When to start strength/weight training

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boelyn
boelyn Posts: 90 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey

I'm a long way from my goal, I still have about 100 lbs to go but I am determined to be 'strong' when I get there (and I will get there).

I keep seeing people talking about strength training and lifting to help improve muscle mass and wanted some advice please:-

1 - when is a good time to start lifting, I like seeing the scale go down each week and am nervous if it stops due to strength/weight training it will demotivate me
2 - where is a good place to start when I do start and what is a good mix between cardio and strength/weight training.

I do appreciate this question has probably been asked previously so apologise, but I couldn't find what I was looking for in the forums..........so happy for someone to point me in the right direction if any of you know where I can find the answer.

Ta
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Replies

  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
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    Start weight training right away! It's great for your entire body. It keeps more lean mass, helps you burn more fat off your body. It helps increase bone density. Any gain or stall you may see in your weight loss from weight training is usually water weight, and you'll see a gain or stall for a day of heavy sodium, so why not have it for better reasons?
    My personal mix is quickly becoming 50/50 for weights and cardio. Though, in a typical week I'm 2/3 cardio, 1/3 strength. Works for me. Slow and steady weight loss, with a ton of hiccups along the way. LOL. I never lose consistently, but overall I'm down consistently.
  • Wonderwoman2677
    Wonderwoman2677 Posts: 434 Member
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    I've been thinking about this same question. I want a strong body even more than I want a thin body:) I think the more you work your muscles, the more your going to burn anyway. I don't really care what the scale says. I'll be happy when I'm swimming in my clothes and see the muscles under my pudge.

    Any suggestions for at home strength training would be great!
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    Yesterday.
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
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    I need to work on my core strength as I need to tighten up all the flab I still have from losing 50 lbs, but it's hard because I really don't know where to begin.

    LA Fitness put together a strength programme for me when I joined, but it was mostly using the machines and I did it a few times, but I hate working out in the gym on my own. I love swimming - as I think everyone knows :laugh: - but sometimes I feel it's not enough. I need a gym buddy or a PT to kick me up the butt and make me do my lifting and whip me into shape.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    You know what builds an awesome core?

    barbell squats and deadlifts.
  • Ripcode
    Ripcode Posts: 142 Member
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    You know what builds an awesome core?

    barbell squats and deadlifts.

    ^^ So true!
  • JD830278
    JD830278 Posts: 84 Member
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    I started lifting right away.

    This is only my 2nd week, I lost 4lb on my first and put 1lb on this week (TOTM), BUT I've lost 5" from my waist.... So I'm happy to ignore the scales :-D
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    Yesterday.

    That's what I was thinking!!
  • stephenatl09
    stephenatl09 Posts: 186 Member
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    Yesterday.
    ^^^ this ^^^
  • lkarinal
    lkarinal Posts: 107
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    Do it now, there is no better combination than cardio and strenght/weight training.
  • ablykins
    ablykins Posts: 200 Member
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    Yesterday.

    Yes- this! Don't wait, do it now!
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    Start weight training right away! It's great for your entire body. It keeps more lean mass, helps you burn more fat off your body. It helps increase bone density. Any gain or stall you may see in your weight loss from weight training is usually water weight, and you'll see a gain or stall for a day of heavy sodium, so why not have it for better reasons?
    My personal mix is quickly becoming 50/50 for weights and cardio. Though, in a typical week I'm 2/3 cardio, 1/3 strength. Works for me. Slow and steady weight loss, with a ton of hiccups along the way. LOL. I never lose consistently, but overall I'm down consistently.

    ^^^ Agree. I do about 50/50 too. I am almost halfway to my "goal" and starting to see some arm definition, and I am definitely firmer in the arms. Shoulders are improved for sure. They are more square and less round.

    Not so sure about the legs. They are shrinking, but mine have aways been pretty firm outside of my inner thighs.

    Anyway it helps you lose faster. You burn extra calories. And you look like you lost more. Don't worry about scale fluctuations. They happen anyway...whether you are using weights or not. You just want to look at the overall trend in your weight. I know I go up a pound or 2 all the time. But when I look back on 4 weeks, the overall trend is down. And measurements don't lie (unless you measure in a different place every time.)
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    I started lifting right away.

    This is only my 2nd week, I lost 4lb on my first and put 1lb on this week (TOTM), BUT I've lost 5" from my waist.... So I'm happy to ignore the scales :-D

    5 inches? Wow. That is a lot.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    Hi Boelyn, I would recommend as soon as possible. I started strength training a few months ago and started to see results straight away. I wish had started out at my gym mixing cardio and strength training, but I did not have the confidence to hit the weights section of my gym. If you can afford it, I would recommend getting a few sessions with a personal trainer when starting out. Good luck with it, its good fun.
  • JD830278
    JD830278 Posts: 84 Member
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    I started lifting right away.

    This is only my 2nd week, I lost 4lb on my first and put 1lb on this week (TOTM), BUT I've lost 5" from my waist.... So I'm happy to ignore the scales :-D

    5 inches? Wow. That is a lot.

    I know, I wasn't expecting it, and fully expect it to slow down after this initial shock to my system.
  • Tree72
    Tree72 Posts: 942 Member
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    As soon as you feel physically able, get started. Sounds like you are used to exercising already, so there's no better time than now. :happy:
  • ReinasWrath
    ReinasWrath Posts: 1,173 Member
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    I always had some strength training in my routines but lately have kicked it up a lot and since then I haven't lost anything and even gained a little. I understand that it is important to keep up but is there anything you can recommend to have the best of both worlds?? I am still a good 30 lbs from goal :sad: Be able to strength train but still lose? Should I just add in more cardio??
  • nettie23
    nettie23 Posts: 44 Member
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    BUMP

    I was thinking the same thing as I do mostly cardio. Not sure what exactly to do. When I first started at the gym should be a couple of the machines. Just wonder if machines would be enough.
  • Qatsi
    Qatsi Posts: 2,191 Member
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    when is a good time to start lifting, I like seeing the scale go down each week and am nervous if it stops due to strength/weight training it will demotivate me

    GREAT question! I know I want to add strength training at some point to my exercise routine (right now I'm 100% cardio). But I didn't want to derail the weight loss effort, so I was originally planning to defer it until I got closer to my goal. But now I'm thinking I should start adding it in sooner rather than later.
  • Temple_Fit
    Temple_Fit Posts: 299 Member
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    I started immediately. I would do 30 to 45 min of cardio and then do a full body workout.

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