Lifting weights for fat loss. Help please.
cheekygem240
Posts: 25 Member
Hey. I need to ask a few questions as im not sure what to do for the best. I started the 30 day shred a few months ago from using no weights and only doing the resistance exercises and no cardio to doing the full level 1.
The reason I was trying to lose weight in the first place was because I have excess fat on my tummy and on my hips. Unfortunately im skinny as a rake everywhere else. I have lost a tiny bit of fat between my legs and my outer thighs have increased in muscle. My arms actually have some muscle In them now. Not visible but I can feel it when I tense so I know its done my body some good.
It hasn't done a huge improvement to my stomach though. I know ive only just finishd level 1 but I was reading about people just doing weight training and finding they actually lost fat whilst weight training. Im very paranoid about losing any more fat from my already skinny areas. I have quite the flat pancake *kitten* lol Im scared of losing fat from there. So that's why im tempted to find out about what weight training can do specially for the bum, legs and arms.
Can anyone tell me if by weight training the legs, butt and arms I could still possibly lose the fat from my stomach? Would I have to be able to lift really heavy? I cant lift anything very heavy at all. I had to lift 1lb weights for level 1 30DS for most the exercises. I know when you weight train though to build muscle you lift heavy and less reps. Also im unsure about calorie intake whilst weight training. Can anyone help me ?
Here are some stats of mine...
23, female, 115lbs , 5ft
Any help appreciated. Thankyou.
The reason I was trying to lose weight in the first place was because I have excess fat on my tummy and on my hips. Unfortunately im skinny as a rake everywhere else. I have lost a tiny bit of fat between my legs and my outer thighs have increased in muscle. My arms actually have some muscle In them now. Not visible but I can feel it when I tense so I know its done my body some good.
It hasn't done a huge improvement to my stomach though. I know ive only just finishd level 1 but I was reading about people just doing weight training and finding they actually lost fat whilst weight training. Im very paranoid about losing any more fat from my already skinny areas. I have quite the flat pancake *kitten* lol Im scared of losing fat from there. So that's why im tempted to find out about what weight training can do specially for the bum, legs and arms.
Can anyone tell me if by weight training the legs, butt and arms I could still possibly lose the fat from my stomach? Would I have to be able to lift really heavy? I cant lift anything very heavy at all. I had to lift 1lb weights for level 1 30DS for most the exercises. I know when you weight train though to build muscle you lift heavy and less reps. Also im unsure about calorie intake whilst weight training. Can anyone help me ?
Here are some stats of mine...23, female, 115lbs , 5ft
Any help appreciated. Thankyou.
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Replies
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If you lose more fat from your skinny areas, that's just how your body wants to lose fat. There's absolutely nothing you can do to change where you gain or lose fat.0
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"It hasn't done a huge improvement to my stomach though. I know ive only just finishd level 1 but I was reading about people just doing weight training and finding they actually lost fat whilst weight training."
It's really the only thing that's made any of my stubborn fat start to go away - especially my tummy!! . Plus it's amazing fun, and lifting heavy means lifting heavy for you. You start wherever you start and build strength from there.
"Im very paranoid about losing any more fat from my already skinny areas. I have quite the flat pancake *kitten* lol Im scared of losing fat from there. So that's why im tempted to find out about what weight training can do specially for the bum, legs and arms."
This won't happen. Squats will actually turn that pancake into something to shop for the perfect pair of jeans for! lol
Please pick up Starting Strength and/or the New Rules of Lifting for Women. Seriously...you will love the results!!!
Best of luck!0 -
weight training builds muscle, sure you'll burn a few calories lifting weight... which if it helps you to be in calorie deficit then GREAT!
It's having a calorie deficit that will burn fat, not resistance training.
