To Weight Train or NOT to Weight Train? THAT is the question!
OK, so 9 weeks ago i joined the gym to get this weight off. In the beginning i was just doing cardio and things were great. I lost 4 pounds the first week and 10 pounds total for the month. About 4 weeks ago i started weight training 3 times a week and my weight loss has really slowed down. I weight myself every friday and i remained at the same weight for 3 weeks! Now i'm starting to lose again but its only about a pound a week. So, im not sure if I should reduce the number a days i weight train or cut it out completely. I just want to go back to seeing the results that i was seeing before
You are building muscle, which has weight. A pound a week is good. Start taking measurement so you can see other changes in your body. Keep weight training, as the weight comes off your amazing toned muscles will start showing and you'll be very glad.
Definitely weight train! The cardio could eat up some of the muscle and when you stop dieting and exercising you will put that weight back on and fast if you don't have the lean muscle to keep your metabolism up! Weight training not only makes you appear skinner for your weight but it's essential to aging gracefully.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but in the first month you were probably losing water weight. If you weren't lifting, you may also have been losing lean muscle mass: it happens to every dieter, but especially people who just cut calories or do cardio.
Two things have happened since the first month. First, the water weight loss has slowed, as it does to everyone after the first couple of weeks (regardless of what they do). You won't return to that initial pace of weight loss even by cutting out lifting, at least without drastically cutting calories too (which has it's own problems). Second, your weight training is helping you retain muscle and lose a higher proportion of fat. That's a good thing.
If you only have time to do one or the other, weight train. If time allows, do both. Recognize neither cardio nor weight training causes weight loss. A caloric deficit does.
Sorry to hijack this thread - I hope that's not what I'm doing - but I wanted to ask a related question.
I'm 6 months into my weightloss/lifestyle change. I calorie count and do some sort of exercise between 2-5 times a week (yeah, some weeks I'm slack). I do a mixture of jogging, Zumba, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs and plain old walking. I haven't done any "weight training" as such - and I kind of thought I wouldn't until I got much closer to goal weight... is this terrible?
Sorry to hijack this thread - I hope that's not what I'm doing - but I wanted to ask a related question.
I'm 6 months into my weightloss/lifestyle change. I calorie count and do some sort of exercise between 2-5 times a week (yeah, some weeks I'm slack). I do a mixture of jogging, Zumba, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs and plain old walking. I haven't done any "weight training" as such - and I kind of thought I wouldn't until I got much closer to goal weight... is this terrible?
HAHA! Thats what I had planned on doing! However, after reading what everyone has said and thinking about it, they are right. I've noticed that im slimmer (mostly up top) than before. My work pants today are way too baggy for my taste! lol. I think i will continue with the weight training!
A year ago I was about your weight now. I started weight training 3 times a week. If you measure you will see more results then on the scale. My trainer told me to just be patient and it will start coming off so easy. She was right. About 6 months into the weight training I started seeing real results. Then I started weight training harder with a new trainer and I am seeing even greater results. Additionally I have some firm muscle and less saggy skin on my arms. You don't see immediate results but weight loss is a marathon- not a sprint.
A year ago I was about your weight now. I started weight training 3 times a week. If you measure you will see more results then on the scale. My trainer told me to just be patient and it will start coming off so easy. She was right. About 6 months into the weight training I started seeing real results. Then I started weight training harder with a new trainer and I am seeing even greater results. Additionally I have some firm muscle and less saggy skin on my arms. You don't see immediate results but weight loss is a marathon- not a sprint.
Congrats on the weight loss! That really motivated me!
I don't think anyone is going to chime and say skip the weight training. You'll see across the board women with the same stats wearing different sizes, sometimes 2-3 sizes different. If you weight train, you will be on the smaller size of that equation. Yes, you will weigh heavier than you want. But your weight is not written on your forehead.
The scale goes wonky with weight lifting. It's ok! But mentally you have to be prepared for it.
I don't think anyone is going to chime and say skip the weight training. You'll see across the board women with the same stats wearing different sizes, sometimes 2-3 sizes different. If you weight train, you will be on the smaller size of that equation. Yes, you will weigh heavier than you want. But your weight is not written on your forehead.
The scale goes wonky with weight lifting. It's ok! But mentally you have to be prepared for it.
youre right. It's just very frustrating. I jumped on the scale this morning for my weekly weigh in and i gained another .8 pounds! It's really annoying. I just wont feel better until i start seeing results on the scale.
To Weight Train or NOT to Weight Train? THAT is the question!
You'll see across the board women with the same stats wearing different sizes, sometimes 2-3 sizes different. If you weight train, you will be on the smaller size of that equation. 
