Ladies and lifting weights while losing weight

heather0709
heather0709 Posts: 110 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
everyone seems to have different opnions. I need lose 30 pounds hopefully by June. Lost 5 already, but from being pregnant I have a ton of fat on my legs, and little on my arms. Does lifting small weights help?
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Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Lift da big ones.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Lift da big ones.

    I lost my 27-30 pounds while lifting on a deficit. Thank god someone told me to do that.
  • viclrstew
    viclrstew Posts: 15 Member
    yep, gotta lift heavy. You won't bulk up if that's a concern, but you'll get strong!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Lift heavy and stay in a deficit.
  • heather0709
    heather0709 Posts: 110 Member
    edited March 2015
    What about the fat? I don't want to build muscle over fat and gain weight. Thanks for the replies
  • heather0709
    heather0709 Posts: 110 Member
    I lost 45 pounds 3.5 years ago and now doing it again
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Lift heavier weights. When I think of small weights, I think 5, 10 pounds. A gallon of milk is 8 lbs. A newborn baby is usually 6-8. A year old is 18+. Think of how often you lift those already and you'll realize that "small weights" aren't going to get you too much beyond where you are now, strength-wise.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    heather0709 wrote: »
    What about the fat? I don't want to build muscle over fat and gain weight. Thanks for the replies

    Building muscle requires a calorie surplus
    Building strength =/= Building Muscle

    Strength training helps maintain your current muscle mass. A deficit helps to lose fat.

    Without strength training you lose a larger portion of your muscle mass than you would if you did strength training.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    heather0709 wrote: »
    What about the fat? I don't want to build muscle over fat and gain weight. Thanks for the replies

    If you're in a calorie deficit, lifting will not cause you to build muscle.

    Lifting while losing helps ensure you're losing fat instead of lean body mass. Look up Stronglifts 5x5 or New Rules of Lifting for Women to find a program that works for you.
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    You can't "build muscle over fat". What will happen if you lift heavy weights while dieting, is you will build a tiny bit of muscle (new lifter gains in a defecit) and preserve the muscle you currently have.

    The only way to actually add a decent amount of muscle is to lift heavy WHILE eating a surplus of calories.

    Lift as heavy as you can.

    Look into the new rules of lifting for women or strong lifts 5x5.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited March 2015
    Here's a good thread for you to look at:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/977538/halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky/p1

    and
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1045433/women-lifting-heavy-with-pics

    and
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    heather0709 wrote: »
    What about the fat? I don't want to build muscle over fat and gain weight. Thanks for the replies

    That won't happen. You don't build muscle unless you're in a surplus.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    Here's a good thread for you to look at:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/977538/halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky/p1

    and
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1045433/women-lifting-heavy-with-pics

    and
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
    tumblr_m85bw9fGtf1rqfhi2o1_500.gif

  • heather0709
    heather0709 Posts: 110 Member
    Thanks ladies!!!!! My 14 month old is 20 pounds! So will do little more than that.
    I'm going to check out the threads, thanks! My husband keeps telling me everything Ya all are saying. I'm gonna check out all that info thanks
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Small weights are less than useful

    lift heavy and heavier
  • SilverRose89
    SilverRose89 Posts: 447 Member
    edited March 2015
    Hey, I also would like to lose 30lbs by June :)

    I've been working out for 2 months but cardio only. Just added lifting into my plan (I'm doing Stronglifts 5x5) and I freaking LOVE it.

    It preserves muscle, makes you stronger, makes you want to keep at it as you see those increases in strength quickly, will make you look awesome once you've lost the weight on top of those muscles and is so much more interesting to me than cardio. What's not to love?! :smiley:
  • meremaid2014
    meremaid2014 Posts: 18
    Ooooh I loved doing strong lifts! Definitely lift heavier weights, fewer reps - not lifting teeny tiny weights for infinite reps.
  • SilverRose89
    SilverRose89 Posts: 447 Member
    meremaid2014 wrote: »
    Ooooh I loved doing strong lifts! Definitely lift heavier weights, fewer reps - not lifting teeny tiny weights for infinite reps.

    It's so good!

    The only problem I have found is it makes you want to be a bit nosey with friends work out plans. My friends all just do teeny weights high high reps and I want to be like "noooo do this it's way more fun!".

    But I don't want to be that person :neutral_face:
  • VagablondViking
    VagablondViking Posts: 22 Member
    Same here. I've just been swimming laps for two months, but my roommate has been doing Stronglifts and got me started on it. After two weeks, I love it. It's simple enough for me to remember (the phone app is great too, idiotproofs me having to remember what weights I need or which set I'm on).

    The first two workouts were brutal even though the weights were relatively light. I hadn't squatted in a really long time and I think those muscles forgot they existed.

