Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

[Chasin2Kids]

I started at 149 and am currently at 137. Here's my question. When you start gaining muscle and the scale will show a weight gain (since the scale can't decipher between fat and muscle and everything else)...how is it that you get down to your goal weight (in my case of 125)? I've never been good at math...so I'm hoping someone can explain to me how this works. I know that you continue to lose inches even if you are gaining muscle. So let's say at 137, next time I step on the scale the scale says 139 (but I'm losing inches, so I assume its muscle that's making the numbers)...do things even out and you eventually start losing on the scale? I'm not a slave to the scale, I only weigh twice a month. I jsut thought I would ask, is my goal weight of 125 not going to happen if I'm gaining muscle, or do I still understand math about as well as I did in 5th grade??

[julirama723]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

Muscle is an active tissue, meaning your body burns calories just to maintain it. I can't remember the exact number, but a pound of muscle burns like...50 calories a day. So if you add muscle, you're burning more calories at rest than you are with that same pound of fat--fat is INACTIVE meaning it doesn't burn calories at all, it just sits there.

An increase in muscle, therefore, is an increase in metabolism. AND after you work out, cardio/strength training/whatever, in order to maintain your weight, you'd need to eat 110% of the calories burned. SO if you had a 500 calorie workout, you'd have to eat 550 calories to keep from losing weight.

THis is just the stuff that I know...there should be actual people who actually know a LOT about this stuff who can help you out more than I did...LOL

[Chasin2Kids]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

Thanks for the answer. I think the hardest thing about Atkins is all the math I'm encountering. Rungs, carbs...muscle vs, fat, percents...I feel like I'm back in school.

[Bren]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

Question! How did you pick your goal? Is it based on a chart?

I would suggest you use your body fat as a goal. When exercising you will be surprised how small you become, even if the scale is not friendly!

[Chasin2Kids]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

125 was what I weighed when we got married (I think) and its also right in the middle of where I should be for my height on Fitday. So that's what I went with.

[Bren]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

ok, next question! I AM A PAIN! lol lol lol

Where you working out when you got married?


and totally OT....... I love your avatar!

[Elizellen]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

Many people post that they are now able to wear smaller clothes at their current weight than they could at the same weight previously. So they often reassess their goal weight or use clothes size as their ideal goal size and forget what the scales say.

[Brook]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

I reached a point in fat loss and muscle gain that I had to throw my ideas about what my "goal" weight was out the window. For me to have gotten down to 135lbs, I'd have been straight up unhealthy and sick looking. The day I called goal again I was 148lbs (5'5.5" tall), and 17% body fat, which is very healthy by any standard.

Bottom line is that if your body is measuring up to your ideals and goals and the scale doesn't match it...ditch the scale

[Chasin2Kids]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

Ditch the scale! Ditch the scale!

It will be my new mantra!

Thanks ladies. You've been a big help!

How did the world get so scale obsessed anyway??

[soappedaler]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

I'm 47 and now weigh the same as I did in High School. 114 or thereabouts. But I am much leaner and wear a smaler size since I started weight training, not to an extreme but regularly. I have found that when I'm on Atkins I get leaner while working out with weights than when I was watching calories and fat. I think the protien helps build muscle.

[vmckelvie]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

Great Question!

I've been on Atkins for 40 days, but have only lost 11 pounds. I have not been impressed with my weight loss, and am a scale junkie (just cant resist stepping on them!) However, that said I have found out by doing Atkins (I went and got my Dr's support and full blood workups on the day I started) that I am insulin resistant and have PCOS - which is something I more than likely wouldnt have found out, if I didnt try the AWOL.

Ive also gone from exercising once or twice a week to a minimum of five times a week, not including all the places I now make myself walk too!

Ive actually gained inches, on both of my calfs and lower thighs and havent lost more than an inch of my biceps. I am doing weights aswell as cardio!

I have to assume, that this is muscle that I am gaining. I also know that my resting heart beat, which started in the 80's is now down to the low 70's. I'm fitter, and can do more cardio without feeling I am out of breath more often than not, though I'm doing HITT now, so yeah I sometimes feel like collapsing LOL!

My clothes size has dropped which to me is bloody amazing, and Ive gone from a size 18 to a comfy 16 and in total with my 40 days on the AWOL I have lost over 28" of wobbly fat.

Keep going!

[Chasin2Kids]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

Thanks for the inspiration!

[not2late]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

Bottom line is that if your body is measuring up to your ideals and goals and the scale doesn't match it...ditch the scale

Right on, Brook!

I went through a period where I lost no poundage, but lost dress sizes! So my body shrunk, but the scale didn't show a darned thing.

We have to rethink our diet terminology. Rather than focusing on 'weight' loss or pounds lost, we should be focusing on body fat loss.

[Condor]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

This is an interesting topic. I have been following the low carb Atkins WOL for ten or so years and have managed to maintain very successfully at around 140lbs. Two months ago I started doing pilates with one on one instruction twice a week. I have now gained 8lbs but have lost inches and am now almost down a whole dress size. Before Atkins this would have completely freeked me out and I would have just half starved myself to loose the 'new weight' It can be so hard to get out of the scale mentality and even today I can feel myself getting anxious at the slight weight gain even though my brain says the science is the proof (along with the change in clothes size). Anyway, the scales have been sent to the dump and I realise even as a long term successful low carber there are still lessons to be learned.

Happy Christmas everybody

[Elizellen]

Re: Losing weight vs. gaining muscle

Wow, Condor, 10 years on Atkins might be some kind of record

how long have you been on maintenance? I noticed in another post that you are originally from the UK, did you do Atkins over here then? I only heard about it in 2003 and wish I had discovered it many years earlier.