As some of you guys might remember from my earlier thread(s), I lost 100 lbs in a period of 1 year with just diet and cardio and started lifting since the last week of December 2011. I made a few beginner gains but right now I ain’t making muscle or strength gains at all, probably because I’ve been in a caloric deficit.
But right now I have about 35 lbs left to lose but I feel extremely hungry after each lifting session (especially LEGS) and I feel it’s hindering my ability to lose fat. I am thinking of stopping lifting for a few months (max 2-3) until I am lean enough to start a nice long and solid clean bulk with minimal fat gain.
Keep lifting, eat protein? I’d gotten stuck at about 70 lbs of weight loss, but now that I’m lifting again, weight is starting to come off. It’s pretty slow–1-2 lbs/week–but I think I’m gaining muscle. I’ve only been lifting 2.5 weeks though, so it’s early to tell how it works long term I guess. I was at 252 when I started again, down to 248 at yesterdays morning weigh in, and want to get back to 200. I’m trying to have either a biggish (like 5-6 oz) fish fillet or an egg white omelet after each session–something fairly satisfying with protein but not a ton of calories. I also weigh in right after I shower in the morning–same time, same basic conditions so I should be avoiding a lot of the random fluctuations you get through the day.
Second, your not going to make huge gains when dropping weight. But your still pretty new to lifting, you can still gain some even if your dropping weight. Make sure your getting your protein in.
Working out does not hurt your ability to lose fat. It is a stupid idea to try to lose weight without lifting weights, especially if your just “holding off on lifting” because you want to lose weight faster. If your not lifting your not giving your body reason to hold onto muscle, so yeah you’ll probably drop weight faster but some of it will be muscle. That won’t make you look better.
Your fairly new to lifting, keep pushing yourself in the weight room and keep working toward weight loss. I honestly don’t even understand the thought process behind not lifting because you want more weight loss. Not trying to be mean, but I don’t see how anyone can arrive at that conclusion.
In short, keep lifting. You’ll be much happier 2-3 months from now when you can finally start seeing definition in your muscles
Oh and im always really hungry after lifting, whether im gaining or losing weight. That doesn’t mean it’s hurting your fat loss. Maybe switch up your eating so you eat less throughout the day and eat more after working out. Like if you eat 1500 calories during the day before the workout then eat 700 calories after workout, switch it to something like 1200 calories before and 1000 calories after. That’s how I structure my eating since I know im going to be really hungry after.
It’s already been said, but not strongly enough I feel…
DO NOT STOP LIFTING. LIFTING IS NOT COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO FAT LOSS. As a matter of fact, it is very, very productive to fat loss. Burns a ton of calories (during and after workout), forces your body to hold onto muscle, improves metabolism so that you can continue losing fat, and you will look much better at the end of the fat loss than if you don’t lift. Fisch’s idea is good, plan your diet so that you can eat more after lifting.
But right now I have about 35 lbs left to lose but I feel extremely hungry after each lifting session (especially LEGS) and I feel it’s hindering my ability to lose fat.[/quote]
It will hinder your ability to lose WEIGHT, but not FAT. The more muscle you have, the easier it is to lose weight.
You don’t want to walk around looking like a stick figure anyway, do you?
Eat after lifting. Eat a lot. You can get away with a lot during that first hour after a hard lifting session.
The hour BEFORE is a good time to get most of your carbs in. Helps keep you fueled while lifting.
Thanks for your input, guys. I wrote this thread after a leg workout and was hungry as hell after training. Im going to lower the volume a bit (but keep the intensity high) and do more cardio.