Too fat to lift weights?

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2

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  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    cardio should be your priority 5 days a week and strength train 2-3 days a week low weight lots of reps
    I personally disagree.....
    But do as you wish.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    weight train should be your priority 5 days a week and cardio 2-3 days a week
    I personally disagree.....
    But do as you wish.

    I changed it to make it make more sense.
  • ukaryote
    ukaryote Posts: 874 Member
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    Welcome Herelum -

    I am also fairly new. The barbells intimidated me and I was not sure how much to lift to prevent getting hurt. I started with the machines, then dumbbells, very light at first and increasing weight slowly. After some confidence building I moved to barbells.

    Start with whatever tools you feel comfortable with. Ask the staff for initial help. They usually do not have the time or get paid to be personal trainers but they can start you. If it does not feel right or hurts, stop. Recovering from injuries wastes a lot of gym time.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    No newbie is confident when they first walk into the weights section, and it doesn't matter whether you weigh 300 pounds or 120 pounds when you start lifting - you just have to suck it up and dive in. But you aren't too fat to lift weights. For that matter, some of the strongest men in the world are also pretty fat.
    GO LIFT!!!

    This.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    weight train should be your priority 5 days a week and cardio 2-3 days a week
    I personally agree.....with this ^^

    I changed it to make it make more sense.

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
    You should have changed my response as well....:tongue::tongue:

    I fixed it in my quote.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    People need to stop believing this you should not lift weight myths and only do cardio.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    Yr not "too fat to lift." My husband weighs more like 320 and he uses the machines. Do what you came there to do, it is for your health, it's not a beauty contest where ppl should be judging you. And if they are judging, they are asshats.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    Yr not "too fat to lift." My husband weighs more like 320 and he uses the machines. Do what you came there to do, it is for your health, it's not a beauty contest where ppl should be judging you. And if they are judging, they are asshats.

    Can you tell those weak guys at my gym this?
  • Shalaurise
    Shalaurise Posts: 707 Member
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    I don't lift either. As far as I can tell, they filled the gym with abstract art like....

    artpark_sculpture_john_atkin_the_road_not_taken_1.jpg

    and then they tell you those are the beginners weight machines... I was like... excuse me.. could I have an effing clue please? *blink blink* oh look! an elliptical. I like ellipticals.... after that it was Zumba time. :D
  • jquijas
    jquijas Posts: 222 Member
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    Usually the biggest baddest looking folks in the gym are also the nicest. I personally don't think you need to pay for a trainer, if the gym offers a freebie take it, but most people at the gym will gladly help you. Just make sure of a couple things 1) never talk to someone while they are in the middle of lifting! 2) Understand that people are there to workout, so keep your questions short and sweet. Most people are glad to help, doesn't matter if it is how to use a machine, free weights, or if you just need a spot. Good luck and have fun!
  • happymommy321
    happymommy321 Posts: 60 Member
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    See if your gym offers some kind of training session or something. Form is super important for lifting so you want to make sure you are doing it right. This will also give you more confidence in using the equipment.
  • formerfatboy1
    formerfatboy1 Posts: 76 Member
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    I started out at 300lbs and turned my garage into a gym. Invested in some weights from Academy and a stationary bike. Wife bought me a treadmill for Christmas one year but I was still over weight and the treadmill had a limit of 250lbs so it wouldn't work till I was under that weight limit. Throughout my journey I stayed on the weight training and daily cardio. 3yrs in Nov and I'm still going strong. Invest in some equipment if you are not feeling the gym. Stay strong you got this!
  • ntw25
    ntw25 Posts: 149 Member
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    Started in the gym at 330lbs, started with Stronglifts 5x5, I like it as a entry way in to lifting, but I am starting to add a few more lifts with the help of a weekly PT session. As many have said, most people at the gym are more concerned about what they are doing than what you are, that said, I have never had a bad response when I asked a question about form or equipment.

    I really enjoy lifting weights, I will never be the strongest, I will never be ripped, but I am determined to be healthy and to be an ispiration to my wife, my kids and anyone else that cares to need it.

