Weight loss = Losses in the weight room?

[tungstenmouse]

So I know that when I'm looking to lose weight I can't expect to make gains in my lifts. But I have begun to lose weight and I seem to be losing abilities in my lifts. For example, I had actually gotten up to using the 45lb plates in my squats but now I'm finding the 25lb plates challenging.

Also, I only started losing weight when I got fatigued and stopped lifting for a bit. After my break I noticed my lifts dropping.

Is this normal or is this something I should worry about?

[Hels]

If your goal is to lift heavy then yes you should not be losing weight.

What are your goals and what has your diet and rest been like?

[tungstenmouse]

My goal is to lose weight; specifically, about half of myself. A lot of people had said lifting heavy is good for weight loss so that's what I'm trying. I started turning my diet around but I'm on Weight Watchers and I've calculated that I'm on about 1500 kcal a day. I try to get good sleep but it's been rough lately. I took about a month off from lifting and other workouts as well which actually ended up refreshing me.

[Hels]

My goal is to lose weight; specifically, about half of myself. A lot of people had said lifting heavy is good for weight loss so that's what I'm trying. I started turning my diet around but I'm on Weight Watchers and I've calculated that I'm on about 1500 kcal a day. I try to get good sleep but it's been rough lately. I took about a month off from lifting and other workouts as well which actually ended up refreshing me.

Yeah that break is going to affect your lifts. I do t know your size but I would personally calculate your needed intake of calories and then subtract from that what you need to have a deficit (3500 calls a week for a pound of fat iirc). Don't forget your heavy lifting and help that with a strict diet of lean meats and greens. You're going to build muscle and weight shouldn't be your ultimate goal, personally, but rather body fat %.

The science types can give you some better guidance on the ins and outs. But you'll need to supply them with more data: height, weight, build, current performance, etc.

[tungstenmouse]

For anyone that needs it:

Female

242 lbs

5'5"

Obese (Endomorph)

I was doing SS and steadily increasing my lifts but not seeing any weight loss. My goals are to lose weight/body fat and then to build strength and stamina.

Max squat: 135 lbs

Max OHP and Powerclean: 55lbs

Max Bench Press: 65 lbs

That's all I can think of at the moment.

[WizardTrip]

Not necessarily depending on how far you were into lifting at the point you decided to start losing, but it also sounds like you may have reduced you calorie intake by a lot. You said you are hitting 1500 now, but we need more. What is your BMR? What is your age, height, weight, etc? If you are drastically reducing what it takes to maintain your current weight, this is expected. You will not have the energy or ability to gain. Again, this is will a DRASTIC reduction in calories.

I've been in a calorie deficit for some time now and am still seeing gains in strength. I am trying to aim for 1-2lbs a week (500-1000 calorie deficit a day), but I'm also not looking to lose half my body weight either. I have made sure to take it slow and lift while I lose. As I understand it, the fat to muscle loss ration while lifting and losing can be reduced from 70/30 to ~90/10, yet I can still gain strength. This has been, for the most part, what I have seen. I have actually seen some muscle gain as well, but I attribute that to newbie style gains. With all that said, I have lost an estimated (I don't touch scales) 25-30lbs over the course of ~6 months while still gaining on my lifts. Will I plateau, as long as I'm on a deficit? Yes, but I haven't just yet. Again, I'm looking at a nice gradual weight loss for myself, so if you're aiming for more than 2lbs/week, then you will hit problems much faster than if you would aim for what is considered healthy weight loss at 1-2lbs/week. Either way, it is expected, just at different rates.

EDIT: Also, you need to remember....80% of weight loss is diet....only 20% is exercise, and this includes weight lifting. For me, weight lifting is very much preferred over cardio and that is why I do it.

[67alecto]

If you are looking to increase intensity/weight lifted, then you will need to adjust your calories to allow for reasonable recovery time. I added ~400 calories to my daily goal and still lost weight will increasing my squat dramatically.

[aj_rock]

What's your diet like? You might not be getting enough protein. Actually, I'm about 80% sure that's what your problem is.

You would probably want around 150grams a day. 120 because that's a good level for your height, another 30 for prevention of muscle loss.

[tungstenmouse]

What's your diet like? You might not be getting enough protein. Actually, I'm about 80% sure that's what your problem is.

You would probably want around 150grams a day. 120 because that's a good level for your height, another 30 for prevention of muscle loss.

Hmmm...well it wasn't that great until 2 weeks ago. For January and most of February though, I was drinking protein shakes every day. When I didn't see any weight loss I got paranoid and thought I needed to stop drinking them so I did. So I'm probably not getting the protein I need. I didn't even think of that.

Honestly, despite hanging out here at NF I sometimes get these ideas that if I don't become anorexic then I'm going to be fat forever. Obviously that's wrong but I can't help but think that way sometimes.

[andygates]

Nah, you don't need to become anorexic.

And if you do, your squat will truly suck. Skinny is one thing, skinny and weak is a whole other.

[Loren Wade]

Nah, you don't need to become anorexic.

And if you do, your squat will truly suck. Skinny is one thing, skinny and weak is a whole other.

Was gonna say exactly this.

[MyDarkestDays]

I'm willing to bet that it's because you're not eating enough. Your BMR says (assuming that you're 20-30 years old, you didn't post your age), that you use around 1900 calories WITHOUT exercising. Times that by your activity level (http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/) and you got your calories to maintain weight. So if you're working out 3-5 times a week, you'd be using around 2974 calories (-500 for weight loss = 2474).

So from the look of it you're probably under-eating by a lot. I would try adding 300 calories every week until you're around that number. I've had the same problem with losing strength during workouts and it's because I wasn't eating enough. I thought I only needed 1800 calories and lost 10lbs in my lifts, listened to my body and added calories and now my lifts are stronger and still losing weight.

And make sure you eat clean. Every calorie counts