When to start lifting?

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  • LBNOakland
    LBNOakland Posts: 379 Member
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    as soon as possible... there is no time limit as to when to start.

    Did you even read the question?

    I know there's no time limit.

    I wanted to know basically if it's better to lose weight then gain muscle or gain muscle then lose weight.

    If you're losing weight with a calorie deficit and do not strength train, you lose muscle. Start now to get your newbie gains and to preserve the LBM you have. If you lose a bunch of your current LBM it's just going to be harder to get it back in the long run. Just continue to eat at a reasonable deficit and lift. I'm at maintenance and lifting now and continue to get awesome gains and reduce BF...I started lifting pretty much when I started dieting and dropped 35 Lbs and didn't lose any LBM in the process.

    ^^^This! I am working with a strength coach. I am lifting 3x a week. I do cardio 2x a week (turbo fire HIIT or elliptical still HIIT). I have 2 rest days though I still try to be active. Eating around 1500 calories. I tried 1800 calories but was not losing at all. I did notice some inches lost and clothes looser but I needed to go a little faster. I focus on getting at least a 100 g of protein a day. I do zigzag a little. On lift days, cals are higher. I always drink a protein shake after lifiting. I still have 50 pounds to lose. Slow and steady wins the race!! :happy:
  • LBNOakland
    LBNOakland Posts: 379 Member
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    Your situation was my situation years back, you should aim only at cutting till you get to your goal weight, since you have technically only begun lifting, you still build muscle whilst on a caloric deficit - albeit a small increase but increase nonetheless !

    If you bulk / eat a caloric surplus now, you will have more weight to shed through when you feel like cutting again... As someone has mentioned, you can set different caloric goals daily to suit your purpose but when it comes down to it, your either going to be in a caloric deficit/surplus so if I were you, stick to one and get the other target at a later date!


    Good luck! :flowerforyou:

    Thanks sounds like good advice

    While this is not bad advice, I would suggest a goal BF percentage rather than goal weight, only because weight can fluctuate and change due to many things and can often be misleading. A goal BF percentage is a little more accurate. Because muscle is more dense than fat, when you eventually reach the point where you have more muscle than fat, you could potentially weight much more than you think you'd like to, but you'll look at yourself in the mirror and think, "I can't believe I look this freaking good at X amount of weight!" Case in point, I know a lady who lifts and is at about 17-18% body fat and rocks a size 2 jeans and looks stunning in a bikini. She is 5'3" and weighs 160. You'd never know by looking at her!

    Just food for thought.

    I'm 5'2". I can't wait until someone says that about me!!! :laugh:

    Seriously, this is spot on. I was working with a PT who was all about cardio and VLCD. I did lose. This time last year, I weighed 4 pounds less than I do right now. I gained every bit back. Four months after starting to lift, I have lost 20 pounds and weigh 4 pounds more than this time last year but I am in smaller sizes NOW! And look much better than I did last year at about the same weight! I also FEEL so dang powerful!!! My kids are even wanting me to train them!! LOL
  • originalcookiemonster
    originalcookiemonster Posts: 278
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    Your situation was my situation years back, you should aim only at cutting till you get to your goal weight, since you have technically only begun lifting, you still build muscle whilst on a caloric deficit - albeit a small increase but increase nonetheless !

    If you bulk / eat a caloric surplus now, you will have more weight to shed through when you feel like cutting again... As someone has mentioned, you can set different caloric goals daily to suit your purpose but when it comes down to it, your either going to be in a caloric deficit/surplus so if I were you, stick to one and get the other target at a later date!


    Good luck! :flowerforyou:

    Thanks sounds like good advice

    While this is not bad advice, I would suggest a goal BF percentage rather than goal weight, only because weight can fluctuate and change due to many things and can often be misleading. A goal BF percentage is a little more accurate. Because muscle is more dense than fat, when you eventually reach the point where you have more muscle than fat, you could potentially weight much more than you think you'd like to, but you'll look at yourself in the mirror and think, "I can't believe I look this freaking good at X amount of weight!" Case in point, I know a lady who lifts and is at about 17-18% body fat and rocks a size 2 jeans and looks stunning in a bikini. She is 5'3" and weighs 160. You'd never know by looking at her!

    Just food for thought.

    I'm 5'2". I can't wait until someone says that about me!!! :laugh:

    Seriously, this is spot on. I was working with a PT who was all about cardio and VLCD. I did lose. This time last year, I weighed 4 pounds less than I do right now. I gained every bit back. Four months after starting to lift, I have lost 20 pounds and weigh 4 pounds more than this time last year but I am in smaller sizes NOW! And look much better than I did last year at about the same weight! I also FEEL so dang powerful!!! My kids are even wanting me to train them!! LOL

    Thats what I'M talkin about!!! YOU GO GIRL!!!
  • littlebutnice
    littlebutnice Posts: 83 Member
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    New to lifting myself x
  • RandomMiranda
    RandomMiranda Posts: 298
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    Great info. Must return once I have NROLFW and my dietbet is over.
  • briabner
    briabner Posts: 427 Member
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    you should start lifting now!!!
  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
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    There is awesome advice in here. Thanks.

