Lose Weight + Gain Muscle

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  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Ok... let's define heavy weights then. I am working only with dumbbells which is what I got home.
    Right now I am lifting 11lbs on each side working shoulders, triceps, biceps, back, lateral abs and legs. How heavy should I go?
    Thanks guys!

    11lbs is not nearly heavy enough. Not having heavy enough weights will not really do anything for you.

    You don't shape muscles... you don't tone muscle. You either gain, maintain or lose muscle. You will also not get huge. Building muscle takes a lot of effort. According to your profile you are female so without taking drugs you will not get large muscles, you can't as a female.

    Lift weights that are heavy enough where after about 8 reps you can't do another one. Increase your weights when you can do 10 plus reps.
  • janicemitchellcross
    janicemitchellcross Posts: 134 Member
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    Bump to refer back to later :-)
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    Ok... let's define heavy weights then. I am working only with dumbbells which is what I got home.
    Right now I am lifting 11lbs on each side working shoulders, triceps, biceps, back, lateral abs and legs. How heavy should I go?
    Thanks guys!

    If you can do more than 10 reps with good form for 2-3 sets, go heavier.
  • TCO76
    TCO76 Posts: 242 Member
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    I sense a lot of BB.com peeps up in here!
  • Pamela_in_Progress
    Pamela_in_Progress Posts: 197 Member
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    Great thread. Lots of good advice!
  • F3R1980
    F3R1980 Posts: 31 Member
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    Thing is, for some exercises I do 10x4 for others 10x2. For example triceps kickbacks am only able to do 1 set of 10 reps with 11 lbs
    Can I just add reps to the exercises that I feel easier for me?
    Thanks!
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Thing is, for some exercises I do 10x4 for others 10x2. For example triceps kickbacks am only able to do 1 set of 10 reps with 11 lbs
    Can I just add reps to the exercises that I feel easier for me?
    Thanks!

    Adding reps with a light weight won't change your muscles. You need to challenge your muscles to build muscle. You only challenge your muscles by lifting heavier weights. 30 reps with a low weight will not help your muscles grow.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    Thing is, for some exercises I do 10x4 for others 10x2. For example triceps kickbacks am only able to do 1 set of 10 reps with 11 lbs
    Can I just add reps to the exercises that I feel easier for me?
    Thanks!

    Adding reps with a light weight won't change your muscles. You need to challenge your muscles to build muscle. You only challenge your muscles by lifting heavier weights. 30 reps with a low weight will not help your muscles grow.

    Adding reps with light weight won't add strength. You need to challenge your muscles to build strength. 30 reps with low weight will not help you increase strength, or mass.

    The only way to add muscle is my lifting heavy AND eating in a surplus. If you don't eat in a surplus you will maintain muscle mass and add strength.

    Lifting Heavy =/= Added muscle mass.

    Additional strength =/= Additional Muscle Mass.
  • F3R1980
    F3R1980 Posts: 31 Member
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    If you don't eat in a surplus you will maintain muscle mass and add strength.

    Perfect... so to keep my muscles as they are I keep on lifting what i lift and eat well
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    If you don't eat in a surplus you will maintain muscle mass and add strength.

    Perfect... so to keep my muscles as they are I keep on lifting what i lift and eat well

    Can't say...I really have no idea what your routine is.
  • F3R1980
    F3R1980 Posts: 31 Member
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    One last thing... lifting (regardless of how much) does burn calories as well, right?
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    One last thing... lifting (regardless of how much) does burn calories as well, right?

    Yes, all physical activity burns calories. The burn depends upon duration and intensity of said activity.
  • ishkabob
    ishkabob Posts: 25 Member
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    bump to read again later :)
  • FourIsCompany
    FourIsCompany Posts: 269 Member
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    Can I just add reps to the exercises that I feel easier for me?
    Thanks!

    Adding reps will only build endurance, not strength. Lifting the same weight for more reps teaches your muscles endurance (you can only lift so much, but you can do it many times). To build strength, you have to lift heavier.

    For triceps, try a "lying tricep extension" with heavier weight.

    Lots of good advice here! Lift heavy to build strength and muscle. You won't bulk up. Do body weight exercises.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    So... wait... to summarize... fat loss goes together with muscle loss but if I keep lifting I can save and shape some of that muscles.
    I do eat very few vegetables but corn... I love corn :)
    I take cereals, low fat milk, some fruits, chicken here and there, lots of tuna, some eggs and brown bread... that's my main menu. are the veggies super necessary?

    Yes, when you lose weight you lose fat and muscle. The higher your deficit the more muscle you will lose. To preserve muscle while losing weight you need to eat at a smaller deficit, get more than enough protein and lift heavy weights. Not 5-10lb dumbells... HEAVY weights.

    By what you said you eat it doesn't seem like you would be eating a lot or getting the nutrients your body needs. Vegetables are incredibly important. They contain many great nutrients that your body needs. Corn is not enough of vegetable intake to fulfill all the nutrients your body needs. Try to get more vegetables into your diet along with healthy grains. You don't need to go low carb.

    I don't want to get huge... the idea is to shape those muscles... that's the reason I am not lifting heavier weights.
    Lifting also burns calories, correct? (I am asking this since many things I thought I knew were completely wrong)


    if you're not lifting heavy - you're doing cardio (pointless if you're already doing cardio)

    you can't 'shape' your muscles. you can build, maintain or lose them.

    you are a woman eating at deficit - you cannot get 'huge'.

    and yes, it burns calories.
  • pavrg
    pavrg Posts: 277 Member
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    Wow... I was so sure that exercising with weight will help to kill localized fat... never been so wrong.
    Do you suggest losing weight first and then start shaping the muscles or I stick to my current program (6x45 min cardio + 4x30 min weights)?
    Building muscle will make you carry the fat better in that area, but it won't spot-reduce the fat there.

    Your plan to lose weight while lifting to build muscle is fine. In fact, it will acheive your goal faster, which is to look better and be more fit. Just don't panic if the scale weight doesn't decrease as fast as if you didn't lift heavy weights.

    I wouldn't recommend even bother counting calories burned from lifting weights. It's so miniscule compared to cardio that it's not worth it and could result in you eating more than you should in order to lose weight.
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
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    I'm 71 and 11 pound weights are too light for me. You need real weight f you want to build muscle and it needs to be all over your body. You need to eat more protein, too.

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