Former obese peps that started lifting - I have questions!

ckemmis

For those of you that were obese when you started strength training, how long did it take you to see results? How long did it take for the scales to drop? Did you do a program or hop to machines/free weights all nimbly-bimbly like? Are free weights better to start out with or are machines?

Yeah, can you tell I'm a complete noob?

mumtoonegirl

I had already started loosing weight when I started strength training with the encouragement of a friend of mine who was further on her path to weight loss and a healthy life.

She was the one that introduced me to New Rules of Lifting for Women, it changed my life and I lost TONS of inches when I started this program. They have books for both men and woman and are an amazing resource to get into lifting.

Docmahi

i was morbidly obese and dropped most of my weight all with lifting - if i did it all over again I would do a 5x5 program and stay away from machines - even if you are moving very light weight the freeweights will burn wayyyy more calories then the machines and you will see a lot more strength gains functionally from the free weights.

google jason blaha 5x5 and watch the youtube video - its a 3 day a week split that is challenging but doable in any gym - thats enough to start but it gives you a few days off the week if you wanna do some cardio (but i would keep it simple and just do low intensity cardio if thats what you choose)

melonsss

i was morbidly obese and dropped most of my weight all with lifting - if i did it all over again I would do a 5x5 program and stay away from machines - even if you are moving very light weight the freeweights will burn wayyyy more calories then the machines and you will see a lot more strength gains functionally from the free weights.

google jason blaha 5x5 and watch the youtube video - its a 3 day a week split that is challenging but doable in any gym - thats enough to start but it gives you a few days off the week if you wanna do some cardio (but i would keep it simple and just do low intensity cardio if thats what you choose)

melonsss

This is the best advice I have read since I joined MFP. Thank you for sharing. Much appreciated.

JDubIsShrinking

i was morbidly obese and dropped most of my weight all with lifting - if i did it all over again I would do a 5x5 program and stay away from machines - even if you are moving very light weight the freeweights will burn wayyyy more calories then the machines and you will see a lot more strength gains functionally from the free weights.

google jason blaha 5x5 and watch the youtube video - its a 3 day a week split that is challenging but doable in any gym - thats enough to start but it gives you a few days off the week if you wanna do some cardio (but i would keep it simple and just do low intensity cardio if thats what you choose)

THIS
5x5 is a great way to begin!

I'm still technically obese, btw. However, you WILL see results! I can physically see triceps and quads now.
Lift heavy, get lean.
Enjoy!

ckmama

I am also obese and lift (very heavy). I like sites with like www.cutandjacked.com and www.buff-dudes.com

I tend to not follow "female" weight lifting workout plans because they don't meet my needs when it comes to lifting. I want to lift heavy. I'm not afraid of building huge muscle's because it isn't going to happen. I find my body is tighter when I lift weights and lifting heavy helped my lose 85 lbs before with some cardio. It helped keep it off too, because when I stopped the weight came on faster.

cedman1

I started out as extremely morbid obese. I initially went with a 5x5 approach then a 10,5x5,10 and then circuits. I was able to lose all the weight while lifting and doing compound lifts.

I say start where you feel comfortable and work your way up to wherever your interest take you. The best thing about lifting while losing weight are the visible results. The worst thing about lifting while losing weight can be the wait to see results. I would not put a time frame on a particular weight and if using a goal weight, ball park it. After lifting for a while and discovering how your body is responding to the new muscle your adding to your frame that initial goal weight will more than likely increase.

Just make sure you enjoy what your doing and it will all work out.

usmcmp

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1191284-obese-people-who-lift-i-have-questions?page=1#posts-18603411

Don't start the same thread on muliple boards. It's against the rules.

bedot

Bump for later! Lots of good advice here, thank you!

foremate

After years of searching for something that would work for my 287 pound frame,,,I tried pills, starvation, cabbage soup, etc...nothing worked, then I thought I would have to take the surgery method...until a friend kept talking about BodyPump classes...so I tried...the first day I could only lift the bar and struggled with that, my hips hurt, I felt nauseous, and felt like not going back...but I did...after 6 weeks of 2 times a week of body pump and 30 mins walking afterwards to cool down and on fridays I hit the gym and work on the machines and walk...the inches are coming off. There is still fat pockets but they are getting smaller every time I wake up I am visibly smaller...I was so confused I asked a colleague to look at my stomach without the clothes and see if my stomach was getting smaller...she said it was. Then I started measuring because the scale wasn't moving but I was getting smaller...AFTER ALL OF THESE 20 YEARS OF SEARCHING WEIGHT TRAINING IS THE RIGHT THING FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!