Here's a youtube video which explains it all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuRWo4iFoGk 0 -
Unfortunately, spot-reducing is a myth. Our basic body shapes are in large part determined by genetics, and everyone responds differently to various exercise methods. However, that doesn't mean you should give up what you're doing. A mix of weightlifting and cardio is excellent for your overall health and that's what matters. Also, weights build muscle, and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn while resting. You should also try to use the heaviest weights you can safely lift. But you may have to accept the fact that you might always have some belly fat.0
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Lift Heavy! You will loose more fat, but you will build muscle and fill out those skinny areas (including your butt!) Squats and lunges especially will give you an awesome booty!0
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You can't spot reduce, and it's all about diet. Strength training while on a deficit will only allow you to retain your muscle mass while losing weight, unless you're totaly new to weight training you might get some newbie gains. Minimize muscle loss while losing weight will help you lower your bodyfat percentage and get rid of the fat around your stomich.0
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I know I cant choose where I lose fat but I just wanted to know if building muscle instead of doing cardio all the time will actually still burn some fat off and hopefully burn It off my belly last. (In reply to SailorKnightW)0
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"It hasn't done a huge improvement to my stomach though. I know ive only just finishd level 1 but I was reading about people just doing weight training and finding they actually lost fat whilst weight training."
It's really the only thing that's made any of my stubborn fat start to go away - especially my tummy!! . Plus it's amazing fun, and lifting heavy means lifting heavy for you. You start wherever you start and build strength from there.
"Im very paranoid about losing any more fat from my already skinny areas. I have quite the flat pancake *kitten* lol Im scared of losing fat from there. So that's why im tempted to find out about what weight training can do specially for the bum, legs and arms."
This won't happen. Squats will actually turn that pancake into something to shop for the perfect pair of jeans for! lol
Please pick up Starting Strength and/or the New Rules of Lifting for Women. Seriously...you will love the results!!!
Best of luck!
Thankyou for your positive words Im glad it worked for you! When you say lifting heavy for me. How heavy do we mean? How many reps would I need to be doing to build some muscle? Also how did you work out how many calories to eat a day? At the moment im eating at a deficit. Would I need to eat to maintain or up my calories? I still want to be able to lose fat but im unsure how that all works.
Thankyou so much for the encouragement though and I will take a look into those articles or whatever they are (not really sure lol )
x0 -
weight training builds muscle, sure you'll burn a few calories lifting weight... which if it helps you to be in calorie deficit then GREAT!
It's having a calorie deficit that will burn fat, not resistance training.
Here's a youtube video which explains it allhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuRWo4iFoGk
But is it possible to burn fat on a calorie deficit but build muscle? With heavier weights and lower reps? Thanks for the reply!0 -
I know I cant choose where I lose fat but I just wanted to know if building muscle instead of doing cardio all the time will actually still burn some fat off and hopefully burn It off my belly last. (In reply to SailorKnightW)
you cant lose fat to and build muscle at the same time. you need to chose wether you are cutting or bulking.. there is no in between. If you want to tone then you need to build muscle but that means holding onto that fat (or even increasing it, but not by much if you clean bulk) for a while longer. If you keep cutting (depending on the state of your lean muscle mass and where your body likes to lose fat) you may lose fat in the areas you want to, but there is no way of telling.
Also, as soon as I hear "resistance training" I giggly like a little girl to myself.. why? because resistance training is for little girlys who think that you will see any noticeable improvements in body composition doing that rubbish. Dump resistant and go with a 5x5 heavy lifting routine.0 -
Unfortunately, spot-reducing is a myth. Our basic body shapes are in large part determined by genetics, and everyone responds differently to various exercise methods. However, that doesn't mean you should give up what you're doing. A mix of weightlifting and cardio is excellent for your overall health and that's what matters. Also, weights build muscle, and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn while resting. You should also try to use the heaviest weights you can safely lift. But you may have to accept the fact that you might always have some belly fat.
Im maybe considering doing 30 day shred maybe 3 times in the week and then add some weight training in maybe two days? Maybe that way I can get a good combination of muscle and fat loss? I know I cant make my fat come off from my belly but I would like to try anything possible to help myself achieve that. Thanks for the input 0 -
You havnt mentioned much about your diet, which could have a very large factor in regards to the excess tummy fat.
