Is lifting really this good for weight loss?

[AmITheProblemOne]

I started lifting in March.

I was 5”7 weighed 11 stone 11. Wore size 12 and looked a bit chubby for me. So slightly overweight for me.

I have lifted 3x per week since I started. I have fully committed, no weeks off. I lift as heavy as I can, I push myself.

Each time I go to the gym I also walk there and back so 50 minutes walking including a big hill.

For the first 2 months of my weightlifting journey I also followed a very strict diet and lost just over a stone so I was 10stone 9.

However since then my diet hasn’t been great , I’m still getting the good nutrients and protein but I’ll be honest and say work stress has led to me massively hitting the chocolates/snacks (I don’t drink much at all, sweets and chocolate are my vice). I’ve continued with the lifting throughout.

I didn’t want to weigh myself as I was convinced that I would have gained weight .but I’m now 10stone 7. My New Look size 10 jeans are too big. Everyone keeps commenting that I look lean.

Is lifting really this good? Or should I be worried?

(Not a stealth boast / humble brag before anyone says it. I’m genuinely worried that I’m continuing to lose weight despite eating a lot of calories over the last couple of months. So thanks in advance for any genuine advice from experienced lifters)

Someone with more experience if this will be along in a minute but from my limited knowledge and experience I am not surprised. When you lift you build muscle and that muscle burns calories. I also think that mentally when you get leaner you feel better and tend towards smaller portions. It’s well known that just getting bits here and there helps a lot with maintaining weight. People if the same weight look completely different (better imo) if they are toned

I know when my foster son who has gone to the gym 4 times a week for years switched some of his cardio to lifting he dropped lot of weight and I worried because he has good arm muscles but looks a bit skinny now and is a little underweight for his height.

Weight training can be pretty powerful, particularly when you're new to it, and you've been doing really well with consistency. It sounds like the added snacks have made the difference between a calorie balance that had you losing weight and a calorie balance that keeps you in a steady state (2lb change over 2 months isn't a significant loss). It's possible that although you've been snacking more, you've also been eating a bit less (e.g. skipping meals or not feeling as hungry at mealtimes) which may have offset the snacks a bit.

I'd keep an eye on how your weight trends and get a health check if you're unsure, but if you're feeling strong and healthy and looking lean those are all good signs.

One tip would be to see if you can shift to using exercise rather than food to cope with stress - instead of reaching for the chocolate, try a few minutes of bodyweight exercise (say 20 squats) or a brisk walk round the block. I find this can do wonders for reducing stress levels.

Very similar thing happened to me!
5"7, started off at 11.5 stone, got to 10.4 which was my goal weight with a very similar routine to you, lifting 3/4 times a week, 50 minute walk there and back, I also did 5-10 minutes on the stairmaster. Got to goal weight in 3.5 months, then summer hit and my food went off piste for a few months but kept lifting and I lost another 3lbs. And my body kept changing, so the scales weren't massively different but my body did, I finally have a bum and my jeans are too tight around my thighs. Then the lifting tailed off too and I've gained 7lb.
It might not be the same for everyone, and absolutely no idea on the science, but I think being so consistent had done something to my metabolism as I definitely felt like food just kind of burnt its way off when I was still lifting. Getting back into it now and I feel better already after a month back into the routine.

Thanks that’s reassuring

I don't lift but my friend calls it newbie gains, and that it tapers off.

Sounds like newbie gains. Lucky you!

When do these “newbie gains” end??