Added more protein to my diet and weight lifting, stopped losing weight!

[Demaxx1]

January 29, 2017 I decided to try to get healthy. I joined the local YMCA. I started out the first 3 weeks going swimming 4-5 days a week. I lost about 4 lbs. I then got serious about my diet.  I bought a fitbit and started logging my calories. Then went from the pool to the cardio machines, a little weight lifting. I lost another 10lbs. I noticed in the mirror that I was losing my moobs, and it appeared that I was losing weight below my belly button. I know the belly will be the last to go.

I decided then I didn't want to look unfit. I was not eating the recommended amounts of protein. I added a shake on days that I was below 60g of protein at this same time I added a 30 minute weight lifting workout before I did my cardio.

Since that time my weight has stayed the same. I have not increased my calorie intake, and I am eating much healthier.

Can adding more protein and a actual weight program to my exercise plan cause me to add the same amount of muscle as the fat I am losing? I have not lost a pound in almost 2 weeks, and I am eating a average 800 calorie deficit.

It make me wish I had of taken measurements when I started.

[Esya]

If you are eating at a deficit, it is very unlikely that is what is happening. Seeing it is only 2 weeks yet since you started with the weight training, it might be water weight. Your muscles need time to get used to the new routine and also resting days to recover from the weight lifting. A nice website I like for weight tracking is trendweight.com. It shows the trend of your journey so you are less focused on the short term disturbances. You can login with your FitBit account if you track weight there. Give it some more time and the scale should start moving again.

The only other thing to watch out for is not to eat too little, below your BMR, which you can calculate here.

[Demaxx1]

Thank you for your reply, My average daily calorie intake is around 2300. My fitbit is saying that I am burning around 3000-3200 calories a day. None of that has changed. I have been watching my sodium. Sodium is the hardest thing I have had to deal with!

I hope you are right and my body is just adjusting to the new weight routine and the extra protein. When I say added protein I am meaning trying to get to my recommended amounts, or slightly above. Not a 200g protein like body builders. I found when I went to a more vegetable and fruit based diet, I had dropped below the recommended amount of protein.

[Esya]

I have a very similar experience with the protein journey when I went more plant based with my diet. There are very good plant based proteins out there though. You might find some more tips in this post.

[Demaxx1]

Yeah we have started using them lentil, black beans, nuts etc.. One of my in laws is from India she makes these wonderful lentil crapes, that they eat with a coconut sauce. She is a vegetarian and tells us all kinds of high protein veggies we can eat.

[Mukluk4]

First off, don't focus on the scale number.  Weight is just a number that's been inflated unfairly.  What would you look like 20 pounds lighter?  No idea.  What would you look like if you decreased belly fat? That I can picture.

Everything you said in your first paragraph is the way to go.  With gaining muscle mass and losing the fat, it is a very real situation in which you will see visual gains and your weight will stay the same (or even go up a bit).  

Before I broke my hand (3 pins!) last summer, I was focusing on the scale, dropped down to 250 and lost quite a bit of strength and athletic ability (and just looked like crap).  While in recover and not able to exercise like I was used to, I jumped back up to 290ish.  I'm down to about 270 and feel and perform better now than I did at 250.  

Hell, I'd give about anything to look like The Rock and he's 260ish

[A_Lurker]

Take your measurements now as you continue.  As @Esya said, in 2 weeks it's unlikely you've gained a lot of muscle.  However, if you're lifting heavy and you are new to lifting it is possible you are making some gains.  After a long time away from lifting I managed to put on ~7lbs of lean mass over 3 months.  I'm female, and was 50 at the time last year.  I've leveled off and when I backed off it didn't hold.  I'm still up ~4lbs since last year as I continue to lose weight, so I'm happy about that.

If you have a bodyfat scale (or access to one) it might not be a bad idea, as mentioned, to set up a trendweight.com account and track it over a longer period.  As weights can be affected by water, lean mass jumps around even more so.  This is my trend chart from that time period. The dark blue line is the actual trend, the light lines in the background were the every day measurements.

