Another strength training question: What's the hype?!

I was just perusing the fitness forum and noticed (for the billionth time) that there are a lot of folks that feel that serious weight training is not only the best way to get healthy, but possibly the only way. 

I know that if I want to seriously build muscle, I need to seriously lift weights - heavy weights, low reps, proper technique, more calories, proper diet...all of that.

But I think it's silly that so many people seem to think that lifting is the only way to lose weight or burn fat.  I have lost 40 pounds and gone from 38% body fat to 16% body fat...and I did it with a MESS of cardio and frequent but light (e.g. 5lb weights) resistance training.  I'm certainly no figure athlete, but I have VERY visible muscles all over my arms, back, abs...and even a bit on my legs and bum. 

So I'm curious...certainly many of you know more about fitness (and obviously about weight training) than I do.  Am I some kind of freak?  Am I secretly unhealthy and don't know it?  I swear by my mixture of cardio and resistance training, but I hesitate to speak up and suggest that to other CC members because there seems to be a stigma here that unless you lift, you aren't really "fit." 

Could someone please direct me to some study that compares weight/fat loss from strength training to something more like the program that I follow?

Any exercise you're doing is a good one, let's start there. Secondly, as long as you're eating less than you burn, you will lose weight. That includes laying on the couch watching TV all day.

With that said, a strong weight program is the best way to lose fat, not the only way.

Wait for melkor and/or floggingsully who have tons of studies to post. I have this one:

ARTICLE WITH STUDIES

A lot of us are following the New Rules of Lifting for Women. You can also visit the fitness divas at Stumptuous for work out plans and tons of fitness debunking

I agree with Spiro and would add that programs like New Rules of Lifting for Women tout lifting as the most effective way to lose fat - more bang for your buck, so to speak. It allows the athlete to eat well, and live more of life outside of the gym. Alwyn Cosgrove's blog includes several posts with references to studies about lifting vs steady state cardio.

Well I think alot of people like weight training (including me) because it feels like your actually doing something.  The reason why weight train is better than cardio is (i believe) because during weight lifting you burn more cals, and even when your down lifting your still burning cals up to like an hour Ive heard,  then the more muscle you have the more cals you burn even at rest (1 pound of muscle burns 15 cals) and I think Iv read that the effect is exponentially. IE. the more muscle you have during a work out the more cals that are burned , the more cals used for healing , and more cals burned while idle....   with cardio it stops when u get off the tread mill...   this is all stuff iv read or heard about, it may all be completly wrong

This is one thing that sort of bothers me about CC. I feel like just because I'm not lifting 20 pound weights most people feel like I'm going about it all wrong.

It's like, yea...I do pilates. All the pilates DVDs I have incorporate hand weights and resistance bands, and I'm definitely sore after work outs. My arms get sore doing exercises with my 5 pound weights, why do I need to be doing such heavy lifting.

because after doing 5 pounds for awhile your body becomes used to the weight and slowly becomes cardio again... ever hear of the pink dumb bell theory?  how i look at it if you can do more than 20 reps and 2 sets then its to light, i never even get near that number I normaly do weights that will allow me to do 2 sets of 8 and thats where i get to the point of barely being able to do it...  if 5lbs is heavy then do that till its not then move up in weights...  if your not raising your weight alittle atleast like once a week then your not going to be building much muscle

I did increase my weight.

I started with 2 pounds...

ok... then your weight training...  when people say "heavy" heavy is subjective to who is using the word.. as long as you keep inceeasing your weight then your building something =]... sry if i sounded like the nazi of lifting b4

Haha, that's ok...I'll forgive you.

Different things work for different people. I lost 20 lbs by cutting my cals and doing cardio - however i wasn't as lucky as you and ended up "skinny fat," There isn't anything wrong with doing cardio and light weights - its better than nothing. 

As a female, lifting is important to keep your strength up and to keep your bones strong as well. Its good for your balance - which is one of the first things we lose as we age. 

I would never judge someone for the type of training they decide to to - thats your own perogative - and once again - anything is better than nothing.

To be completely frank, yes you can easily get down to 16% body fat just through cardio. I remember when I was training for xc to the tune of 60 miles per week and I weighed 145 (at 5' 11") yet still had 10% body fat. 

