Lose weight first & then lift or do both @ the same time?

Since you aren't new to lifting, you will not gain muscle on a calorie deficit. Since you want to lose weight I assume you are on a calorie deficit. Without lifting, a lot of your weight loss (as much as half of it) will be muscle. To preserve the muscle you have while losing fat, you need to lift and get adequate protein. Without lifting, your body sees no reason to hold on to that muscle. So keep a calorie deficit, lift weights, and get enough protein and you'll get the toned but not bulky look you are wanting. Its as simple as that.

:drinker: Lift on a deficit and you will still be able to lose weight, without losing a lot of muscle along with the fat. Try lifting heavy - 20 reps isn't heavy. Do the heaviest you can do in 5.

<---I did both...lost 30 lbs last year and lifted hard 5x a week. Lift hard on a deficit, and you won't end up with the "fat, muscular" look you described.

I am sorry liftnlove.. but if anyone cares to read her page.. it gives her work outs for a week.. uh oh watch out silly people.. it says she did high reps 20 reps.. oh this cant be right. Are you sure.. and looking from her pictures it worked.. nooooooo thats impossible.. no im serious.. either she did the correct research or someone qualified instructed her on this.. either way a living mfp example of my theroys

There are a load of women on here who do both -

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

These are real life, MFP examples, not fitness models (although some could be) .

each and every one of them is an inspiration.

I am sorry liftnlove.. but if anyone cares to read her page.. it gives her work outs for a week.. uh oh watch out silly people.. it says she did high reps 20 reps.. oh this cant be right. Are you sure.. and looking from her pictures it worked.. nooooooo thats impossible.. no im serious.. either she did the correct research or someone qualified instructed her on this.. either way a living mfp example of my theroys

BOOM!!! Preach!!!! ;p

(That's why I don't say I "lift heavy" on here anymore, even though it damn sure FEELS heavy--but I stay in the 8-20 rep range 95% of the time, with compound and <gasp> isolation movements.. I train for aesthetics, not just strength, which is extremely unpopular on MFP. Fortunately for me, I never cared much about being popular.)

i might be in internet love

I am sorry liftnlove.. but if anyone cares to read her page.. it gives her work outs for a week.. uh oh watch out silly people.. it says she did high reps 20 reps.. oh this cant be right. Are you sure.. and looking from her pictures it worked.. nooooooo thats impossible.. no im serious.. either she did the correct research or someone qualified instructed her on this.. either way a living mfp example of my theroys

BOOM!!! Preach!!!! ;p

(That's why I don't say I "lift heavy" on here anymore, even though it damn sure FEELS heavy--but I stay in the 8-20 rep range 95% of the time, with compound and <gasp> isolation movements.. I train for aesthetics, not just strength, which is extremely unpopular on MFP. Fortunately for me, I never cared much about being popular.)

As you say you train for asthetic purposes, and I am assuming you are doing the isolation movements because you wants the extra definition in your biceps , triceps etc.

Taking into account the OP, and others who claim to not want the muscle definition, would you still recommend the same training plan for someone training for fat loss and just starting out, or would you recommend they just keep it simple.

I may have misread, but I don't think the OP said she didn't want definition. She said she wanted to be small and muscular. I have gone from a size 14 to a size 2/4, so even though my biceps may look "big" in pictures, I assure you I am not big...if you look at my unflexed pics you can tell I'm not large

Personally, I have no problem with ANY lifting program--it is my opinion that all of them have merits. It's just a little frustrating that the dominant opinion on MFP is that if you do ANYTHING but squats, deads, and bench, you're wasting your life. It's just not true. Different programs achieve different results, Powerlifters train differently than bodybuilders, so who's wrong?... Neither of them--they have different goals, that's all.

...For people who don't want definition, all they have to do is maintain a slightly higher bodyfat, which is not difficult, I assure you

Didn't read through all the pages.

Been doing stronglifts 5x5 for 7 session (MWF) and running on the days off.

Already lost 5 lbs and losing the belly fat much faster than with cardio alone. I was not getting the results I wanted from insanity and promply switched to Stronglifts and running... Best move I could have ever made.

Liftlove,

You look awesome. Your before photo reminds me of how I look now (somewhat) so you're a good example for me. And when I am in shape I am about a size 2 as well. We may be the same body frame.

Did you supplement? I don't know how to supp or what to take.

Thanks in advance.

People have different definitions of the word 'bulky'. To me, bulky is having large muscles, with a layer of fat covering them, giving an appearance of being very large when fully clothed. Someone who has large, well-defined muscles, at a lower BF% are not bulky.

Certain women can indeed build muscle mass more quickly than average. It depends on their body type and hormone levels. Women who carry their extra weight in their midsection and upper body, tend to have a higher testosterone level than women who carry their extra weight in their hips and thighs. It is just the way we are built, genetically.
I am very short-waisted, and have always had a thick waist, and long lean legs and no butt. Mens jeans always fit better than girls jean. I also am naturally more muscular and build muscle size and strength very quickly, compared to the average female.
I have been told so many times on these forums that this is not possible and I am just wrong.

