Weight lifting while raw

[c'estlaviebelle]

Hi everyone!

I just started the Body for Life program (although I have to admit, I haven't been exact with the cardio, but I have been following the weight lifting regime), and I was wondering, who has experience lifting weights while raw? I know Alissa did it, but in the past when I wasn't raw if I lifted weight I bulked up but didn't lean out (mostly due to diet I'm sure).

I was wondering if anyone has any tips on losing fat while building lean muscle while raw? I am trying to stay the course with the diet (not hard), but the lifting I heard acidifies the body. Is this true? :confused: Is there a food/juice/smoothie or supplement I should take if I'm doing lower and upper body weight lifting? Also, how to get rid of the excess fat that covers the muscles? Should the raw diet cover that, or is there something I should do additionally? I do cardio 3-4 times a week (about 25 min) plus take several dance classes and ride my bicycle on the weekends instead of using my car, which amounts to about 3-4 hours of low intensity riding saturday and sunday.

Thanks for any and all help!! :)

[Mindi]

No, lifting does not acidify the body. You are probably referring to lactic acid which is built up in the muscles when you are lifting, but it quickly dissapates. (that's the "burn" feeling you get)

You may want to take a protein shake to boost muscle growth, they need protein to repair and build. I use Hemp, but choose whatever you like.

Losing bodyfat comes from cardio and restrictive diet, you must create a negative calorie balance to lose bodyfat, however a lot of beginner exercisers find it easy to lose bodyfat and build muscle at the same time. Enjoy it while it lasts, because as time goes on, it becomes very hard to do both simultaneously.

I've had good results with HIIT training for cardio (high intensity interval) and it takes a lot less time, than low intensity cardio.

[maui_butterfly]

yoga or pilates combined with weight training helps create long, lean muscles. build the muscles, then stretch them out. can do both simultaneously with functional strength training (like my faves, the kettlebells: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eunPWJ57zX0 ) --results in strength AND flexibility (and the look you are looking for, i reckon).

i will second what mindi says about high intensity training. 25 minutes of long slow cardio will not take you as far as even 4 minutes (!!!) of tabata type drills (a form of HIIT). http://ezinearticles.com/?Tabata-Protocol:-A-Fast,-Effective-Workout&id=122456

good luck! sounds like you're doing great. act like a fit person, become a fit person!

[lore-ah]

I am going to respectfully disagree with maui butterfly on one point. There is no such thing as lengthening or elongating muscles. Your muscles shaped the way they are shaped and that's it.

I personally do not find pilates and yoga to be nearly as effective as weights for muscle growth. I am a HUGE fan of weight lifting and really enjoy lifting heavy. I do love yoga and pilates, but not for muscle growth.

Also I'm terrified of tabatas on principle! I have never tried them but I bet it's TOUGH TOUGH TOUGH

When I'm on my game (which lately I have not been), I like doing three days of heavy lifting and two days of cardio. It makes a huge, positive difference in how I look!

[maui_butterfly]

I am going to respectfully disagree with maui butterfly on one point. There is no such thing as lengthening or elongating muscles. Your muscles shaped the way they are shaped and that's it.

I personally do not find pilates and yoga to be nearly as effective as weights for muscle growth. I am a HUGE fan of weight lifting and really enjoy lifting heavy. I do love yoga and pilates, but not for muscle growth.


You're right, the whole muscle itself has fixed insertion points on the skeleton, however the individual muscle fibers (muscles are held together by bundles of fibers) can either contract (get shorter and fatter) or elongate (stretch out and get longer and thinner). You can elongate the muscle fibers by doing anything which increases flexibility. Elongated muscle fibers give a longer, leaner appearance to the muscle itself.

[lore-ah]

You're right, the whole muscle itself has fixed insertion points on the skeleton, however the individual muscle fibers (muscles are held together by bundles of fibers) can either contract (get shorter and fatter) or elongate (stretch out and get longer and thinner). You can elongate the muscle fibers by doing anything which increases flexibility. Elongated muscle fibers give a longer, leaner appearance to the muscle itself.

