New Rules of Lifting for Women group?

Hi all, hope you're having a great Friday! I completely believe that lifting weights will change the shape of your body over steady state cardio. I've just ordered the book and I am so excited about reading it. I''ll check in once I've read the book (probably with tons of questions1).

hi ladies....


I'm just starting .. I'm curios if you would mind sharing what weights you started out with????

tia

I don't have a barbell so I use dumbbells. I'm only in the beginning part of Stage 1 and here's what I started with:

Squats: 20lb. in each hand
Push-ups: regular ones
Rows: 10lb. in each hand
Step-ups: 15lb. in each hand
Deadlifts: 15lb. in each hand. I'm going to ease into this one until my form is perfect so I don't injure my back.
Shoulder Press: 10lb. in each hand
Lat Pulldown: 40lb.
Lunge: 15lb. in each hand - the book says to do 2 sets of 15 reps. I assumed this meant for each leg but 15 isn't an even number so I do 16 lunges (alternating legs so it's 8 each) for the first set, move to C2, then repeat the lunges for the 2nd set; so I'm doing a total of 32 lunges.

Each time I do the workout I will try to progress the load on all lower body exercises as I feel my legs are pretty strong. Although my hamstrings are underdeveloped compared to my quads (most womens' are). However, I will ease into the shoulder exercises so I can build up the connective tissues surrounding the larger muscles. For shoulder presses I will use 10lb. dumbbells 2-3 times then progress to 12lb. dumbbells 2-3 times, then 15lb. 2-3 times, etc.

I'm a beginner lifter but I did use 5 and 8lb. dumbbells for 2-3 months when working out to certain DVDs (Biggest Loser, The Firm, Jillian Michaels, etc.). I don't consider this true lifting, but rather cardio using light weights.

I finally read all of this thread. One more question: in terms of diet I think I've been eating too few calories (I'm 5ft 5ins and weight 149lbs) trying to lose 10lbs of fat (I have scales that measure body fat percentage so trying to reduce my overall body fat percentage as it's quite high)

I was eating 1380 calories per day and losing nothing for months :ohwell: :ohwell: but I know that eating less and exercising more is NOT the way to succeed so I've changed my goals to lose 0.5lbs per week and this allows me to eat 1680 calories per day. Is this a good move? This is still less that what NROLFW suggests for me but I think I will need to increase my calories gradually to reach the number it suggests?

Any thoughts, ideas, sugestions would be so much appreciated as I think this is thing that's really hindering my weight loss. I need all the help I can get :flowerforyou:

Sunshine,

I think it's smart to change your goal to lose 0.5lbs. per week, especially since you're only 10lbs. away from reaching your goal. That's how I finally busted through a 6-7 week plateau. But jumping up by 300 calories might be too much too fast. I would try increasing them by 150 per day for 2 weeks and then increase them by another 150. You can override your daily calories by customizing them.

Read the "guide to calorie deficits" link in my signature. Great info from a certified trainer and MFP moderator.

Oh my!! So I completed 2A1 today! It was a beast! And I loved every minute of it!!!!

There is nothing like going to the gym for a workout and you hit it hard for a good 35 minutes and you are done. The best part is, when I leave, I feel like I was in there for over an hour. I see people working out when I go in and they are still at it when I leave. I'm glad that isn't me anymore! Yea!! NRLW rocks!!!!

I did stage 2 workout A for the second time today and went really hard with the weights. I am loving it. I feel like I'm properly 'doing it' LOL :happy: :happy: :happy:

Not to be a show-off or anything but after working so hard with the weights (I broke a real sweat), and using the free weights section with some confidence (even though it was full of guys and 'personal trainers') I felt pretty darned pleased with myself and, if I'm totally honest a little sorry for those cardio women going at it for ages on the boring treadmill.

Now I'm into lifting weights I kinda feel as though I'm in a secret club that they don't know about - hee heev:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Loving NROLFW

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I know what you mean about the secret club! I was just telling Andy yesterday to make some money we need to open a gym that's for women only and is focused on lifting heavy. None of that Curves BS!
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That actually sounds like a great idea and I'm sure once people started to see the wonderful results your members achieved you'd be inundated with members

Oh my!! So I completed 2A1 today! It was a beast! And I loved every minute of it!!!!

There is nothing like going to the gym for a workout and you hit it hard for a good 35 minutes and you are done. The best part is, when I leave, I feel like I was in there for over an hour. I see people working out when I go in and they are still at it when I leave. I'm glad that isn't me anymore! Yea!! NRLW rocks!!!!

I did stage 2 workout A for the second time today and went really hard with the weights. I am loving it. I feel like I'm properly 'doing it' LOL :happy: :happy: :happy:

Not to be a show-off or anything but after working so hard with the weights (I broke a real sweat), and using the free weights section with some confidence (even though it was full of guys and 'personal trainers') I felt pretty darned pleased with myself and, if I'm totally honest a little sorry for those cardio women going at it for ages on the boring treadmill.

Now I'm into lifting weights I kinda feel as though I'm in a secret club that they don't know about - hee heev:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Loving NROLFW

I totally feel you!!! I feel bad for them too!!

GO NRLW!!!!

Hi,

I too would like to join this group. I've been lifting for a while on my own and have always seen the challenge in trying heavier weights. I've ordered the book - so am intrigued to see what its all about. My husband has been going to the gym for years, makes a big deal out of it, we went together the other day and I was v surprised to find he was on 35 k lat pulldowns, and after 6 months I am on 25k (55 pounds) ! I cant lie, I felt very good!! (He is quite a bit bigger than me too, I'm 5.3 and he is 5.10)

I am enjoying the changes in my body, but have yet to break my weigh myself every day habit. Although, I have actually gained recently, I still need to get leaner as I have a spare tyre round my middle.

After reading all this although I'm trying to lose fat too, I have upped my cals from 1200 (which I really struggled to stick to) to 1500 and customized the protein % etc. It all makes sense to me in the way that endless cardio and low fat eating does not.

Loads of women in my gym - doing endless cardio and not many in the weight machine area (where I am) and none in the free weights bit. I'm a bit daunted to go in there at the moment.

Its great to have somewhere to talk about this as even my friends who are sporty and in shape have no idea about lifting and even tell me its bad!

Looks like you're in the same situation as me as I can see from your ticker you have 7lbs to lose which is about what I'm aiming for, I also have a spare tyre around my tummy. I want to lose 7lbs of fat and a few inches off my 'tyre' LOL

I also upped my calories from 1300 ish to 1500(ish) and so I'll give it about 2 weeks before I weigh or measure to see if the increase has had a positive effect - which I'm confident it will.

Once you read the book you'll know exactly what to do in the weights area and because you'll have a program to follow you'll feel more confident. Let me know how you get on once you've read the book.

How many of you are doing this at home??

I am going to attempt to do this at home before investing in a gym membership. I was on vacation last week. I am going to spend this week trying to get what I need to start stage 1 at home.

Just finished phase 2! Thank goodness, i was not a fan of it . I also let a couple of weeks lapse before the very last workout. Debated starting over but i was able to pick up at the point where i left off. At what point do you start over, i wonder?

I just completed workout B of stage 2 last night and I am not a fan either!!! I feel it all through my body, so I know the workout is doing what it is suppose to. But it is a rough one for me. Just think, we have to do it again in stage 4!! Whoo hoo!!