Genuine advice/guidance needed!!! Beginner lifting

missfelicia6

I feel like a yo-yo these past two years.

I have been trying to create a healthy lifestyle. Walking and running everyday, eating healthy!

I have also been trying to have a baby with my dear husband.

Each time I get pregnant, I stop the intense fitness because I am afraid to lose the baby, and I end up losing the baby anyways. But not before I gain 15 pounds from the pregnancy

So now, after my last miscarriage (10 days ago) I started right back up with the daily cardio for 90 minutes a day, and also the physical movements at work every night. I have an 8k step goal each day that I have exceeded.

I use a bodymedia armband to track my exercise and sleep, MFP automatically adds my food and calorie intake.

Everyday has been great so far! I haven't eaten bad or missed any cardio.

I feel like I am staying the same.
Usually I don't like to complain....but when is something going to give?

I have decided to try the 30 day squat challenge starting June 1st, and also learning to lift weights. I plan on doing both for 30 days.

Problem is I don't know anything about lifting.

Can anyone offer me any advice on how to get started??

I also plan on getting in the best shape of my life by October so I can start trying to conceive again. That will be my last try at it. Then other options will be looked at.

Thank you all for listening to me vent and thanks in advance for any and all advice you have

I really look forward to getting started!!

missfelicia6

Anyone??

louisemallas

Hi - I don't know much about lifting but I just wanted to acknowledge your post. I wish you the best of luck having a child. You might feel like you're staying the same but have you measured yourself? You've probably given your body a big shock by jumping into large amounts of exercise and cutting down so give it chance to adjust; it's only been 10 days after all. Just log all you eat, drink plenty of water to flush it through and I'm sure you will get in your best shape in not time. It also sounds as though you will be an excellent Mom whatever route you follow in the future because you're prepared to do what it takes. I wish you the best of luck

missfelicia6

missfelicia6

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate it.

Yeah 10 days is kinda soon to see results. But I struggled all summer last summer so I just don't want 4 months wasted again.

c8linmarie

StrongLifts.com (free)
New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler ($14.99 paperback)

louisemallas

I have a book by Tom Venuto as I was looking at weights myself but think I would prefer a gym as I find this kind of workout boring. I much prefer cardio, and know that left to my own devices, I wouldn't probably do much. Tom's a great believer in using your own bodyweight and some dumbells for weight lifting - he might be a good starting point unless anyone knows better? His book is certainly no nonsense and common sense and reflects a lot of what the seasoned exercisers say on here.

Lesley2901

I'm on the final week of
http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

Other that have been recommended are New Rules of Lifting for Women and Stronglifts

bonitacash08

Cardio alone won't give you the results you want. Lifting and eating right will. I'm 5'4", 23yo and I eat anywhere from 1700-1900 calories a day and lift (heavy free weights) 3x a week. I do pretty minimal cardio.

If you love running/walking or whatever, by all means continue doing it! Just incorporate a good beginners program. I follow Stronglifts 5x5, but you could also try New Rules of Lifting for Women or Starting Strength.

NROLFW is a book that gives workouts and an eating plan. It's really informative and a good place to start. There's a group here for women following the plan:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/102-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w

I don't know too much about Starting Strength other than that it's also a book. I've just heard really positive reviews on it.

Stronglifts 5x5 is a program that incorporates 5 compound lifts using free weights. There's a description:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

and a group for women following the program:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women


As for the conception issues, all I can do is offer my condolences for your losses. Also, good luck on your future attempts! However you become a mommy, I know you'll be a great one!!!

crista_b

Cardio alone won't give you the results you want. Lifting and eating right will.

If you love running/walking or whatever, by all means continue doing it! Just incorporate a good beginners program. I follow Stronglifts 5x5, but you could also try New Rules of Lifting for Women or Starting Strength.

NROLFW is a book that gives workouts and an eating plan. It's really informative and a good place to start. There's a group here for women following the plan:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/102-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w

I don't know too much about Starting Strength other than that it's also a book. I've just heard really positive reviews on it.

Stronglifts 5x5 is a program that incorporates 5 compound lifts using free weights. There's a description:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

and a group for women following the program:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

I'm doing NROL4W, and I've heard great things about Stronglifts 5x5 as well. If you do NROL4W, I'd recommend joining the group and searching the group's forums if you have questions about it. The plan is really easy to follow once you understand it; it can just seem really confusing at first, but the group is a HUGE help. Good luck!

I also wanted to say that I'm sorry for your losses, and I wish you the best of luck on your coming attempts. I hope you're able to succeed, both in conception and your attempts to improve your fitness! :flowerforyou:

missfelicia6

I logged into stronglifts this morning and it's just a bunch of downloads...I didn't see any actual workouts listed

SandraNancy

I am a new convert to heavy lifting myself. I just started about 2.5 weeks ago, and already I'm feeling/seeing results. I'm not looking to lose weight, but instead to be firmer, smaller and tighter. I figured being a size 6 and 135 lbs is great, but why not be a size 4 and 140 lbs with killer definition? Right? Right!