Avoid any complex carbs i.e. white breads, also avoid any fizzy drinks and alcohol.
All of these contribute to tummy fat and bloated tummys, maybe evaluate your diet also and change things up to see whether your tummy begins to flatten.
Make sure that you have enough fibre in your diet by eating cereal such as weetabix to ensure you are not left bloated and are releasing your bowels regularly!1 -
More muscle in any area burns more calories all day long. Meaning less body fat all over.0
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I know I cant choose where I lose fat but I just wanted to know if building muscle instead of doing cardio all the time will actually still burn some fat off and hopefully burn It off my belly last. (In reply to SailorKnightW)
you cant lose fat to and build muscle at the same time. you need to chose wether you are cutting or bulking.. there is no in between. If you want to tone then you need to build muscle but that means holding onto that fat (or even increasing it, but not by much if you clean bulk) for a while longer. If you keep cutting (depending on the state of your lean muscle mass and where your body likes to lose fat) you may lose fat in the areas you want to, but there is no way of telling.
Also, as soon as I hear "resistance training" I giggly like a little girl to myself.. why? because resistance training is for little girlys who think that you will see any noticeable improvements in body composition doing that rubbish. Dump resistant and go with a 5x5 heavy lifting routine.
I hear you! Well not sure if I said resistance but i don't really have any muscle at all in my whole body. Ive definitely gained some from doing the 30 day shred and i guess that's what you would call resistance its light weights and higher reps. But i see what you are saying. I know nothing of weight training so im just trying to get a fuller picture on what it can do for me.0 -
You havnt mentioned much about your diet, which could have a very large factor in regards to the excess tummy fat.
Avoid any complex carbs i.e. white breads, also avoid any fizzy drinks and alcohol.
All of these contribute to tummy fat and bloated tummys, maybe evaluate your diet also and change things up to see whether your tummy begins to flatten.
Make sure that you have enough fibre in your diet by eating cereal such as weetabix to ensure you are not left bloated and are releasing your bowels regularly!
this needs to be taken with a serious pinch of salt.. anyone can get bloated from downing a bottle of diet pepsi but complex carbs, insulin spikes and all this other trash that supposedly "promotes belly fat" has been long thrown out as garbage.0 -
You havnt mentioned much about your diet, which could have a very large factor in regards to the excess tummy fat.
Avoid any complex carbs i.e. white breads, also avoid any fizzy drinks and alcohol.
All of these contribute to tummy fat and bloated tummys, maybe evaluate your diet also and change things up to see whether your tummy begins to flatten.
Make sure that you have enough fibre in your diet by eating cereal such as weetabix to ensure you are not left bloated and are releasing your bowels regularly!
My diet usually goes...
Breakfast - wheatabix with milk and odd occasion i have fruit and fibre.
Snack - About two hours after breakfast i will usually have a tiny snack on a banana or maybe some yoghurt.
Lunch - Usually whole meal bread to make a sandwich with ham or bacon. With cucumber, tomato sometimes red onion.
Some days i have a bowl of tomato soup with a slice of whole meal bread.
Snack - Between Lunch and dinner time i may have two small snacks within an hour or two of each other. Fruit, yoghurt and if im feeling really hungry i let myself have some breakfast cereal bar i love. About 140 calories.
Tea time - I live with my mum and she piles plate up with at least 3 diff veggies! Usually always have a whole breast of chicken or some kind of meat and a couple potatoes.
Late night snack - I do try not to snack after tea but i usually feel too hungry to get through the night without one. So i try have
something like a carrot or two or just something non stodgey.
I don't think my diets bad but tbh i haven't got the money to go all fancy and buy a lot.0 -
You havnt mentioned much about your diet, which could have a very large factor in regards to the excess tummy fat.
I agree with this part, but for different reasons.
