Lifting weights can be a great way to lose weight while getting toned. There may be times when you put a lot of work into your daily routine and don’t get the results you’re looking for. Today we’re here to explain why you’re weight training but not losing weight. The number on the scale is only part of the equation and doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not making any progress.
Why you don’t lose weight when you strength train
A common reason why the scale won’t budge when you’re seemingly doing everything right with your weight training routine is that you’re consuming more calories than you’re burning. “You can lose fat as long as you burn more calories than you take in,” explains Domenic Angelino, CPT with International Personal Training Academy (IPTA). “This means you don’t necessarily need to do a specific type of exercise to lose fat.”
Also, in any weight loss journey it is important to understand the difference between losing weight and losing fat. “When most people think of weight loss or weight gain on a scale, they think that automatically equals fat loss or fat gain,” Angelino points out. “This is not necessarily the case. The scale that you see is made up of all types of mass in your body. It can be affected by the amount of fat you have, the amount of muscle you have and even the amount of water you hold.”
Another culprit that prevents the scale from moving in a favorable direction? Muscle gain – which is certainly not a bad thing! “Building muscle means adding new tissue to your body and/or increasing the size of existing muscle tissue,” says Amanda Capritto, CPT with PTPioners. “All body tissue has weight, so if you’re not losing body fat at the same time, gaining muscle is gaining weight. Even if you [simultaneously lose] body fat, it’s absolutely possible – and okay! – that you experience a net increase in weight.”
Common mistakes when combining strength training with a weight loss goal
In most cases, lifting weights with a weight loss goal in mind is not the most effective way to exercise, Capritto warns. Individuals exploring a certain form of exercise for the first time can absolutely experience muscle gain, body fat loss, and weight loss at the same time. That said, “they shouldn’t expect it to last forever, or even for a really long time,” explains Capritto.
“This is especially the case if the person actively intends to build muscle and lift heavy weights with progressive overload,” adds Capritto. “The two goals – building muscle and losing weight – are very much in conflict, [likely leading] to frustration and possibly canceling the training program. It would be more appropriate to focus on one thing at a time, or at least focus on building strength and losing body fat (not body weight).”
Instead of relying on body weight to measure progress, Capritto encourages you to use body fat percentage and gym stats, like your max squat or deadlift. Angelino agrees, saying, “Using other tools to assess your body composition—either directly or indirectly—can help you [a better] context of what is happening.”