:( no it doesn't. You either gain muscle or you don't. You can't change the shape of it, or worse yet the dreaded "tone" myth. Stumptuous has an awesome myth debunking page if anyone is interested. It's a great site for women interested in strength training

http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/displayarticle.php?aid=45

I won't respond anymore, I feel like a big jerk having disagreements on this site since people are so dang nice!

[maui_butterfly]

similarly respectfully disagreeing. similarly feeling like a jerk. :) let's shake on it! we both agree strength training is cool, and makes you look and feel great! we have more in common than not...

[lore-ah]

similarly respectfully disagreeing. similarly feeling like a jerk. :) let's shake on it! we both agree strength training is cool, and makes you look and feel great! we have more in common than not...

I'm gonna make myself a big liar and post again just to say you're right!

[c'estlaviebelle]

Thanks for the info! I like the stumptuous site and I forgot that years ago I used to visit it (I guess it was back in 2001 and 2002), and it was a great reminder. She's really beefed up the site since then and it has lots of valuable info.

I'm still doing BFL and I'm seeing great results after only a week already! Between the raw lifestyle and BFL I'll be a lean machine in a few months :D

Thanks for addressing my questions. I'm trying to get enough leafy greens so that I get my amino acids. I've been having green smoothies for breakfast and dinner since I just haven't been so hungry lately. Is that bad? Do I need to eat more to maintain muscle? I've been listening to my body and figure if I needed more food I'd crave it, but for now green smoothies are the only food that really interests me...

What should raw foodists make sure to eat when lifting? I guess I need to get some hemp protein powder soon too. Does Alissa sell this?

[cara4art]

Hi! I'd say anyone is on the right track with pumping those greens - somewhere else(can't remember where at the moment)I read that fruits are the body cleansers, and vegetables are the builders. In this context, it totally makes sense to get in plenty of veggies, esp. those dark greens! I'm new to the board(see my post under "Who Are You?)and embarking on my own raw food transition(not 100% raw by any means, but have significantly bumped up consumption of same!) I've been physically active for many years, including weight-training as a big part of my activity, along with cardio, and years ago I did significant adult ballet classes, and some yoga - so I do have a fitness history over a period of 34 years(I'm 60 now). Over the years I have leaned towards a healthy semi-vegetarian diet anyway, featuring a goodly quantity of fresh foods, so this transition is likely going to be different than someone coming off a really SAD situation loaded with fast foods, etc. Personally I love the green smoothies - I just started drinking these yesterday after awhile of falling out of the habit. They really are magic for cutting cravings and I feel great after drinking one, so these are definitely a keeper. I add hemp protein powder to mine, along with some ground-up flax seed to make an awesome power drink!
For fast-acting carbohydrate, a piece of fruit before and after a workout is my plan, along with a small amount of raw nuts(for the post-workout snack)
Another meal featuring plenty of greens and veggies, along with some sort of dip or spread is very satisfying and filled with live nutrition too. Green burritos are a great way to do this - use a collard leaf as your "tortilla" and you're good.
When active, and esp. at the gym, one does have to eat enough food to fuel those workouts, so we can eat more than our sedentary friends who aren't doing anything. Including a bit more(without overdoing it though!) denser foods like raw spreads, raw nut butters, nuts and seeds, avocados, dates, hemp protein, as well as more fruits, even some sprouted grain things if one is inclined. Again, as with many things, one's mileage may vary - trial and error to find the right balance of stuff for sure!
There are raw vegan athletes out there, including raw bodybuilders. The pictures I've seen of the latter look more appealing to me than the excessively-bulked up ones that are eating a ton of animal protein and pumping themselves full of toxic steroids, etc., on account of the fact that on a raw diet, the muscles being built are smaller and more refined, as well as the body fat being on the low side to allow them to show.

