Heavy Lifting/Weight Loss Help

JessieNeutronGirlGenius

I've read New Rules of Lifting for Women, I've read numerous articles on bodybuilding.com, and I follow some heavy lifters and trainers on IG and a lot of them say that they sculpted their bodies and lost weight/fat from just heavy lifting. I'm sorry, but I don't have months and months to lose weight form just lifting. I do cardio too! I don't believe that if you just heavy lift you'll shrink down, I've tried and seen no results. I guess that was probably due to my lack of trust in the program and my indulgence in sushi, but this time around I'm hitting my macros as closely as I can, I'm lifting, but I don't see much progress. I've tried 5x5, I've tried low set heavy weight, I've tried high sets and heavy weight, and high sets and low weight and I just can't see the results. Maybe I'm following the wrong type of program or whatever. I just need a program where I can lift heavy, count macros, and see results quickly rather than results in 6-7 months. Don't let me fool you, I know that you don't wake up twenty pounds lighter, but I do know that it doesn't take three months to see results and I feel like I'm just doing something wrong.

My stats in case anyone is interested:

Height 5ft (shorty!)
Weight: 153
Age: 20
Gender: Female

Macros:

Cals: 1521
Protein: 120g
Cabrs: 120g
Fat: 60g

Workout regimen:

I alternate between upper and lower body days.

My cardio is very mix and match because it depends on who I'm going to the gym with. If it is just me I usually do 15 mins of HIIT with a five minute warm up, and sometimes paired with 15min of low intensity. If I'm with my girlfriend we usually just do the HIIT. When I lift I do compound lifts and other exercises Sorry for the vagueness my schedule changes a lot because I keep trying to fix it, maybe that is why I'm not seeing results. I just want to find something that works for me. I've spent money on online trainers, regular trainers, books, you name it! I despise counting calories, strict meal plans, and endless hours in the gym but I have great motivation do not get me wrong and I'm willing to try anything when it comes to reaching my goals. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this and help me.

Sorry for my rambles and random info I'm just trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong and how I can fix it to get good results.

sixpacklady

bump to follow

Mia_RagazzaTosta

<--- Lifted heavy for a year. Did no cardio. Ate at a deficit. 5'3", 35 years old.

If you don't have a food scale, you need one. You're probably eating more than you think.

ETA: why don't you have "months and months" to lose weight by lifting? That time is going to pass regardless.

erickirb

You can do cardio if you want, but you can have the same deficit with just diet alone, cardio just allows you to eat more while losing the same amount of weight you could lose from diet alone.

WillLift4Tats

Food scale for sure. And patience! It would be great to see instant results but we all know that just isn't the case. It sounds like you've bounced around programs thinking you've gotten no results, when maybe you just haven't dedicated enough time to any of them. Patience and consistency. I've loved the results I've gotten with New Rules and encourage every one to try heavy lifting. That said, it isn't magic.

JessicaPippen

^^ What she said or you're not eating enough. Im 5.2 and i eat about 2400 calories a day and i lift crazy heavy.

If you read new rules to lifting for women, I think you skipped the part about how to calculate your calories. From what I see, your calories are too low if you plan on lifting heavy like the program says. If you’re going to lift, it takes the right amount of calories and the right kind (Macros) of calories. You have to be patient, lifting isn’t going to transform your body overnight. You have to put in consistent work day in and day out. Its not a quick fix of a program. You’re only 20, if you keep lifting, by age 25 you’d probably be smoking hot!!! Also you have to understand that women transform slower than men. Women don’t have the amount of testosterone that men do to put on size thus it will take women longer to see changes.

lili61

Are you taking progression photos? There may be changes that you just don't see day-to-day.

If you truly are eating at a deficit, there's no reason you shouldn't be losing.

sweetpea03b

Ok... if you've been lifting AND doing cardio... and you're not losing.... I'm thinking the problem is that you're not actually eating 1500 calories. I'm 5'2, 167lbs, on Phase 5 of NROLFW (started in November)... go for a 20min walk everyday... 3 mile run once/week... and I've lost weight and inches since I started lifting. When I first started, I lost a good amount of weight pretty fast... then I stalled... for weeks. I picked up a food scale.. started weighing EVERYTHING... and BAM! Lost 2.5# in 1 week.

My macros are all the same as yours.

There, my friend is your problem. Get a food scale... weigh/measure EVERYTHING. Since I've been using the scale... with the exception of "TTOTM" week.. I'm losing atleast 1lb/week.

