Eating and only lifting, whats the outcome?

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  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    While we are all chatting it up about lifting, I need some help.

    How can I work my thighs without doing lunges or squats. Keep in mind I work out at home so I have no press or anything.
    I was told by my doctor, because of my bad knees and damage I did to them in highschool athletics, he strongly did not
    Recommend me doing lunges. I tore some stuff up badly doing those. And I was in very good physical condition when it happend.
    But what are some ways to work my thighs besides the lunge and squat. I can squat just in moderation.
    Anyone got some intel for me?

    I did rehab for my knee, and am now squatting 100kg/220lbs.

    I'm still not allowed to do travelling lunges. I was doing a lot of leg raises, wall squats (with your back against the wall) and riding a stationary bike.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    While we are all chatting it up about lifting, I need some help.

    How can I work my thighs without doing lunges or squats. Keep in mind I work out at home so I have no press or anything.
    I was told by my doctor, because of my bad knees and damage I did to them in highschool athletics, he strongly did not
    Recommend me doing lunges. I tore some stuff up badly doing those. And I was in very good physical condition when it happend.
    But what are some ways to work my thighs besides the lunge and squat. I can squat just in moderation.
    Anyone got some intel for me?

    That is challenging as you are quite limited.

    You can try glute bridges (elevated and single leg to make harder), step ups (assuming ok for your knees), leg curls on a stability ball if you have one (single leg to make it more challenging)

    Your dumbbells will not really be challenging enough for any kind of deadlift for long, but you could do single leg ones to make them more challenging.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    A lot of good responses from people thus far. I am doing the weight training only and calorie conscious approach for the first time ever. I've lost 10 pounds in 6 weeks which is exactly the pace I want to go at in order to preserve strength. Why did I choose this approach? I hate doing cardio. It is boring and wears your body down without providing a continued metabolic advantage. On the flip side, I love lifting weights and strong man events 4 - 5 times a week and won't skip. Find a weight training program that works for you - Convict Conditioning is a good one.

    The important part is to worry about how you feel, how your clothing feels and how you look in the mirror. Getting 'bulky' for girls is not all that easy so definitely go for the challenging weights!


    Thank you ill take a look. Is there a difference in looking "bulky" and looking "muscular"??
    I want to and don't mind if I get muscular at all. Muscels are attractive in moderation. I wouldn't want to be a beast tho lol!!

    You will find differences in interpretation - but 'bulky' is really when you have fat covering muscle. Muscular i.e. with muscle definition happens when you get to a low enough body fat to uncover the muscle. The size of the muscle will depend on genetics and your strength training routine. The big really muscular women that are often used as an example, well, they are on steroids.

    Example, I have 'muscular' arms, but when a higher body fat, they look 'bulky'. They will never get really big however as I do not take steroids.

    Ok thanks for enlightening me on the bulky lol! I don't mind looking bulk for a while. IF because of muscle
    I should keep in mind IS UNDER ALL THAT FAT causing me to be bulky and once that fat is gone the once "bulkiness" will show as toned muscle... Right?

    You got it ;-)

    Also, if you keep to a reasonable deficit, then, aside from the fluid retention you initially get, you will lose fat faster than you will put on any muscle as the muscle you *may* gain will be slight. Therefore, you will continue to get smaller anyway - you may just see the scale weight stop for a few weeks due to the fluid retention in the muscle.
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    Weight lifting also helps preserve lean body mass while in a caloric deficit and it's much easier to retain what lean body mass you have now than it is to lose a bunch of it and try to build it back later. A person eating at a caloric deficit is not going to build muscle (aside from slight "newbie gains", so they will not have the worry of appearing bigger - the main difference they will see is increased definition of their existing musculature as they lose the subcutaneous fat covering it.
    QFT
  • PrimalPixie
    PrimalPixie Posts: 69 Member
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    I am SO happy I recently began weight lifting, in addition to cardio.. Every thread I read, akin to this, reminds me I made a great decision. =) Great job, all!
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    I've lost about 70 lbs since last July without doing much in the way of steady state cardio. I just eat at a deficit and do my thing. I'm not a fan of the machines, and like you, I just prefer lifting. I do walk a lot, as I live in a city and don't drive anywhere. I'm lifting 4 x per week now and doing some body weight and kettlebell training as well.

    You can look at my photos to see my progress, though I've lost 10 more pounds since the 175 photo.

    So yes, you can lose weight this way. Something that I don't think has been mentioned is that the scale isn't the best way to see your progress if you're doing any sort of strength training. Measure different parts of your body (in the same spot each time) and keep track of those numbers, take photos, and go by the fit of your clothing to really see what's going on. My scale is all over the place at any given time, which I think can be really frustrating and discouraging for many women who are new to strength training. Don't let it discourage you--if you know you're eating properly, it's all gonna be ok so long as you're consistently doing what you need to be doing.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    While we are all chatting it up about lifting, I need some help.

    How can I work my thighs without doing lunges or squats. Keep in mind I work out at home so I have no press or anything.
    I was told by my doctor, because of my bad knees and damage I did to them in highschool athletics, he strongly did not
    Recommend me doing lunges. I tore some stuff up badly doing those. And I was in very good physical condition when it happend.
    But what are some ways to work my thighs besides the lunge and squat. I can squat just in moderation.
    Anyone got some intel for me?

    I can't squat or lunge either as I'm missing a few bits out of my knee.....

    Here's some things you can do at home (see which ones don't cause you pain/damage as injuries and how they react all very different):

    Weighted straight leg raises.
    Leg extension with a resistance band (tie between legs of a chair).
    Very slow stair climb (with whatever weights you have). Be careful coming down stairs though if lunging hurts so maybe come down backwards?

