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

MissGamerGirl

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

Very interesting to see the difference. You are inspirational!

_lyndseybrooke_

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

spirit095

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

sacris55

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

Great job!

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

snowmaniac

Looking great! You are pure awesome!

snowmaniac

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

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

_lyndseybrooke_

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

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

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

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

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

AGREED 100%

chelseavanchilli

Bump !!

annabeladcock

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

eslcity

bump

girlr94

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

threnjen

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

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

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