Quick question for ladies who lift.

missgen83
missgen83 Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Did you lose scale weight if you started when you still had a lot left to lose?

I ask, because I am 5'4 3/4" and 187 lbs. I obviously still need to lose scale weight so I can get out of the obese/overweight categories. I've been running, but I'm ready to implement some strength training now. I am VERY interested in lifting heavy, but I'm not comfortable being this heavy.... Even if I was solid muscle with abs of steel (which I a am far from!). :). I keep hearing many people maintain/gain when they implement a heavy lifting plan into their workout routine, and I just don't have any room to gain, and the thought of maintaining this makes me nauseous.

I sure would appreciate any imput from others Who have been in a similar situation. Thank you in advance!!

Replies

  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    you might gain more muscle wight at first but muscle is more dense and takes up less space. so if you gained 5lbs of muscle and lost 5lbs of fat, you will look leaner plus more muscle = more calories burned in a day. If you had two twins, twin A and twin B, with the same frame but Twin A was 140lbs with 50% bodyfat and twim B was 155lbs with 20% bodyfat, twin B would look alot more in shape and healthy than twin A.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    Yes, I started lifting at around 210 lbs at the very end of October 2012, and am now at 171.

    The fat comes off, however scale watching will make you crazy if you're lifting. If you're one of those people who needs to see progress by checking the scale daily, it's gonna be rough.

    For me, the scale will go up and down, back and forth...then I will have a steady drop of weight and BF%, then it goes back to the same sort of wonky behaviour. But the fat does INDEED come off, so long as you continue to eat in a caloric deficit and continue to progress your strength training by upping the weights you're lifting.

    So yeah, LIFT HEAVY! But don't put much stock in the scale. Have strength goals rather than scale-based weight loss goals. If you're chasing strength goals, the weight loss goal will come on it's own, so there's no need to focus on it. Keep a training log so you can see your strength progressing.

    Take measurements all over your body and record them, go by the fit of your clothing, take progress photos, etc. All much better and more accurate ways to assess your progress rather than going by what the scale says.

    Nothing will change your body like lifting heavy weights will. I love it!

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