Why are so many people waiting to add lifting?

Why does it seem like there are a ton of people on MFP who are waiting until they are "almost" to their weight goal before they start lifting weights? I thought the more muscle you have the better you drop the fat? I personally don't care the # on my scale as long as I become leaner, and healthier.
Am I viewing something wrong?
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Replies

  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    No, you aren't viewing anything wrong. However, how you view it is just your opinion. Others have different opinions.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    nope, they are kooks
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
    Because they think they can burn more with cardio, and they don't want to do cardio along with lifting.

    Otherwise, it's because they know that they will have to eat a surplus of calories to gain muscle, and with it some fat, so they want to "cut" down before they "bulk" up again.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    The technical explanation is: "that they don't know their *kitten* from their elbow".
  • tasharock
    tasharock Posts: 136 Member
    I'm gonna get told I'm a moron, but for me it's about one life change at a time.

    Getting my diet in order was a major change. I already had cardio as part of my life.

    Weight lifting, whether at home or at the gym would be another major change to my routine.
    So it might not be the wisest choice, but I'm going to wait until GW is achieved and go from there.

    Everyone has to do what works for them.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    Could be:

    they want to get thin as fast possible cause instant gratification or OH NOES I'M GETTING MARRIED IN 9 DAYS and they think cardio is the only way to do it.
    they think it will make them bulky.
    they haven't learned about lifting yet. Nobody walks into this knowing everything already.
    lifting isn't something they enjoy or something that helps them towards whatever goals they've got.

    Or a myriad of other reasons.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    Because they think they can burn more with cardio, and they don't want to do cardio along with lifting.

    Otherwise, it's because they know that they will have to eat a surplus of calories to gain muscle, and with it some fat, so they want to "cut" down before they "bulk" up again.

    This seems so much more difficult than doing both simultaneously.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    Ah... opinions.

    They're like *kitten*. Everyone has one. :P
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    I do cardio and weight lifting and still have 26 more pounds to go. :bigsmile:
  • PJ_73
    PJ_73 Posts: 331 Member
    I lost 2st before I started lifting, however, I wasn't 'waiting' for anything.

    It took me some time to watch and listen and to educate myself on the benefits of lifting as opposed to cardio. Before MFP I wasn't really sure what it would entail, the changes it would make to my body and that I would enjoy it a damn sight more than cardio.

    Maybe I took longer than others but that's just the way it was.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Just a lack of education. Many people still believe you have to do cardio to lose weight.
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
    I was of the mindset that I'd get bulky. Unfortunately, it took me a while to get educated.

    If I could do it over again I'd start lifting from the get-go.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member


    Everyone has to do what works for them.

    Hate that saying!! :frown:
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Just a lack of education. Many people still believe you have to do cardio to lose weight.
    Yes, agreed. Plus there is still a very widely held misconception among women that lifting anything heavier than the barbiebells will make them bulky.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Because they think they can burn more with cardio, and they don't want to do cardio along with lifting.

    Well, that part is true, the sky is the limit on how many calories you can burn with cardio, which in theory allows creation of potentially very large deficits.

    Where it falls down is that too many people turn that into "I'll walk for 30 minutes three times a week" on the exercise front, but eat based on the "I'll cycle 30 miles a day" exercise plan that they aren't actually doing.
  • rhonderoo
    rhonderoo Posts: 145 Member
    I don't "lift", but I do strength training on the machines, and it's when I added that that my body started responding to the cardio and diet more, especially when I upped the weights and lowered the reps. I'm over 40, so the only way to get my metabolism moving is to build muscle, since everywhere I read says that it slowed down by about 25% after I turned 40. I can tell immediately, especially in my abdomen (I do about 100lbs on the ab machine) when I go to the gym and really work. Posture, bone mass, you name it... weights and resistance benefits it.
  • tasharock
    tasharock Posts: 136 Member


    Everyone has to do what works for them.

    Hate that saying!! :frown:

    Agreed, but what I'm doing is obviously working for me.
    There are those that have success in ways I find unappealing or stupid, but I can't let it deter me.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I blame the '80s...people have been ingrained with the notion that to lose weight you have to suffer through hours and hours of cardio. Never mind the fact that lifting preserves that precious LBM that actually keeps your metabolism up and running so that you actually burn more calories at rest.

    Nothing against cardio here, I do my fair share training for various events...but strength/resistance work is an essential component of any fitness regimen regardless of where one is on their weight loss safari.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,659 Member
    OP it could be that not everybody wants to do lifting.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    OP it could be that not everybody wants to do lifting.

    I think she was pretty clear about the topic. People that think they need to wait until they are near goal weight to start not people that dont want to at all.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Could be:

    they want to get thin as fast possible cause instant gratification or OH NOES I'M GETTING MARRIED IN 9 DAYS and they think cardio is the only way to do it.
    they think it will make them bulky.
    they haven't learned about lifting yet. Nobody walks into this knowing everything already.
    lifting isn't something they enjoy or something that helps them towards whatever goals they've got.

