How Can I Explain How Lifting Helps?

petstorekitty

Even though I'd added weights and strength training and so on to my routine with results,
I still have NO IDEA what "heavy lifting" means.

I do my best to explain to others that doing more than just hours of cardio is the way to go for good weight loss, but me trying to explain that to someone is like a monkey with an apple in a board meeting.

"You see, you use your muscles which burn your fat and you need muscle for fat burning so while the treadmill is nice and all you can burn even more if you pick heavy things up and put them back down again."

I was trying to explain to my girlfeiend that if she picks up some weights heavier than 5 lbs she isn't going to get RIPPED and look gross.
She doesn't have to stop doing cardio but she needs to add weights! (me too)
She has more weight to lose than I do so she's still convinced that weight training is pointless.

I'm not her trainer or anything so my influence is limited. And truthfully my information is limited!


SO what do you tell someone about lifting to a) make it sound convincing and b) make it make sense! ?

cleotherio

You could start by showing her this thread -
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/977538-halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky

MistressAella

And show her this: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

jacksonpt

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

erinsueburns

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

Lets fix that to "much" weightloss. Lifting weight is still a calorie burning exercise. Can you burn as much in an hour as really doing hard cardio? No, you probably can't. BUT, it is still going to cause you to burn more calories than just sitting on your butt doing nothing.

Back to the OP, when in a deficit and trying to lose weight, the more important thing to know is that it CONSERVES the muscles you already have, it is much easier to KEEP your muscles than to build new ones later. On deficit you won't be building muscles. So what this all boils down to is that most people are happier with their bodies later if they have lifted weights than if they hadn't, and many people (myself included) who got to goal weight without lifting weights are still unhappy with their bodies until they add weights in.

jacksonpt

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

Lets fix that to "much" weightloss. Lifting weight is still a calorie burning exercise. Can you burn as much in an hour as really doing hard cardio? No, you probably can't. BUT, it is still going to cause you to burn more calories than just sitting on your butt doing nothing.

So if I lift, I'll lose some amount of weight (even if it's small) regardless of my diet?

Vailara

I mention that women lose muscle as we get older and are at risk of osteoporosis. Lifting should help to preserve muscle and strengthen bones. The NHS recommends that most adults do some sort of muscle strengthening exercise that works all the major muscle groups at least twice a week.

erinsueburns

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

Lets fix that to "much" weightloss. Lifting weight is still a calorie burning exercise. Can you burn as much in an hour as really doing hard cardio? No, you probably can't. BUT, it is still going to cause you to burn more calories than just sitting on your butt doing nothing.

So if I lift, I'll lose some amount of weight (even if it's small) regardless of my diet?

Ok, for the sake of clarity I shall expand.

Yes, of course one would still need to track diet. Lifting weights without diet will no more show profound results than cardio without diet. It is exercise not magic. But resistance exercise still counts on the totals for creating a deficit along with the added bonus of helping a person preserve muscle.

But, and maybe I was assuming, the OP was not talking about trying to lose weight through exercise alone. She was asking how to explain how weight lifting helps, and I think I did that.

murphy612

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

Seems lately I've seen a lot of your posts, they always say the same thing "Exercising doesn't make you lose weight, diet does". Kudos :-) My line is usually "You can't exercise away a bad diet" but no one listens to me, they just go about eating what they want and say it's ok I'll exercise it off.

jacksonpt

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

Seems lately I've seen a lot of your posts, they always say the same thing "Exercising doesn't make you lose weight, diet does". Kudos :-) My line is usually "You can't exercise away a bad diet" but no one listens to me, they just go about eating what they want and say it's ok I'll exercise it off.

Agreed.

Personally, the whole "I'll eat this now then burn it off later" attitude sounds like the the start of an ED to me... or at least a very unhealthy relationship with both food and exercise.

.

soldier4242

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

To be fair I think when most people on this site say they want to lose weight what they actually mean is that they want to lose fat. It is sort of a language barrier. In a strict sense you are correct. If I for example maintained a healthy calorie deficit over time the number on the scale will go down and that is "weight loss".