E.T.A... I also eat more on lifting days to accomodate for the "recovery" process... as it says in the book "adding in your protein shake on lifting days will account for those extra calories"

JTick

How long have you been sticking with a program before deciding it's not working? Sounds to me like you're jumping around way too much...no wonder you're not getting results.

Also, food scale.

JessieNeutronGirlGenius

All of you ladies rule, seriously, you all seem really badass and I admire that!

I have a food scale and use it every day to measure meats and all that good stuff.

I usually stick with aprogram for at least three weeks. To be honest, I didn't give NROL a fair enough chance. I'm definitely going to re read the book.

I guess I'm scared to eat too many calories because I don't want it stored as extra fat, that is why I count macros because as long as I hit my macros I could be eating 1,500 calories or more or less.

Depictureboy

I've read New Rules of Lifting for Women, I've read numerous articles on bodybuilding.com, and I follow some heavy lifters and trainers on IG and a lot of them say that they sculpted their bodies and lost weight/fat from just heavy lifting. I'm sorry, but I don't have months and months to lose weight form just lifting. I do cardio too! I don't believe that if you just heavy lift you'll shrink down, I've tried and seen no results. I guess that was probably due to my lack of trust in the program and my indulgence in sushi, but this time around I'm hitting my macros as closely as I can, I'm lifting, but I don't see much progress. I've tried 5x5, I've tried low set heavy weight, I've tried high sets and heavy weight, and high sets and low weight and I just can't see the results. Maybe I'm following the wrong type of program or whatever. I just need a program where I can lift heavy, count macros, and see results quickly rather than results in 6-7 months. Don't let me fool you, I know that you don't wake up twenty pounds lighter, but I do know that it doesn't take three months to see results and I feel like I'm just doing something wrong.

My stats in case anyone is interested:

Height 5ft (shorty!)
Weight: 153
Age: 20
Gender: Female

Macros:

Cals: 1521
Protein: 120g
Cabrs: 120g
Fat: 60g

Workout regimen:

I alternate between upper and lower body days.

My cardio is very mix and match because it depends on who I'm going to the gym with. If it is just me I usually do 15 mins of HIIT with a five minute warm up, and sometimes paired with 15min of low intensity. If I'm with my girlfriend we usually just do the HIIT. When I lift I do compound lifts and other exercises Sorry for the vagueness my schedule changes a lot because I keep trying to fix it, maybe that is why I'm not seeing results. I just want to find something that works for me. I've spent money on online trainers, regular trainers, books, you name it! I despise counting calories, strict meal plans, and endless hours in the gym but I have great motivation do not get me wrong and I'm willing to try anything when it comes to reaching my goals. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this and help me.

Sorry for my rambles and random info I'm just trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong and how I can fix it to get good results.

What are your PRs for the weights/routine you are doing? If you dont have your PRs what is the amount of iron you're moving per set with # of sets.

Depictureboy

All of you ladies rule, seriously, you all seem really badass and I admire that!

I have a food scale and use it every day to measure meats and all that good stuff.

I usually stick with aprogram for at least three weeks. To be honest, I didn't give NROL a fair enough chance. I'm definitely going to re read the book.

I guess I'm scared to eat too many calories because I don't want it stored as extra fat, that is why I count macros because as long as I hit my macros I could be eating 1,500 calories or more or less.

3 weeks is way too short. Your body is just adjusting to the changes by then...

sweetpea03b

All of you ladies rule, seriously, you all seem really badass and I admire that!

I have a food scale and use it every day to measure meats and all that good stuff.

I usually stick with aprogram for at least three weeks. To be honest, I didn't give NROL a fair enough chance. I'm definitely going to re read the book.

I guess I'm scared to eat too many calories because I don't want it stored as extra fat, that is why I count macros because as long as I hit my macros I could be eating 1,500 calories or more or less.

I actually went back and looked... and it took me 3 weeks after starting NROL before I saw a loss... so i'd say give it another go... wait atleast 4 weeks before you start to panic at no loss. Also remember, when you lift... you have MASSIVE fluctuations so I always wait until after my 2 recovery days before I weigh in. Good luck!

JessieNeutronGirlGenius

When I squat I usually do two 10lb plates on each side plsu the barbell, I'm sort of lame and don't know how to properly say how much I lift...with bench press I'm pretty weak and do 1 5lb plate each side plus the barbell and usually do 5x5 for both squats and bench press.

JTick

Three weeks is not nearly long enough to see results. How often do you add weight? You need to pick a program, follow it correctly, and complete the program. THEN decide if you saw results.

JessicaPippen

You have to start somewhere. When you're adding muscle tissue to your frame, you need calories. Give the program a chance, try it for 3 months and then assess again. take pictures each month and put them side by side, if you're consistent long enough you'll see the change.