    However, the best results I've got are from cycling. High resistance (staionary bike) or find some hills (outside).
  • jamielynas
    jamielynas Posts: 366 Member
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    all KIIIINDS of gainz
  • ST99000722
    ST99000722 Posts: 204 Member
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    Because I'm a stay at home mom and I'm limited. Can't make it to gym at this time. But I use dumbells at home. And bands and my own body weight and jump rope.
    I have a full body work out I do to work all my muscels ,glutes, triceps, traps, biceps, obliques, ect. All the majors. I have a workout for each muscel/muscel group. I do 3sets with 20 reps a piece. And each week I bump reps up by 5 more. And as I get Stronger ill up my dumbell weight and get more resistant bands. I plaink as well to help the abs. And some yoga. I have 10 exersizes I do. Includes stretching and gettig after my ham string.

    Look into Convict Conditioning..if you google it you can find sites that you can download it for free. I am not sure if a copyright violation so I am not linking here.

    It is a bodyweight based workout so you do not need access to a gym.

    This is really interesting - thanks ! :smile:
  • DirtyHammer
    DirtyHammer Posts: 91 Member
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    Cannons!
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,261 Member
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    bump
  • SouthernGuns
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    all KIIIINDS of gainz


    Sounds like something The Hodge Twins would say. Lol
    Might I be right? If not YouTube them lol!!
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
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    GAIIIIINZ will be the outcome
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
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    all KIIIINDS of gainz


    Sounds like something The Hodge Twins would say. Lol
    Might I be right? If not YouTube them lol!!

    Shyt he beat me to it
  • FitMrsR
    FitMrsR Posts: 226 Member
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    I'm nearly done with my 3rd round of p90x (classic version which is the weight lifting plus a little cardio but I stopped doing cardio a couple of weeks ago) my last 2 rounds were the lean version (mostly cardio and not a lot of lifting). I wasn't looking to lose weight, just reduce my BF%. I know this isn't your goal but If you lift heavy and eat at a deficit you will have similar results. Here are my stats. The first number is starting and the second number is from last week (week 11 so I still had 2 weeks left) :

    R arm un flexed- 10". 9.7"
    R arm flexed- 10.7". 10.6"

    L arm un flexed- 10". 9.6"
    L arm flexed- 10.7" 10.7"

    After almost 90 days I haven't gained any muscle but I've lost fat so my muscles appear to be bigger than they were before. I'm also stronger. The weights I am using were so heavy for me I could only do 5 reps on bicep curls and 1-2 reps on tricep exercises. Now I'm doing 15+ reps on the bicep curls (I need to increase the weight on these now) and 5-7 reps on tricep moves.

    I really wish I took progress pics but I didn't :/ before, my biceps weren't even 'sticking out' above the rest of my arm when flexed. Now I have a hump where they are :) if you have more fat to lose, results will be more dramatic.

    You obviously know what you want and IMO you'll get there with lifting heavy and eating at a deficit. Cardio does have health benefits but it isn't required to get the look you desire. Gl!

    Edited for typos and to add that I've just take a pic of my flexed arm so have a look in my profile photos. I haven't worked out today so it isn't 'pumped' or whatever.
  • jamielynas
    jamielynas Posts: 366 Member
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    all KIIIINDS of gainz


    Sounds like something The Hodge Twins would say. Lol
    Might I be right? If not YouTube them lol!!

    Shyt he beat me to it

    NEVER question me on the twins! And you snooze you lose bro <3
  • CrankMeUp
    CrankMeUp Posts: 2,860 Member
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    I have lost most of my weight (at least 40, and maybe 50 pounds because I didnt weigh for a long time) through a calorie deficit and lifting progressively heavier weight.

    It is worth maintaining EVERY BIT of muscle you can...so happy to see you thinking this way.

    I do walk a few days a week as well.

    I started at 40.

    44475254_1042.jpg
    44475254_7846.jpg

    now:
    44475254_9.jpg
    44475254_7338.jpg
  • krokador
    krokador Posts: 1,794 Member
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    I hate cardio. I rarely ever did full out cardio (I go for a jog once every blue moon). Lots of at home workout DVDs (Tapout XT, mainly), I did YAYOG twice, too. In 2 years I dropped about 55 lbs with random bouts of decent diet mixed in with phases where I did not care. I've only recently started going to the gym, where I do about 5min cardio warmups before lifting.

    Bodyweight exercises can get that heart pumping quite a bit, though! Don,t be fooled!

    I still have a good bit to lose, but it's definitely feasible. (I'd probably be further along if my diet had been better, but I fgure this ain't a race and I might as well enjoy myself along the way.)
  • hyper_stitch
    hyper_stitch Posts: 180 Member
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    Will read through all this later .... OP I'm just starting out doing pretty much just lifting and body weight exercise, I can't do the gym for time/money constraints ...... So far don't have much weight but am hoping to build up what I have looking around for 2nd hand plates etc . I'm currently 148lbs so need to lose a fair bit still :ohwell:
  • Sharonks
    Sharonks Posts: 884 Member
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    I started lifting heavy about a month ago. Before that I did lots of cardio and some body weight stuff. In the first 2 weeks I lost an inch off my waist and tummy although it appears I have gained a couple of pounds. I haven't measured anything else since this is my problem spot and the only part of my body I want to get smaller. Yesterday I squatted 100 lbs which doesn't sound like much but it is getting close to my weight so not too bad for a 47 yo small female.

    I used to do higher rep/lighter weight stuff and I honestly prefer heavy lifting. I have found that my knees have a lot less problems since I started squatting. For many people, the additional muscles stabilize the knee joint. I think the problem a lot of people have is they don't squat in correct form. I had a trainer make sure I was using proper form in all my exercises before I started adding a lot of weight.
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