power surge!

[lyndzyaRunner]

I'm starting my third week of heavy lifting. I've always lifted but mostly moderatly and this month i've really upped it. Just today at the gym I had a noticeable increase in the amount of weight I can lift, specifically legs. Is this normal?? I've noticed muscle growth but not much weight loss yet.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Yup, it's normal. An increase in strength will show first....when you start lifting you'll notice a fast, dramatic strength increase for the first couple months. This is mostly due to increased neurological "connections"....you are training your muscles, nerves, tendons, etc what to do. They are still learning, once they "learn" what your expectations are, the increases will slow. This will be a good time to switch up your program...change exercises, intensity, frequency, SOMETHING. This will re-challenge your connections, leading to increased results again.

Weight loss will take time...but remember, muscle weighs more than fat, so you may have actually lost a little fat, but the muscle gain "overcompensates" for that loss. But then again, it has only been 3 weeks. Takes time. Also, fat loss is mostly determined by diet, as discussed in another thread.

Congrats on you succes this far...you are doing great, you have a great attitude and a lot of determination. This is going to really help you. Keep posting your progress - it is very motivating for everyone to see people succeeding!

 

[FitFossil]

Muscle gain and fat loss doesn't necessarily happen at the same time. Have patience and keep training. Also, keep eating to support your training. The added muscle will not only make you stronger so you can train even harder, but will also raise your metabolism - both these things will help with fat loss.

 

[lyndzyaRunner]

Thanks for all the encouragement, I keep on telling myself that real changes take time, its awesome to see some results.. even if they aren't actually visible ones. I've been doing a low carb diet for awhile now, since January, should I up my carb intake with muscle growth?
Thanks again for all the help and encouragement

 

[FitFossil]

Opinions vary, but I believe that people who train NEED carbs, albeit "clean" carbs, not sweets and such (but a little is ok) especially for those who train . Carbs give you energy. They also fuel your muscles with glycogen. They're also needed for your brain. You cannot train at your optimum level without carbs. Remember - EAT to train, TRAIN for results.

It's true that bodybuilders will low carb in preparation for a contest, but that's just for a limited time, and only to look really good for a day or so. Something many of us do is cycle our carbs. Eat low carb for a few days and then have a high carb day, which usually comes before a heavy training day. Many bodies respond very well to this because it keeps it guessing. Diet is a very personal thing, we all sort of learn as we go.