Make sure your calorie deficit is small. Very small. Or even eat at maintenance since your weight is already low. Aim for a lot more protein than MFP suggests.... I'd suggest about 90g a day. Aim to reach your fat goal. And fill the rest with fruits, vegetables and whatever other carbs you enjoy. Then track your progress through photos instead of the scale.
When I lost weight not eating right (too much of a deficit, not good nutrition), I lost a good deal of muscle along with the fat. As a result, I had ribs that showed, but still had a muffin top and mushy thighs. This time around, eating right and strength training, I'm two sizes smaller at the same weight, because I've lost primarily fat while keeping muscle.0 -
I forgot to add i do drink diet coke i had to stop myself drinking normal coke cause im pretty sure that is what led to me gaining this belly fat. It was my sort of comfort food. I suffer with depression and I consumed a heck of a lot on a daily basis so i forced myself to having diet coke. I haven't gained weight from drinking it too so i dont think im doing harm but i could be wrong.
I drink about 2 litres of water a day now aswell.0 -
I worked out on some calculators i needed to go below 1200 to lose fat whilst working out! and i have read that could be bad for a woman. Im sure i eat more than that everyday though. It doesn't help living with parents when they are planning the meals everyday.0
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OP, I recommend joining the "Eat., Train, Progress" group on MFP. There is a lot of great information there on weight training. I think it will answer all of your questions and concerns. Also, the mods are very helpful and knowledgeable.
All I can say is lifting heavy will be beneficial for anyone. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about lifting out there. People tend to imagine the Arnold Schwarzenegger type people and big football players (American) are the only ones that lift heavy.
Yes, you will burn fat lifting if you are in a calorie deficit. Figure out your TDEE and subtract by 15% to as a starting point.0 -
I worked out on some calculators i needed to go below 1200 to lose fat whilst working out! and i have read that could be bad for a woman. Im sure i eat more than that everyday though. It doesn't help living with parents when they are planning the meals everyday.
I suggest starting out eating 1550 Calories a day. You may have to adjust after a few weeks depending on your results. The most important thing about the diet is logging your calories accurately. Be honest and use a food scale if you can. What is your macronutrient breakdown (i.e. Fat, Carbs, Protein %)?0 -
30 day shred is not strength training like anyone here is talking about. It's a 30 minute cardio workout with a little bit of resistance training thrown in. The average fit person wouldn't see any improvement doing it at all. You don't build muscle eating at a deficit and if you're eating at 1200 calories you may be able to feel and recognize where your muscle is now but you didn't build it up doing 30 day shred while eating 1200 calories.0
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weight training builds muscle, sure you'll burn a few calories lifting weight... which if it helps you to be in calorie deficit then GREAT!
It's having a calorie deficit that will burn fat, not resistance training.
Here's a youtube video which explains it allhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuRWo4iFoGk
But is it possible to burn fat on a calorie deficit but build muscle? With heavier weights and lower reps? Thanks for the reply!
That reply was full of fail. Weight training doesn't build muscle if you're eating at a caloric deficit. It maintains the muscle mass you have while helping you build strength. This way after sheding the fat from the muscles you are much more defined. You may have some noob muscle gains right away (it's not much), but after that if you're on a deficit you are maintaining mass and adding strength.
As far as the stomach area goes.
Caloric deficit+work (cardio mixed with compound movement weight training)+patience = slimmer midsection. The body burns fat from wherever it wants to, with the midsection normally being the last spot it pulls from.0 -
I strongly recommend getting the book (get the print edition, not e-Book), New Rules of Lifting for Women. It will help you answer many of the questions you are asking, set the foundation for your knowledge on strength training and give you a routine to follow for about 6 months.0
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I didnt read through everyone's post so I dont know if anyone mentioned this. But you could turn your weight lifting routine into a cardio burn if you rest LESS in between exercises. Also, if you up the reps to 10-12 it will also help.
Squats and lunges are excellent for your legs and butt. I would advise you to do them.
