Muscle Training Advice Please.

Falyesai

Good Morning MFP'ers.

I think I have my joint stuff worked out finally. (kudos to those who gave awesome suggestions!). I have yet another problem though. I am a woman, and I am told "Cardio, Cardio, Cardio" by family saying "You don't need to strength train, you don't want to get bulky do you?"

I know that is a myth in my head. Thing is, I can't do cardio and get results. Why? Because I am a smoker. Wait!! Before you all fuss at me about smoking and the health risks, I know. I have tried quitting over 30 times. I am not kidding. (Chantix, patches, gum, lozenges, cold turkey you name it) It is a drug I wish I never picked up when I was 17. I try cardio and I am out of breath in 30 minutes of attempting it. I am going to try quitting again, but knowing that I can't do cardio until I get my lungs better gets disheartening.

So I am looking to the route of strength training. Muscle burns fat if I am correct? I don't know, It is getting depressing trying to lose weight. Husband is scared that I will get back into my size 10 jeans and start looking elsewhere. (Guilt trip maybe?) But I want to do this for myself. I want to get in better health. Walking everyday isn't cutting it. I am going nowhere weight wise, due to the fact that I have to cook for my kids and the sheer mention of healthy foods turns into a battle.

So I guess I am meekly asking, if I start strength training, I am not going to bulk up right? If I strength train, will it tone me up? I want to look 17 again, not like this still: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Sinfullysweet_/view/let-me-get-the-worst-over-with-514567

Trying not to lose faith that it can be done. I have so many things against me, but I want to do it for MYSELF. For no one else. I want to look in the mirror and say "Wow I look pretty today" instead of "Dear god, what mack truck hit me last night?"

Any suggestions? Please be gentle, I am already a broken spirited woman.

JenMc14

You will not bulk up. Women who have big, bulky muscles work for YEARS and often have "supplementation". I will warn you, adding in a strength routine will likely slow/stall the scale progress. However, take pictures and measurements, and you'll see a difference there. For fat loss, you MUST eat at a deficit. It all really comes down to diet, so make sure that's in check. I know it will be hard while trying to quit smoking, but that's what has to happen. At first, since you're new to lifting, you'll gain strength fairly quickly, and you may gain a bit of muscle, but that will even out. Lifting then becomes about preserving muscle while you lose fat. There's been debate on the boards lately as to what defines "bulky". Some thing of big, muscley bodybuilders, some just think of visible muscle. The first one is what you have to really, really work for. The second can happen just from fat loss, because you'll see more muscle.

First, look at various sites (I recommend bodybuilding.com and muscleandstrength.com) at demo videos for lifts. Focus on the big compound lifts, don't worry about accessory work just yet. Use only the bar or your own weight until you have your form perfect. I'm talking bench, squats, dead lifts, OHP and bent over rows. Checkout The New Rules of Lifting for Women, or Jamie Eason's Live Fit or whatever other program you like. The All Pro's beginner Routine on the bodybuilding.com forums is a really good place to start as well. But definitely follow a program. Don't try to create one yourself.

I think, in your situation, I would set my calories to maintenance mode. Do 20-30 minutes of walking 3 or 4 days a week, whatever you can handle. Start your lifting program. Don't eat back exercise calories unless you are netting under 1200 or really feel you need extra fuel. Focus on quitting smoking. I think quitting smoking and eating at a deficit may be a recipe for one cranky mama! Once you get the smoking thing under control, cut your calories, work on upping your cardio, keep up the lifting and go from there.

Also, please put the focus on getting healthy, not looking 17 again. You really just won't. Your body wasn't mature at 17. now it is, you've had kids, we'll never look like teenagers again, but we can still be rockin' hot mamas!