    So my plan:

    1. To start lifting the sooner the better.
    2. Focus on deficit until reaching a good %BF then consider bulking
    3. Make sure to get my protein specially on lift days.
    4. Cardio is fine on non-lift days (I might try HIIT) and/or yoga
    5. Throw away my scale, go by %BF and measurements

    Why am I doing it? - To preserve my current Lean Body Mass, to benefit from newbie gains, to improve strength, and lower my percent body fat! Once these are achieved then try a clean bulk.

    Am I missing anything?
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
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    There is awesome advice in here. Thanks.

    So my plan:

    1. To start lifting the sooner the better.
    2. Focus on deficit until reaching a good %BF then consider bulking
    3. Make sure to get my protein specially on lift days.
    4. Cardio is fine on non-lift days (I might try HIIT) and/or yoga
    5. Throw away my scale, go by %BF and measurements

    Why am I doing it? - To preserve my current Lean Body Mass, to benefit from newbie gains, to improve strength, and lower my percent body fat! Once these are achieved then try a clean bulk.

    Am I missing anything?

    an added bonus of strength training is it also maintains your bone density, thus warding off osteoporosis as we age.
  • SavvyGurl0528
    SavvyGurl0528 Posts: 228 Member
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    Joleen,

    So glad you asked this question. I've been researching it myself. You beat me to the punch. Thanks a ton!
  • pluckabee
    pluckabee Posts: 346 Member
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    I'm also interested in the answer to this question, but I never seem to find a satisfactory answer when a thread comes up.

    I think the main answers I'm looking far are:

    If I eat at a deficit and lift weights will I gain muscle, retain muscle or lose muscle?

    ie, is it pointless to lift while eating at a deficit because if you lift you HAVE to do a leangains type diet or else you're wasting your time? And if it isn't pointless, what benefit are you getting from eating at a deficit all the time and lifting weights?

    ^^ FInally someone who speaks my mind!!!! I hope someone answers this!

    If you eat at a deficit you will have MINOR newbie gains (along with some water retention, so don't freak, many do) but mainly you will be maintaining your LBM. Whilst doing this, you will be burning the fat on top of them.

    The benefit is preventing the loss of your LBM while you are exercising and eating at a deficit, gaining strength, burning the fat on top of my muscles so they will become visible, and for me personally, feeling badass.

    When I have reached my goal BF percentage, I will then go on a bulk and put on some weight in an attempt to gain some muscle.

    Hope that helps!

    Thanks, this is really helpful :)
  • ekahnicole
    ekahnicole Posts: 216 Member
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    bump for later, want to start lifting within the next few weeks :D
  • craigmandu
    craigmandu Posts: 976 Member
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    For your next question about how much protein....

    I always recommend at least 110-120g of protein daily for lifting women (ideally, you would eat 1g per lb of weight, but if you have alot to shed, you should really consider a little less than that, as you may have a hard time meeting that goal until you get to a relatively low bf%)
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
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    FYI... it IS possible to gain muscle while eating at a MODEST deficit, although the gainz are a bit slower. The key to building muscle is to tear it down with heavy lifting then feed the muscles what they NEED at the appropriate times. Muscles don't need calories per say... they need proteins and amino acids for repair and growth. As long as you are getting enough of these daily you can easily build muscle. Will you blow up and gain 2" per month? No LOL, but you will still gain lean muscle. The reason some 'bros' say "EAT EAT EAT" is because they are trying to get in the proteins and aminos via foods. You can easily eat clean and supplement your proteins/aminos with powders without eating 3000+ calories/day. Is food better? of course it is, but food comes with a cost (fats). Trust me it's hard to eat clean and hit 250-300g of protein/day with chicken and fish and not blow out your calories and other macros.

    Look at powerlifters. Incredibly strong group of people, but most look 'fat' and honestly some are. Why? Because they eat calories with little regard for where those calories come from. There are however, a small group of powerlifters who really strive to feed themselves without blowing up and going all sumo. Diet is indeed everything.

    The biggest plus to lifting is you are building the foundation of your new body underneath your fat. As you shed fat the muscles you are developing will begin to show through. Your skin will naturally begin to tighten back up and you will have less of the 'saggy' look as you lose fat. You've seen those people... they've dropped a ton of 'weight' but still look soft and flabby. Why? No muscle development. Stomach bypass patients are usually the ones who you see this in. Their caloric intake is reduced to nearly nothing, they can't eat more than a few ounces of food at a time, and most don't exercise at all. Thus their bodies cannibalize to get the nutrients they need. It's really sad. Lifting has SO many benefits beyond just fat burning. Balance, posture, strength, flexibility, endurance, etc are all side benefits of good, strong lifting.

    The other big key to remember is QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. Better to lift a lighter weight with perfect form than a heavy weight with crap form. I see 'bros' in the gym all the time grabbing the 55lb dumbbells and just swinging them for their curls. All they are doing is destroying their elbow/shoulder joints. If you pay attention, the guys/girls with the really nice arms are the ones using slightly lighter weights with really good control and solid form.

