How many women on here are lifting weights????????

sedosher

bump for later

maryloo2011

*raising hand*

On top o what everyone else said it is also very very hard to get bulky withou eating at a calorie surplus anyway. Which I'm guessing you wouldn't do because you are looking at the number on the scale.

Lifting weights WORKS and is totally a body recomposition transformation. I used to be 117.... I am now 127-130 and fit into exactly the same clothes. Went from "skinny fat" to lean with muscles. This is due to lifting ~4 days a week, very little cardio if any (lately) and eating correctly.

Good luck and go pick up some weights!!

tabinmaine

I love to lift and lift heavy !!

LauritaS767

I love lifting! It makes me feel strong. I don't think I've ever had more satisfaction then when I lifted 200 + on a sumo deadlift, or leg pressed over 310lbs for sets of 8.

ninerbuff

Or if you have a hormone imbalance, like me. I have PCOS, so I have more testosterone than most women. I do have to be careful about how I do my strength training. I usually lift a moderate amount of weight (too heavy and I'll bulk up, too light and I don't feel like I'm lifting anything), and I do two sets of fifteen reps and I do strength training twice per week...cardio four times per week.

The testosterone increase is still minimal compared to a male though. While I don't disagree that some females do have higher test levels than others (just like males do too), I haven't seen it significant enough to keep a female from staying feminine looking by lifting heavy weights to assist with weight loss or body recompostition.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition[/b

gagey1

I do 2-3 times a week but I use light weights to tone vs. heavy so I do not bulk up

4hotmama

LIFT- weights are a good thing

mrau719

ME! Love lifting heavy

tkaawa

Ok so, as many women i am one of those that is scared to be lifting weights due to i'm afraid of bulking up. I have however been giving it a go for the past two weeks but even though i have been i'm still freaking myself out about it. I'm so worried about the whole "muscle weighs more than fat" deal! I want to see the number on the scale DROP not increase!! Anyways, i'd love to hear different things about lifting weights and if possible see pictures of women who have used strength training to help them to achieve their goals. I'm so... confused when it comes to strength training. Confused and very nervous about getting big instead of skinny and toned. HELP ME PLEASE UNDERSTAND!!! Thanks to all who respond ahead of time
[/quote

I love it. When i first started working out, i thought the same thing as well..."no, i don't wanna bulk up".....but my 2nd round around, i met with a personal trainer who showed me what to do and how to do it......and i finally understand. DON'T LIFT HEAVY.....Lift light with more reps. And i know you wanna see #s dropping on the scale, but remember, if you're also lifting weights and doing cardio as well, you could be dropping fat and building muscles at the same time..and MUSCLE weighs more THAN fat...so don't get discouraged...keep doing what you're doing, and if you're lifting heavy right now, try to go lighter with more reps

TNGURL

I'm lifting.. along with my P90X2 program... I also run.

mama2shi

I have been lifting weights for almost 4 years (yes, I lift heavy); you're welcome to click through my profile photos and see the difference between before/after. I can honestly say that I LOVE my arms and back; something that wasn't the case in high school when I was the same weight but predominately a runner. I wish you could see more in my legs, but that's where all my body fat resides so....maybe eventually

You have AMAZING thighs!!! Love it!

jenhowse1

Or if you have a hormone imbalance, like me. I have PCOS, so I have more testosterone than most women. I do have to be careful about how I do my strength training. I usually lift a moderate amount of weight (too heavy and I'll bulk up, too light and I don't feel like I'm lifting anything), and I do two sets of fifteen reps and I do strength training twice per week...cardio four times per week.

The testosterone increase is still minimal compared to a male though. While I don't disagree that some females do have higher test levels than others (just like males do too), I haven't seen it significant enough to keep a female from staying feminine looking by lifting heavy weights to assist with weight loss or body recompostition.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition[/b

I was told a few years ago that I have PCOS and I lift two/three times a week as heavy as I can. Not quite at hulk-like proportions yet ;-)

(edited as my typing is atrocious!)

tkaawa

I started about a month ago. I've upped my calories and told my scale to go to hell.

*LIKE*----"go to hell scale"

jilers

I agree with Alex that this should be posted in fitness. That being said. - a pound is a pound. Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat it just settles in the body differently - in a good way. Working out is healthy and if done in moderation will speed up you weight loss. You will be expanding energy and burning calories while making your metablosim work harder. Good luck!

ca551dy

I've been doing Ripped in 30 as well and I'm tightening up, NOT getting bulkier. Women naturally do not bulk up when strength training. They icky body builder types that you are worried about resembling are not simply using weights. They are using weights you'll never be able to lift, drinking weird powdered drinks that make muscles bulkier and likely taking steroids or testosterone supplements. You're in the clear! Weights will help you look FIT in addition to being smaller. The number you need to focus on is your clothing size and a reflection in the mirror that makes you happy - the scale means nothing!

Good luck with your workouts!

Zodiacsmom

I do with my trainer, he is very careful to keep me from bulking up

meeulk

This gives a great explanation!
http://www.newellness.com/physfitn/strntrng.htm

krb2012

i am and it feels great!!!

swycoff17

I can understand your concerns. Many women have that same fear. I do have a couple things I have to explain first:

Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. A pound of muscle and a pound of fat both=a pound. Fat doesn't turn into muscle either, you burn fat, and gain muscle. However, muscle looks a lot different that fat does, obviously. So a person who weighs say 150 pounds with 30% body fat verses a person who weighs 150 with 20% body fat--the person with 20% body fat will look thinner.

In regards to 'bulking up." I wouldn't worry too much about it. I would continue strength training...it builds muscle and muscle is a GOOD thing. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns, which in turns, helps you lose weight. Unless you're lifting for hours on end and eating an over abundance of protein and doing protein shakes and all that jazz, I wouldn't worry about it. Change is gradual, and if you feel you start to see yourself getting a little more muscular than you'd like (which will take time, as anything does) you can always taper back.

I hope that was useful....

Yanicka1

Unless you have a genetic anomoloy, it is IMPOSSIBLE for you (a female) to bulk up.

Or if you have a hormone imbalance, like me. I have PCOS, so I have more testosterone than most women. I do have to be careful about how I do my strength training. I usually lift a moderate amount of weight (too heavy and I'll bulk up, too light and I don't feel like I'm lifting anything), and I do two sets of fifteen reps and I do strength training twice per week...cardio four times per week.

I also have PCOS and frankly, while I can get a bit more muscles than most women....it is not significant enought and even less true when at a calories deficite. What was making my bulky, is the fat on top of my muscles.