Heavy lifting ladies - how heavy and how many calories?

fknlardarse · May 2014

Hi I'm a 42 year old female, 148lbs, aiming to be around 130lbs, I'm 5ft 6in. I'm thinking about starting heavy lifting, my question is how heavy is heavy? What did you start off with as a beginner and how many calories do you eat?
I currently try to eat 1450 calories but I'm hungry constantly, I cycle for about 40 minutes 2or3 times a week (and eat back half of my exercise calories) and do 5x5 squats with free weights (8kg each) about 3x a week.
If I go for heavy lifting what do I need to know?
My husband has free weights in the garage so he has all the gear but whenever he's tried to tempt me before I haven't enjoyed it at all, need some good tips. I'd like to get strong but I'm also attracted to simply being able to eat more goddamn food lol!!!! Thank you.

fknlardarse · May 2014

Shameless bump, keen to know what you girls eat, how many calories, how heavy do you lift? Inspire me?

Loralrose · May 2014

Go for it! Lifting heavy will build your strength very quickly. I've added 20 lbs to my bench press and 40 to my squat in only 3 weeks.

"Heavy" means the heaviest you can lift for 5-6 reps with good form. Everyone's different, so it won't help much to know where other people began. Start with a bit lighter than you think you need to get the form right, then add weight each time until you can't do it any more. I recommend following a beginner program (I use Stronglift 5x5) as a guide.

Don't hold yourself back, but don't feel bad if you can't lift much at first. I started benching with nothing but the bar, and that was heavy for me. Just push yourself on every workout and you will see improvements.

Started out:
45 bench press
45 squat
65 deadlift
30 overhead press
40 barbell row

Current (3 weeks improvement!)
95 squat
65 bench press
95 deadlift
55 barbell row
45 overhead press

You asked about food... uh, I eat a ton. Somewhere around 2000-2600 calories a day, and that's to lose weight. I'm also half again your size and get a lot more exercise. If you're always hungry why not eat back all your exercise calories? That's what I'm doing and I'm losing consistently.

kelly_e_montana · May 2014

I'm 5'5" about 170 but less than 28% body fat. I am that unicorn they say doesn't exist: the kind of bulky lifting chick. I'm really cool with being a thick chick though.

I have been lifting since 2000 but I started with machines and dumbbells: 5 pounds on most dumbells, 25 or 30 pounds on most isolation machines. I started more for aesthetics than strength so I lifted 8-12 reps and would then move up. Now I follow mostly 5x5 sets or Wendler 5/3/1, depending on my cycle. I also lift in CrossFit, which is kind of random programming.

My current lifts are somewhat along these lines for 1 rm and I base my 5/3/1 program off my PR's:

Back squat (not sure, currently in a horrible progression that has me doing 20 consecutive at 170 and moving up every week. my last PR was 215)
Deadlift: 240
Push press: 120
Overhead press: 105
Front squat: 160-170
Clean: 125
Bench: 125 (I need to re-test)
Snatch: Don't even ask! Bad wrist and can't snap it back on one side!

Some other lifts I do regularly but for reps are dumbbell chest press at 40 pounds each side, dumbbell row at 50 pounds, front rack lunges at 75, and good mornings at 65. I also do assisted pull ups, dips, hanging leg raises, and am working on handstand pushups and pistol squats. I love kettlebells and incorporate them into my workouts quite a bit. Another fave of mine is the glute-ham raise.

I lift on strength 60-90 minutes 3x per week, do yoga for 30-60 minutes 2-3x per week, run/hike/swim for 30-60 minutes 1-2x per week, do Olympic lifting class for 2 hours once per week and CrossFit 3-4x per week. I have an active job. I can eat 2100-2800 calories per day and still lose body fat, although my scale weight doesn't go down much. I just get my body fat tested regularly. I recomp easily. I'll be very happy at 25% BF but may go down to 20%, which should put me at 155. P.S. I'm 41.

elbaldwin0525 · May 2014

Youre not bulky whatsoever!

I'm 5'5" about 170 but less than 28% body fat. I am that unicorn they say doesn't exist: the kind of bulky lifting chick. I'm really cool with being a thick chick though.

I have been lifting since 2000 but I started with machines and dumbbells: 5 pounds on most dumbells, 25 or 30 pounds on most isolation machines. I started more for aesthetics than strength so I lifted 8-12 reps and would then move up. Now I follow mostly 5x5 sets or Wendler 5/3/1, depending on my cycle. I also lift in CrossFit, which is kind of random programming.

