Me running/eating less calories vs me eating more/lifting

MissGamerGirl · June 2014

READ: This is not a post bashing running by any means. This is simply my personal experience that I am sharing with you.

So I think that this is really, REALLY interesting.

I started getting healthier and losing weight early last year in 2013. I started at 151 lbs. Picture on the left is me on May 18th, 2013, happy about how small I was able to get my stomach down to. The only exercise I did was running and I ate around 1400 calories a day on the Weight Watchers system. I didn't know anything about macro targets or anything like that. I just ate relatively healthy things that I could fit in a 1400 calorie budget. I weighed 130 lbs in the picture on the left. Soon after this picture, I went on vacation and when I got home the "vacation" never ended mentally. I gained ten pounds of what I lost back over the course of a few months during that fall and winter. I had stopped running. I tried running and eating 1400 calories again to lose the 10 pounds I gained back and I hated it. I wanted to try a different approach and started lifting in February of this year (2014). The picture on the right is me today (June 9th, 2014). I eat 2000 calories a day and all I do is lift. I weigh 133.2 lbs right now. I don't even run.

My goals had changed really dramatically. On the left, I could run distances with decent endurance, but I was weak. I couldn't do any man pushups like I can now. On the left, I just wanted to be skinny. On the right, my goals have changed to wanting to be strong.

Blows. My. Mind. And I havn't even scratched the surface of the progress I'm going to make.

Star_1234 · June 2014

Very interesting to see the difference. You are inspirational!

_lyndseybrooke_ · June 2014

Thank you for posting this. Love my fellow ladies that lift.

spirit095 · June 2014

Awesome! I love these success stories because it shows that lifting is a good thing! Women, pay attention!

sacris55 · June 2014

What is your routine?? I mean you don't get a flat stomach from lifting, are you doing something else as well?
Very well done! You inspired me

divainsneakers · June 2014

Great job!

Looking great and able to eat. Who would have thought!? : )

snowmaniac · June 2014

Looking great! You are pure awesome!

snowmaniac · June 2014

What is your routine?? I mean you don't get a flat stomach from lifting, are you doing something else as well?
Very well done! You inspired me

What gave you the idea that lifting along with eating right (asshe mentioned she is doing as well), doesn't give you a flat stomach? Doing a program like Stronglifts or Simple Strength will indeed work your core which will most certainly flatten your midsection.

sacris55 · June 2014

No, I was just asking cause clearily I'm doing it wrong

most of the machines at my gym are for arms anyway

_lyndseybrooke_ · June 2014

No, I was just asking cause clearily I'm doing it wrong most of the machines at my gym are for arms anyway

Your first mistake is relying on machines. Machines don't engage your core like compound movements using a barbell. That's what you're doing wrong.

sacris55 · June 2014

Bagga! I didn't know that...sorry I am a newbie on weight lifting. Thanks for the advice, deffinitely changing my routine since tomorrow!

snowmaniac · June 2014

Bagga! I didn't know that...sorry I am a newbie on weight lifting. Thanks for the advice, deffinitely changing my routine since tomorrow!

Excellent! Look at Stronglifts 5x5 and Simple Strength as good starting points. You can watch the two full Stronglifts workouts on YouTube. Progressive heavy lifting is a very efficient way to get great results in a fairly nominal time commitment in the gym.

kdiamond · June 2014

Isn't it amazing that women STILL think they'll bulk up when they lift? I weight 10 pounds more than I did a year ago and my measurements are either the same or less (except my shoulders/biceps/traps, I'm loving the gain there). It's an amazing thing! And you look GREAT!

Running is boring anyway, lifting is SO MUCH BETTER! LOL

jukyu · June 2014

"Running is boring anyway, lifting is SO MUCH BETTER! LOL"

AGREED 100%

chelseavanchilli · June 2014

Bump !!

annabeladcock · June 2014

Wow wow wow!! Well done you and also that is really interesting to see!

eslcity · June 2014

bump

girlr94 · June 2014

I can't even describe how much I love this haha. Definitely going to keep up the lifting. Well done! :-)

threnjen · June 2014

That is great!! I love seeing real proof that purely cardio makes you "skinny fat" (NOT THAT YOU WERE FAT) and lifting makes you lean.

