When to start lifting?
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LinzNicholeV
Posts: 133 Member
This might get a little lengthy, so if you want to skip ahead to the point, it's: How soon into beginning exercise would you start incorporating strength training?
So I'm right at 299lbs. I just started taking my weight loss seriously, as in actually putting in effort, about 3 weeks ago. I've lost 6 lbs. by walking 2 miles 5-6 times a week, drinking a ton of water every day, and trying to stay within my calorie limits (which has proven to be the hardest part).
I'm only walking for exercise right now because I have a bad habit of trying to do too much too fast. There's been several times my 300lb self has gone outside to "run" because "I'm going to start running" when I've never ever done any real exercise, at least before a few weeks ago. And I'm finding that walking isn't too strenuous on me, but it still gets my heart rate up and I can feel the good in my leg muscles so I know it's helping.
That being said, I really want to start lifting. I know at the end of my journey I'm going to have a ton of extra skin, and I'd like to do some work along the way to help prevent as much of that as I can. Is it too soon to start? I really want to work with a personal trainer who can teach me what I need to do, but I'm worried about diving in too soon and making a fool of myself if I'm going to feel like I'm dying after 5 minutes.
Any thoughts or advice?
So I'm right at 299lbs. I just started taking my weight loss seriously, as in actually putting in effort, about 3 weeks ago. I've lost 6 lbs. by walking 2 miles 5-6 times a week, drinking a ton of water every day, and trying to stay within my calorie limits (which has proven to be the hardest part).
I'm only walking for exercise right now because I have a bad habit of trying to do too much too fast. There's been several times my 300lb self has gone outside to "run" because "I'm going to start running" when I've never ever done any real exercise, at least before a few weeks ago. And I'm finding that walking isn't too strenuous on me, but it still gets my heart rate up and I can feel the good in my leg muscles so I know it's helping.
That being said, I really want to start lifting. I know at the end of my journey I'm going to have a ton of extra skin, and I'd like to do some work along the way to help prevent as much of that as I can. Is it too soon to start? I really want to work with a personal trainer who can teach me what I need to do, but I'm worried about diving in too soon and making a fool of myself if I'm going to feel like I'm dying after 5 minutes.
Any thoughts or advice?
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Replies
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Start yesterday!
The good thing about weight training is that you do exercises at your level. You increase weight or reps as you go to make progress.0 -
It's never too soon to start. Lifting helps you retain muscle mass as you lose.0
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Today.0
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That's good to know. I'm just really clueless about this so I wasn't sure if lifting was going to be one of those things that "my body wasn't ready for" like me trying to go from no exercise to running 5 miles lol. Is there anything I can read to learn about a good starting point, as in how many reps/weight I should start with?0
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Look up the book New Rules of Lifting for Women. I bought it and it really helped, even though I don't follow their program (instead I do Stronglifts 5x5, another great beginning lifting program).0
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Definitely start asap. The first time around I lost weight (calorie deficit + running) I did no resistance training and I shudder to think how much lean mass I lost. I discovered lifting about a year ago and it’s become my main fitness focus.
There are a number of good programs out there. Starting Strength is available in a book and is summarized on the bodybuilding forum here. Others are Stronglifts 5x5, New Rules of Lifting for Women (I hear the book is good, but the program not the best), or Strong Curves (which is focused on one’s butt). They’re premised on doing few repetitions but with high weights (i.e. 5 reps), and increasing the weights as you progress and gain strength.
For running, I’d definitely take it slow. A lot of people seem to like the Couch to 5k program, so you could always look into that.
Best of luck 0 -
Start today!! Strength training is THE MOST IMPORTANT aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being a woman is great because it will give you womanly curves. Trust me, you will not get huge from weightlifting! My goal is to gain muscle mass and it's so hard being a woman just because of the lack of hormones we have in order to bulk in muscle.
What helped me start my weight lifting journey, and what really helped me learn A LOT is Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer on bodybuilding.com, here is the link:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html?searchterm=jamie eason livefit
Whether or not you follow her routine, you will find that reading some of what she has written and by watching the videos, she really empowers both men and women to find their own starting points and to build your base from there. I used her trainer and followed it twice instead of consulting a trainer, they can get very pricey and her information is as good or better than a lot of trainers out there.
