Should I lose fat before weight training?

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Replies

  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    marilou_dozois-prevost1.jpg

    I am so jealous at how damn CUTE she looks while lifting.

    I'm pretty sure I look like I'm being tortured... while constipated.
  • Belinda658
    Belinda658 Posts: 181 Member
    No no no! I used to have this mindset to lose the weight with cardio first. Weights are amazing!
  • Louisianababy93
    Louisianababy93 Posts: 1,709 Member
    Do both and thank me later.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Wow I didn't realise this topic was active again!

    Thanks for all the extra information. I am now in my 3rd week of strength training :) My instructor was VERY helpful and I do a full body workout at least 3 times a week. I am currently using machines however after another 3 weeks or so I will be moving onto free weights and I am very excited! I already feel a lot better and stronger and I love the gym!

    I am wanting to lift to look better and be stronger. I was told by a few MFPers "Lose weight to look good - Lift weight to look good naked" haha.

    Also for those of you who are interested -

    I am 6ft
    170lbs

    The heaviest weight I could do before starting training was 220lbs on the Leg Press Machine.
    I can chest press 60lbs and curl even less! My arms are definitely my weakest point - oh and my back!

    I cannot wait to see these numbers go up :)

    Awesome! You go girl!!
  • yancymichele
    yancymichele Posts: 66 Member
    bump
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
    Most of the info you have gotten so far is right on. You do not have to wait to start weightlifting/strength training. You can eat at a deficit AND lift and lose body fat. Cardio is optional.

    Here is my cut and paste advice.

    Losing fat anywhere on the body is more to do with a calorie deficit than any particular exercise. With that said the fat will burn off from wherever the body decides. You cannot control this and it usually comes off in the reverse order it went on.

    To lose "weight" put your calories in a moderate deficit. Notice I said "weight". To make sure the majority of your weight loss comes from "body fat" you will need to do resistance training. Muscle is very expensive to maintain calorie wise. If you do not convince your body that the muscle is necessary it will get rid of it. This can look great on the scale but is terrible for body composition. This site is full of people who reach their weight loss goals and are not happy with the way their bodies look. This is usually do to large calorie deficit (from severe dieting or excessive cardio) and no resistance training (lifting relatively heavy weights). Strength training should be started as soon as possible. I recommend picking a premade program like Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5. Any will get you results for quite awhile.

    Is cardio necessary for fat loss? Nope. You can lose weight just with diet alone or diet with strength training combined to maximize fat loss.







    Should you do cardio anyways? Yep. Many benefits of doing cardio but I recommend high intensity cardio. 20-30 minutes as hard as you can go. Try HIIT training at first. Do that about 3 times per week. Spending hours on a treadmill will burn calories but is so inefficient that I think its a waste of time. I do not recommend trying to turn you weightlifting into cardio with circuit training. Just add cardio afterward and keep them separate or do the strength training first and then do the circuit training as your cardio.

    Read this and the attached study but do not lower your calories that low:
    http://fitnessblackbook.com/dieting_for_fat_loss/maintain-muscle-mass-on-800-calories-per-day/

    Watch this video for setting up calorie goals and macros (protein, fats, carbs)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bakMu9ddQ5I

    Watch this video to decide what kind of cardio you might want to do.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up5n86VGC3c



    Well said

    What they said...
  • raeganjayne15
    raeganjayne15 Posts: 55
    I think toning as you go is the way to do it!
    For me Les Mills Body Pump was a way to start lifting. From there I gained the confidence to go away and use the free weights at the gym =)

    Good luck!
  • sherisse69
    sherisse69 Posts: 795 Member
    There is a lot of information out there on "heavy lifting". I am trying to understand enough to try starting. I am weak, and overweight and female, lol. I would love if someone could simpifye what you mean by heavy lifting. How much is heavy? What is low reps? How long does a routine take? What kind of equipement is best, if any? I have copied down a lot of your great tips - but woudl really benefit if someone could speak directly of a starting program for an overweight female weakling :) Pretty please? Thanks all! !

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