Confused: Lose weight THEN lift heavy? Or just start now?

skeo
skeo Posts: 471 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm confused on how to go about this, my husband tells me that I should lift lighter weight(not pink weights) just lighter, because I tend to max out on what I can at this point, but he says, I shouldn't do that YET, until I drop the initial fat that I want by way of eating better and a touch more cardio.

Example, I squat 135lbs, for 3 sets of 8-10 he says I should cut it back to 95lbs and do longer reps 4 sets of 15 or more.

so lighter weight, longer reps...OR does it not matter? Will lifting heavy at this state, make me what is considered to be "bulky" as a result of the muscle development under the fat, or will it also burn the fat at the same rate? If this makes any sense.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Replies

  • RobinME
    RobinME Posts: 25 Member
    Just start now because lifting aids in losing weight. I have lost 110 pounds and have been lifting for just over a year. The more muscle you have the more fat you will burn.
  • SamanthaClarexo
    SamanthaClarexo Posts: 353 Member
    I've lost the majority of my weight by lifting heavy. Start now - no time like the present :smile:
  • skeo
    skeo Posts: 471 Member
    Thank you both ladies :flowerforyou:
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I agree 100% to lift NOW. It'll firm you up while you're losing and you'll lose inches faster! I do the circuit just because I can be lazy in the free weight room. I do heavy weights where I max out at about 10 reps. If I get to 11 or 12 reps then I'll up the weight a few pounds. Plus I lift a little slower so I'm not using momentum but my muscles to lift. You'll see faster results and see the difference probably in 4-6 weeks if you do it 3/x wk. Right now I'm doing 1-3x/wk...min 1/wk because I want to at least maintain what I've done and not go backwards. Good luck!
  • Blondie251975
    Blondie251975 Posts: 58 Member
    LIFT HEAVY! As a female, it is impossible to "bulk", unless you are on testosterone supplements and in a calorie surplus! I fully believe that lifting heavy now is what is helping me achieve my weekly weight loss goals. Women are scared to lift heavy, and there is no basis for this. I do 3 sets of 8 reps, pushing near failure on the last rep of each set. If you are doing a new exercise, ease into it, so you get the proper form, but then stack it on! Your body burns the calories burned during a lift for up to 36 hours after a heavy lifting session....use that to your advantage! Lifting light doesn't make your muscles work, less calorie burn, and les strength building! Lift heavy or go home is my policy ;)
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    you're not gonna gain much muscle (if any) while cutting fat.. your perceived strength may likely go up because of neural adaption and improvement in form.

    You're lifting while you cut so you maintain your muscle (as much as possible). I'd say its absolutely imperative unless your have health reasons not to do it.

    I prefer to do a heavy, medium, and light day on the weights...
  • almondbliss
    almondbliss Posts: 115
    Definitely start now! You will see progress and results faster!
  • gpizzy
    gpizzy Posts: 171
    Lift now - you may go through a period where you appear more 'bulky' but it's not easy for anyone, particularly women, to just bulk up like a massive body builder. More muscle helps with fat loss.
  • homeyjosey
    homeyjosey Posts: 138 Member
    lift heavy....now
  • matt2442
    matt2442 Posts: 1,259 Member
    The answer is always start now.
  • RacerX_14
    RacerX_14 Posts: 578 Member
    Definitely lift heavy while cutting fat! Muscles burn fat. You will be toned and in great shape as well as losing weight at the same time!! Good Luck!:)
  • wikitbikit
    wikitbikit Posts: 518 Member
    I know the answer is to start lifting heavy yesterday, but my brain came up with a question the other day that I can't answer. I hate it when it does that.


    Ok. So we know that you can't build muscle when you're eating at a deficit, but you can build strength. And being strong is undeniably good! But... If you aren't building muscle--which you want to build because it's more metabolically active--then aren't you putting yourself at something of a disadvantage by building up strength? Wouldn't it be easier later to build muscle if you are not as strong?

    I understand lifting to maintain LBM; is that basically the purpose of 'lifting heavy' while in a deficit?
  • lizzynewm
    lizzynewm Posts: 199 Member
    i've always wondered this too, because i know you can't really gain muscle while eating at a deficit.

    BUT! i suggest you keep lifting heavy, because even if you don't gain big muscles out of it, it will still keep your body more toned than it would be if you were just losing by means of cardio. like, i lost 50 pounds through only cardio and eating less, and my butt (which was previously muscular through horseback riding) totally deflated. i started doing more heavy lifting squats/heavy leg press and the like, and even though i'm still eating at a deficit, it's definitely a less sad situation down in the badonkadonk area. you don't want your muscles to disappear like mine did, because it is way more difficult to build new ones than maintain old ones, especially at a deficit.
  • MidwestAngel
    MidwestAngel Posts: 1,897 Member
    The answer is always start now.
    ^this, also bacon, sex, and yes.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    you're not gonna gain much muscle (if any) while cutting fat.. your perceived strength may likely go up because of neural adaption and improvement in form.

