Weight Lifting while Losing Weight - Yes or no?

amuhlou

It's not essential but it can help. More muscle means your body becomes more and more of a calorie furnace.

I personally lost all my weight so far without doing much strength training. Occasional yoga & free weight work, but nothing serious. Now I'm starting to focus more on toning.

Keep in mind that if you're doing weights, you will likely need to manually edit your goals here on MFP because the daily calorie and protein numbers are probably a bit low.

Danny_Boy13

Yes, strength training should be incorporated at the same time as cardio. If you do the Body For Life Method You are doing 3 days of weights and 3 of cardio. I have friends that do 2 days weights and 2-3 days cardio and see great results.

mmapags

My doctor suggested that in the beginning concentrate the most on cardio than slowly add weights but make sure to keep the weights light and do more reps so you do not bulk up

Sorry, but this is nonsense. You do not need to fear bulking up if you're eating at a deficit. Bulking is a deliberate process used by body builders to gain mass. It requires eating a *kitten* ton of food and lifting very heavy weights. I can assure you that this won't happen to any woman who wants to lift heavy. Physiologically speaking it's practically impossible.

Very true! Even men who are eating in a deficit have trouble bulking up and they have testosterone on thier side. Without excess calories your body will not usually build muscle tissue. As a woman, you would have a hard time getting bulky even if you wanted to. While in calorie deficit is is nearly impossible. Lift once or twice a week working different areas of your body. 3 times if you are recovered enough and you are young enough to bounce back quick. You'll be glad you did!

jadedone

I'd say yes! Not only will you see more results faster (even if the scale does nothing), you'll burn more calories on your off days, and improve your endurance with the strength training. Oh and it will help with all kinds of little things in daily life: lifting, balancing, etc. It is win win.

Make sure that you strength train to muscle fatugue to get the best results. You want to make sure the last rep you do is hard.

Azdak

My doctor suggested that in the beginning concentrate the most on cardio than slowly add weights but make sure to keep the weights light and do more reps so you do not bulk up

Sorry, but this is nonsense. You do not need to fear bulking up if you're eating at a deficit. Bulking is a deliberate process used by body builders to gain mass. It requires eating a *kitten* ton of food and lifting very heavy weights. I can assure you that this won't happen to any woman who wants to lift heavy. Physiologically speaking it's practically impossible.

Very true! Even men who are eating in a deficit have trouble bulking up and they have testosterone on thier side. Without excess calories your body will not usually build muscle tissue. As a woman, you would have a hard time getting bulky even if you wanted to. While in calorie deficit is is nearly impossible. Lift once or twice a week working different areas of your body. 3 times if you are recovered enough and you are young enough to bounce back quick. You'll be glad you did!

So if you don't "bulk up" how does your body become the "calorie furnace" that everyone is promising??

Hmm..... (hint: it doesn't)

But the weights are still essential, even if the "increased metabolism" claims are significantly overstated.

jamie1888

My doctor suggested that in the beginning concentrate the most on cardio than slowly add weights but make sure to keep the weights light and do more reps so you do not bulk up

^ Fail!
No offense! But, honestly, your doctor is probably a general practitioner that has spent minimal time studying fitness and nutrition. Your Doctor has outdated views and shouldn't dish out advice in matters that he/she knows very little of.
Both parts of his/her suggestion are false!