women who lift heavy

PB67

i am just looking to see what works for everyone else. I lift heavy 4 days a week and do cardio 4 days a week. Sunday is my rest day. i started eating more around the same time i started lifting and i gained weight so i do not know if it from lifting or if i am eating too much.. i eat about 1700-2200 calories a day but according to my bodybugg i burn 2400-3400 calories a day so i do not understand why i am gaining.?!?!

Did you just start out? It can take up to 2 months to see the scale number drop because of water weight gain from DOMS. I have to keep repeating that to myself as I only lost 0.6 pounds last month, lol. But I know it is working because my clothes are looser. I am just going to add in more cardio now and preserve that strength that I gained last month. It will work out, don't give up!

Also keep in mind that (women especially) can see an initial increase in weight due to bone-density.

Troll

the smallest weight i pick up is 20lbs, for shoulder flys. The heaviest is 140lbs for deadlift and squat (i should move up, but im out of plates. My heaviest squat was 230 at a friends house.) i lift 5 days a week, get at least 200g protein a day, try to eat no less than 1700 cal (i try for 2100) and as long as i keep up my cardio (hiit, 5 days, 45minutes) i lose. When i dip to 1500 cal i tend to gain, and i bulk really fast when i get lax on cardio.

AggieCass09

any ladies who are lifting should throw away the scale....

the day after you lift you can "gain" 0.5-3 lbs. This is just water retention and you muscles repairing themselves (ie getting bigger so that YOU look toned)

muscle is more dense than fat---it takes up less space but weighs more. So the scale could say negative things even though you are getting smaller...go with how clothes are fitting, measurements, and body fat percentage.

Here is some of my personal research on body fat loss, weights, and lifting:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/AggieCass09/view/proof-the-scale-lies-150448

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/AggieCass09/view/365-days-of-consecutive-logging-into-mfp-159442


and on the program (new rules of lifting for women) that i'm doing: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/AggieCass09/view/nrolfw-stage-1-update-155240

iwantniceabs

bump!

Jessicaruby

thank you all. i just started heavy lifting about a month ago and about died when i got on the scale and it said i had gained about 3-4lbs!!! i can see more definition in my arms and legs and i am getting stronger. my clothes fit the same. i took measurements when i started and will take them again in about another month. the scale going up just freaks me out...

doughnutwretch

how often do you lift? how heavy? Also how many calories do you eat a day and have you lost or gained weight?

I lift at least three times a week and target different muscle groups each time. I am still in the fat loss stage so I eat at a deficit about 1600 before factoring in any exercise. When maintaining, I'm at about 2200. When lifting heavy, my stats are as follows:

Squat - 155
Deadlift - 145
Shoulder press - 65
Bench (I'm a wuss on chest) - 65
Curls - 20
Skull Crushers - 25

These are my highest weights as of now and I can only get about 6 reps per set. Once I hit the point of being able to do three sets at 12-15, I increase the weight again. I have noticed major changes in the appearance of muscle and decrease of fat since I have become more deligent about strength training. You won't build new muscle if you are eating a deficit, but you will tone the muscle you already have and burn fat.

robin52077

i started out with 5 pounds weights back in April. I'm now lifting 10 pounds.

she said "heavy"....lol



me, anywhere from 15 lb dumbbells for chest fly, to 30 for some things, 40 lb bench, 60 lb barbell squats, 80 lb deadlifts.

Goal is to bench 100, Squat 120, Deadlift 150 before I turn 40.

I eat about 2000 a day and am maintaining nicely at 5'2" 110-112 lbs

kensky

I recently finished New Rules of Lifting for Women and have started a new program centered around powerlifting/olympic lifts called Starting Strength. I eat between 1600-1900 calories a day. I lift on M/W/F with 20 to 30 minutes of steady state cardio on those days. On Tuesday and Thursdays I do 45 to 60 minutes of intervals on the eliptical and trying to become a runner (slow progress). Saturdays I either rest or have another mixed cardio day.

Because I recently reset my weights down to the olympic bar to focus on form, it may not seem like lifting heavy is a priority to me but it is. I can do 50 lb squats all the way to the ground (proud!) and am working on 80 lb. deadlifts. My bench (I kinda hate bench press) is just the 45 lb. bar. I am also working on my power cleans which are not even to 45 yet. I have every intention of making weight training a life long endeavor so I am trying to patient and learn impeccable form before upping the weight a great deal.

Oh and for more surface-level stuff: I lost the bulk (hee!) of my almost 40 lbs. while lifting heavy weights and eating 1500+ calories. I started in February.