    You're lifting while you cut so you maintain your muscle (as much as possible). I'd say its absolutely imperative unless your have health reasons not to do it.

    I prefer to do a heavy, medium, and light day on the weights...

    QFT

    i'd say that the higher reps might support your goals a little more because i'm assuming thats going to burn a little more calories, but which every your perfer is fine. switching it up every month or so is probably best.

    you don't ever have to be concerned about 'looking bulky'.

    And if you should ever be so fortunate, there is an easy fix: lift less, lighter, stop working so hard lol.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Depends on your goals. If you simply want to see the scale go down as fast as possible, then you probably shouldn't lift. However, if your ultimate goal is to be anything along the lines of being toned, looking fit, etc etc, then you'll need to lift at some point. In which case it makes sense to lift now so you have less work to do down the road.

    As long as you have a calorie deficit you'll lose weight.

    As for looking bulky... everyone has a different image in their mind for what is or isn't bulky. IMO, lifting on a calorie deficit will not make you bulky, but that's based on what I think of as bulky, what I consider attractive, etc.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Start now
  • SoViLicious
    SoViLicious Posts: 2,633 Member
    I am doing it now. It has slowed down the scale, but I have lost so many inches and feel so strong.
  • djeffreys10
    djeffreys10 Posts: 2,312 Member
    Being a woman, you aren't going to look bulky no matter what you do. You want to lose fat, not muscle. Lifting heavy will help your body maintain your current muscle while you burn fat due to eating at a calorie deficit. So lift heavy.
  • almondbliss
    almondbliss Posts: 115
    This is Jamie Eason's 12 Week Livefit Trainer, it's how I started. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-introduction.html
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    I started lifting heavy again when I weighed around 200 lbs back in October of this year. I'm down to 177 now. So the scale does move, but you can't expect it to move quickly or anything like it does if you're not lifting. Before I started lifting, I was easily losing a pound to two pounds per week, like clockwork. Since then it's not been so regular. The scale goes up and down and up, then maybe a few pounds down...it's strange how that works.

    But more importantly, I've lost all sorts of inches and my body looks muscular and a lot different than it did as I was on my way UP (when I was gaining weight). So I'm cool....I'm trying to focus on strength/fitness goals instead of scale goals, and also lower my body fat %. That stuff is all more interesting to me than the number on the scale. If you need the scale to show you results every week in order to keep you motivated, lifting might not be the way to go about things at this point.

    I do a couple of brief sprint sessions and two or three sessions of just vo2 max kettlebell training each week as well. That's my cardio.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    My biggest regret about my whole weight loss is not starting strength training sooner. And I hated it to begin with. Do it. Do it yesterday.

    And please throw the bulky myth out the window. Weight lifting does not make people bulky, a calorie surplus does. On a deficit, you're not going to gain mass. That doesn't make sense. And even if you were gaining muscle (which you're likely not, despite the strength gains, that's something different) you'd only be getting smaller everywhere since muscle is denser. Bottom line, if you're getting bigger muscles and increasing in girth, you're on a calorie surplus.
  • skeo
    skeo Posts: 471 Member
    Thanks everyone for your input; and I've actually given up on the scale about 3 months ago, I literally locked it away in storage, I have a set of callipers and a body tape measure that I carry in my gym bag, as I noticed my clothes fitting better and I was getting stronger, the number on the scale no longer concerned me.

    I've been weaning myself off of the cardio machines at the gym, maybe doing 10-20 minutes at the max before and after my work outs to warm up and cool down, and have been focusing more on lifting, like curls, squats, lunges, over head press, bench press..etc..and always doing the most weight that I can do, and always struggle at about 8-10 reps, I feel AMAZING afterwards, just haven't noticed a mass cut down on my body fat, which I can 120% chalk up to my diet, but I am fully aware of what my pit falls were and still are; so I am working diligently on cleaning that up. I just wanted to be sure that I am not doing this backwards. It actually makes me upset when I work with lighter weights, because I KNOW I CAN lift heavier, but am forcing myself not too.

    so thank you again everyone for your input. I will continue as follows. :flowerforyou: :smile:
  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
    Count me as another one who wishes they had started lifting before they started losing. And despite the truism that you can't build muscle on a deficit, there is some argument on that when it comes to people who have excess body fat and who are complete newbies. Plus, maintaining muscle on a deficit appears to work on the same principle as building muscle, that you have to stress the muscles to keep them, and when losing weight I would hazard to say that maintaining muscle is as good as building muscle is to someone in maintenance. As for lighter vs. heavy and more reps vs. less...I hate the more reps less weight thing too. It is sooo boring.
  • shannonsky
    shannonsky Posts: 75 Member
    I know the answer is to start lifting heavy yesterday, but my brain came up with a question the other day that I can't answer. I hate it when it does that.


