Ladies that Lift

byoung8433
byoung8433 Posts: 27 Member
edited November 13 in Fitness and Exercise
I had a bad experience 2 years with a trainer. Basically I followed his plan to the letter and not only did I not slim down. My pants fit tighter and he even caused an injury. Needless to say, he left me with a bad taste for weightlifting as it was my first time. Well here I am now and I am wanting to try again on my own. For those who have seen amazing results: where did you start? Are their any apps you can recommend? Any routines you swear by ? Or your ONE piece of advice for me to become more successful than last time? My goal is to lose weight and gain energy. I've already been in the gym going strong for about 50 days but only Cardio. I am ready to haul *kitten* and push myself.

Also, please add me as well if you'd like. I need to stay motivated and need a lifting circle to reach out to

Thanks
B

Replies

  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    Lifting weights wont help you slim down, infact if youre a new lifting your muscles should get bigger.

    Obviously im not a lady but lifting for men and women is the same. Most people on here will recommend strong curves, stronglifts 5x5, or new rules of lifting. Personally i suggested my fiance did stronglifts because there is a nice app that goes with it. She is really enjoying it. If you dont like those you can always go on bodybuilding.com they have tons of routines but make sure you find a beginner program (one that uses lots of compound lifts).

    If you had a trainer for awhile you should know basic form but if not, or even if you do its good to review proper form, lots of youtube videos out there. Also start with low weight and work your way up.

    Weight loss comes down to having a calorie defict, not lifting. Lifting will help you maintain muscle though and most likely achieve the end, aesthetic look you want.
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    Hi! Two years ago I paid to have an online trainer come up with an "individualized" weight lifting and meal plan for me. I knew nothing about weight lifting and...what a joke. After feeling dumb and stupid (which I shouldn't have) I picked up the book Thinner, Leaner, Stronger by Mike Matthews. It's just a few $ if you download it from Amazon. He spells things out very simply and I had great success. There are tons of great programs out there, which other posters will tell you about. Find one that clicks with you and that you'll stick with. Best of luck to you!
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you#latest

    OP, here is a list of different lifting programs. Do a little research and find one that will suit your goals and your schedule.

    As for advice, I would say...form over weight, especially to avoid injury. I believe Mark Rippetoe (the author of Starting Strength) has a lot of very informative videos. There is a book for that program as well.

    Continue to eat at a deficit if fat loss is your goal.

    Have fun!
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    edited October 2016
    usmcmp wrote: »
    tillerstouch wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    tillerstouch wrote: »
    Lifting weights wont help you slim down, infact if youre a new lifting your muscles should get bigger.

    wow- so much wrong.

    Not wrong at all. If youre not in a claorie deficit you wont lose weight. Now if the calories burned from lifting puts you in a deficit then yes it helps you slim down. But if youre eating a calorie surplus and lifting, and new to lifting youll probably build muscle.

    She said you are wrong about making muscles bigger. The OP wants to lose weight and is obviously not in a surplus. I have been lifting and trying to make my muscles bigger since 2011 and I still am not big even after bulking for three years. Even with newbie lifting gains it will not add up to much. Ideal conditions allow a female to build about a pound per month and a deficit is not ideal for building.

    Now she is in a deficit but OPs first point in their post is that their clothes fit tighter, which leads me to believe in the begining they werent in a deficit. The point i was trying to make was just weight lifting wont make you slim down, you need the deficit. I guess i didnt word it clearly, i wasnt saying that weight lifting is bad for losing weight.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    I have to buy bigger pants when I lift because my butt and legs grow, It's not a bad thing, it's muscle. The waist stays pretty constant. So yes that can happen. But I wasn't trying to lose weight. If you eat less than you burn you will lose weight.
  • byoung8433
    byoung8433 Posts: 27 Member
    tillerstouch wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    tillerstouch wrote: »
    Lifting weights wont help you slim down, infact if youre a new lifting your muscles should get bigger.

    wow- so much wrong.

    Not wrong at all. If youre not in a claorie deficit you wont lose weight. Now if the calories burned from lifting puts you in a deficit then yes it helps you slim down. But if youre eating a calorie surplus and lifting, and new to lifting youll probably build muscle.

    Maybe i worded it badly. I shouldve said

    "Weight lifting wont help you lose weight if you arent in a calorie deficit, the deficit is what is needed for weight loss."

    Because yes i think weight lifting is a fantastic tool, paired with calorie deficit, to losing weight.

    Thanks for correcting. I felt super defeated when I read your original post. Yes I'm counting every calorie and eating under my goal. When I strart training, my plan is quality over quantity so more whole food based. Thanks again for input.
  • Jen2133
    Jen2133 Posts: 95 Member
    I work out with a trainer for lifting most of the time. I also track everything on MFP and eat at a deficit.

    From time to time, I have used routines from bodybuilding.com because I like that there are photos and videos to help me understand the correct movement – I am not an experienced lifter.

