Females only - lifting/weight training results?

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  • Jilliankosto
    Jilliankosto Posts: 216 Member
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    Did any of you who saw results in toning and/or weight loss use machine weights? I try to use free weights (dumb bells) but my gym is small and most of the weights are machine. Is there still hope for me?
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
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    Jilliankosto wrote: »
    Did any of you who saw results in toning and/or weight loss use machine weights? I try to use free weights (dumb bells) but my gym is small and most of the weights are machine. Is there still hope for me?

    Free weights (IMO) are better. Not only do they allow you to target the muscle group you are working (I.e. glutes, quads, and hamstrings during squats), but they also force you to activative your core to keep your balance.

    As long as you are lifting progressively heavier and straining your muscles, you'll make progress. I would suggest trying to lift as much as you can with free weights and supplementing your main lifts with the weight machines.
  • jangus9416
    jangus9416 Posts: 69 Member
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    Bumpity bump
  • jangus9416
    jangus9416 Posts: 69 Member
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    Question to everyone whose seen results: what do you eat? Are you at a deficit, maintaining, or above? I just lost 12 lbs and I'm afraid of upping my calories. Also has anyone just used free weights? I'm afraid of deadlifts
  • jangus9416
    jangus9416 Posts: 69 Member
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    So basically I'm just afraid lol I don't want to fail and just gain fat again
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
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    jangus9416 wrote: »
    Question to everyone whose seen results: what do you eat? Are you at a deficit, maintaining, or above? I just lost 12 lbs and I'm afraid of upping my calories. Also has anyone just used free weights? I'm afraid of deadlifts
    jangus9416 wrote: »
    So basically I'm just afraid lol I don't want to fail and just gain fat again

    I eat at maintenance.
    I only use free weights (meaning dumbbells and barbells).
    Deadlifts are all about form. Can you hire a trainer for a session so they can help you with your form on all of the main lifts (squats, bench, deadlifts, etc.)?
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
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    I think I posted pictures in here quite a while ago (before or near the beginning of my recent pregnancy). It's great to see these photos - inspiration to keep working to get back to where I was. My little guy is 6 months old and I'm not making much progress yet. But I'm inspired to work at it again!
  • wolfsbayne
    wolfsbayne Posts: 3,116 Member
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    jangus9416 wrote: »
    Question to everyone whose seen results: what do you eat? Are you at a deficit, maintaining, or above? I just lost 12 lbs and I'm afraid of upping my calories. Also has anyone just used free weights? I'm afraid of deadlifts

    I'm in a deficit and I only use free weights. I'm sitting at 1660 calories a day and I lift 4 days a week. Deadlifts are king. They are, by far, my favorite lift. I'm losing about 1.5-2 pounds a month, sometimes less.

  • HeidiHoMom
    HeidiHoMom Posts: 1,393 Member
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    stephe1987 wrote: »
    Motivation is always great. but keep in mind that in order to see the results you want to see, you will need to first lower your body fat percentage. Lifting weights is fine and good to get stronger and it's supposed to be good for your bones, but most people suggest waiting until you reach your goal body fat percentage before trying to build muscle. Unless you're morbidly obese, I hear it's next to impossible to build muscle and lose weight at the same time. Building muscle is difficult for women because they have significantly less testosterone than men, but it can still be done. Best of luck to all the women weight trainers out there!

    I want to get stronger too but I still have some more weight to lose. I'm close to my first goal (when I'll finally not be considered overweight for my height and build) but I want to get even lower so I have a low enough body fat percentage to actually see the muscles I'll be building. :)

    Sorry but you are wrong, you do not need to weight until you lose weight before lifting.

    I was 70 lbs overweight and lost all of it through lifting weights and mfp. I put on 15 lbs of muscle while in a slight deficit.

    The only reason I am back at losing again is because I just had a baby but I know that lifting heavy weights is going to get my body back to wear it was in record time.

  • Alonnea
    Alonnea Posts: 70 Member
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    stephe1987 wrote: »
    Motivation is always great. but keep in mind that in order to see the results you want to see, you will need to first lower your body fat percentage. Lifting weights is fine and good to get stronger and it's supposed to be good for your bones, but most people suggest waiting until you reach your goal body fat percentage before trying to build muscle. Unless you're morbidly obese, I hear it's next to impossible to build muscle and lose weight at the same time. Building muscle is difficult for women because they have significantly less testosterone than men, but it can still be done. Best of luck to all the women weight trainers out there!

    I want to get stronger too but I still have some more weight to lose. I'm close to my first goal (when I'll finally not be considered overweight for my height and build) but I want to get even lower so I have a low enough body fat percentage to actually see the muscles I'll be building. :)

    You can actually incorporate weight loss and muscle training together and still have success on both. Weight lifting is actually what's going to make your body fat percentage change. You could be at your goal weight but still have a high body fat percentage. Weight lifting helps build muscle which can up the scale but will lower the body fat. I stayed the same weight but dropped 5% body fat in eight weeks when I started lifting three days a week. It's amazing how much your body can change without dropping weight on a scale.

