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  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Graelwyn75 wrote: »
    I restarted training hard and within a month, even though I trained just as hard the year prior, and weighed more, my period stopped...for 7 months. I have absolutely no idea what might have caused it.
    Wouldn't it be very likely that they stopped because at 12% you are at the edge of essential body fat for a woman?
    http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/normal-ranges-of-body-weight-and-body-fat
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
    edited October 2014
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    WalkingAlong wrote: »
    Graelwyn75 wrote: »
    I restarted training hard and within a month, even though I trained just as hard the year prior, and weighed more, my period stopped...for 7 months. I have absolutely no idea what might have caused it.
    Wouldn't it be very likely that they stopped because at 12% you are at the edge of essential body fat for a woman?
    http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/normal-ranges-of-body-weight-and-body-fat

    That's exactly what I stated above. That's most likely the primary driver for sure.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    stroutman81 wrote: »
    lorib642 wrote: »
    Awesome thread! Thank you. I will read through and see if I have any questions.

    I do have one if you haven't gone through this: Any tips for sedentary people to get into exercise as far as types of things to do (i am 186 lbs) and starting a routine (To preserve lean muscle)

    This goes against the grain, but honestly... do what makes you happiest. Or, at a minimum, what jives with you best for now. You're new to this. And good on you for setting out on this lifestyle.

    When you're just starting out... pretty much ANYTHING can work.

    You mention that you're interested in muscle preservation primarily. That requires some loading on your muscles that are above and beyond what they're accustomed to. But back to pretty much anything working... even in the research we see where sedentary people are placed on a WALKING program in response they realize muscle growth in their legs.

    The point is, when you've been sedentary for a while, your threshold for muscle growth/preservation is low.

    In an ideal world I'd say you're doing some form of resistance training a couple of times per week and a handful of conditioning sessions each week. But really, I'd "toe my way into the pool," if I were you, by doing whatever your heart desired.

    As you get used to working out you can refine your approach and become a little more deliberate and specific.

    Is this an annoying response? I feel like you're going to get down to this point and say, "That wasn't helpful at all... what do I need to do!?"

    Not annoying at all :) Thank you!
  • Maryam2014mfp
    Maryam2014mfp Posts: 174
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    Great info here :). Thanks Steve :)
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    stroutman81 wrote: »
    WalkingAlong wrote: »
    Graelwyn75 wrote: »
    I restarted training hard and within a month, even though I trained just as hard the year prior, and weighed more, my period stopped...for 7 months. I have absolutely no idea what might have caused it.
    Wouldn't it be very likely that they stopped because at 12% you are at the edge of essential body fat for a woman?
    http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/normal-ranges-of-body-weight-and-body-fat

    That's exactly what I stated above. That's most likely the primary driver for sure.

    Yah that would make sense but I had been at 12% for sometime the previous year with no issues, and they stopped at a point where my bodyfat had increased. That is why I was flummoxed.
  • andylllI
    andylllI Posts: 379 Member
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    Let me rephrase- I am curious to know your thoughts on the balance between striving to become lean while minimizing losses in strength and power endurance. How does one do this and what sort of progress, in your experience, is realistic?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    When you train people what is your preference for reps for someone looking for all around fitness?

    I have seen a study recently that would suggest that whether you do low rep (5 to 8) or 15 reps, muscle retention was the same.
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
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    Graelwyn75 wrote: »
    stroutman81 wrote: »
    WalkingAlong wrote: »
    Graelwyn75 wrote: »
    I restarted training hard and within a month, even though I trained just as hard the year prior, and weighed more, my period stopped...for 7 months. I have absolutely no idea what might have caused it.
    Wouldn't it be very likely that they stopped because at 12% you are at the edge of essential body fat for a woman?
    http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/normal-ranges-of-body-weight-and-body-fat

    That's exactly what I stated above. That's most likely the primary driver for sure.

    Yah that would make sense but I had been at 12% for sometime the previous year with no issues, and they stopped at a point where my bodyfat had increased. That is why I was flummoxed.

    I can appreciate your confusion. But body fat isn't the sole variable at play here. Total stress load on your body, nutritional status, and health status can all have an impact here. If it were me, I'd be speaking with my doc.
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
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    andylllI wrote: »
    Let me rephrase- I am curious to know your thoughts on the balance between striving to become lean while minimizing losses in strength and power endurance. How does one do this and what sort of progress, in your experience, is realistic?

    Sorry... I need a bit more clarification. Are you actually taking about strength endurance and power endurance? Or strength, power, and endurance? The way I'm reading your question, it seems like the former. However, something tells me you're simply asking how to keep your strength while cutting.

  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
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    psulemon wrote: »
    When you train people what is your preference for reps for someone looking for all around fitness?

    I have seen a study recently that would suggest that whether you do low rep (5 to 8) or 15 reps, muscle retention was the same.

