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

MercenaryNoetic26

Going to start up with the weights again. Didn't do anything for the 1st trimester, but I'm feeling damn good right now and miss the weights.

Ebwash89

Dont be afriad of weights. I used to be scared to lift weight for that very reason and then I figured out that I needed to. I would run and do cardio like a maniac but as soon as I added weights I lost inches better and toned my muscles. It wont bulk you up unless your naturally muscular or your taking something to bulk you up. Go for it! You'll like the results

engineman312

afraid of bulking up? read this: http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/

also, this is stacy. she is awesome. http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

on the left she is a whooping 131 lbs. on the right she is 142lbs.

gildinha

bumping ... wondering the same

karinaes

i lift. and i'm not bulky.

AggieCass09

Women do not and cannot bulk up because we don't have the testosterone for it. So lift weights, go heavy, and enjoy the results. Remember muscle takes up less space than fat on your body. You'll be smaller, and that's a good thing! And that's especially important if your weight loss stalls.
Muscle takes more calories to maintain than fat. Therefore, the more muscle you have on your body, the higher your calorie burn, and the bigger the deficit you can create by eating the same amount of food!

This is not true, there are some magazines at my gym with some extremely bulked up woman.........they scare me!

those women take steroids!!!

alise_lmx

I don't have pics, but when I try to lose weight I always lift weights. Nothing crazy, just really basic stuff, and with not a ton of weight, usually I use the 10 or 15lb dumbbells (15 when i get strong, for me). I also do a lot of exercises using just my body weight, like planks and girl pushups. I have never even come CLOSE to bulking up. I always just look nice and toned. If you go to the gym and see the women there, there are VERY few who look really bulky, and the ones who are pretty much weight lift like the guys do. At my gym, in the 5 years I have been a member, I have probably seen a handful of women like this, ( i can only think of 1 off the top of my head) and I see a LOT of women doing strength training.

So don't worry, it is so good for you, you will feel so strong and awesome if you try it! Start slow and ask a trainer to help you start some simple stuff, even if you don't want a session with them I'm sure they will be more than happy to show you how to use some of the machines! But I do recommend doing at least one session with a trainer when you start, just to learn what to do and make sure you don't injure yourself.

Good luck and have fun!

christibam

I lift weights and use my body weight in workouts for 45 minutes, 6 days a week.

Mon: Legs
Tues: Arms/Back
Wed: Abs
Thurs: Legs:
Fri: Arms/Back
Sat: Abs

I was medically advised against cardio this week but was told that strength training was fine. I have the feeling that I gained a few pounds from a combination of not eating for a few days (part of the reason I was advised against cardio), having 2.5 slices of pizza one night and not doing cardio. I won't know until tomorrow but the difference I see and feel in myself negates any disappointment on the scale.

Also, lifting doesn't make you 'bulky' but it can make you cut as hell if you want it to and bust your *kitten* doing it.

Meet my sister-in-law:

woou

I'm doing P90 with 5lb weights. Sometimes more or less depending on the move. I'm definitely liking the way I feel and am looking forward to heavier weights. I already bought 20lbs more. . Yeah. I know 5lbs is puny, lol.

lisag2007

Lifting weights is a great way to help you meet your goals. I'm only about 5 or 6 pounds from my goal and once I hit it, I plan on doing strictly weights to maintain. Maybe throw a day of cardio in once or twice a week. Lifting weights makes you feel fantastic, especially when you realize...hey, these are too light....I need to be lifting something heavier. You are not going to start bulking up....you will just get a toned look. Good luck in your journey.

chachita7

There is no bulking for woman when weight lifting unless you are actually training to bulk and taking supplements for it...

I weight lift 3 times a week, not like a girl either - last night during my lower body workout I leg pressed 260lbs and squatted 200 lbs...

I am currently at 136.6 lbs fitting in a 3/4 (5/6 depending on brand of course) pair of jeans...

