Lifting and Women

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KayStar728
KayStar728 Posts: 15 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi all, I'm a newbie on MFP with 20 days of logging. So for the past 7 weeks I have dedicated myself to 5 to 6 days of working out. Up until 2 weeks ago I started strength training as I was getting bored with Cardio. I have found my addiction!! I love love love strength training. I love how powerful you feel. BUT since i'm new to this, I wanted to get a woman's (men are welcomed as well) point of view as to what I should know. Things I should do, shouldn't do etc... What diet should I be following? All suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks,
Kay

Replies

  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
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    One important thing is that how you set your program up should not be gender dependent. There are not certain lifts or way of lifting that a man should do compared to a woman.

    Jeff
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Make sure you are emphasizing your protein intake.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Check this thread out:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1169757-i-am-the-woman-in-the-freeweights-section-of-the-gym
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
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    One important thing is that how you set your program up should not be gender dependent. There are not certain lifts or way of lifting that a man should do compared to a woman.

    Jeff

    This. As a novice, start with a novice program. Stronglifts or Starting Strength are great places to start. Some people like New Rules of Lifting, but it wasn't for me.

    Strong Curves is also a great place to start and has beginning, intermediate, and advanced programs.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    One important thing is that how you set your program up should not be gender dependent. There are not certain lifts or way of lifting that a man should do compared to a woman.

    Jeff

    This. Listen to the men. Emulate their workouts. See results.

    For diet, I believe it's generally 1.5 g/kg of BW of protein, and .35 g/lb of BW of fat. Carbs fill the rest.
  • OutlawQueen
    OutlawQueen Posts: 13
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    I'm with you I just started about a month ago Body Pump... and I DO LOVE IT. It's my favorite class... and last week I've added in Spinning which is second.

    Still doing my zumba... I know you have to do both, up your protein, drink more water and you have to space it so not to do it two days in a row so your muscles can recover.

    That's all I have... enjoy!
  • wnt2bhlthy4me
    wnt2bhlthy4me Posts: 121 Member
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    One important thing is that how you set your program up should not be gender dependent. There are not certain lifts or way of lifting that a man should do compared to a woman.

    Jeff

    I love you man!
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
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    Also, if you are going to do cardio, don't do it before you lift. It will affect your weight training workouts adversely. Either do it afterwords or on different days.

    Starting strength or Stronglifts are both great novice programs that will build lots of strength and muscle and in addition will build those in a balanced fashion.

    In regards to the protein comment, I find it less important than one of the previous posters. When making gains I have personally not noticed much of a difference between high protein vs slightly above normal amounts. Sometimes I think the supplement industry keeps hyping massive protein intake so they can sell protein powder.

    Jeff
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
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    Thanks wnt2bhlthy4me. Lol

    I love you man!
    [/quote]
  • KayStar728
    KayStar728 Posts: 15 Member
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    You guys ROCK!!! Thank you!!! :love:
  • maizerage66
    maizerage66 Posts: 367 Member
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    Also, if you are going to do cardio, don't do it before you lift. It will affect your weight training workouts adversely. Either do it afterwords or on different days.

    Starting strength or Stronglifts are both great novice programs that will build lots of strength and muscle and in addition will build those in a balanced fashion.

    In regards to the protein comment, I find it less important than one of the previous posters. When making gains I have personally not noticed much of a difference between high protein vs slightly above normal amounts. Sometimes I think the supplement industry keeps hyping massive protein intake so they can sell protein powder.

    Jeff

    Jeff keeps saying everything that I was going to say lol. But anyways, Stronglifts is a great program, I'm doing it and am seeing great gains and loving every minute of it. Definitely do cardio after lifting if you do cardio the same day, and drink plenty of water. I will say that I'm a fan of high amounts of protein but only if lifting is a big part of the equation. I don't use protein supplements that often but I eat tons of meat every day so my protein intake is very high.

    Another thing, don't get confused by the word "diet." People that go on these so called diets will deprive themselves of certain foods or macronutrient and then fall off the wagon because it messes with their head. It's all about moderation, calories in vs calories out. I follow IIFYM, allowing me to eat whatever I want as long as I still meet my macro allowance for the day. I don't feel deprived, nor do I binge because I am getting everything I need nutrition wise, and on days I have calories left over I'll throw in a favorite treat of mine with no guilt and no negative affects. But then again, everyone is different so some people have success with certain ways of dieting like low carb or whatever. You know how you act around food, you know what kind of willpower you have, so only you will know what is right for your body. Try different things out and see what works best for you and stick with it. Best of luck to you!
  • jescamp9481
    jescamp9481 Posts: 126 Member
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    consistancy, progressiveness, and a chart to know what you lifted last time, the time before, and to record what you will lift this time, so you know when you added that extra 5 lbs, 2 weeks ago? add another!
  • mereditheve
    mereditheve Posts: 142 Member
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    Welcome to the world of lifting! This is also my passion and I'm glad you're enjoying it also.

    Here are my tips for starting out:
    1 - Lifting is all about balance -- don't be afraid to lift heavy weights, but don't lift so much that you hurt yourself. Remember, you still need to work out the next day so don't overdo it today.
    2 - Lifting is about patience -- sometimes you'll do great, other times you'll have off days where you don't lift as much. Just keep tracking your progress. I write down every workout I do, every set, every # of reps, and every weight I lift. It is great motivation when you compare last month with this month and see a difference.
    3 - Lifting is about focus -- your mental state will affect how much you lift. My husband often motivates me by saying "you have to lift this car, you're stuck underneath it" and somehow I always push through. There have been a lot of studies that show heavy lifting increases mental focus as well.
    4 - Lifting is about nutrition -- you need to properly fuel your workouts and support muscle repair. I drink protein shakes, eat lots of meat, fish and nuts, eat fruits/vegetables, drink milk, etc. Supplements are optional, but I personally recommend them. I take creatine before workouts, and protein/BCAAs post-workout. Make sure you drink plenty of water when using creatine, it tends to dehydrate you and many of the pre-workout drinks also contain caffeine.

    These are just some basic tips... if you want workout ideas, meal ideas, or supplement brands, send me a message and I'll respond back. Good luck!
  • stephanieharms1290
    stephanieharms1290 Posts: 48 Member
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    Lifting is AMAZINGGGG!

    When I first started strength training I was intimidated by the term "lifting" as a girl. It is all BS. Strength training burns a tremendous amount of calories, and in fact can be addicting! If you are just starting out, I would recommend a few things.

    1. Don't be afraid to lift heavy, with smaller reps. Just enough to feel the burn, but you don't want to injure yourself either.
    2. Rotate upper body/lower body days so you rarely face a back to back body part
    3. I agree with the post below, def. up your protein intake/ alter your nutrition so you aren't wasting your workouts. You want to fuel your body to make those muscles grow!!
    4. Don't be afraid to research supplements. Nothing crazy, but a pre-work out drink, a post workout drink (filled of AMINO acids, BCAA's, etc.) and a great whey protein for a shake, make three of the most important factors (for me at least)
    5. PUSH THROUGH. It can be very hard at first to push your body to the max, because you aren't sure what you really are capable of. It is so easy to give up, and not finish that last set. DO IT. The results are totally worth it.

    Hope this helps you! If you need help with workout advice, what kind of workouts to do for each body part, supplement questions, etc I can try and recommend you/give you advice to what has worked for me!

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