Weight loss vs. weight lifting

k_wat4264

Hello, so recently I've been hearing 2 very different schools of thought...

In the past I've read that it's timportant to focus on weight loss before toning/lifting beauce unless you loos the fat you'll just have strong muscles underneath the layers fat. (Actually making you look bigger)

But recently on MFP I've been seeing a lot of promotion of weight lifting to burn fat and lower body fat percentages.

Can anyone help clarify?

(I'm around 127 at 5'6" I know that is a healthy weight, but I have a lot of fat around my hips and thighs and would like to maybe loose a little weight, but more importantly lower my body fat percentage)

JoRocka

the issue with JUST losing weight and no lifting is that you run a very real risk of losing muscle and fat.
weight is just weight.

So weight loss can come from fat and muscle. Losing muscle is BAD.

So- if you life while you are on a deficit- you are optimizing fat loss- and minimizing muscle loss- and when you get closer to your goal weight- you have smexhy muscles to show off.

If you don't- you just wind up looking like a smaller version of yourself currently- which most people don't actually want. Some people do- and that's okay too- but most people's goals include "tone up- lose fat" sooooooooooo typically life weights and lose fat = fabulous "toned" body when you get to where you want to be.