Women - lifting heavy B4 losing majority of their weight

bump cos i'm interested in the opinions of others if its worth it while I'm still heavier than I want to be

I havent reached my goal weight as yet, however, I have started lifting since I started going really serious on my journey back in August.

I think the results will be better, because you tighten up at the same time you lose

Bump. I want to hear others opinions on this.

bump

Hi, wonder if anyone wants to contribute?

I'm 5'3, 43 years old, 168lbs so got a fair bit of weight to lose. I HATE cardio - and I don't want to spend my time doing something I hate. I walk my dogs for half an hour every morning and that's as good as it gets.

I'm just about to start lifting - been doing body weight stuff while I have been waiting to buy my home gym stuff.

I've seen loads of beautiful, amazing women on here who have got incredible bodies through lifting heavy but the majority of them seem to have started off from a much 'slimmer' starting point than me.

So, if anyone has a story to tell of how they started out at a larger size, lifted heavy and ended up smaller - but buff! - then I'd love to hear it. Really not bothered about the weight I end up at - I want to be strong but crucially I want to be smaller.

Cheers

I am almost 52 an I lifted heavy when I was obese. You will lose fat faster then you will build muscle. You want to shape your lean body mass BEFORE you lose the fat so that you will have a pretty body as well as HEALTH:

Start lifting NOW. Lifting weights is KEY. I recently had my DXA scan done and at 51.5 years of age I have the bone density of a super athletic 30 year old. That is a direct result of lifting for over 30 years. Now if that is not scientific proof that lifting weights keeps you younger I don't know what is! Also I believe it is why most people think I look much younger than I really am.

Lift heavy and light and a variety of routines, and change it up often, find a lot of weight routines with free weights, make it fun, embrace it, make it part of your life. Only 3 days a week is all it would take. Crank up your tunes and learn to love it, because your body will love it and it will make your quality of life better in many ways, especially when you get older like me.

Because of this I don't have to worry about osteoporosis. If you wait until you are older and your bones start to deteriorate it's a bit too late, you can't get back what you lost, you can only start a resistance routine that will prevent further damage.

If you are a girl you don't have the hormones to get big naturally. I lift heavy and I'm still really tiny. My lean body mass is only 104 lbs and that is fairly heavy for a 5'1" female, and quite a bit of this is due to my having very dense bones from 30 years of lifting, not all muscle, and I'm still quite tiny.

My muscles really are not that big, but they show a lot of definition because I'm quite lean. If I gained some fat then I would have a softer more toned look (which is OKAY too!). Then if I gained more fat I would look bulking and hefty like I did most of my life until last year. YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU WANT. Lean and ripped, soft and toned, or hefty, it all depends on how much fat you leave on your body. Calories are the only thing that changes fat. Exercise is for changing or maintaining your lean body mass only. Lifting weights will give you the best bang for your buck for shaping your body. I finally changed my shape by putting lifting first and cardio 2nd. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

You can do a variety of things at home, this workout can be done with dumbbells and a bench:

The routine I do consists of weight lifting first and cardio second, but I still do cardio (mainly running). I change up everything all the time. My running is sometimes long easy runs, sometimes HIIT, sometimes shorter medium pace runs. My weight routine changes each day, each week, Circuits, Intermittent Super Sets, Fibonacci Pyramids, X-sets, Progress Venus Pyramids, and some splits, constantly changing it up, everything a variety of Strength, Hypertrophy, and Endurance.

Legs; In addition to Deadlift's, Stiff Leg Dead Lifts, Sumo Dead Lifts and Squats I do Bulgarian Split Squats, Lunges, Reverse lunges, Curtsey lunges, Step Ups, Crossover Bench Step Ups, One legged Deadlifts (T-Bend), Lunge Matrix, Bowler Squat, One Legged Get Ups, Bower Squat and Calf Raise, Bowler Squat + Stiff Leg Deadlift, Curtsey Lunge + Dumbbell Squat, T-Bend + Y-Squat, Reverse Lunge & Step Up, Curtsey Lunge + Step Up, Y-squat, Narrow Stance Squat

For upper body I do Standing Shoulder Press, Standing Dumbell Curls, Lying Tricep extension, Pullovers, Bent Barbell Row, Standing lateral Raise, Standing front Raise, Curl and Press, Shoulder Press + Curl, Dips, Lying Tricep Extensions + Flyes, Venus Raise (a type of snatch), Bent Row + Standing Lateral Raise, Pullovers, Pushup + Dips, Standing Dumbbell curls + Overhead Tricep Extension, Bent Lateral Raise + Pullovers, One Arm Dumbbell row, Flyes + Pushups, Seated Curl & Tate Press, Seated Curls + Overhead Tricep Extension, Pushups, Pullovers + Dips, Bent Barbell Row, Lateral Raise + Full Front Raise, Venus Raise + Dips, Standing Dumbbell curls + Lying Tricep Extension, Upright Row + Dips, Bent Barbell Row, Flat bench Press, Incline Bench Press, Bent Row Narrow, Bent Row + Kickback,

Then some upper and lower combos; Squat and Front Raise, Step Up & Press, Step Up + Standing Shoulder Press, Squat & Press, Squat & Swing, Curtsy Lunge + Standing Shoulder Pres, T-Bend & Row, Pike Front Rais + Curtsey Lunge, Flat Bench Press + Step Up.

Core: Bar Bell Rollouts (you can start out with Stability Ball Roll Outs), Swiss Ball Pikes (you can start out with Stability Ball Curl Ups), and planks. As you advance Swiss Ball Pike and pushup.

I probably forgot some but you get the idea.

I will be VERY happy to chime in.

I started lifting weights for the first time in my life in mid 2011. I was 47/48. I'd just had right knee replacement surgery to boot. I weighed over 230 lbs. Weight lifting was and has been THE difference maker for me. I've blogged about it pretty extensively, so it just may be easier to read that. But .. DEFINITELY. No need to "lose weight" then start lifting. In fact - the direct opposite should take place. Lift weights to burn FAT, reshape your body. I'm wearing an unheard of size, for me. I've never worn a single digit size - EVER - in my adult life. The last time I wore a size 10, I weighed at least 20 pounds less than I do now. I'm wearing comfy loose size 8s now. I'm now eating at maintenance level calories and changing up my training - focusing on gaining strength. That should continue to burn off fat and further recomp my body. In January, I may actually do a Bulk cycle for a few months with the goal of eating at a controlled surplus and gaining muscle. Muscle is the ultimate calorie burner : )

Good luck !

Jen
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/harlanJEN