I need fitness advice please

rikkejanell2014

So I started 4 months ago on my weight loss journey. My sw was 210 and I'm now 173. My goal weight is 140. I'm super proud of myself. My question is should I start lifting weights more? I usually burn between 400-500 calories a work out through cardio. I work out 5 times a week. I focus more on cardio because I had a lot of fat to lose. I still have about 35 more pounds of fat to drop. I usually do the leg and weight machines for about 20 minutes 2 or 3 times a week for about 20 minutes. My calories intake goal is 1410 a day. I'm doing quite well with my eating. It has turned into a habit woohoo. My concern is my loose skin. I have a lot on my belly and my arms. I also already had a pretty loose belly when I started from my 4 pregnancies so the weight loss just added to it. I went from size 16 to size 8. Will weight lifting help tighten the loose skin? I read that when your eating at a calorie deficit you won't build new muscle. I want to tighten up this skin. Should I stay focused on my cardio to get to my goal weight for now and then focus on weights later? Help!.

VegasFit

You're doing awesome! Congrats! I say start incorporating resistance now. I always get the best results with a mix of cardio and resistance training.

sardelsa

Do not wait until you hit your goal... start hitting the weights now now now!! That is the biggest mistake I see most people make because they think it will be a waste or they will bulk or build muscle and not lose.....no. Yes you may gain some water weight and for some it can be discouraging but it is so worth it in the end. Lifting weights while losing is going to help maintain the muscle you have now and affect your body composition when you get to goal.

tcunbeliever

You will build muscle if you lift, you are already building muscle if you are doing weights 20 min 3x/week - you can increase if you want, but you don't have to. The lifting will not likely make any difference at all in regards to the lose belly skin. That will just take time...like a year, maybe two...I used to have a really depressing (and not at all attractive) flap of belly skin that was just skin folded over and hanging on my belly, but it did eventually shrink up and now it's just a bit of wrinkly patch...I think it took a good 2 years...my belly will never be super cute with all the stretch marks and lumpiness, but it is what it is and I can keep working on it forever.

I like to do a mix of weights/cardio/flexibility - I think it's important if you are going to be active to be balanced. You have to decide what that balance is for you.

sammyliftsandeats

sardelsa wrote: »

Do not wait until you hit your goal... start hitting the weights now now now!! That is the biggest mistake I see most people make because they think it will be a waste or they will bulk or build muscle and not lose.....no. Yes you may gain some water weight and for some it can be discouraging but it is so worth it in the end. Lifting weights while losing is going to help maintain the muscle you have now and affect your body composition when you get to goal.

This.

Lifting improves your body composition so that when you do get down to goal, you will look much tighter than if you didn't lift.

For what it's worth, I started lifting about a year ago and it has done great things for my body composition while not even changing my scale weight that much. I really do wish I had started sooner.

livingleanlivingclean

tcunbeliever wrote: »

You will build muscle if you lift, you are already building muscle if you are doing weights 20 min 3x/week - you can increase if you want, but you don't have to. The lifting will not likely make any difference at all in regards to the lose belly skin. That will just take time...like a year, maybe two...I used to have a really depressing (and not at all attractive) flap of belly skin that was just skin folded over and hanging on my belly, but it did eventually shrink up and now it's just a bit of wrinkly patch...I think it took a good 2 years...my belly will never be super cute with all the stretch marks and lumpiness, but it is what it is and I can keep working on it forever.

I like to do a mix of weights/cardio/flexibility - I think it's important if you are going to be active to be balanced. You have to decide what that balance is for you.

It's unlikely that what the OP is doing now, or plans to do, in the weights area is going to help her build any muscle whilst she's dieting..

OP, I'm not sure lifting weights will help with skin - thats something that'll work itself out over time - but it will help you retain muscle as you lose fat/weight.