weight loss and starting weights

[bebo]

Hi,

I am new to this forum, I am sorry if this is addressed elsewhere but if it is I cannot find it and have also google searched to no avail!

I am aiming to lose weight, I am not hugely overweight and am aiming for around half a stone to a stone. I have started running 3 times a week and also doing a dance class.

My question is should I wait untill I lose the weight before I start weight training to avoid bulking up or is the whole fat turning to muscle a myth I have picked up from somewhere?

I set myself quite high goals when I decide to do something and am prepared to go all out to look the way I want to!

Thanks for any help you can give me.

xxx

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by bebo

Hi,

I am new to this forum, I am sorry if this is addressed elsewhere but if it is I cannot find it and have also google searched to no avail!

I am aiming to lose weight, I am not hugely overweight and am aiming for around half a stone to a stone. I have started running 3 times a week and also doing a dance class.

My question is should I wait untill I lose the weight before I start weight training to avoid bulking up or is the whole fat turning to muscle a myth I have picked up from somewhere?

I set myself quite high goals when I decide to do something and am prepared to go all out to look the way I want to!

Thanks for any help you can give me.

xxx

Fat turning to muscle is a myth, mostly it's used by people to describe the process of fat loss and muscle gain at the same time in a way that people can easily understand, or that's my take on why it is said, since I had a dcotor once say it to me and they should be well aware that fat and muscle are two completely separate things.

Studies have shown that doing cardio and weight training at the same time actually hepl in moving excess bodyfat, since muscle is more metabolically active than fat and takes up less space 1lb for 1lb than fat, so you look slimmer too.

If you can fit in 3 sessions of weights a week, you'll be well on your way, even if you use moderately light weights, but not super-light since high reps low weights is also a myth

Your running will take care of the cardio aspect, and it is believed that the body needs to do cardio once every 24 hours, so every other day, in order to teach it to use fat for fuel primarily.

I hope that has helped, I did 3 sessions weights and 3 cardio and was in the same position as yourself, and the weight dropped off in no time.

Welcome to RWF

[bebo]

Thank you so much that was really quick and really useful. I will start tomorrow and am drawing up a plan right now. I'll let you know how I get on!

I thought it might have been a myth, thing is I was previously reading a lot of womens lifestyle magazines and I think thats where I picked that up. I think I'll be on a beter track now I've joined up here.

xx

[Fittaylor]

Good luck! Definitely start weight training... it's going to boost your metabolis and help you lose the weight. But it's important to know that doing those silly machines around the gym aren't "weight trainig" to really lose weight you need to do total body exercises that uses big muscles and big calorie burns! Look to more squats, lunges, bench press, etc... let me know if I can help!