Haha, I hope this isn't true because I am working hard on both running and weightlifting. I started weights to improve my running actually. Though I don't know about my body type. All my fat is stored in my legs, as are my muscles. My upperbody is thin and weakish. I am a pear I think.

So, is it normal to not have any muscle ache after your lifting-day? I had none the 3rd time. I'm doing my 4th time today.

are you working the same muscles every day? if so, don't.

your muscles don't build during the exercise - they build during the rest period in response to the exercise.

what program are you following?

threenorns I am doing this routine 3x a week (but just started so am only doing the 4th time in like ever today). The weight (second column) is in kilogram and per dumbell. I can finish all sets (3rd column) only barely. Some I do twice and others I do only once. The last time I drank a protein drink right after, maybe that's why I didn't have muscle soreness? I have no clue. lol. I run/swim/elliptical the other days. But not in such a regular schedule. Some days I do a lot in one day and other days I do nothing for 2 in a row.

Interesting. Count me in with the big boob / tiny waist / big hip/thigh crowd. (Though I was surprised to notice after losing weight that my legs are actually the longest part of me. Squatting to parallel feels like a loooong way down. ) Perhaps I'm doomed to be mediocre at running! (Still love it, though, outdoors on a nice spring day, however slow I may be.)

philana: I'm not qualified to comment on your program, but know that you're likely to get sore the first couple of times (few / several) after you do new exercises, and then it'll probably settle down. Not being sore the next day does not necessarily mean you didn't work hard enough. If you're making progress in terms of strength, you're fine!

philana: ah - the reps are telling me you are using far too little weight.

over 15 reps, well... it's kind of a waste of time.

for large muscle groups, no more than 8-10 (12 at the *very* most) and for small groups, 12-15.

such high reps is more a low-grade cardio than it is resistance training - kind of like whatever-her-name-is's much-touted 1000 crunches a day: they're not actually doing anything for her abs but she's burning calories and not eating the entire time she's doing them so that's where she sees the benefit.

me, i've only got one set of 10lb dumbbells. for bicep curls, overhead tricep extension, and upright shoulder press i do 15reps but bec the weight is so light, i do them verrrrrrrry very slowly while making sure to keep my muscles flexed as much as possible the entire time. it's one way to build big muscles - same way ppl who milk cows and goats by hand get bowling-pin forearms even though they're not using any weight.

for the lunges, you might try to up the ante a bit: switch to dip-lunges. instead of "step forward - dip - step back", try "step forward - dip - straighten up - dip - repeat until all reps are done on one leg and then switch to the other".

this video shows a more advanced technique, where the trailing leg is resting up on a bench (increases the intensity yet again) but you can just rest your foot on the floor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQUMw4JgMN0

the bonus to this technique is you're WAY less likely to injure yourself (personal experience: lost my balance doing a weighted lunge with a 45lb barbell and ended up on crutches for 6wks)

(and in case you're wondering, no - using heavier weights will not make you blow up like arnold schwarzenegger - that's a man thing; women have to actually work for that and frequently need steroids to get that uber-built IFBB Pro look)

I'm definitely heavier on the bottom, but it's not in my hips or butt so much as my thighs and calves. I'd like to look a little more "even" between top and bottom, I wouldn't mind if my shoulders got a little more defined.

Today I'm gonna join the weightlifting-oriented local gym "Maximum Fitness" that charges $15/mth no contract and work on that.

Hello Fellow weightlifters-
I started lifting almost 1 year ago and I can honestly say nothing would depress me more if I stopped and lost all the muscle I've built. I never thought I would stick to lifting for as long as I have but once you start doing it you really start to enjoy feeling stronger. It doesn't happen over night but after a month you can really start noticing changes. For me, my arms started looking more defined and now I have hard abs and I don't really do a lot of concentrated ab work, it's mostly from lifting which strengthens your core. I also run everyday but I think lifting has really changed my body the most.

Krampus and Philana-
When I started lifting I was still trying to lose weight. I started at 150 or 145 and I could barely do deltoid raises with 5 lbs dumbbells 12 times (1 rep). So don't be discouraged. Also during this process I firmly believe it's less about how much you can swing up and lift with crappy form and more about being able to keep excellent form throughout the entire rep with your abs tights and your muscles flexed. I make sure to go extremely slow when I lift and lower my weights. I don't use a single machine.

Also if you're finding it boring and tedious to lift at the gym, which I do, I would suggest videos. I hated the idea of going to the gym and not being able to lift very much weight so I started Chalene Extreme. I don't want to sound like I'm trying to advertise her especially but holy cow I love her and those videos. Like I said I started almost 1 year ago with her program and I'm still doing it. It's actually become harder and like a new program now that I'm lifting more. The only downside is that sometimes when I'm done I'm incredibly hungry. PM me if you have any questions about the videos and what to expect. Oh another reason why I love them is because they really do work you out but not to the point of injury, she also teaches you great form, she's motivating but not annoying about it at all, and they go by really fast. The shortest video is 30min and the longest is 43min but you do stretch at the beginning and end for about 5min total.