When I squat I usually do two 10lb plates on each side plsu the barbell, I'm sort of lame and don't know how to properly say how much I lift...with bench press I'm pretty weak and do 1 5lb plate each side plus the barbell and usually do 5x5 for both squats and bench press.

SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish

Well if you aren't counting calories (and even if you are) you are probably eating more than you think. Especially if you are self-admitting eating too much sushi, most of the time they frequently use fatty sauces now days for "american tastes" too that have more calories than you think, and more than standard listed.

Next, what do you think "heavy lifting" is? People throw "heavy lifting" around way too much. If you are lifting and not making gains and increasing the weights, you are just burning calories/maintaining, and like other exercises that you burn calories with, its not magic, you have to do enough to stimulate muscular growth. Unfortunately, I wouldn't consider what you described so far as lifting heavy, and as a beginner you should have some gains starting in, even under caloric restriction, not doing the same weight each time. Added to the apparent fact you probably aren't under a deficit, this shows the lifting is possibly inadequate to stimulate more muscle production and gain.

All in all it appears you have been doing a "maintenance" lifting routine, with "maintenance" calories, but then we also need to consider the time factor: the "mode" of body re composition takes longer to see results than just caloric deficit to lose weight. You may only need to focus on your lifting a bit more and increase the weights slightly to "get traction" and make progress with this over the next couple weeks.

scooterjay_wwis

When I squat I usually do two 10lb plates on each side plsu the barbell, I'm sort of lame and don't know how to properly say how much I lift...with bench press I'm pretty weak and do 1 5lb plate each side plus the barbell and usually do 5x5 for both squats and bench press.

This is a good start.
Why not look into the StrongLifts 5x5 program. It's easy to follow, only 3 days a week, and you will see results.

rdkstar

I am doing stronglifts. I didn't start seeing results til week 5. You need to give programs more time before changing. I just finished my 10th week of stronglift and getting really excited about the changes that i am seeing. However, i am determined not to measure/weigh til week 12 is complete.

JoRocka

You already solved your problem- you aren't consistent and you are loose with your food.

stay consistent.
be consistent
track what you eat.
lift big.


It takes time.
you say you don't have time- but the reality is- if you wanted your dream body today- you should have started months ago. If not years.

it's a LONG LONG process. It does not happen in a matter of 6 month- you can get amazing results in 6 months- but typically what people want- takes a year or more to achieve.

keep at it- it will happen.

missdibs1

I've read New Rules of Lifting for Women, I've read numerous articles on bodybuilding.com, and I follow some heavy lifters and trainers on IG and a lot of them say that they sculpted their bodies and lost weight/fat from just heavy lifting. I'm sorry, but I don't have months and months to lose weight form just lifting. I do cardio too! I don't believe that if you just heavy lift you'll shrink down, I've tried and seen no results. I guess that was probably due to my lack of trust in the program and my indulgence in sushi, but this time around I'm hitting my macros as closely as I can, I'm lifting, but I don't see much progress. I've tried 5x5, I've tried low set heavy weight, I've tried high sets and heavy weight, and high sets and low weight and I just can't see the results. Maybe I'm following the wrong type of program or whatever. I just need a program where I can lift heavy, count macros, and see results quickly rather than results in 6-7 months. Don't let me fool you, I know that you don't wake up twenty pounds lighter, but I do know that it doesn't take three months to see results and I feel like I'm just doing something wrong.

My stats in case anyone is interested:

Height 5ft (shorty!)
Weight: 153
Age: 20
Gender: Female

Macros:

Cals: 1521
Protein: 120g
Cabrs: 120g
Fat: 60g

Workout regimen:

I alternate between upper and lower body days.

My cardio is very mix and match because it depends on who I'm going to the gym with. If it is just me I usually do 15 mins of HIIT with a five minute warm up, and sometimes paired with 15min of low intensity. If I'm with my girlfriend we usually just do the HIIT. When I lift I do compound lifts and other exercises Sorry for the vagueness my schedule changes a lot because I keep trying to fix it, maybe that is why I'm not seeing results. I just want to find something that works for me. I've spent money on online trainers, regular trainers, books, you name it! I despise counting calories, strict meal plans, and endless hours in the gym but I have great motivation do not get me wrong and I'm willing to try anything when it comes to reaching my goals. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this and help me.

Sorry for my rambles and random info I'm just trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong and how I can fix it to get good results.

I am doing Strong Lifts and eating at a defecit It has been BAM three weeks

I cannot wait until I can say it has been a year......