Women, Weight-lifting and Weight Loss Question

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persilcolours
persilcolours Posts: 92 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I joined MFP last month and have gone through these boards enough to see the awesome benefits of strength training. Got it. Read the rave reviews about New Rules for Weight Lifting. Bought the book. Got it.

And now, my long-winded question and some background. I've cut calories to 1200 and I always eat my exercise calories back completely (and then some usually...). I only do cardio (have never down any strength training). I typically run 3-4 times a week and do the elliptical once or twice.

I'm getting married on June 23 -- that's 12 weeks away. I really want to focus on my arms (they could use the work) and stomach (could also use some work). I'm 5'3 and currently weigh 138 pounds.

I'm half-way through the book and it recommends that when building muscle (and doing Stage 1) and strength training, I should start by eating my maintenance calories (that's about 1984 calories on non work out days and 2232 calories on work out days) so that I don't stunt my muscle growth.

That seems like a lot of calories. Am I not going to see fat loss progress before my wedding date by following that calorie plan with strength training? Should I put off this program and stick to cardio and lower calories to lose weight before the big day (the dress is tight? I fear with that program I'll gain muscle but still have it under a layer of fat (read: bad arms).

An aside: I'm on a half-marathon training schedule and will all that running plus strength training stunt my muscle growth? Will the cardio undo the strength training (as in, no muscle growth)? Or should I abandon cardio for these 12 weeks?

Any ladies gone through this before -- did you eat maintenance calories and see fat loss within 12 weeks? Any advice on this (from males or females)? I'm confused and would really appreciate some advice.
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Replies

  • persilcolours
    persilcolours Posts: 92 Member
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    And I've taken note -- PROTEIN. Protein, protein, protein. I'm talking about eating the maintenance calories while hitting the ideal protein mark.
  • becka63
    becka63 Posts: 712 Member
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    Interesting, I'm similar to you in that I'm 5'4" and 139lbs. I'm looking to lose the last 7lb and have also 'seen the light' and bought the book!

    I read a fascinating post on here about "major success with eating more calories" or something similar, that might help allay your fears re upping your calories.

    I recently changed my settings on here to maintenance and sedentary. Usually when I get to 139lb it is a fleeting visit before I'm on the wrong side of 140 again, I know this is a small amount, but when you're only looking to change 7lbs....it feels enormous! This time, I have remained at 139, my minimum calorie intake is 1630 on days I don't exercise.

    My routine at the moment includes running twice a week, I'd like to increase it to 3 times. I'm just finishing off ChaLean extreme and have loved it and will probably do it again. My 'non-exercise' activities include gardening, which I log because I'm digging over 1/16th acre of allotment ground and it's hard going!

    I know you're time restricted with your wedding, how comfortable would you feel upping calories for 4 weeks and seeing what progress? That'll give your body chance to get used to what you've done and a start on your strength routine. Good luck!
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
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    bump
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    I wouldn't know how to advise you, but I've consistently read that it is very difficult to lose fat while building muscle; articles usually say one goal at a time. I would concentrate on losing fat through your diet and continuing with a normal cardio and strength training program.

    In addition, average exercisers often do not need extra protein. A lot of time we ordinary people fixate on advice that is intended for people with very different needs.
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,376 Member
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    These may help you...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/541082-up-your-calories-and-see-results?page=1#posts-7580701

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/524791-women-who-eat-more-than-1800-calories-a-day
  • MrsRobertson1005
    MrsRobertson1005 Posts: 552 Member
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    Bump
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    What I'd do at very least is to change your calorie goal to a half pound a week, or 250 calories below maintenance. You'll still lose weight, but you'll keep more of your lean muscle mass. Cardio + 1200 calories = losing muscle mass = looking bigger at your goal weight than if you'd kept more muscle.

    I didn't start strength training until I was pretty much already at my goal weight. Wasn't really a conscious thing, I just never really thought of it until after I'd done the Warrior Dash and realized I was stronger than I thought I was, and wanted to get stronger still. Didn't realize it would or could change my body so much!

    I was happy with my progress doing mostly cardio. By this time last year, I'd already lost about 20 pounds and had just adjusted my calories to a half pound a week loss, or around 1500 calories (plus exercise calories... always ate 'em, always will). Over the next few months, I lost 10 more pounds, then I started lifting in July.

    Here's what that progress looked like... Doing mostly cardio, I lost weight and got smaller, but my body stayed pretty much the same shape. On the other hand, I only "lost" one pound since then (in reality, I'd lost about five, gained eight since October, then lost four since February... and I've been "on maintenance" since October).

    pink-bikini-front.jpg

    Take pictures and measurements, start strength training, eat a bit more, and toss the scale out the frickin' window. :smile:
  • Mompanda4
    Mompanda4 Posts: 869 Member
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    Bump
  • KeriA
    KeriA Posts: 3,273 Member
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    If you continue to eat only 1200 net calories your metabolism will lower since you are eating below your BMR which is what your body needs if you lay in bed all day. Women are losing on much less calorie deficits than what you are set at with good exercise and strength training. With your setting you will eventually stall out and you will have a slower not faster metabolism. Don't know why you would want that. Eat more when you exercise more. Eat above your BMR. Other wise you will lose muscle not build it.
  • sophsw
    sophsw Posts: 81 Member
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    bump
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    It depends on how tied to the scale you are and how much you want your arms to look good in that dress. (I'm assuming you have a sleeveless dress with a June wedding.) Personally, I'd throw out the scale and hit the weights. Combining the weights with your marathon training can keep you from gaining as much in lean tissue because the running will use up some of the glycogen you store from the weight training. But, if you combine the weighs with the cardio right after, you will get much better fat burns from your workouts. While the scale won't move as much or may even go up, you will see vast improvements in your definition and the muscles will firm up. Even if you have lot of fat left to lose afterwards, your muscles will act kind of like a girdle and hold in the fat underneath it so that it is less apparent. (IE: You won't jiggle as much.)

