Does anyone else feel out of place in this forum?

I'm starting to feel like I just don't belong here.  Most of the posts I've read are hard-core weight-lifting, body-building type things.  I've read disparaging remarks about "pink dumbells", and I have to say I'm feeling frustrated.  I am really proud of my workout program, even though it's not a body-builder one - I run, I use free weights and stability ball, do pilates and step.  I've lost 10lbs since January and decreased my body fat percentage.  Yes, I might use a purple dumbell or two - so what?  Do I need to bench press my own weight to get any benefits?  I am working to tone and strengthen, lift and firm - is anyone else in this boat?  Is anyone else proud of a workout that some might sniff at?

Sorry if I sound defensive - I have a long history of being looked down on by athletic types and I'm a little overly sensitive sometimes....

congrats on the loss - I wouldn't take any of that stuff to heart, there are plenty of people here who don't excercise at all. :)

Thanks - I like your profile picture!

You're probably talking about me. I am not an "athletic type", or at least I wasn't for most of my life. I was in the marching band for Christs sakes ok

I am not a body builder. I am not a competitive weight lifter. I am a 39 year old mom who works and doesn't want to be a big fat blob. I'm assuming many of you are 30 or 40 something year old moms who don't want to be fat blobs, either.

Of course you should be proud of your progress! Losing 2lbs is a struggle for a lot of us.

Posts about pink dumbbells and cardio bunnies might not sit right with a lot of people because they have had years of misinformation spoon fed to them about fitness. Doing a solid weight program flies in the face of everything they are told about fitness and losing weight. I know this from personal experience. I am a reformed cardio bunny. I used to run 6 miles a day and have about 3 lbs total of skeletal muscle.

I won't interfere with your thread, but I thought I'd let you know where we're coming from when we're bashing 3lb curls. It's not to make fun of anyone or put them down, it's to discuss fitness in a fitness forum. I personally feel very strongly about this subject because I'm not getting any younger over here and I want to be running around and bitching about squats and deadlifts when I'm 75.

I'll now open the floor to Yeah I hate that spirochete always preaching about weights screw her I lost 50lbs on the elliptical machine

I know how you feel completely. I just started running and wanted to up the intensity of my workout in general, so I came to check out this forum, and there's definitely some attitude from the hard-core weight lifters or whatever towards folks who are just trying to come up with a good work out plan to lose weight (like me). I'm pretty much terrified to post any questions I may have because people get so intense about everything.

*takes deep breath* And for the record, most women might not bulk up with weight training, but I do! So there! And I like my pink dumbells! *runs back to weight loss forum out of fear*

I'll be 57 in 2 weeks and I began lifting heavier just 4 months ago. Mind you, not too far above the pink dumbell, but I'm adding weight consistently every month. So, yes, I'm proud of heading in the direction of other women who are lifting heavy.

There's a lot more to it than meets the eye. If you have a history of osteoporosis, you may want to start loading those workouts. It's your best line of defense to keep your bone mass.

On the psychological aspect? Nothing compares to the feeling of "I am strong and can lift heavy weights at my age". Being able to control what goes in your mouth and how you move your body, is the only thing in life we can truly control. So yes, it does give me a mental high.

And last, but not least, it's time effective. And, as you know, we don't have all the time in the world.

The reason so many people are pushing heavy weights is because it's the best way to achieve the goals of the majority of the people on this forum. People want to burn fat and it's been shown that weight lifting is the most efficient way of doing so.

 Heavy is also relative to you, not to anyone else. As long as you're challenging your body with the right level of external resistance for your strength level, you're doing good. In practice, while dieting this means using weights you can at most lift for 8-12 reps, but this doesn't mean that you're somehow not doing it right if that weight happens to be a pink dumbbell.

 The Pink Dumbbell Myth is shorthand for the misinformation perpetrated on you by the so-called 'fitness' magazines, robbing you of exploring your potential.

 Btw: If you're looking for motivational help - can I recommend that you join the Mission: Run Around the World team and contribute your running miles towards their goal of running a combined distance spanning the world? Or any of the various cardio challenge teams like the Calorie Count Cycling Club?

 I know next to nothing about either activity compared to the level of expertise that the dedicated runners and bikers have apart from the bits and pieces I've picked up from reading their advice - fortunately, there's a lot of very good runners and bikers hanging out here who're more than ready to answer any questions you may have.

I've been with CC for over a year now and I am still afraid to post in the fitness thread.  I mostly lurk (when in fitness forums).  I see people like Spiro and Bodyscience and Melkor and I just awe at them.  I read a lot of their posts, ignore some of the comments that are thrown out there, but for the most part they do have a lot to offer as far as knowledge on fitness...from what I can tell.