So don't be afraid girl - bodybuilding.com has awesome 12 week plans which gives you a great balance between cardio and lifting (all for free)

eedossa

Just started, and I love it!

beckylawrence70

I do 3 times a week, 40 min each session, love it!

christibam

Okay now I know it isn't much at all... and I know my arms still have a butt ton of fat hanging down. But you see that little faint horizontal line in my bicep? That's the first time in my entire life that I've had any type of definition pretty much anywhere on my body. That's after about 2 weeks of weight and strength training. Before, it was just a straight pile of sagging flab crap.

Coco_Puff

I do!!! When I go on vacation now, my weight stays the same, even though I eat poorly. But when I just did cardio, I'd always come home from vacation weighing more. Strength training works for me!!!!

tkaawa

first off, muscle does not weigh more than fat. a pound is a pound. muscle takes up less space than fat though.
secondly. it is not possible for you to bulk up. you don't have the testosterone for it (as someone else said). Lifting heavy is great.

I have been lifting for close to a year. I have not bulked up (because it's not possible since I'm not roided out!) but I have noticed significant toning going on which was the idea.

ok...sorry for my miswording...........MUSCLE IS MUCH NICER TO LOOK AT.........

LorinaLynn

Posted some of these in the other thread, but this one seems to be the one with the most action.

For anyone concerned about "gaining weight" while lifting... I started lifting in July. I gained a few pounds since going on maintenance in October. Can you see it? I can't. I can only see me looking better.

christibam

first off, muscle does not weigh more than fat. a pound is a pound. muscle takes up less space than fat though.
secondly. it is not possible for you to bulk up. you don't have the testosterone for it (as someone else said). Lifting heavy is great.

I have been lifting for close to a year. I have not bulked up (because it's not possible since I'm not roided out!) but I have noticed significant toning going on which was the idea.

You sort of had the idea right but wrong wording. Muscle, by volume, is less than fat per pound.



ok...sorry for my miswording...........MUSCLE IS MUCH NICER TO LOOK AT.........

chuisle

I love this thread and how many women are on it and lifting HEAVY!

Do it, you won't regret it. To add my 2 cents:

I look better after a year or so of heavy lifting than I ever have before.

jcstanton

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

Not trying to start a debate on the subject. I'm just relaying my own personal experience. Several years ago, a personal trainer put me on a heavy lifting program. After about six months or so, I decided to stop lifting heavy and switched to a more moderate weight with higher reps because my neck, shoulders, chest, back, and legs were looking more bulky than just fit and toned. I've always been unusually strong for a woman anyway, so it doesn't take long for me to start seeing results. Although, I guess muscular and bulky still looks better than fat and sloppy.

tkaawa

first off, muscle does not weigh more than fat. a pound is a pound. muscle takes up less space than fat though.
secondly. it is not possible for you to bulk up. you don't have the testosterone for it (as someone else said). Lifting heavy is great.

I have been lifting for close to a year. I have not bulked up (because it's not possible since I'm not roided out!) but I have noticed significant toning going on which was the idea.

You sort of had the idea right but wrong wording. Muscle, by volume, is less than fat per pound.



ok...sorry for my miswording...........MUSCLE IS MUCH NICER TO LOOK AT.........

and it just sounds better..lol..thankyou for correcting me though, because i'm kind of bummed out that i was misinformed.

Blueeyes1117

Heres some pictures that may help you. (not of me)

My results have been similar, I am 10-15 pounds heavier then my "rough goal weight" but am already AT my goal clothing size, and physically I am about 1-2 times smaller clothing wise, then last time I was at my goal weight (when I had less muscle) -

So I look tighter leaner and smaller, then before at my "small" weight. No jiggles.

So to everyone else I look like I am already at my goal weight. But I am heavier, which is fine Ignore the scale.

Less weight - yep you look good dressed and may fit the smaller clothing size - but, add more muscle and a bit more scale weight - you also fit the smaller clothing size, look good dressed AND look good nakkid.

