A lot of people ask should an overweight person lift weights, or should they wait until they’re smaller. A common misconception is that the bigger you are, the more extreme measures you need to take (bigger calorie deficit, higher amounts of cardio, etc). The thinking is that you should wait until you look like the people that are lifting, before you join in.
Extremes are overrated. Don’t believe the hype.
Should an overweight person lift weights?
Cardio will help you lose weight, to an extent. But it will only create a smaller version of the body you have now, with all the same lumps and bumps in all the same areas. You will shrink, but your body shape won’t change. If you lift heavy; however, you will manipulate your body in such a way that it will not only shrink, but also change shape.
Now remember, the definition of heavy varies person to person. My heavy is going to be different from your heavy. The key is to challenge yourself, within your limits. You should be able to lift increasingly heavier as you progress through the different lifting stages. This is an excellent time to challenge yourself, lifting as heavy as possible — the bigger we are, the more power we actually have to push more weight. Challenging yourself by increasing weight will push your metabolism through the roof.
With lifting, you can actually get more done in less time because your body doesn’t have the same opportunity to adapt as it does when doing cardio. When your body begins to adapt, the only solution is to keep pushing it to the limit. A limit that keeps moving further and further away means longer and longer workouts. But when you lift, all you have to do is to increase the poundage. You don’t have to add more time to your workout. More productive in less time. Isn’t that something we all want?
So don’t be intimidated by the thought of lifting “heavy.” Heavy is relative, but you definitely want to start lifting as soon as possible. Start with what you’re able to lift and work your way up. Heavy two weeks from now should be different than heavy today. There was a time when 7 or 8 pounds was heavy for me! But I kept increasing, and in turn, I gained strength. If you don’t increase, your body will adapt, and stop changing. The initial toned look from your first few weeks of a new workout will become softer.
Your body needs the challenge in order to keep morphing into the body you want and deserve.
Looking for a new challenge to your workouts? Try out our EM2WL Training App!
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Q*: I would like to lose another 20 pounds. I run 3 or 4 times a week, and will soon be training to run a half marathon. I am a 45 year old woman and my job is pretty sedentary, even though I stand most of my day. I know that as I get closer to the goal weight that things could slow down. I would just like to set myself up for success. I know that I should be lifting, but I really don’t want to. Can I still reach my goals without strength training?
A: I won’t say that you need to do something that you truly don’t want to, if that’s what you’re expecting. But…first hear me out, so that you can understand what you’re up against.
As you’ve likely have heard, there are huge benefits of strength training that have nothing to do with your outward physique. But since the question pertains specifically to your physique goals, I will only address that aspect:
First of all, there’s nothing inherently wrong with doing cardio (presuming you’re not doing a reset), and many cardio lovers have found ways to be successful with EM2WL. The key for them has been in including lifting (and even bulk cycles), for greater physique goal success.
When you choose to do cardio only, you’re left as merely a smaller version of your current self. With all the same lumps and bumps in the same areas. Combine aging with excessive cardio and dieting, and it’s a recipe for muscle loss. Losing muscle makes you “skinny fat.” This means that you will have to go DOWN in weight each year, just to look the same as you did the year before. As you can see, over time, this could become problematic. Soyour goal weight will need adjustment if you’re looking for a specific “look” and only doing cardio…and even then, it’s not so certain that you’ll get it.
Muscle is what gave us our former youthful look. Without it, we will begin to look bigger, and hence older (even if we stayed the exact same weight that we were in our youth). Lifting will not only keep that youthful tightness of the body, but also allow you to hit your goal WITHOUT having to lose so much weight.
The other thing with doing cardio only is that our body adapts to cardio. So if you’re doing a lot, then at one point you may not be eating enough for your super high burns, but over time, that amount will become too much as your body adapts to the activity to become more efficient. So you’ll be doing the exact same amount of work, yet burning much less calories.
It actually does your metabolism a disservice over time. You don’t want to get to the point that your body views running 10-15 miles, the same as going to check your mailbox: just part of the routine, and thus no changes being made.
It’s fine if running is your passion and you want to do it no matter the physique consequence (as many runners will do). If you want to get smaller, then you should fully understand how running only will play into the picture.
I’d highly recommend mixing some lifting into your routine.