[CrazyDelicious]

Just wanted to stop in and say I have been lifting weights for years. For me, it is a base exercise. I also do other things like yoga, biking, different sports, etc, but while these come and go or are seasonal, weight lifting is always there. I will eat a giant smoothie before I go to work out and I even bring a snack to the gym in case my energy gets low. After I may have another smoothie with hemp protein. It really depends on the day. I have worked out how my body uses fuel and what types of foods I need to eat to feel strong. Some people I know can eat very little before lifting weights, but I find that I am weaker and my workout isn't as good.
As far as losing fat, gaining muscle is the first step. It takes more energy for you body to sustain muscle than it does fat, so you will be burning more calories at rest. I would start with the weight training and continuing with the raw diet, and if after a while you are not seeing the results you want, either increase the cardio you are doing or restrict a percentage of the calories from your diet. In the end, all those wonderful ab muscles we build up won't show unless we lose the layer of fat covering them!!!:rolleyes:

And lore-ah, I hear you about the "tone" myth. I had a client who didn't want to build any muscle at all (was very against it), she just wanted to "tone" her upper arm. :rolleyes: I had to explain that what she really wanted was to build some muscle and lose some fat!! Now she lifts weights and loves it :D After all, muscles are beautiful, strong, and healthy!!

[c'estlaviebelle]

Hi! I'd say anyone is on the right track with pumping those greens - somewhere else(can't remember where at the moment)I read that fruits are the body cleansers, and vegetables are the builders. In this context, it totally makes sense to get in plenty of veggies, esp. those dark greens! I'm new to the board(see my post under "Who Are You?)and embarking on my own raw food transition(not 100% raw by any means, but have significantly bumped up consumption of same!) I've been physically active for many years, including weight-training as a big part of my activity, along with cardio, and years ago I did significant adult ballet classes, and some yoga - so I do have a fitness history over a period of 34 years(I'm 60 now). Over the years I have leaned towards a healthy semi-vegetarian diet anyway, featuring a goodly quantity of fresh foods, so this transition is likely going to be different than someone coming off a really SAD situation loaded with fast foods, etc. Personally I love the green smoothies - I just started drinking these yesterday after awhile of falling out of the habit. They really are magic for cutting cravings and I feel great after drinking one, so these are definitely a keeper. I add hemp protein powder to mine, along with some ground-up flax seed to make an awesome power drink!
For fast-acting carbohydrate, a piece of fruit before and after a workout is my plan, along with a small amount of raw nuts(for the post-workout snack)
Another meal featuring plenty of greens and veggies, along with some sort of dip or spread is very satisfying and filled with live nutrition too. Green burritos are a great way to do this - use a collard leaf as your "tortilla" and you're good.
When active, and esp. at the gym, one does have to eat enough food to fuel those workouts, so we can eat more than our sedentary friends who aren't doing anything. Including a bit more(without overdoing it though!) denser foods like raw spreads, raw nut butters, nuts and seeds, avocados, dates, hemp protein, as well as more fruits, even some sprouted grain things if one is inclined. Again, as with many things, one's mileage may vary - trial and error to find the right balance of stuff for sure!
There are raw vegan athletes out there, including raw bodybuilders. The pictures I've seen of the latter look more appealing to me than the excessively-bulked up ones that are eating a ton of animal protein and pumping themselves full of toxic steroids, etc., on account of the fact that on a raw diet, the muscles being built are smaller and more refined, as well as the body fat being on the low side to allow them to show.

Hi Cara! That is awesome that you have been an athlete for so long. I appreciate your suggestions and will make sure to incorporate some denser foods into my diet if I feel I need them. So far I've been listening to my body and it has asked for things a few times, but I think it is in the releasing toxins phase, so there have been a few times after workouts that I just couldn't eat, and I didn't want to force myself to.