    Also, just the time commitment is great. I can totally commit to getting up early three days per week. I try to do a little swimming after if I have time, but that's not even for the cardio. It just helps me not be so sore the next day.

    And I'm right there with you about watching women lift really light weights for endless reps. Why do two-pound dumbbells even exist!? I don't want to be that person either.... it's not my place to say anything. I love seeing women in the weightroom. There's a ridiculously fit army chick at my gym and she's my daily motivation. She's really nice and always willing to give advice when I ask for it.

    I feel stronger (stairs no longer kill me) and my posture has already improved. I'm planning on doing Stronglifts long-term.

  • Sweet_Heresy
    Sweet_Heresy Posts: 411 Member
    SilverRose89 wrote: »
    meremaid2014 wrote: »
    Ooooh I loved doing strong lifts! Definitely lift heavier weights, fewer reps - not lifting teeny tiny weights for infinite reps.

    It's so good!

    The only problem I have found is it makes you want to be a bit nosey with friends work out plans. My friends all just do teeny weights high high reps and I want to be like "noooo do this it's way more fun!".

    But I don't want to be that person :neutral_face:

    I kind of am that person. Like "Guys c'mon get off the elliptical and do some squats with me." Lol.

    Lifting heavy is great for weight loss. I'm only 2 weeks into SS and my clothes fit better already. You might not notice much on the scale the first couple of weeks (I haven't bothered to weigh myself), but you'll look and feel much better.

    Good luck!
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    Lift heavy! a pound of muscle is a fraction of the size of a pound of fat, dont worry about the number on the scale, you'll feel great. You wont bulk up in size.

    http://www.ncscooper.com/local-woman-quits-gym-for-fear-shell-look-like-starla/
  • heather0709
    heather0709 Posts: 110 Member
    I just don't want to gain a bunch of weight! I did some yesterday and felt great, my gym has a ton for the legs also. I'm focusing on that more since all my pregnancy "fat" lol is in my legs. I started dieting two weeks ago exactly and lost 5 pounds. Ready to get rid of the 30 pounds!!
  • heather0709
    heather0709 Posts: 110 Member
    I lift 20 and 30 w my arms yesterday was hard when I did the 30, guessing since my 14 month old is 20 pounds lol
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    edited March 2015
    heather0709 wrote: »
    I just don't want to gain a bunch of weight! I did some yesterday and felt great, my gym has a ton for the legs also. I'm focusing on that more since all my pregnancy "fat" lol is in my legs. I started dieting two weeks ago exactly and lost 5 pounds. Ready to get rid of the 30 pounds!!

    You won't gain a bunch of weight...check my profile pics..I went from a size 16 to a size 4....deficit and lifting heavy....in my current profile pic I weigh 148lbs...size 4...

    and I am still lifting heavy after 2years that is how much I enjoy it.

  • mskinner1091
    mskinner1091 Posts: 180 Member
    Walking on the treadmill at an incline will help your legs.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    I've been lifting heavy, running intervals, and eating at a small deficit. I've lost a few pounds (less than 10) in the last year, but I've gone from a size 8 to a size 2. So, I could care less about the scale.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    heather0709 wrote: »
    I just don't want to gain a bunch of weight! I did some yesterday and felt great, my gym has a ton for the legs also. I'm focusing on that more since all my pregnancy "fat" lol is in my legs. I started dieting two weeks ago exactly and lost 5 pounds. Ready to get rid of the 30 pounds!!

    You will not gain weight unless you're eating more calories than you burn. You can't gain weight (fat OR muscle) in a calorie deficit.
  • AmandaHugginkiss
    AmandaHugginkiss Posts: 486 Member
    You are not going to gain a bunch of weight if you're eating at a deficit. Thermodynamics.

    Lift as heavy as you can. Keep cardio - preferably something like HIIT. Ignore the scale, and think long term instead of just to June.
  • jesiann2014
    jesiann2014 Posts: 521 Member
    In for lifting! I lost 11 lbs, reached my 'goal' weight then started lifting and have gained 5 of that back in the past 10 months. But I'm a size 4 so I'm certainly NOT complaining that the once-almighty number isn't what I thought it should be.
  • rylovesty23
    rylovesty23 Posts: 84
    LIFE WEIGHTS!!! P90x is a great example of what lifting weights can do to body fat- it eats it alive! I did p90x when I first started my weight loss journey 2 years ago.. In just 60 days I had seen huge results. I started Crossfit a year ago which involves a lot of olympic weight lifting, I have gotten stronger and stronger and lost more and more body fat. It's not unusual, muscle requires a lot of calories to live. Combine strength training with intense cardio and you will be there before you know it! :)! Get it girl!
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