I have one question for those who are lifting and are also trying to lose weight. I was wondering how many calories you're eating to lose. I run everyday 3 miles (30 min total). I also do Turbo Jam cardio (again not affiliated with her I just really like how motivating she can be) or one 30 min HITT video so anywhere between 45-70min total cardio a day and I also lift 3 times a week, the two other non-lift days I do sculpting videos. I eat 1200-1300 (when I'm really hungry) a day. I've recently changed my diet in order to stop feeling hungry all the time but I'm not sure if it's helping. I used to only eat between 20-30 carbs per day and now I'm eating between 55-70 g of carbs per day of veggies and some berries. Does that seem really high to you guys? My fat percentage is fine (47.3g) and I've lowered my protein from 160-170g per day to 125g per day.

Also those of you who have been lifting and lifting heavy, when you say heavy can you be more specific? For instance how much are you lifting for a tricep? I want to know if I can consider what I'm lifting to be heavy so I can possibly increase calories or work up to lifting a little heavier.

Thanks everyone and good luck to beginners and to those who are still lifting!

I would literally pass out on 1200 calories and all that exercise!!!

I lift 3 days a week... Well, HIIT, for 120 minutes. On days I go to the gym I eat close to 2,000 cals. On the other 4 days I eat around 1500. All whole (low glycemic for the most part) foods.

As for specific weights. Here's my journal from the last few days. 2-3 sets of 6-8 each. I switch it up ever 3-4 weeks. These are just what I'm in a groove with doing now.

Lower body, Day 1
Squat, 90lb barbell on shoulders. (Could go heavier but I can't unrack the heavier bars and the meathead on the olympic bar never gives it up)
Deadlift, 150
Stepups, 40 lb dumbellx 2
Lunge, 30 lb dumbell x2
Leg press, 250
Lower back machine, 365

Upper Body, Day 2
Chest press, 100
Dumbell chest flys, 40 x2
Shoulder press, 60
Seated row, 110
Lat pulldowns, 80
Dumbell curls, 25 x2
Pullover, 40

I'm not sure where in the spectrum my weights fit... but I'm proud of myself LOL.

WOW! Those numbers sound impressive to me, ValRock.

I'm feeling totally burnt out from the weekend and my knee is bothering me a lot, but I really want to get lifting again after my one session last week...

I've been getting stronger; I can feel it. Things are lighter, stuff is easier to do and I CAN OPEN THE STUPID JARS OF ROASTED RED PEPPERS. They were always annoying; I would have to bang the covers and it would take me forever. Now I can just open them up.

Talk about feeling strong, I can open my own jars now!

I'm an hourglass too, and if anything the lifting has ensured that I will be an hourglass. I was a pear when I was heavier.

My measurements are 36-24-34. Not quite an hourglass, but I've heard I'm considered a top hourglass (which makes sense). I also have long legs for my height! Big thighs too. Mine still rub together a little actually

Running isn't quite my thing either. I much prefer lifting I like jogging to the playground nearby, doing some bodyweight exercises and jogging back. It's not far but I get a little bit of everything in that way.

Yeah, as was promised to me, lifting has given me broader shoulders / upper back, which helps to balance out my hips. But my current measurements are 36-24-37, and realistically, that 37 just isn't going to get much smaller. My hipbones are just really wide-set, compared to the rest of my frame. For every half-inch I've lost off my hips the last several months, I've lost an inch or more off my waist.

A single one of my thighs, at 22 inches, is now only 2 inches smaller than my waist; hopefully I'll see some movement there, but they're certainly the last place to shrink. So I'm always going to be on the pear-ish side, but the lifting does help with overall balance.

ValRock: Nice numbers!

You are all so inspirational! I love this thread, it's so gonna keep me lifting where I wouldn't have otherwise!

How often did you have to lift to see results? I am at 2x per week while I wanna do it 3x, I keep postphoning. I am gonna go with the advice of threenorns and up the weight and lower the reps. It's what my dumbbell book says to do, but then it provides total body workouts in the back that start with 20 reps. Weird stuff. Hope it's more exciting!

You all have such good measurements! what tiny waists. I'm afraid to measure myself lol.
Still just walking cause of my injuries from a bad fall. Grrrrr can't wait to do strength training but it'll take me a 2.5 more weeks to heal.

Hey thats awesome, sometimes I get super psyched out about jogging for some reason-its the starting thats the hardest!
I have always had a belly-It starts out small, but my lower belly is huge in proportion to the rest of me haha.

after just postphoning and missing my 3rd strength-workout from last week I finally did my first one from this week (UHG). I do think I will stick to it more now. I upped the weight some so the most reps I can do are 12 per set, though for most sets I do about 8. It's much harder and I am really pushing myself on some so it's more fun. I hope I won't have too horrible a muscle ache tomorrow! Haha.

My low weight dumbells are 6lbs and my higher weight ones are 15lbs. With the small and big disks I have to add on I can't make a good inbetween pair, so it will have to do.

Off to swimming for an hour and work! Hope I haven't tired myself too much, so annoying about my half-night shifts!