Your suggestion of eating fruit beforehand helps me a lot. I've done that a few times and I find I have more endurance at the gym if I've eaten an apple or pear 30 min or so before my workout.

Thanks so much for your reply and welcome to the board! I wish you all the raw strength you need to stay 100%!

love&light, -Vie

[c'estlaviebelle]

Just wanted to stop in and say I have been lifting weights for years. For me, it is a base exercise. I also do other things like yoga, biking, different sports, etc, but while these come and go or are seasonal, weight lifting is always there. I will eat a giant smoothie before I go to work out and I even bring a snack to the gym in case my energy gets low. After I may have another smoothie with hemp protein. It really depends on the day. I have worked out how my body uses fuel and what types of foods I need to eat to feel strong. Some people I know can eat very little before lifting weights, but I find that I am weaker and my workout isn't as good.
As far as losing fat, gaining muscle is the first step. It takes more energy for you body to sustain muscle than it does fat, so you will be burning more calories at rest. I would start with the weight training and continuing with the raw diet, and if after a while you are not seeing the results you want, either increase the cardio you are doing or restrict a percentage of the calories from your diet. In the end, all those wonderful ab muscles we build up won't show unless we lose the layer of fat covering them!!!:rolleyes:

And lore-ah, I hear you about the "tone" myth. I had a client who didn't want to build any muscle at all (was very against it), she just wanted to "tone" her upper arm. :rolleyes: I had to explain that what she really wanted was to build some muscle and lose some fat!! Now she lifts weights and loves it :D After all, muscles are beautiful, strong, and healthy!!

Hi Crazy Delicious!!

Thanks so much for the reply! I can see how weight/strength training should be a base exercise, as I'm already seeing fantastic results only a week and a half in! The shame is, women are taught that cardio should be the base exercise, and strength should be a "supplement", but I now see it is the other way around. I can already feel myself firming up and my energy is really really high after I weight lift! I can go to the gym, weight lift for an hour, and walk out with more energy than I came in with. Its fantastic! :)

I used to have the incorrect notion that if I weight lifted, especially in my legs, that I would "bulk up" too much and "push the fat out further". I see that is not the case!! Its so insane the myths we are fed via Shape and Fitness et al magazines! "Tone"-ing is another great myth. I don't want to "tone", I want to look strong and lean and sexy! teehee

I've been doing the Body for Life program. Have you done it at all? I'm wondering if anyone who has could tell me their experiences? I'm following the thread on it too of course!!

love&light
-vie

[lore-ah]

I see that is not the case!! Its so insane the myths we are fed via Shape and Fitness et al magazines! "Tone"-ing is another great myth. I don't want to "tone", I want to look strong and lean and sexy! teehee

I've been doing the Body for Life program. Have you done it at all? I'm wondering if anyone who has could tell me their experiences? I'm following the thread on it too of course!!

love&light
-vie

Shape and Fitness magazines are about as informational as watching reality TV at best and downright insulting at least to me. Their workouts are silly and time wasters. The last time I ever picked up a Shape magazine was the day it said not to do squats with weights if you're afraid of bulking up. It's irresponsible and plain WRONG.

I never did BFL but I had a group of friends who all got together and did it with fantastic results!

I love to see all the ladies in this thread getting behind serious lifting! Our muscles and bones need it and thrive on it.

[cara4art]

Weight lifting rules! If one is serious about recomposing one's body, and building some good muscle and increasing bone strength, there's nothing like it. It is a terrific base for any other physical discipline one might be into also. It can be tailored for any sport, movement art, age, rehab, etc. so it is suitable across a wide age spectrum too. Consider that every time one eats, one has the opportunity to transform one's very physical substance, building anew from superior raw materials, in this case a raw diet. I read somewhere that every seven years, there's a new you, because it takes that long for every cell in the body to be renewed. So seven years from today, along with going to the gym, you could be just amazing!