If you're on the fence about weight training...

ril0riley

Hello fellow losers!

I've lost about 100 pounds on (this leg) of my weight loss journey. The first 30 came off almost effortlessly after I started watching my food, the next 65 came off slowly over 2 years as I added more and more cardio to the mix.

Only within the last few months have I started a dedicated resistance training program, and I've gone down barely five pounds on the scale. That said my body has had more noticeable change in just the last few weeks than it did over months when I was just doing cardio. I wish I had been convinced to start sooner, which is why I'm making this topic.

I had a lot of excuses:
- I was afraid I would get discouraged if I wasn't consistently losing weight/if I went back up after building muscle
- I was completely turned off by the meatheads who seem to live in the gym and scoff at the idea of even light cardio
- Similarly, I have 3 overweight friends who don't do cardio, do a bit of lifting and then drink several protein shakes a day on top of it, and so far they've made frustratingly little progress on the fat front.

When it comes down to it, though, I'm now stronger, better at my cardio (which I still do 4-5 days a week vs 2 days of weight lifting), and I seek out a lot more protein in my diet, which has helped immensely in how full I feel over the course of a day.

Anyway, I wish someone had convinced me a year ago to start weights instead of just waiting until I hit the big 100lb goal. And I hope maybe I can convince one or two of you to do the same.

sourmash1973

AWESOME job on your weight loss!!! And I completely agree.

BigGuy47

I wish someone had convinced me a year ago to start weights instead of just waiting

I made the same mistake.

If you're losing weight now and wondering when to start resistance training, the answer is NOW. It's easier to keep the lean mass you already have as opposed to losing it and trying to put it back on again later. Adding muscle is far more difficult than losing weight. Something to think about.

ril0riley

Another point I learned: the psychological "harm" I was worried would come from the scale numbers not moving down at the rate they used to, amounted to nothing. They were completely replaced with the thrill of actually SEEING bodily changes.

For two years, my weight loss was slow enough that I almost never could discern a difference in the mirror. Now I can actually watch my body adapt, and notice the difference.

Its hugely motivating.

ril0riley

AWESOME job on your weight loss!!! And I completely agree.

Thanks man