Women who lift weights ??? Advice please

Blueeyes1117

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

barefoot76

Get yourself a copy of The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess -- stop worrying, keep lifting!!! :-D

withervein

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!!

You're gonna want to get over this. First, because "muscle weighs more than fat" starts the worst semantics argument ever. Second, because you can be light and still have a lot of body fat depending on your build and a high body fat percentage is still unhealthy.

lmr9

Lift, Lift, Lift!! You will NOT bulk up - I PROMISE you!! The only way to get the nice toned body you want is by lifting weights. Trust me, you will still lose weight - and after all, isn't it FAT that you want to lose, not just weight. Muscle burns more calories than fat does. START LIFTING NOW!

kdiamond

Confused and very nervous about getting big instead of skinny and toned.

Skinny and "toned" are not the same - in fact you can't be skinny and fit at the same time, it is an oxymoron. To me, skinny means flabby and weak. I was 100 pounds a few years back, and now I am 110 pounds, wearing the same size 0 jeans, have muscle definition, and eat 2x what I was eating in those days. Not to mention I feel better, I look younger, oh and my cellulite went away completely on the back on my legs. I only glance at the scale maybe 1x every month or even every 6 weeks. I go by the mirror.

I started by reading the book New Rules of Lifting for Women - it is an excellent program. I have dropped 3-4% body fat even though I gained some weight. I went from doing 25lb squats, now I do 95lbs...deadlifts started at 25lbs, now well into the 100lbs range...shoulder presses at a weak 5lbs each arm, now 20lb each arm. It does wonders!

LillysGranny

Women NEED to lift. It makes your bones stronger and is the only way to get the shape most people are after. If you don't lift, you will just be a smaller version of the exact same shape you are now. Don't be afraid to lift heavy! THere is only a tiny percentage of women who have the hormonal make up (naturally, that is) to get bulky. You won't be sorry!

mljust01

I have been lifting and have actually incorporated some stomach and leg exercises with my weight lighting. And in just a few days I have already noticed that my stomach and butt have started looking a lot more toned and intact. Whereas before my stomach seemed a little jiggly, I am noticing now that is a lot firmer, in a good way. So, I would say keep up the lifting, it will help tighten the areas that are becoming loose skin.

marycmeadows

Get yourself a copy of The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess -- stop worrying, keep lifting!!! :-D

THIS!! I think you have another post & I responded to that too -- LIFT! YOU WILL NOT BULK UP - NOT POSSIBLE!

chiera88

lifting weights will give you great results! keep it up. women cannot bulk up without steroids because we do not have enough testosterone. SO DON'T WORRY! my body looked amazing when i used to lift weights. i lifted heavy for strength but it got my heart rate up which burned more calories. good luck!

Kristierlong

Definitely do not be scared of bulking up! You will notice HUGE changes in your body composition if you stick with it. Happy lifting.

Bentley2718

Get yourself a copy of The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess -- stop worrying, keep lifting!!! :-D

That. Also I do know women who look a little bulky, but they are all *really* dedicated pole dancers (they're not weight lifters, per say, but they lift themselves, a lot). These women are unusual though, most women who can do what they can do do not look bulky. You're not going to accidentally get bulky, if you happen to be one of those rare women who can get a little bulky without steroids, you will see it coming well before it happens, and have time to adjust if that is want you want to do.

As for the issue of gaining weight from muscle. You have to decide whether you are more concerned with the number on the scale, or with being fit, strong, and healthy. If your goal is to be skinny but not necessarily fit, go ahead and just worry about the number on the scale, otherwise, focus more on fitness, and less on the couple of pounds you might gain from consistently lifting weights.

Blueeyes1117

Confused and very nervous about getting big instead of skinny and toned.

Skinny and "toned" are not the same - in fact you can't be skinny and fit at the same time, it is an oxymoron. To me, skinny means flabby and weak. I was 100 pounds a few years back, and now I am 110 pounds, wearing the same size 0 jeans, have muscle definition, and eat 2x what I was eating in those days. Not to mention I feel better, I look younger, oh and my cellulite went away completely on the back on my legs. I only glance at the scale maybe 1x every month or even every 6 weeks. I go by the mirror.