Our motto, “cardio for fun, weights to transform.” If you abide by that, then you can still do the cardio that you love, simply for enjoyment. But if you really want to transform your body, allow the iron to assist you.
With all that said…if you still aren’t feeling weight lifting, then I would keep close eye on your heart rate monitor. If you notice that you are burning less calories than you used to, then you are likely eating too much, and will have to continue to adjust accordingly.
Photo cred: flickr ~ rvwithtito
Have fun in your half marathon!
How about you fam? Any tips for a newbie that’s not into lifting? Are you reaching your physique goals with cardio only? Have you had to make any adjustments in order to keep progressing?
*Q & A posts are excerpts from actual submitted emails from clients and fam. Have a question that you’d like to see addressed in Q & A or explained in a future article? Drop us a line below!
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Should you just do cardio to lose weight? How heavy is heavy lifting? Do "strength" DVDs count? What if you don't want to lift? Sign up now for in-depth info on strength training and fat loss. You'll also receive special vids and free workout plans to help you get the most from your time in the gym.
So, you’ve finally made the decision to go through with a metabolism reset. You’ve had it with diets and excessive exercise and you are ready to make the necessary changes to get your body functioning properly again.
We are proud of you. That first step is incredibly scary. The road that you have ahead is not easy, but it is worth it!
Cardio…how much is too much?
One question that we get asked quite frequently at EM2WL is about the amount of cardio that is “permissible” during a reset.
We are all about moving your body in a way that is enjoyable and achieving your fitness goals. We would never tell you to give up something you love! Even though we are passionate about getting women to lift heavy weights, we know that many of our readers really enjoy cardio, whether it is training for a marathon, crossfitting, or gettin your groove on at a Zumba class. As long as you are making sure to match your caloric goals to your activity level, you should be able to continue to participate in the activities you love. Just make sure to incorporate some heavy lifting in there in order to stimulate your metabolism and build that fat-burning muscle.
Unfortunately, many people are not asking these questions because they love cardio, but out of a place of fear. They are afraid that if they eat all this extra food, and do not compensate for it with extra activity, they are sure to balloon up.
It’s important to remember that the goal of a metabolism reset is NOT weight loss. Our bodies need energy to function properly. Breathing, eating, sleeping, doing the dishes, lifting weights, walking the dog…these are all activities which require energy. We get this energy from eating food. If we are not giving our bodies the nutrients that we need, our bodies will respond by taking nutrients from some other source. At a small deficit, some of this energy will come from the burning of adipose tissue (fat) for fuel. However, at a very large deficit (whether that is created through exercise or diet), the body will begin to conserve metabolic energy.
The purpose of a reset is to slowly get the body accustomed again to eating an appropriate number of calories for your activity level. Its is fairly common to gain weight as you begin to up calories, but eventually, weight should stabilize. Just as the body was quick to make adaptations to the lower calorie level, the body will quickly bounce back to eating a consistent and appropriate number of calories. It is crucial to be patient, consistent and to trust the process.
You have kids, a job, housework, and bills. Don’t let your fitness goals become one more stressor. Enjoy the journey!
One goal of your metabolism reset is to give your body a chance to relax and remove some of the stressors placed upon the body by restrictive dieting and excessive exercise.
Cortisol is a hormone known as “the stress hormone.” In response to stressful situations, cortisol levels will increase. Despite the negative press it receives, cortisol is a good thing! It helps us through those “fight or flight” situations by increasing our pain tolerance, giving us a surge of energy, and conserving energy expended. If you are being chased by a bear, that extra cortisol will help you to run for your life. After these situations, cortisol returns to normal levels and the body’s relaxation process kicks in.
However, many different types of stressors which are not really “fight or flight” scenarios can also spike cortisol levels. Not getting enough sleep, a trying family situation, eating at a caloric deficit, and exercise all place stress upon our bodies and can trigger the release of cortisol. If many of these stressors are occurring all at once, cortisol levels remain high, and the body may respond by making metabolic adaptations.
Too much cardio can elevate cortisol levels, particularly when not enough calories are being consumed.
Many of our readers are already finding it mentally (and often, physically) challenging to increase calories to the level that will support a healthy metabolism. Doing excessive cardio is often a way to make them “feel better” about the increase in calories. However, this creates a caloric deficit which will not allow for the healing process to take place. Increasing activity will increase energy needs during your reset. If you are already uncomfortable with eating more, you will want to keep the cardio to a minimum.
