Lift like a guy, look like a goddess or the other...

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2

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  • DeniseGdz
    DeniseGdz Posts: 592 Member
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    So, my goal is to TRANSFORM my body. I have about 40 pounds (i think) to lose. I am 5'9" and now weight 195. Should I wait till 20 pounds are gone then hard core strength train? Right now I am doing 60 min cardio 5 days a week and the Golds Body Pump class two days a week. I am hearing lots of differing views on the whole "lift like a man, look like a Goddess" (yes, that's what I want!) or do loads of reps with low weight and work up to tone my body (yes, that's what I want!).So what should I do? Also, don't you get SOME muscles from cardio, if you are really unfit any movement will tone right?

    On a side note, I went to the forbidden side of the gym to ask some of the muscle bound guys for some pointers and they were all looking at me like I was crazy. One said "oh honey, you need to go do those machines over there on that side. Free weights will just bulk you up and make you heavy!" I was like "but I don't want to do the wimpy machines, I want to try free weights!" So for any muscle guys, when an overweight, brave, determined women ask you for help, just do it! It took a bit of courage to ask for help and it felt like I was asking for top secret info, the way they were all shaking there heads and telling me no!

    My journey is just starting and I am loving it! I am so determined to change it is just crazy. I am truly ready to be fit and 40!

    RRRRROOOOOOOOOOCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKK ON!!!!! :heart:

    I've even asked some of the regulars if they "spot" me when doing some lifting....some agree others just look at me and walk away.

    Know in your heart, that in another state, at a different time, there is another woman doing the same!! Your not alone!
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
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    My trainer had me on one of the free weight bicep curl "machines" and one of the bigger guys was waiting for the machine and said to her "Why don't you have her go over to the machine over there?" pointing to one of the cable machines. My trainer ripped him a new one. It was epic and great.
  • MrsSki
    MrsSki Posts: 196
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    Did you read the book? If not, buy it and do so. It's pretty amazing, and it teaches you the correct way to lift, different exercises to do and what you should be eating.

    http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583332944
  • EmpressOfJudgment
    EmpressOfJudgment Posts: 1,162 Member
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    My trainer had me on one of the free weight bicep curl "machines" and one of the bigger guys was waiting for the machine and said to her "Why don't you have her go over to the machine over there?" pointing to one of the cable machines. My trainer ripped him a new one. It was epic and great.

    Hahaha. Love that!

    I agree with everyone else. Start now. You'll feel good and building muscle revs up the metabolism. Just don't be afraid of the little weight gain you might see in the beginning.
  • jennyb31
    jennyb31 Posts: 166 Member
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    Go Lift Heavy!!!!!! You will not regret it!!
  • DixieDarlin1987
    DixieDarlin1987 Posts: 553 Member
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    definitely heavy!!!! The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn!
  • OHJeepGirl
    OHJeepGirl Posts: 4 Member
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    By all means DO NOT WAIT. I was in your shoes 3 years ago and within the first year dropped my BF% from 33% to 13%. I shed 35 pounds of fat and put on 11 pounds of muscle druing that time. This was all through 3 weight lifitng sessions, a core class and 5 30 min cardio sessions a week. I lift heavy and moderate depending on my goal of the season. Lifting heavy means you will burn more calories because muscle burns more calories than fat. Cardio without the weight lifting will just eat away your muscles. Look into doing some HIIT style exercise sessions. It will burn a ton of fat off and maintain your musles.

    After the first year I progressed into the "advanced" training mode and now do a lot of the power lifting moves. The squat is my favorite and the gym trainer tells me that my form is absolutely perfect. He brings clients by to watch and tells them this is what they should be shooting for in their form. Yes, I have muscles but by no means do I look like a man. Just a chick that you really don't want to mess with :). In fact, my mother-in-law compares my frame to Linda Hamilton from the Terminator movie series.

    Good luck and shoot for that buff Goddess look!!!
  • natalexarie
    natalexarie Posts: 1
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    I agree, you will not bulk up, you'll just get super toned, so start ASAP. Muscles will only grow to the amount that the bones can support them (unless there are unnatural things being used...i.e.steroids). Women's bones are not as dense, nor as thick as men's, which is why women do not bulk up like men. Even super buff women that you might see in bodybulding contests are not that buff when you see them on the street. Bodybuilders undergo extreme conditioning leading up to a competition where they lose the majority of the water their bodies carry, so they appear more ripped then they would when eating a normal diet. Good luck.
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,224 Member
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    can i ask a really silly question as a novice, when you say heavy, how heavy do you mean? im 5'3" and 120lbs. what should i be lifting? my arms are gettng toned but i use 6lbs and do more reps. how much should i be lifting?
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    You must read the (New Rules of Lifting for Women) book NOW
    > RUN to the bookstore!!!!

    TRUST ME, you will look and feel better!! I went from 105 of skinny-ness to 110 pounds of pure muscle!! I dropped 3% body fat and still fit in the same clothes but look better in them! My butt is lifted, my arms and shoulders are sculpted and my cellulite is gone! Weight lifting is DA BEST!
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    Did you read the book? If not, buy it and do so. It's pretty amazing, and it teaches you the correct way to lift, different exercises to do and what you should be eating.

    http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583332944

    I agree! This book is my bible! I was losing fat but did not start seeing amazing results until I read this book and used it's principles!
  • BabyDuchess
    BabyDuchess Posts: 353 Member
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    can i ask a really silly question as a novice, when you say heavy, how heavy do you mean? im 5'3" and 120lbs. what should i be lifting? my arms are gettng toned but i use 6lbs and do more reps. how much should i be lifting?