I lift heavy weights, low reps - that has given me the fastest results in fat loss, and lean muscle improvement, tightening and body changes.

5 lbs heavier in after pic, but tighter and leaner


Not same girl, but cute example


Same weight, after was when she started lifting heavy


Different girls but both size 4


Same girl, before and after lifting heavy weights, she lost 5 lbs


Stacy, read her story here: She is 14 lbs heavier in after
http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/


10 lbs heavier in after


10 lbs heavier in after


Different girl, but both size 2

Wow!! Thank you sooo much this has definitely given me a different perspective on strength training!!!

rockerbabyy

i started lifting heavy (for me) in january. i took 6 week measurements and id lost 20 inches overall... i also have pcos.
ive lost 8.4 pounds since then as well, even with half-assing all of february and being over on calories just about every week.
unless you eat above maintenance and take steroids, you wont "bulk up" like a man.. you might LOOK bigger in parts until your body fat goes down some more, but its all worth it in the end.

Blueeyes1117

There is no bulking for woman when weight lifting unless you are actually training to bulk and taking supplements for it...

I weight lift 3 times a week, not like a girl either - last night during my lower body workout I leg pressed 260lbs and squatted 200 lbs...

I am currently at 136.6 lbs fitting in a 3/4 (5/6 depending on brand of course) pair of jeans...

So don't be afraid girl - bodybuilding.com has awesome 12 week plans which gives you a great balance between cardio and lifting (all for free)

Thank you YOU LOOK AWESOME!!!

lipglossjunky73

I lift. I love it! It helps me with stress as well as keep me toned! It is a great complement to my running!

tkaawa

see again, i've been misinformed...

so is it better to lift heavier with less reps?

also, i don't want to bulk up on my legs...i'm 5' 4.5" and afraid of getting thicker legs...mind you i'm pure Samoan, so might not be able to handle that yah?

ctalimenti

LOVE this thread! I sent you a friend request. I just started lifting two wks ago.

Rae6503

see again, i've been misinformed...

so is it better to lift heavier with less reps?

also, i don't want to bulk up on my legs...i'm 5' 4.5" and afraid of getting thicker legs...mind you i'm pure Samoan, so might not be able to handle that yah?

heavy, less reps. 4-6 to really build strength. 6-12 is okay too. 15 would really only be used to learn form. As heavy as you can and still complete (or almost complete) your set with good form. 3 to 5 sets.

Calorie deficit is what controls weight loss or gain. If you are eating at a deficit, it is very unlikely that your body will use it's energy to build large amounts of muscle. However where we store our fat is genetic. Mine is in my legs. Weight lifting (without fat loss) hasn't made my legs bigger, but it hasn't made them smaller either.

Health_Gal

If you are new to weight lifting, try a Group Power or Body Pump class. Most areas have at least one of those at the YMCA or other gyms. I have been doing Group Power 2 to 3 times a week for the past 3 years, and I have not bulked up or started to look like an Amazon woman. But I do look and feel stronger and more toned.

Those classes are done to music, and if you are totally new to weigh lifting, they have you do the routine with an empty bar or very light weights until you are familiar with the lifts.

Good luck!

tkaawa

see again, i've been misinformed...

so is it better to lift heavier with less reps?

also, i don't want to bulk up on my legs...i'm 5' 4.5" and afraid of getting thicker legs...mind you i'm pure Samoan, so might not be able to handle that yah?

heavy, less reps. 4-6 to really build strength. 6-12 is okay too. 15 would really only be used to learn form. As heavy as you can and still complete (or almost complete) your set with good form. 3 to 5 sets.

Calorie deficit is what controls weight loss or gain. If you are eating at a deficit, it is very unlikely that your body will use it's energy to build large amounts of muscle. However where we store our fat is genetic. Mine is in my legs. Weight lifting (without fat loss) hasn't made my legs bigger, but it hasn't made them smaller either.

Thank you very much for the information....definitely learned something new and gonna try heavier