Weight and strength training
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bethad5
Posts: 176 Member
so I hear conflicting information: first, that 'the last 5-10 pounds' don't come off unless you strength train; second, when you strength train, you don't lose weight because you're building muscle. i'm about 9 pounds from my goal weight, and want to start lifting, but...i want to get to my goal weight. so do i keep cardio-ing my heart out to get down to 145 again and then start lifting? or will lifting now eventually get me down to 145 again?
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When lifting, you generally do not concern yourself with a goal weight or a number on the scale. You should be focused on your measurements.
I need to find the picture of someone who is 145 and size 6, and a couple of months later, 155 and size 4.0 -
If you're new to lifting, you will see minimal muscle gain while still eating at a deficit. That won't last long. So, continue to eat at a deficit, start taking your measurements other than the scale and start today lifting heavy *kitten* things. You will like the results over time.0
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Depends on what your goal is. Do you want to see a certain number on the scale? Then probably stick with cardio. Do you want to be a certain size or look a certain way? Then weight train.0
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The last 5-10 lbs will come off with cardio, but its how you view yourself.. if your looking for a toned stomach/arms/legs.. cardio will only get you so far..
I would start lifting now, don't wait for those 5-10 lbs to come off, cause you may end up regaining that weight in muscle, but look alot better in the mirror.. As was mentioned if you care about numbers and scales it will be difficult to start a weight training program where the number on the scale may go up.. OR you could refocus your attention to numbers on reps, and weights.. Meaning if you do 12 reps at 20 lbs.. maybe next time you do 10 reps at 30lbs.. attention focused to a different set of goals/numbers.0 -
Weight training is for body recomposition. If you're more concerned about the number on the scale, then lifting won't be for you. If you're going to lift, you really need to throw out the scale and focus on measurements. You can lose that last 10 lbs doing cardio, but would you rather be at the weight you want or the size you want?0
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^^^^^All excellent advice!^^^^^:happy:0
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here is the mfp link you were probably mentioning Mike:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/580019-the-scale-is-a-lying-torture-device-i-m-proof?hl=scale+is+evil+torture+device
and another great article by Nia Shanks. the 4th photo down is amaaaazing!
http://www.niashanks.com/2012/07/stop-weighing-on-the-scale-for-weight-loss/
i come back to these every now and then when i need to remember that im in it to win it0 -
hmm. hard to say. I think I fall in the 'skinny fat' category right now - I maintained at 144-146 for a while (i'm 5'10"), but started working out more (thus started binging) and slowly made my way up to 148. i started 'eating more' in early May when I got the MFP app on my phone, and i was eating MFP's recommended 1640 cals + exercise cals, which unknowingly was pretty equal to my cut value. i did that for 5-6 weeks and got to 154. this is my last week of doing a full reset, at a TDEE of 2655 for strenuous activity. i do 5 65-minute cardio sessions a week. i'm on vacation (well, at my parent's house, ha) this week and am taking a full rest week from exercise. i hadn't weighed myself at all through the reset convinced i'd gained 20 pounds, but i weighed myself monday morning and was right at 154... shocking that i ate at maintenance and maintained... i was on my parent's scale, though, so there could be a slight variation, but nothing anywhere near as huge as i was thinking in my head!
anyways, i do want to tone up - i'm flabby/squishy. i hope i am strong enough to do two things: 1) stop excessive cardio and 2) stop caring about the number on the scale. my first step is to drop down to moderate activity rather than strenuous and work out 3-5 hours a week... i'm wanting to start NROLFW, but don't know how to do that and still be in the moderate category. any suggestions?0 -
I do NROLW and would consider it moderate activity and I do it 3 times a week.0
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Like you, I'm down to the last 10 pounds or so and they have hung on forever despite my previous crazy cardio routine and low calorie (like 1350) intake.
After doing a complete metabolism reset (YAY for my feminine cycles returning to normal, and to not feeling COLD all of the time), I'm eating at a slight deficit and strength training 3x weekly. My goal is to feed the muscle and let it beat out the fat. I don't care what the scale tells me I weigh anymore. I'm going by how healthy I feel now and how my clothes fit.
It's so nice to not feel the pressure from the scale, and to not have any anxiety over food/calories. I enjoy every bite of my 1800 - 1900 daily calories. :bigsmile:0 -
I do NROLW and would consider it moderate activity and I do it 3 times a week.
do you do any cardio/any other exercise besides NR?0 -
Occasionally I will do some light cardio on nonlifting days, at most twice a week. In the beginning it's pretty easy to do extra cardio because the workouts are short, but the workouts get longer and more intensive. I'm too tired most nonlifting days to do anything but rest.0
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I do NROLW and would consider it moderate activity and I do it 3 times a week.
do you do any cardio/any other exercise besides NR?
I'm in Stage One of NROL4W, lifting 3x/week as well. I do only very light cardio (e.g. walking the dogs) most days, though I've added in a brief, 15-minute interval session after my weights on those three days. All told, I figure I still fit in the moderate, 3-5 hours/week range of activity.
The key thing is that you want to give your body time to recover and muscle tissues time to repair.0
