Weight Lifting for Weight Loss: When Do I Start?

I agree with the "start now" club. First of all, when the weight comes off, you want something underneath it to "show off". I still have a hundred pounds or so to go but I am already seeing some evidence of muscle tone developing. Secondly, muscle burns fat more readily... By increasing your lean muscle, improve this catabolic process... Some suggest that you wait on the weight training just so you don't get overwhelmed and quit... It was recommended that I start with cardio but that I could start some weight training if I wanted to... Since this was not the first time I had been in a gym, I hit it all pretty much in the beginning... I like working out (once I got the initial diet in place)... I suppose the short answer here is... if you feel that you are ready.. do it... do it consistently to the level you feel comfortable with. Here is my suggestion .. take it or leave it.. it is not so much scientific as it does work for me...

50% cardio
50% weight training

On cardio, do whatever you are doing...
ON weights make sure you do upper body one day and lower body the next... Don't forget ab exercises...

DO NOT WORK THE SAME MUSCLES EVERY DAY... (reason: muscle mass actually builds on REST days... workouts tear down muscle BUT the rest day is what actually builds the muscle back in -- due to micro tears in the muscle tissue and the body's regeneration mechanism)... I did not understand this the first time I went into this (several years ago) and actually got weaker as I worked harder...Now I know why... Doing it the right way, I am now getting STRONGER with my workouts.

Don't be surprised if you see some slow down (at first) on the scales and maybe even a slight increase ... Muscle is heavier (denser) than fat.. Therefore, you may actually GAIN weight but LOSE inches. this effect will not be dramatic but it can seem like it is not working if you don't know what is going on...

I wish you the very best.

Are only weights considered 'strength training'?

To get the proper benefit, you need go 'lift heavy' - so in this context, yes (well, with the exception of push ups and pull ups I suppose as these don't actually include weights).

Thanks! So what is 'heavy'? ....I'm taking it my 1kg weights won't cut it!

Also is ab work etc considered strength?

I started strength training before I'd reached my goal weight, and then got pee'd off because my weight then started to go back up due to the weight of the muscle mass, so i stopped training. Now I'm almost at goal weight, so I'll start training in a couple weeks when i get there. Personally, I didn't want to start building my muscle on the fat that was left, I wanted to shift the fat that was there before builing the muscle up, I don't want to build bukly muscle, i want to to build toned muscle.

And how the hell can you people say that cardio doesn't work!!!!

The only exercise I do is walking very briskly for an hour every day, either at lunch time or in the evening, and thats all I've been doing, in line with eating 1200 cals per day, and I've lost almost 2 stone in under 4 months.

Now. Cardio sucks for weight loss, unless you have hours of free time every day.

Which I don't lol, so I'd rather make the most of my time spent in the gym.

How *often should I weight train? I've heard only twice a week.

If you are following a program like NROLFW, stick to the suggestions. Otherwise, you can go more 3 - 4 times a week depending if you split your workouts to different body areas (e.g. Legs, Back/Shoulders, Chest/Arms). Leave at least 2 full days break between working one area. And give your self at least 1 day of full rest a week.

Sorry to hijack post a bit -
Sarah, is there any benefit to doing split routines over full body?
I'm only doing upper body / abs at minute due to knee injury, but I'd be interested to know for when I can get back to lower body!

I started strength training before I'd reached my goal weight, and then got pee'd off because my weight then started to go back up due to the weight of the muscle mass, so i stopped training. Now I'm almost at goal weight, so I'll start training in a couple weeks when i get there. Personally, I didn't want to start building my muscle on the fat that was left, I wanted to shift the fat that was there before builing the muscle up, I don't want to build bukly muscle, i want to to build toned muscle.

And how the hell can you people say that cardio doesn't work!!!!

The only exercise I do is walking for an hour every day, either at lunch time or in the evening, and thats all I've been doing, in line with eating 1200 cals per day, and I've lost almost 2 stone in under 4 months.

Who said cardio does not work? And BTW, you do not build muscle on fat.

