Lifting heavy - how and when did you get started?

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Alatariel75
Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
OK, so I'm 5'4 and 230lbs, so obviously I currently need to be eating at a deficit to get rid of the lard. I know now that you don't build muscle while eating at a deficit, but after reading so many amazing threads and checking out profile of people who impress me, I'm totally sold on lifting heavy.

At the moment, I do cardio and crunches. For someone who obviously has a lot of fat to lose, but doesn't want to have to start from scratch once I get to a healthy weight, what proportions should I start fitting lifting into my weekly routine? I'm determined to lose the fat and up my cals to build.

And more generally, for people who got into heavy lifting - where in losing weight did you start and what did you do to get going?

Replies

  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    I got started right away.

    I usually recommend cardio for about 1 hour a week (3 x 20 minute sessions)

    And strength training 3 times a week usually for about 45 minutes to one hour.

    I would recommend Starting Strength, New Rules of Lifting, ot Stronglifts 5x5
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I got started right away.

    I usually recommend cardio for about 1 hour a week (3 x 20 minute sessions)

    And strength training 3 times a week usually for about 45 minutes to one hour.

    I would recommend Starting Strength, New Rules of Lifting, ot Stronglifts 5x5

    ^^yep

    I would recommend Stronglifts or Starting Strength above NROL based on my knowledge of them (I have not done any of them myself),

    There is a groups here for Stronglifts that has a lot of information: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
  • a_vettestingray
    a_vettestingray Posts: 654 Member
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    double yes!
    3x strength training
    3x cardio
    eat at a deficit
    look hawt
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    I started lifting about 1 or 2 weeks after committing to change my life. At the time it was an upper/lower split of mostly isolation exercises. It wasn't until about 2 years later that I started training the big compound lifts. I had already lost the weight and kept it off by that point.

    My recommendation to anyone is to start lifting - specifically by following one of the tried & true beginner compound lifting routines - as soon as possible.
  • Admiral_Derp
    Admiral_Derp Posts: 866 Member
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    Seconding everything that's already been said.
  • sandradev1
    sandradev1 Posts: 786 Member
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    When starting to change my life last October I very rarely moved off the sofa, let alone exercised. For the first few weeks I dabbled with 30 DS and then with dumbells.

    In January, I started Stronglifts 5 x5 and WOW. Wish I had started in October. Its a very good programme for beginners and progress through the weights is done safely, but very quickly.

    I have never felt so good in my whole life as I do with lifting.

    Just do it NOW, you won't regret it

    :flowerforyou:
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    When starting to change my life last October I very rarely moved off the sofa, let alone exercised. For the first few weeks I dabbled with 30 DS and then with dumbells.

    In January, I started Stronglifts 5 x5 and WOW. Wish I had started in October. Its a very good programme for beginners and progress through the weights is done safely, but very quickly.

    I have never felt so good in my whole life as I do with lifting.

    Just do it NOW, you won't regret it

    :flowerforyou:

    So inspiring!
  • Admiral_Derp
    Admiral_Derp Posts: 866 Member
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    Actually, I just wanted to add: My wife and I are doing Stronglifts 5x5. It's a great routine, and one obvious plus is that you can get the ebook, and everything to do it for free from the website. But in addition to that, I highly reccommend getting a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. If you have a tablet/laptop/Kindle, you can get it from Amazon for about 10 bucks, and it is absolutely worth it! He goes into a lot more detail about form, and there are plenty of pictures and diagrams to help you get it figured out.

    When you're starting out with strength training (which I think everybody should do ASAP) it is really important to progress slowly with the weights, and learn form before anything else so you don't get hurt. Everytime I've tried weight training before, with no research, going in and throwing around as much weight as possible with no knowledge at all, I'd be fine for a couple of weeks, then hurt something, and then just quit altogether. Don't worry about progressing too fast. Just learn the form, and follow the routine, and progression will come on its own! Be safe and kick butt!
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    My form got better than heavier I lifted... I thought lighter weight would get the muscle memory better, but it never clicked. Sometimes you don't give yourself enough credit or know how much you can do until you try!
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    I started out with BodyPump and Zumba. I got a knee injury that stopped me doing Zumba, but I continued with BodyPump until I could no longer do the squat or lunge track.

    After knee surgery, I started working out with heavy weights.

    I've lost 26kg in total, and am constantly amazed at the things I am able to do... Things I never thought I would be capable of.

    Here is a post I wrote that might be of interest to you:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/824518-fat-girl-dead-lifting?hl=Fat+girl+deadlifting
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
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    And more generally, for people who got into heavy lifting - where in losing weight did you start and what did you do to get going?
    I only started lifting very recently, was already in maintenance but still looking for the "sweet spot" calorie-wise. In fact, this weekend I upped my calories again because I still appear to be losing weight.
    I'm doing All Pro's Simple Beginners Routine, you can read more about it here:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/915909-what-exactly-is-all-pro-s-routine
  • gerard54
    gerard54 Posts: 1,107 Member
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    When I got strong...
  • rovernio
    rovernio Posts: 157
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    i started when i was fat did alot of heavy lifting not alot of cardio but i nailed my diet
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    This may not really answer your question. I started lifting heavy when I was 14 (so 15 years ago) and haven't ever really stopped I took a few breaks (6 months or less) around surgeries (c-section, ankle reconstruction, second ankle surgery). I intensified my work outs as soon as started trying to lose weight. I recently got the new rules of lifting for women to help challenge myself to get out of my routine. I like the book. One of my goals is to terminate my current gym membership and join a gym with more free weights. At first I didn't mind that I can't dead lift at my gym (partially because I can use the gym on campus for free and I can deadlift there) but I have found more and more of my workout modified in a negative way.

    Anyway, good luck!
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    Thanks for the awesome answers, guys! I guess my answer is just do it! I'll download/purchase the suggested eBooks and have a read :)

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