Started weights yesterday...ouch!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2005
Started weights yesterday...ouch!
3
Wed, 09-07-2005 - 9:33am

After reading up on weight loss, I’ve decided that I’ll get more bang for my buck, so to speak, if I incorporate weight training into my regimen. We already have some dumbbells and a general how-to book so I thought I’d start with that. My husband is acting as my personal trainer :) I figure I will continue to do my elliptical workout for 30 minutes on 4 weekdays, and 45-60 minutes on weekends (6 days total), and then do weight training 4 days a week. I am doing upper body (arms, back, chest) 2 days and lower body (legs, abs) on the other 2 days. So yesterday was my first day and we did full sets of the entire body, and I am SO sore! I could barely do my elliptical this morning because my legs are so sore. I worked muscles that I didn’t even know I had! Anyway, from what I’ve read, you can burn way more calories and increase your metabolism by adding weights, so its worth the pain. I read a quote that really made the decision for me...

“Concentrate on using weight training exercise, not excessive cardio, for losing fat. The reason for this is that by using cardio as your sole source of exercise you will lose equal amount of fat and muscle. The end result will be a smaller fat version of yourself with a lower metabolism (due to the muscle loss). Gaining muscle is really the secret to permanent fat loss as the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest on any given day.”

It does make sense, and I barely have any muscle so I don’t want to lose any of it! And with my sloooow metabolism, I need all the help I can get!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2004
Wed, 09-07-2005 - 10:10am

Well from what I understand, when at rest, muscle burns more calories than fat.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2005
Wed, 09-07-2005 - 10:25am
Ahh, a bath sounds wonderful :) I am starting with very light weights for now so I don't strain myself, but I'm sore anyway, especially in the legs. I am excited to see what kind of results I can get though!
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2004
Wed, 09-07-2005 - 10:51am
Let me tell you, the first time I lost my weight, I had some very nice leg muscles.