Why are so many people waiting to add lifting?

TeaBea

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

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_

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

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

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

The technical explanation is: "that they don't know their *kitten* from their elbow".

Did you when you first started out?

ryry_

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

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

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

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...

Albertrud

Ah... opinions.

They're like *kitten*. Everyone has one. :P

And most of them stink ;-)

mustgetmuscles1

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.

I was not knocking cardio, just the belief that it is necessary for weight loss.

Its a very old problem that wont be going away anytime soon. When it is brought up on here someone always mistakes it for an attack on them personally or for their chosen method of exercise.

If we ask most people what is more important to them: weight loss or fat loss? Most are going to answer with fat loss. They want to lose the fat and get that "tone" look. Resistance training, combined with a small calorie deficit, is very effective at getting these results. People still think they must do lots of cardio to lose the weight and then they want to "tone" with some form of strength training. We know from a lot of studies that cardio and calorie deficit alone can lead to a loss of muscle. Some people get to their goal weight and wonder why they dont have the look they were hoping for.

jeffd247

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?

People wait to lift because they are afraid that adding muscle will slow down their weight loss. They don't associate weight lifting with weight loss.

The scale is their #1 motivation and they feel that putting on muscle will increase the amount of time it takes to get to their goal weight.


Whether they are right or not is irrelevant.

Some people think the number on the scale will decrease at a lower rate if they lift... so they wait until the scale says something that they like, or they wait until they learn that the scale might not be the sole thing they want to use to measure fitness.

iamanadult

OP ignore the jealous haters! Keep on doing you, girl.

Saucy_lil_Minx

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.

Very true! I wanted to educate myself before I just started lifting, but it is the phrase "I am almost to my weight goal, so now I'm going to start lifting", that I was referring to. I guess that's what it simply boils down to for most, is just education? I was beginning to doubt my strategy of lifting, thinking that they might know something I didn't. I feel much stronger about my plan of "Fat Attack" I am going to keep lifting 3 x a week, and cardio 1 to 2 x a week. Thank You for solidifying my plan! :happy:

CallMeCupcakeDammit

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.

Very true! I wanted to educate myself before I just started lifting, but it is the phrase "I am almost to my weight goal, so now I'm going to start lifting", that I was referring to. I guess that's what it simply boils down to for most, is just education? I was beginning to doubt my strategy of lifting, thinking that they might know something I didn't. I feel much stronger about my plan of "Fat Attack" I am going to keep lifting 3 x a week, and cardio 1 to 2 x a week. Thank You for solidifying my plan! :happy:

No problem! :drinker:

samammay

Have you ever lifted weights? Man, those things are HEAVY!

I did (and do) cardio because I love riding my bike. Helps keep my tdee up too. I like food. I like a lot of it.

skullshank

OP ignore the jealous haters! Keep on doing you, girl.

jealous of what, exactly?

_John_

OP ignore the jealous haters! Keep on doing you, girl.

meeting quota.

Morgaath

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.

If you are a person (Female/Male/somewhere in between) with flabby fleshy folds of skin hanging down under your arms, is the thought that you might replace them with muscle really a scary idea? And if you suddenly notice "I'm bulking! Bulking! Oh, what a world! What a world! Who would have thought a fit little girl like you could destroy my fatness!", couldn't you quit to stop it from getting bigger, knowing it will go away?

Or am I applying logic to the illogical again?
Meanwhile I suggest listening to Kate Earl's Nobody.