My current lifts are somewhat along these lines for 1 rm and I base my 5/3/1 program off my PR's:

Back squat (not sure, currently in a horrible progression that has me doing 20 consecutive at 170 and moving up every week. my last PR was 215)
Deadlift: 240
Push press: 120
Overhead press: 105
Front squat: 160-170
Clean: 125
Bench: 125 (I need to re-test)
Snatch: Don't even ask! Bad wrist and can't snap it back on one side!

Some other lifts I do regularly but for reps are dumbbell chest press at 40 pounds each side, dumbbell row at 50 pounds, front rack lunges at 75, and good mornings at 65. I also do assisted pull ups, dips, hanging leg raises, and am working on handstand pushups and pistol squats. I love kettlebells and incorporate them into my workouts quite a bit. Another fave of mine is the glute-ham raise.

I lift on strength 60-90 minutes 3x per week, do yoga for 30-60 minutes 2-3x per week, run/hike/swim for 30-60 minutes 1-2x per week, do Olympic lifting class for 2 hours once per week and CrossFit 3-4x per week. I have an active job. I can eat 2100-2800 calories per day and still lose body fat, although my scale weight doesn't go down much. I just get my body fat tested regularly. I recomp easily. I'll be very happy at 25% BF but may go down to 20%, which should put me at 155. P.S. I'm 41.

PrimalGirl · May 2014

Hi

I made major progress in my first six months of lifting - from a 99lb deadlift to a 187lb deadlift. Squats went from 44lbs to 121lbs - I know I can go heavier with that but I'm working on form at the moment.

I currently eat 1600 cals a day and try and eat back all my exercise calories, though I've been struggling with weight/fat. I've plateaud on my fat loss (I try not to focus on the scale number; when you lift, you pack muscle, so the scale number isn't necessarily that important) - for instance I've got a 32" waist and I'd love to have a 30" or less. So I'm playing around with food calories and stuff like that. Not sure what - if anything - is working, though!

I may need to up my calories again; I'm fighting the part of my brain that says that's counter-intuitive.

Anyway, I lift three times a week - 4 sets of 8 reps, with 7 and 8 being big-*kitten* difficult! I try and only take a 60-second rest in between sets to keep my heart rate up and my calories burning. I do a boxing circuits class for some HIIT work once a week, and a bodyweight/sprint session once a week. The other two days I try and get in a walk of some duration.

Best of luck - my best advice is to start with a low weight and work on form. Make sure your back's straight and your core's tight all the time, for every move. Then work on adding the weight when you know you're lifting correctly.

kelly_e_montana · May 2014

Youre not bulky whatsoever!

I'm 5'5" about 170 but less than 28% body fat. I am that unicorn they say doesn't exist: the kind of bulky lifting chick. I'm really cool with being a thick chick though.

Well, thanks

but what I mean is that i have a lot of extra lean mass and would be way, way overweight according to BMI charts but that's why I think body fat is more accurate measure for muscular women than simply scale weight.:flowerforyou:

PolacaFL · May 2014

Thanks for asking! I was wondering the same thing.

I wonder if 2x week of short heavy lifting is a good start with a few days of cardio for fat loss and muscle maintenance.

Krys1490 · May 2014

Shameless bump, keen to know what you girls eat, how many calories, how heavy do you lift? Inspire me?

I am 51 years old, 5'10" and weigh 153 or so. I am currently in 'getting lean for summer' mode

I track my food and exercise to be sure I am in a caloric deficit, so my eating will fluctuate depending on what I am teaching at the gym/working out with on that day. I try to stay 200-300 calories under.

Lower body work I am using anywhere between 75-120 lbs with a bar
Upper body work I am using 20-50 lbs in dumbells, 50-120 with the bar.

fknlardarse · May 2014

Thanks everyone! That's really inspiring, you are all so fit!! Can't wait to get strong. Did my first day of stronglifts 5x5 today and loved it, here's hoping I stick to it! I was a total weakling so can't wait to see those weights shooting up!

jstout365 · May 2014

Youre not bulky whatsoever!

I'm 5'5" about 170 but less than 28% body fat. I am that unicorn they say doesn't exist: the kind of bulky lifting chick. I'm really cool with being a thick chick though.

I concur. And, yes, I did look at the few pics you have up....nothing you can consider "bulky". Just compact and shapely.