Now that I've added significant amounts of muscle (about 25 lbs. worth) I'm down to 7% body fat. The basic thing you have to remember is that muscle burns calories. Fat just sits there. All the cardio you're doing right now is great, but it will only get better/more effective the more muscle you have.

what sort of resistance training are you doing, maybe that's enough for your your body now?? everyone's different & we are all at different levels.

the hype for me is i get a nice big fat dopamine/serotonin fix & still feel energized for hours. nothing but heavy lifting or hiit does that for me, provided i get enough nutrition & rest of course. i get a buzz from it. i get a different sort of high from running, more peaceful & relaxing, the stress oozes out of me. but any type of high requires sweating for me. 

im not sure what age you are & as msmeg points out, lifting is good for keeping bone & muscle density up.

another article. ok so its not from an original source

a different source. there are tons of studies out there on it, but there's nothing like experiencing it yourself.

A forum like this one is a place where people can share their own experiences so by all means speak up and let us know what works for you.  If the only things posted here are links to other fitness sites then the forum becomes useless.

Original Post by jblarghp:

I did increase my weight.

I started with 2 pounds...

Doesn't your purse weigh more than that? A bag of groceries? I'm willing to bet you lift more than that on a daily basis without even thinking about it. 5lbs is NOT enough weight to be effective. It's just not. I mean a plate with food on it weighs like 3 lbs. Can you only lift that 8 times

Original Post by trhawley:

A forum like this one is a place where people can share their own experiences so by all means speak up and let us know what works for you.  If the only things posted here are links to other fitness sites then the forum becomes useless.

pumpkin...as trhawley said, if i were you i wouldn't hesitate to express your experience here, others certainly don't. and the word 'fit' is so subjective, could mean a number of things. but i've only really gotten from most people on cc that diet/deficit is the only way to lose weight. i dont think any will argue that you can lose weight & fat thru cardio and diet alone. we might argue that its not ideal, but not that it can't be done.

There is one quote to live by: "everything works, for a while."

I once lost 50 lbs doing light weights, high reps, tons of running.  10 years later I've put 30 back on and a lot of it is muscle.  I'm trying to drop 20 of pure fat and keep the muscle.  I can't do that with a bunch of cardio. 

I think the misconception is that most of the knowledgable people here aren't saying that lifting heavy is the only way to lose weight, they're saying lifting heavy in conjunction with a proper diet is a better way to lose fat weight and obtain a better physique.

I say do what works for you.  If you have found something that works for you, do it, keep to it, and tell what you've done - as many others may find it useful.  What I have discovered as of late is that somtimes we tend to read too much and listen to these "studies" a little too much and don't just do what works for us.  I did everything myself and lost 30 lbs.  I started reading stuff and fallowing certian diets and workout plans and have had trouble making any progress since.  I'm now trying to get back to what I know.  If you've found something that works for you, who cares what the studies and the "experts" say!!  That's my $.02.

JT

Well all i say is give lifting "heavy" weights a change. try doing it for like a week or two. You might find that you like it more and it works better, or you might find out that you hate it, and it doesnt work for you. Just give it a go, what can it hurt?.. I tryed cardio for like 3 weeks then truely relized its not my cup of tea, and i started dredding going to the gym.  So i went back to lifting.

Btw I agree with "jtsharps"... No matter what one expert says there will always be another saying the exact opposite... look at the atkins diet.... lol

I do think any exercise is better than none. And the exercise you are going to keep up week after week is better than the exercise you will give up on after a few days.

I also want to point out that lifting weights has benefits not directly related to losing weight. Rarely do I need to run miles in my daily life (I'd either run for the bus, which is a 30 second sprint, or walk to work). I do need to lift stuff without putting my back out.

And as a woman in her thirties, I am well aware that I need to keep my bones strong.

A lot of people don't like lifting because let's face it, it's HARD WORK. I get it. It ain't easy. What I see are a lot of people just trying to work around it because it's freakin' hard to do.

If someone told me I had to walk a tightrope across two buildings in order to get optimal fitness, I'd be looking for other ways too. Can't blame people for not liking it, and yeah some exercise is better than none, but I have never been a "well it's better than nothing" person. Can't live my life like that

Original Post by spirochete:

Original Post by jblarghp:

I did increase my weight.

I started with 2 pounds...

Doesn't your purse weigh more than that? A bag of groceries? I'm willing to bet you lift more than that on a daily basis without even thinking about it. 5lbs is NOT enough weight to be effective. It's just not. I mean a plate with food on it weighs like 3 lbs. Can you only lift that 8 times

 Well, so far what I've been doing has been working for me. I'm definitely noticing more definition in my stomach, legs, and arms.

I plan on gradually increasing the weight, but right now I'm good.

Thank you for your condescending attitude..I LOVE IT!

edit: word in wrong spot?