So I tried a few things, played around a bit, and I started something called 5x5. I particularly like it because I can do all of it with the weights I have at home (fair disclosure-- my boyfriend is a fitness nut, so I have barbells, dumbbells, benches, you name it). Here's the link to the one I'm using: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sclark70.htm

I haven't been weighing myself (because the scale typically just frustrates me). However, I measured at the 2 week mark and was down half an inch on my waist, and an inch on my hips. Considering I've been eating whatever I wanted (within reason; I usually eat pretty well), this is huge to me!

Good luck!

bonitacash08

I logged into stronglifts this morning and it's just a bunch of downloads...I didn't see any actual workouts listed

I've never been to the website. Click the link for the summary I posted above; one of the members of the group here wrote a summary that is AWESOME it explains everything perfectly.

missfelicia6

Thank you sweetheart.

I tried logging into 5x5 this morning and all I did was a bunch of different downloads. No actual workout plan.

missfelicia6

Oh ok. Great I can do it.

Do I do workout A one day then workout B the next day??

missfelicia6

Thank you!! If you don't mind maybe I can send you a friend request so I can exchange more instruction with you?

bonitacash08

Oh ok. Great I can do it.

Do I do workout A one day then workout B the next day??

Yep! Make sure you give yourself a rest day between each workout. For example.. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Whatever you prefer just not on consecutive days. Gotta give your body a chance to rest and repair muscle.

RunForChai

I'm so sorry about your loss, that's hard. I say keep eating and when you get pregnant switch to pool exercise [you can run or walk or swim in the pool with minimum impact. If you have access to a midwife [even if you don't plan to use one] or an acupuncturist ask for help--they can be great with advice on how to get and stay pregnant.

Best wishes!

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missfelicia6

Thanks everyone.

I will try each suggestion!

Quest529

double post

Quest529

Oh ok. Great I can do it.

Do I do workout A one day then workout B the next day??

I'm doing the StrongLifts program. It's fabulous without having to use a lot of different equipment.

That's correct. You'll do A one day, rest day, B, rest day, A. Then the next week you'll start on B. Two of the same workout will never be beside eachother. If you have a smartphone, there is a stronglifts app that automatically selects your workout when you open it and tracks your weights and reps.

missfelicia6

Excellent info!

Thank you and great job losing 19 pounds already!

indians1975

I began my journey in March of 2011 I weighed at least 272 lbs. I honestly think that I was closer to 280 or 290 lbs. I was embarrassed to look at the scale. In the beginning of my transformation. I was very naive to what I was eating. I thought that it did not matter what I ate because I was working out. I will lose weight, right? Then I noticed that nothing was changing until I realized with the help of my wife of how important it was to eat the right types of foods. I don't have a diet as some say. I don't have any forbidden foods. I have taken this approach so that I can have this loss be sustainable. I just count calories. I eat approx. 2300 calories per day. My maintenance calories are between 2800-2900. I never eat my exercise calories back. My current goal is to loose body fat and get stronger overall. One thing that helped me keep focus is realizing that there are times when that # will go up slightly due to muscle gain or water weight. So my typical routine is Cross fit on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. I run or spin on Tuesdays and Thursday. Sunday is my recovery day. To this day I have lost over 75 lbs and have had it off for over 330 days and I weigh 196 lbs.

I have added some stuff that you can do without anything besides your own body weight. In my workouts there is often a strength portion (usually some form of Olympic style lifting) along with a WOD (workout of the day) If you are not sure what something is just goggle it.

#1 - 7:00 AMRAP (do it twice)
- 7 Sit Ups
- 7 Air Squats
- 7 Push Ups
- 7 Burpees

#2 - 5 Rounds for Time
- 20 Leg Lifts
- 30 Air Squats
- 40 Mountain Climbers

#3 - Chipper
- 100 Walking Lunges
- 100 V-Ups
- 100 Jump Squats
- 50 Hollow Rock to Supermans

#4 - Complete as Fast As You Can
- 10 Hollow Rock to Supermans
- 30 Burpees
- 50 Air Squats
- 70 Push Ups
- 90 Sit Ups

#5 - Hold Each for 60 Seconds (3 rounds)
- Air Squat
- Elbow Plank
- Side Plank
- Side Plank
- Hand Plank
- Air Squat
- Left Legged Lunge
- Right Legged Lunge

#6 - 20:00 AMRAP
- 10 Burpees
- 100 Jumping Jacks
- 10 Burpees
- 100 High Knees
- 10 Burpees
- 100 Skaters
- 10 Burpees
- 100 Mountain Climbers


Hope this helps and by the way I am sorry about your loss.