No matter what you choose to do, always know that you should NEVER feel like you're making a fool of yourself for starting your journey to a healthier you. If you are in the gym or outside exercising, you are one step ahead of those who you think may be judging you so always know that.
Also a fun fact that I hope will inspire your weightlifting start, the more muscle your body has, the more your metabolism works to burn fat on your body. You will notice that missing a day or two of exercise won't be as detrimental than when you had very little muscle because your body is working harder to sustain bigger muscles. Strength training also burns more calories than cardio --yayyy for those that HATE cardio <me>. So start weightlifting now, or as soon as you feel ready.
I hope this helps! 0 -
Another question: I know that I won't get HUGE muscles without taking some kind of supplements, etc., but I still hear this debate about women lifting and doing lighter weight/more reps vs. more weight/less reps. Can anyone shed some light on this and why there's such a disagreement about this? Even my husband is "team less weight/more reps".
ETF spelling.0 -
Start lifting now, just make sure you start safely. Too much too fast is a surefire way to get injured. I like StrongLifts 5X5, which is a heavy lifting routine. You can also start with bodyweight exercises (like squats) to get your form solid.
I will say that lifting astronomically increases my appetite, especially as I get into heavier weights. Unfortunately, lifting does not burn that many calories, not like cardio. If you're struggling to keep within your calorie deficit now, before you start lifting, you may struggle more as you progress. Not a deterrent, just something to watch.0 -
theycallmelinz wrote: »Another question: I know that I won't get HUGE muscles without taking some kind of supplements, etc., but I still hear this debate about women lifting and doing lighter weight/more reps vs. more weight/less reps. Can anyone shed some light on this and why there's such a disagreement about this? Even my husband is "team less weight/more reps".
ETF spelling.
Some people are less educated about it than others and just believe the bull that some idiot spewed in the gym.0 -
Start lifting now - don't over do it.
In order to get huge muscles or even kind of big muscles it requires the following: eating lots and lots of extra calories (look at that video about what The Rock eats every day to get an idea of how much food), years of dedicated training, and a testosterone. The approach that you take will depend on how your body adapts to lifting and your goals. Some people see better results from one method over the other. But, if you never lift heavy you will never be able to lift heavy. So, IMO, less weight/more reps does not get you the same power. You will build muscle mass, and you will burn fat either way. You will not get hypertrophic unless you are really really trying to. I'm a fan of heavy lifting because I have specific performance goals that require power, and who doesn't like to feel more powerful?0 -
You can (and should) start strength training/ lifting, at a level scaled to your ability, as soon as you start exercising. As you get more fit, you can increase weight, and add more complex lifts. Strength training is far more important to weight loss than cardio is (though ideally, you should do both).
Also, team less weight, more reps is pretty much full of crap. If you can lift something 30 times in a row, it probably isn't doing that much for you. I'd start with weights you can lift for 3 sets of 10-12, and as your strength increases, vary lighter (maintenance day) weights at 3-4 sets of 10-12, with days of 5-6 sets at a weight you can only lift 3-5 times per set.0 -
last week...theycallmelinz wrote: »Another question: I know that I won't get HUGE muscles without taking some kind of supplements, etc., but I still hear this debate about women lifting and doing lighter weight/more reps vs. more weight/less reps. Can anyone shed some light on this and why there's such a disagreement about this? Even my husband is "team less weight/more reps".
ETF spelling.
read this...
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
check out this supah bulky chick...
you'll see supah bulky Staci in the link above...
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Start at 5.30 pm for optimal gains.0
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theycallmelinz wrote: »Another question: I know that I won't get HUGE muscles without taking some kind of supplements, etc., but I still hear this debate about women lifting and doing lighter weight/more reps vs. more weight/less reps. Can anyone shed some light on this and why there's such a disagreement about this? Even my husband is "team less weight/more reps".
ETF spelling.
