30y F, looking to start weight lifting at home

tej220

I need some guidance on where to start.
I'm 30yo, F, 5'5, started with MFP at the beginning of this month at 152lb. I'm a SAHM and currently at 1200cal a day to try and lose about 1.5lb a week to get to my goal weight of 125lb by the end of June. I'd be ok with 130lb if I add muscle. (back story: I was 145lb in high school, dropped a bunch of weight in college without trying, got married in 2007 at 130lb, and then gained weight. I was 155lb Jan 2010 when I did Nutrisystem (about 1200cal a day) and working out with a trainer - got to 142lb in 6 weeks then got pregnant and stopped. Gave birth Nov 2010 and by Nov 2011 I was 125lb without trying. Looking back I think I had a hormonal imbalance because I was definitely NOT exercising or watching what I ate. I gained 3-5lb got pregnant again and was back to 128lb by 9mo post partum. Almost immediately I started gaining weight again and found myself over 150lb again at the start of this year.

Ok so we just moved and I set up a spare room as an exercise space. I have an elliptical, an ab bench (adjusts from flat to angled), and hand weights ranging in size from 5lb up to 35lb. A Perfect Pull Up bar with ab straps. I've got a yoga ball and mat/block, a big open hardwood floor and a TV with Amazon Fire TV stick.


My goal is to lose weight but also build muscle - we are outdoorsy people and I'm planning a rock climbing trip for July so I'd love to build up some muscle as well as CV endurance by then.

I'd love some help to come up with a manageable exercise routine that incorporates lifting. I looked into SL5x5 but I don't have a long barbell - we actually had a full weight bench set that sat in our garage for years and so we gave it away

MlleKelly

I have a weight bench and a rack with dumbbells from 5 - 40. I use the Body Sculpting Bible for Women, which I LOVE. It has pictures and detailed instructions for exercises for all muscle groups and three different programs. It's glorious. Highly recommended. Good luck!

tej220

MlleKelly wrote: »

I have a weight bench and a rack with dumbbells from 5 - 40. I use the Body Sculpting Bible for Women, which I LOVE. It has pictures and detailed instructions for exercises for all muscle groups and three different programs. It's glorious. Highly recommended. Good luck!

Thanks ! I'll have to see if my library has it

tej220

MlleKelly wrote: »

I have a weight bench and a rack with dumbbells from 5 - 40. I use the Body Sculpting Bible for Women, which I LOVE. It has pictures and detailed instructions for exercises for all muscle groups and three different programs. It's glorious. Highly recommended. Good luck!

MlleKelly wrote: »

I have a weight bench and a rack with dumbbells from 5 - 40. I use the Body Sculpting Bible for Women, which I LOVE. It has pictures and detailed instructions for exercises for all muscle groups and three different programs. It's glorious. Highly recommended. Good luck!

Are you able to do most of the exercises with just your Dumbbells ? I don't have a barbell or resistance bands, ankle weights etc

tej220

bumping up - looking to build muscle mass using at -home dumbells. any tips on how to start? id love to do stronglifts but don't have the equipment

IGbnat24

First, you won't be building any muscle eating 1200 calories. Second, 1.5lbs/week might be a little aggressive as you're not extremely overweight. Come up with some full-body circuits. Example: 5 rounds of AMRAP push-ups, AMRAP pull-ups (or pull-up holds if you can't do a pull-up), AMRAP hanging leg raises, 15 squat jumps. You'll torch calories and build strength.

julie_broadhead

Someone posted this a while back.

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-only-home-or-gym-fullbody-workout.html

If I had your weight selection I would do this. Where are you going climbing? Do you get to train in a climbing gym at all?

tej220

IGbnat24 wrote: »

First, you won't be building any muscle eating 1200 calories. Second, 1.5lbs/week might be a little aggressive as you're not extremely overweight. Come up with some full-body circuits. Example: 5 rounds of AMRAP push-ups, AMRAP pull-ups (or pull-up holds if you can't do a pull-up), AMRAP hanging leg raises, 15 squat jumps. You'll torch calories and build strength.

Thanks for the feedback. Jumped on here to post an update.
I actually did drop 25lb by the end of June. now that I'm close to goal weight, I plan to start increasing protein to build us more muscle mass. I put working out on the back burner (Other than cardio to make up for calorie overage on days when i went "off-plan") while I was in the calorie deficit. (btw 1200cal was the net goal, after taking into account calorie burn, so it wasn't necessarily that I only ate 1200cal, but that the net after exercise = 1200cal). The main benefit to having dropped the weight is that I can now do chin-ups and pull-ups (just a few so far) which I added in - this has started to build up a bit of muscle (or maybe it just was hidden under the fat before), but now I need to refocus my diet and exercise for my "phase 2" goals of actually building mass.

tej220

julie_broadhead wrote: »

Someone posted this a while back.

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-only-home-or-gym-fullbody-workout.html

If I had your weight selection I would do this. Where are you going climbing? Do you get to train in a climbing gym at all?

hi sorry I never got a chance to respond! I train at an indoor gym (when i can.... although i dont get there nearly as often as i'd like as its 1hr away and i have 2 littles.... ) but I do have a hangboard at home that I practice on.
we are going to Foster Falls in Chatt.

and thank you - that link is exactly what I am looking for!