and then getting that change accurately reflected on the scale, is a much more mysterious (aka random) beast.

[DevilMayKare 1]

These ladies are right. The other thing I'd add is that over-exercising can be counter productive. My trainer said no more than 3 weight training sessions and 3 cardio sessions per week.

Well, hate to contradict your trainer, but I do not agree with this. Aerobics 3x per week may be a good place to start but I think most people who have lost a lot work out more than that--aerobically. For me to keep losing consistently my workout schedule is usually 1 hour of cardio 6x per week with an additional hour of weight-training 3x per week. After I finally accepted that that is what it takes for me I read Oprah's workout week and that is pretty much her schedule does as well.

But... I WISH 3 sessions a week were all it took!

[Jachut 487]

Me too! Most people get a LOT better results weight loss wise from more cario than that - but body building wise, too much cardio is counter productive. It depends what you're trying to achieve.

[ser123 0]

Cardio is an entirely different animal than weight training. Six times a week cardio is fine. Six times a week on weight training, if it is the same body part, is not fine. A muscle requires 48-72 hours of recovery in order to heal and form new and stronger muscle, as Wheetsin stated above. If you are weight training, I think 3x a week with a day off in between is better than 6x a weeek.

Everyone has really good suggestions. If you were working with a trainer, they probably would not measure your body fat, redo any time trials/lactate threshold tests with cardio workouts, do any strength testing, or take any circmference measurements for at least 6 weeks.

Also, I would like to point out that to build muscle AND lose weight at the same time is a kind of contradictory process metabolically. Bodybuilders cycle their workouts and eat a ton of food on the gaining cycle, THEN they go into a cutting cycle right before the competition. They DO NOT maintain 3% body fat during the training season.

As for the process of weight training, or cardio training... it is really really really really really unrealistic to expect a change in 7 days. If you were to gain 20 lbs of muscle in A YEAR, that would be a HUGE amount of muscle. You are not going to be gaining a pound of muscle in 7 days. Unless you are taking steroids, and even then that would be exceptional.

People often get frustrated when they begin a workout program. Often, a new work out program is a random series of events spliced together with no real idea of what to do or how to do it. There is a lot of information and "expert" advice that does nothing except muddy the Water.

Hamchu, I know you have been really consistent and posting a lot about what you have been doing at the gym. It is a trial and error process and you constantly will learn new things about your body and fitness principles in general if you keep at it. Don't give up! In the end, if you make it to the gym regularly and do EVERYTHING wrong, you will be miles and miles ahead of where you would be if you stayed home and sat on the couch.

[jqpublic 1]

weight lifting is great for weight loss, you can build or tone with weights they are great for burning fat. if you need help please ask I have all kinds of books. Carideo and weight training is the best for fast weight loss.

lots of reps less weight! Good luck! John

[puddin 7]

I know that my resting metabolism increased by 200 calories a day in the last 12 weeks I worked with a personal trainer doing weight training 3 days a week. What an amazing benefit!

[Iulizbug 0]

I do cardio 4 x a week and weight training 1 or 2 times and have been doing that for the past 3 months to maintain my weight. I notice when I don't lift weights my metabolism slows and I start gaining weight. I didn't really start noticing my muscles growing until I got to my goal weight and had lost most of the fat that I had wanted to. It can be super frustrating when you are losing weight to not see your results as visibly but keep at it--weight training really does pay off!!

~Liz~

03/10/06

241/156/160

5'8''