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

cep06e

Best way to get started weight lifting is to do a program like Jamie Eason's Live Fit Trainer. It's a three month program (available for free!) that actually works. I completed the program last year and loved it. I had muscles for the first time in my life (definition in my arms, my legs, even some oblique action!). Highly recommend it. And I never lifted weights before.

For exercises that you're not comfortable with (pull-ups!) or don't have equipment for (donkey calf raises??) look up alternative exercises in the bodybuilding.com database. I was able to complete most of the program in a tiny gym using just dumbbells and a cable machine.

Good luck!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html

laurie04427

Inspiring! Facinating to see the difference considering you are a similar weight in both pictures.

joyfulhappyheart

thanks for that link! I'm looking at it now.

It's something I REALLY want to do, but need to find a way to do at home... Thanks so much!

thepetiterunner

OP: Congrats on all the progress, that's awesome!

For me, I think both running and lifting are complementary. My goal is not to get super shredded, but to be strong and have endurance as a runner. With more cross training, my running improves. Yes, I do see more definition in my muscles when I cross train more heavily than when I just straight up run all the time, but I don't think it has to be an "either" "or" kind of a choice.

airplanes00

I do have a question for anyone who might know the answer. When I first started lifting I was pretty much at my goal weight (149lbs wanted to be 145lbs) I happen to find lifting and loved the way it changed my body, I was so happy. I finished the NROL4W, I ran once a week for 3.1 miles and didn't really watch my calories, I simply did portions and didn't eat crap processed foods. I was maintaining and love it. So now flash forward I had a baby was not able to eat red meat or lift during my pregnancy (wish I would have gotten a second opinion, but what's done is done and she is one happy healthy baby) So short story long, I am doing the 5/3/1 Big But Boring - Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday, and doing a 20 minute HIIT program on Wednesdays. Should I do more cardio since this time around I need to lose weight on top of building more muscle? I am 5'5".5 179lbs and I like my body at 149lbs, although would love to be 145lbs but I don't care too much about what the scale says as long as I have a healthy BMI and Body Fat %, but I certainly do not have that now and know I have to lose at least 24lbs, any thoughts would be helpful - Thanks

Weight loss is about calories in - calories out. You can run or do cardio, but a mile running is only 100 calories. That's like a banana. It would be more efficient to just eat at an appropriate deficit.

(that being said, I love everything about running)

Thanks for the reply, I have my calories set at my TDEE - 20% - my macros - protein 30% of LBM / Fat at 35% LBM and / Carbs is the difference at 35%. I eat my workout calories back. I think I will up the time I do cardio from 20 to 30 minutes and try to add walking now that its nice, and maybe do some fast lifting on lifting days after my core muscle lifts. I know I wont build much muscle with a calorie deficit, but if I can lose the fat while maintaining my muscles and building strength I'll be happy.

ninav1980

thanks for posting this. Your previous stats sound just like mine today.... I focus on running further and longer more so than weight training and eat 1400 cals
this gives me something to think about

Thanks!

likitisplit

I do have a question for anyone who might know the answer. When I first started lifting I was pretty much at my goal weight (149lbs wanted to be 145lbs) I happen to find lifting and loved the way it changed my body, I was so happy. I finished the NROL4W, I ran once a week for 3.1 miles and didn't really watch my calories, I simply did portions and didn't eat crap processed foods. I was maintaining and love it. So now flash forward I had a baby was not able to eat red meat or lift during my pregnancy (wish I would have gotten a second opinion, but what's done is done and she is one happy healthy baby) So short story long, I am doing the 5/3/1 Big But Boring - Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday, and doing a 20 minute HIIT program on Wednesdays. Should I do more cardio since this time around I need to lose weight on top of building more muscle? I am 5'5".5 179lbs and I like my body at 149lbs, although would love to be 145lbs but I don't care too much about what the scale says as long as I have a healthy BMI and Body Fat %, but I certainly do not have that now and know I have to lose at least 24lbs, any thoughts would be helpful - Thanks

Weight loss is about calories in - calories out. You can run or do cardio, but a mile running is only 100 calories. That's like a banana. It would be more efficient to just eat at an appropriate deficit.

(that being said, I love everything about running)

Thanks for the reply, I have my calories set at my TDEE - 20% - my macros - protein 30% of LBM / Fat at 35% LBM and / Carbs is the difference at 35%. I eat my workout calories back. I think I will up the time I do cardio from 20 to 30 minutes and try to add walking now that its nice, and maybe do some fast lifting on lifting days after my core muscle lifts. I know I wont build much muscle with a calorie deficit, but if I can lose the fat while maintaining my muscles and building strength I'll be happy.

When I start getting fussy about my results, I go over to www.gokaleo.com and look at Amber again. Her secret was consistency. She watched her calories. She gets 45 minutes of exercise a day (a combination of lifting and other exercises). She just did it for six years.

I'm two years in with running and watching what I eat, and about 4 months in to a progressive resistance program that I'm sticking with. I can already see the results. Knowing that I've got to think long-term this time is giving me a totally different perspective.

likitisplit

OP: Congrats on all the progress, that's awesome!

For me, I think both running and lifting are complementary. My goal is not to get super shredded, but to be strong and have endurance as a runner. With more cross training, my running improves. Yes, I do see more definition in my muscles when I cross train more heavily than when I just straight up run all the time, but I don't think it has to be an "either" "or" kind of a choice.

^^^this. Of course, it depends on what your goals are.

