Weights / Strength training while still obese?

witchy_wife

So I still have a long way to go on losing weight. I started out in January at 248lbs and am currently 212lbs.

My exercise at the moment is doing the couch to 5k program so that is like 3 days a week and I will also do an exercise DVD once or twice a week, usually 30 day shred or Davina Mccall one.

I just wondered if it was worth doing strength training such as weights? I know that you can’t see the muscle under all the flab! But is increasing muscle going to help with weight loss and overall toning up as I lose weight?

StrongAtLast

Yes! building muscle will help , and will help with your running! You may not see as much weight loss on the scale..
Last year,I joined a fitness class..my weight did not change, but i lost 4" on my waist ! Muscle burns more calories than fat!

RGv2

The more muscle you have, the more calories the body will burn.

I can only go off what you say in your post, but if you're obese and have a long way to go on losing weight....you won't notice a hinderance to your weight loss by weight training.

YouKnowMeLadyT

Great post. I was wondering the same.

kitkat4141

I started strength training while still obese. My weight loss was slower but I lost inches, firmed up, and preserved muscle while losing fat.

witchy_wife

Great thanks for your replies. Going to have to go shopping!

justjenn1977

So I still have a long way to go on losing weight. I started out in January at 248lbs and am currently 212lbs.

My exercise at the moment is doing the couch to 5k program so that is like 3 days a week and I will also do an exercise DVD once or twice a week, usually 30 day shred or Davina Mccall one.

I just wondered if it was worth doing strength training such as weights? I know that you can’t see the muscle under all the flab! But is increasing muscle going to help with weight loss and overall toning up as I lose weight?

I love going into the weight room... Ok ok ok... I hate going into the weight room... But I LOVE coming out

I'm 268...still very heavy... But I can kick it with the big boys... I've been asked for help... My entire gym knows me... And I feel so damn sexy while I'm pumping iron... (there I said it... But it's true!)

witchy_wife

So I still have a long way to go on losing weight. I started out in January at 248lbs and am currently 212lbs.

My exercise at the moment is doing the couch to 5k program so that is like 3 days a week and I will also do an exercise DVD once or twice a week, usually 30 day shred or Davina Mccall one.

I just wondered if it was worth doing strength training such as weights? I know that you can’t see the muscle under all the flab! But is increasing muscle going to help with weight loss and overall toning up as I lose weight?

I love going into the weight room... Ok ok ok... I hate going into the weight room... But I LOVE coming out

I'm 268...still very heavy... But I can kick it with the big boys... I've been asked for help... My entire gym knows me... And I feel so damn sexy while I'm pumping iron... (there I said it... But it's true!)

Sounds great!

karrielynn80

I think this would be a great idea for you. It will strengthen your whole body, lifting burns calories really well & look at it this way, most ppl get to their goal weight & then think "i'd like to look more athletic & then they begin lifting, b/c they want to look tone or don't like the excess skin, etc - youll start seeing definition as your weight comes off when you get to that point...


kudos to you!! go get it!!!

Daisy80

You should check out the book New Rules of Lifting for Women. It is brilliant. It explains why weight training is better for you than just simply cardio. It also gives you a workout program that goes for 6 months. It is such an informative book and I feel I have learned so much from it. I am overweight and I am doing the routine. I am so glad I came across it and not struggling on the treadmill for hours anymore. There is also a great group on here for it.

witchy_wife

You should check out the book New Rules of Lifting for Women. It is brilliant. It explains why weight training is better for you than just simply cardio. It also gives you a workout program that goes for 6 months. It is such an informative book and I feel I have learned so much from it. I am overweight and I am doing the routine. I am so glad I came across it and not struggling on the treadmill for hours anymore. There is also a great group on here for it.

Thanks will take a look for that.

ShannonMpls

I just wondered if it was worth doing strength training such as weights? I know that you can’t see the muscle under all the flab! But is increasing muscle going to help with weight loss and overall toning up as I lose weight?