On the other hand, doing some heavy resistance training during your metabolism reset will yield a number of benefits. Provided the calories are sufficient, a metabolism reset can provide an environment for building some quality muscle. Often switching the emphasis from fat loss to muscle growth can be very refreshing and empowering, and it gives you something else to focus on. A pound of muscle burns more calories at rest than a pound of fat, so focusing on building muscle now will help you tremendously when the time comes for you to focus on losing fat later!
The bottom line? Taking a break from the cardio (for now) will also allow you to receive the maximum benefit from this later when you proceed into a caloric deficit. But if you absolutely feel like you cannot live without it, keep those cardio sessions short and sweet and make sure that you are fueling those cardio sessions.
Becca is a busy wife and homeschooling mother to five children ages 5 to 13. About three years ago, she embarked on a journey to health and fitness that resulted in the loss of approximately 100 pounds. Today, she is a competitive powerlifter and strongwoman who loves ice cream and deadlifts. As an ISSA certified personal trainer, she is passionate about helping women to get started on a lifestyle of strength and fitness.
Unless you’re fairly new to the EM2WL lifestyle (or the fitness world, in general), you’ve no doubt begun incorporating some weight training into your workout regimen for optimal results. Even newbie fitness buffs are bombarded with strong “recommendations” of weight training everywhere they turn, and typically know that they “should” be lifting (even if they still choose not to). The longer you lift, the more intensity you need — this is where intensity techniques come into play.
In the beginning, simply getting through your workouts and sticking to the basics (compound movements in pre-set rep ranges) are more than enough to stimulate changes in your physique. But at a certain point it becomes very difficult to get more out of your workouts.
What gives?
Well…the more advanced you become, the more intensity techniques your training style will need in order to produce results.
What is Intensity?
Intensity— by definition — is an extreme degree of strength, force, energy, concentration, vigor, fury, passion, etc., done through activity, thought, or feeling. It’s basically not just what you do in the work out, but how you do it, and what energy you bring to it.
Working out at the wrong intensity level for you will typically: ⦁ cause burnout or injury (if your intensity level is too high for your fitness level) ⦁ bring your progress to a screeching halt (if your intensity level is too low)
Beginner vs Advanced Intensity
There’s a huge difference in the intensity level from beginner to advanced…let’s not forget that there’s an intermediate level between the two! And there’s even a difference in intensity of advanced lifters compared to that of competitors who are training for the stage. There’s absolutely no reason for a beginner to hop right into to an advanced lifter or professional competitor’s routine. That body took them years to develop, and it will take a beginner just as long (possibly longer) to do the same. Going all out up front simply leaves you with less tricks of the trade as you progress. This is no different from our basic premise on eating too little or doing too much cardio. Doing too much, too soon is almost always a recipe for disaster.
On the flip side, if you’ve been lifting for a year or more, and are still approaching your workouts halfheartedly, or doing the exact same moves, with the exact same weights, it’s time to step it up. If you want results, then make sure your head is in it. You’re not doing anyone any favors by simply lifting because it’s on your to-do list, or because Kiki said so. Be ALL in. Pop in those earbuds or that DVD and put it on blast. Get in your “zone.” Increase your poundage, eek out an extra rep/set, lower the weights slower than usual, or lift them more powerful and explosive than usual. If you’ve been doing full body workouts three times per week, try upper/lower splits 4 days per week or concentrate (ie more sets/reps) on one or two body parts, each day for five days. When it’s time to work, put in WORK. Yet, be sure to also rest when it’s time to rest; under-recovery can also lead to a lack of energy/drive/focus and, subsequently, results.
“The harder you work, the more results you will see, assuming that your training methods are as effective as possible. ” ~Arnold Schwarzenegger
So let’s say that you’re well beyond your beginner years. When you’re in the gym, you’re in.the.gym. You’re working as heavy as you can, doing as many sets as possible, and training as often as possible without overdoing it. What worked in the beginning years, simply doesn’t work anymore, no matter how “into” it you are.
The Longer You Lift, the More Intensity you Need
This is where intensity techniques come into play. Playing with rest times, supersets, burn sets, drop sets, giant sets, forced reps, partial reps, rest/pause, German Volume Training, etc., will prove invaluable in your advanced years. (We will go into detail on this at a later date, but several of these techniques have been included many of our workout plans).
