Any older women(40+)Hvy Lifting/Wt. training successes/pics?

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NewLIFEstyle4ME
NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
in Success Stories
I've recently started heavy lifting/weight training with a personal trainer/body builder last month and wow...it's really hard/tough :noway: I've been lifting heavy weight and doing really tough workouts in the gym (I've NEVER gone to a gym before starting with my trainer before in my life), and I'm seeing (more importantly FEELING) so much better! It's amazing to me how very much I SWEAT during my weight training sessions--WOW, also my trainer just works with me on weight training and I'm doing my cardio on my own. I've always HATED cardio exercising (because it's hurts and I can be lazy and my endurance and stamina is/WAS really low)--but since I've been weight training--now I just don't love being sedentary anymore--I can hardly stand to just sit around on my duff for hours on end anymore--I've got to move my body more than being a couch/chair potato and so I've also been sweating up a storm daily in doing my walking, elliptical, stationary bike and stuff like that. Also, in just one month of training...my appetite has increased bigtime ( which is tremendous) and although my scale only shows 4 pounds down since starting last month...my clothes are fitting looser, my stress is much lower and my patience seems much better and my endurance ^ stamina for exercising is getting stronger and stronger---YAY! :drinker:

I'd LOVE to see any pics or stories of anyone who has started or has been overweight, obese and began heavy lifting--and see or hear what it has done to/for you. This is posted for women in their 40's, 50's and over...but if any older guys wants to share--that'd be great too! Thanks in advance for your reply!

Replies

  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Options
    SW: 230
    CW: 113

    ETA: 45 yrs old and 5'2

    I have been weight lifting for about 7 months now.

    Before:

    94ddf288dcd486645dbec8e9f3a0a3d0eb63.jpg

    Now:

    94ddd6705ebef37c5648fe033e0497899b1a.jpg

    94dddd5d2a22a021511aeeb4c58c05b2d88c.jpg

    94dd0f51bad7ece796db58eeb3b7908275df.jpg

    94ddadc096b2292b5f3002e36ef2a0c2150b.jpg
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    Options
    SW: 230
    CW: 113

    ETA: 45 yrs old and 5'2

    I have been weight lifting for about 7 months now.

    Before:

    94ddf288dcd486645dbec8e9f3a0a3d0eb63.jpg

    Now:

    94ddd6705ebef37c5648fe033e0497899b1a.jpg

    94dddd5d2a22a021511aeeb4c58c05b2d88c.jpg

    94dd0f51bad7ece796db58eeb3b7908275df.jpg

    94ddadc096b2292b5f3002e36ef2a0c2150b.jpg



    W :love: W You look and are fabulous, period.

    :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :love: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

    WOW!!!!!!!!!!! This is such an encouragement and inspirational reply--thank you so much for posting...YOU ROCK!
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Options

    W :love: W You look and are fabulous, period.

    :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :love: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

    WOW!!!!!!!!!!! This is such an encouragement and inspirational reply--thank you so much for posting...YOU ROCK!

    Thank you. :smile:
  • twrobbel
    twrobbel Posts: 132 Member
    Options
    In for the motivation. I plan on starting heavy lifting in two weeks after my work travel schedule slows down. How many hours do you cardio vs weight train? Do you do them on the same day or different days then weight training?
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Options
    In for the motivation. I plan on starting heavy lifting in two weeks after my work travel schedule slows down. How many hours do you cardio vs weight train? Do you do them on the same day or different days then weight training?

    I walk 7 miles a day/6 days a week and weight lifting 5 days a week alternating upper and lower, ab days. Sundays are my rest day where I do absolutely nothing. :wink:
  • Luckyfish72
    Luckyfish72 Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    You look fabulous! Did your weightloss journey begin before you started lifting? Or did your transformation happen in 7 months? I have a bad back and am not able to walk much without pain, but would like to strength my back muscles to see if that will help me with the pain. I do light hand weights currently, but would love to be able to sculpt my body while loosing weight.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Options
    You look fabulous! Did your weightloss journey begin before you started lifting? Or did your transformation happen in 7 months? I have a bad back and am not able to walk much without pain, but would like to strength my back muscles to see if that will help me with the pain. I do light hand weights currently, but would love to be able to sculpt my body while loosing weight.