    Personally, for nutrition, though, I wouldn't recommend eating at maintenance and eating back exercise calories if you still want to focus on fat loss. I'd figure RMR (BMR and normal activity not counting exercise) and eat 80% of that on days you don't exercise. I'd even set the RMR as the goal for MFP and then take the total after it adds exercise to multiply by 80% to get the minimum to eat on exercise days. Eating at 80% of TDEE won't give you massive losses, but it will make sure you are primarily losing fat while you are working on this program.

    As a side note, I put a cardiac rehab patient on a 5x5 weight program followed by running in preparation for a 5K during my internship. He lost 6% body fat (16 pounds of body fat) in 6 weeks. He only lost 6 pounds on the scale so even with the running training, he was still able to store glycogen with the program. His diet was designed the way I posted above (eating 80% of TDEE or more). So, while people will say you can't lose fat and build muscle at the same time, I've personally seen otherwise. This is just the most recent example I've seen.
  • L00py_T0ucan
    L00py_T0ucan Posts: 1,378 Member
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    bump
  • irishgirl63
    irishgirl63 Posts: 53
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    This a big misconception !! I have been lifting for all most 6 months and lost 21 lbs so far my wHusband as well has lost 55 lbs . YES you can loose weight and weight lift it will boost your metabolism and you gain lean muscle mass and burn fat don't let any one tell you muscle weighs more then fat please this is so wrong .With you being a female and having estrogen and not testosterone weight lifting will not allow you to bulk up unless you take steroids and other bad supplements you will gain lean muscle and tone those arms I suggest that you pick up the book weight lifting for women it will lead you in the right direction and proper from as well as a exercises and plan n how to build muscle . Yes eat as much protein you want it will keep you full and build lean muscle

    I wouldn't know how to advise you, but I've consistently read that it is very difficult to lose fat while building muscle; articles usually say one goal at a time. I would concentrate on losing fat through your diet and continuing with a normal cardio and strength training program.

    In addition, average exercisers often do not need extra protein. A lot of time we ordinary people fixate on advice that is intended for people with very different needs.
  • tiffbou2
    tiffbou2 Posts: 34 Member
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    This is interesting. I recently started Chalean Xtreme. I am not following the training schedule for it really - I'm doing the strength workouts 3X a week, and abs twice a week. I have 3-4 cardio days in addition to it, alternating cardio and strength days, doubllng up one of the days with shorter workouts and resting completely one day. I AM in my weight loss phase, and was hoping that the Chalean program would help with that.
    MFP is giving me 1300 calories right now for my weight loss goal. It gives me extra for my cardio activities but not for strength training? Does this mean I should be eating more than 1300 calories on the days I strength train? I don't lift "heavy" but I bicep curl 12 lbs and row 18, for instance, which is twice as heavy than I would have done back in the day when instructors were preaching high rep/low weight.
  • HuntingArpegius
    HuntingArpegius Posts: 41 Member
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    bump
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,806 Member
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    I don't necessarily trust eating plans from exercise plan books. Do what works for you. I would definitely up your calories though if you're going to attempt a half and strength training. The trickiest part I think will be figuring out your workout schedule because you need some recovery time to build up your long runs, but also to recover from strength training.

    I do not know NROL4W first-hand. Is it true that you're lifting several days (more than 3) in some of the weeks? If so, I would maybe try something like Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5 which is a simple A/B schedule simply for the fact that it would be easier to incorporate while still training for your Half-Marathon. However, if I'm wrong about NROL then feel free to disregard.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    And really, the biggest benefit of extra protein and lifting isn't "gaining" muscle, it's keeping what you already have.

    To get "credit" for the calories burned during strength training, you have to add it in the "cardio" section. There's a blurb about this in the FAQ, and I really, really wish they had the explanation on the exercise page because it's a question that gets asked multiple times a day.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/help/faq/91-doesn-t-strength-training-burn-calories-why-don-t-you-show-any-calories-burned-for-strength-training
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    I just want to say that I took TrainingWithTonya's advice and changed program just last week. I saw results within days. You just have to give strength programs time to be really effective.
  • tiffbou2
    tiffbou2 Posts: 34 Member
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    And really, the biggest benefit of extra protein and lifting isn't "gaining" muscle, it's keeping what you already have.

    To get "credit" for the calories burned during strength training, you have to add it in the "cardio" section. There's a blurb about this in the FAQ, and I really, really wish they had the explanation on the exercise page because it's a question that gets asked multiple times a day.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/help/faq/91-doesn-t-strength-training-burn-calories-why-don-t-you-show-any-calories-burned-for-strength-training

    Thanks for the link! Your before and after pics are a real inspiration - you've got gorgeous muscle definition.
  • SnazzyTraveller
    SnazzyTraveller Posts: 458 Member
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    bump.... although im not in so much of a hurry, good question!

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