I started by reading the book New Rules of Lifting for Women - it is an excellent program. I have dropped 3-4% body fat even though I gained some weight. I went from doing 25lb squats, now I do 95lbs...deadlifts started at 25lbs, now well into the 100lbs range...shoulder presses at a weak 5lbs each arm, now 20lb each arm. It does wonders!

Never thought of it that way but makes complete sense. Thanks alot definitely given me alot to think about

LorinaLynn

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.

mhardest

Lifting weights has been one of the best things I have started doing for myself. Don't worry about bulking up! If anything you will just get toned but not huge. I personally am loving the saw I look now that I have a little definition in my arms and legs. I was also afraid of the number on the scale going up and not down. The number on the scale will still go down, so don't worry. Your metabolism is so much greater while at rest so you burn more calories sitting around.

meshashesha2012

i disagree with those who say you wont bulk up, because you can.. i'm proof of that. but that was because i was eating way over my maintenance, so not only was i creating new muscle, i was also putting on fat. THAT is bulking.

lift weights. lift heavy weights. and don't eat too much over your maintenance too often and you will lose fat.

SeasideOasis

Lift, Lift, Lift!! Lifting was the best thing for me in reference to weight loss!!

Have I lost a lot of weight since starting lifting? No. What is SO important to remember is that taking measurements and progress pictures is a HUGE self esteem booster!!

The more muscle you have - the higher your metabolic rate (IE - the amount of calories you burn when you are in rest mode - which we ALL spend most of our time in!!). You will not bulk. You will tone. I have been lifting for almost a month (P90X plus the gym for massive lifting) and I FEEL great. My scale has only gone down 3 pounds, but you can see the changes in my body.

Just remember - its all about YOU hitting YOUR goals! I saw pictures of a girl who got down to 120, but she had no definition, no tone. She didn't look all that attractive. She started lifting and gained about 20 pounds (pure muscle it seems) and looked amazing at 145 with GREAT definition, a six pack (versus just a flat tummy) and a GREAT looking arms! She turned into my inspiration. Which I could find her blog again to post it here.

kateroot

I highly recommend The New Rules of Lifting for Women.

I don't want to lose weight without becoming stronger and more fit. Sure, it feels good to see the numbers on the scale go down, but it feels even better to see muscle definition and watch the inches fall off.

SeasideOasis

LorinaLynn - FANTASTIC results!!!

foster59803

I highly recommend The New Rules of Lifting for Women.

I don't want to lose weight without becoming stronger and more fit. Sure, it feels good to see the numbers on the scale go down, but it feels even better to see muscle definition and watch the inches fall off.

^^^ This!

I just started week 4 of the program and love it! Unless you have manly levels of testosterone you are not going to get "bulky" when you lift. I swear, your thighs will shrink, your butt will lift... you may get a little wider in the shoulders, but for me it makes my hips looks smaller! Lift those heavy weights girls... no pink weights!

Devonanne

oh and my cellulite went away completely on the back on my legs

I'm feeling kinda sick today and was debating skipping my New Rules of Lifting for Women workout. Not after reading this! Very encouraging

To the OP, New Rules is indeed awesome, I'm only on week 2 and seeing changes that I love. Not to mention, my stalled scale has started creeping downwards again!

IronSmasher

I used to be an aircraft technician on military jets. When I was servicing them, I made sure not to sit down on the pilot seat, incase I accidentally became a pilot.

