Lifting weights can be a great way to lose weight while toning up. There may be times when you are putting in a lot of work in your daily routine and not getting the results you are looking for. Today we are here to tell you why you are working out but not losing weight. The number on the scale is only part of the equation and doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not making progress.
Why you don’t lose weight when strength training

A common reason the scale doesn’t move when you seem to be doing everything right with your strength 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 consume,” says 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.”
Additionally, 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 gain on a scale, they think that automatically equates to fat loss or gain,” Angelino points out. “This is not necessarily the case. The weight you see on the scale is made up of all types of mass in your body. It can be influenced by the amount of fat you have, the amount of muscle you have and even the amount of water you hold on to.
Another culprit preventing the scales from moving in a favorable direction? Gain muscle, 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,” explains Amanda Capritto, CPT with PTPioner. “All body tissues have weight, so if you don’t simultaneously lose body fat, gaining muscle means gaining weight. Even if you [simultaneously lose] of body fat, it is entirely possible – and okay! – that you notice a net weight gain. »
Common Mistakes When Combining Strength Training With a Weight Loss Goal


In most cases, lifting weights with the goal of losing weight isn’t the most effective way to workout, Capritto cautions. People who are exploring some form of exercise for the first time can absolutely experience muscle gain, body fat loss, and weight loss simultaneously. That being said, “they shouldn’t expect this to last forever, or even very long,” says Capritto.
“This is especially true 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 in considerable conflict, [likely leading] to frustration and potentially abandonment of the exercise 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 weight). »
Rather than 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, directly or indirectly, can help you [a better] context of what is happening. »
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Associate Editor at Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and bringing readers interesting topics on fitness, wellness, and self-care. Learn more about Alexa
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