    Thank you. Yes, I have been at this weight loss for about 2 1/2 years now. I actually started using some free weights/circuit training (nervous about going to the men's side, got over that, lol) about year and half ago and only started heavy weight lifting 7 months ago.
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    Options
    In for the motivation. I plan on starting heavy lifting in two weeks after my work travel schedule slows down. How many hours do you cardio vs weight train? Do you do them on the same day or different days then weight training?

    For me I train twice per week with my coach for an hour each day. I've been walking about 4-5+ miles for 3-4 days out of the week and doing 45-60 minutes on my elliptical also for 3 or 4 days per week (IF my legs aren't burning too bad after my lower body training days). When I first started weight training, my elliptical just collected dust, as I could only do about 20-30 SECONDS before getting winded and tired--now I can go for up to an hour (WOW for me), and I do 20-30 minutes switching back and forth from the elliptical & stationary bike during the 45-60 minute elliptical time. This is nothing less than a major fat crying sessions for me EVERYDAY (in the gym and at home now) and that is miraculous for me. Like I said in the OP, it's like I can't stand sitting down all day/being sedentary anymore since starting to lift heavy--my body wants me to move much more and I'm so GLAD!
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    Options

    W :love: W You look and are fabulous, period.

    :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :love: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

    WOW!!!!!!!!!!! This is such an encouragement and inspirational reply--thank you so much for posting...YOU ROCK!

    Thank you. :smile:

    You are so VERY welcomed and may I say once more to/for your gorgeous strong good looks and MEGA hard tremendous work.....WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You GO girl:drinker: :heart: :drinker:
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    Options
    I've recently started heavy lifting/weight training with a personal trainer/body builder last month and wow...it's really hard/tough :noway: I've been lifting heavy weight and doing really tough workouts in the gym (I've NEVER gone to a gym before starting with my trainer before in my life), and I'm seeing (more importantly FEELING) so much better! It's amazing to me how very much I SWEAT during my weight training sessions--WOW, also my trainer just works with me on weight training and I'm doing my cardio on my own. I've always HATED cardio exercising (because it's hurts and I can be lazy and my endurance and stamina is/WAS really low)--but since I've been weight training--now I just don't love being sedentary anymore--I can hardly stand to just sit around on my duff for hours on end anymore--I've got to move my body more than being a couch/chair potato and so I've also been sweating up a storm daily in doing my walking, elliptical, stationary bike and stuff like that. Also, in just one month of training...my appetite has increased bigtime ( which is tremendous) and although my scale only shows 4 pounds down since starting last month...my clothes are fitting looser, my stress is much lower and my patience seems much better and my endurance ^ stamina for exercising is getting stronger and stronger---YAY! :drinker:

    I'd LOVE to see any pics or stories of anyone who has started or has been overweight, obese and began heavy lifting--and see or hear what it has done to/for you. This is posted for women in their 40's, 50's and over...but if any older guys wants to share--that'd be great too! Thanks in advance for your reply!

    I see so much of myself in your post!!

    I'll be 40 in January. I'm 5'2" tall, and by February 2011 I had hit my all time high of 228lbs. That's 90+ lbs overweight. For a year I walked on the treadmill and did some of the weight machines at the gym. During that time, I became close friends with one of the trainers. Justin got me started lifting heavy. When he moved out of state, I started working with his replacement, a bodybuilder.

    I started out wearing a 42DD bra, size 18 jeans and 18/20 shirt. I have lost about 42lbs or so (now weigh 184), and now wear a 38C, size 10/12 pants and a size medium top.

