Ladies how often do you lift?

There are lots more people here more experienced with weight training than I, butI wanted to chime in here. I recently started a new weight lifting routine. I did Insanity for a while before so mainly was working with body weight. I have also used machines here and there in the past. My weights have increased BIG time, it is normal for newbs to make progress quickly. I set my weights at the place where Its a struggle to push out the last two reps in my set.
starting leg presses were 120 I am now at 180 and expect to go to 200 this week
Squats and deadlifts were just the bar because I was worried about form. I now do over 100 on each
I do 50 lbs barbell curls. I only did 35 starting out.
I only bench 55lbs... I think this may be a more slower process.

wanting to add I do plenty of upper body as well, pull ups, dips, bench press, I REALLY want to do overhead press as well, just havent taken that leap yet.

anyhow, if you can see my blog I do a 4 day split with swimming on Wednesdays. Mon/thurs are upper body days and tues/fri are my leg days (FAVORITE DAYS). I do three sets of 8-12 reps. If I can push out the 12 reps easily I up my weights.

Right now I do 3x a week M, W & F. On T & Th I do cardio only and if I have time (and energy) sometimes I do cardio on the strength training days. I do 3 sets of 8 and work my way up to 3 sets of 12 and once I can do that I increase the weight I'm lifting and start back out at 3 sets of 8 and so-on.

I recently started trying to get into the swing of things with adding in strength training to my workouts. I have been at least 6wks and things are tightening up a bit but I'm just curious how often you strength train and go up on weight? For example I started off at 5lbs on bicep curls doing 3 sets of 10. Now I can do 2 sets of 10 at 12lbs. I do that exercise once a week but it seems that I'm not moving up very fast so maybe I should do it that more than once a week? Yes 10lbs is heavy for me. I was going from lifting practically nothing. (Just wanted to get that in before someone says I should lift heavy.) My main goals are weightloss and keeping lean muscle. I'd like to get stronger but I am not sure if that is possible on a deficit since I'm not lifting that heavy and it's been awhile.

I actually think you are on the right track. Surprisingly, after starting to wear a HRM while I lift, I found that lifting actually burns as much if not more calories than cardio AND it tones as well.

I do legs once a week as far as weighted squats on a smith machine. I do the following:
Classic Squats - 70lbs 10 sets of 5
Lunge Squats - 20lbs 10 sets of 5 (each leg)
Sumo Squats - 40lbs 10 sets of 5
One Legged Squats - 30lbs 10 sets of 5 (each leg)
Calf ups - 40lbs 10 sets of 10
Deadlifts - 50lbs 20 sets of 5
Then, if I still have it in me, I will do the leg curl machine at 50lbs (10 sets of 5)
Then the leg press machine at 140lbs (10 sets of 5)

I do arms once a week as well. Those exercises vary but I kind of model it after leg day. Whatever I am doing, I do at least 10 sets of 10 at only 30lbs. I don't want my arms to get huge as I build muscle quickly.

I also do Cross Fit about 2-3 times per week and we use kettle bells which I LOVE! I am up to doing bicep curls, shoulder curls, triceps extensions, triceps curls and rows with 20lbs each hand. I am kind of smelling myself lol.

Didn't mean to get long winded but to answer your question, I use weights about 5 days per week focusing on different muscle groups every other day so they get to heal. Lifting is a great way to lose weight and tone at the same time. At least that is how it works for me.

3 x a week - Doing Stronglifts routine

Cardio twice a week.

I lift 3 days a week, with HIIT training at the end. I'm currently doing 5x5 stronglifts.

Check out New Rules of Lifting for Women. It's a great place to start!

I'm doing All Pro's beginner routine 3 times a week. You go up in reps each week and after 5 weeks you up the weights and go back to the amount of reps you started with. Rinse, repeat.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=147447933

here's an example of a beginner routine focused on compound moves, full body, 3x wk with rest days in between, optional cardio 2 days a week, more if its light cardio

I used to lift 4 days a week, with one day of cardio/abs work. I lost 15 pounds and 12 inches in 6 months doing that. I was also doing a LOT of sets/reps with a TON of isolation movements.... and I saw a lot of success with it.

This week, my workout partner and I started New Rules of Lifting for Women, because we wanted to change up what we'd been doing, and do more compound movements like squats, deadlifts and presses, etc. With the new program, we'll be lifting 3 days a week, with 1 - 2 dedicated cardio/abs days.

If you are lifting 3 - 4 days a week, and you are seeing results with the program you are using, keep doing it. Remember the first principle of fitness: The Principle of Individual Differences. It basically states not everyone's body will respond the exact same way to the same workout. Whatever works for you, do it!

Currently 4 days: chest/bi, back, shoulders/tri, legs

2-3 30min cardio sessions a week.

I've bee weight training since 1999 iirc. Mostly ever with a 3 day split. Last few years dipped into bb.com workoutsx such as livefit. I like to shake things up.