At the risk of fueling the flames, I came across some old pics that can explain what I mean.

This first pic was on my first day at work as a baggage handler. I was 5'7" at the time and around 140. In addition to having horrible posture, you can see how short waisted I am, how I carry my weight in my belly, and how small thru the arms and shoulders I am. At this point my waist was around 28" and hips were around 35". And you could iron shirts on my flat butt! lol



This next picture is a few years later, when I had been body building for about 3-4 months and had gone from 155 down to 150. Not sure exactly what weight I was, but it was between those 2 weights. My waist and hips were still around the same size, but my upper body was considerable larger, and my legs were more built. I was leg-pressing 360, benching 125, and walking lunges with 130-150 on a bar. I was squatting fairly heavy as well, but didn't really like them, so I don't remember how much I squatted.

Until I found this picture a few weeks ago, I didn't realize how huge I looked. Seriously, I looked like a linebacker. Because I responded so quickly to lifting heavy, the body builders I was training with wanted me to compete, but I didn't want to go thru the cutting it would take to get my BF% that low, and frankly the thought of standing painted in a bikini in front of judges to be critiqued on my body was NOT something I found the least bit appealing. I was never secure in my body enough to even have regular photos taken of me in a one piece, so no way could I do that.

So here it is, please be gentle!


No matter what I looked like, I really did love weightlifting. I loved being strong and not jiggly, and I consider that time to be the best shape and health I have ever been in.
But I certainly understand why some women who are built like I am, are afraid to lift heavy and end up looking big, as much of society deems a different body type as being 'ideal'.

I personally prefer the lean muscular look for myself and for what I am typically attracted to in men as well. I would LOVE to have the lean, defined muscles that some of the women on here have. And now that I know how to 'cut' properly, if I were physically able to be lifting heavy, I would most likely still be sweating with the boys in the gym. Tho probably would still never be confident enough to ever wear a bikini in public.

Now, with disabling injuries and arthritis, (and 49 yo), those days are gone, but I can still continue getting this extra weight off and exercise as much as I can to keep my muscles as healthy as possible, and pray my skin continues to shrink up as I lose.

Edit to shrink pics.

bump

I think my body type is an Endomorph. Grow muscle easily, but hold onto fat easily. . I guess. Unless I am an ectomoroph, but a bad eater.

Just wanted to point out that the Endomorph thing was a theory developed in the 1940s, it was never proven to be a real thing. It is only popular now in womens magazines...that are usually filled with lies and I would take with a grain of salt.

do both. this is the format of p90x - it concentrates mostly on lifting and building lean muscle mass but also alternates with cardio every other day.

I fear this is a dumb question, but since I don't know the answer and have been pondering it for a long time I have to ask.

I need to lose weight, but I also need to tone up. I prefer a muscular look (not manly) but muscular.

Is it possible to do both at the same time?

I have read that it is not possible to lose fat and build muscles at the same time. However, since muscles burn fat, I find this odd, unless I misunderstood what I read.

Years ago, I was the weight I am now (overweight) and worked with a pt lifting heavy. I lost inches, but no scale weight. I then became a very toned (big person). I still was heavy, not the size I wanted to be, but looked incredibly toned. I wasn't pleased. I wanted to be little and then toned. It wasn't pretty and guys were looking at my arms and asking, "You workout?" One guy even did the "swell up" thing with his arms. How embarrassing! Ick! I guess it was a fat, muscular look. You know that type we see in a lot of guys? I felt like I looked like that. I mention this bc I grow muscle extremely easily.

So should I focus on full fledge fat loss and then lift? Or try to do both at the same time, which didn't really make me happy before.

Okay, I get it. You are being a smart alec and giving me opposite advice and making fun of me based on other posts I have made in other threads on reducing sugar and cleansing. That is pretty cruel. Your posse does that too. What is sad is I almost believed you. I am really needing help and rather you gave me advice that will hurt my efforts.I don't care if this gets me deleted or not but "YOU'RE AN A**HOLE!" And I hope karma bites you.

I was just trying to help out. Since you bulk up easy I was trying to leverage that talent to your advantage. I should better step away now because I sense my feelings are going to get hurt. Gosh this was the rudest thing I've ever read on here.

Leave poor Taso alone. He is a delicate flower and gets hurt easily. Poor guy, people are so mean!

hummmmm

5 sets of 15-20.. builds endurance and hard muscles... now diet is key if you have a **** diet you might as welll not even bother.. i wont tell you to cut out carbs but tell you to eat the right carbs at the right time. Whole wheat anything whole grain.. brown rice. Thing of this nature.. we want carbs before we lift for energy protien after for muscle recovery. Meats should only consist of fish chicken turkey and lean beef.. there are others like deer meat and those things but not evwryone can get those.. you should be eaiting 5-6 small meals a day spread out around your workout and dailu life they should be 2 1/2 -3 hours apart. This stimulates your metabolism which.burns calories.... but these are small healthy meals or snacks. Not 6 whoppers a day

Not yet through all four pages yet, but tentatively in to learn more about the small meals throughout the day = stimulated metabolism thing.