What a difference 7 lb. can make!

karensoxfan

Last Monday, I accomplished something I would have never dreamed of a year ago. Or 2 years ago, or 10 years ago. I finished all 7 stages of a weight lifting plan, designed for women to learn how to lift heavy weights. Before April of this year, my heaviest dumbbell was a lime-green 5 lb. set. I didn't know the difference between a dumbbell and a barbell (seriously!) and I didn't know what a deadlift was. So obviously I had never done one. I also thought I'd never be able to do a full (straight-leg) pushup, or ever lift anything in the free weights area of my gym. To be 100% honest, it had been about 10 years since I had even set foot inside a gym. So no-one was more surprised than me when I decided to join a gym in March 2012. I started out like most women seem to, in the cardio zone. An hour spent on some kind of cardio machine for about an hour/day, and for the love of chocolate, it got boring. Fast! So I put out a request for how I might add weights to my repertoire, and a few people recommended I check out Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove's "New Rules of LIfting for Women." So I did, and I liked what I read, so I decided to give it a shot. And I started on April 16, 2012. A few weeks into stage 1, I decided I should probably take a set of "before" pictures. I weighed 190 lb.

Seven months later, I finished all 7 stages. And lost *only* 7 lb., but if you had ever told me that 7 lb. could make a difference like this, I would have done this a looooooooong time ago. Especially if you told me I'd also gain enough strength to do that pushup on the floor, with straight legs (no knees touching the floor). Or a 2-minute+ plank. Or a 120 lb. lat pull-down. Or 100 lb.+ squats & deadlifts. Or even that I'd be able to do HIIT running intervals for 1 minute at 8+ mph. For the first time in my adult life, I'm experiencing every noticeable benefit of exercise, including better sleep, more energy, and more self-confidence. But after posting my before & after picture in the NROLFW group, one of my friends there suggested that I should post it here too.

So if anyone still believes that lifting heavy will make women "bulky" or that the scale tells the whole story, I hope my experience will help you reconsider those beliefs:

Karol_McEntire

great job!

Jenlwb

You really have lost fat AND increased muscle!!! Love your new planking pic too

stacy_1971

Great transformation and so many "gains" you achieved! I just received my copy of NRLFW so it's encouraging to see your progress. Congratulations!

Sparlingo

This is so wonderfully encouraging and inspiring for me!

Upanddown

WOW!!!! Incredible difference!!!!! Way to lift!!!!!!

rieann84

You know..i bought NRLFW a while back but never utilized it. Thank you for sharing You may have given me the push to go for it.

erinlorettamcn

bump

jeaninemckinney

Wow! Thats crazy that thats only 7pounds!! you look incredible and what a huge difference! Keep it up...and so much better that your sleeping better and stronger and much more energy! What great side effects lol :-D