using weight training to lose weight??????

donegaldave

Question.
Do I need to incorporate some weight training in order to lose weight.
Have been doing relatively well at the weight loss by just watching my diet and regular exercise. But at the moment it seems to have stalled.
Im a rugby player and had topped out at 18 stone on a six foot frame.
I’ve got down to 16 stone but it’s at least 2 stone form where I want to be.
My regime at the moment is

7am 60mins to 90 mins cardiovascular work in gym.
9am breakfast, 2 bananas and juice
11am bowl of fruit salad
1pm sandwich, wrap etc and tea
5pm pasta or meat with veg
6pm 4mile walk

The cardiovascular work is mainly bike and treadmill.
My major concern is bulking up using weights.
I have an uncanny knack of building on bulk in a short space of time around my shoulders, chest and arms. Don’t want to do this until I hit my target weight and even then it will be to tone and not add weight.

Dragan

donegaldave wrote:

I have an uncanny knack of building on bulk in a short space of time around my shoulders, chest and arms. Don’t want to do this until I hit my target weight and even then it will be to tone and not add weight.

This is confusing me slightly, for most positions on a rugby pitch size is an advantage once it does not come at the expense of speed and explosive power!

Do you mind if i ask your current age and the position you play please dude? Also when you say bulk, is this actual muscle and is it adding or subtracting from your game?

donegaldave

I'm 29 and play number 8.
But giving up the rugby and taking up a less physical sport, GOLF!!!
When i do weights it is actual muscle that builds up quick.
One month on the weights and i can have shirts that don't fit anymore across the shoulders, chest area.
Always been a bulky bloke as it helps playing the game but those days where size is a neccessity for me are over on Saturday

Dragan

Cool , you can still to weights without and aim to building size ( though some growth will obviously occur it will not be maximal ) and they will be very good for burning calories. I would suggest you look up powerlift and olympic lifting as possibilities.

you can try the crossfit method at www.crossfit.com or just a more standard form of circuit training.

justsomebloke

i am also confused. But more for the fact that you are a rugby player and going to the gym and not doing weights??? I thought that having a good bit of muscle would be advantages to playing rugby, if for not other reason then you being able to take more of a hit.
Not being a rugby player i don't know exactly what weights would be best but i'd give a good guess that squats and core work at least should be part of your work out

edit - had started before your responce but got caught up in work

poobum

he said he was quitting rugby so...he wouldnt need that strength anymore! dude you need to eat more to keep your metabolism from slowing down! if it slows down it will make it harder to lose weight! eat every 3 hours

t-ha

If you're looking to lose both muscle and fat and establish a new set-point for yourself as a generally smaller guy then you're pretty much doing it the right way. Cardio plus calorie defecit. Just remember that your intake requirments will more than liekly never return to what they were as you lose overall mass and muscle, so you're intake will be permanently smaller.

Like Dragan, I would say that some resistance training would still be a good thing. I understand that some people just balloon up in size, but some overall strength training like overhead squats and such, even just with light weights for longer endurance type sets will help maintain some strength. This can be helpful for preventing injury and feeling healthy.