If I lift a bunch of weights and get in some really good shape I could end up with a higher or lower number on the scale depending upon my diet but my muscle mass will be better than the version of me that did no exercise. I think in the grand scheme of things lowering body fat percentage really is the way to go. Who cares what the scale says if I am all muscular and sexy looking?

murphy612

I mention that women lose muscle as we get older and are at risk of osteoporosis. Lifting should help to preserve muscle and strengthen bones. The NHS recommends that most adults do some sort of muscle strengthening exercise that works all the major muscle groups at least twice a week.

This is true ^^^ Also, the only way to increase your metabolism is to build more muscle. The more muscle you have the more calories your body will burn at rest. It's not a substitution for a well balanced diet but it helps. My diet determines my weightloss, my exercise determines my fitness level as well as my body composition and definition.

petstorekitty

You could start by showing her this thread -
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/977538-halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky

that made me post the question. It doesn't really explain much. BUT I have seen loads O threads that show bomb results, which makes me a proponent for lifting even if I don't use weights a lot or even know what heavy lifting is for sure.

jacksonpt

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

Lets fix that to "much" weightloss. Lifting weight is still a calorie burning exercise. Can you burn as much in an hour as really doing hard cardio? No, you probably can't. BUT, it is still going to cause you to burn more calories than just sitting on your butt doing nothing.

So if I lift, I'll lose some amount of weight (even if it's small) regardless of my diet?

Ok, for the sake of clarity I shall expand.

Yes, of course one would still need to track diet. Lifting weights without diet will no more show profound results than cardio without diet. It is exercise not magic. But resistance exercise still counts on the totals for creating a deficit along with the added bonus of helping a person preserve muscle.

But, and maybe I was assuming, the OP was not talking about trying to lose weight through exercise alone. She was asking how to explain how weight lifting helps, and I think I did that.

For sure, and I'm not disagreeing with you, only with what always seems to be incomplete advice. Exercise and you'll lose weight. No, it's not that simply. You can't talk about exercise in a vacuum.



OP asked:

I do my best to explain to others that doing more than just hours of cardio is the way to go for good weight loss, but me trying to explain that to someone is like a monkey with an apple in a board meeting.

My point was that the weight loss part comes from diet. Retaining muscle and thus increasing fat loss is where lifting comes in... but it does nothing if you're diet isn't in check.

petstorekitty

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

Lets fix that to "much" weightloss. Lifting weight is still a calorie burning exercise. Can you burn as much in an hour as really doing hard cardio? No, you probably can't. BUT, it is still going to cause you to burn more calories than just sitting on your butt doing nothing.

So if I lift, I'll lose some amount of weight (even if it's small) regardless of my diet?

Ok, for the sake of clarity I shall expand.

Yes, of course one would still need to track diet. Lifting weights without diet will no more show profound results than cardio without diet. It is exercise not magic. But resistance exercise still counts on the totals for creating a deficit along with the added bonus of helping a person preserve muscle.

But, and maybe I was assuming, the OP was not talking about trying to lose weight through exercise alone. She was asking how to explain how weight lifting helps, and I think I did that.

yes you did.
Lifting alone and eating 13 burgers a day is not going to help weight loss of course BUT I think the idea many of us girls have in our head is that lifting doesn't burn calories like cardio. And what we girls want it to lose fat.
From my own experience and HRM I found out that lifting totally birns calories and puts me in my target heart rate a lot. Because it's freaking hard!!

Trying to explain how muscle retention is SO IMPORATNT not just for fat loss but for health is hard. (I'm really CRAP at explainging anything ever).

When I discuss fittness and weight loss with peeps I always stress proper diet and making sure to eat enough for their size and activity lever.
This seems to be a huge issue with most ppl I know. They don't freaking eat!!!

When you're super overweight and a girl it seems we've been brainwashed to think that we have to do hours of cardio and only eat salads to drop the fat.

I'm constantly forcing snacks on my gf after we workout. "Eat these 6 almonds. SRSLY EAT THEM!!! Your body is hungry! They won't make you any more fat I SWEAR!"
sigh

petstorekitty

I mention that women lose muscle as we get older and are at risk of osteoporosis. Lifting should help to preserve muscle and strengthen bones. The NHS recommends that most adults do some sort of muscle strengthening exercise that works all the major muscle groups at least twice a week.

