weights or no weights?

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I started working out and I really don't want to gain muscle as much. Im really focused on loosing fat. But I keep hearing that you loose more fat when you have more muscle..... What should I do? Very confused by this concept. Lol

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  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Lift heavy! You won't get big and muscular, you'll just get lean and sexy. It's the muscle that gives the body shape.
  • MyTyme2
    MyTyme2 Posts: 6
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    You would have to do some serious weight training to bulk up. It is important to do some weight training to gain strength and get shapely. Muscle weighs more that fat but takes up less room. Muscle burns more calories than fat also. You can start by using your own weight for resistance, such as push ups, squats, walking. Or you can use resistance bands. I use free weights and resistance bands a lot. Hope this helps. And good luck!
  • sara1923
    sara1923 Posts: 53
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    I would say to do weights.. strength training/cardio gives the best results. if you think you are getting too much muscle.. just do less weight training and more cardio. Girls dont usually get bulky but it is possible if you increase your caloric intake, take certain supplements, or have an incredibly high level of testosterone(women with lots of body hair=higher testosterone). Not very likely though. I could understand that you wouldnt want to look like a ripped fitness model but I wouldnt want to be 100 lbs and still jiggle either. It is possible to be a size 2 and still look fat
  • clickmaster
    clickmaster Posts: 54 Member
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    I started working out and I really don't want to gain muscle as much. Im really focused on loosing fat. But I keep hearing that you loose more fat when you have more muscle..... What should I do? Very confused by this concept. Lol
    The key to fat loss is diet not exercise for one very simple reason: You can run all day and never lose a pound or you can burn fat in your sleep all depending on your diet.

    Strength training is the only way to reach peak fitness. The reason is as follows: When you add muscle, you also force the organs and systems which support muscle to develop and become more robust and that includes everything from the heart to liver and kidneys to lungs and cardio-vascular system to the smallest capillary, etc. Here are just some of the benefits to anaerobic exercise.

    • Stronger bones and increased bone mineral density (resistance to osteoporosis)
    • Higher basal metabolic rate (50 cal/day/pound of muscle)
    • More robust organic and systemic fitness
    • Enhances immune system
    • Increased resistance to injury
    • Stronger tissues (connective, tendon, ligament, etc)
    • Mechanical work easier to perform
    • Reduced muscle loss due to aging from >35 years of age

    Steady-state aerobics (cardio) does not offer all of these benefits.


    I don't know why you don't want to build muscle but I would urge you to reconsider. Muscle is the best metabolic investment you can make.


    Good luck and good health!!

  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    You do not have to pump iron to lose fat. Cardio will do that too. You will lose some muscle along with the fat no matter what you do. It's natural and nearly impossible to prevent. Obviously lifting weights will keep more muscle than just straight cardio, but that doesn't mean that you won't have enough muscle to look firm with cardio.

    I've had good results with mostly cardio and some strength training using light (3-10 lb) weights, resistance bands and body weight exercises (squats, lunges, modified pushups). I don't look like I lift weights, but that's not the look I'm going for. It totally depends on your preference.
  • 70davis
    70davis Posts: 348 Member
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    bump