First and last 15lbs to lose! Help!

Hi I am Jenn looking to lose 20lbs. Need support and motivation.

It sounds like you need two things.
One, you need to consult with a trainer in person to learn how to properly use weights at a gym. It's worth it to get results. If you don't have the money to do that, check out the training videos at bodybuilding.com. It's a huge free resource that will show you the proper form for literally hundreds of weight exercises. You can also find plans and programs on that website which will help you with your goals.

You do not necessarily need to lose pounds, from your stats. What you need is to add muscle, which will help you burn fat. Adding muscle is what creates the "toned" look you crave, not just dropping pounds from your frame.

Two, you sound like you would really do well on a Macros plan. It's flexible dieting, where you learn what amount of macronutrients you need each day in order to drop fat (those macros are fats, carbs, and proteins). MFP helps with tracking those, but you need to find your individual needs before embarking onto a plan. Best part is, you can eat ANYTHING in moderation, and adjust the rest of your macro intake that day to allow for it. Eliminates the "guilt" or association of certain foods as "bad", which is in and of itself absurd. Some foods have more dense nutrition profiles, some have less, it's all about learning what works best for your body and mind.

Great, thank you for the quick response. Correct me if I'm wrong, but will I become bulky if I lift weights? How much weight should I be lifting and how often? - machines or free weights? Thx

Absolutely not. You'll actually lean down and get toned with the added benefit that lifting weight help you maintain bone density later in life.
I personally like free weights and recommend them over machines.

+1
If you are beginning a weight training routine, talk to a certified personal trainer. ISSA or NASM are two of the most well regarded certifications, so ask the trainer what their cert is. Then get a guided plan for weight lifting.

Every plan I have ever done includes lifting as much weight as you can, with proper form, for 8-12 reps, and the number of sets varies. Some people do 6 reps with more sets. The mentality "oh, I'll lift a light weight for 15+ reps cuz I want to tone, not bulk" is ignorant and incorrect. "Toning" is a misnomer. To appear toned, you must have muscle. Then, bodyfat around the muscle must be reduced. That's a "toned" appearance.

WEIGHTLIFTING will not make you big and bulky. Females do not put on enough muscle in a YEAR even under optimum conditions to become "big and bulky". Those female bodybuilders that spark this question have spent YEARS upon YEARS of honed training, honed dieting, and often using artificial products to make their bodies so well muscled. If that's not your aesthetic, don't worry. Lifting heavy cannot transform you like that. It will make you smaller, tighter, and toned, the way you imagine you want to look.

Agree with what everyone on here said! Also my stats are very similar.. 21 years old 5'10.5", currently 164 lbs but I was consistently 175-183 for about two years until I decided to give this an honest effort. I would like to lose about 15 more lbs (ideally fat, not muscle) and "tone up" as well. So far I've just dropped some weight by eating at a deficit and doing cardio and a bit of strength training but since I'm now at the point where I'd like to do more lifting to maintain my muscle mass I might up my calories and visit a personal trainer at my school gym! Feel free to add me as a friend I am at least as big of a noob when it comes to lifting and strength training as you are!

Also, if you want support lifting, I've been doing it for 2 years, and I'm happy to be supportive


If you don't believe you won't bulk up, this is a photo of me this summer (before I decided to drop the last 15lbs) but after lifting heavy for 1.5 years:

If you are looking to tone and learn how to properly do weights a great place I tell my friends to start is at a gym with a BodyPump class. I do not like the one on one trainer concept but I love to be told what to do on days I am not motivated enough on my own. They have these classes at Gold's Gym...not sure about where else but I am a big fan. I agree with the others that you don't likely need to lose pounds.