    Or a myriad of other reasons.

    Yep! This^

    Old school mentality was cardio, cardio, cardio (guilty as charged). I don't enjoy strength training....but I know I HAVE to do it.....sooo important.
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
    Actually this thread was a good Gentle Nudge / Medium kick in the ar$e :flowerforyou:

    A Lot of all this is "one step at a time".

    One theory that I have is that if you lift heavy things, it is not a question of choosing to eat, but your body grabbing you by the throat and saying "you will eat". A lot of people may be on a very low calorie solution and that scares them to death.

    Now that I am an IFFYM kind of guy and I am comfortable eating somewhere between my BMR and TDEE I will eat those calories and not freak out. So that means I just need to do it.

    I have set goals to start doing squats, deadlifts, and bench next month as well as pushups.

    Wish me luck!:drinker:
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    Some people have no desire to do traditional weight lifting and would rather do some combo of running/metabolic type strength workouts....Do what you love more power to you

    Some believe they want to start weights but feel like they should lose weight first then lift to tone....A common misconception that neglects the many benefits to be had lifting weights while losing weight.
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
    I lost 2st before I started lifting, however, I wasn't 'waiting' for anything.

    It took me some time to watch and listen and to educate myself on the benefits of lifting as opposed to cardio. Before MFP I wasn't really sure what it would entail, the changes it would make to my body and that I would enjoy it a damn sight more than cardio.

    Maybe I took longer than others but that's just the way it was.

    I took some time too, before I started lifting. I simply did not know enough, and was afraid I might injure myself without educating myself first. I am just about halfway to my goal. Honestly, if I do not lose another pound, but my stomach flattens out I will be very happy! I just wanted to make sure I am not setting myself up for a fail by lifting now. I find it much more gratifying than running on the treadmill.
    Don't get me wrong I would not trade my walks around the lake, or my hikes through the woods, even the ARC trainer is fun for me, but I am loving this whole weight lifting thing. :happy:
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
    Just a lack of education. Many people still believe you have to do cardio to lose weight.

    There's a lot of this for me. Although maybe not a lack of education - maybe a lack of belief of the results from lifting. I don't care if I "bulk" up because I know as a female me "bulking up" in a normal range is going to just look toned unless I bring it to the next level, which I won't.

    I lost 100 pounds doing mostly cardio because running does torch calories. And I plateaued. I did some weight lifting, but now I'm switching it up after seeing the results and difference lifting can make. I'll probably always be a cardio-lover. i could run all day - but I am making an effort to make lifting the focus of my workout 2-3 times a week - which is a struggle. I finally realized that I can torch as many calories as I want running 20 miles and do that every weekend training for a marathon, or I can do that and then lift a few times a week to enhance my metabolism, tone up, and tighten the parts I hate. My thighs aren't changing from just running so I have to do something different!

    And some people just don't like to lift. Everyone does things their own way. :)
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    The technical explanation is: "that they don't know their *kitten* from their elbow".

    Did you when you first started out?
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    Just a lack of education. Many people still believe you have to do cardio to lose weight.

    There's a lot of this for me. Although maybe not a lack of education - maybe a lack of belief of the results from lifting. I don't care if I "bulk" up because I know as a female me "bulking up" in a normal range is going to just look toned unless I bring it to the next level, which I won't.

    I lost 100 pounds doing mostly cardio because running does torch calories. And I plateaued. I did some weight lifting, but now I'm switching it up after seeing the results and difference lifting can make. I'll probably always be a cardio-lover. i could run all day - but I am making an effort to make lifting the focus of my workout 2-3 times a week - which is a struggle. I finally realized that I can torch as many calories as I want running 20 miles and do that every weekend training for a marathon, or I can do that and then lift a few times a week to enhance my metabolism, tone up, and tighten the parts I hate. My thighs aren't changing from just running so I have to do something different!

    And some people just don't like to lift. Everyone does things their own way. :)

    Yup and if you like to run no need to stop...Even a simple two day a week simple plan that focuses on progressive overload is better than nothing.
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
    OP it could be that not everybody wants to do lifting.

    I think she was pretty clear about the topic. People that think they need to wait until they are near goal weight to start not people that dont want to at all.

    This ^^^^ I am not concerned with those who don't WANT to lift b/c they don't like it, but why so many WAIT to lift?
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    OP it could be that not everybody wants to do lifting.

    I think she was pretty clear about the topic. People that think they need to wait until they are near goal weight to start not people that dont want to at all.

    This ^^^^ I am not concerned with those who don't WANT to lift b/c they don't like it, but why so many WAIT to lift?

    I was waiting to lift heavier until I was closer to goal, but the more I educated myself on the subject, the more convinced I was to go for it. Not everyone knows the benefits until they educate themselves.
  • mrsamanda86
    mrsamanda86 Posts: 869 Member
    I used to think that if I did any weights I would basically just replace my fat with muscles and stay almost as big as I was lol Obviously, I was not right, but maybe some have that ill conceived thought? Or they are just overwhelmed? Could be about a thousand different reasons...