Heavy lifting questions? before and after Pics?

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sarahertzberger
sarahertzberger Posts: 534 Member
in Success Stories
What weight were you at when you started lifting heavy? Did you wait until you lost some weight first or did you start from the beginning, I'm 175 right now and want to start some serious heavy lifting after I have this baby I lift a little bit heavier dumbbells right now but haven't gone to the max of what I can do yet. I'm wanting to get down to about 115-120 I'm 5'2" so, where were you at when you started can I see your before and after pics?
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Replies

  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
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    Bump. I just started heavy lifting. I want to see your responses.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    want to start heavy lifting? don't know where to start?
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/993490-want-to-start-lifting-what-weight
  • carom915
    carom915 Posts: 32 Member
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    Bump. Super interested in this thread. I am planning on starting Stronglifts 5x5 shortly.
  • F1TCH1K
    F1TCH1K Posts: 72 Member
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    I don't recommend changing/starting anything midpregnancy w/out advice from your doctor (you probably already know that but I figured I'd get a rash of comments if I didn't say it).

    I would incorporate heavy lifting to your routine no matter your weight. You will still improve the muscle you have :) and w/a deficet you will shed the fat that is covering them (if you have any, I'm not saying you do). You need to do weight that is hard but keep good form, anything "easy" is not doing much.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
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    The only thing I can recommend if you're considering heavy lifting is that you throw your goal weight # out the window. You will see an initial period of muscle gain ("noob gains") you wouldn't see if following any other type of exercise that will throw whatever number you've set as your goal weight totally out the window. If you look at most of the heavy lifting "success" stories on here among women, many of them APPEAR to have lost 20-30 lbs but in actuality have lost next to nothing. This is a result of body recomposition.
  • F1TCH1K
    F1TCH1K Posts: 72 Member
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    The only thing I can recommend if you're considering heavy lifting is that you throw your goal weight # out the window. You will see an initial period of muscle gain ("noob gains") you wouldn't see if following any other type of exercise that will throw whatever number you've set as your goal weight totally out the window. If you look at most of the heavy lifting "success" stories on here among women, many of them APPEAR to have lost 20-30 lbs but in actuality have lost next to nothing. This is a result of body recomposition.

    Agreed! I weigh 128-130 depending on the day and I am 5'2"... most people don't think I weight 130 :)
  • 4pawsmom
    4pawsmom Posts: 20 Member
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    Bump so I can read this thread as it develops.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    I started lifting at 210 lbs. about 7 months ago. I'm 164 today. I'm 5'6", and have a somewhat recent progress photo (taken in May) if you go to my page (though I'm not sure if you can see those or not). I'm not so concerned with goal weight, or even BF%....more concerned with BF%, but am not shooting for one certain number. I'm just going by how I look in photos and in the mirror, and how I feel. I agree that it's not productive for someone who is strength training to be jumping on the scale every week and hoping to see the number going down. As you can see, it DOES go down, but not in any really predictable or logical way. The scale is all over the place, and who cares. Get stronger, make your body into what you want it to be!
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
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    have a look at my profile. I started at 220lbs
  • caviggia
    caviggia Posts: 63 Member
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    Profile picture shows some of the progress. I go between heavy lifting less reps, light weight more reps, and althetic training.
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
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    The only thing I can recommend if you're considering heavy lifting is that you throw your goal weight # out the window. You will see an initial period of muscle gain ("noob gains") you wouldn't see if following any other type of exercise that will throw whatever number you've set as your goal weight totally out the window. If you look at most of the heavy lifting "success" stories on here among women, many of them APPEAR to have lost 20-30 lbs but in actuality have lost next to nothing. This is a result of body recomposition.

    I agree with this as well.

    I started focusing on strength training after losing most of the weight (about 25 lbs), but I really changed my body composition with the lifting. A three pound difference looked like it could have been 10 lbs. I had a goal weight of 121 (I'm 5'2") and had to nix that when I realized that I would need to be close to 15% body fat to achieve that with fat loss and that was leaner than I personally wanted for myself. So I called goal met around 125. I'm now back up to 130 with a little higher BF%, but perfectly fine with it because I still fit into my pants and can lift some very heavy weights.