This is another reason why it’s not a great idea to totally abuse these techniques before their time. This tends to be quite common in newer lifters who were used to cardio-only workouts. They start out of the gate adding intensity techniques because they don’t feel like the slower pace of traditional lifting will “work.” In actuality, they should be taking FULL advantage of the newbie gain period, that produces results from hardly any effort. If that sounds like you, beware that you are setting yourself up for a harder road, than if you simply allow for natural intensity progression to take place. Two to three days per week of compound lifts are plenty for starters. Be assured, it IS working. Remember that there is a law of diminishing returns on ALL types of workouts. Just as with endurance workouts, the more advanced you become, the harder it is to continue to develop, and the harder you have to train.
Speaking of endurance…
Endurance limitations Affect Performance and Intensity
Increased endurance of the muscle will help you to push more weight
Without enough muscular endurance, it will become harder to get through your workouts with the same intensity. You’ll begin to feel as if you’ve hit a wall with your training: your lifts will stall out all together, or even begin to go down. This is due to the fact that endurance-style training (with weights or without) supply much needed oxygen to the muscles. If you use up your body’s ability to supply oxygen to the muscles (by never working in an endurance rep range), they will fail prematurely and you will not fully stimulate them. This can easily be remedied by taking a 4-6 week break and de-loading (reducing your weight, and increasing the reps) every 2-3 months or whenever you feel that you are entering that stall pattern. Going through a gradual endurance period (higher reps with very little rest between sets) will give your body time to adapt, and your ability to train hard, for longer periods of time will increase. You will tire more quickly, and likely feel like a punk, lol, but it’s short lived and for the greater good. So stick it out.
Along with tracking your progress via methods of tape measure, body fat percentage, and pics, be sure to examine your level of intensity. Ask yourself each time you hit the iron if your current intensity is where it should be. Do your best to bring the greatest intensity (focus, vigor, passion, energy) needed for your fitness level to each and every workout, you will continue to see changes for years to come.
Sick of trying to figure it all out on your own? Proper periodization is KEY to outsmarting your plateaus, but sometimes you need to dedicate your brainpower to more important things. I get it – so allow me to do the work for you. The EM2WL Level Up app is fully equipped with just the right amount of endurance, hypertrophy, strength, and metabolic phases (with instructions for exactly when to crank up or cut back the intensity techniques). Click here for more info.
References: Dictionary.com Mirriam-Webster.com The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Many of our readers come to us seeking answers. They are beyond frustrated with dieting. They are have done everything “right” according to most of the information geared towards women. No one would ever question their determination. They have cut out most of their favorite foods and are barely eating enough calories to keep a sedentary 8 year old alive. They are working out daily, often as much as two hours a day or more. They pass on cake at their children’s birthday party and eat chicken breast and salad at the family barbeque while everyone else feasts on hamburgers and chips. They can’t remember the last time they enjoyed a nice restaurant meal and ordered what they actually wanted without guilt. They saw weight loss for awhile, but now everything seems to have stopped. No matter how much more they workout, or how much less they eat, they can’t seem to get the scale to move.
Under these circumstances, a member of our team will often recommend a metabolism reset. If you’re curious as to just what this entails, check out this video where Kiki explains the basics.
Thepurpose of a metabolism reset is to give your body a break from the stress of dieting, to get used to eating an appropriate amount of food, and to provide some time to begin healing some disordered thoughts and attitudes about food that have likely surfaced as a result of restriction.
It isn’t hard to sell people on the reasons why they need to do a reset. But many of our readers want to know how long they should expect this process to last before they can get back to the whole fat loss party.
Under general circumstances, we will recommend a time frame of 8-12 weeks of consistently eating TDEE. After this time, most people can return to eating a small deficit (TDEE-15%) and they will see slow and steady fat loss.
However, every person responds differently. The length of time required for a successful reset will depend greatly on the severity of restrictive dieting and how long the individual dieted. It is critical during this time that you trust the process and are willing to stick it out as long as it takes. Do not approach a metabolism reset as just another diet to try because you’ve tried everything else.
