Wanting to lose 100 lbs, When to start lifting?

NoeHead
NoeHead Posts: 516 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started doing cardio(spin, zumba) in combination with logging my calories and changing the way I eat and logging them March 13. I now do cardio 5x a week and recently added strength training 2x a week and pilates 1x. I started with really light weights (10lbs) simply because i do a 20 minute mini cardio before the class and do zumba after. Should I wait to add more lbs to my strength training until i lose more weight or would it be ok to start upping the weights to help me drop more pounds? I don't want to decrease my cardio because it allows me to eat lol i have been so hungry since is started working out

Replies

  • SoViLicious
    SoViLicious Posts: 2,633 Member
    It is never too early to start. I am lifting now and still have over 50lbs to lose.
  • Alathea_Squared
    Alathea_Squared Posts: 7 Member
    I would incorporate it as soon as you can lift safely and comfortably. Do cardio three days and then a cardio warmup for 10 minutes and then 30 minutes of light circuit training or something on your off days. Then the next week you can switch again, alternating 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2. When I did this I saw faster average overall weight loss than just through cardio and as long as as I didnt try to be he-man with the lifting I didnt cause myself any undue injury.
  • Shr3dded
    Shr3dded Posts: 232
    Now.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Today......
  • genkimomof2
    genkimomof2 Posts: 50 Member
    I have about as much to lose as you. When i joined my gym, they did a measurement of all my muscles mass and, for me, my lower core and leg muscles were so weak they forbade me from taking zumba until I bulked up.

    Of course, I am me and you are you, but have you had a muscle mass assessment done? You may find one group of muscles is weaker than another, and if you are doing pilates and zumba and other classes, you might consider strengthening your core and legs to protect yourself from getting hurt, never mind weight loss. I do 30 minutes on the machines, and alternate working on upper body and lower body so I don't fatigue any one group.
  • ToolRat
    ToolRat Posts: 43 Member
    I started day one and have lost 36 pounds in 50 days. I know I have gained muscle mass too, nice to see my biceps again =)
  • EDollah
    EDollah Posts: 464 Member
    If you've been at this a couple of months, then by all means now. Six weeks ago I began working out after being completely sedentary for many years. So I eased into weight lifting after 2 weeks focused on cardio. Then the first week or so of weight lifting I did very low weights just to make sure I had form and motion down correctly. My point is, ease into it at a pace you're comfortable with.
  • NoeHead
    NoeHead Posts: 516 Member
    I have about as much to lose as you. When i joined my gym, they did a measurement of all my muscles mass and, for me, my lower core and leg muscles were so weak they forbade me from taking zumba until I bulked up.

    Of course, I am me and you are you, but have you had a muscle mass assessment done? You may find one group of muscles is weaker than another, and if you are doing pilates and zumba and other classes, you might consider strengthening your core and legs to protect yourself from getting hurt, never mind weight loss. I do 30 minutes on the machines, and alternate working on upper body and lower body so I don't fatigue any one group.

    I haven't had a muscle assessment done actually I need to see if they have that here. Because of spin class, my legs have gotten stronger, its actually become on one of my fave parts :) . i started pilates to strengthen my core and strength training for my arms and hopefully develop my bum! i need to up my weights then, i may turn my wednesdays into lift days. do you wear your hrm on days you just lift? i'm asking because i want to be able to eat more...i get hungry these days.
  • RunnerInVT
    RunnerInVT Posts: 226 Member
    Yes you should do it now.
    muscle burns more calories at rest and lifting burns the calories longer than cardio does after a workout. :)
    Keep a log. Always. Dont need lots of detail in it just the basics to see your progress. have fun with it!
    :smile:
  • kristarablue2
    kristarablue2 Posts: 386 Member
    NOW! Why weight? Building muscle will only help you with your body redefinition and don't stop cardio just add heavier weights, truly one of the best things I did in my weight loss journey. Good luck, I suggest having a program to follow and write down your progress, you will love to see how you have increased your lifting over time.....Good luck!
  • NoeHead
    NoeHead Posts: 516 Member
    NOW! Why weight? Building muscle will only help you with your body redefinition and don't stop cardio just add heavier weights, truly one of the best things I did in my weight loss journey. Good luck, I suggest having a program to follow and write down your progress, you will love to see how you have increased your lifting over time.....Good luck!

    lol love the pun! lol congrats on your weight loss that is amazing! starting friday i will up the weights! thanks everyone!
  • Csoldano
    Csoldano Posts: 34 Member
    I did it right away, added more resistance training the closer I got to my goal. Tbh I'm happy I did, only thing better then watching your self slim down is lifting things you used to have trouble with or could lift at all now lifting it like it's nothing. Funniest thing, built my buddy form high school a computer, he decided on this monster of a case. After it was put together niether buddy could lift it, to me it was nothing. I joked I was now the alpha male of the group and would pee on anything that I wanted to be mine.
  • 81meg1L
    81meg1L Posts: 44 Member
    I would incorporate it as soon as you can lift safely and comfortably. Do cardio three days and then a cardio warmup for 10 minutes and then 30 minutes of light circuit training or something on your off days. Then the next week you can switch again, alternating 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2. When I did this I saw faster average overall weight loss than just through cardio and as long as as I didnt try to be he-man with the lifting I didnt cause myself any undue injury.

    I think this is REALLY great advise. I started exchanging my unhealthy habits for healthier ones about 3 weeks ago. I also started walking moderately and started the P90X series.

    In this short time, I have lost 11 pounds, and attribute it to working out AND eating the right amount of calories. HOWEVER, I have a bad habit of taking long walks, and my body responds by with pain. So I have started taking 2 short walks.

    Also for P90X, I can feel certain times when my knees begin to get weak. So I am very careful to monitor my form, and modify, modify, modify.

    I love the weights in P90X and will keep going with that for now. They call it interval training, so if I need to change in the future, I will look for routines that are based on intervals.

    Keep up the good work!!!
  • gangstagirl625
    gangstagirl625 Posts: 187 Member
    I started doing cardio(spin, zumba) in combination with logging my calories and changing the way I eat and logging them March 13. I now do cardio 5x a week and recently added strength training 2x a week and pilates 1x. I started with really light weights (10lbs) simply because i do a 20 minute mini cardio before the class and do zumba after. Should I wait to add more lbs to my strength training until i lose more weight or would it be ok to start upping the weights to help me drop more pounds? I don't want to decrease my cardio because it allows me to eat lol i have been so hungry since is started working out
    start now because the more muscle you have the more calories you burn.
  • rascallycat
    rascallycat Posts: 248 Member
    Start NOW!
  • Jlopez201
    Jlopez201 Posts: 61
    ASAP. The more muscle you build the more calories you burn during exercise :)
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
    For results today, start yesterday.
  • TravisBikes
    TravisBikes Posts: 674 Member
    For results today, start yesterday.

    Yup.

    Or... Right.. About.. Meow.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Today, right now! I'm on my fourth day now (newbie to lifting) and I feel so great when I'm done. It's a very satisfying feeling putting down the weights and realizing I can lift heavier things than I thought possible just a week ago.

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