For me, *this* is why WEIGHTS over CARDIO is KEY!

Beeps2011

^^^ 21 months of heavy-lifting free weights - THAT is the picture on the right-hand-side.

On the left-hand side is me, after 25+ YEARS as a cardio-gym rat.

Yes, I still do SOME cardio, but my exercise-focus is on lifting heavy free weights.

And, yes, I'm "busy" like everybody else. I am 44 years old, a professional career-woman with more than 20 full-time years invested in my profession. I am a wife, mother of 3, volunteer, but I choose to take care of myself and as I come upon nearly 2-full-years focused on weight-lifting (instead of cardio), I'm very pleased with my progress.

Oh, and I'm 5'9" tall....for all you stats people!

mayonie1

That's why I'm joining you as from tomorrow...Ive heard enough of people telling me I will look like a man while I'm fat like an elephant.

pandorakick

Now that is a difference! Well done :flowerforyou:

FourIsCompany

Amazing and inspirational! Thanks for posting!

myprana

What an amazing change. The difference in those thighs alone should be enough to send most women to the weight room. Muscle does a body good!

randomtai

Lifting posts Great job OP! :flowerforyou: :drinker:

lilbearzmom

Amazing- what gets me the most is that the pounds lost is so minimal for the visual progress. It looks like you lost 30 lbs instead of 15. I so need to start lifting, but don't know where to start!!!!

xTenaciousJx

You look amazing!! I'm deciding to focus on weights during this winter instead of running so much. Any tips you can give to what you did please share!!

I have free weights and a bench..as well as a punching bag and weight bar.

ladymiseryali

In the words of George Takei......OH MY!

My bod ATM is between your before and after. I mostly do weights, although not heavy because I only have a 25 lb dumbbell. But it's been paying off and I think my job is helping because sometimes I do have to carry a semi-heavy box over to a section to unload.

dorothytd

Wow. Wow. Wow.

dynamitegalxo

Amazing.

What are you lifting? PRs? Gah, ah.maz.ing.

Beeps2011

I have ZERO PR's to brag about....I'm actually recovering from cataract surgery and have only been lifting for 4 sessions (i.e. one week) following a 6-week forced exercise break!

zanyzana

Wow, your before looks kinda like me now. It's great to see how the lifting, over a substantial period of time, has changed your body. We're you eating at a deficit as well? And we're you following a program? Congrats, you look great! And I love that it's not been a quick fix - it has become your habit...

ChristyU74

Beeps rocks! Look at those abs and shoulders! She knows what she's talking about, ladies!

Lupercalia

Yay, Beeps! Looking lean and mean! :drinker:

fionarama

arms look great! WTG! I've come to exact same conclusion I'm pretty time starved and if I have to choose I put weights over cardio every time!

6550mom

Love ya Beeps! You are one of my best inspirations for lifting.

*heads to the squat stands in the basement*

rainbow198

I LOVE seeing these kinds of posts. Nice job OP!

thedestar

Wow!!!

Beeps2011

Wow, your before looks kinda like me now. It's great to see how the lifting, over a substantial period of time, has changed your body. We're you eating at a deficit as well? And we're you following a program? Congrats, you look great! And I love that it's not been a quick fix - it has become your habit...

When I waded into the free weights area, with my sturdy NROL4W bible in hand, I was NOT eating "at a deficit". I did follow the calories in that book, as well as the work-outs, but I gained 5- or 6- lbs on NROL4W. Which really means, I ate too much (and was not in a calorie-deficit, therefore).

Once I found Venus (Sept/12) I better managed/manage to eat in a calorie deficit, so most of the bodyfat loss has been in the last 12 months, actually.

Emilia777

I am SO excited to see this. Just recently I've decided to tone down the cardio and focus on a good weight lifting regime, as I've stalled with cardio (and frankly I sometimes don't feel like leaving the gym dripping with sweat).

If anyone is keen, I found some great resources at:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224&page=1

The website also has fantastic exercise guides with videos.

Thank you for sharing this, Beeps, it's really great motivation, and congratulations on your success!

P.S. If you don't mind sharing details of the program you followed, that would be very helpful.

mag131

And you still fit into the same bra even after losing that much weight? I hate you.

Just kidding..darn jealousy.

You look great! Good job on all your hard work.

Beeps2011

mag131 - I had zero boobs to begin with, so, yep, zero boobs also equals my ending point!

:laugh:

nay038

Thank you for sharing this, I am definitely going to focus more on lifting, your results are amazing!

Beeps2011

Here are the routines I followed, over the last 21 months, from start-to-finish:

1. NROL4Women
2. NROL4Abs
3. NROL4Life
4. Venus Index
5. Strong Curves + Venus Factor, switching on-off
6. Venus Advanced Series

Fitwam

Oh heck yea!!
BOOM!!!!!!!! with a BOOM YA!

Way to go Beeps! Such an inspiration to us all!

Bernadette60614

I do: free weights, cardio and yoga. Free weights for muscle building and strength, cardio for aerobic capacity and yoga for flexibility.

I don't think it has to be either or...different types of activity focus on different areas of fitness for me.

lhourin

You look fabulous, great job! We have similar stats (I'm 5'9", 40 years old) and yeah, cardio is way overrated. Granted, when I'm working in the gym (lifting, doing Bodyrock or ZWOW-ish workouts) my heartrate is generally higher than I would maintain for straight cardio, but there is no need to do purely cardio work that doesn't involve some sort of weight or jumps or other weight-bearing exercise. Our bodies are testament to that. In fact, I just shared an article recently about this issue (about how so many women basically harm their bodies and screw up their metabolism by doing ONLY steady-state cardio); check it out, it's great.
http://articles.elitefts.com/training-articles/women-running-into-trouble/

Hildy_J

You got me feeling all inspired! Fantastic job.

vnatural

Once I get into that 130 or 120 range then I will start using weights but for now its just going to be cardio for me. From my understand, cardio slims and tightens you up while lifting weights builds muscle and hides those carbs you eat easily.

bubaluboo

Thank you for posting! This is just what I need to read. I just started doing some weights when I got hit by a chest infection that has wiped me out. I am so keen to get back to the weights as the more I read, the more I know it's just right for me! You have done amazingly. Well done!