Weight and Resistance Training - Weight difference you have noticed lifting?

OK, this time when I lost weight I have noticed that at 198 pounds I look more like I did when I was 180.

Is that becuase I am lifting some and exercising to lose weight instead of just dieting this time to lose the weight? I notice I am getting very toned already too, despite still weighing about 198 at 5'8".

Has anyone else noticed this happening? Like I think I heard of someone weighting in the 160's and being able to wear a size 6! Does this really happen? :)

Hi kierr!

I walk, do cardio, and also do weight training. I also do yoga. All these except walking are new to me in the last year. I had dieted before but never really exercised other than run after my two boys and play with them (swim, baseball, basketball, ride bikes etc.). After reading a lot about diet vs. diet PLUS exercise, I knew that the exercise piece was what I needed to do to get these accumulated pounds OFF!

I DEFINITELY agree with you that exercise/weight lifting allows you to look MUCH smaller than just dieting alone! I also have been able to lower my BMI considerably since I have been doing all the exercise. I have come down four sizes since I lost the fifty pounds. At this rate, by the time I lose my last fifty pounds, I SHOULD be down another four sizes. That would place me two sizes SMALLER than I wore at my wedding but the SAME WEIGHT as I was at my wedding. (My goal is to weigh what I weighed at my own wedding on my oldest son's wedding day next August.)

Now I know that there have been some changes in cut and size of clothing over the years, and what WAS a size 10 years ago may not be what a size 10 is today. Regardless of all that, I truly believe that I have gotten more firm and actually take up less space on the planet because of my exercise routine. Weights have helped as well as the other activities. I wish I would have incorporated more exercise into my daily plan sooner, but I guess it's not to late to teach an old dog a few new "tricks!"

Good luck on your plan! Sounds like it's a good one!

Cheryl

Hi Kierr, congrats on your loss! I am about your size to start, and when I got down to 190 b/w baby 1 and 2, I was wearing a 12/14, so using a rule of approx. 1 size down for every 10 lbs lost, yes, I think the example you gave would be realistic. I was walking a TON on my last venture, plus circuit training, and making good eating choices (altho I would not call it clean, bc I still went out to eat and had my favorites foods, but in moderation). This time I am using a freeweight routine and working every major muscle group instead of just some, so I am really excited to see what size I will be by the time I get back down to your size again.

Absolutely! When I first hit my goal weight almost 5 years ago, I was doing a lot of cardio, circuit training, and playing tennis. I was thrilled with the number on the scale, but not quite as thrilled with the body I saw in the mirror. I wore between a size 6 and 8. A friend introduced me to a bodybuilder and personal trainer. When I started with him, my body was 27% fat. Three months of HEAVY weight training, continued good nutrition and cardio, and my body fat was 20%, my scale weight the SAME, and I fit comfortably into size 4 jeans. Years of continuing the lifestyle have given me more muscle, less fat, a lower body fat %, and a lower number on the scale.

Why? an equivalent poundage of muscle takes up less space than the same poundage of fat. Muscle isn't "heavier" than fat- it just takes up less space.

Mel

i was watching FitDoctor the other day on Fit channel and he had in one hand what was equal to 5 lbs of fat and in the other 5 lbs of muscle. i couldnt believe the difference in size of the two replicas!!!! i was like holy cow batman!!

oh and sorry for jumping in...but i just recently started back on weight lifting and have been nosing around in here!!! HI!!

Hi JuneBug! :wave: Isn't it amazing? Have you ever seen this pic of five pounds of fat and five pounds of muscle?

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/megheinz/muscles.jpg

Kinda makes me want to go work out! :strong:

Ah, you beat me to it, Meg! I was trying to post that :dizzy:

Mel

Hi JuneBug! :wave: Isn't it amazing? Have you ever seen this pic of five pounds of fat and five pounds of muscle?

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/megheinz/muscles.jpg

Kinda makes me want to go work out! :strong:
thats EXACTLY what that doctor was holding up!!! :o :o :o

its completely crazy!!!

Thanks for the replies! So I am not crazy, at least not about this! :) I'll keep hitting the weights!

Three months of HEAVY weight training, continued good nutrition and cardio, and my body fat was 20%, my scale weight the SAME, and I fit comfortably into size 4 jeans. Years of continuing the lifestyle have given me more muscle, less fat, a lower body fat %, and a lower number on the scale.

Mel, could you elaborate on what you did to lose 7% bodyfat in three months? How heavy is HEAVY?

I've been a bit disappointed with my body fat reduction since I started working seriously on weight lifting (only a bit over 1% in over 6 months). Should one get to goal weight (I've got 6 lbs. to make my "high" weight goal, but 14 for my desired goal of 100 lbs. lost) before worrying about body fat reduction? I work with a trainer, and since my principal goals were to lose the weight and get stronger, maybe it's time to re-evaluate where I want to be. When I discovered how much my trainer weighs, I was pretty floored. She looks so tiny in her clothes, and she said most people think she weighs about 110 lbs., but she weighs 136.