Strength training for weight loss

TXHunny84
TXHunny84 Posts: 503 Member
edited October 3 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok I am completelt new to strength training....

If I want to lose weight lifting weights do I use less weight and more reps or higher weight and less reps? I do NOT want to bulk up....
Also how long would I have to exercise before I started seeing results?.... If I did weight lifting 3/4 days a week?

If I do cardio too - would it be better to do that before or after the strength training?

Thanks for your help!

Replies

  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
    I prefer cardio after.

    If you're in a caloric deficit, you won't bulk...at all...ever...not going to happen. Even if you're in a surplus you'd have to work at it. Try higher weights with lower reps. I repeat, you will not bulk up. Make sure you get enough protein in your diet.

    As far as results, everyone is kind of different .
  • TXHunny84
    TXHunny84 Posts: 503 Member
    ok thanks! I keep hearing different on the amount of weight and reps and I just get so confused! :):flowerforyou:
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    check out the New Rules of Lifting for Women book...its amazing! I'm in the 8th week of the program and have had amazing results (see my most recent blog post)
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Higher weights and lower reps for sure.. and no matter what, your not going to bulk because we are women, and don't have the testosterone like males do.

    As far as cardio before/after, I'm not really sure because I do my cardio on a different day. The days I lift weights, I just warm up for about 10 minutes on the treadmill and then go lift.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member


    If you're in a caloric deficit, you won't bulk...at all...ever...not going to happen. Even if you're in a surplus you'd have to work at it. Try higher weights with lower reps. I repeat, you will not bulk up. Make sure you get enough protein in your diet.

    As far as results, everyone is kind of different .

    This.
    the whole high rep vs low rep thing is silly.
    Do what you prefer. Heavy weights will build strength. Lighter weights with high reps is going to gear your more towards endurance. Either will work fine.
    Not gonna make a difference when it comes to "bulking up".
    It takes lots of calories and years of training to put on serious amounts of muscle.

    Keep the weight challenging.
  • sblair77
    sblair77 Posts: 355 Member
    I use Jamie Eason's 12 week trainer

    Check it out: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-1.html

    I'm in phase 2 now and lovin it!
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    I prefer cardio after.

    If you're in a caloric deficit, you won't bulk...at all...ever...not going to happen. Even if you're in a surplus you'd have to work at it. Try higher weights with lower reps. I repeat, you will not bulk up. Make sure you get enough protein in your diet.

    As far as results, everyone is kind of different .

    you are a female and unless you have some strange hormonal problem, you CANNOT bulk up. Ever. Not even if you try (okay, if you take steroids you will) but otherwise you wont! I Promise!
  • sarah829522
    sarah829522 Posts: 139
    Rest/Recovery is also very important.

    This is a great site with lots of info on strength training... http://www.bodybuilding.com/guides/
  • JaimeBrown5
    JaimeBrown5 Posts: 324
    I must have went to high school with quite a few 'roid users then, because I know three girls personally who went from tiny cheer leaders to BEASTS. I can provide FB links to their photos if you'd like (I'm not FB friends with any and I can see them so they're public.)
  • KiyaK
    KiyaK Posts: 519 Member
    save for the links :)
  • ablazier
    ablazier Posts: 2
    For about two months now, I've been "slow burn" weight training for 30 minutes, two days a week. It's been great so far! My muscles are toning quickly, but not bulking up. There's also some in the fitness world that think strength training is a more efficient way to burn calories. I am not a health or fitness expert, so who really knows. But, I do know that I am having success at losing 1.5 pounds per week on a reduced calorie diet with strength training only two days per week - and without doing any cardio. But, my trainer also said that it's 90% what you eat and 10% exercise.

    Here's a link about strength training you might find useful. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/cardio-vs-strength-training-workouts
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
    Low reps with Heavy weight. Build strength prior to working on endurance, otherwise you risk repetitive stress injury doing high rep isolation exercised. Google 5x5 or even search here.
    Cardio after if you do go w/heavy weights. Mild cardio/yoga or complete rest on non-weight days.
    Good luck!

    Oh and when you first start you should be weight training 3x's a week. More and you won't have enough recovery time, less and it's like you are starting over every time. Also make certain you are getting enough calories and even more so with protien.
  • TK421NotAtPost
    TK421NotAtPost Posts: 512 Member
    Also how long would I have to exercise before I started seeing results?.... If I did weight lifting 3/4 days a week?

    If I do cardio too - would it be better to do that before or after the strength training?

    Thanks for your help!

    This would all depend on the quality of your eating plan. Spend some time researching how much protein, carb and fat you should eat and create a daily menu that would reflect those determinations.
  • doughnutwretch
    doughnutwretch Posts: 498 Member
    I tend to do my cardio in the morning and strength training in the afternoon, but if I'm doing both in one gym sesh I do strength first and then cardio.

    You will not bulk if you are maintaining a calorie deficit so don't even worry about that. Your best bet would be to do higher weight with lower reps and focus on compound exercises such as squats, lunges, deadlifts, dips, rows and bench press. Your body will lean out and be more defined, but not bulky. Also, if you're going to be factoring in strength training, it's important to get a good amount of protein. Approx. 1g per lb of lean body mass.
  • The_Saint
    The_Saint Posts: 358 Member
    In my opinion the best scenarios go like this.

    If you can do two seperate sessions.
    AM cardio - before eating (taking advantage of the body's catabolic state)
    PM lifting

    If you must combine them, then do it this way.
    If you are in the AM do Cardio then Lifting. (taking advantage of the body's catabolic state)
    If you are in the PM do Lifting then Cardio. (creating a catabolic state prior to cardio)

    Results vary from person to person, and from males to females but 3 months solid should yield you some difinitive results. Continuing will only improve on them.

    Edited to correct my improper use of the word 'bodies' replaced it with 'body's'
  • istalkzombies
    istalkzombies Posts: 344 Member
    lots of good info in this thread been looking for good answers on this as well
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    Lift heavy (for you). Don't lift for cardio, meaning don't do super high rep stuff (more than 12 reps). You get the most out of lifting weights at 8 reps giver or take a couple. If you are concerned about keep HR up to burn more calories, don't be. Lifting has a purpose (to build/maintain muscle and strength) and cardio has a purpose (burn calories and increase cardio fitness). don't try to make one do what the other's purpose is to do. Do cardio and do it well or lift and do that well. Perferably you'll do them both and focus on the strengths of both types of execise.

    Cardio is for the immediate burn, lifting raises metabolism for upt to 48-72 hours.
  • TXHunny84
    TXHunny84 Posts: 503 Member
    WOW! OK thank you all for the help and answers!! I'll do heavy(for me) weights! I need to burn lots of fat so....I want to have a higher metabolic rate....and I'm hoping weight training will boost my metabolism so I burn calories at a higher rate. That's the biggest reason I want to start weight training.
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