Yes! Regular strength training will help you maintain as much muscle as you can while losing weight.

I've focused on strength training since my first month losing weight and I'm so glad I did. I LOVE my body now.

WendyTerry420

So I still have a long way to go on losing weight. I started out in January at 248lbs and am currently 212lbs.

My exercise at the moment is doing the couch to 5k program so that is like 3 days a week and I will also do an exercise DVD once or twice a week, usually 30 day shred or Davina Mccall one.

I just wondered if it was worth doing strength training such as weights? I know that you can’t see the muscle under all the flab! But is increasing muscle going to help with weight loss and overall toning up as I lose weight?

YES!!!! I started at 263 and dropped 18 pounds fast with just diet and cardio, but when I added strength training, the inches began melting off quickly, so I *look* like I have lost weight now, where before you couldn't even tell. Also, strength training helps you burn more calories while at rest. Your body will use fat for energy to repair the muscles that you worked.

I have been doing resistance bands and body weight exercises. You don't have to buy a bunch of equipment or anything to get started.

Lina4Lina

I started at my highest weight doing strength training Go for it.

KiltFuPanda

Weight training at any weight is good. It makes your muscles work beyond their comfort zone and get bigger/denser/better to adapt. That increase will start burning more calories, making the weight drop more. That drop in weight will ease the load on your muscles, which in addition to the strength increase, will up your comfort zone. Then you can lift heavier to start the cycle all over again.

ukgirly01

Go for it, I started the c 2 5 k and then moved on to 10k etc but because I wasnt strength training I kept getting injured. I now have a strength and Conditioning coach who wrote me a specific program- its great not only good fun but my running has improved, and I'm loving my biceps
(my start and current weight almost exactly the same as yours by the way)

UrbanSpaceman75

I've recently added strength training to cardio work, and while it's probably too soon to be absolutely sure, I think I feel better for it. I can certainly do more for longer than I used to, and it's a nice break from running on my rebounder in front of the television.

I don't have a gym membership or one close by, and I'm not as brave as others here about exercising in public. Kudos to those who are happy to do that, but I struggle to see me and pumping iron ever getting on. Perhaps I'm missing out. Instead, I do a bodyweight workout at home which I have a love/hate relationship with, and does hurt (though less so recently). Main advantages that I can see are that it's cheap, quick, done in my front room, so fewer excuses for me not to do it!

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

I've heard that building muscle may slow down weight loss if people make the mistake of judging by the scales alone - muscle bulk increasing by X and body fat reducing by X is a great thing, but it may not show up on the scale. It'll show up in NSVs, though....

holleysings

So I still have a long way to go on losing weight. I started out in January at 248lbs and am currently 212lbs.

My exercise at the moment is doing the couch to 5k program so that is like 3 days a week and I will also do an exercise DVD once or twice a week, usually 30 day shred or Davina Mccall one.

I just wondered if it was worth doing strength training such as weights? I know that you can’t see the muscle under all the flab! But is increasing muscle going to help with weight loss and overall toning up as I lose weight?

You should absolutely strength train. Not only will it increase your muscle mass and thus cause you to burn more calories at rest, it will help your skin firm up as you lose. I have been lifting since November and as you can see by my ticker, I have lost weight. I am not currently as I am trying to maintain before losing again, but I still lost A WHOLE DRESS SIZE while maintaining because of my lifting. Definitely add it into your workout program!

suelegal

I can't add any more than what others have said, but, I'm 60, and I'm lifting for the first time in 25 years or so. I am doing New Rules of Lifting for Women (with Holly and Daisy) and I've lost a whole pants size. No, right now I'm not trying to lose any weight, I just am working on getting muscle but I've lost 1.5 pounds or so because muscles burn fat!

Do it!! Join us on the NROL4W group if that's the way you decide to go. It's fun!

SariC3

So I still have a long way to go on losing weight. I started out in January at 248lbs and am currently 212lbs.

That is great progress!

witchy_wife

This is great, thank you all so much for your advise and support xx