That might come from the training that dancers do with weights(Not sure if this is still the case as I've been out of the circuit for 4 years). I used to do competitive dance and the logic given for light weights/many reps was that we would be using that muscle repeatedly over long periods, but we wouldn't actually be lifting much with it(ie, baton, ribbons, maybe a flag). Whereas the guys lifted heavy weights with few reps, because they had to be able to lift us, but not very many times per routine. Coach always said to train for what you're going to be doing.
That said, I'm now in a position where I lift light-moderate weight(50 -80 lbs) for many reps, it hasn't made me look bulky, just very nicely defined in the areas I use most.0 -
theycallmelinz wrote: »Another question: I know that I won't get HUGE muscles without taking some kind of supplements, etc., but I still hear this debate about women lifting and doing lighter weight/more reps vs. more weight/less reps. Can anyone shed some light on this and why there's such a disagreement about this? Even my husband is "team less weight/more reps".
ETF spelling.
Most people are still under the impression that women can bulk up with no effort at all which is a myth. That's probably why your husband and many others think women should only lift 5lb weights and do 20+ reps.
Follow the input of others on this post and look into Starting Strengths, Strong Curves, New Rules, and Strong Lifts and find which one you will enjoy most.
ETA: Original quote changed0 -
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1096001-halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky?page=13#posts-19366042theycallmelinz wrote: »Another question: I know that I won't get HUGE muscles without taking some kind of supplements, etc., but I still hear this debate about women lifting and doing lighter weight/more reps vs. more weight/less reps. Can anyone shed some light on this and why there's such a disagreement about this? Even my husband is "team less weight/more reps".
ETF spelling.
Start now...Strong lifts, NROLFW or starting strength.
As for the debate to be quite frank it comes from lack of education.
Adding muscle is not a bad thing...and unless you are taking actual steriods your muscles won't get huge ever.
I lift heavy...do I look huge???? no...I am a size 4 and can bench 130lbs, squat 200, DL 230 and OHP 98.5 (those are all my 1RM).
If you want to be strong, keep your muscle while losing fat and feel amazing...lift heavy barring that do some form of resistance training at least to keep the muscle and feel amazing...it won't make you that strong but it's something.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
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Start lifting now. It can do amazing things for your body.
Some good starter programs: Stronglifts 5x5, New Rules of Lifting for Women, or Strongcurves.
It is perfectly a-ok to lift heavy weights for fewer reps. To get "bulky" you have to purposefully try. It takes a long time and a lot of food to get bulky, even longer for a woman because of hormones. You won't turn into she-hulk because you lift heavy weights. I lift heavy, and I've gotten smaller in the 8-9 months since I started.
ETA: If you can, try to get 1-3 sessions with a trainer. They can help you with form and introduce you to lifts you may have no experience with.0 -
I'm soooo grateful for all of this information!! I just wish my computer at work (that I'm currently using) was modern enough to let me read/watch the links that have been suggested. Unfortunately it is quite a dinosaur so that part will have to wait until I get home.
Do any of you have any experience with Bodypump and it's benefits? I've taken the class a handful of times in the past and really enjoyed it, but given my lack of knowledge I'm not sure how much it can be compared to the lifting that we're talking about.0 -
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1096001-halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky?page=13#posts-19366042theycallmelinz wrote: »Another question: I know that I won't get HUGE muscles without taking some kind of supplements, etc., but I still hear this debate about women lifting and doing lighter weight/more reps vs. more weight/less reps. Can anyone shed some light on this and why there's such a disagreement about this? Even my husband is "team less weight/more reps".
ETF spelling.
Start now...Strong lifts, NROLFW or starting strength.
As for the debate to be quite frank it comes from lack of education.
Adding muscle is not a bad thing...and unless you are taking actual steriods your muscles won't get huge ever.
I lift heavy...do I look huge???? no...I am a size 4 and can bench 130lbs, squat 200, DL 230 and OHP 98.5 (those are all my 1RM).
If you want to be strong, keep your muscle while losing fat and feel amazing...lift heavy barring that do some form of resistance training at least to keep the muscle and feel amazing...it won't make you that strong but it's something.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
Whoa, those numbers…
Nicely done!! 0
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