    Go and enjoy yourself, you will not regret it
  • Cielazul
    Cielazul Posts: 77 Member
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    Also, people who are fat usually have a fair bit of lean body mass (including muscle) because we have been hauling around a lot of extra personal poundage over time. So in fact, OP, as an overweight person, you are probably particularly qualified to start lifting weights!
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    ........I will never be the strongest, I will never be ripped, ..............


    tsk tsk tsk......
    So sad
  • BigLifter10
    BigLifter10 Posts: 1,151 Member
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    At the gym I go to, there is this one particular guy who weighs appx 300 + lbs. He started a couple of yrs ago and focused mainly on weights, eventually feeling like he had enough change in his body to do cardio. He has many times of stopping and starting (he told me he likes to eat and fights that all the time). However, that man can pump out 25 minutes on the step mill like nobody's business. He didn't start that way, but even now, with extra weight....he owns that thing and I believe it has a lot to do with his weight lifting that he started with. You just know he is packing muscle under the excess.

    Personally, I would love to see him shed the extra fat layers just to see what he'd look like, but also for him alone. I want to see him succeed. He never asks for any advice and I don't just offer any...but I always give him a thumbs up or a nice to see you when I see him there. I do believe someday he will break through in the way he needs to, but for now....it is just great he is there. He keeps on and doesn't let anything in the gym derail him.

    Just go and do your thing....you never know who you will be impressing!
  • ysienkiewicz
    ysienkiewicz Posts: 86 Member
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    I signed up with a personal trainer. I am 50, very out of shape/overweight, and had a shoulder injury earlier this year. I want to lose weight efficiently, and safely. I am really excited! She helps pump me up, try new things. she is teaching me proper form. It is helping with my confidence. It isn't cheap, but I quit smoking 4 years ago. I was a pack a day smoker for about 25 years. I figure I was spending at least $180/month on cigarettes and now I am spending that on my health!
  • lgpperry1
    lgpperry1 Posts: 11 Member
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    I do recommend getting a trainer to at least show you proper form. If you pick a beginning lifting program like Starting Strength or StrongLifts, you can stick to that instead of keeping a trainer on board to work with you long term (hiring a trainer can get pretty expensive).

    People in the weight room might look intimidating, but they're really no different than people anywhere else: a few of them might not be super friendly, but most people are pretty nice as long as you don't get in their way. In general, watch where you're going and don't walk where anyone's range of motion is while they're lifting. If you catch people looking at you they are either A. thinking about how cool it is that you're getting into lifting or B. eyeballing that heavy weight you're lifting just in case they need to jump in and give you a spot so that you don't squish yourself. I worked out in a giant commercial gym full of meathead types for close to a year and never once did I see anyone being mean to anyone else.

    The gym is a weird little community. In general, people don't want to talk to other people while they're working out, but everyone wants to see everyone else succeed... especially when you get into it and become a familiar face.
  • Redheadllena
    Redheadllena Posts: 353 Member
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    I think as a male you'll have less people chatting you up, and if anything, they'll be offering advice, or to help spot you. I agree with what the other posters said - no one will judge you, if anything they'll be happy to see you in there working on yourself.

    Repeating what the others have said; a personal training session would be a good start to get acquainted with the gym and what they have there. Then after that, Youtube is your best friend. That is where I learned and perfected my form the most, just watching videos of people showing proper technique. I also read up as much as I can, because as with anything, there are a lot of opinions out there on how do things.

    I still get intimidated to go lift by myself and I've been at it 1.5 years (and I'm a pretty confident girl) but if you just remind yourself why you want to do it, and stay focused, the sooner you'll be in and out of the gym. I just keep my head down and get to business on my workout. I also recommend a lifting app, such as Fitocracy for example. I use it to track my workouts and so I can remember how much I lifted on which exercises the last time I did them.

    Best of luck to you!!
  • Redheadllena
    Redheadllena Posts: 353 Member
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    Oh and afterthought, I recommend using free weights as much possible (dumbbells & barbells) - get well acquainted with those, particularly the big lifts (full body compound lifts like bench press, deadlifts, squats). You will get the most "bang for your buck" with those as they work out your whole body.

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