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

dnamouse

This thread was one of the main reasons why I bought NROL4W in about October last year. I started very, very slowly with bodyweight versions of the exercises and moved slowly up to adding weights.

I lift in my garage at home, with a little makeshift gym. I don't lift 'heavy' but I lift 'heavy for me'. Still slow and steady, but improving each week. I even have my husband on the lookout for a power rack so I can upgrade to something a little more professional-looking and have the proper equipment for when I finally get to the really heavy stuff.

My Mum has osteoporosis and my Dad has diabetes and I am determined that I will do everything in my power not to go down that path.

And stuff the cardio these days. It plays a role, and I run occasionally, but in all seriousness, lifting is 100x more fun.

alasuzzo

You look fantastic and I agree with the weights;however, aerobic activity is also key in balancing with the weights for cardiac and pulmonary benefits as well. Keep it up!

Beeps2011

My update is on page ten of this thread. Cardio is good for my heart....but i still don't do a *kitten*-ton. Once a week is all i schedule time for....

jackiesnuffy

You go! That is quite impressive.

jennz81

Major difference! Excellent job, and keep up the good work.

jijita55

Wow!! what a difference ! you look fantastic!

HappyTravels

Bump

2014FitnessJourney

High five!!

Beeps2011

Thank you!

nuttyduffy

You look fantastic.

Going to show my sister this who is convinced that she can cardio her thighs smaller despite me constantly telling her to get in the weight room!!!

Fab work :drinker:

CharzieGirl

Those thighs! Amazing!!

Okay, totally motivated to incorporate some weight training into my workouts. I also keep reading that increasing muscle mass will help you burn more calories, so no better time like the present to start weight training, right?

rieann84

Weights intimidate me SO much. I don't know where to start and I'm too shy to ask anyone at the Gym to help lol but kudos for you!! you look WONDERFUL.

Don't. Start by just doing a walk through to get yourself okay with just being there around everyone. My gym has a vantage point from all the cardio machines where you can look down on the free weights area. If you can get a similar situation, spend some time just watching how people do things.

Youtube videos were a gigantic help to me also. Start with only the bar (which weighs 45 lbs) and work up slowly. The lightest plates at my gym are 2.5 so it makes it really easy to creep up into higher weights.

I find that people are friendly. There have been mixed reviews...I've had people say to me that I have good form on my squats & deadlifts. I've also had one guy come up to me and tell me I was bending my knees too much on the deadlift. (But then, watching him, I saw he was lifting his heels on his squats so I took it with a huge grain of salt)

There was another girl who did some pretty impressive lifts and she always had this really intimidating face, but she also gave me some pointers and we got to talking. She's super nice. Now, when I go to the weights area I know some people and say hello.

Just get in there and do it, trust me. You can also ask the staff if you have any questions. I think you'll get nothing but respect for getting in there and trying. Like I said, you might get people giving you tips, but as you learn more you can tell what to listen to and what not to.

I have never had anyone be mean spirited or rude to me while in the free weights.

dixiewhiskey

Awesome!! :drinker: :flowerforyou:

oyunett

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.

hahah u made ma day

funkim55

Congratulations!!! You look fantastic!!

dclark566

Love this! Awesome. I am 6 weeks into weights and LOVING it! Already losing inches

ironchick84

Great job!

alpdexplorer

Awesome job!(:

IWILLBelieveAchieveInspire

12wks ago I started seriously lifting as heavy as I can as the majority of my workout(45min) and Maybe 10-15min of cardio work at the end. My diet wasn't perfect (around 2wks of the 12 my diet was horrible) BUT...I still lost 3.5inches on my body so I'm pleased with that. The scale didn't move but that's ok for now. Congrats on your success, you look great!

Sadiyyah70

WHOA this was exactly what I needed! Thank you so much for sharing this...I'm 43, lost 60 pounds with nutrition and cardio, reached my goal weight but my bod fat% is still waaaay out of hand (plus I CRAVE a different look and feel to my body). Thanks to the MFP community I KNOW the key will be to start lifting but I'm too scared to start. I'm doing T25 now (wk 4 day 5 tomorrow) and looking forward to beta phase (more strength training) to give me some confidence. My plan is to then do Body By You (YAYOG for women) or NROL4Women to start body weight exercises, and then getting a trainer to learn form with weights (so scared of hurting myself or not getting results because I don't know what the heck I'm doing!). My goal is to be confident enough to take advantage of the free weights in my community's gym, lift heavy and reap the rewards.

Your transformation is amazing and an inspiration to this 40+ gal!! I'm excited to think I can (WILL) do the same for myself...thanks again and keep the updates coming please:)

laurie04427

Wow amazing results!!

AlongCame_Molly

Wooooo! Love it!

mamma_nee

Thats amazing !!!

laurie04427

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

I'm just getting started with weight training and hadn't heard of NROL4W so thanks a ton for the info.

Beeps2011

Good repost, laurie04427.

For the last 6 months I have been doing the "Advanced Strength Series" offered by Venus.

But, in preparation for summer, I think I might re-do Phase 2/Venus. It had more upper-body focus, so great for arms/shoulders, etc.

Most of the lower-body work I do, now, is glutes and most of it is either moves taken from "Strong Curves" or the weighted glute bridges + weighted hip thrusts promoted by Bret Contreras ("The Glute Guy").

aspired2lift

You look great! :drinker:

Beeps2011

Thank you!

beltrone

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!!!!

Pretty sure she did lost 30 lbs of pure fat, but she gained 15 lbs of muscles. That's why just 15 lbs weight difference look substantial. She was not obese or anywhere near to start with, it was just a case of poor fat distribution which ruined her figure. Now she looks balanced, in shape and toned.

Anyways keep doing cardio, its good for blood and lymph circulation. Just 30 mins casual walk is enough.

Beeps2011

...I don't do a lot of cardio....but, I do always do SOME.



The fact that I focus on heavy-free-weights with my exercise time does not mean I don't EVER do cardio....

rachelguy

So inspirational! Bump!