To someone who has spent a long time restricting food, a metabolism reset can sound really appealing. Eat lots of food, and fix my metabolism? Score!!! If you are thinking about doing a metabolism reset, it’s important that you approach it with both eyes wide open. Most people will gain some weight during this time. Many people will feel stuffed as they adjust to an increased quantity of food. Your friends and family may wonder why on earth you would do this. The thought of eating more food while not increasing your exercise will probably make you feel uncomfortable. Even a little anxious. You may feel out of control as the feelings of hunger return which have likely been suppressed due to dieting.
If you stick it out, you will be setting yourself up for a lifetime of future success. It is not easy! Our forums are filled with people who have walked this road ahead of you and are seeing fantastic results! Check out the many success stories those who have walked this road ahead of you and are reaping the rewards.
Consistency is the name of the game. Too often, we see people who approach a reset with excitement and determination. There is often a kind of “honeymoon period”- energy returns, new foods are being enjoyed, workouts are approached with a new-found intensity, sleep quality improves, and there is an overall feeling of wellness.
However, there tends to be a pretty significant water weight gain for many people here. When they start to notice that their pants are fitting tighter, or they see a few pounds weight gain, they may feel discouraged enough to go back to a few days of low-calorie eating. It is very important not to flip-flop back and forth between these two extremes. You need to give your body time to adjust to the new calorie level. Remember that the body is very good at making adaptations! Just as it was quick to adapt to the low calories, it will be relatively quick to adapt to higher calories! Remaining consistent and fighting through the hard days is all part of this process.
So how do you know when your reset is complete? Generally, if you are in a rush to get it over with so you can go back to dieting, that is probably a good sign you’re not quite there yet. Overcoming these mental challenges is such a key part of this. Being able to enjoy “normal” food without guilt is a good sign that you’re getting there!
If you had any symptoms of metabolic damage (hair loss, low body temperature, loss of menstruation, dizziness and/or fatigue), you should begin to see a turnaround. These are all signs that something is wrong, and rushing back to trying to lose fat before your body is ready is only going to sabotage your long-term success.
In the meantime, trust the process and take advantage of this time to focus on some goals, prioritizing your fitness and strength goals over fat loss. You might be surprised with how much you enjoy this time!
The measuring tape is one of our favorite tools for measuring progress.
Even though we generally discourage focusing on the scale, it is good to check in every once in awhile if you don’t allow it to stress you out. Seeing the weight gain level off and then stop completely is a good sign that the body has adjusted to a normal caloric intake. Of course, please make sure you are taking progress pictures and measurements along the way as well! They tend to be a much more significant marker of progress. As muscle is gained, you may notice that you are shrinking even if the scale does not agree! This is a great way to track trends in weight that we often recommend if you choose to weigh daily.
The bottom line: set a general time table, but be prepared to be flexible and trust the process. Every one will respond to a metabolism reset a little differently. Sticking it out and taking it slow will help you to meet your future fat loss goals!
Disclaimer: If you are dealing with clinical symptoms of disordered eating, please do yourself a favor and talk to a doctor or mental health professional. We are not doctors and you should not understand this to be medical advice.
Becca is a busy wife and homeschooling mother to five children ages 5 to 13. About three years ago, she embarked on a journey to health and fitness that resulted in the loss of approximately 100 pounds. Today, she is a competitive powerlifter and strongwoman who loves ice cream and deadlifts. As an ISSA certified personal trainer, she is passionate about helping women to get started on a lifestyle of strength and fitness.
If you are new to strength training, you may be confused by some of the terms that get thrown around. Questions that we frequently get asked is about the difference between compound vs isolation exercises.
What is the difference between compound and isolation movements?
Are compound or isolation exercises preferred?
When should I incorporate these movements into my strength training regimen?
In general, compound exercises are those weighted movements that involve multiple major muscle groups and involve movement at multiple joints of the body. Generally speaking, they promote “functional fitness” by simulating real life activities. Examples of compound exercises would be the squat, the deadlift, the row, and the bench press. There are multiple versions of each of these exercises.
In contrast, isolation exercises generally work only one muscle group and involve movement at only one joint. Often, isolation exercises are performed on machines. Typical examples include the biceps curl or the quadriceps extension.
