Is it REALLY not possible to lose weight while gaining muscle.

The idea that you have to be in a calorie surplus to gain muscle and a calorie deficite to lose fat, therefore you can't do both at the same time, makes sense to me. However - I have been eating around 1400 cals a day, working out 5 days a week (about 20 minutes of cardio followed by a lifting routine that changes each day throughout the week), and I still havn't seen a loss on the scale. It might be my imagination, but I feel like I am looking better. I take the weekends off of dieting, but I don't go crazy, probably eating about 1900 cals a day. As far as I can see, I should have gone down a bit on the scale... is it possible I am gaining some muscle even though I am not in a calorie surplus? I can definitely see improvements in my lifting as well... I'm am definitely getting stronger. In the past, and like my entire family, I have always built muscle fairly easily.

If it helps, my stats: 25 years old, 135 lbs, 5'6"

If your very new to weight lifting, I believe it is possible to do both for a short time, but it will probably not stay that way for too long.

Also, do you weight and measure everything that makes up the 1400 calories? It's very possible you may be eating a bit over that too!

Hi

I completely understand your frustration.

I think the best thing to do is also measure yourself i.e. your waist, hips, legs, arms etc and i'm sure you would see the change. I'm the same height as you albeit a stone heavier, i haven't lost any weight but i have lost over an inch from my waist and hips due to exercising 5 times a week.

Hope this helps? x

I do measure everything I eat, so I know I am not consuming without realizing it. I hope I am going through a little stint where I can gain muscle while losing fat! I wonder how long I can get away with it?! Hopefully if that is the case then when I stop building muscle I will start to see a drop in the scale.. so I guess I will keep up what I am doing for now. I wouldn't mind building a bit of muscle up then losing the fat later..

Original Post by becki7:

Hi

I completely understand your frustration.

I think the best thing to do is also measure yourself i.e. your waist, hips, legs, arms etc and i'm sure you would see the change. I'm the same height as you albeit a stone heavier, i haven't lost any weight but i have lost over an inch from my waist and hips due to exercising 5 times a week.

Hope this helps? x

 very encourging... I could start measuring. How often do you measure? I assume seeing differences in measurements would take some time...

I recently started lifting weights, my goal is to decrease my body fat and hopefully get back down to 140 (less than 10 lbs away). I agree with baylward you will probably still  lose toward the begining.

I recently started taking my measurements so that I don't get discouraged if the scale doesn't move like I hope it will. I'm starting by measuring twice a month or every 2 weeks. I'm "supposed" to be consuming about 1700 cals a day according to the program I'm on but I've recently been taking in about 1400. I try to strictly stick with my Carbs being 40% and my protein and fa being 30% although sometimes my fat is less which is fine with me. Everything will work out for you, just stay disciplined

For me, I have lost a few pounds while lifting weights and doing strength training.  But, that has been over last last 6 months.  I have however, gained a lot of muscle and lost inches everywhere.  It is not important what the scale is telling you - it is how your body is changing.  Someone said it already, measure yourself, you will see a difference.  The reason it is not reflected on the scale is because muscle weighs more then fat.  If you lose fat and gain muscle, you might even gain a couple of pounds, but be skinnier.

I agree with baylward and amayou82, that you are more likely to gain muscle when just starting a weight routine.  This is more likely if you are eating very well (not low cal, but a good balance of lean proteins and carbs).  But in the long run it's not possible to plan to gain muscle while losing fat. 

Although, through super strict diet and rigorous exercise, it is possible to eat to gain muscle while losing fat....but it's hard, inefficient, and I don't actually think that's your goal.

But if you feel good and look good, don't worry too much about the gain.

If its possible, measure your body fat.  I have a trainer and started to lift alot.  In the first 2.5 months I lost zero pounds but clothes fit better.  He measured my body fat and during that time it went down 2 %.  Frustrating to see the scale the same but at least now I know what I am doing is working.

Rely on the mirror, not on the scale.  Try taking photos of yourself every two weeks -- visible progress is more important than a redundant number anyways.

Hit the measuring tape lady, it's the best way I can't see my own progress byt looking in the mirror, uss women are so critical will notice the one thing that didn't change before we notice the 4 things that did change.

You can do both at the same time, but the muscle you gain will be less than if you ate excess calories to fuel the muscle growth.  Working out with weights will build muscle when you have a caloric deficit, just not nearly as quickly as it would if you lost the weight first, then increased your proteins to build more muscle, while lifting heavy weights.    The best plan I think is to lose the excess body fat you have now through a combination of cardio and weight training and caloric deficit, then when you hit your desired body fat%, begin to really build the muscle by adding calories to your diet from all sources, but especially high quality proteins for building muscle.   While losing the weight you will still be building muscle, and building the endurance and muscle structure needed to begin lifting the heavier weights later on. 

Original Post by johnnypenso:

You can do both at the same time, but the muscle you gain will be less than if you ate excess calories to fuel the muscle growth.  Working out with weights will build muscle when you have a caloric deficit, just not nearly as quickly as it would if you lost the weight first, then increased your proteins to build more muscle, while lifting heavy weights.    The best plan I think is to lose the excess body fat you have now through a combination of cardio and weight training and caloric deficit, then when you hit your desired body fat%, begin to really build the muscle by adding calories to your diet from all sources, but especially high quality proteins for building muscle.   While losing the weight you will still be building muscle, and building the endurance and muscle structure needed to begin lifting the heavier weights later on. 

 my words exactly, nice.

I try to measure on the 1st of every month which stops me getting obsessed and i also see the difference.  It works for me, hopefully it'll work for you.

It's also worth remembering that muscle weighs significantly more than fat -- so it's very possible to be gaining muscle and losing fat without losing weight.  This is especially possible, I think, for those who gain muscle easily -- my roommate has been known to drop lots of fat when working out over time, but still gain weight, because he puts muscle on like it's going out of style, LOL (not me -- I'm a dainty gazelle boy under my pudge :D).

I agree with everyone who says to take your measurements and/or have your body fat measured -- I think that'll give you a clearer picture.

Moreover, working out can help you look better even if you haven't yet lost fat, since toning up your muscles generally improves your posture and helps you 'carry' what fat you have better.

i've been lifting for almost 4 months, and i've lost roughly 6 pounds. it pisses me off so hard! that being said, i've gone down a clothing size. you'd think that'd make up for seeing basically the same number on the scale, but it doesn't, not much, so i feel your pain!