Weight Lifting Confusion

Ditto Bellairon.

You will not notice much with your muscles visibly until you lose the fat covering them. But you will be toning them, and you will feel them becoming firmer, and you will maintain your muscle better and gain strength - not necessary to grow the muscle to do that. Your trainer looks ripped mostly because she has a low body fat %. She may also go through phases where she eats at a surplus specifically to build muscle, then does a cut to get back to the low body fat %.

ETA, the body shaping really doesn't happen until you get to a healthy/athletic level body fat. But, the benefits of lifting make it worth doing earlier.

First, do the Jamie Eason LiveFit Trainer. I just finished and while I'm not as "svelte" as I'd like to be, I'm super muscular.

Trust the process. I questioned the lack of cardio in the beginning. This is important, especially for people like us who didn't really weight train prior. This will give you a period of time to just build those muscles. Then, when she has you incorporate cardio in, you will be able to maintain the muscle you have already built.

I wouldn't recommended "getting skinny" and then weight training. Theoretically, its going to take you the same amount of time to get to your ultimate goal, and personally I would rather have some good solid muscle (which will aid in overall calorie burn and general strength), over being "skinny fat."

Do YOUR research. I consulted my MFP when I started the JE LiveFit trainer, however you are going to get a lot of mixed messages and opinions. It's best to do your own research.

Once again TRUST THE PROCESS. Finish the program, give it your all. You WILL see results and you will learn valuable tips and techniques that you wouldn't have otherwise known.

This is a great thread that addresses a good deal of my issues as well. While I am already at a better place I still have a long way to go. My doctor told me I needed to seriously increase my cardiovascular health and eat far less food while eating much better foods. So I walked around a local track in my neighborhood. I was only able to make it once around before huffing and puffing the first time I went. After my first month I was comfortable with a mile (4Xs around). Now I joined a gym and use the treadmill - I do about 1.5 miles at an incline now. I see a strange thing at my gym... the men are usually over by the weights and the ladies are on the machines(eliptical/treadmill/bikes). I'd like to try both, but worry that i'm not giving my body the material it needs to repair the muscle I'll break down with weights since i eat at a deficit.

Thanks guys, these are some great responses... great to see responses from people who are actually losing this way.

This might be kind of a dumb question, but since I can't gain muscle while I'm eating at a deficit, does that mean that I can't gain strength? Like, if right now, I'm squating at 50lbs... will I stay at that until I am at a low enough BF to eat at a surplus and start gaining muscle?

I am at a deficit and I have increased my weights significantly. I know eventually I will need to up my calories to help, but right now my strength has not plateaued, I know it will i just don't know when.

1) I have 60+lbs to lose, should I lose more BEFORE I start lifting? I know that alot of people will say no, but most of the women that I know or that are on here didn't lose weight with lifting, they lost with cardio and then decided that lifting would be better because they were "skinny fat" or whatever. But that confuses me because,

I started lifting weighs my first month on MFP, 130 pounds overweight. I was actually far more consistent with weight lifting during the time I was losing than cardio. Cardio I'd skip now and then, but weight training was virtually non-negotiable.

And this is awesome, because as I burned fat, I uncovered my muscles. Though I doubt I added any mass, I do have lovely definition AND I lost a lot less muscle mass than I would have if I'd been all cardio, all the time.

Plus, lifting weights has changed me mentally. I feel stronger inside. And I AM stronger outside. I bench press more than a lot of the guys in my gym.

And, as a bonus, my weight loss never plateaued. Not once. I, without any shred of evidence, attribute this to a combination of strength training, reasonable deficits, and occasional re-feeds (what many people on here call "cheat days.")

First off, it's a good way to burn calories.

It helps retain muscle.

And I believe the consensus is that those new to weight lifting and with a fair bit of fat to lose have a lot better chance of actually gaining muscle in a deficit.

If you're a seasoned weight lifter near your 'genetic limit' with low body fat, then you'll be a lot less likely to gain muscle and lose weight.

Though, worth looking at programs like 'leangains' which move calories/nutrients around to give you a good chance of doing this - by making sure your body gets the right stuff at the right time.

Well, when I started strength training, I realized how much strength I'd lost (I'm over 40) and that it likely reflected muscle mass loss.

I was already eating closer to maintenance because I'd had my RMR tested and found it to be messed up. So I left it there and I've been lifting 3x a week with the intention of building strength and hopefully building some actual muscle.

FWIW, eating at what I thought would be maintenance, plus strength training plus a baseline of "moderate physical activity" (daily 30-minute walks)? I dropped another 5 pounds in about 6 weeks. And I'm noticeably stronger, though I may not have built actual muscle.

Improving your strength will also improve your balance and stability (especially if you work with free weights), and that is really important for your ability to do more vigorous cardio without injuring yourself.

Gaining muscle mass means actually creating new muscle. Getting stronger can just be strengthening the muscle you already have. When you start lifting, you might feel weak, but your body will quickly adapt and you will probably see significant gains pretty quickly.

Couldn't be truer. I am eating at a very slight deficit, but my strength has went up drastically. I think 1.5 months ago I started out only being able to bench press like 130lbs 8 times (weighing 245). That's pretty sad. In just a month and a half, I have already upped that to 195 8 times (weighing 227). Still not even close to where I want to be, but it was amazing to see how fast my existing muscles strengthened.

Start now, keep your calories lower than your TDEE (but not too low, probably 20% lower with your goals), and lift away! Lifting now will help you retain the muscle you already have, and you will be surprised at how much you really do have! It is way easier to retain muscle while losing weight than to build new muscle once you get to your goal for a woman.

I hate broscience with a passion...

The whole "no mass gain at a deficit" is BS unless you are already extremely lean. If you have a significant amount of fat to lose you CAN gain mass while at a deficit, although it is at a much slower pace. Building muscle requires two things... tearing the muscle fibers and repairing them. You tear them by lifting. You repair them by eating/resting. Your muscles want proteins and amino acids. Those are the building blocks of muscle tissue. You can supplement your protein/aminos with powders without having to consume 4k-5k calories of chicken, beef and fish (which usually increases fat intake). As you lean out and gain muscle of course you will increase your calories but only because your BMR will change. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns on a daily basis, even laying on the couch.

I myself am currently doing StrongLifts and eating at a 1k deficit daily. I weigh myself, do a weekly BF% reading with an Omron meter, and measure with a body tape. While my gains are not quick, they are there. I've gained an inch in each bicep alone. However I have a 33% BF so I have the stored fuel to support the 1k deficit and still grow new muscle. I also supplement with whey and aminos to make sure I hit my macros.

This is what works for me anyway.

As for the OP's questions: Jamie Eason knows her stuff. She didn't get to look the way she did and win her titles without knowledge. Follow her plan to the letter. She has no cardio in the first section because cardio burns lean muscle. She is building the muscle under the fat so as you lean out you will begin to see all the hard work you did at the beginning. The strength and flexibility you will gain from lifting will be so beneficial down the road. Make sure you are doing squats too. ;-)

1. start now

2. You maintain the lean body mass you already have while burning fat


ETA: I went from the pic on the left to the one on the right ONLY lifting and a calorie deficit.

love your results, impressive!:drinker: