When to Start Strength Training

scorn1016
scorn1016 Posts: 21 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
After reading several posts, and asking a couple of friends on FB, I am STILL unsure if I should be adding weight training into my workout;however, for the past 2 weeks I have been. The ppl I asked on FB say that I should not be doing weight training until I am at my goal weight, that all my energy should be used for cardio. Also stating that I shouldn't build muscle on top of fat. Please advise because I was thinking it would help the weight loss process.

Replies

  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    I think "2 weeks ago" is a pretty good place to start. :happy: Your friends are mistaken. It will help you slim down.

    BTW: If you just do cardio waiting til you reach goal, you'll most likely lose muscle as well as fat.
  • SaketoKim
    SaketoKim Posts: 254 Member
    It's silly to say not to strength train yet. If your ready then go for it. Just be prepared for the slow down in weight loss... because you will be gaining muscle and losing inches.
  • currlygirrl
    currlygirrl Posts: 82 Member
    You should start weigh training yesterday :) It will only help you burn more calories and build a lean toned body vs a soft skinny one.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    Definitely start weight training right away! You should do a good mix of cardio and strength training for best results. Adding muscle is never a bad thing--the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns at rest.
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    It's silly to say not to strength train yet. If your ready then go for it. Just be prepared for the slow down in weight loss... because you will be gaining muscle and losing inches.

    Yeah, this too. Be prepared to shrug off the number on the scales.
  • monipie
    monipie Posts: 280 Member
    you should start now. you will not put muscle on top of fat. the muscle you build will help increase your metabolism and the fat will come off faster if you start adding muscle. good luck with your goals! :)
  • JBApplebee
    JBApplebee Posts: 481 Member
    It's never too soon to begin weight training.
  • season1980
    season1980 Posts: 129 Member
    I am not at my goal wt. My "goal wt" is 135. I have been lifting heavy for about a month now. In that month I have been eating 1900-2300 calories on average. And what happened to my weight.....I gained 2 pounds. But I have lost several inches. And since Dec my bf% has gone from approx 29% to 22.7 % I think....you can check my profile for exact bf % and how it has been lost. So I increased my calories, I do zumba once a week and walk 30 min a day on top of heavy lifting 3 days a week. I have lost 2 inches off my waist alone in the month I have been lifting. then some other inches off my hips, thighs, chest etc. Sorry I cant give you exact lost but I dont have my journal at work.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Yesterday. IF you build muscle, it'll be a small mount (due to newbie gains) and it'll be under your fat. More importantly you'll preserve the muscle you already have. Either way, once more fat comes off your muscles will show and you'll be uber sexy (not that you aren't right now...).
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    a combination of cardio and strength training is best. It is never to early or a bad idea to do strength training. Keep up the good work
  • dawnstrassburg
    dawnstrassburg Posts: 46
    right away, I made the mistake of only doing cardio for the past 4 months, ive lost 31 pounds but now have a thinner soft body. I am starting to tone now as bathing suits still dont look the way i want as I still have some jiggly spots...the only diference is there is jsut a little less to jiggle. ick.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    When? Right now. No reason to wait. Cardio burns fat when you're doing it. Lean mass burns fat all the damn time.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    This is why I never do anything until I'm already at my goals. So I am never a quitter. Give 0%!!
  • scorn1016
    scorn1016 Posts: 21 Member
    Thanks! Everyone is telling me to do cardio only and to break it up into 2 sessions- am and pm. And to of course cut out the cabs and fruit. But I feel I am okay with my diet etc. I just want to make sure that weight lifting was the right next step as far as exercise.
  • malins2
    malins2 Posts: 154 Member
    Thanks! Everyone is telling me to do cardio only and to break it up into 2 sessions- am and pm. And to of course cut out the cabs and fruit. But I feel I am okay with my diet etc. I just want to make sure that weight lifting was the right next step as far as exercise.

    Definitely the right thing to do! Weight lifting is great for you!!
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
    you can't build serious muscle with a calorie deficit.
  • malins2
    malins2 Posts: 154 Member
    you can't build serious muscle with a calorie deficit.
    I don't agree on this one. That's what a lot of people say, but with the right diet it worked for me. (a real lot of protein)

    Also the goal with strength training doesn't need to be to build serious muscle it could very well be to tone your body, be stronger and lose weight.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Thanks! Everyone is telling me to do cardio only and to break it up into 2 sessions- am and pm. And to of course cut out the cabs and fruit. But I feel I am okay with my diet etc. I just want to make sure that weight lifting was the right next step as far as exercise.

    Yeah, don't listen to that "everyone". Listen to this "everyone".
  • erinscribbles
    erinscribbles Posts: 9 Member
    Strength Training will build muscle which will increase your metabolism overall. Lean body mass (muscle) burns more calories at rest than fat body mass. In the long run, Strength training is certainly more about overall health and lean body mass than it is about losing weight.

    Remember, if you want to lose weight, you change your diet. If you want to get fit, you change your exercise regiment, including some kind of Strength Training. You don't have to be lifting major barbells at the gym, any kind of body weight/resistance training will help with that. Cardio is still important to fitness, don't drop one for the other, find a way to fit in both.

    You can start Strength Training anytime you want to get stronger and leaner, doesn't matter how much fat you have on your body, diet will take care of that. What I do HIGHLY suggest is that you really should start taking measurements and pictures of yourself. When you are just losing weight, you are losing it from all over (including losing fat AND muscle). When you are strength training and on a calorie deficit to lose weight, you will lose fat, but gain muscle. Muscle gain is denser than fat. 1lb of fat takes up much more room than 1lb of muscle. So as you gain muscle you will see measurements go down, but the scale might stay the same, or go up! If you get frustrated, then it's time to throw out the scale and just use measurements and take lots and lots of pictures.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    I started ST halfway to my ultimate goal weight.
    Nothing in my life has ever sped up the results more than that freaking decision.
    screw cardio.
    Im a lifer.
  • scorn1016
    scorn1016 Posts: 21 Member
    Thank you everyone! I am not trying to build serious muscle. Im just trying to get healthy overall. I had been just going by the scale but when I heard about adding strength training I took pic and measurements 2 weeks ago. I am not wanting to drop cardio, just wanted to add something to it since cardio is all I have been doing since I started this journey. Are there any sites that provide beginner strength workouts? I have looked up 2 exercises per muscle group and have done 3 sets of 8-12 reps, 2 circuits. I found that information on about.com
  • shannypoo21
    shannypoo21 Posts: 329 Member
    Strength Training will build muscle which will increase your metabolism overall. Lean body mass (muscle) burns more calories at rest than fat body mass. In the long run, Strength training is certainly more about overall health and lean body mass than it is about losing weight.

    Remember, if you want to lose weight, you change your diet. If you want to get fit, you change your exercise regiment, including some kind of Strength Training. You don't have to be lifting major barbells at the gym, any kind of body weight/resistance training will help with that. Cardio is still important to fitness, don't drop one for the other, find a way to fit in both.

    You can start Strength Training anytime you want to get stronger and leaner, doesn't matter how much fat you have on your body, diet will take care of that. What I do HIGHLY suggest is that you really should start taking measurements and pictures of yourself. When you are just losing weight, you are losing it from all over (including losing fat AND muscle). When you are strength training and on a calorie deficit to lose weight, you will lose fat, but gain muscle. Muscle gain is denser than fat. 1lb of fat takes up much more room than 1lb of muscle. So as you gain muscle you will see measurements go down, but the scale might stay the same, or go up! If you get frustrated, then it's time to throw out the scale and just use measurements and take lots and lots of pictures.


    Thank you for this info!
  • PeterThompson
    PeterThompson Posts: 62
    Weight training is important to tone your muscles so I guess you should do it. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have to lift heavy exercising equipment, dumbbells will do. It is adjustable and very handy.

    I've been doing this for years now. Here's a helpful site where you can choose the right dumbbells for you. http://bestadjustabledumbbellsreviews.com/
  • marbly
    marbly Posts: 103
    Depends on your aim, really. Do you want to focus on the number on the scale or on measurements? What will give you more of a high?

    I only started weight training when I was very close to my goal weight. Best decision for me because my weight loss according to my scales was what I wanted, no, needed actually. I had to see the number and I slimmed down a lot through cardio only. My cardio incorporated a lot of resistance work though (maximum level on elliptical, circuit training using weights etc, but they were generally cardio based).

    I gained weight on weight training, yes, muscles, as my measurements stayed the same or became smaller but by that time, I was not looking at scales anymore so I was not freaked out.

    So, my opinion is if you want to start weight training now, be mentally prepared to not focus on your scales.
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
    Depends on your aim, really. Do you want to focus on the number on the scale or on measurements? What will give you more of a high?

    I only started weight training when I was very close to my goal weight. Best decision for me because my weight loss according to my scales was what I wanted, no, needed actually. I had to see the number and I slimmed down a lot through cardio only. My cardio incorporated a lot of resistance work though (maximum level on elliptical, circuit training using weights etc, but they were generally cardio based).

    I gained weight on weight training, yes, muscles, as my measurements stayed the same or became smaller but by that time, I was not looking at scales anymore so I was not freaked out.

    So, my opinion is if you want to start weight training now, be mentally prepared to not focus on your scales.

    This is really practical advice. I defeinately recommend weight training, I always will. BUT you have to be prepared for it. Depending on your body type, current BF%, how you build muscle, you may see a really slow initial movement on the scale. However you may see an amazing change in your clothes and measurements. The best advice I would say is just don't compare your weight-loss with anyone elses, especially in relationg to the number on the scale. This goes for anyone anytime, but particularly if you are going to start heavy lifting.
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