Am I just wasting time by lifting?

[hovis]

I’ve been going to the gym for about 5 months now. The goal is to lose weight and become leaner. I’ve been pretty consistent with lifting 3 x a week, however my diet is lacking in ways. I eat a high protein diet, but I've been through many cycles of losing a few pounds and gaining them back through binge eating during these last few months. It's all leveled out to me maintaining my weight. I haven’t seen much change in my body since starting. My measurements are relatively the same as well. I’m 5’4 and about 150-155 lbs. Just wondering if I’m likely building muscle, but it’s hiding under fat, or if I’m just making little to no progress.

 

[garretfut]

@hovis Lifting and any physical activity for that matter never goes to waste. It has many benefits beyond weight loss that should be acknowledged. You are doing your body a huge service by moving around more.

Coming to physical changes:

1. Are you progressively overloading? Are you getting stronger? Do you feel any muscle on your body underneath the fat? - if yes, you are doing something right - even if you haven't lost fat, you have gained muscle which has improved your metabolism and will help you in the long term goal of fat loss.
2. What metrics are you using? Measurements and scale? Do your clothes fit different? Does your body feel lighter - get out of your own perception of your body and try to assess these objectively. Is there any muscle where you never had any? (Eg: I have lost inches and my clothes are loose but I have had not much scale weight changes. Plus I actually can feel my biceps when I flex - it is small but it is there. It didn't used to be there.)
3. Why are you binging? Is it psychological? If your calorie deficit value too restrictive? Are you cutting out major food groups? Because weight loss boils down to your food intake which is supported by your physical activity and gaining muscle. You need a sustainable deficit to actually have maintainable weight loss and to find the number you need some hit and trial.

 

[dawn16]

@hovis I mean, we need more details here. What’s your lifting routine like? Are you doing more high reps low weight or vice versa? Have you been increasing your weights over time? You said you’re high protein, but how much protein are you taking in consistently each day?

That being said, I’m sure you’re gaining some muscle, and based on your stats it’s probably hiding under some fat for sure. Might help to get a body composition scan to see what your bf % is and then revisit it in 90 days once you can really tighten down on your diet. You’re going to be able to lose the most body fat and gain the most muscle by being consistent with a small deficit in your diet.

 

[hovis]

@dawn16 I do PPL and progressive overload. Also training til failure

 

[dawn16]

@hovis Gotcha, what’s your daily protein intake?

 

[hovis]

@dawn16 About 90+ a day. Maybe it’s not as much as I’m thinking

 

[dawn16]

@hovis You should be shooting for 120g minimum in order to achieve hypertrophy.

 

[hovis]

@dawn16 I suppose. Thank you

 

[jaz2001]

@hovis “diet is lacking in ways”

“binge eating”

You’re absolutely not wasting time lifting, if you’re overloading like you mention in another comment. If you want to see changes in your body composition, you’ll need to tighten up your diet.

 

[gojira7]

@hovis

I eat a high protein diet, but I've been through many cycles of losing a few pounds and gaining them back through binge eating during these last few months.

You named your problem. You won't be able to see gains if you can't consistently maintain a plan. I'd start by looking at your meals when you're in a binge phase vs out of a binge phase. Are you eating things that you like when you're not binging? It's possible that your diet is unsustainable.

 

[hovis]

@gojira7 Wouldn’t that put me in a recomp though? I’m the same weight as I was 5 months ago. I’m not sure how this works

 

[gojira7]

@hovis You aren't in a body recomp if you aren't seeing changes through progress pictures and measurements. It sounds like you need to find ways to make your cut more enjoyable, because that will make your cut more doable over a significant enough amount of time to see progress.

 

[mastergen]

@hovis If you are not making visible progress lifting, it does not mean that you are wasting your time! It means that you need to train harder! Or that you are already past your noob gains and now you will improve slowly (which requires a lot of patience and dedication), but that is not your case, because you only trained for 5 months. But yes, if your goal is to become leaner, you need to lose body fat. The best things for that is eating less and cardio. Lifting is still good to maintain your muscle mass, etc, etc. Also once you lost body fat, the muscles you have will become more visible. But if your weight is not changing is unlikely that you lost that significant amount of fat, because it is not easy to put kgs of muscles in just 5 months.

 

[charles15]

@hovis Lifting has so many benefits for you beyond what you see on the outside. I absolutely sympathize with how you’re feeling - I’ve been lifting heavy and eating clean for about 5 months and I’ve only lost about 7lbs, but my body has certainly changed. Not quite as much as I wish it would, but I’ve seen the other changes. I was lifting equipment at work recently and was able to lift things up above my shoulders with ease. I can take several flights of stairs without being winded. My moods are better and I feel healthier.

It’s hard. It’s a lifestyle change that you have to commit and stick to in order to see the results. I encourage you to keep working at it and you will see the changes you want to see in due time

 

[mustang4christ]

@hovis I had a similar experience, weight stayed the same and actually went up about 5 pounds, lost a few inches in places but I could never clean up my diet to lose fat. Met my protein goal daily, logged my food, got my steps, strength training 3x a week. Never binged but just always ate a few too many calories every day to stay at maintenance.

I felt pretty energized and I think the strength training really helps us at a cellular level so no I don’t think it was time wasted. I wish I saw more physical progress but, it sparked a momentum with me that I want to stay active. I exercise to stay healthy and to at least maintain where I’m at now.

The past few weeks/months I’ve changed my eating due to some personal health reasons and I’ve been eating a little less. Instead of 3 one hour long lifting sessions I’m doing 4-6 30-40min strength exercises and running 2-3x a week, averaging 12k steps a day, and the scale has actually gone down a few pounds for the first time in ages. So who knows. Sometimes it takes a long time (I’m probably on years now) to find what works for you.

 

[gordon_b]

@hovis Most of 2023 I lost 0 lbs, I might have even gained 1-2 overall. I got into weight lifting consistently & tracking my protein intake. I lost a whole dress size. I wasn’t losing weight, but I was definitely transforming fat into muscle. Diet & protein is definitely key, so if that isn’t consistent, neither will your results. I was really consistent between March - August and saw great body recomp.

Do you think adding in another gym day might help and lifting 4x a week? Switching up your workouts somehow?

Also — weightlifting is extremely beneficially for non-cosmetic reasons. It is great for overall physical & mental health. So keep with it even if you aren’t seeing the results right now!

 

[rossylisy]

@hovis You are making progress. Give this time.

 

[dmhanson511]

@hovis This is me! I do weights for a hour 2x a week with a personal trainer so it’s a lot for me. I’ve seen great muscle gain fairly quickly but I’m 5’3” 160 lbs and I haven’t lost anything. I want to get back to 130-ish and lose body fat. I’ve been trying for a year and no luck - I’m good during the week but binge during date nights and end up maintaining week to week. I feel like I have good muscle it’s just under the fat and I guess with my diet I’m not losing fat. I wish I had advice but wishing you the best. I am adding cardio/hiit to increase the fat burning.