    I would start lifting at the heavier weight because it will help maintain the muscle mass you currently have. It can take a little bit of time to get used to seeing the crazy swings in the scale, but eventually most people realize that the scale is just a number and has little to do with just how you look.
  • caviggia
    caviggia Posts: 63 Member
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    9 years ago I started out at 176. I immediately started incorporating lifting weights, heavy and light, to help increase my metabolism while losing weight (you continue to burn for 24-48 hours).
    I increased the amount of lifting and techniques as I continued.
    It wasn't until I hit at 159/155 that I became super serious about lifting routines.
    I think it's important to not just focus on heavy lifting. Through time, some of my best results have come from keeping the body guessing. Going from heavy weight with less reps to lower weight with high reps, althetic training moves with no weights just plyometrics. But that's for farther into your journey as you progress.
    Gotta find what works for you but in my opinion, lifting now can only benefit your body and metabolism.
    Good luck on your journey!
  • 7opoundsin16weeks
    7opoundsin16weeks Posts: 211 Member
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    you can gain muscles and lose fat at the same time, but u have to watch your macros very carefully
  • quellybelly
    quellybelly Posts: 827 Member
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    bump to read later. I just started heavy lifting!
  • Docmahi
    Docmahi Posts: 1,603 Member
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    feel free to peruse my pics - I went from 270 or so pounds in the before pic in my profile to 185 or so in my current pic

    very little cardio until recently i didn't do any for the majority - done purely with lifting. I will say that I had a very solid diet IMO and I stopped seeing strength gains after about 14 months or so (I have been dieting/lifting for two years now)

    add:

    I personally think lifting should be incorporated into all weight loss routines, I think it is way more important then cardio - in fact most heavy compound movements will end up burning more calories then straight cardio (squats/deads/cleans etc.)

    I would try a novice 5x5 program - jason blaha has a fantastic one on his IceCreamFitness youtube page
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feY6vi6ORXo

    just youtube tutorials of the specific movements. You should NOT wait to add a strength routine into your fitness routine - you dont have to be like me and go slow over 2 years to lose the weight, it can be lost at a much much faster rate (I just like eating a lot lol)
  • princesspea234
    princesspea234 Posts: 182 Member
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    Bump... really considering this route. Would rather look good at a higher/healthy weight than lower my BMI to 19 and still look fat.
  • aamberrr
    aamberrr Posts: 115 Member
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    Assuming you get the okay from your doctor (I know nothing about pregnancy and lifting or any type of exercise for that matter), go for it now. I wouldn't wait to lose the weight first, just go for it. You will shred fat like nobody's business if you lift heavy and eat well. Like others have said, don't worry about the scale as much when you start lifting. Here are before and afters I took not too long ago before/after a 12 week body transformation contest I competed in. I had been lifting for a while, but went really hard and really heavy for this challenge.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1026322-uh-oh-another-girl-who-got-bulky-lifting-w-pics
  • lambchristie
    lambchristie Posts: 552 Member
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    BUMP ...

    When you all say 'heavy' lifting what exactly does this mean?

    Do you use dumb bells? Bars with weights?
  • LJCannon
    LJCannon Posts: 3,636 Member
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    "Heavy" means Heavy For YOU. If you cannot lift it over 8 - 10 times with Proper Form that is "Heavy" whether you are using Dumb Bells, Kettle Bells, or Weight Plates on a Bar. It doesn't matter if it is 25 pounds or 250 pounds.
  • caviggia
    caviggia Posts: 63 Member
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    Assuming you get the okay from your doctor (I know nothing about pregnancy and lifting or any type of exercise for that matter), go for it now. I wouldn't wait to lose the weight first, just go for it. You will shred fat like nobody's business if you lift heavy and eat well. Like others have said, don't worry about the scale as much when you start lifting. Here are before and afters I took not too long ago before/after a 12 week body transformation contest I competed in. I had been lifting for a while, but went really hard and really heavy for this challenge.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1026322-uh-oh-another-girl-who-got-bulky-lifting-w-pics
    Nice work girl!

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