People dedicate their lives to try and gain muscle and still gain very little after even a year. If you're eating a calorie deficit, you will not gain mass. It's very simple, basic science.

sandrinamsilva

Keep Lifting. The heavier the better. That's what I have always been told. I seem to get more compliments when I lift.

meshashesha2012

my funniest story from the first time i did New Rules :

My cat is diabetic and I have to order special food for her every month. When I first started to get it, the box was too heavy to pick up and i would have to push it into my apartment. then one day, about mid way through the program, the fedex guy came with the food.

i took the box in one arm (my dominant arm at that) so i could sign with the other. Meanwhile he was staring at me like WTF? then I was like wait, there should be another box, this isn't all my cat's food. he insisted that was the only box.

when i got in to open the box i saw that it was all the food, but I was just able to curl almost 50 lbs :laugh:

funkycamper

The scale is the worst measure of progress. After I started lifting heavy around the holidays, it took me about a month to go down a pant size but I had only lost 1# per the scale. Did I care? Nope, loving my smaller pants.

For women, bulky just means you still have too much body fat overlaying the muscles you are strengthening. You won't build new muscles while eating in a deficit but you will activate, for lack of a better word, the muscles you already have and, as they are strengthened, they will get tighter and take up less space. So continue to eat in a small deficit to lose the layer of fat over the muscle and, between both processes, the inches will be lost and you won't end up bulky.

Another benefit of lifting heavy is that this will help you retain your muscles while losing the fat. This is important because the more muscle you retain, the more food you can eat as your metabolism will be burning faster/hotter. And it makes it easier to maintain your weight loss once you reach your goal.

I am now starting to lose scale weight again while lifting and I can eat more than I was previously and still lose. It's a wonderful thing.

denitraross

ok - first myth is that muscle weighs more than fat...WRONG...a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat; HOWEVER muscle takes up less room as it is more condense..hence even though you may not drop weight, you will become SMALLER as you tone up.....women are not really built to become bulky..I lost 40 lbs..they say every 10 lbs is a size smaller...however I went from a size 18 to a size 4....because I lifted weights and lost a ton of inches everywhere...that is the difference.

My goal is to spend just as much time on weights as cardio...that way I am turning all my fat into muscle...and muscle naturally burns more calories than fat..so the more muscles you have, the more calories your body burns on its own

Also - get yourself a good protein shake. This another myth that protein shakes are for men and make you big...NOT - it will help you with your energy level, your muscle recovery and make your hunger satisfied

KatieJane83

I've been lifting heavy for a couple months now and absolutely love it! My profile pic and the other boudoir shots on my profile are since I've been lifting. Pretty sure I don't look bulky!

rw4004

Happy to see this post.Lots of good advice here.Lifting burns a lot of calories,makes you leaner,gives you more energy.Would you rather have a small number on the scale or a flat stomach?I measure myself and keep track of how many inches I have lost.Are you eating protein after your workout?

woodsygirl

I love the New Rules of Lifting for Women and have dropped 2 pds this week by increasing my calories (from 1500 to 2000) and following the workouts in the book. I had been stuck for months, this book really helped me see that I was starving my body. I just love being able to eat! I recommend the book also (I love seeing so many other posts about it).

70davis

bump

maggie16sweetxoxo

OKAY PLEASE READ MINE I HAVE THE ANSWER!!! Hey my workout is 3 days a week and i do 5 sets of squats (with 45lb bar) And 10-12 reps per set, and a bunch of other things, but I don't really want to write all that, anyways the key is to tone up not bulk up, you do this by doing more reps per set and less weight per rep. Hope it helps you its really working for me, but your might still gain a little muscel weight , but thats good wight and you won't look funny its just like replacing the wiggly fat with muscle


:flowerforyou:

nutandbutter

OKAY PLEASE READ MINE I HAVE THE ANSWER!!! Hey my workout is 3 days a week and i do 5 sets of squats (with 45lb bar) And 10-12 reps per set, and a bunch of other things, but I don't really want to write all that, anyways the key is to tone up not bulk up, you do this by doing more reps per set and less weight per rep. Hope it helps you its really working for me, but your might still gain a little muscel weight , but thats good wight and you won't look funny its just like replacing the wiggly fat with muscle


:flowerforyou:

Highlighted part is not true. Lifting heavy weights with low reps won't cause you to bulk up. Women are so scared of accidentally bulking up while on a caloric deficit. Guess what? It's hard to gain muscle even when you're eating above maintenance. Most of the "bulk" women see on themselves is the fat, not the muscle.