"Lifting Weights Is The BEST THING You Can Do"

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kassiebby1124
kassiebby1124 Posts: 927 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
That is what someone at the gym told me yesterday. She was telling how she exercised for 2 years and saw NOTHING and then when she started lifting, the weight melted off. Had anyone else had these kind of "transformations"? I'm gonna start lifting when my trainer feels better.
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Replies

  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
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    I never had any time when I was stalled and then started lifting weights, cause lifting weights is what I started with. I definitely agree that it is the best exercise there is and should be done by every person physically capable (not disabled etc.) This is what serious lifting, proper eating, and some mild treadmil work tossed in did for me http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/699445-zomg-my-first-big-cut-is-over
  • KipDrordy
    KipDrordy Posts: 169 Member
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    It's true. Nothing charges your metabolism like weight lifting. Check out PSNLuver83's profile. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/spnluver83

    She went all in. She has a youtube channel, and in one of her videos she talks about how the weight loss really kicked into high gear once she started hitting the weights. I'm a 210 lb man (down from 222) and she is currently eating more calories per day than I am. I think she said she's at 132 (from 190).
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 637 Member
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    Yes I read a book called the Cardio Free diet and lost weight with it. Lifting weights increases your metabolism.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,509 Member
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    Cardio only people don't like to hear it, but you can lose fat weight with just lifting alone, a moderate calorie deficit, and no cardio. Have had lots of clients do it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    I agree. Lifting heavy has changed my body more in a shorter time than cardio alone. Cardio is good for you though, I recommend a mix. I don't do a lot of cardio, but I do still do it.
  • MariaLivingFit
    MariaLivingFit Posts: 224 Member
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    I just started a good lifting plan, so I will share on MFP if I see any great changes! ;-)
  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
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    So far so good with me.


    I do enjoy some cardio so it's not like I completely disregard it, but weights are where it's at. It's more fun, it's more measureable for progress (for me anyway), and it makes you firm vs flabby. Who doesn't want that :)
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
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    It's true. Nothing charges your metabolism like weight lifting. Check out PSNLuver83's profile. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/spnluver83

    She went all in. She has a youtube channel, and in one of her videos she talks about how the weight loss really kicked into high gear once she started hitting the weights. I'm a 210 lb man (down from 222) and she is currently eating more calories per day than I am. I think she said she's at 132 (from 190).

    Before I started lifting I was maintaining my weight (188 at upper 20s BF) eating around 1400-1600 per day. When I started lifting with no cardio, I was maintaining my weight eating 2600-2800 per day while losing fat. Eventually I stalled of course and had to go with a straight deficit to lose more fat.
  • addaline22
    addaline22 Posts: 114
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    I agree. Lifting heavy has changed my body more in a shorter time than cardio alone. Cardio is good for you though, I recommend a mix. I don't do a lot of cardio, but I do still do it.
    I agree.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
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    I kind of gave a half-hearted attempt for four years and got so-so results. Once I made the commitment to weight train, my body changed like nobody's business. On training days, I eat 2000-2100 calories and am leaner than ever. I also started weight training at the age of 39 (last year) so it's never too late to start.
  • postrockandcats
    postrockandcats Posts: 1,145 Member
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    I posted this on anther thread earlier: the only reason I do cardio is for cardio's sake to build endurance to run a 5k. The treadmill is where I do my running right now. But, if not for that, I'd only do strength. It builds muscle and burns fat. :)

    I'm loosing pounds, but it's the inches that are dropping like flies.
  • DoomCakes
    DoomCakes Posts: 806 Member
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    I think balance is a good way to go. But it is true. You can lose with weights. Weights increase your muscle, and the more muscle you have the more fat it burns. Cardio is very heart healthy and can build up your endurance though. But it's more so on what feels better for you. Both are healthy and both involve you doing something active!
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    If I had to ditch either cardio or lifting, it would take me about 0.00001 seconds to choose to ditch cardio.
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Weight lifting, if you over eat, you build muscle, if you are in a deficit, you lose fat. It's like a magic pill that is really hard to pick up!
  • OnWisconsin84
    OnWisconsin84 Posts: 409 Member
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    Cardio only people don't like to hear it, but you can lose fat weight with just lifting alone, a moderate calorie deficit, and no cardio. Have had lots of clients do it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I've done it. I used to be a 'cardio queen' but I've basically dropped all cardio & stuck with weights 5-6x a week. Have seen amazing results. Better than anything I'd ever seen with cardio.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Cardio made me flabby. Strength training changed my body completely.
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
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    I have thyroid issues and edema and everything else, and New Rules is changing me. My shoulders are bigger, and the rest of me is shrinking. I'm currently on Week 6 of Stage 1. But I think my favorite thing is being able to carry gallons of milk upstairs to my apartment like they weigh nothing. Recently I bought a new freezer and helped my boyfriend haul it up the stairs. It's awesome.
  • karrielynn80
    karrielynn80 Posts: 395 Member
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    I have a theory - and it's my own personal one; it works for me but I could be very wrong.

    I started lifting about 2.5 months ago & yes, i'm seeing inches "melt" of so to speak... my weight not so much - but when you start to see contur in your body, it's really easy to ignore the scale.

    Theory: when a person does mainly cardio, it's easy to plateau... you get results up front (b/c it's all new to your body) but continue doing the same endurance / stress level to your body & eventually you level off... Although when I was a runner I felt GREAT about myself - more energy, less bloated (even if i didn't diet properly), but I wasn't loosing after months of it like I was in the begininng;

    With weight training, you are forced to note everything you do, & your goal is to do more each week - you get more instant results due to muscle swell after ea lift, which encourages you to keep going...

    I think if a person approached cardio more like they do weight training & pushed their body everytime, over all cardio would see consistant results....

    Personally, I've come to appreciate both - but weights more.
  • Spartan_Maker
    Spartan_Maker Posts: 683 Member
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    My metabolism has skyrocketed -- more so than any study ever suggested it should or would -- by doing all of the major compound exercises in the 5 - 12 repetition range. The positive hormonal response has been manifestly obvious as well.

    If I could only do one exercise, it would be deadlifts; alone, it has done more for me than everything else combined.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    That person is exactly right.. while I like running, lifting weights is so much better.

    Last time I weighed 150, I was wearing a size 10... this time around at 150 I'm wearing a size 4, and getting smaller.

    It's awesome!

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