    Ok. So we know that you can't build muscle when you're eating at a deficit, but you can build strength. And being strong is undeniably good! But... If you aren't building muscle--which you want to build because it's more metabolically active--then aren't you putting yourself at something of a disadvantage by building up strength? Wouldn't it be easier later to build muscle if you are not as strong?

    I understand lifting to maintain LBM; is that basically the purpose of 'lifting heavy' while in a deficit?

    You may not be building muscle, but you ARE building some LBM. Remember, LBM includes much, much more than just muscle. And LBM in general is good for metabolism. And yeah, it might be easier to build muscle later, eating on a surplus, but you're still going to be months ahead of the game if you start early.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Count me as another one who wishes they had started lifting before they started losing. And despite the truism that you can't build muscle on a deficit, there is some argument on that when it comes to people who have excess body fat and who are complete newbies. Plus, maintaining muscle on a deficit appears to work on the same principle as building muscle, that you have to stress the muscles to keep them, and when losing weight I would hazard to say that maintaining muscle is as good as building muscle is to someone in maintenance. As for lighter vs. heavy and more reps vs. less...I hate the more reps less weight thing too. It is sooo boring.
    And time consuming :p
    And since it bothers me I'll mention that what I don't like is that some people argue that you are gaining over all mass on a calorie deficit if you start from a couch potato noobie to strength training. You are not. You will get slimmer. There is something called newbie gains, but it seems rather minimal, and with continual weight loss you'll continue to lose both LBM and fat. I'm also not convinced that newbie gains is all muscle. Strength training helps with bone density as well apparently. So it may be your bones getting stronger not your muscles getting bigger? It's highly unlikely that every morsel of weight you lose well be all fat.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    I know the answer is to start lifting heavy yesterday, but my brain came up with a question the other day that I can't answer. I hate it when it does that.


    Ok. So we know that you can't build muscle when you're eating at a deficit, but you can build strength. And being strong is undeniably good! But... If you aren't building muscle--which you want to build because it's more metabolically active--then aren't you putting yourself at something of a disadvantage by building up strength? Wouldn't it be easier later to build muscle if you are not as strong?

    I understand lifting to maintain LBM; is that basically the purpose of 'lifting heavy' while in a deficit?
    What on earth is the disadvantage to building up strength first again? And as someone who dieted first and is now trying to gain muscle it is absolutely not easier. It takes forever to gain muscle, and with muscle you gain fat...and weight. So I ended at puny squishy weakling and I now have to gain weight/fat and have to get rid of it all over again...Back do the drawing board. At least that's the quick way to do it. The alternative is to try to maintain your weight and lift which would just take forever to make muscles. And it's taking me forever already to gain strength since I have like no muscle mass at all to build from. I'm going to the gym with several people and I am progressing leaps and bounds slower then everyone else.

    As to your last question the purpose is to get rid of a higher ratio of fat. So yes, maintaining muscle, bones, having better health in general etc.
  • danielleeu
    danielleeu Posts: 127 Member
    bump
  • mjterp
    mjterp Posts: 650 Member
    I'm confused on how to go about this, my husband tells me that I should lift lighter weight(not pink weights) just lighter, because I tend to max out on what I can at this point, but he says, I shouldn't do that YET, until I drop the initial fat that I want by way of eating better and a touch more cardio.

    Example, I squat 135lbs, for 3 sets of 8-10 he says I should cut it back to 95lbs and do longer reps 4 sets of 15 or more.

    so lighter weight, longer reps...OR does it not matter? Will lifting heavy at this state, make me what is considered to be "bulky" as a result of the muscle development under the fat, or will it also burn the fat at the same rate? If this makes any sense.

    Thanks in advance for your input.

    Women can't get bulky, we don't have the right hormones.
    Check out New Rules of Lifting For Women
    and/or
    Body By You (same author as You are Your Own Gym) (fabulous $1.99 app for smart phone)

    You are going to be stronger now because you are hauling around the extra weight now (it takes muscle to lift and move the extra). As soon as you aren't hauling that weight around your body will ditch the muscle it isn't using (very efficient that way.) BUT if you can use the muscle enough to keep it, that muscle will burn more per hour (even while you are sleeping) than if you didn't have it.

    SO...go muscles!!! ;-) (and seriously, about "bulking" go do some google searching for female body builder IN competition and NOT in competition (posing and not). They do special diets to lower their body fat specifically to show off the muscle for competition, but the rest of the time when they aren't doing that serious fat cut dieting, they look like normal FIT and HEALTHY women. And NONE of them are the Hulk!)

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