    I have no preference. All programming is tailored to the individual and in almost all cases programs will use a multitude of rep ranges either across the day or across the week. I don't really see much a point in limiting things to one particular rep range when different rep protocols elicit different training effects.
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
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    Bump. I have some time this morning so figured I'd see if anyone is interested in reigniting this thread. Let me know!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Yay! IN for knowledge!
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    In for this.... Love the knowledge here. :D
  • PerkisPower
    PerkisPower Posts: 74 Member
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    Hi Steve, knew to the forums and this is a great thread for me from a learning stand point.

    I am training for a 12 mile obstacle race so am attempting to run 4 days a week while also lifting 5 days a week. Is there any truth to working out in the mornings being more efficient than the evenings? Would it be more beneficial to work out in the mornings and run in the evenings or vice versa?

    I have also seen many articles state you need a rest day. is this the case even if you make sure you are hydrated, well nourished and get enough sleep?
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    IN to read for knowledge.
  • muse09
    muse09 Posts: 15 Member
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    Hi! Thank you for doing this. :) Could you tell me if I'm on the right track, and maybe give me some guidance?

    I am 21 years old, 5'2, 120lb, ~22% body fat trying to get leaner (maybe ~18%BF?).

    I do weight training with Push/Pull/Legs/rest & repeat, and eat about 1500 calories a day. I do not eat back exercise calories since I'm using IIFYM, and try to be as accurate as possible with a food scale.

    I've been at it for about 3 weeks now, but I look about the same. I've read your other thread about already-light people trying to get leaner, and know that it's not realistic to expect drastic loss within a short time frame.

    Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
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    PerkisPower wrote: »
    Hi Steve, knew to the forums and this is a great thread for me from a learning stand point.

    I am training for a 12 mile obstacle race so am attempting to run 4 days a week while also lifting 5 days a week. Is there any truth to working out in the mornings being more efficient than the evenings? Would it be more beneficial to work out in the mornings and run in the evenings or vice versa?

    If I had to pick, I'd do my strength training in the evenings... but in truth... it's likely not going to matter. Fit your training in where you're able to tackle it with energy and consistency.

    The second question is hard to answer without knowing everything about you and your programming... but again... I'd make it about fitting things in where it's most comfortable/suitable to your life and schedule. You have to worry about such things when you're at the extreme ends of the physique/performance spectrums and your paycheck depends on optimizing every little nuance.

    I don't mean to blow off your question... but my point is, I wouldn't sweat it to this level.
    I have also seen many articles state you need a rest day. is this the case even if you make sure you are hydrated, well nourished and get enough sleep?

    To general of a question. I do some form of exercise every single day. But the underlying interplay between training and recovery is always factored in. I should also note that I built up to this level of frequency over time.

    Generally speaking, training balls to the wall without any mind paid to recovery is a mistake.

  • Delilahhhhhh
    Delilahhhhhh Posts: 477 Member
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    Bumpy Bumpy to read laters. I think you are smashing!
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
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    muse09 wrote: »
    Hi! Thank you for doing this. :) Could you tell me if I'm on the right track, and maybe give me some guidance?

    I am 21 years old, 5'2, 120lb, ~22% body fat trying to get leaner (maybe ~18%BF?).

    I do weight training with Push/Pull/Legs/rest & repeat, and eat about 1500 calories a day. I do not eat back exercise calories since I'm using IIFYM, and try to be as accurate as possible with a food scale.

    I've been at it for about 3 weeks now, but I look about the same. I've read your other thread about already-light people trying to get leaner, and know that it's not realistic to expect drastic loss within a short time frame.

    Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

    Assuming your body fat % is reasonably accurate, you're already decently lean. Make sure getting leaner is a sustainable pursuit and your expectations are realistic. But assuming they are, then you're in the right ball park for sure. If you were working with me, I'd likely start you in the 1450 range. You'd have a little wiggle room to drop lower if need be. If your personality matched it, I might toy around with a cyclical approach where you have higher calories/carbs on training days and lower calories/carbs on off days.

    As for your split, you can certainly train 6 out of 7 days if a) your setup isn't ridiculous and b) you've built up to that level of frequency and have the body to handle it. Just keep in mind that recovery and workout capacity tends to go down as calories drop. While frequency can remain high, volume should definitely be adjusted.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    This thread delivers...in an awesome way.

    About those pull-ups...

    I just can't seem to get one. I'm on the skinniest band at my gym and I can do it but the minute I take the band off, I can barely get half of the way up there. What can I do to hit it, finally. I've been at it for more than a year...

    5'4, 135....

    Deadlift: 165# max
    Overhead strict press: 55#
    Clean: 115# max
    Jerk/push press: 65# comfortably
    Snatch: 65#

    Do these lifts help for pull-ups at all?

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