Should I weight to start lifting waits?

hope516
hope516 Posts: 1,133 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
ok, ok, ok, now that I got your attention let's be serious. :laugh:

Should I wait to start weightlifting once I have lost most of my weight?

I have heard nothing but good things and seen AAAAhhhhmazing before and after weightlifting success stories.

However, a lot of these success stories is: 1) someone who was "skinny fat" and lifted weights and completely transformed his/her body...or 2) someone who was morbidly obese, lost a lot of weight doing other things, and finished up with weight lifting.

I have well over 100 pounds to lose. Should I continue as I am to lose weight and once I reach a decent weight then start weightlifting or will I have as much success starting now?

Any input is appreciated :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Moreover any before/afters of people who lost over 100 pounds by only weight lifting would be appreciated :bigsmile:

Replies

  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Get a time machine and start yesterday!

    Seriously, you'll look better at your goal weight if you incorporate resistance training now.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Get a time machine and start yesterday!

    or the day before..... :happy:

    The sooner you get started the better.
  • ceenich
    ceenich Posts: 1 Member
    I agree with them, the sooner you start putting on muscle the more your metabolism will love you and you'll be burning calories like no ones business, even when your body is at rest! :)
  • michelleepotter
    michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
    I was wondering this too. I only have a few pounds left to go, but I'm getting bored of cardio.
  • JGonzo82
    JGonzo82 Posts: 167 Member
    Get a time machine and start yesterday!

    or the day before..... :happy:

    The sooner you get started the better.

    I concur! It's never too soon/early!
  • michelleepotter
    michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
    I agree with them, the sooner you start putting on muscle the more your metabolism will love you and you'll be burning calories like no ones business, even when your body is at rest! :)

    People keep saying that you can't build muscle while eating at a deficit?
  • twowheeltam
    twowheeltam Posts: 13 Member
    Definitely hit the weights! The heavier the better. Your transformation will be amazing!!!
  • spirit095
    spirit095 Posts: 1,017 Member
    Definitely do not wait! This way you can preserve as much lean muscle mass as you can, while losing weight.
  • Fentyman
    Fentyman Posts: 58 Member
    Do both. Get a schedule and stick to it. To give you an idea I will share my schedule.

    I decided to work out everyday for at least an hour. Been doing it for about three weeks now.

    Sun. Mon. Tues - Cardio only
    Wednes. Cardio/strength training (legs, abs)
    Thurs. Fri. - strength training (shoulders, chest, back, arms)
    Sat. strength training (legs, abs)
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
    Short answer: Yes. Sooner is better than later.

    Answer no one wants to admit is true: Lifting causes weight gain. Make sure you're OK with the scale not moving much, or very slowly.

    I've been lifting and I've been stuck in the 180's from January through July 2014 and it's honestly upsetting and makes me feel like a failure, even though I know logically the fact that I went from size 16 to 12 in that time is huge and that it's a success not a failure, but it's seemingly impossible to undo 31 years of conditioning to my emotional mind that when the scale goes up it's bad and when the scale goes down it's good.
  • iRun_Butterfly
    iRun_Butterfly Posts: 483 Member
    Don't wait, start now, you won't regret it. Being heavier, you already have a lot of muscle, strength training will help you hold onto that muscle while you are losing fat. I only wish I had started earlier.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Now now now!!! I only wish I had started sooner...
  • Frank_Just_Frank
    Frank_Just_Frank Posts: 454 Member
    I think that you'll never regret working to get stronger and any physical exercise you do will become easier.

    Have fun!
  • _tigerblood_
    _tigerblood_ Posts: 42 Member
    Don't wait any longer.
  • indianlarry11
    indianlarry11 Posts: 32 Member
    Weight lifting is a better fat burner than cardio, especially if you increase the intensity by decreasing rest time. Also, take into account the afterburn, this is up to 24 hours after weight lifting where your metabolism is roaring. Another thing, for every pound of muscle you add, your body will burn up to an additional 50 calories a day, just to feed the muscle. Therefore muscle increases your metabolism at rest so that you are burning more calories throughout the day, even when you aren't exercising.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    Lol this title was cute and funny. I recommend starting a lifting program ASAP. In my opinion, it is just so much faster and easier than doing cardio alone.
  • indianlarry11
    indianlarry11 Posts: 32 Member
    Short answer: Yes. Sooner is better than later.