This is true ^^^ Also, the only way to increase your metabolism is to build more muscle. The more muscle you have the more calories your body will burn at rest. It's not a substitution for a well balanced diet but it helps. My diet determines my weightloss, my exercise determines my fitness level as well as my body composition and definition.

This makes a lot of sense when put in this way.
I sound like a nutter when I try to say this. Thanks!!

petstorekitty

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

To be fair I think when most people on this site say they want to lose weight what they actually mean is that they want to lose fat. It is sort of a language barrier. In a strict sense you are correct. If I for example maintained a healthy calorie deficit over time the number on the scale will go down and that is "weight loss".

If I lift a bunch of weights and get in some really good shape I could end up with a higher or lower number on the scale depending upon my diet but my muscle mass will be better than the version of me that did no exercise. I think in the grand scheme of things lowering body fat percentage really is the way to go. Who cares what the scale says if I am all muscular and sexy looking?

This is me. I just want my fat to go away. I like my muscles! I don't even care if I'm defined or ripped or twiggy; 100lbs or 182. I'm just tired of the fat. Go away fat!

jacksonpt

Lifting doesn't help lose weight. At least not directly and not significantly.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, which is primarily a dietary issue. Lifting helps maintain muscle while you lose weight (meaning more of that weight loss will come from fat loss), but lifting doesn't actually cause weight loss.

Lets fix that to "much" weightloss. Lifting weight is still a calorie burning exercise. Can you burn as much in an hour as really doing hard cardio? No, you probably can't. BUT, it is still going to cause you to burn more calories than just sitting on your butt doing nothing.

So if I lift, I'll lose some amount of weight (even if it's small) regardless of my diet?

Ok, for the sake of clarity I shall expand.

Yes, of course one would still need to track diet. Lifting weights without diet will no more show profound results than cardio without diet. It is exercise not magic. But resistance exercise still counts on the totals for creating a deficit along with the added bonus of helping a person preserve muscle.

But, and maybe I was assuming, the OP was not talking about trying to lose weight through exercise alone. She was asking how to explain how weight lifting helps, and I think I did that.

yes you did.
Lifting alone and eating 13 burgers a day is not going to help weight loss of course BUT I think the idea many of us girls have in our head is that lifting doesn't burn calories like cardio. And what we girls want it to lose fat.
From my own experience and HRM I found out that lifting totally birns calories and puts me in my target heart rate a lot. Because it's freaking hard!!

Trying to explain how muscle retention is SO IMPORATNT not just for fat loss but for health is hard. (I'm really CRAP at explainging anything ever).

When I discuss fittness and weight loss with peeps I always stress proper diet and making sure to eat enough for their size and activity lever.
This seems to be a huge issue with most ppl I know. They don't freaking eat!!!

When you're super overweight and a girl it seems we've been brainwashed to think that we have to do hours of cardio and only eat salads to drop the fat.

I'm constantly forcing snacks on my gf after we workout. "Eat these 6 almonds. SRSLY EAT THEM!!! Your body is hungry! They won't make you any more fat I SWEAR!"
sigh

Sorry to keep splitting hairs, but HRMs are terrible for estimating calories burned during strength training. The calculations they use assume steady state cardio, and strength training is nether steady state nor cardio. In most cases, and HRM will DRASTICALLY over estimate calorie burns for lifting.

squirrell79

Someone else said this and I second it, loudly: show her the article about Staci on the Nerd Fitness website.

dbmata

SO what do you tell someone about lifting to a) make it sound convincing and b) make it make sense! ?

So I'm in kinda the same boat. My wife doesn't want to get ripped and look like some strange crush fetish actress or a tranny. Which, hey, fair enough, I don't want that either. She doesn't want to lift weight because it's hard, and running is easy.

Well, where I am lucky is that she is a scientist. Meaning she knows the value of data, and research can and routinely does force fundamental changes to our beliefs.

I showed her research related to the importance of load bearing activities on stemming off osteoporosis risk. Then I also sent some links to some research showing that women lack the testosterone levels required to buff up. Then I sent her pictures of a certain australian hurdler that was excellent to watch during the london games.

The got me to the point where she'll let me teach her to lift, if I go to pilates with her. If it's anything like yoga, it's going to be like watching an *kitten* buffet.

MistressAella

Someone else said this and I second it, loudly: show her the article about Staci on the Nerd Fitness website.

*fist bump*
Thank you