[Demaxx1]

Thanks for the reply, I have actually been lifting some weights for the last 6 weeks. Like some of the mindless souls that are wandering around the "Y". I started getting serious with the weights about 2 weeks ago, and started upping my protein then. I started having a upper body day and leg and lower body day. So that I could rest muscle groups more. That just happens to be the time when my weight loss seemed to stop. So That was the reason for the question.

I am a creature of habit. I have been doing the same cardio for the last 2 months. I am going to switch it up, and do some different types. I will do some measuring tonight. We do have one measurement from right before I started working out. We measured my abdomen I had a hernia surgery about 5 years ago. and I have a piece of mesh across my mid section and it causes me to hold my weight (fat) higher than normal. I saw one of the trainers measuring on a new person last week. I will ask her if she can check mine for me. Thank you again for the comments and the ideas.

[emili]

I guess the only thing I want to add to all the good things you already have here is - what is your goal? Is it to lose weight or is it to firm up or is it to bulk up? Because all three are very different when it comes to food and activity. In my opinion and this is only my opinion, unless a man is really overweight by 30 pounds or so, for me, I would always recommend weights and very light cardio. No scale- just body fat measurements month over month. It is more appealing for a guy to be toned and tight than to be cardio skinny.. again my opinion. Eating healthy and focusing on nutrition for sure. But not focusing on the scale number. At least not to the extent of watching it decrease- more about it staying the same so you know your nutrition is where it should be and there isn't fat gain. Your body fat measurements will tell you the rest of the success.

[Demaxx1]

I started out wanting to lose weight. I was over 30lbs too heavy. As I started losing weight (it started in my chest) I decided I wanted to firm up. I have a sister-in-law that lost about 30lbs a few years ago by diet and walking. I remember she looked anorexic. With no tone to her arms or legs. That stuck in my mind. I really don't want to bulk up I am too old for that. I want to be healthy and look healthy.

[emili]

Then in my own special way of being opinionated and direct.. don't look at the scale. Just check in to make sure you are steady. Focus on a macro and micro strong nutrition plan and go lift weights with a 30 minute walk before or after. Find a routine. Enough to fill three days worth. Don't forget your legs. You know what I mean. The guys who forget they have a lower body and look like a potato on toothpicks. Learn how to measure body fat and feel awesome

[AndyDandyPandy]

Sir when you first start you will see rapid weight loss then it will gradually slow down. Weight lifting may lower your weight loss but for the good. When you're losing a lot of weight quick it means your burning muscle mass quick as well. Fat takes time to burn. It is frustrating. But when you burn fat and muscle is when you see quick weight loss. Weight training and barely losing anything means you're maintaining muscle mass while burning fat slowly. Take a picture monthly. As long as  you can stick to your routine I guarantee you will see a change each month.

This is something that newbies cannot deal with. All newbies wants that fast weight loss and change. They want to see the scale go down weekly or else all the hard work they've put in through the week will go in vain. I've been there before I know how it feels. You have to be consistent long enough to see the big picture. 

[Demaxx1]

Andy, you are saying just what I had come to the conclusion I didn't want to happen. That is why a few weeks back I started making me a plan on weight lifting. I have a upper body day and a lower body day. I think that will evolve into breaking out maybe a shoulder day ( will have to see my doctor before that, both of my shoulders have had reconstruction surgeries.) I am already doing special ab exercises again due to surgeries.

My wife and I took measurements last night. So that I can keep a better record of what my body is doing. And not just using the scale as my compass. Several people have suggested that. I think that is the best course of action. Along with continuing my workouts. Also expanding them as I go.

[Demaxx1]

emili, thanks! My wife and I took measurements last night. I have been going to the gym 5 days a week. I have been rotating upper body and lower body days for the last few weeks. I did have one surprise last night. We had one measurement from before I started going to the "Y". It was across the largest part of my abdomen (not my waist). It was 44.5 inches. It measured 43 last night. Doesn't seem like a lot, but is enough that it made me feel my work is slowly paying off.

[Demaxx1]

Okay the scale started moving again! May not be a big drop, but it is a move in the right direction again. Thanks guys!