    Answer no one wants to admit is true: Lifting causes weight gain. Make sure you're OK with the scale not moving much, or very slowly.

    I've been lifting and I've been stuck in the 180's from January through July 2014 and it's honestly upsetting and makes me feel like a failure, even though I know logically the fact that I went from size 16 to 12 in that time is huge and that it's a success not a failure, but it's seemingly impossible to undo 31 years of conditioning to my emotional mind that when the scale goes up it's bad and when the scale goes down it's good.

    Get yourself a body fat scale. I can see that you understand why the weight scale is slow to go down, but a body fat scale will allow you to see your numbers go down much quicker and help keep you motivated:)
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    Start NOW.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Definitely now. I started this month and I've never felt better, and the gains/stalls from the first two weeks are now a thing of the past
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    NO! Never wait! Start yesterday!!! You'll be glad you did. :)
  • hope516
    hope516 Posts: 1,133 Member
    Great thanks everyone for your input!!
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
    Short answer: Yes. Sooner is better than later.

    Answer no one wants to admit is true: Lifting causes weight gain. Make sure you're OK with the scale not moving much, or very slowly.

    I've been lifting and I've been stuck in the 180's from January through July 2014 and it's honestly upsetting and makes me feel like a failure, even though I know logically the fact that I went from size 16 to 12 in that time is huge and that it's a success not a failure, but it's seemingly impossible to undo 31 years of conditioning to my emotional mind that when the scale goes up it's bad and when the scale goes down it's good.
    100% agree. Scale not moving is really upsetting. I do heavy lifting for over 4 months and I didn't drop a single lb :( My body is changing noticeably, but the scale stuck. Some day I am truly wondering if this was the right call. Or maybe I should have just focus on losing and once I am close to goal weight I should start the resistance training.

    also I search the web over and over for transformation stories where obese women started lifting heavy , but I came up with nothing.
    All the stories like the OP mentioned. Obese women drop the fat first and strat heavy lifting after.
    If it is so super beneficial to do it from the start, why there is no success stories of this ?
    I really like heavy lifting , but I am nit sure if this is actually the right thing to do or not.
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,724 Member
    42
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    for MOST people lifting weights while losing weight will end in the best results when one reaches goal weight.

    It's not the only or "best" way to lose weight, but it will lead to the best results when you reach your goal weight vs. weight lost entirely by dieting or by doing lots of cardio without strength training.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    If it is so super beneficial to do it from the start, why there is no success stories of this ?

    Because it would mean that loads of people knew enough about training and nutrition while they were beginning and extremely overweight that they got it right straight out of the gate. This probably rarely happens.

    In reality, most people do all kinds of random stuff, lose weight anyway because they're in a calorie deficit and are happy cause they see the scale moving in the right direction. Are they getting the most out of their body and moving towards an end comp they are happy with? Probably not.

    Getting the most out of your body requires knowledge and application (often in the face of the opinions of the majority, who are clueless about these things). This doesn't necessarily need to be lifting weights. But some resistance training incorporated into your routine will be for the best.
  • sjbtiger
    sjbtiger Posts: 105 Member
    I started lifting in March and have dropped 10 pounds since then. I've been eating at a 500 cal deficit, which means I haven't gained a ton of muscles, though I am going up in my lifts because I was a total beginner.

    Despite the fact that I'm 10-15 pounds heavier than my smallest weight, I'm back in the same clothes I used to wear. My cardio is very minimal, maybe one hour total per week. I'm very, very slowly increasing my calories and moving into maintenance and just finished my first week of the Stronglifts 5x5 program. I'm so, so glad that I started lifting even before I was at my goal weight!

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