Rae6503

thank you all. i just started heavy lifting about a month ago and about died when i got on the scale and it said i had gained about 3-4lbs!!! i can see more definition in my arms and legs and i am getting stronger. my clothes fit the same. i took measurements when i started and will take them again in about another month. the scale going up just freaks me out...

If your clothes still fit, ignore the scale!

Scott613

Nothing hotter than a woman who can lift me up and press me against the wall too Bonus points if she can carry me up the stairs!

mystiedragonfly

I lift 4 to 5 times a week. Rotating areas of the body. Legs one day, arms and chest another, back and abs the next. Take two days off and then back in the gym.

My squat max is 400, but for everyday lifting/training, I the highest I go is 225. Bench is 135 and dead lift is 225 as well.

I eat between 1800 and 2000 calories a day. I lean towards a lot of protein, but also eat plenty of carbs.

In all this, I have only lost 30 pounds, but I have lost 10 pant sizes. Like someone said, when building muscle, the scales are not the best way to measure yourself. Instead, get a sewing measuring tape and measure yourself once a month.

HeatherFeather10

I love lifting - wish I could do it more - right now I lift 2 times a week.

Here are my personal records:

Front squat - 110 lbs

Jerk - 105 lbs

Bench - 85 lbs

During my Kettle Bell class I use a 25 lb kettle bell - will move up to 30 lbs soon.

Ayla20103005

I too am doing NROLFW, I am into my second week. I deadlifted 50 kg yesterday for a set of 15 (110 lbs) and shoulder pressed 20 kg. 3 times a week.
I am loving it! I am eating around 2000 cal a day, and I am losing (well it seems I have in my first week anyway)
It really is true you need to eat more to lose

robin52077

Nothing hotter than a woman who can lift me up and press me against the wall too Bonus points if she can carry me up the stairs!

hmmmm...how much do you weigh? I have to reevaluate my end goal...

Troll

oh, and i forgot to add; my fiance told me to use a weight i can only do 3 to 5 reps with perfect form, and do up to 5 sets with it, or until i cant pick it up. Do this once a week for 2 weeks (per muscle group) and then add weight. hate to say it, but it works. I add up to 10lbs every 2 weeks. Never thought id be able to curl 25lbs 100 + times all at once, but now i can

cbear017

Nothing hotter than a woman who can lift me up and press me against the wall too Bonus points if she can carry me up the stairs!

LOL. I don't think the Fireman's Carry is in the NROLFW, which is what I just started a few weeks ago. If you tell us how much you weigh we'll all have something to work toward.

Question for those using the olympic weights/bar: do you factor the weight of the bar into your numbers? eg. for the deadlift I use 20 kg on either end of the bar and the bar itself weighs 40 lbs (40 lbs = 18.14 kg), does this mean I deadlift 58.14 kg?

TluvK

Nothing hotter than a woman who can lift me up and press me against the wall too Bonus points if she can carry me up the stairs!

LOL. I don't think the Fireman's Carry is in the NROLFW, which is what I just started a few weeks ago. If you tell us how much you weigh we'll all have something to work toward.

Question for those using the olympic weights/bar: do you factor the weight of the bar into your numbers? eg. for the deadlift I use 20 kg on either end of the bar and the bar itself weighs 40 lbs (40 lbs = 18.14 kg), does this mean I deadlift 58.14 kg?

You're lifting it, aren't you?? OF COURSE! :drinker:

**Edit to say: most Olympic bars weigh 45# lbs. Not saying the one you use does, but you might want to check just to make sure.

doughnutwretch

Nothing hotter than a woman who can lift me up and press me against the wall too Bonus points if she can carry me up the stairs!

LOL. I don't think the Fireman's Carry is in the NROLFW, which is what I just started a few weeks ago. If you tell us how much you weigh we'll all have something to work toward.

Question for those using the olympic weights/bar: do you factor the weight of the bar into your numbers? eg. for the deadlift I use 20 kg on either end of the bar and the bar itself weighs 40 lbs (40 lbs = 18.14 kg), does this mean I deadlift 58.14 kg?

Yes, factor the bar as well

elizabethblake

I'm doing New Rules of Lifting for Women too, 3x/week. My stats aren't nearly as impressive as others, but I'm not even halfway through the program yet.

The scale has hardly budged, but 2.5 months in, I've lost a couple of sizes and see a ton of muscle definition. It's pretty awesome!

HeidiMightyRawr

I lift 3-4 times a week.

Bench 105lbs
Shoulder press 66
Squat 110
Deadlift 154 - (working on getting squats and deadlift up in particular, started those alot later than the others so they're behind at the moment in comparison)

Eat 2800 net calories, gaining just under 1lb a week (planned)