Not convinced (Give me proof)-Women & Weights

sittinginthesun

I lifted weights while I was losing. I started tracking calories on January 30th this year and the first time I tried weightlifting was February 22nd, although I didn't take it as seriously for the first couple months. I still left my exercise cardio heavy until I dropped more weight.
I did lose the last 20-25 pounds with the majority of my exercise focused on weightlifting and kept cardio to sports only. I stopped getting on the treadmill, elliptical, etc and spent the entire time I was at the gym lifting. I got calorie burns from running around on the softball field.
I liked what lifting was doing for my body. Please remember it doesn't happen overnight. You really have to stick with it.

Me in December last year:


12311 by JenniferSPalmer, on Flickr

Me in March, I had lost about 15 pounds already, notice the amount of fat on my legs:


Image03182012180601 by JenniferSPalmer, on Flickr

Me in June after a total weight loss of around 35 pounds and more focus on lifting:


62012 012 by JenniferSPalmer, on Flickr

Notice how much less fat was on my legs.

A pic of me after I had lost about 5 pounds:


16473868_7658 by JenniferSPalmer, on Flickr

A pic of me from a couple days ago, maintaining weight loss of 50 pounds since July, then lost 5 pounds while trying to figure out the right calories, have been able to remain steady since October.


12412 010 by JenniferSPalmer, on Flickr


I am 5'6" tall and went from 190 pounds to 135 pounds.

AMAZING!!!

mfpcopine

If I were going to guess if I could get the results posted by another woman, I'd ask myself things like:

Do I have the same body type?
Am I about the same age?
What was the other woman's weight and body fat percentage when she started and what are they now?
If she's at her goal weight, how is her body fat distributed? Am I similar?

It's like what I heard someone once say about The Ballerina Body Workout: The best way to get a ballerina body is to be born with the kind of body that professional ballerinas have.

Genetics does play a role. In America, the ability to transform oneself through exercise tends to be exaggerated. Don't get me wrong: fitness is important. But don't believe the hype.

But that's what's so wonderful about a topic like this on a forum like this. You CAN find other women with similar body shapes, similar lifestyles, etc.

I'm not the least bit inspired by Jamie Eason or Jillian Michaels or other famous fitness gurus. They look great, but that's their job. I don't know what they looked like before, and I know it's taken them years and years and years of focusing only on their fitness and bodies to look the way they do.

But seeing the transformations from real women on here... that's amazing! And inspiring. I've found other women with similar body types and followed their progress. I never expected to look just like them, or like a fitness model, or ... I just never really had any expectations about what my body would look like. I just wanted to be fit and strong.

But seeing someone who had a bum like my bum used to look turn it into a cute perky bum sure as hell made me want to do what they were doing. Seeing someone with a torso like mine nip in their waist as if they were wearing an invisible corset sure as hell made me want to do what they were doing. Seeing someone with cellulite like I had greatly reduce the appearance of it sure as hell made me want to do what they were doing.

You see diet ads all the time with the disclaimer "results not typical," but in my experience... these ARE the typical results of weight training.

But many people on mfitnesspal are acting as if everyone will get the same results from lifting. They are dismissing the comments of people with experience who explain why that is not the case. That's as bad as the old attitude that women should never use weights. It's like the average and taller people who keep insisting that all short women consume calorie amounts that would guarantee they become obese. They don't know what they're talking about.

I'm normal weight, would like to lose a few pounds, but I wouldn't look willowy if I strapped a willow tree to my torso. I'm not built that way.

mfpcopine

If I were going to guess if I could get the results posted by another woman, I'd ask myself things like:

Do I have the same body type?
Am I about the same age?
What was the other woman's weight and body fat percentage when she started and what are they now?
If she's at her goal weight, how is her body fat distributed? Am I similar?

It's like what I heard someone once say about The Ballerina Body Workout: The best way to get a ballerina body is to be born with the kind of body that professional ballerinas have.

Genetics does play a role. In America, the ability to transform oneself through exercise tends to be exaggerated. Don't get me wrong: fitness is important. But don't believe the hype.

I totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're very welcome, and best of luck.

bmskid

Really, in the grand scheme of it, you're going to lose weight if you exercise at all. If you want to try it, then try it and see what happens for you. If you're not sure it's for you, don't do it. Either way, you're going to lose weight. We always have opinions because something works great for us, but that doesn't mean it will fit your life and plans. My experience is mine, and yours might be different.
I didn't read the ENTIRE thread, but I just wanted to add that I have about 86 pounds to lose altogether (and have currently lost 34.4), and I started lifting "heavy" about one month in (I *really* started mfp November 2012) after seeing threads about it on here. It has been AMAZING for my body. I'm very obviously losing fat and defining my lean mass. I have a long way to go, and I didn't want to do cardio for 6 months THEN have to start doing weight training. For me, I thought why not do it all to begin with and, even if it takes me longer to reach my goal, I'll [hopefully] be happy once I get there. I usually do a cardio warm-up (15 minutes jog), and then a routine of body weight exercises and heavy lifting. I also do zumba three days a week (and skip the 15 minute jog on those days). I L-O-V-E weights. Mostly, I love seeing how much I'm capable of doing. It makes me want to say, "boo yah!" every time I increase it.

At two pounds more than I am now, I happen to have measurements saved from my first attempt at losing weight (I did ONLY cardio). My upper stomach is about 3 inches smaller and my hips/butt about 2 inches smaller. (those are the only two measurements I saved).

Good luck with your decision!

bmskid

Also, I'm butt-rich. I think you'd consider me curvy.

ClairBears84

Quick Question, What do you gals consider "heavy" I have just started weight training and am not sure what is considered heavy

toomuchbootyindapants

Quick Question, What do you gals consider "heavy" I have just started weight training and am not sure what is considered heavy

Reference this thread for some examples - but please note that everyone has different training histories and capabilities. Heavy is very subjective and depends on the person - so whatever you can lift 6-8 times and be at or close to failure is pretty darn heavy.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/884447-do-you-lift-heavy-are-you-bulky?page=8#posts-13357702

mogletdeluxe

Do not fear the weights...make the weights fear you...ROAR...etc.

Hello!

I've lost 83lb with a combination of cardio (to largely blitz the fat), kettlebells (to improve my core strength) and heavy lifting (to shape up initially underneath the flab, and then the muscle that popped to the surface once the flab melted).

I lift heavy several times a week. I am not bulky. I could elaborate on this but really...all it boils down to.

I have to wax my face and am losing my hair to male pattern baldness because of PCOS. I STILL can't bulk up, even if I wanted to. I recommend lifting to every woman I know - for the increase in endurance, strength, and for me - confidence.

My before and after - 224lb to just over 140lb.

You can do it.

samanthaheber

Most peoples lift because muscle burns more calories then fat, just at rest. I've been lifting for the past 5 months and I have gotten stronger, yet I don't look as if I have. It takes a lot for a girl to become really bulky. Just don't over-do it.

salgalbp

Check out my before's and afters on my page. I HATE cardio but do it because it's good for my metabolism, my heart and vascular system and everything else - I lift 3-4x per week.

loveswalking

bump for later

lacurandera1

Idk if anyone else gave you this link bc Idh time to wade through the pages of responses here.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/884447-do-you-lift-heavy-are-you-bulky

Yes, there are some women on here who were at average or close to goal weight when they started lifting, but there are some women who started heavier. You'll be pleased to see that some of these women have weights like 183 lbs at 5'6" and LOOK like they weigh 30 lbs less. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

timeforsomethingsweet

yay for building muscles congrats to all

kcallas88

Awesome motivation!!!!!