sasha

I just started lifting weights less than 2 months ago. Typically, I stretch for 10 minutes, run for about 2 miles, lift weights for 40 mins (3-4 sets each of tricep pushdown, bench press, pectoral fly, lat pulldown or low row), do crunches, and then squats/walking lunges 3x a week. I'm wondering what's a good starting weight for let's say, bench presses for women? I have been using only 20 lbs for chest exercises, 30 lbs for back exercises, 8 lb dumbbells for arms.

As for diet, I have minimized my fat & sugar intake and increased proteins. I keep my calorie intake about 300-500 less than 1800 calories (except for 1-2x that I cheat with a nice dessert like carrot cake during weekends) because I want to lose 5 more pounds.

The thing is, I stopped losing weight. Is this because I'm losing fat but also gaining muscle? Or has my metabolism reached plateau? Should I just increase the weights I use? I tried 30 lbs lately for chest exercises but I can only do 1 set.

I would appreciate any helpful comments and suggestions. My female friends don't really lift weights so I can't get help from them.

Whiskers

Just don't get too big

Pug

You can find a lot of really good information, and answers to your questions at the JP Fitness Forums Some forums are addressed specifically at women too. They're very knowledgeable and helpful.

sasha

Thanks! I'm checking it out now.

Will Y.

Reduce your reliance on weight as a way to measure progress- how are clothes fitting? Do you feel more energetic?
Yes, muscle is heavier/denser than fat. An "additional" 5 lbs is insignificant if you are in good condition.
Most beauty contestants and runway models are emaciated.

amisconception

haha, dude, don't discourage chicks from lifting weights.

I don't know how many girls I've talked to that think they'll look like Arnold Schwarzenegger after one set of 20 pushups (as if bulking up was that easy).

Watch your sodium intake and make sure you drink a LOT of water.

Here are some water articles:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=Water

I'm with Will, don't focus too much on what the scale says. Yes, your plateau could be a combination of fat loss and muscle gain. For the most part, women look a lot better with a bit more muscle on them than not anyway. I personally hate the runway model look.

Good luck Sasha!

TommySalami

Six months later...

wndrlst

^She seriously looks like one of the vets in our practice. The chick made it to professional status this summer. She's getting the fake boobs in the next couple of months.

I don't really get it, but she seems to be enjoying herself.

BraveDemon

x2

Weight itself shouldn't matter. Losing X amount of pounds is only really necessary for those who are (really) overweight.

Most people who say they want to lose X amount of pounds are instead referring to looking 5 lbs lighter - if you consistently lift weights, you will look smaller/compact but actually weigh the same or more.

For chest exercises your goal is to find a weight range that is challenging, but not overly strenous. Your very first day when hitting the gym and working out a muscle group will be more of a day of testing to see how/what weights you can use.

For women, I suggest starting with 10% of your body weight in each arm. Do one set of flat bench press with 10 reps; keeping focus on form, and breathing (I usually inhale when bringing the weight down, and breath out when pushing up, others do it in the reverse - do what works for you). If you're able to do 10% of your weight easily, bump it up to 15%. And do another set of 10: what you're aiming for is to find weights that are heavy enough so that the work out is challenging. If 15% is again, easy, step it up to 20% in each arm, and do a set of 10.

You want to find weights that you know you can do 3-5 sets of 10-12 reps, and the final set should be challenging (not overly diffficult). The next time you work out chest, you know where to go - you can start immediately at 10/15/20%. Increase the weight in increments of 5% as the sets become easier to do or if you work out on a consistent basis, increase them in time increments (every 2-4 weeks).

Most average women will fall within that 10-20% range; women with athletic training will need to start higher than that. I'm assuming you want to get fit and not buff, so you're ideal workout should be to aim for 3-5 sets of 10-12 reps, with a final set of half of the weight you top out at with 20-24 reps.

Completion of the 3-5 sets + the final cool down set in good form is what you're aiming for.

If you feel that you need to beef up other parts of your body, you want to take the opposite approach: do 2-3 sets 6-8 reps that push you to the maximum in each set. (each set should be difficult and you should be struggling to finish the final 2 reps).

And yes, most people start losing weight after they've dropped off any fat in excess of their ideal BMI - so if you've already lost weight in the past 2 months, and now you've reached a steady plateu in weight, you should have reached your ideal fitness level. At that point if you want to lose more "flab" as my girlfriend calls it, I recommend training how sprinters train; lots of fast twitch, explosive exercises. I can give you tips on that (I ran track in college - sprinter) but for now I think I gave my input on what you're looking for.

sasha

My clothes do fit better and I feel more energetic!

