Lifting heavy for women?does this really work?

[positively9something]

I have come across a website that has suggested eating whole foods 90% of the time (sounds sensible to me) 10% for naughty foods.

It's also gave a work out to follow, which has 4 different exercises. It's called lift like a girl and it said it will be enough to transform your body, it did say get cardio in with activities you enjoy.

Has anyone got experience with strength training for women?

If so can you point me in the direction. of a good starting plan?

I need to loose about 2 stone and my problem areas are belly and thighs but I would like to tone up all over.

Anyone

Yes. I mostly do strength training, supplemented with metabolic training and running for "fun"

New Rules of Lifting / NROL For Women are great, if you can get them. You probably want more variety than 4 exercises - that will get quite dull, quite soon I would think!

And yes to eating well most of the time but having a bit of slack!

I do Crossfit at a gym which focuses on heavy lifting (free weights) MWF and then more hardcore cardio/circuit stuff on TT. I go MWF for a 1 hr class and then do my own cardio around that- mainly running as I'm a keen trail runner, so I prob run/hike around 20-25 miles /wk. The heavy lifting has definitely worked. At my gym it's mainly deadlift, clean and press, overhead press, back and front squats, some KB work, and some own body weight work like press ups, pull ups etc. My muscle tone has improved a lot, I have really good core strength despite doing barely a sit up, and although I haven't lost a lot of weight (starting BMI of 23 and haven't done much with my diet so maybe that's why), I look so much better naked or in a bikini, which is no mean feat when you're pushing 40 and have had 2 kids later than most. I also just feel a lot better- like I've got a string pulling me upwards. My caveat would be that I would be wary of doing heavy free weights with no instruction/ no spotter, because if you're lifting to fail, you need a spotter if yore lifting from a rack, and you need to get your technique bang on or risk major injury.

Yes, very effective! I'd second NROL but even better (or as well) get a PT to guide you through a session or two to ensure good form.

YEs yes yes it definitely works. And you don't need to starve yourself either, just clean eat as much as you can.

New rules is a great starting point but also the pt, as someone else says, even for a session or two to check your form and make sure you won't hurt yourself.

Be warned,it's addictive. But you will most definitely not bulk up and end up looking manly, which is what most women are scared of. Get stuck in with the barbells and lifetime as big as you can, you are doing your bones a massive favour as well.

What size weights would ye recommend?

Also, I started the new rules of lifting today. It seemed v short. Am I reading it wrong?

I've started running for 20-30mins and 30mins of lifting 3 times a week and the difference is amazing.

I do a mix of kettle bells, dumbbells and body weight/ TRX.

I've lost the back of arm wobble, my waist has shrunk etc, there is nothing butch about it though.

I'm not lifting massive weights yet, bicep curls/shoulder press with 6kg in each hand, lunges with 12kg in each hand.
I can do full press ups and triceps dips off a box etc.

I think I worried a bloke in the gym this evening because I was using weights confidently and not mincing about.

grumblepuss Sorry to hijack, do you run x3 and lift x3 per week? So 6 half hour sessions in total? How quickly did you start to see results? Sorry for all the qs.

I do 30mins on the treadmill followed by 30mins weights... 3 times a week. I do it all in one hit, but I'm sure you could do 6 shorter sessions.
Took maybe a month to notice the difference and for it to get easier.