    Bottom line there are lean bulking diets out there if you are willing to accept the slower pace of muscle development. If you are in a 25%+ body fat range you really don't have to worry about mass calories to gain muscle. Also remember you are a female and (not to sound sexist) but women develop muscle slower than men. Your biggest mental hurdle will be patience. Just remember that every time you lift that dumbbell or do that squat you are doing something good for yourself.

    My 2¢

    P.S. http://getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com/how-to-lose-fat-and-gain-muscle-at-the-same-time.aspx
  • craigmandu
    craigmandu Posts: 976 Member
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    The other big key to remember is QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. Better to lift a lighter weight with perfect form than a heavy weight with crap form. I see 'bros' in the gym all the time grabbing the 55lb dumbbells and just swinging them for their curls. All they are doing is destroying their elbow/shoulder joints. If you pay attention, the guys/girls with the really nice arms are the ones using slightly lighter weights with really good control and solid form

    Can't stress this enough. Pay extreme attention to your form. Research proper form for every exercise you are doing before you even step foot in a gym. I mean really research it, watch youtube videos of people doing proper form and read about common form mistakes people make for each exercise you will perform.

    Injury happens when people use bad form or too much weight. That's when they hurt themselves...(soreness isn't the same thing)
    Don't ever move to a higher weight if you cannot do it with good form. Doesn't matter if it takes you 6 months to go to the next size weight, if that's what you got to do, it's perfectly fine!
  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
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    FYI... it IS possible to gain muscle while eating at a MODEST deficit, although the gainz are a bit slower. The key to building muscle is to tear it down with heavy lifting then feed the muscles what they NEED at the appropriate times. Muscles don't need calories per say... they need proteins and amino acids for repair and growth. As long as you are getting enough of these daily you can easily build muscle. Will you blow up and gain 2" per month? No LOL, but you will still gain lean muscle. The reason some 'bros' say "EAT EAT EAT" is because they are trying to get in the proteins and aminos via foods. You can easily eat clean and supplement your proteins/aminos with powders without eating 3000+ calories/day. Is food better? of course it is, but food comes with a cost (fats). Trust me it's hard to eat clean and hit 250-300g of protein/day with chicken and fish and not blow out your calories and other macros.

    Look at powerlifters. Incredibly strong group of people, but most look 'fat' and honestly some are. Why? Because they eat calories with little regard for where those calories come from. There are however, a small group of powerlifters who really strive to feed themselves without blowing up and going all sumo. Diet is indeed everything.

    The biggest plus to lifting is you are building the foundation of your new body underneath your fat. As you shed fat the muscles you are developing will begin to show through. Your skin will naturally begin to tighten back up and you will have less of the 'saggy' look as you lose fat. You've seen those people... they've dropped a ton of 'weight' but still look soft and flabby. Why? No muscle development. Stomach bypass patients are usually the ones who you see this in. Their caloric intake is reduced to nearly nothing, they can't eat more than a few ounces of food at a time, and most don't exercise at all. Thus their bodies cannibalize to get the nutrients they need. It's really sad. Lifting has SO many benefits beyond just fat burning. Balance, posture, strength, flexibility, endurance, etc are all side benefits of good, strong lifting.

    The other big key to remember is QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. Better to lift a lighter weight with perfect form than a heavy weight with crap form. I see 'bros' in the gym all the time grabbing the 55lb dumbbells and just swinging them for their curls. All they are doing is destroying their elbow/shoulder joints. If you pay attention, the guys/girls with the really nice arms are the ones using slightly lighter weights with really good control and solid form.

    Bottom line there are lean bulking diets out there if you are willing to accept the slower pace of muscle development. If you are in a 25%+ body fat range you really don't have to worry about mass calories to gain muscle. Also remember you are a female and (not to sound sexist) but women develop muscle slower than men. Your biggest mental hurdle will be patience. Just remember that every time you lift that dumbbell or do that squat you are doing something good for yourself.

    My 2¢

    P.S. http://getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com/how-to-lose-fat-and-gain-muscle-at-the-same-time.aspx


    This awesome thank you
  • LBNOakland
    LBNOakland Posts: 379 Member
    Options
    There is awesome advice in here. Thanks.

    So my plan:

    1. To start lifting the sooner the better.
    2. Focus on deficit until reaching a good %BF then consider bulking
    3. Make sure to get my protein specially on lift days.
    4. Cardio is fine on non-lift days (I might try HIIT) and/or yoga
    5. Throw away my scale, go by %BF and measurements

    Why am I doing it? - To preserve my current Lean Body Mass, to benefit from newbie gains, to improve strength, and lower my percent body fat! Once these are achieved then try a clean bulk.

    Am I missing anything?

    an added bonus of strength training is it also maintains your bone density, thus warding off osteoporosis as we age.

    WHich is the MAIN reason I started lifting! Not to lose weight but to gain HEALTH!! Watching my dad in a wheelchair at the end, knowing my sister felt helpless when he fell and she couldn't get him up, knowing I wouldn't have been able to either!! Well, we both could now. And neither of us will make our children feel the same helplessness due to not taking care of ourselves! I may still end up in a wheelchair but it will be because of circumstances BEYOND my control!! This, I can control!!

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