I guess part of my issue is that the only experience i have with weight training was during field hockey because I was a goalie, and that was ALL legs. I gained a lot of muscle mass from that on my legs. And I dont want to gain any more mass on my legs or any on my arms for that matter. Maybe a better question would be..what are some better lifts for a woman looking to tone and not gain mass? I CAN do lots of weight on my legs on all of the leg machines at the gym and doing squats. but I don't really want to because it just makes my legs bigger. I am just not really sure what the best way to do it and lose weight and keep the muscles nice but not have them increase in size.
Welcome to the forums. I wrote the fat loss sticky for both men and women. Firstly, you're not going to gain mass unless you are eating above your caloric maintenance. Caloric maintenance is the amount of calories you need to complete your daily activities with no weight gain or weight loss. You will actually be eating in a caloric deficit, ensuring that you will lose weight, primarily fat. The logic behind a weightlifting program is that it prioritizes what weight you lose (whether it's muscle or fat). The weightlifting program ensures that your body is constantly repairing muscle (note - not increasing muscle, maintaining) and is therefore utilizing fat as energy. Because it is using fat as energy, you are decreasing your body fat, not your lean muscle mass.
Also, you need to keep in mind that you are female. You don't have high levels of circulating testosterone and you do not easily put on muscle mass. Many women act like they will instantly look like bodybuilders if they so much as look at a barbell. In reality, it takes very hard work and an obscene amount of eating to gain muscle like that. I can guarantee you that following the fat loss sticky to a tee will enable you to lose body fat, reduce your overall size, and improve your health. I've gotten e-mails and messages from at least 25 people telling me how the fat loss sticky helped them get skinny (in the good way). If it makes you feel better, I have a degree in Exercise Biology from UC Davis with particular knowledge in metabolism and nutrition. PM me if you have any other questions that aren't answered by the fat loss sticky itself.