I started strength training before I'd reached my goal weight, and then got pee'd off because my weight then started to go back up due to the weight of the muscle mass, so i stopped training. Now I'm almost at goal weight, so I'll start training in a couple weeks when i get there. Personally, I didn't want to start building my muscle on the fat that was left, I wanted to shift the fat that was there before builing the muscle up, I don't want to build bukly muscle, i want to to build toned muscle.

And how the hell can you people say that cardio doesn't work!!!!

The only exercise I do is walking for an hour every day, either at lunch time or in the evening, and thats all I've been doing, in line with eating 1200 cals per day, and I've lost almost 2 stone in under 4 months.

Who said cardio does not work? And BTW, you do not build muscle on fat.

WACKYFUNSTER on the first page.

What I meant is that I wanted the fat on my arms to have gone before strength training. I didnt want to start doing weights when I had fat arms.

Now. Cardio sucks for weight loss, unless you have hours of free time every day.

Which I don't lol, so I'd rather make the most of my time spent in the gym.

How *often should I weight train? I've heard only twice a week.

If you are following a program like NROLFW, stick to the suggestions. Otherwise, you can go more 3 - 4 times a week depending if you split your workouts to different body areas (e.g. Legs, Back/Shoulders, Chest/Arms). Leave at least 2 full days break between working one area. And give your self at least 1 day of full rest a week.

Sorry to hijack post a bit -
Sarah, is there any benefit to doing split routines over full body?
I'm only doing upper body / abs at minute due to knee injury, but I'd be interested to know for when I can get back to lower body!

I really think it is preference as well as being able to train more times each week. I do not go to the gym at the weekend and so only can go a max. of 5 days. If I cannot get to the gym, say on Monday, then I really only can get 2 workouts in as you need the rest days. Doing a split routine, I can 'play around' with the timing - I usually split between legs/abs, chest/arms & back/shoulders.

I started strength training before I'd reached my goal weight, and then got pee'd off because my weight then started to go back up due to the weight of the muscle mass, so i stopped training. Now I'm almost at goal weight, so I'll start training in a couple weeks when i get there. Personally, I didn't want to start building my muscle on the fat that was left, I wanted to shift the fat that was there before builing the muscle up, I don't want to build bukly muscle, i want to to build toned muscle.

And how the hell can you people say that cardio doesn't work!!!!

The only exercise I do is walking for an hour every day, either at lunch time or in the evening, and thats all I've been doing, in line with eating 1200 cals per day, and I've lost almost 2 stone in under 4 months.

Who said cardio does not work? And BTW, you do not build muscle on fat.

WACKYFUNSTER on the first page.

What I meant is that I wanted the fat on my arms to have gone before strength training. I didnt want to start doing weights when I had fat arms.

Maybe you should not have said 'you people' and addressed his quote specifically then.

Now. Cardio sucks for weight loss, unless you have hours of free time every day.

Which I don't lol, so I'd rather make the most of my time spent in the gym.

How *often should I weight train? I've heard only twice a week.

If you are following a program like NROLFW, stick to the suggestions. Otherwise, you can go more 3 - 4 times a week depending if you split your workouts to different body areas (e.g. Legs, Back/Shoulders, Chest/Arms). Leave at least 2 full days break between working one area. And give your self at least 1 day of full rest a week.

Sorry to hijack post a bit -
Sarah, is there any benefit to doing split routines over full body?
I'm only doing upper body / abs at minute due to knee injury, but I'd be interested to know for when I can get back to lower body!

I really think it is preference as well as being able to train more times each week. I do not go to the gym at the weekend and so only can go a max. of 5 days. If I cannot get to the gym, say on Monday, then I really only can get 2 workouts in as you need the rest days. Doing a split routine, I can 'play around' with the timing - I usually split between legs/abs, chest/arms & back/shoulders.

Ah ok thanks!
I do boxercise/box circuits mon/wed/thurs/fri more because I like it rather than for weight loss, usually do weights before class on wed as that's a shorter session and also on sat, rest days sun and tues. ideally I'd have a rest day thurs or fri but that's just when the classes are so I'm stuck with it unless I cut out one day.
Then there is running when my knee isnt playing up, think I need more days to fit everything in lol