My brother and sister are more the athletic types...as my mom always puts it (to this day even!)..Val, you just were never good at physical stuff, you learn it too slow. 

I have learned from some of the regular fitness posters that I may be slower than others but it doesn't mean I'm no good at it.  Don't get too frustrated, learn what you can and expand on it for you personally.  BTW, my pink dumbbells are actually dark blue.  LOL!!  And today I am all sorts of sore from my workout last night. 

a lot of the ideas put forth here regarding lifting heavy are based in science and fact - thats all. everyone is entitled to their preference and when asking for others opinion or critique, expect sound and factual answers. that is likely why not many people here (meaning regular respondents who lift competitively or have spent much time reading and learning) suggest lifting heavy and actually advise against counter-productive programs (and remind people there is no such thing as muscle lengthening and toning is the same as building and the reasons no weight regime can give you defined abs et cetera et cetera).

the way i look at it, any activity is better than no activity

aaaaand if you enjoy it, so much the better!

Do not take anything to heart here. I am a gym rat and I got to say that for me the only person that I compete against in the gym is me. That is why I like it. When I get  back to the outside world then I get intimidated because then I have to compete with everyone else.

Everyone has different goals and I think everyone here can respect that. And keep in mind everyone's body responds differently and everyone is built differently. Goals should be personal to you.

Concerning the pink dumbells.... the beef most of us have here is that so many women are afraid to lift wieghts because they think they will bulk up.... most of the time it just doesn't happen unless you have a glandular problem or are taking steroids. Ask the guys in the gym, it is hard to put on muscle mass a lot of them really have to work at it. Special diet, special routine and suppliments all contribute.

Hey there Happyteacher.  On the contrary I feel this site has people of all different walks of life, and different shapes sizes goals and what not.

The posts, well take what you feel is good for you and leave the others behind. 

Congrats on your 10lbs!! Yaye, sounds like you are on the right track. 

Take care and keep doing what works for you :+).

I also think a lot of those replies come when an op says "I do cardio for 85 minutes 5-6 days a week and I'm not losing weight" or "I do 5000 crunches a day and I don't have a six-pack yet-why not?"

Then people come on and say what they know-that is that heavier weight lifting is the best way to burn fat, build muscle, gain strength, etc. If you have a certain type of program that is working for you, and you enjoy it and see progress, then that's great!

For the people that aren't happy with their progress and haven't tried lifting b/c they don't know how, or think it's only for guys, or think that the best way to burn fat is to do endless hours of cardio, they might want to try it-I did and my body has changed completely!

Just be yourself, you may not know it, but you could be helping someone else with what you post.

I think these kinds of forums work best if many types of people with different backgrounds and different approaches get involved!

So, please don't be discouraged!~

Original Post by happyteacher:

I'm starting to feel like I just don't belong here. Most of the posts I've read are hard-core weight-lifting, body-building type things. I've read disparaging remarks about "pink dumbells", and I have to say I'm feeling frustrated. I am really proud of my workout program, even though it's not a body-builder one - I run, I use free weights and stability ball, do pilates and step. I've lost 10lbs since January and decreased my body fat percentage. Yes, I might use a purple dumbell or two - so what? Do I need to bench press my own weight to get any benefits? I am working to tone and strengthen, lift and firm - is anyone else in this boat? Is anyone else proud of a workout that some might sniff at?

Sorry if I sound defensive - I have a long history of being looked down on by athletic types and I'm a little overly sensitive sometimes....

I'm sorry you feel like that.  The only time I feel out of place here, is when I realize I am in the minority of not having an eating disorder.

 

As for your workout, you stick with what works for you.  That's all that matters.  I do take exception to some of the terminology you used, tone for example.  There's not way to "tone" a muscle, but if what you are doing, gives you the results you want, who cares what anyone else thinks?  Now, if you aren't seeing the results you want, from your workout, you have to be prepared on here, to get answers, you might not like to hear.

Original Post by allydan:

*takes deep breath* And for the record, most women might not bulk up with weight training, but I do! So there! And I like my pink dumbells! *runs back to weight loss forum out of fear*

 hahaha! hilarious! 

personally, i like to do both cardio and weights.  i do a body pump class at my gym that apparently is for weight endurance and i love it.  it has definitely transformed my body.  i am so much more toned.  we do weighted squats, lounges, etc.  but i don't lift the most i can...i lift the most weight i can while successfully finishing the song (which is about 4-5 minutes).  i incease my weight every so often when i feel like i can lift more.  it is challenging for me.  and no, i am not lifting my body weight!  but i love it and IT IS EFFECTIVE!!!!!!!!

i hear wha you're saying happyteacher...i sometimes feel the same way.  and i've been an athlete ALL my life.  good luck to you!  do whatever you feel works  

I lived and breathed cardio for years.  I had great weight loss success with just cardio - but you know what I have better "inches lost" success since starting to use weights- and the heaviest I can do.