    I can squat 205lbs, deadlift 185lbs, and do all kinds of crazy stuff. Other gym members have been known to blatantly stop and gawk.
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    Options
    I've recently started heavy lifting/weight training with a personal trainer/body builder last month and wow...it's really hard/tough :noway: I've been lifting heavy weight and doing really tough workouts in the gym (I've NEVER gone to a gym before starting with my trainer before in my life), and I'm seeing (more importantly FEELING) so much better! It's amazing to me how very much I SWEAT during my weight training sessions--WOW, also my trainer just works with me on weight training and I'm doing my cardio on my own. I've always HATED cardio exercising (because it's hurts and I can be lazy and my endurance and stamina is/WAS really low)--but since I've been weight training--now I just don't love being sedentary anymore--I can hardly stand to just sit around on my duff for hours on end anymore--I've got to move my body more than being a couch/chair potato and so I've also been sweating up a storm daily in doing my walking, elliptical, stationary bike and stuff like that. Also, in just one month of training...my appetite has increased bigtime ( which is tremendous) and although my scale only shows 4 pounds down since starting last month...my clothes are fitting looser, my stress is much lower and my patience seems much better and my endurance ^ stamina for exercising is getting stronger and stronger---YAY! :drinker:

    I'd LOVE to see any pics or stories of anyone who has started or has been overweight, obese and began heavy lifting--and see or hear what it has done to/for you. This is posted for women in their 40's, 50's and over...but if any older guys wants to share--that'd be great too! Thanks in advance for your reply!

    I see so much of myself in your post!!

    I'll be 40 in January. I'm 5'2" tall, and by February 2011 I had hit my all time high of 228lbs. That's 90+ lbs overweight. For a year I walked on the treadmill and did some of the weight machines at the gym. During that time, I became close friends with one of the trainers. Justin got me started lifting heavy. When he moved out of state, I started working with his replacement, a bodybuilder.

    I started out wearing a 42DD bra, size 18 jeans and 18/20 shirt. I have lost about 42lbs or so (now weigh 184), and now wear a 38C, size 10/12 pants and a size medium top.

    I can squat 205lbs, deadlift 185lbs, and do all kinds of crazy stuff. Other gym members have been known to blatantly stop and gawk.
    ...


    Soooooooo terrific, such fabulous work and GREAT news, you ROCK! :drinker: :heart: :drinker:

    I avoided gyms for so many years, because I was feeling shy/afraid/intimidated or some other excuse...I had to humble myself and just GO, because my trainer uses a gym. I'm just now getting used to looking at myself in the mirror (because there are mirrors ALL over the gym) and for years I HATED looking in the mirror. My coach made me begin to look in the mirror (because for the first couple of weeks I told him I didn't want to look in the mirror, because it was distracting and bumming me out), After the first couple of weeks, he started making me look in the mirror as I'm lifting and stuff to check out my "form" and stuff like that. It's getting easier. All these buff guys and gals all around and ya know what, they're nice. They speak to me or are just focused on themselves, they aren't even thinking about me, so all these years I've been scared for nothing. Another big lesson I'm learning in this heavy lifting business:drinker:
  • jrhanna84
    jrhanna84 Posts: 66 Member
    Options
    I just wanted to drop in and say "AWESOME JOB LADIES!" and that I just turned 30 in February and I too see a lot of myself in the OP. I'll sign off now so the cool kids can post their pix/successes. Welcome to the "dark side" where we have cookies, in moderation of course.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    Options
    I don't really feel like posting pics right now but here's where I am at:

    Age 39: 5'5" Starting weight 235, size 20, walking a mile was difficult, tons of health problems!
    Age 41: Current weight 170, body fat 25%, down from 33% in Feb., size 8-10 or medium bottoms, currently compete in Crossfit, got 2nd in my age group in a mountainous trail run this spring, squat 225/deadlift 285/bench 140* (for reps)~got 2nd in my division in my first Crossfit comp, doing my 2nd one next week. Usually beat most of the 20 somethings in my gym! :) Hiked 3.5 miles yesterday without getting even a little breathless. Can swim a mile without stopping.

    I no longer have acid reflux, foot problems, back probs, excessive snoring, urinary incontinence when I sneeze, constipation, and on and on...

