When Do I Start Strength Training?

Right now. Stop reading this and go pick up some heavy things!

It is incorrect to say that one should not introduce weights until you plateau during dieting. You can lift weights at any point-while losing, gaining, or maintaining.

IDK what intoned skin is. I thought "intone" meant something about the pitch of the voice? If you lose a lot of weight, you will probably have extra skin left over. That's just the way it is. Strength training can not help much with that. Lifting weights strengthens your muscles, not your skin. I lost 40lbs, went from a size 10 to size 0, and my skin is not as tight as I would like. I lift weights. My muscles are strong, I have definition. But, there's still the skin issue.

The type of resistance training you do is up to you. Body weight exercises/more reps with light weights is just a different type of training than progressive weight lifting. Hypertrophy range (muscle growth or "bulking") is considered to be somewhere between 6-12 reps with heavy/challenging weight. More than that is considered endurance, less would be mostly for strength. Also, don't think just because you have 4 reps you won't grow at all, just you will grow less than 6 or 8 reps, etc etc. This isn't exact, it has to do with your fitness level, intensity, and percentage of 1 rep max, as well as your diet. You need to be in a caloric surplus to properly "bulk". Calorie deficit + strength training= more muscle retention while losing weight. Calorie deficit only (no strength training)=lose fat and muscle.

I am starting the plan in The New Rules of Lifting for Women book this month. There is a forum for it on MFP, too.

These are two different things. You can start with the weights any time you like. No reason to put put it off.

Loose skin - you're young. There's a good shot it'll just bounce back. Aside from losing slowly, there isn't much you can do about it except eat healthy and pray really hard.

Yes, in general you should incorporate both strength and cardio in your work out routine. Building and maintaining muscle helps you burn calories even when you are at rest. About 2-3 times a week you should consider strength training, and alternate with cardio. If you have access to a personal trainer it may be worth sitting down with them to set up a work out routine to suite your goals.

Now.

ASAP!

arykah3luvsya wrote: »

DancingMoosie wrote: »

Basically, you can add in strength training whenever you want. It is great for maintaining lean muscle mass as you burn fat. I'm not sure what you mean about the extra skin? If you are in a calorie deficit, you will not bulk by strength training. You might have extra skin left over after you lose a lot of weight, but strength training will not cause you to "have an abundance of extra skin."

By extra skin, I just mean that I have heard not to introduce weights until you plateau from dieting and cardio alone; but I'm worried that if I don't start lifting, I will be left with extra, intoned skin. I am, however, afraid of bulking. Is it better to use body weight resistance and just do you more reps, rather than progressive weight lifting? I'm really just wanting to tone and not gain alot of mass...

You will not 'bulk' if you are eating at a deficit. What you will do is lose both fat and muscle. Lifting heavy will maintain at least some of your muscle through your weigh loss.

Weight training is good for you at every stage. Others have summarised it very well - weight training will simply help you preserve as much lean mass as possible while you diet and lose weight.

Begin working out with weights now. Loose skin is unfortunately unrelated to your muscle tone. It takes a long time to catch up. My doctor told me to be very patient because it could be like 2 years. The weights will make you stronger and healthier, and prevent you from losing so much muscle while you lose the fat.

This very instant! You won't regret it!