A prime example of a compound exercise is the deadlift. Although many people think of the deadlift as a lower body exercise, a number of other muscles are used as stabilizer muscles in this exercise. The biceps, abdominal muscles, and trapezius are a few of the upper body muscles which are targeted. Deadlifts are a prime example of one exercise working nearly every muscle fiber in the body!
Compound Movements have a number of benefits:
Because more muscle fibers from large muscle groups are being recruited, these movements burn more calories
Are often seen as a more effective use of time, since a full body workout can be completed with only a few exercises.
Mimic movements that are used in daily life, thereby enhancing functional fitness.
Provide cardiovascular conditioning and benefits
Provide sport-specific benefits such as improved mobility, coordination and balance
Trigger greater release of muscle-building hormones
Reduce risk of over-training since fewer training sessions are required to target muscle groups
If your primary goal is fat loss, doing moderate to high repetitions of compound movements will provide a great calorie burn and target your large muscle groups, thereby stimulating the metabolism. It should be stressed that compound movements do prevent a greater risk for injury if done incorrectly. Learning proper form should be a major consideration. If you have access to a personal trainer or someone who is an experienced lifter, perhaps ask them to demonstrate proper form or watch your lifts. Another good idea is to video your lifts and check your form. If you are very new to lifting, checking out examples of exercises on YouTube is a great idea.
For those seeking to gain muscle or increase strength, heavy compound movements in the lower repetition range (3-8) will provide an environment for this as well. However, both those seeking to lose fat or gain muscle will benefit from including some isolation exercises.
Benefits of Isolation Movements:
reduces risk of injury -increases blood volume to muscle
initiates growth
correct imbalances which may result from or lead to injury
increases size and bulk of muscle, and provide shape to the muscle
After fast-twitch muscle fibers have been depleted through heavy compound work, isolation exercises can be used to maximize blood volume to the muscle, thereby initiating the growth process.
Heavy Lifting Makes us happy!
If you are new to strength training, you will probably want to structure your program around some good, basic compound exercises such as the bench press, row, deadlift and squat. Start light, learn proper form, and gradually increase the weight being lifted. Generally speaking, a well-structured lifting program will focus on compound movements first and then add in complementary isolation exercises to correct imbalances and provide an opportunity for hypertrophy. Even beginners will benefit from adding in some isolation exercises to their strength training program. These exercises should be ones that are directly related to the compound lifts.
Below are some examples of isolation exercises that will have the most carryover to your main lifts.
Bench Press
triceps extensions
front raises
side raises
rope pull downs
Deadlifts
bicep curls
hip thrusts
leg extensions
glute ham raise
Squats
leg extensions
reverse hyper
leg curls Rows-bicep curls
For the majority of people looking to lose fat, gain muscle and improve functional fitness, a well rounded lifting program will focus first on compound lifts and then add in isolation movements to increase hypertrophy, prevent injury, and correct imbalances. Using both compound and isolation exercises will get you the results you are seeking! The following example should provide a good idea of how to combine both compound and isolation exercises for an effective workout that will provide an environment for building muscle, burning fat, and increasing strength and overall conditioning. These workouts should be able to be completed in about an hour. For best results, find a weight that challenges you. If you can complete more than the prescribed number of repetitions, you will want to increase the weight.
Becca is a busy wife and homeschooling mother to five children ages 5 to 13. About three years ago, she embarked on a journey to health and fitness that resulted in the loss of approximately 100 pounds. Today, she is a competitive powerlifter and strongwoman who loves ice cream and deadlifts. As an ISSA certified personal trainer, she is passionate about helping women to get started on a lifestyle of strength and fitness.
A lot of people ask should an overweight person lift weights, or should they wait until they’re smaller. A common misconception is that the bigger you are, the more extreme measures you need to take (bigger calorie deficit, higher amounts of cardio, etc). The thinking is that you should wait until you look like the people that are lifting, before you join in.
With lifting, you can actually get more done in less time because your body doesn’t have the same opportunity to adapt as it does when doing cardio. When your body begins to adapt, the only solution is to keep pushing it to the limit. A limit that keeps moving further and further away means longer and longer workouts. But when you lift, all you have to do is to increase the poundage. You don’t have to add more time to your workout. More productive in less time. Isn’t that something we all want?
In contrast, isolation exercises generally work only one muscle group and involve movement at only one joint. Often, isolation exercises are performed on machines. Typical examples include the biceps curl or the quadriceps extension.
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