My pink dumbell post I started to encourage women to push themselves to their maximum and quit doing those low weight multiple reps that they have been told for hundreds of years to do. 

I am far from being a weight lifting guru -- I don't do real heavy weights yet and heck I'm not even very knowledgable about weight lifting. 

I still love doing my cardio because its great for my heart and my mind - I love the endorphins I get from a good cardio workout or heck even a nice long walk.  But I want more women to do weights because as others have said its the number one preventer of bone mass loss later in life.    I am 48 and am in the best shape I"ve ever been - even when I was a scrawny teen and tween -

Do what you enjoy and maybe some day try something different when you feel you need a change of pace.  I think workouts should be fun so they need to be what you want to do.  Just don't be affraid of heavy weights is what we want to stress. 

I sure hope I didn't scare you off the forum because of the pink dumbells thread. 

I can't bench press more than 75 lbs with great difficulty and squats -- I'm still working on those too- I've only started doing weights a year ago. 

Oh and I agree with curtinks - I never go near the health and support forum because I don't suffer from an eating disorder either and get sick and tired of reading about how they have gained a lb and are oh so fat!! 

Original Post by happyteacher:

I'm starting to feel like I just don't belong here. Most of the posts I've read are hard-core weight-lifting, body-building type things. I've read disparaging remarks about "pink dumbells", and I have to say I'm feeling frustrated. I am really proud of my workout program, even though it's not a body-builder one - I run, I use free weights and stability ball, do pilates and step. I've lost 10lbs since January and decreased my body fat percentage. Yes, I might use a purple dumbell or two - so what? Do I need to bench press my own weight to get any benefits? I am working to tone and strengthen, lift and firm - is anyone else in this boat? Is anyone else proud of a workout that some might sniff at?

Sorry if I sound defensive - I have a long history of being looked down on by athletic types and I'm a little overly sensitive sometimes....

felt that way from day one in this forum, but i've also picked up some good advise and corrected alot of mis-information i had.

that said -- my dumbells are teal, because i had to start somewhere. :)

Wanted to add - no you don't have to bench press your body weight to get any benefits -- obviously your program is working for you since you've lost weight and reduced bf%!!  You should be very proud in your accomplishments. 

After a few weeks or months you might find your losses stagnate - that is when you need to change up your routines and we just want you to consider going for those heavier weights.

 

Keep up with the great work and don't let us scare you away.  Like they say in AA and someone else said above -- take what you want from the posts and leave the rest.

There is actually a sticky about pink dumbbells!  Have you read this post?

I understand what it feels like to have your workout slated by others because it doesn't fit in with their methods and ways of thinking.  However, I think that what the pink dumbbell article is trying to point out is that some people don't realise that using a weight that is too light for them isn't providing adequate resistance.  It's all about exerting yourself whether this is on a rowing machine at level 1 or level 10, with a 1kg weight or with a 100kg weight - if you don't exert yourself then you will see little or no benefit.

It's about finding something that works for you, but whatever you do has to have intensity for it to be beneficial.

Anyway, I've only been a member a few days but I so far I have seen a good mix of exercise and advice on the forum.

Why not post more questions, information and articles about non hard core weight training stuff if you feel this way?

 

I am really impressed with the answers on this thread - I must admit I feel much better.

A couple of things:

1)  I TOTALLY understand the thing with the "pink dumbells" and the stickied article.  I agree that 3000 reps at 1lb won't help.  I may have gotten sensitive about it because at MY gym, the pink ones are 10 lbs and that's what I use right now...

2) I actually do challenge myself to lift more when I can.  I started going the machines and wasn't challenged, moved to floor exercises, then got some workouts (supersets & compound exercises) from this site.  I work with 10 or 15 lb weights now, and I do work to increase the weight.  I really try to work with a weight I can only lift for the reps.  It's a little intimidating to go over to the co-ed part of the gym to do weights because the guys there are a bit scary, and the women's side doesn't have a squat machine.  Maybe I just have to suck it up and go over there.  There's a cable machine there, too. 

3)  I have no problem with women lifting heavy, and I absolutely agree with the benefits.  I do my weights at least twice a week, three if I can.  I'm not afraid of gaining bulk or anything.

4)  There have been a lot of encouraging comments here, and I appreciate it.