HELP--weight training and nutrition

I have seen reference to a weight lifting book for women, but can't find it now. Also, need a good book for nutrition and weight lifting / 1/2 marathon walking. Essentially, I do yoga and spin and take a long walk (30-60 minutes) with my dog daily. I have added weight lifting (2-3x/wk) but want to make sure I am using the proper weights and exercises.

I have been on cc for 4 months and still don't get it! (I am NOT stupid--but must be having a brain freeze!) 5'2" 47yo female. My base is 1910 cal based on activity level. I eat, on average, 1600 cal and expend ON AVERAGE an additional 500/day. (I ate a lower average initially but realized I was in deficit cal so increased--thank you to cc feedback!!).  So, that is 1910+500-1600 = 810 deficit, right? and that should be considered healthy, right? Or is it too much deficit? (I lost 10 pounds then plateaued)

I am looking for a good book (or 2?) to guide me in weight lifting (weights and exercises) as well as what to eat during long hikes and walking 1/2 marathons (3rd one this year). I want to build muscle and lose 30 pounds.

I don't like power bars, GU, or protien powder, just normal, natural food in its simplest state.

Why can't I get (understand) this? What am I missing? I teach yoga 8-10 hours a week and am very flexible, strong (?), and injury free. When I started lifting weights a couple of weeks ago I could easily do lat-pull downs at 65 pounds, leg press at 135, chest press at 50, inner thighs at 90 and outer thighs at 70. Isn't that pretty good for a 47 yo female that hasn't lifted in 10 years? (yoga and spin must be doing something!) I want to know what I SHOULD be lifting and what I SHOULD be eating (protein, carbs, fat).

Please respond with something a (I am feeling) brain dead woman can understand!

Well, the first thing i notice is that you want to build muscle and lose 30 lbs... those are great goals, however you cannot do them both simultaneously.

You have to choose one - either lose 30 lbs, or build muscle because it takes a surplus of calories to build muscle.

I'm not saying that you need to quit strength training - thats totally necessary to keep what muscle you have while you are in a deficit, otherwise you will be like me and turn into the dreaded "Skinny Fat". It took me less than 2 months of no strength training to lose all muscle definition - and after just 3-4 weeks of getting back into it (total body 2-3days a week) - my upper body is showing tone again.

I think the book you might be talking about is "The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess". I haven't read it - so i can't give any advice on it.

As far as your lifting goes - If you are only doing the exercises you listed above - thats not nearly enough for a total body workout. Make sure you are not skipping over any muscle groups - they all need your attention!

I would check out the exercise tab on the CC home page - theres a whole bunch of exercise routines on there that you can look at and make up your own routine with those moves you feel most comfortable with. I definitely suggest getting away from the machines and using the free weights. You will get a much better workout!

For your diet - maybe try watching where your calories come from - strive for 30 percent fat, 30 percent protein and 40 percent carbs.  If you log your food religiously - look at the analysis tab and it will tell you where your percentages are at.

Hope that helps a little!

For books, get The New Rules of Lifting for Women - or  Starting Strength from Mark Rippetoe, either one will do and has enough nutrition information to be getting on with.

 for non-book resources:  Non-Sexy Training and Nutrition from Alwyn Cosgrove and Mike Roussel gives you the basics, get that sorted and you're 90% of the way there. Nutrition for Newbies, Part 1 by Thibadeux is a bit more involved, but can probably help - and when you've absorbed that, there's Maximizing Nutrient Partitioning: The Insulin Myth by Jen Heath to really take you to the next level.

Melkor - I swear, you've turned me into a t-nation junkie. I even tried figureathlete.com, and while there are some good articles, most of it is still "get great abs with these three moves" marketing crap. T-nation articles are straight up, direct, and ball bustin' - even for those of us that lack some of the required anatomy. 

Carolann, you've got some great suggestions to start with here. New Rules is fantastic, fun to read, and filled with very useful information for anyone who wants to gain strength. I appreciated the references to research and the candid approach of all three authors: Schuler, Cosgrove, and (ack! I forgot the nutritionist's name, but her recipe's have been yummy!)

Good luck!

 

you CAN lose weight AND add lean muscle mass! Check out the ABS DIET. Its a nutrition and exercise plan.

It works for women too...and i also think there is a version aimed specifically at women...i cant vouch for that one

Carolann:

From one yogini to another, I can vouch for the New Rules of Lifting for Women -- it has really helped me take my body to the next level.  Like you, I'm very flexible from all the yoga, fairly cardiovascularly fit from years of spinning, running (no more due to knee issues), biking, etc., but I definitely needed a push in the strength training area.  I did have a fairly good knowledge base to start with, but I was "stuck" in a rut with my strength training.  I am now in Stage V of the NROL program.  I have not lost much weight in terms of pounds  (in all honesty, I wasn't really trying to), but I have definitely lost body fat (inches) and my clothing fits better.  I also have a much better defined upper body than I ever had before (something that always eluded me, as I tend to store fat in my upper body), and a sleeker lower body.

