Heavy Lifting - When to start!??

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OhioViking79
OhioViking79 Posts: 76 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have read alot about lifting heavy, or lifting progressively heavier, for women, and I like what I see and hear. But what is an appropriate weight to start? I am currently 185 (down from 270), but my healthy BMI range starts at 165.

Should i loose weight first (i am dieting, walking and swimming) and then lift, or just start lifting now?

I would really appriciate some advice, as i am a complete newbie when regards weight lifting!

Thanks!

Replies

  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    Lift now.

    I'm 5'6", 181lbs. Heavy lifting is making my body look much smaller than it actually is.
  • Melissa11412
    Melissa11412 Posts: 145 Member
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    Me starting 1/1/13 at 185 lbs: (and sorry 'bout the big pics i don't know how to resize LOL)

    3012dzb.jpg


    I do heavy lifting with compound movements 4x/week (deadlifts, squats, bench press, overhead presses etc), mix in running/HIIT/stairclimber etc...have 2 days off a week and 1 cheat day per week

    15 weeks later (I stopped weighing myself so I don't know how much I weigh but i've lost over 20 inches all over):

    11t9578.jpg

    and i'm almost 50 so if I can do it anyone can......doooooooooo eeeeeeeeeeeeet LOL
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    @Melissa - you look AWESOME!! :)
  • Melissa11412
    Melissa11412 Posts: 145 Member
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    @LoraF83 so do you (yeah i creeped ur pics haha) but it's amazing what heavy lifting does for us....and it's barely over 4 months. i'm going to keep going with this as i love it....and i'm up to eating 1700 cals/day and still enjoying my 1 cheat day...love chilling out on Sunday watching movies and eating a few goodies :P
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,394 MFP Moderator
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    Heavy lifting while on a calorie deficit just means you will gain strength (muscle become more effective). So lift heavy now. There really is only one reason to lift light weights... for endurance. Fat loss is the same if you do heavy lifting or light lifting as it's all in the calorie deficit.
  • jfrankic
    jfrankic Posts: 747 Member
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    START NOW!!!! I only started about half way through as I'm a former cardio junkie. I wish I had started lifting on day 1!
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
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    Lift now and add in some cardio. you don thave to lose the weight first then lift, you can do both at the same time :)
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    Lift now - I lost 8" in two months on new rules of lifting for women, more than I lost losing 10lbs with cardio over 3 months. I wish I had started sooner. :sad:

    Plus you can eat more :bigsmile:
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    @Melissa - you look AWESOME!! :)

    Seconded - AMAZING :drinker:
  • TygerTwoTails
    TygerTwoTails Posts: 108 Member
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    Lift now - I lost 8" in two months on new rules of lifting for women, more than I lost losing 10lbs with cardio over 3 months. I wish I had started sooner. :sad:

    Plus you can eat more :bigsmile:

    ^yes! I've lost almost 11" since joining MFP and starting new rules of lifting for women 2 months ago. Scale hasn't changed much ( I honestly couldn't tell you where I'm at because my scale resides in my closet :drinker: ), but I've lost one whole pants size and I feel way better about wearing tank tops :bigsmile: For me, doing intervals on the elliptical after my lifting session has sped up the inch loss process and I only go to the gym 2-3 days a week depending on my schedule
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    Now
  • MVPJess
    MVPJess Posts: 20 Member
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    Me starting 1/1/13 at 185 lbs: (and sorry 'bout the big pics i don't know how to resize LOL)

    3012dzb.jpg


    I do heavy lifting with compound movements 4x/week (deadlifts, squats, bench press, overhead presses etc), mix in running/HIIT/stairclimber etc...have 2 days off a week and 1 cheat day per week

    15 weeks later (I stopped weighing myself so I don't know how much I weigh but i've lost over 20 inches all over):

    11t9578.jpg

    and i'm almost 50 so if I can do it anyone can......doooooooooo eeeeeeeeeeeeet LOL



    Holy Smokes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    You look Awesome!!!!
    I'm so motivated!!
    Thanks for your post! : )
  • OhioViking79
    OhioViking79 Posts: 76 Member
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    Me starting 1/1/13 at 185 lbs: (and sorry 'bout the big pics i don't know how to resize LOL)

    3012dzb.jpg


    I do heavy lifting with compound movements 4x/week (deadlifts, squats, bench press, overhead presses etc), mix in running/HIIT/stairclimber etc...have 2 days off a week and 1 cheat day per week

    15 weeks later (I stopped weighing myself so I don't know how much I weigh but i've lost over 20 inches all over):

    11t9578.jpg

    and i'm almost 50 so if I can do it anyone can......doooooooooo eeeeeeeeeeeeet LOL

    You look great! Ok, fine you all have convinced me! I bought NRFWFW yesterday and I've already found a friend to go with! :)
    I'll be starting this as soon as i can find time in my crazy schedule. Thanks a bunch, ladies!

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