Can strength training along help you lose weight without building muscle?

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blondielou1992
blondielou1992 Posts: 37 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Quick Question,

I really hate my arms, I'm quite petite 5ft 2 and 120 pounds - I used to have very thin arms that had no fat on them at all!

Over the past year I have put on about a stone and hate the way my arms look. I work in an office job and cant get much exercise during the day but have bought 1.5 kg weights and work my arms out every evening, will I lose weight by doing this?

I have cut my calories to about 1100 but the weight just doesn't seem to be budging! I find it very hard to find the time to fit cardio into my daily routine, is weight training enough?

I also really don't want big arms, and am scared I will make them better by lifting weights! I just want them toned up again, what would be the best way to lose my fat on my arms? I know you cant target weight loss on a particular body part but any help would be much appreciated!

Replies

  • Dragn77
    Dragn77 Posts: 810 Member
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    Im nooo guru, and sure that others will chime in with more scientific information, but no, some 1.5kg weights arent really going to do much, moreless make you *bigger* by that I guess you mean muscular.

    Strength training builds strength and definition...if you put in an intense strength work out, then your body will end up continuing to burn calories, but..no where near the level you are at, certainly not going to happen with the weights you have.

    How long have you been at your calorie deficit? Why 1100? Also yeah, you cant spot reduce, fat comes off the body whereever and whenever it decides to..we dont have much choice in that unfortunately. Eat at deficit and give it time.

    BTW, I had to laugh at "am scared I will make them better by lifting weights!" Im guessing you meant bigger? But yeah, once you lose the fat, if youve incorporated strength training, your arms will look better. Be afraid, be very afraid ;)
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    Weight loss comes from diet and a deficit of calories. You will not gain muscle or get "big arms" by using 5 pound weights. You won't do much of anything to your arms that way, truthfully. If you are truly eating 1100 calories per day (i.e., weighing and measuring everything) you will lose weight. However, that is a pretty low amount of calories, even for a petite person.

    My advice to you would be to get on a proper weight training program, and continue to measure and count calories - I would consider upping those calories as well.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,068 Member
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    you will not get bulky arms (or anything) unintentionally, just lift and keep to a deficit and you have nothing to worry about
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
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    Unless you're rehabbing a serious injury, 1.5kg weights won't do anything to your arms or any other part of your body, positive or negative. You could put them down and do the motions empty-handed to exactly the same effect. If you really don't want any visible muscle at all, you're pretty much stuck with table push-aways.
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
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    You need to lift heavier weights.....like at least 20-25# weights. 5lb dumbbells will do NOTHING for strength or toning. If you lift them fast enough though, you may see some cardio benefits.

    Eat at a deficit. Lift heavy weights. You are thin already, so you will lose weight slowly. It will come off wherever it wants to, but if you keep at it, your arms will eventually get smaller.

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