Help with beginning bodybuilding.

[jmnewsome]

Hi everyone!

I guess for some background first. During my college years I pretty in shape, but 8 years and two kids later...that's gone. Anyway - I'm not a girl that hates muscles, I actually rather like them. (I have two tats on my upper arms that I got when I had super arms...now I don't have those arm..I want them back.) Anyway - I guess I have two questions really.

1. I need to lose weight and I prefer weightlifting/bodybuilding over cardio, though I know I need both, so I do cardio 5x a week. But how much of an effect will training for muscles have on my weightloss? I know it'll probably slow down the weightloss, but I'll still lose inches and all, right? Could someone please explain that to me a little more in detail??

2. Could I have some suggestions of some routines that will get me started and how to up them? I'm not a beginner. I've actually lost 40 lbs. this past 8 months...slow & steady...but somehow I'm not getting what I want out of weights. Not sure. I don't have any machines or anything. I just have dumbells. 10s (1 in each hand) do me really well for tricep extensions, but I need some definite 15s or 20s for bicep curls. Anyway - please help. I'm serious about it, but have yet to find decent responses in other forums, so I'm super glad I found this one and hope you all can help me out!

You can e-mail me at jmnewsome@hotmail.com, if you want, but I'll be back here also!

Thanks so much!

peace, love & dmb

[w0cyru01]

Build a sandbag...you'll be able to squat, deadlift, oly lifts, etc.

You can probably overhead press with the dumbells.

[Chameleon]

HI

1) yes, lifting may slow your 'weight' loss but it will increase and speed your FAT loss which is much more important... weight is a useless number in most respects.. your body fat and how you fit in your clothes are much better indicators of progress... the more muscle you have the more fat you will burn even while your just sitting around so lift those weights

2) do you have access to a gym? if not, I would suggest buying a few more weights... you can do everything with dumbbells, even squats... are you planning on doing a full body workout or a split? (diff body parts on diff day's)

ideas of moves you can do with dumbbells:

legs:
squats (regular & sumo squats)
walking lunges
straight leg deadlifts

arms:
bicep curls
hammer curls
tricep kickbacks
overhead extensions (tricep)

shoulders/delts:
side raises
front raises
rear delt raises
military press

chest:
flat bench press
incline bench press (if you have a bench that inclines)
incline flys

back:
single arm rows
full deadlifts

abs:
you don't need weights, just do crunches

[jmnewsome]

Thanks for the replies. I don't really have time to get a gym these days, but I've been reading more and more on exercises with dumbells, etc., so I think I'll definitely go that route, 'til I can get more weights, or a home gym.

Anyway - thanks so much for listing exercises. It's easier for me to do fullbody training 3 days a week, than to do 5 or 6 days with upper/lower training. I guess I'm kinda on the right track, but I've been lax and wanted confirmation (I guess) to make sure I was planning the right steps & doing the right things.

It's hard to let go of the number on the scale, but more and more I'm trying.

Thanks again!

[Chris]

Listen up because I know a lot of women have trouble dealing with this simple fact. Muscle burns calories. Seems simple right? That means the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn doing absolutely nothing....just sitting there, ie your resting metabolic rate is higher. So, weight training builds muscle. Therefore weight training, and intense weight training is always recommended when trying to cut fat....even for women!

Most women are worried about getting big & bulky. But, believe it's not that easy. My whole life revolves around getting big, my workouts, my meals, my sleep, my job....and I'm still not that big. And, I'm a man with much higher testosterone levels than a woman. So, don't worry about getting big.

I would recommend that you implement a weight training program for 3-4 days per week. And on that one your days off from weight training, do cardio 3-4 days per week. I can't recommend a program for you without know your situation a little better, but you definately should include both weight training & cardio.

p.s. your diet will have the largest impact on your fat loss. hopefully that's already in order