Is strength training slowing my loss?

[shizwiz 197]

I am right about 3 months post-op (Sleeved 01/16/15) and have been pretty steadily losing. Very slowly, but slowly is more than none- so I will take it!

I am wondering if my workout routine (mainly my strength training) is slowing my loss by building muscle? I've heard that muscle is heavier than fat, is that true?

My stats:

SW: 285

Surgery day: 271

CW: 238.2

Here is my routine- let me know what you think:

1. I go to the gym 3-4 times per week

2. One mile on the treadmill with incline intervals; For .2 miles I get up to 3.4 mph. Then every .05 miles, I increase the incline by 2, up to 8. Then, at 8, every .05 miles I go back down by 2 and work up a good sweat and heart rate. For the last .05 miles of my mile, I cool down. This takes me about 20 minutes max. (I speed walk)

3. Bench Press machine (seated) 3 sets of 10 at 80lbs (I worked up from 40 to 80 over the last few months)

4. Lat Pull Downs 3 sets of 10 at 70 lbs

5. Leg Press machine - 3 sets of 10 at 80-100 lbs (depending on how it feels)

6. Weighted crunch machine - 3 sets of 10 at 80lbs

7. If time allows; rowing machine 3 sets of 10 at 50 lbs

I have been working on my arms as they are quite flabby. My legs are naturally muscular (thanks pre-school soccer!) but I do work on them here and there.

Is my muscle buiding slowing my loss?

Any input appreciated!

[James Marusek 5,244]

Personally, I don't think so. You are using your muscles (which is good) but not to excess. If you were performing strenuous weight lifting for example 200 or 300 pounds, that may be a different story.

Muscle does weigh more than fat. When I was younger in my 20s, I started exercising to lose some weight. Over a few months I built myself to walking or slow jogging around 10 miles a day. Instead of losing weight I started gaining weight. That was an example of gaining weight by building muscle.

I had a RNY operation and my weight fell very quickly after surgery and then leveled off. It appears that those who have the sleeve lose weight at a slower rate but they lose their weight over a longer period of time. So both surgeries may result in comparable weight loss figures.

I would recommend that you just keep on doing the exercise you are doing. It looks good to me.

[shizwiz 197]

@@James Marusek Thank you! I think I am just over-thinking it and need to stop looking at other people and comparing Your reassurance helped!!! Ciao!

[AvaFern 3,516]

Muscle does not weigh more than fat- a pound of fat is the same physical weight as a pound of muscle, however a pound of muscle is denser, so if you are more muscular you can weigh more and look smaller than a person who is less muscular but actually weighs less. For example, a friend of mine started training at CrossFit...she went from 115 to 145 and yet she wears exactly the same size as she did at 115, but she looks far better.

That being said, strength training is never going to hurt you. I personally chose not to do strength training until I was at goal because I know that I build muscle quickly and I would have never hit 129 if I was training with weights. I stuck to running, boxing, and mostly cardio related workouts because I know that the number on the scale is important to me and if I was muscular I would never get there. That being said..I am now skinny fat. If I was 129 and muscular I would look hot, but I'm 129 with very few muscles, so I look like a skinny little girl who needs to go lift some weights. At this point, I will probably drop another 5-10 pounds and then work on building muscle. The number on the scale is more important to me right this second than if I am as strong as I used to be. If I had focused on building muscle, which I had done plenty of times in the past, I am 100% sure I would have topped out a loss at around 160-165. My body likes muscle, if I look at a bench press my shoulders get bigger, forget about my mailman calves and giant thighs. I knew I needed to first lose most of the fat, hit my goal weight, and then focus on building muscle, or that goal weight was never going to happen.

So, I say you keep doing what you're doing if that form of working out makes you feel good. The more muscle you have, the more fat it burns. It is certainly making you healthy and while depending on your body type you may end up weighing more than you would have if you had not lifted, ultimately you will still be strong and healthy, so the rational person (unlike me) should judge their appearance based on how they feel and how clothes fit- not by the number on the scale.

Edited April 10, 2015 by AvaFern

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I don't think so but I know I want to be strong so if it means I will lose at a slower rate, I'll take that swap.