I also notice that my yoga practice has benefited from the extra muscle as well.  I'm able to hold more challenging poses for longer periods of time, and I find myself moving forward in my practice in ways I just didn't think I ever would.

I don't follow their nutrition plan to a T, but I do incorporate the principles:  frequent small meals; extra protein and a protein shake after every lifting workout.   I'm eating more food than ever, and my weight has remained stable. 

Definitely give the program a try.

 

Original Post by paularuck:

Carolann:

From one yogini to another, I can vouch for the New Rules of Lifting for Women -- it has really helped me take my body to the next level.  Like you, I'm very flexible from all the yoga, fairly cardiovascularly fit from years of spinning, running (no more due to knee issues), biking, etc., but I definitely needed a push in the strength training area.  I did have a fairly good knowledge base to start with, but I was "stuck" in a rut with my strength training.  I am now in Stage V of the NROL program.  I have not lost much weight in terms of pounds  (in all honesty, I wasn't really trying to), but I have definitely lost body fat (inches) and my clothing fits better.  I also have a much better defined upper body than I ever had before (something that always eluded me, as I tend to store fat in my upper body), and a sleeker lower body.

I also notice that my yoga practice has benefited from the extra muscle as well.  I'm able to hold more challenging poses for longer periods of time, and I find myself moving forward in my practice in ways I just didn't think I ever would.

I don't follow their nutrition plan to a T, but I do incorporate the principles:  frequent small meals; extra protein and a protein shake after every lifting workout.   I'm eating more food than ever, and my weight has remained stable. 

Definitely give the program a try.

 

 I just got the book yesterday - did the 1st workout.  How long before you seen results?  I feel much better already - just from upping my cals and eating more protein!  Did you stick to the workout plan exactly?  What weights did you start the 1st workouts with?  I am a yogini too!  How many cals do you eat?  I am scared of gaining!

I know - lots of questions, but I am excited.

 

Stop by fitness Reviews sometime and share your experience :) 

I've been dieting now for three months, I was 132 pounds, now I'm 121. I've lost about 11 pounds, but according to my body fat calculator I've lost 16 pounds of body fat and gained 5 pounds of muscle. I lift weights till failure and week by week I get stronger and stronger. I eat around 1500 calories a day. I eat the same diet I ate when I was 11 pounds heavier, but just less. I eat 20% fat, 15% protein, 65% carbs. I'm also a vegetarian, vegan many days of the week. According to most of the stuff I read on this site, some say I won't build any muscle and be destined to be a weakling until I start eating protein bars, protein shakes and lean meats.

I don't think so, I'm doing just fine, and I'm so happy with the results. I couldn't even do a knee pushup 3 months ago, now I'm doing several sets of 15 full push ups. All I did was lift weights heavier and heavier until I couldn't anymore 3 times a week.

It's completely doable to be a vegetarian and build muscle - Mike Mahler is a Vegan just to pick a random example of a guy with a reasonable amount of muscle and a plant-based diet.

 You just need to be a lot more conscious of your nutrition to optimize your food intake - your protein seems a bit low though, optimum for anyone doing strength training is 1.8g/kg bodyweight, which for you would be about (121lbs:2.2lbs/kg=)55kg*1.8g=99g/day. Well, you don't need micro-gram precision, but you do at least need to be in the right neighborhood. You're getting about 50-60g protein a day, which means that you should head for the tofu and add more oats to your diet to get in another 30-ish grams of protein a day.

 (If you weren't doing strength training, just average calisthenics/cardio, 1.0g/kg bodyweight would be adequate protein, but since you're doing strength training, you need the higher protein intake bracket) 

Thanks to all of you! New Rules is the title of the book I was looking for. I will order it today. Thanks for all of the information. I do other exercises than just the ones I mentioned--that was just a sampling of the weights and ones I do. I think I am getting enough protein but will be more careful. I feel pretty strong, so I am more concerned about losing the weight... Thank you again. I will let you know how it works! Carol Ann

Original Post by mewapiti:

Original Post by paularuck:

Carolann:

From one yogini to another, I can vouch for the New Rules of Lifting for Women -- it has really helped me take my body to the next level.  Like you, I'm very flexible from all the yoga, fairly cardiovascularly fit from years of spinning, running (no more due to knee issues), biking, etc., but I definitely needed a push in the strength training area.  I did have a fairly good knowledge base to start with, but I was "stuck" in a rut with my strength training.  I am now in Stage V of the NROL program.  I have not lost much weight in terms of pounds  (in all honesty, I wasn't really trying to), but I have definitely lost body fat (inches) and my clothing fits better.  I also have a much better defined upper body than I ever had before (something that always eluded me, as I tend to store fat in my upper body), and a sleeker lower body.