Amitysk

Wow! You are so inspiring!

albayin

OP: Congrats on all the progress, that's awesome!

For me, I think both running and lifting are complementary. My goal is not to get super shredded, but to be strong and have endurance as a runner. With more cross training, my running improves. Yes, I do see more definition in my muscles when I cross train more heavily than when I just straight up run all the time, but I don't think it has to be an "either" "or" kind of a choice.

yes but depends on your ultimate goal and training method/intensity...ultimately, bodying building and marathon are two completely different appoaches. trying to do both might offset the result...but again...it just depends. I do both but I am neither...

nmncare

Bump!! Thanks for the inspiration!!

ActuarialChef

Thank you thank you thank you.

My bf KEEPS trying to tell me that lifting will make me look like him (very muscular under a layer of fat). He insists that he's right because he took nutrition classes for anesthesiology school. I've been looking for success stories and photos of women who lift to show him that I will NOT bulk out!

He also insists that the *only* way to lose weight is to run, because that's "what worked for him". Sorry, but no. The only reason he lost weight is because the running burned extra calories and he didn't eat additional food to make up for it. Calories in < calories out!

Great job! Keep up the hard work! Can't wait to recomp my body by LIFTING!!!

lambchristie

bump
need to read more about some of the programs suggested within this thread.

egawne14

Very Interesting!! Thanks for the inspiration! I was running to drop the weight and recently took up lifting.. Hopefully i get the same type of lean results!

aliakynes

Excellent results, good on you!

Lifting definitely makes big changes for me that running can't but I didn't want to give up running so I currently do both (and eat a ton, hehe).

Scale weight has always been an annoyance in my life because my look does match the scale number.

I tried to ditch it since I started lifting but haven't been able to do so, especially seeing those thin women who can do both: lifting weight while losing weight...I am so jealous...

The after is 3.2 lbs heavier than the "before". So I think she ditched (or stopped minding) the scale for the most part .

MissGamerGirl

I need to get my head around this.

Currently doing 5 hours a week intense cardio and minimal weights/core training.

I've lost a fair bit of weight and not a million aways from my goal - but I still feel bullky and squishy and like I take up too much room for what I weigh.

All the lifting ladies I've seen are lean and compact - which maybe I should switch my goal to instead of number on the scales.

I feel like half the battle of this is the head-f**k I'm going through - eat more than I have in the last AGES and still be compact? WAIT WHAAAAAAT?!!

One day. Goals.

In the grand scheme of things, I find scale weight to be an incredibly trivial piece of data.

I mean, honestly, I had to tell myself - who gives a crap if I weigh more on the scale? If I look hotter than that's all I care about, LOL.

Scale weight has always been an annoyance in my life because my look does match the scale number.

I tried to ditch it since I started lifting but haven't been able to do so, especially seeing those thin women who can do both: lifting weight while losing weight...I am so jealous...

They are not losing a lot of scale weight. They're reducing fat and undergoing body recomposition.

Typically, when lifting, you will end up weighing more (or close to your starting weight) yet take up less space.

MissGamerGirl

OP: Congrats on all the progress, that's awesome!

For me, I think both running and lifting are complementary. My goal is not to get super shredded, but to be strong and have endurance as a runner. With more cross training, my running improves. Yes, I do see more definition in my muscles when I cross train more heavily than when I just straight up run all the time, but I don't think it has to be an "either" "or" kind of a choice.

No, it doesn't have to be either or. We don't need to look further than the hotness of CrossFit athlete Andrea Ager to know that!

BUT. The problem is that most people do not know how to do both in an effective manner. It is more complicated and involved than one might originally think. It takes careful planning and strategy, and really knowing what you're doing.

jason_adams

You're looking great! Congrats!

I don't have pics, but I'm on week 2 of being focused on lifting, and I'm noticing the weight is coming right off. I've also noticed I'm having a MUCH easier time managing my calories. Here's my theory using #'s from MFP and Endomondo - my exercise trackers

1 hour of lifting = 400 calories
1 hour of running = 1,000 calories.

The difference between the days I lift and don't is MUCH less than the difference between the days I run and don't.
With running if my caloric intake can vary by 50%, that's tough for my brain and body to figure out - it's EASY to overeat on non-running days.... by 1,000 calories a shot!! That's significant.

With 400 calories... I don't mind missing that, and my body won't hit me with hunger-smacks late in the day if I don't eat back those calories. So sticking to, or very close to my target calories has been much easier and I think THAT is a big part of my success.

likitisplit

You're looking great! Congrats!

I don't have pics, but I'm on week 2 of being focused on lifting, and I'm noticing the weight is coming right off. I've also noticed I'm having a MUCH easier time managing my calories. Here's my theory using #'s from MFP and Endomondo - my exercise trackers

1 hour of lifting = 400 calories
1 hour of running = 1,000 calories.

The difference between the days I lift and don't is MUCH less than the difference between the days I run and don't.
With running if my caloric intake can vary by 50%, that's tough for my brain and body to figure out - it's EASY to overeat on non-running days.... by 1,000 calories a shot!! That's significant.

With 400 calories... I don't mind missing that, and my body won't hit me with hunger-smacks late in the day if I don't eat back those calories. So sticking to, or very close to my target calories has been much easier and I think THAT is a big part of my success.

I do a modified TDEE, where I note the average number of calories a day I can eat if I consistently run, but don't add them to my diary until I get out there.

So I'm eating more-or-less the same number of calories a day, but in the red on the days I don't run and am below on the days I do.

Kirstie155

You are my hero. Amazing job????