When do you add weights?

Question

I am trying to loose a about 100lbs, but I want to do it safely. So far I have lost about 10. I currently work out every day by walking on the treadmill for an hour. I vary the speed and incline to keep it difficult. I have also recently added a low-impact areobics class once a week. I know that I need to be lifting weights to help boost my metabolism but I am not sure about when to start. I read in one weightloss magazine not to until you are about 20-30lbs of your goal weight and then in another that I should start now. So I am really confused about when to start. And when I do start, do I do low weights and lots of reps or high weights with few reps. This is so confusing

Answer 1

I'll take the reps part. If you do few reps with lotsa weight, you will build muscle mass and get heavier (muscle weighs more than fat). Lotsa reps at lower weight builds a leaner body, more like a runner, or dancer, or skater. Less like a boxer. So go for lotsa reps (get aerobic) and keep the weight down.