FAT TO FIT, WOMEN WEIGHT LIFTING

Jamie Eason's 12 week LiveFit is a great start for weightlifting as well (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html). I have always done some sort of exercise, but for years, it has been cardio. Last year, I went through insanity, but after so much cardio/plyometrics (and awesome results!), I was a little burned out and wanted to switch things up a lot. I used workouts from a trainer for 3 months, and then started LiveFit with a friend. I have been through LiveFit twice now. It starts out easy, but by phase 3, it is definitely a tough workout!

Bodybuilding.com has videos to help you see form - great for visual people like me - and her program will help you become familiar with basic lifts, and confident in the weights section of the gym. I started Laura Bailey's muscle building program today and am already so impressed by it! Just lifting for the last 5-6 months alone, I feel so much stronger than I ever have in my life. I do it at the gym most days, but also have a weight bench, barbell and some weight plates, along with 5, 10 and 20lb dumbbells that we picked up at a garage sale. With just those, I can do everything at my house, with just a little variation.

Good luck!

Tricep kickbacks,one arm dumbell rows, lunges, and squats have done wonders for me and my trouble spots (hips, thighs and flabby arms). I am not following any kind of formal program, just trying out different things and mixing it up every month. I love the flexibility of creating my own program and seeing results. I have doubled my lifting weight in three months and lost inches so I must be doing something right:)

Do you have Cablevision as your cable provider? They offer free videos that you can do, some are actually really good! If you don't, there's always the internet... tons of stuff online. You can buy a cheap set of weights from TJMAXX, they usually have them at a much lower cost then going to a sports store. Start there and when you are ready to move forward maybe invest in some heavier weights if you find you like using them.

Great thread, I want to try weights, too. I've lost 17 lbs counting calories, and I'm ready to step it up.
I am 5'4" and I am worried about building my leg muscles. My leg muscles are HUGE under my fat (from carrying my heavy self around.) I do NOT want to build any muscle there.

A lot of body weight exercises can be done at home and are simple for a beginner's way into lifting weights. Pushups, squats, lunges, planks, pullups (you need a bar, and you can work your way up to them). I'd recommend a pullup bar, exercise ball, and medicine ball to start. Weights should come after you've mastered the basic movements without weights.

^^^^I agree with this!! :flowerforyou:

Hello!

I must admit, I feel a teensy bit fraudulent replying to this thread as a significant part of my weight loss was due to cardio (and lots of it), but weights did play a significant part, particularly in the latter stages.

When I started losing weight, I knew that I'd have to incorporate some weight/strength training in order to minimise the potential of loose skin (I had about 6 stone/84lb to lose). I didn't want to go from hating my body to STILL hating it for another reason after all that hard work.

So I started attending kettlebells classes, which I maintain saved my bingo wings. My upper arms were about the size of my thigh (only a slight exaggeration!) and there was huge potential for saggy skin there.

I started attending the classes about three months in (it's taken me 18 months to get to this stage, give or take). I had to give up the kettlebells a while ago due to a shoulder injury, and started lifting weights instead.

I now lift 4 - 5 times a week for approximately 20 - 30 minutes a time (usually after my zumba class). I don't lift especially heavy (although that's obviously subjective); doing sets with 10kg dumbells for bicep curls, 12kg for tricep dips and the 10 again for lateral raises and shoulder presses.

Lifting weights has helped me immensely. I don't doubt that the cardio assisted some (strong repetitive movements in zumba) in helping melting the fat so the muscles popped through, but in terms of shaping my body I cannot thank weightlifting enough.

Some photos for reference - me at 16 stone/224lbs, me at my current weight (just over 10 stone/140lb) and my arm progress picture for October 2012.

Sorry for the waffle! Hope this helps some.

Great thread, I want to try weights, too. I've lost 17 lbs counting calories, and I'm ready to step it up.
I am 5'4" and I am worried about building my leg muscles. My leg muscles are HUGE under my fat (from carrying my heavy self around.) I do NOT want to build any muscle there.

Train high reps (15-20) - and lighter weights...

Nope, don't.

Like everyone else has said get yourself to bodybuilding.com - loads of info

Check out New Rules of Lifting OR Stronglifts 5x5 groups on here - to be fair there a ton of different starter weight programs around. Pretty much all of them emphasise LOWER REPS and HEAVIER WEIGHTS for best results. You'll be wanting progression - increase the weights and you increase your strength. Don't buy into the women lift lighter weights, it's nonsense.

You could do a bodyweight routine or dumbbell routine - both of these would give you good results. Again - there are loads of groups on here and loads of people have had great results.

It's one of those things where there are a million different ways of starting and no one definitive 'right' way - but there is always a way you can do something with the resources you have.

There's a thread around somewhere of results from lifting, I'll have a see if I can find it.

And good luck, once you start I'm sure you'll love it

Hello!

I must admit, I feel a teensy bit fraudulent replying to this thread as a significant part of my weight loss was due to cardio (and lots of it), but weights did play a significant part, particularly in the latter stages.

When I started losing weight, I knew that I'd have to incorporate some weight/strength training in order to minimise the potential of loose skin (I had about 6 stone/84lb to lose). I didn't want to go from hating my body to STILL hating it for another reason after all that hard work.

So I started attending kettlebells classes, which I maintain saved my bingo wings. My upper arms were about the size of my thigh (only a slight exaggeration!) and there was huge potential for saggy skin there.

I started attending the classes about three months in (it's taken me 18 months to get to this stage, give or take). I had to give up the kettlebells a while ago due to a shoulder injury, and started lifting weights instead.

I now lift 4 - 5 times a week for approximately 20 - 30 minutes a time (usually after my zumba class). I don't lift especially heavy (although that's obviously subjective); doing sets with 10kg dumbells for bicep curls, 12kg for tricep dips and the 10 again for lateral raises and shoulder presses.

Lifting weights has helped me immensely. I don't doubt that the cardio assisted some (strong repetitive movements in zumba) in helping melting the fat so the muscles popped through, but in terms of shaping my body I cannot thank weightlifting enough.

Some photos for reference - me at 16 stone/224lbs, me at my current weight (just over 10 stone/140lb) and my arm progress picture for October 2012.

Sorry for the waffle! Hope this helps some.

Incredible transformation.

My advice as always lol check out bodybuilding.com some great weight lifting plans and advice for woman and teens as well as men.
Really moticational and gets you set in the right direction:)
x

^ bodybuilding.com has everything you need

Agree with these ladies. I just finished Jamie Eason's LiveFit program which is on there and is a really good one. Lots of good workouts there.

Some threads for you to look at:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/884447-do-you-lift-heavy-are-you-bulky

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/815756-not-convinced-give-me-proof-women-weights


I personally decided to start with stronglifts 5x5 because it's an incredibly simple program, and there's an amazing support system in the stronglifts for women group:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women