Throughout my journey I've enjoyed dabbling into different forms of exercise to compliment my weight loss, and I have found I love lifting!

After reading about the pro's and cons of free weights versus machines, I want to start using free weights. I'm waiting for the book store near me to get New Rules of Lifting for Women in, I hear it has a lot of good information.

In the meantime, I've started an exercise journal to log my reps and the weights used, my measurements, etc. I already do cardio so I'm not concerned about that, I just want to get educated about weight training. I've also bought a book on 101 different ways to use weights as well.

I was wondering if any of you amazing gym junkies out there have any tips for a newbie starting out?

Well I'd recommend perusing the stickies but also recommend reading this site:
http://www.stumptuous.com/

Thanks Nelie.

I was also wondering, I understand sets of reps and stuff, but how long should you wait between doing a new set of reps?

Or do you do another type of weight lifting and go back to that one to complete your second set of reps?


On a negative side, I came to work excited today and showed someone the book I got on 101 different work outs with weights and everyone said that it was gross for the woman in the book to look that way. I can't believe the mass negative response from everyone! Not one was positive.

But I don't care, I think I'll look good

What do the people look like that say those women look gross? They look good to me. The people criticizing them must be extremely good looking/fit to criticize someone like that...

As far as resting, it depends on how it feels to you. I used to do something like 30 seconds or so but there is no set number, its just enough to give yourself a chance to ramp up for next set. You can also do supersets which is just one exercise then another.

I'm doing Crossfit as a few others here are doing and there is no rest period but exercises rotate and you rest 'as needed' which is usually a few seconds here and there unless you are insane and then there is no rest

You know what, you just made me realize something, Nelie. None of them were fit! The one person at a healthy weight was the one to say that the woman in the book looked good. I said before I didn't let it bug me but I guess it did a bit. I didn't realize it until I read that and felt better.

Crossfit, I'll have to look it up. I'm having a lot of fun reading about lifting, I'm excited to learn some moves and really challenge my body.

I just want to update, I started putting together some exercises yesterday and it was amazing!

I was sweating more then I do when I'm on the treadmill, and I feel like I accomplished something. It was such a satisfying feeling! I picked up a dumbell and was like 'whoa this is heavy' and almost put it back, but then I was like 'no, I need to try this' and it was fine! I felt my muscles fatiguing near the end, I felt like I was doing something right for once.

Stephanie, have fun with the lifting! I am another one doing Crossfit, but I started out in the weight room with NROL4W and it's a great one for getting started. Glad you figured out that the critics' sniping was just that!

I'm still waiting for New Rules of Lifting for Women to get in at the book store that ordered it for me, I'm excited to read it! I have not heard one negative thing about it, and it looks like what I'm looking for.

I've been making my own work outs from the book I have already, and I'm enjoying it so much.

I just feel... reinvigorated!

Do you mind if I ask, for those of you who have been lifting for awhile, do you still do cardio or if you do, what kind of cardio do you do?

I was teaching myself how to run and gain endurance, but I was thinking of cutting my runs short by about 10 minutes or so to give me more energy and time for weights.

do weights before cardio. ALWAYS (when given the choice, that is). Weight lifting will deplete your glycogen stores, and your energy. So does cardio. You need to have your muscles "full" to reap the benefits from weight training. The only real purpose of cardio is to bump up your daily caloric burn (unless you are training for something, like a marathon or triathlon.
Go to the gym.
Warm up (dynamically)
Do weight training (you could throw some stretching or mobility drills in between the sets during the rest times, if you want)
THEN do cardio.
Ideally if you are doing both you would break them up to different times of the day. Not everyone has that luxury though. Good luck

Thanks for the tip! I did not know that.

I was doing it before hand but I had lessened it to half the normal time because I wanted more energy for weight lifting.

I noticed today I was very fatigued, I cannot see myself running after a session. Maybe I should weight train in the morning (get myself a set for home) and then run after work. I don't know if I'll be able to squeeze that in but I can try, haha.

I still do cardio and I'm another cross fitter. I get up really early and do a session on the elliptical- usually 20 minute of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or more likely "MMIIT" (Mel's Moderate intensity) before work, then go to Crossfit after work.

When I did straightforward gym lifting, I did 40 minutes o cardio 4-5 times a week.

I need it to maintain my fitness level, but I also find the days that I skip it, I walk around in a mental fog in the morning. My body is just really used to it!

Mel