    I eat 2700 calories per day and exercise 1-2 hours per week 6 days per week. I make sure to do yoga for flexibility/mobility and mental health as well.

    I feel more fit now than I did at age 28 and 135 pounds!

    The other thing I would say is that while I have posted pics on the forums here before, the most instrumental piece of being successful at an older age was FOR ME, focusing on what my body could do and giving up preconceptions of what it should look like.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    Options
    I've recently started heavy lifting/weight training with a personal trainer/body builder last month and wow...it's really hard/tough :noway: I've been lifting heavy weight and doing really tough workouts in the gym (I've NEVER gone to a gym before starting with my trainer before in my life), and I'm seeing (more importantly FEELING) so much better! It's amazing to me how very much I SWEAT during my weight training sessions--WOW, also my trainer just works with me on weight training and I'm doing my cardio on my own. I've always HATED cardio exercising (because it's hurts and I can be lazy and my endurance and stamina is/WAS really low)--but since I've been weight training--now I just don't love being sedentary anymore--I can hardly stand to just sit around on my duff for hours on end anymore--I've got to move my body more than being a couch/chair potato and so I've also been sweating up a storm daily in doing my walking, elliptical, stationary bike and stuff like that. Also, in just one month of training...my appetite has increased bigtime ( which is tremendous) and although my scale only shows 4 pounds down since starting last month...my clothes are fitting looser, my stress is much lower and my patience seems much better and my endurance ^ stamina for exercising is getting stronger and stronger---YAY! :drinker:

    I'd LOVE to see any pics or stories of anyone who has started or has been overweight, obese and began heavy lifting--and see or hear what it has done to/for you. This is posted for women in their 40's, 50's and over...but if any older guys wants to share--that'd be great too! Thanks in advance for your reply!

    I see so much of myself in your post!!

    I'll be 40 in January. I'm 5'2" tall, and by February 2011 I had hit my all time high of 228lbs. That's 90+ lbs overweight. For a year I walked on the treadmill and did some of the weight machines at the gym. During that time, I became close friends with one of the trainers. Justin got me started lifting heavy. When he moved out of state, I started working with his replacement, a bodybuilder.

    I started out wearing a 42DD bra, size 18 jeans and 18/20 shirt. I have lost about 42lbs or so (now weigh 184), and now wear a 38C, size 10/12 pants and a size medium top.

    I can squat 205lbs, deadlift 185lbs, and do all kinds of crazy stuff. Other gym members have been known to blatantly stop and gawk.
    ...


    Soooooooo terrific, such fabulous work and GREAT news, you ROCK! :drinker: :heart: :drinker:

    I avoided gyms for so many years, because I was feeling shy/afraid/intimidated or some other excuse...I had to humble myself and just GO, because my trainer uses a gym. I'm just now getting used to looking at myself in the mirror (because there are mirrors ALL over the gym) and for years I HATED looking in the mirror. My coach made me begin to look in the mirror (because for the first couple of weeks I told him I didn't want to look in the mirror, because it was distracting and bumming me out), After the first couple of weeks, he started making me look in the mirror as I'm lifting and stuff to check out my "form" and stuff like that. It's getting easier. All these buff guys and gals all around and ya know what, they're nice. They speak to me or are just focused on themselves, they aren't even thinking about me, so all these years I've been scared for nothing. Another big lesson I'm learning in this heavy lifting business:drinker:

    Yeah, I wasn't a big fan of the mirrors for a long time either. Now I'm fine most days. I think the turning point for me was a dream I had about 18 months ago. In my dream I was standing in the free weight area and out of the corner of my eye I saw the reflection of a lady's abs. She was wearing yoga pants and one of those sports bra looking tops ( the ones that are meant to be worn alone). I thought she had nice abs, and I could be happy if I looked like that. As I turned to see who it was, I realized it was ME.

    Now that I've been lifting for a while, and the guys have seen the stuff my trainer puts me through, they treat me like one of the guys. Nothing like having a big huge lifter cheering you on when you hit a new squat PR. I love it!

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