Switching Focus: Weightloss to strengthbuilding

LeoJay28
LeoJay28 Posts: 4 Member
edited November 19 in Motivation and Support
Hello,

I am one of your females that find it difficult to break away from the concept of losing weight. I really don't seem to want to do it (i know if i were committed enough, i would etc). This difficulty i face has led to years of yo-yo dieting, going between slimming world and calorie counting. I am quite tired of it. I wonder if a more sensible way to go is to leave the concept of it behind completely? I enjoy the gym and working out. I really enjoy lifting weights. I wonder if now i should purely focus on building strength in deadlift, squat, bench and push press - really focus my energy on it. For my mental health, accept my body for what it is? I know I could focus on both BUT for some reason the idea of losing weight and getting strong don't coexist very well. I seem to believe I cannot do one while doing the other?

Any thoughts would be very welcome!

Replies

  • LeoJay28
    LeoJay28 Posts: 4 Member
    Bump
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited June 2017
    All women should lift. The weights should be relatively heavy, which often means around 5RM to 8RM.
    Women (like men) should follow a progressive resistance program that focuses on compound lifts.
    At the very least moving relatively heavy weights will build bone density which can help prevent osteoporosis.
    Strength training will also offset muscle losses due to sarcopenia.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    The added muscle will also help keep the weight from returning because it will increase your BMR.

    Feel free to do some cardio after you lift or on days when you are not lifting.

    I recommend "Thinner Leaner Stronger" to the women I coach.

    For the record, there is no need for "Switching Focus".
    Strength training is a perfectly valid method of "Weightloss".

    They are not mutually exclusive like you seem to imply.

    Follow a reasonable diet long enough while moving sufficiently heavy weights often enough and you will lose body fat.
    You can have visible results in as little as 3 months (12 weeks) if you train and eat properly.

    As a woman, take a multi-vitamin, iron supplement and calcium supplement every day.

    CI:CO does not change just because you are weight training instead of doing cardio.
    You still cannot eat more than you need if you expect to cut fat.
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited June 2017
    LeoJay28 wrote: »
    Hello,
    BUT for some reason the idea of losing weight and getting strong don't coexist very well. I seem to believe I cannot do one while doing the other?
    That is really only valid for most people when moving weights near the intermediate range and/or they are training for something like powerlifting.

    The more body fat you have the longer you can train without eating to gain more weight/fat.
    It is not really an issue for women until they hit the ~20% body fat range, if then.

    You seem to have a lot of bad (or at least incomplete) information. As do most people.
    "Thinner Leaner Stronger" teaches you about proper diet and exercise as well as including a good training program.

    If you don't want to spend the money to learn what you don't know about exercise, diet & nutrition then StrongLifts5x5 is free on the internet.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    You can lose weight and increase strength simultaneously. I (re)started lifting while in a significant (-500+ cal/day) deficit and was able to increase the weight on my compound lifts substantially. I did not notice a lot of muscle growth until I shrank my deficit to about -250cal/day and then to maintenance.

    Have you considered eating at maintenance, and seeing where your gains and weight go for six weeks or so? You can adjust from there.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited June 2017
    I've been lifting heavy with a slight calorie deficit for awhile. Slow weight loss and I'm loving how my body looks. Do it!!!

    Just be cautious that you don't let your diet go completely out the window if you are that all-or-nothing about diet vs. exercise.
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