    Your diet is what will make you lose weight (plus the calories burned from working out), and the lifting will define your new, beautiful body. Just be patient, though as the muscles will generally only show once some of the padding comes off the top:)
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    byoung8433 wrote: »
    tillerstouch wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    tillerstouch wrote: »
    Lifting weights wont help you slim down, infact if youre a new lifting your muscles should get bigger.

    wow- so much wrong.

    Not wrong at all. If youre not in a claorie deficit you wont lose weight. Now if the calories burned from lifting puts you in a deficit then yes it helps you slim down. But if youre eating a calorie surplus and lifting, and new to lifting youll probably build muscle.

    Maybe i worded it badly. I shouldve said

    "Weight lifting wont help you lose weight if you arent in a calorie deficit, the deficit is what is needed for weight loss."

    Because yes i think weight lifting is a fantastic tool, paired with calorie deficit, to losing weight.

    Thanks for correcting. I felt super defeated when I read your original post. Yes I'm counting every calorie and eating under my goal. When I strart training, my plan is quality over quantity so more whole food based. Thanks again for input.

    Sorry for not being clear. Let me reaffirm, ive lost 40 pounds using a calorie deficit and weight lifting and seen amazing results! What is your deficit set at? Slow and steady is your best bet, it will minimize muscle loss. Also if you dont have one already a food scale is a great investment.

    Another thing is make sure youre getting adequate protien. People will recommend different amounts, but personally i think 1 gram per pound of LEAN body weight is best.

    Also JoRocka is right about bodybuilding.com be careful as a new lifter if you decide to do a program on it, i would avoid it but it is an option.

    Again id recommend stronglifts, because it has a nice app where you can track your progress, its simple, and it doesnt take long.
  • gemmamgreen
    gemmamgreen Posts: 6 Member
    Get your macros right with lots of healthy protein. If you get the balance right you will build muscle and burn fat at the same time. The scales will need to go out the window as when weight lifting it is not a good indicator of fat loss so rely on your eyes, clothes and/or a body scanner or calipers.
    Don't go bigger than a 500 calorie deficit per day and if you start lifting regularly have at least one day a week where you eat maintenance or more in calories.
    This has worked for me. Bodybuilding.Com is great for help and guidance.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    byoung8433 wrote: »
    For those who have seen amazing results:

    idk if my results are "amazing" . . . i started lifting two and a half years ago, and just weighed myself at the same doctor's office where they weighed me when i went in to get clearance to lift. 60.9 kilos then, 61.4 kilos now, and in the interim i've gotten a whole lot stronger. so there's that. same clothes, and i kind of forget how well or differently they used to fit.

    where did you start?
    i started out taking a crappy 'intro' course through the local parks board. when it was obvious that woman wasn't going to let me near a barbell i figured out that 'compound lifting' was the expression for what i wanted to do, and found the stronglifts 5x5 website online. don't own the app and never did more than read the info on the site, so i can't comment on any of that. but i adopted that format for day-to-day programming.

    for form on the actual lifts, i got starting strength by mark rippetoe and read it cover to cover. watched a ton and then another ton and then more tons of youtube. there's good and bad and all in between out there, but there's certainly no lack of opinions. people i've learned from are rippetoe, alan thrall, some of the people that mark bell has hosted for 'tutorials', and some of elliot hulse. i've also found some pretty good physio info for specific issues on a channel called upright health. plus hulse and the upright health guy can both make me laugh.
    Or your ONE piece of advice for me to become more successful than last time?

    i can't give just one. but i guess it would be: never expect to reach a point where you can stop learning.
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    edited October 2016
    tillerstouch wrote: »
    Lifting weights wont help you slim down, infact if youre a new lifting your muscles should get bigger.

    Obviously im not a lady but lifting for men and women is the same. Most people on here will recommend strong curves, stronglifts 5x5, or new rules of lifting. Personally i suggested my fiance did stronglifts because there is a nice app that goes with it. She is really enjoying it. If you dont like those you can always go on bodybuilding.com they have tons of routines but make sure you find a beginner program (one that uses lots of compound lifts).

    If you had a trainer for awhile you should know basic form but if not, or even if you do its good to review proper form, lots of youtube videos out there. Also start with low weight and work your way up.

    Weight loss comes down to having a calorie defict, not lifting. Lifting will help you maintain muscle though and most likely achieve the end, aesthetic look you want.

    funny because i'm smaller (overall) from lifting weights than when i was only doing cardio... but sure keep running with that mindset
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I started lifting with a power lifting team and got the basic form down. Then I researched stronglifts 5x5 and tried that. I sometimes tweak it to my own goals(changing set and rep#s and only twice per week), but stay with the same basic 5 lifts, adding glute bridges.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited October 2016
    You can work on body composition changes in a deficit and even in maintenance.. For me this started with weight loss and then moved to body composition changes.. it has taken over a 1 1/2 of doing many things combined..