You see, I slacked off when I got married (which I refer to as nesting ) and gained a few pounds after the holidays last December. I finally decided to get my ass off the couch and engage in more physical activities this summer like hiking during Sundays aside from working out. It also motivates me to see my husband doing the P90X program.

sasha

Thanks! My problem before was inadequate water intake but I have changed that. I now always carry a water bottle with me.

A female friend just started working out and she said she's using 2lb dumbbells! I asked why is she using such light weights and she said she didn't want to become bulky! I had to convince her that she won't turn into a muscleman by using heavier dumbbells. Yeah, a lot of women have misconceptions on weight lifting.

sasha

Wow, and I thought this was scary (saw this at the fitness forum)

sasha

I increased my reps from 8 to 10 and then now to 12. I think I'll bump up the weights next time... Yeah, can you please give me more tips on fast twitching exercise?

Thanks for taking time to write all that! I really appreciate your input!

Street Spirit

Absolutely, like everyone said, don't base your progress on the scale. You will notice that your overall shape will change, and muscle will tone, as long as you combine weight training with at least some cardio and a sensible diet. There is also a difference in how quickly people gain muscle. I used to gain muscle in my arms and shoulders just by looking at them, while I had a much harder time with my legs. Your body will change rapidly at first and then becomes more accustomed to what you're doing, so be sure to change up your exercises every once and a while to get new muscles working, or the same muscles working in a new way.

My best advice would be to have a certified personal trainer show you how to use the equipment, proper weights, and go through each exercise with you one-on-one to demonstrate the proper technique. I'm not saying you are doing the exercises wrong, but it's a pretty common issue, so it'd be good to have someone take a look! You don't need to sign on for 10 sessions or anything, just have someone get you acquainted with everything and then keep it up on your own.

The BIGGEST problem and waste of time I saw at the gym was people doing exercises with improper form....arms flailing when doing bicep curls, using their necks, legs, arms, and every other muscle BUT their abs when doing ab exercises, etc.

Often times, people don't see results because they aren't isolating the proper muscle(s) when doing a muscle-specific exercise. It is most often and easily seen with abs -- watch people next time you're there. If you're at the gym for an hour, don't break a sweat, aren't feeling challenged or a healthy burn, and can do 100 reps while talking on your cellphone, you're not doing it right. ...You'll end up with little to no benefit. <--- Not implying you.

P.S. Free weights will give you a much better workout than most machines can provide. Using free weights means you also have to focus on balance and form (and not overcompensating on one side) while doing the rep; most machine exercises do all that for you, eliminating those key parts of weight training.

Will Y.

I'd go to 15 reps before adding weight.

Sounds like you're doing well. Don't worry if you gain a couple of pounds, either- it won't show in a bad way.

StreetSpirit is correct about getting the technique correct, too- have someone check your technique at the gym to make sure. If that person is a trainer, they can help you with fast twitch exercises as well as integrating free weights and machines.

blackglass

Good to see you're getting in shape! In addition to what everyone said, I'd be careful of cutting back on your calorie intake while working out. Your body needs fuel, and all the weightlifting in the world isn't going to change anything if you don't feed your muscles. If you want to burn off those extra calories, cardio will do wonders, just make sure you do it for long enough (30 mins at least).

Also, as for the weight thing, I was also on a restricted calorie diet but plateaued until I started working out and ate regularly again. I didn't see any change in weight for a few weeks but I know for a fact I've dropped almost 2 waist sizes and I was already pretty trim before that.

Good luck and have fun!

amisconception

Sasha, I think it would help to post pics of yourself working out.

We should double-check just to make sure your form is good.

sasha

Hmm... you're right. I was speculating that my body has adapted and I should change my work out routine. I guess my concern lately has been more on how to push my limits. I should try having a few sessions with a personal trainer to help me. Thanks!

sasha

What would be the difference if I increase my reps to 15 vs. increasing the weights vs. increasing my number of sets to 4-5?

sasha

I was actually thinking about... I read that one should at least meet the daily calorie requirement on the day you work out.

sasha

808havok_tsx

all of the above advice is ok - as long as hypertrophy is your goal. in other words, this is all assuming you want to do bodybuilding routines and ultimately look like, say, monica brant.

women don't have anywhere *near* the level of testosterone to get "bulky" so i wouldn't worry about it at all. you can google timea marajova and compare pix of her juicing days and her current physique. they are completely different b/c of the lack of testosterone in her system.

i always tell people to pick one type of athletic body type you like - be it sprinter, marathoner, gymnast, swimmer, triathlete, etc. and train like them!

remember, training is only 10% of the equation; the remaining is comprised of proper rest/recovery and nutrition.

Doom878

My clothes fit much better and I'm much more fit with this workout. www.crossfit.com