    1st....no question is ever silly. :)) Lifting heavy means to be able to do 3 sets of 6-10 reps and by the last 1-2 reps you feel as though you can't do it. If however, you are lifting and are having no problem completing all the reps, then you need to increase the weights. Good luck! My trainer has be increasing weight just a little through each set and I love it! :flowerforyou:
  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
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    Go check out Bodybuilding.com. Read the site, read the forums (especially in the women's section). You'll get all the advise you need right there.
  • OHJeepGirl
    OHJeepGirl Posts: 4 Member
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    I've been lifting for 3 years so take this into account. Here are the top weights on my sets for some specific recent excercises: dumbbell flat bench press 30 lbs, barbell flat bench 75 lbs, seated row machine 100 lbs, barbell bent over rows 70 lbs, dumbbell military press 25 lbs, dumbbell side raises 15 lbs, dumbbell front raises 15 lbs, dumbbell clean & press 25 lbs, barbell clean & press 65 lbs, cable curls 70 lbs, dumbbell behind the head (single) 30 lbs, press down 45 lbs, barbell squat 145 lbs, barbell front squat 80 lbs, prone leg curls 55 lbs, standing calf raises 60 lbs. Don't be afraid of the weight. Do what you can do safely and in good form.
  • NoWeighJose74
    NoWeighJose74 Posts: 581 Member
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    I definitely give props to the (few and far between) girls I see at my gym that are using the free weights. It's admirable, and impressive!
  • noltes2
    noltes2 Posts: 202 Member
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    Hi Laurie, you are right where I was 44 pounds ago!!! I started at 195, and now I am at 151 with a goal of 140 like you! I feared the same thing, will I bulk up? I wanted to shrink so I was scared of lifting at a heavier weight. I'm pretty sure there is no "right" way to do things, but I'd be happy to share what I have done and had great success with.

    Went from 195 to 180 with just changing eating habits and adding more walking. At 180 I started doing dumbells and cardio 5x a week... Got to 175 next month, got to 170 the next month. I would do 5-10 pound dumbells 3 sets of 15.... I started building muscle underneath the fat. I did not rest between sets and would do each muscle group back to back with jogging in between.

    Then I started really amping up the cardio to shred the fat. I continued lifting with dumbells 3x a week at 8-12 pounds and did 90 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week. I would do interval training so my heart rate was high even while lifting to burn the most fat. Well 5 months of doing that (some slip up weeks and "breaks in between"). Once I hit 159 or so 2 months ago I started lifting heavy with machines and now that my body fat has dropped you can really start to see the results, just look at my pics on my profile. 2 months of heavy lifting have yielded me fantastic results and I've firmed up like no other. My weight isn't dropping quickly, but that is okay. Slow and steady wins the race. It's still important to build muscle under the fat so you burn more calories all day long. My routine now is weight machines 2x a week 3x12 and 60 minutes of cardio 3x a week.

    Good luck with whatever you do, there is no magic answer or one way to do things!
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,224 Member
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    can i ask a really silly question as a novice, when you say heavy, how heavy do you mean? im 5'3" and 120lbs. what should i be lifting? my arms are gettng toned but i use 6lbs and do more reps. how much should i be lifting?

    1st....no question is ever silly. :)) Lifting heavy means to be able to do 3 sets of 6-10 reps and by the last 1-2 reps you feel as though you can't do it. If however, you are lifting and are having no problem completing all the reps, then you need to increase the weights. Good luck! My trainer has be increasing weight just a little through each set and I love it! :flowerforyou:

    thanks! i can do 6lbs quite easily. i do 3 sets of 15 reps (is that the right way to do it?) maybe i should do heavier but less! will have to go and see if i can get that book!
  • DianaPowerUp
    DianaPowerUp Posts: 518 Member
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    I just ordered that book from Amazon (New Rules of Lifting for Women), and I can't WAIT! I do weight training 3x/wk, and after 4 mos, my butt sits higher, everything is tighter, I have better muscle tone....and I'm burning more calories all day long, than ever before. But I want to see if I can increase my muscle mass, and finally get a 6 pack (hence the book).

    So don't listen to those guys in the gym! You can do it! And if you follow through, in a few months, you'll be SMOKIN'!!!
  • BabyDuchess
    BabyDuchess Posts: 353 Member
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    can i ask a really silly question as a novice, when you say heavy, how heavy do you mean? im 5'3" and 120lbs. what should i be lifting? my arms are gettng toned but i use 6lbs and do more reps. how much should i be lifting?

    1st....no question is ever silly. :)) Lifting heavy means to be able to do 3 sets of 6-10 reps and by the last 1-2 reps you feel as though you can't do it. If however, you are lifting and are having no problem completing all the reps, then you need to increase the weights. Good luck! My trainer has be increasing weight just a little through each set and I love it! :flowerforyou:

    thanks! i can do 6lbs quite easily. i do 3 sets of 15 reps (is that the right way to do it?) maybe i should do heavier but less! will have to go and see if i can get that book!

    I would go heavier with less reps. I would aim for a maximum of 3 set of 10 reps with the last one or two reps being fairly difficult to do.....good luck!
  • BabyDuchess
    BabyDuchess Posts: 353 Member
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    I just ordered that book from Amazon (New Rules of Lifting for Women), and I can't WAIT! I do weight training 3x/wk, and after 4 mos, my butt sits higher, everything is tighter, I have better muscle tone....and I'm burning more calories all day long, than ever before. But I want to see if I can increase my muscle mass, and finally get a 6 pack (hence the book).

    So don't listen to those guys in the gym! You can do it! And if you follow through, in a few months, you'll be SMOKIN'!!!

    So true.....that's another benefit of lifting, my butt has lifted like a 20 yr old and several people have noticed among my gym friends and my close friends/family.......I love it! :flowerforyou:

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