  • fanncy0626
    fanncy0626 Posts: 7,116 Member
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    I regret not starting SL at the beginning of my journey here. I think I would have had much better results.

    I started stronglifts 5x5 on March 2, 2015 I have lost 10 7/8 inches in 7 weeks. At the beginning I lost 3.8 lbs but I gained some weight back. I also dropped 2 pant sizes. I have definite muscle contour and a lot less fat and cellulite. I started on MFP in Oct of 2014 and to date lost 38 lbs. I feel really hungry most of the time. I am still eating at a deficit between 1260 and 1360 calories. I SL every other day. I do Kenpo X kickboxing on SL days to help me with prior joint stiffness and back issues. On my rest days I do Kenpo x or zumba to also loosen up my joints. I had a deer tick bourn illness, anaplasmosis, which affects my joints very similar to Lymes. I went from doing 3 to 4 hours of cardio daily to 45 min to 1hr and 45min. I have seen much greater results the last 7 weeks with body recomposition then when I spent most of my day doing cardio.

    Does anyone else have extreme hunger?

  • jangus9416
    jangus9416 Posts: 69 Member
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    fanncy0626 wrote: »
    I regret not starting SL at the beginning of my journey here. I think I would have had much better results.

    I started stronglifts 5x5 on March 2, 2015 I have lost 10 7/8 inches in 7 weeks. At the beginning I lost 3.8 lbs but I gained some weight back. I also dropped 2 pant sizes. I have definite muscle contour and a lot less fat and cellulite. I started on MFP in Oct of 2014 and to date lost 38 lbs. I feel really hungry most of the time. I am still eating at a deficit between 1260 and 1360 calories. I SL every other day. I do Kenpo X kickboxing on SL days to help me with prior joint stiffness and back issues. On my rest days I do Kenpo x or zumba to also loosen up my joints. I had a deer tick bourn illness, anaplasmosis, which affects my joints very similar to Lymes. I went from doing 3 to 4 hours of cardio daily to 45 min to 1hr and 45min. I have seen much greater results the last 7 weeks with body recomposition then when I spent most of my day doing cardio.

    Does anyone else have extreme hunger?

    That's almost the minimum amount of calories ALL women are recommended. If you are at or close to your goal, I recommending increasing. Especially with that amount of exercise
  • ar9179
    ar9179 Posts: 374 Member
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    I agree. You need to fuel your activities. I'm 5'3" and eat 1500 daily with MUCH less activity than you. Yoga 2x/week, SL 2x/week, other miscellaneous activities that aren't scheduled. I'm still losing.

    I was eating around 1300 a day but felt tired and my workouts were suffering. Upping it to 1500 has helped a lot. You will likely be able to go quite a bit higher than that with all the cardio you do.
  • karmalovesbananas
    karmalovesbananas Posts: 9 Member
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    psych101 wrote: »
    Updated picture:

    10 months after baby
    vs a year of lifting heavy - I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than do cardio...though the occasional run does happen

    hhev30r6h42r.jpg

    This is so inspirational.
  • fanncy0626
    fanncy0626 Posts: 7,116 Member
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    Thanks for the input. I was afraid of gaining weight if I increased calories. It is nice to know that you ladies are able to have a higher calorie intake.
  • Mommy23js
    Mommy23js Posts: 31 Member
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    Alonnea wrote: »
    stephe1987 wrote: »
    Motivation is always great. but keep in mind that in order to see the results you want to see, you will need to first lower your body fat percentage. Lifting weights is fine and good to get stronger and it's supposed to be good for your bones, but most people suggest waiting until you reach your goal body fat percentage before trying to build muscle. Unless you're morbidly obese, I hear it's next to impossible to build muscle and lose weight at the same time. Building muscle is difficult for women because they have significantly less testosterone than men, but it can still be done. Best of luck to all the women weight trainers out there!

    I want to get stronger too but I still have some more weight to lose. I'm close to my first goal (when I'll finally not be considered overweight for my height and build) but I want to get even lower so I have a low enough body fat percentage to actually see the muscles I'll be building. :)

    If your goal is only to lose weight and see a lower number on the scale, then hit the cardio hard, and keep your calories low. However, If your main goal is to decrease your overall size, and basically look good naked, then hit the weights up your calories some. I am 5'7" and people are shocked when I tell them that I weigh 155 lbs. I lost around 20lbs between March 2014 and October 2014 primarily doing SL 5x5, and about 13 lbs of that was fat loss. It took me from a size 12 to a size 6/8.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    psych101 wrote: »
    Updated picture:

    10 months after baby
    vs a year of lifting heavy - I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than do cardio...though the occasional run does happen

    hhev30r6h42r.jpg

    You are a perfect example of how lifting is better!!! Good for you, you look fantastic!

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