When Do I Start Strength Training?

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arykah3luvsya
arykah3luvsya Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am needing some advice about how to keep extra skin, while losing weight, at bay. Right now, I am just counting calories,  per MFP, AND doing 30-40 mins of cardio on the elliptical and treadmill 4-6 times a week. Am I supposed to be strength training as well?? I have heard of people waiting until after they cut the weight and hit their plateau before they introduce strength training, but will that cause me to have an abundance of extra skin? Can someone with experience please give me advice as to when and how to introduce strength training,  how to lose fat and maintain my muscle and how to steer away from extra skin????

If it helps, I'm 28 female, had 3 cesareans, 5'8" 260" and I am hourglass shaped.
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  • madrose0715
    madrose0715 Posts: 463 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Now. 2-3x week, progessive loading, though you may find bodyweight exercise is where you need to start for now. Essential to minimizing muscle loss while in a deficit among other benefits.

    eta: I am 5'8, started at 245 lbs 3 years ago and am down almost 95 pounds now. Strength training has always been part of my exercise plan.
  • daedalus01
    daedalus01 Posts: 44 Member
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    Right now. Stop reading this and go pick up some heavy things!
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    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."
  • arykah3luvsya
    arykah3luvsya Posts: 14 Member
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    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...
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    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 won't gain mass or get bulky on a deficit.

    All the weight training will do is protect your muscles from falling victim during your weight loss. You lose muscle and fat when eating at a deficit, and weight training reduces the amount of muscle you lose and helps you burn more calories.

  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    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.
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
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    In my opinion, you should do both cardio and strength training regularly. How much you do of one or the other is completely up to the individual. Personally, I do cardio 5 times a week and strength training 3-4 times a week. That works for me. For some that's too much cardio. You have to tailor your workout plan to suit your needs.

    If you don't want to lift heavy or do not have funds to go to a gym so you can lift heavy, look into a bodyweight training program. I personally, chose to go the bodyweight training route b/c I don't like going to the gym. And I also don't like waiting. And from time to time you'll have to wait for equipment before you get to use it.

    Bodyweight training will take longer than lifting heavy, but you will see results with both. You can also do both bodyweight training and heavy lifting. It just comes down to preference.

    But I recommend starting strength training sooner than later.
  • noelkm67
    noelkm67 Posts: 118
    edited January 2015
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    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.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    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. :)
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited January 2015
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    arykah3luvsya wrote: »
    I am needing some advice about how to keep extra skin, while losing weight, at bay. Right now, I am just counting calories,  per MFP, AND doing 30-40 mins of cardio on the elliptical and treadmill 4-6 times a week. Am I supposed to be strength training as well?? I have heard of people waiting until after they cut the weight and hit their plateau before they introduce strength training, but will that cause me to have an abundance of extra skin? Can someone with experience please give me advice as to when and how to introduce strength training,  how to lose fat and maintain my muscle and how to steer away from extra skin????

    If it helps, I'm 28 female, had 3 cesareans, 5'8" 260" and I am hourglass shaped.

    Right from the start ...read strong curves or new rules of lifting for women for guidance or follow a programme

    Also 5'8, 2 sections and hourglass..but much older than you...it works :smile: (although skin is down to giving it time, genetics and luck)
  • Ishtancon
    Ishtancon Posts: 14 Member
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    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.
  • arykah3luvsya
    arykah3luvsya Posts: 14 Member
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    Thanks everyone!
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
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    Now.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    Yesterday.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    Yesterday.

    yup!
  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
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    Now.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    ASAP!
  • motherwesser
    motherwesser Posts: 35 Member
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    Agreed... with many above. Start doing some weights to a basic starting program. The muscles used after weight sessions will continue to "feed" on residual body reserve throughout the day and night. Weight lifting is more essential than cardio for losing weight but the cardio is needed for circulation and respiratory health.
  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
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    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.

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