Yes and no, and it depends.
Like a lot of things in fitness, there is no one size fits all solution or answer.
The simple answer (and the good news) though is yes: you can build muscle and get “shredded” or burn body fat at the same time, especially as a beginner.
Many of our clients for example who have never touched a weight report that although the scale might’ve not moved as much as they wanted, they look and feel completely different. Why is that?
There’s something called “recomposition”, which is the fancy personal trainer word for when you step on the scale and see no change, yet your body looks entirely different.
The reason why is because the body as a “newbie” is especially sensitive to weight training and therefore is more likely to lose body fat while it gains muscle mass. Which is why you might not see the scale drop, but your pants and shirts fit so much better.
Now, this sensitivity does lessen as you spend more time in the gym, so that someone with 10 years of weightlifting experience would experience it less than someone who just started last week.
Why does that matter to you? For 3 reasons:
- If you’re not seeing the scale drop after weeks or months, don’t freak out. So long as your measurements and clothes are fitting better and the mirror shows it, you’re doing just fine.
- In the early stages of your transformation, it is a great opportunity to dial in both your training and nutrition in order to maximize your results, given how sensitive and adaptive your body is.
- As you get more experience, strictness in training and diet especially becomes more and more important.
So then what should YOU do? What’s the takeaway? The following:
If you are seeing visible results even though the scale isn’t moving as much – great, you’re on the right track.
If neither the scale nor the fit of the clothes change within 4-6 weeks, then adjust your training and especially your nutrition.
If you are a more experience lifter, you would be wiser to dial in your calorie deficit in the kitchen and progressive overload in the gym to see more of the results you want.
Finally, consider not just using your scale weight as evidence of progress, but include as well your waist measurment, progress photos, and a pair of pants you compare against over time to get a more accurate representation of whether you are stuck or seeing results.
Hope this helps! If you’re looking for someone to do all of this for you, then simply feel free to give us a call or text at +1 908-341-0232 so we can schedule a free No Sweat Intro Consultation and see which one of transfromation programs is best for you.
Coach B.