As it should be mentioned by someone, there is no such thing as spot reduction. You burn fat from all over.
Back to weights, I would focus on full body, compound movements, essentially movements that use more than one muscle group. And do your best to find functional weight routines. This isnt all about looking good. Thats a secondary benefit. Its about being healthy and having your body perform like a Ferrari as opposed to Kia-not that there is anything wrong with a KIA in and of itself.
Look into doing circuit training to get your body revving and burning lots of calories.
Test it out, I think you will like the results.
FYI, anything new that the body has not done before will give you results. You have to constantly be tweaking and keeping your body guessing.
You WILL get there!0 -
I too recommend the Eat, Train, Progress Group. There are a lot of threads there that would answer most of your basic questions and a "form" you can fill out about yourself that the mods will review and then give you feedback regarding how much you should eat and what type of program will help you to reach your goals. Join here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
Read all the threads from here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read
Good luck to you.0 -
I strongly recommend getting the book (get the print edition, not e-Book), New Rules of Lifting for Women. It will help you answer many of the questions you are asking, set the foundation for your knowledge on strength training and give you a routine to follow for about 6 months.
THIS ^^^^^^ Weight training will help burn off the fat and will replace it with muscle. Don't be afraid of the weights, they don't bite. :happy:0 -
"It hasn't done a huge improvement to my stomach though. I know ive only just finishd level 1 but I was reading about people just doing weight training and finding they actually lost fat whilst weight training."
It's really the only thing that's made any of my stubborn fat start to go away - especially my tummy!! . Plus it's amazing fun, and lifting heavy means lifting heavy for you. You start wherever you start and build strength from there.
"Im very paranoid about losing any more fat from my already skinny areas. I have quite the flat pancake *kitten* lol Im scared of losing fat from there. So that's why im tempted to find out about what weight training can do specially for the bum, legs and arms."
This won't happen. Squats will actually turn that pancake into something to shop for the perfect pair of jeans for! lol
Please pick up Starting Strength and/or the New Rules of Lifting for Women. Seriously...you will love the results!!!
Best of luck!
Thankyou for your positive words Im glad it worked for you! When you say lifting heavy for me. How heavy do we mean? How many reps would I need to be doing to build some muscle? Also how did you work out how many calories to eat a day? At the moment im eating at a deficit. Would I need to eat to maintain or up my calories? I still want to be able to lose fat but im unsure how that all works.
Thankyou so much for the encouragement though and I will take a look into those articles or whatever they are (not really sure lol )
x
These are two amazing books, and they will help you know where to start and how much to start lifting with. The New Rules would probably be the best starting point. And this is the calculator I used to figure out my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).
http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
You have to be honest about your activity level, though, or you may end up eating too few or too many calories. And it took me a while to find the right balance. Right now I'm eating at a 10% deficit, 1900-2000 cals per day with my macros set to 35% carbs, 35% protein and 30% fat. I do my best to hit my protein and fat goals and then fill in the rest with (mainly) healthy carbs - and a fair amount of chocolate and wine! LOL
I lift three times a week for 45-60 minutes and do my warmup and cooldowns on the treadmill, For cardio I do a quick 20 minute HIIT workout twice a week and I do hour long walks the other two days (two active rest days).0 -
weight training builds muscle, sure you'll burn a few calories lifting weight... which if it helps you to be in calorie deficit then GREAT!
It's having a calorie deficit that will burn fat, not resistance training.
Here's a youtube video which explains it allhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuRWo4iFoGk
But is it possible to burn fat on a calorie deficit but build muscle? With heavier weights and lower reps? Thanks for the reply!
In some cases, yes you can lose fat and build muscle at the same time.
On a calorie deficit for most people, any muscle growth will be minimal.... You're basically trying to hang onto the muscle you have whilst losing weight, i.e. so you're just losing fat.0 -
Your body loses fat as whole, not certain spots that you emphasize on. Best thing to do are full body workouts that work the core. Try to mix up your routines between upper and lower body.0
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