I'm still early in my journey but focusing on strength work rather than cardio for all of my exercise. It doesn't burn as many calories but I want to maintain as much lean mass as possible as I lose weight from my calorie deficit. Then I look forward to continuing the strength work when I get to my goal weight so I can get really lean and strong like you.

I actually really like to run but it's just not what I believe is most effective.

JuiceBars · June 2014

I love to hear about other women loving lifting as much as I do! Feeling and looking strong is very rewarding although I must admit that I love when I am able to pair it with some good endurance through cardio work as well.

SueInAz · June 2014

Bumping this because I'm making the same exact transition and I can't see your pictures here at work.

MissGamerGirl · June 2014

First of all, thank you everyone! I have been very fortunate to find great support here at MFP. You guys rock.

What is your routine?? I mean you don't get a flat stomach from lifting, are you doing something else as well?
Very well done! You inspired me

I should have mentioned that I (more or less) follow the Stronglifts 5x5 program. I say more or less because I do extra accessory work and I've actually replaced the barbell row with other exercises but that is neither here nor there, haha. Like my friend snowmaniac said, you can find the whole routine on YouTube. There are two videos, Stronglifts 5x5 workout A and workout B. They're 30 minutes long each. Pay close attention to form used in performing these movements. I had to watch the videos many, many times to feel confident in really understanding the movement.

It is 100% true that abs are made in the kitchen. A great lifting routine will lend you mediocre results if your diet is crap. The group here on MFP called "Eat, Train, Progress" has permanent threads that teach you about macros, how to set your macro targets, how to find out how much you should be eating, etc. However, I will say that the Stronglifts movements will absolutely work your core. I find this especially true of squats, where I'm really tightening my core to help pull me out of the bottom position.

That is great!! I love seeing real proof that purely cardio makes you "skinny fat" (NOT THAT YOU WERE FAT) and lifting makes you lean.

HA! I promise I'm not at all offended by this. I happen to agree with the skinny fat thing. And yeah, I will say that in the first picture, I was squishy!

heykaraoke · June 2014

Absolutely awesome and so inspiring! Great work

losingles · June 2014

Bump for inspiration and to show Mama

LeanButNotMean44 · June 2014

Way to go! Love to hear from strong, fit and PROUD women who lift! :flowerforyou:

_errata_ · June 2014

READ: This is not a post bashing running by any means. This is simply my personal experience that I am sharing with you.

So I think that this is really, REALLY interesting.

I started getting healthier and losing weight early last year in 2013. I started at 151 lbs. Picture on the left is me on May 18th, 2013, happy about how small I was able to get my stomach down to. The only exercise I did was running and I ate around 1400 calories a day on the Weight Watchers system. I didn't know anything about macro targets or anything like that. I just ate relatively healthy things that I could fit in a 1400 calorie budget. I weighed 130 lbs in the picture on the left. Soon after this picture, I went on vacation and when I got home the "vacation" never ended mentally. I gained ten pounds of what I lost back over the course of a few months during that fall and winter. I had stopped running. I tried running and eating 1400 calories again to lose the 10 pounds I gained back and I hated it. I wanted to try a different approach and started lifting in February of this year (2014). The picture on the right is me today (June 9th, 2014). I eat 2000 calories a day and all I do is lift. I weigh 133.2 lbs right now. I don't even run.

My goals had changed really dramatically. On the left, I could run distances with decent endurance, but I was weak. I couldn't do any man pushups like I can now. On the left, I just wanted to be skinny. On the right, my goals have changed to wanting to be strong.

Blows. My. Mind. And I havn't even scratched the surface of the progress I'm going to make.

Nicely done.