    1) Calorie deficit + lifting to lose fat/build min muscle... Use a structured tried and true lifting plan (from the link above). Protein is a must (perhaps use the .8gr/body weight or 1gr/lean mass rule)

    2) To keep losing fat and build muscle, recomp (eat maintenance for a while).. (i also have also thrown in cut/bulk and doing another one now)..

    OP you have the right idea, give it some time, def find you a program and stick to the program. Good luck!
  • serapel
    serapel Posts: 502 Member
    Same happened to me on my first PT experience. I gained size everywhere and just got fatter. I was waking up in the middle of the night STARVING. This guy had me squatting 100 lbs before I even had proper form.

    It was ALL WRONG.

    So I began rethinking the PT thing and even thought that PT was stupid for like 2 years.

    I took up Tracey Anderson method and I ended up skinny with a flat bum after a few months. I lost about 15 lbs. I hated this look too.

    I then began trying different things on my own and after my bad PT experience, I was always afraid to lift heavier.

    In from stage right, walked in my beautiful 50 year old future PT. She had the exact body that I was looking for. She was lean with beautiful tone and sexy curves at age 50. She wasn't even menstruating anymore and she looked better than most 25 year old fertile women.

    I hooked up and trained with her for a few months. Did she have me lifting 100 lbs???? NO! She gave me 10 lbs dumbbells and 50 lbs barbells and taught me proper form. We worked on form for about a month and then she began small progressive overloads. I trained with her for about 4 months.

    I lost 2 lbs of fat while training with her and gained 2 lbs of muscle after she tested me at 4 months.

    Now I'm training on my own and still using small progressive overload increments. I've probably gained about 4 lbs of muscle now and I'm 2 lbs heavier. I look great, cut and I'm really happy with my feminine curves.

    This is my story of how a bad PT can turn you off and a good PT can really turn you the heck ON!
  • serapel
    serapel Posts: 502 Member
    Make sure your PT has lots of experience. Look at their body and what they have achieved. Will they listen to you? If you say, that feels too heavy, will they take off a plate? Do they continuously correct your form? Do they seem interested in your well being or do they just want an other client?

    Other things,

    What are their qualifications? A lot of PT"s have degrees and lots of other credentials nowadays.
  • serapel
    serapel Posts: 502 Member
    bellaa_x0 wrote: »
    tillerstouch wrote: »
    Lifting weights wont help you slim down, infact if youre a new lifting your muscles should get bigger.

    Obviously im not a lady but lifting for men and women is the same. Most people on here will recommend strong curves, stronglifts 5x5, or new rules of lifting. Personally i suggested my fiance did stronglifts because there is a nice app that goes with it. She is really enjoying it. If you dont like those you can always go on bodybuilding.com they have tons of routines but make sure you find a beginner program (one that uses lots of compound lifts).

    If you had a trainer for awhile you should know basic form but if not, or even if you do its good to review proper form, lots of youtube videos out there. Also start with low weight and work your way up.

    Weight loss comes down to having a calorie defict, not lifting. Lifting will help you maintain muscle though and most likely achieve the end, aesthetic look you want.

    funny because i'm smaller (overall) from lifting weights than when i was only doing cardio... but sure keep running with that mindset

    me too. I've gained about 4 lbs of muscle and I'm a bit smaller in measurements.
  • byoung8433
    byoung8433 Posts: 27 Member
    Than you all for this advice. I assure this isn't falling on deaf ears. I'm so excited.
  • emilysusana
    emilysusana Posts: 416 Member
    I like Rachel Cosgrove's programs. The books contain a lot of "girl talk" i could do without, and I don't follow her food plans and track here instead, but the routines are solid. I've had great results and enjoy the workouts a lot.
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    I started with StrongLifts 5x5. It has a free app and is a good starting place. I did it for a year and moved on to an intermediate program.
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    bellaa_x0 wrote: »
    tillerstouch wrote: »
    Lifting weights wont help you slim down, infact if youre a new lifting your muscles should get bigger.

    Obviously im not a lady but lifting for men and women is the same. Most people on here will recommend strong curves, stronglifts 5x5, or new rules of lifting. Personally i suggested my fiance did stronglifts because there is a nice app that goes with it. She is really enjoying it. If you dont like those you can always go on bodybuilding.com they have tons of routines but make sure you find a beginner program (one that uses lots of compound lifts).

    If you had a trainer for awhile you should know basic form but if not, or even if you do its good to review proper form, lots of youtube videos out there. Also start with low weight and work your way up.

    Weight loss comes down to having a calorie defict, not lifting. Lifting will help you maintain muscle though and most likely achieve the end, aesthetic look you want.

    funny because i'm smaller (overall) from lifting weights than when i was only doing cardio... but sure keep running with that mindset

    If you read below i clarified, what i meant was weight lifting alone wont make you lose weight, you need a calorie deficit.
  • helio23
    helio23 Posts: 6 Member
    Lifting will absolutely help you reduce fat. Muscle burns fat, even at rest. And every time you lift weights, you're causing muscle damage which requires calories and nutrients to repair. Plus, building muscle creates more shape and definition, and changes your body composition.
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