Heavy Lifting with Ostopenia advice please

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Tanya1995
Tanya1995 Posts: 39
in Fitness and Exercise
Good morning everyone!

I just returned from my doctors appointment and my doctor is very concerned with the fact that I am 36 and already have osteopenia. He suggests that I start lifting weight and work my way up to heavy lifting. :huh: I eventually wanted to get into this when I am feeling a little more confident with my fitness level. I am 5'2" and My current weight is 172 and I want to lose at least 50lbs but i wanted to be closer to my goal before starting weights. He really wants me to start weights like yesterday :indifferent: . I know absolutely nothing about lifting. I have read it helps burn the fat better and also helps the bones but other then that I am at a loss.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Anyone else start when they were far from their goal weight? How do I start? Any advice is greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!!

Replies

  • bidwell69
    bidwell69 Posts: 10 Member
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    I have been in a similar situation and what worked for me
    was working on muscle endurance/ stamina first off
    I had access to a gym and used each machine 3 times a
    week doing low weight high rep sets and cardio also.
    I lost around 50 lbs in 6 months and then started strength
    training and gained 30 lbs of muscle in 2 years my
    skeletal problems became better and that was 20 years
    ago. I have in the last ten years put weight on but my
    skeletal problems are still ok as the muscle is still
    strong.
  • Tanya1995
    Tanya1995 Posts: 39
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    Thanks for your reply!!

    That is my concern, the stamina and strength :)

    Any other insight as to where I should start?

    Thanks!
  • bidwell69
    bidwell69 Posts: 10 Member
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    If you use a gym ask a trainer to set up a program for you.

    If you dont there are some good body weight exercises at this site

    http://fitbie.msn.com/slideshow/27-no-equipment-exercises-you-can-do-home

    Feel free to ask for any help/advice.
  • here2bme
    here2bme Posts: 63 Member
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    I was diagnosed with osteopenia a few years ago. I was advised to start walking daily to jar my bones. I have since started jogging some and lifting light weights (3 to 10 lb). I feel stronger, but have not been retested. I really should go get retested I think. My bones pop a lot when doing certain moves.
  • phatguerilla
    phatguerilla Posts: 188 Member
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    Are you already taking high dose vitamin D3? I hope so but not that many doctors suggest it, or not a high enough dose. This and lifting will help build bone density. You don't have to start with a heavy weight just look to make progress throughout the months and years. If you start with 10lbs on an exercise and increase it by 2 pounds every 3-4 weeks this will quickly add up to a heavy weight within a few months.
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
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    If you're a beginner

    1. Do just a few compound lifts. Most programs use some subset of squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, rows, lat pull-downs and maybe a couple others.

    2. Start light and get your form down right.

    3. Have a progression plan or schedule. Lift heavier and heavier. The eventual goal is to use weights heavy enough to be worn out on the 5th rep of the last set.

    Beware of high-rep programs that don't continually progress to heavier weights. Those may be fine programs, but they are more cardio with weights than a focused strength program.

    There are many good starting strength programs. Three very popular ones:

    1. New Rules of Lifting for Women - a book with good background and a somewhat complex program, which they don't explain very well. But there's a group right here on myfitnesspal with excellent getting started stickies which clear everything up. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/119-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w-

    2. Starting Strength - a book with a very simple program. Excellent detailed explanations of how to do the lifts.

    3. Stronglifts 5x5 - a free website full of annoying male-centric hype you have to wade through, but the program is good for both sexes. Very similar to Starting Strength.

    Since you're a newbie, the minutiae of the programs don't matter that much - you'll make lots of progress very quickly on any decent program. If it were me, I'd read NROL4W for the background and strategy information, then I'd read Starting Strength to learn how to do the lifts, and then I'd follow the Stronglifts program.

    But you can't go wrong with any of these three. Look them all over and pick the one that looks like most fun, and dive in!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    Good morning everyone!

    I just returned from my doctors appointment and my doctor is very concerned with the fact that I am 36 and already have osteopenia. He suggests that I start lifting weight and work my way up to heavy lifting. :huh: I eventually wanted to get into this when I am feeling a little more confident with my fitness level. I am 5'2" and My current weight is 172 and I want to lose at least 50lbs but i wanted to be closer to my goal before starting weights. He really wants me to start weights like yesterday :indifferent: . I know absolutely nothing about lifting. I have read it helps burn the fat better and also helps the bones but other then that I am at a loss.

    Does anyone have any suggestions? Anyone else start when they were far from their goal weight? How do I start? Any advice is greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!!
    You're doc is right. I would advise that you go to a professional just for a few sessions or so and learn some of the basic compound movements and how they are correctly performed.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    If you want to get into heavy lifting, and have no idea, check out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.

    Another good program is Stronglifts 5x5.

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