I'm 5'2" sitting around 137 lbs right now and ~28% BF. I've been mostly on, a little off time, lifting for over a year now. When cutting I eat around 1600 to 1800 calories depending on my other activity and how I perform in the gym. I did SL 5x5 for most of that time, but will be moving over to Strong Curves starting Monday. I also started boxing in January and that is my training focus at this point. I'll be bumping up to 2000 cal/day on Monday since I will be lifting 4x/week and boxing 3x/week with Mondays and Fridays being 2-a-day workouts. My goal at this point is to do more of a body recomp rather than strict weight loss.

If you're looking for a SL group, check out http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
:drinker:

ETA: fixed quotes

love_faithfulness · May 2014

You ladies are inspiring!!
I am 5'4'' and 155lbs.

I am trying out the stronglifts 5x5 program (3 days a week) After 2 weeks here is where I'm at:
Squat: 125lb
Overhead Press: 60lb
Bench Press: 60lb
Deadlift: 145lb
Row: 75.

I also do HIIT 4 times a week and Isolated exercises with 15lb-25lb dumbbells 3 days a week.

I eat about 2000 calories a day on average because I'm trying to lose some Body Fat still.

SezxyStef · May 2014

I lift heavy and a woman...

I am 5 ft 7, weight 156 atm and wear a size 5/6..(I have to put that in there for perspective)

I currently am doing SL 5x5 and belong to the group mentioned already...great support and advice there..

My current PR's (personal records) are as follows:

Bench 120lbs 5x5
Rows 120lbs 5x5
OHP 85lbs 5x5
Squats 180lbs 4x5, 1x4
DL 200lbs 1x5

I also do HIIT on my off days or walk/bike/swim, Lift 3x a week M/W/F

I am currently reverse dieting up to maintenance as I am 1lb from goal weight so I am at 1800 this week and next..but when I was in my deficet I averaged 1700 a week...I will be working up to 2100-2200 by the time I am done.

Look to see what a recomp can do for me over the next 5 months...which will be my 1 year anniversary of lifting.

LividMuffin · May 2014

I've been lifting for around 4 months now, making very slooow but steady progress. My diet wasn't on spot first two months (too few calories) so I wasn't making much progress but at least got a decent technique. Now I am starting to see my strength improving, although still not at the speed I would like! I plan to start 5x5 SL after my exams in June and see how it goes. I've been avoiding these pre-set programs because I need variety, otherwise I start going nuts..:D But I think I will give this a shot.

SezxyStef · May 2014

Hi I'm a 42 year old female, 148lbs, aiming to be around 130lbs, I'm 5ft 6in. I'm thinking about starting heavy lifting, my question is how heavy is heavy? What did you start off with as a beginner and how many calories do you eat?
I currently try to eat 1450 calories but I'm hungry constantly, I cycle for about 40 minutes 2or3 times a week (and eat back half of my exercise calories) and do 5x5 squats with free weights (8kg each) about 3x a week.
If I go for heavy lifting what do I need to know?
My husband has free weights in the garage so he has all the gear but whenever he's tried to tempt me before I haven't enjoyed it at all, need some good tips. I'd like to get strong but I'm also attracted to simply being able to eat more goddamn food lol!!!! Thank you.

To answer your questions

Find your TDEE and do a TDEE-15% when you start lifting (iifym.com or Scooby TDEE) as lifting calories are hard to estimate..I suspect you could be eating 1500-1700 and get your protien macro in check too. The more protien the less hungry you will find yourself.

Heavy is defined by the number of reps you do...1-5...5-10 is for building muscle, 10-15 endurnace.
The weight you lift is relative to you for heavy
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
This is a good summary for the program I currently do...I prefer it over starting strength as it doesn't have power cleans.

Best way to learn is read, watch the videos and get your form down with lifting just the bar and upping when you know you got your form good.

I find this an easy program to follow it is very short at the start as rest periods are anywhere from 90secs to 5mins it's your choice.

There is also an app for smart phones...which is good.

Only suggestion is that if you are going to do cardio do it on your non lifting days or after you lift.

I love what it's done for my body...the definition in my shoulders and back...the butt lift I got for free...how tight and strong my legs are and last but not least it's giving me the abs I've never ever had...

GO FOR IT...

fknlardarse · May 2014

Woah! Awesome advice!
Recalculated my TDEE-15% and I come out with 1650 calories and should hopefully still lose 0.5lbs a week which is the rate I'd like to lose as I prefer EATING food yay! Will track my macros more.
Started stronglifts today and love the phone app!
Thanks everyone! This community is so helpful!

Heavy lifting ladies - how heavy and how many calories?

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