Weight lifting for Weight loss ?

LakerFan03

How do you lift weights to lose weight? Because I'm thinking about adding a weight training program to go with the cardio I'm doing now.

_Ben

Direct weight training, except for if you are significantly over weight, is not really the best route for weight loss. Strength training will help boost your metabolism, but primarily you will lose weight via cardio

yanicka

I do strenght training for fat lost, not weight lost.

I've lost 5 inches all over my body in about 4 weeks but my weight stayed the same.

erickirb

Direct weight training, except for if you are significantly over weight, is not really the best route for weight loss. Strength training will help boost your metabolism, but primarily you will lose weight via cardio

Actually Cardio will not make you lose weight. having a caloric deficit will regardless if it comes from eating less or exercising more. That being said another benefit to weight lifting while trying to lose weight is that if you do no exercise or just cardio, you will lose a large amount of lean muscle along with fat. By incorporating strength training and higher protein, you will limit the amount of muscle you will lose while losing weight.

So you will burn more caloreis with cardio, but since you are supposed to eat exercise calories back, cardio will make no difference in your weight loss journey, other then the healthy benefits (stronger heart, better endurance etc.) while strength training will help you maintain muscle so when you get to your goal weight you are not "skinny fat".

TavistockToad

I do strenght training for fat lost, not weight lost.

I've lost 5 inches all over my body in about 4 weeks but my weight stayed the same.

i agree, i lost inches like crazy the first few weeks after introducing a proper strength programme, but my weight stayed the same.

bsexton3

My wife swears by weight training. We had been watching our food. She had been running, and no weight was coming off. We got a bowflex, and she started using it and lost the 10 pounds she had been wanting to lose. For weight loss, you do small weight with more reps. On the bowflex, for weight loss you do a weight you can do for 12-15 reps. If you are wanting strength, you do the weight you can do 8-10 times.

I have been lifting for five weeks now. My weight is still plateued. But, I now my measurements are getting better.

czechsmate

I'm interested as well...just started using light weights but I really have no idea what I am doing. I am 5'4" and weight is 145 right now...my goal is 125 maybe 120

tabi26

From what I've learned, adding weights will help make sure that what you are losing is fat instead of muscle. When you are at a calorie deficit then your body will take what it needs from, well, your body lol. What you want it to do is take what it needs from fat stores instead of breaking down muscle. So lifting weights will help make your body use fat for energy instead of muscle. Also, when you get to your goal weight, if all you have done is cardio, then you will probably look 'skinny fat'. Which is a term for people who are thin, but not 'tight'. So if you are looking for a fierce body then adding weights into your routine is the way to go!

erickirb

I'm interested as well...just started using light weights but I really have no idea what I am doing. I am 5'4" and weight is 145 right now...my goal is 125 maybe 120

The heavier you go the better the results. Once you get the form down you should increase the weight to where you cannot do more than 10-12 reps in each set (the last 2-3 reps in each set should be difficult to do while keeping good form, in other words pushing yourself)

siabevis

Agreed

czechsmate

I'm interested as well...just started using light weights but I really have no idea what I am doing. I am 5'4" and weight is 145 right now...my goal is 125 maybe 120

The heavier you go the better the results. Once you get the form down you should increase the weight to where you cannot do more than 10-12 reps in each set (the last 2-3 reps in each set should be difficult to do while keeping good form, in other words pushing yourself)

Thank you!!

Matttdvg

Lifting weights won't directly result in a great deal of weight loss, but it will help build up muscle. And muscle does burn calories, so indirectly it'll help. But you'll still want to have a calorie deficit and do some cardio too.

Danahimself

Great thread and motivating as the "skinny fat" is becoming an issue for me I believe!

ccmccoy09

There are a lot of benefits to strength training, but in my experience these are the two most important for weight loss:

1. In the most simplistic terms, bigger muscles burn more calories over the course of the day, making your everyday activities and your cardio workouts more effective. Your body will also continue to burn calories for a while after your strength training workout.

2. If you are losing weight without building muscle, your body is likely to get smaller but still look soft and flabby. This becomes more true the older you are.

If you don't want to sacrifice cardio for strength training, check out circuit training, "boot camp" or body pump. All three will get your heart rate going!

ninerbuff

Direct weight training, except for if you are significantly over weight, is not really the best route for weight loss. Strength training will help boost your metabolism, but primarily you will lose weight via cardio

It's actually calorie deficit that is responsible for weight loss. I incorporate both for all clients for a better balance.