[Luvin_Life125 558]

I am in a similar situation and losing slower than I would expect. However, my surgeon's office is thrilled with my progress. At my last body compositin analysis every pound I have lost has been fat and I haven't lost any muscle mass since surgery. The PT was amazed and said that rarely ever happens. So keep up the great work in the gym and know you are doing your body changes the right way!

[Veronica Page 488]

Actually having muscle is much better since muscle burns fat better. I'm proud of you and you are doing an awesome job. Keep up the awesome weight loss. I'm losing the same way. It was faster before the strength training with my trainer but it is better for you body and you will be pleased that you did so.

[swimbikerun 1,038]

Keep working out. Something is better than nothing. Building muscle is only going to help you, not hurt you.

[shizwiz 197]

Thanks ya'll!!! Your words make me feel SO much better for doing what I am doing!!! I was close to just cutting back to cardio; but I think I will continue on with my Arnold Schwarzenegger training

Sorry for the late kudos; I killed my hard drive earlier this week :/ YAY!

[Rovobay 920]

gaining muscle is a good thing! muscle is denser than fat. you'll likely notice that as you may not be losing weight as fast as you would like, your clothes fit different, you feel different (all in a good way). that increased muscle mass will burn calories as you rest. those muscles will feed on your fat. your routine looks great. keep up the heart rate and push yourself a little further every time. keep it up!!!

[KingMoose 238]

Yes lifting will slow the weight loss on the scale, but, in the process you are building muscle and burning way more fat than you would with cardio alone. If you are worried start taking measurements of your neck, bust, hips, waist, arms (both upper and forearm), wrist, and thighs. That will give you a more complete picture of your progress.

1lb of fat weighs the same as 1lb of muscle just as a ton of bricks weighs the same as a ton of feathers. The difference is muse just as bricks take less to add up. Whereas it takes a lot more feathers and fat to make the same amount. That is why somebody who is 259 with 30% body fat looks so different than a person the same weight that has 10% body fat. So keep lifting and build up that muscle it will pat off in the end.

[NewSetOfCurves 1,553]

The two previous poster are right. Muscle IS denser than fat and if takes up a lot less space; and the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn! Muscle gives a woman sexy curves. Many women think that they will get bulky and look like a body builder. That is simply NOT true! That type of physique takes a lot of work, lots of calories, Protein, supplements, and awesome genes. I hit goal this past September, but I have really upped my weight lifting regimen since then; and even though I weigh the same today, I am two sizes smaller! Keep it up. Read and inform yourself about various weight lifting regimens and routines. Change it up. Shock your muscles. Increase your weight. Never allow your routine to become stagnant. You are off to GREAT start. Don't stop and I promise you will not regret it!!!

[Zoey716 98]

A pound of fat is the same weight as a pound of muscle. The difference is muscle is LEANER than fat. Therefore, even if you don't see the scale moving very quickly - you will see a difference in your clothing. Be patient with this process. ALSO, when weight training, you will continue to burn calories far longer through out the day

I have been weight training - Crossfit - since 5 months post op, and I can honestly say its one of the BEST things I could have done for myself. I have seen a HUGE difference in strength, mobility and endurance.

Make sure you are getting in your Protein (good, lean, organic/grassfed meat), magnesium, and getting in your Water. Watch your carb intake. All of these things together, with your weight training will show results.

Wishing you the best, and if you have any questions please feel free to shoot me a message. I have a degree in Health and Wellness and would love to share/help if I can.

[shizwiz 197]

Ya'll are awesome! I think you have some excellent points; because I feel a heck of a lot stronger and am getting smaller inch wise but the scale is slow. I just got back from a week at Disney World; it was tough hitting the gym when I got back but worth it!!!

I am going to keep up my Hanz and Franz routine and get strong and fit (and skinny!) all at the same time. I think I am killing two birds with one stone by going slower

Thanks again! All of the feedback really solidified my option to keep up with the strength training instead of going back to just cardio.

[blashlee 509]

Your weight loss on the scale could be slowing because muscle weighs more than fat. But you're likely still losing mass. You should take monthly body measurements instead of just relying on the scale. I measure once a month and it gives me relief to see how those numbers change when I don't see what I was hoping to see on the scale.