I also notice that my yoga practice has benefited from the extra muscle as well.  I'm able to hold more challenging poses for longer periods of time, and I find myself moving forward in my practice in ways I just didn't think I ever would.

I don't follow their nutrition plan to a T, but I do incorporate the principles:  frequent small meals; extra protein and a protein shake after every lifting workout.   I'm eating more food than ever, and my weight has remained stable. 

Definitely give the program a try.

 

 I just got the book yesterday - did the 1st workout.  How long before you seen results?  I feel much better already - just from upping my cals and eating more protein!  Did you stick to the workout plan exactly?  What weights did you start the 1st workouts with?  I am a yogini too!  How many cals do you eat?  I am scared of gaining!

I know - lots of questions, but I am excited.

 

 Me:

I noticed results by the end of the first 8 week cycle.  Yes, I did (and am doing) the workout plans exactly as laid out in the book.  Initially, for squats and deadlifts, I began with the 45 lb. Olympic barbell with 10 pound plates added on.  For the step-ups, I started with 10 pound dumbells; seated rows - 65 lbs.; lunges - 10 lb. dumbells; shoulder presses - 12.5 pound dumbells; lat pulldowns 60 lbs.  I had already been strength training (albeit off and on) for several years, so these weights may be too heavy for someone without any strength training experience.  I should note that these were VERY challenging for me when I began the program.  I won't bore you with the various weights used in each Stage (the exercises switch up), but to give you a general idea of strength gains, I am now squatting and deadlifting with the same Olympic barbell with 25 lb. plates and can do the step-ups with 20 lb. dumbells.  Shoulder presses are now 25 lbs.  I find it harder to increase on the smaller upper body muscle exercises (such as the YWTL and one arm snatch), but I am getting progressively stronger all over. 

I eat between 1600  and 1850 calories each day, depending on whether or not I lift on that day (more on the days I lift).  I tend to stick to the 40/30/30 percentage (40% carbs; 30%fats; 30%protein).  Normally, I'll eat 5 times a day.  I don't (usually -- special occasions excepted) drink alcohol or eat sweets.

My weight has not really changed (down a pound or two), but my body is leaner; my waist is smaller and my clothing fits better.  As I mentioned above, I have definition in my upper body for the first time in a long time. 

Still love my yoga (and always will) and believe that it is an essential part of my fitness and wellness agenda.  However, I am firmly convinced that strength training is essential if you want to lose body fat and increase strength.  This may, or may not, translate t a loss of pounds -- I really think that if you have a lot to lose, you'll see pounds lost, but if you only have say, 10 pounds to lose, you'll see inches lost, but not necessarily significant pounds unless you seriously restrict calories which ultimately goes against your goal.  I decided a long time ago to focus on the fit of my clothing and the percentage of body fat (as reasonably measured with a tape measure - inches lost) rather than the # on the scale.

I also still do cardio, just much less than I used to and much less than most folks think is necessary for weight control.  I focus on interval training and will take spinning classes on the occasional off day or as part of my active recovery weeks.  Yoga is almost every day (counting the days I teach).

Good luck!

Wow Paula - thank you.  Great going and congrats on the good results!  I am looking forward to moving on.

I need to get a barbell before tomorrow (workout B) as I did the squats with 10 pound dumbells.  That is the highest weight I have.  I did the step ups with 10 pound dumbells and I switched up the seated rows for bent over rows with the 10 pounders as well.  I did pretty well with all the exercises except the pushups!  I had surgery earlier this year and was not doing my yoga for a few months.  Lost some strength from the plank and side planks I was so used to doing.

I only want to lose 5 more pounds, so I am not going to worry about keeping the scale at the same place.  I was just worried about getting bigger and not fitting in my clothes!!  I would be happy with inches lost!!  Today is my first 5 meal day!  Yikes - that is alot of eating!!  I will have to do 1/2 cup of Kashi golean for tomorrow instead of a whole cup for breakfast!

 

 

Oh - one more question... I am not sore today - first day workout A - should I be?  Maybe tomorrow?  I was sore all night long, but woke up ok. 

im an avid reader of Oxygen magazine. It's all women's fitness and clean-eating. Amazing and helpful info!!!!  I get great workout tips, recipe ideas, weight-training suggestions, healthy eating concerns , etc. from this magazine.

www.oxygenmag.com