July Q and A
Options
Replies
-
RunRachelleRun wrote: »Quick question about protein. I keep reading conflicting information about basing it off LBM or bodyweight. Should I be aiming for 111 g (LBM from last caliper check) or 185 g a day (bodyweight) or something between?
I averaged 106 g a day over the last 6 weeks. Goal is to retain or grow LBM and lose 40ish pounds (not really sure what I should way). I've lost 45 lbs over 20 months and started with LBM of 112 lbs (current 111).
I'd see where 1g/lb goal weight puts you.0 -
Great. Thanks again!0
-
Hello!
I'm a 36 yo F, 5'5", SW ~167 lbs, CW 143 lbs. Lost those ~20 lbs since January logging. Have been aiming around 1500 cal (average for June 1542) and 100g protein (average 112g) a day. I have been following the book Strong by Alwyn Cosgrove and Lou Schuler and am 6 months into that (3 days full body weight lifting). I have also ramped up via C25k to now running ~10-11 miles a week (3 days a week). I am also fairly purposefully active in my job (walk a lot, mainly).
Though I've seen great improvements in my cardiovascular health from running, I haven't noticed much progress in my strength or muscle development. I estimate that I am still around 35% body fat.
Question is this: I am having a bit of diet/logging fatigue as the above posters and I'm hungry often. Weight loss has slowed a little bit, though I think I lost 3 lbs in June. I have toyed with the idea of going to a smaller deficit (-250 cals a day) with the idea that maybe I could do better in the gym. However, I still feel like I have too much fat to lose to go to a true recomp. I think I would have to get to the range of 115-120 to be lean enough. Wondering what your opinion is? These are recent pictures.
0 -
If I were you I'd bring cals to estimated maintenance for two weeks, then resume deficit.0
-
If I were you I'd bring cals to estimated maintenance for two weeks, then resume deficit.
That's a good idea, will try that. Around 2000 then?
My other kind of overreaching concern is that I can't seem to get stronger with my lifts, whereas it seems a lot of other newbie women do. I'm slightly sore usually so it's not that I'm not working hard. People have told me that I can't get stronger because I'm in a deficit so that's why I was thinking of a smaller deficit to preserve as much muscle as possible, maybe make some strength gains. I guess I was just expecting some newbie gains and didn't get them, and it seems like other people do.
My PRs after 6 months of lifting: Deadlift 124lbs 4 reps, Squat 71 lbs 5 reps, Bench press 60 lbs 5 reps.0 -
You absolutely can get stronger in a calorie deficit, at least most people can.
Now if you're a very advanced athlete, and you are quite ween, and you are still dieting, you probably aren't going to gain strength.
If you're not getting stronger the first places I would tend to look would be programming and technique.
Now, it will be easier to gain strength in a calorie surplus, but you should still expect to be getting stronger while dieting0 -
Ok, great! I have 3ish months left of Strong so will finish that out and see where I am.
I suspect my technique is more the issue than programming, so will take more videos too.
Thanks for the help
0 -
This is probably a dumb question but will ask anyway I have been doing the same strength training routine for 8+ weeks and seeing solid results. Any reason I should consider changing?
Second question. I used to run track (sprinter) and looking to regain lost speed. Any specific exercises or routines?
Thanks!0 -
This is probably a dumb question but will ask anyway I have been doing the same strength training routine for 8+ weeks and seeing solid results. Any reason I should consider changing?
Second question. I used to run track (sprinter) and looking to regain lost speed. Any specific exercises or routines?
Thanks!
To answer the first question, as long as you continue to make progress I would stick with the program. The exception to that rule would be if you start to not enjoy it.1 -
This is probably a dumb question but will ask anyway I have been doing the same strength training routine for 8+ weeks and seeing solid results. Any reason I should consider changing?
Second question. I used to run track (sprinter) and looking to regain lost speed. Any specific exercises or routines?
Thanks!
To answer the first question, as long as you continue to make progress I would stick with the program. The exception to that rule would be if you start to not enjoy it.
Agreed. As far as the second question for regaining lost speed the first thing I'd do is start sprinting again. You'll likely regain a good chunk of what you lost just by doing it often.1 -
Appreciate the feedback 0
-
As a fellow high-school sprinter, I agree the first trick to sprinting is to go out there and sprint. That said, you can increase your power output in the weight room as well. Notice I said "power" not "strength", there is a difference: power is strength applied over time. If you get stronger and move a heavier weight in the same amount of time, you increase power. You can also increase power by moving the same weight in a shorter amount of time.
I prefer to use the leg press machine for this purpose. Let me throw some numbers out for example purposes. Let's say you can leg press 500#, using two seconds to press the weight up. You can increase power by pressing 1000# in that same two seconds, or by pressing 500# in a single second. Both examples double your power output.
A coworker wanted some help with his leg drive when sprinting at the end of his runs. I told him to sit at a leg press machine with a very light weight, one-quarter the weight he normally uses. (In our example above you'd use 125#.) Lower the weight under control, then explode the weight up so hard and fast the sled literally leaves his feet for a moment until gravity pulls it back down. Catch the weight with extended legs and unlocked knees, slowing the descent to bring it back down again under control to prep for the next rep.
You don't need a ton of reps of the explosive variety. Try 3-5 reps per set. You can do this with leg presses or squats (be sure to pull the bar tightly against your shoulders and propel your entire body into the air in a jump). Box jumps are also very beneficial for sprinters, with or without extra weight in hand. Start low, work your way higher as you gain experience.
Leg extensions are less useful for sprinting, where you need powerful hamstrings and glutes to propel your leg behind you, thus propelling you forward. So think about adding heavy hip bridges to your arsenal. Awkward as blazes til you get used to them, and easy to feel embarrassed, but amazing results.0 -
My question is more aesthetic in nature. This month I'm pulling crazy-mad overtime, working 6 12-hr shifts per week. Throw in commute, sleep, hygiene and meal prep, and I barely have a couple hours per day left over. I choose to spend those two hours with my family rather than working out, that's my decision. Hopefully things will calm down in a month and I'll be able to resume lifting. In the meantime, some of those nagging pains in my joints (knees, hip, shoulder) are starting to lessen, so we'll call that a plus.
My concern is how much muscle will I lose in the interim. I already know I'm going to need lighter weights upon my return to the gym, but how quickly will my hard-earned muscle disappear? I currently eat at maintenance or slightly below (100-200 calories), with less protein intake than I'd prefer (averaging 100-120 grams for my estimated 160# of LBM). On training days I add a protein shake to my intake, and some days I'll hit north of 150g from having extra chicken or whatnot, that's just the average. (NEVER less than 80g, I will drink a shake as needed to push above that floor.)0 -
My question is more aesthetic in nature. This month I'm pulling crazy-mad overtime, working 6 12-hr shifts per week. Throw in commute, sleep, hygiene and meal prep, and I barely have a couple hours per day left over. I choose to spend those two hours with my family rather than working out, that's my decision. Hopefully things will calm down in a month and I'll be able to resume lifting. In the meantime, some of those nagging pains in my joints (knees, hip, shoulder) are starting to lessen, so we'll call that a plus.
My concern is how much muscle will I lose in the interim. I already know I'm going to need lighter weights upon my return to the gym, but how quickly will my hard-earned muscle disappear? I currently eat at maintenance or slightly below (100-200 calories), with less protein intake than I'd prefer (averaging 100-120 grams for my estimated 160# of LBM). On training days I add a protein shake to my intake, and some days I'll hit north of 150g from having extra chicken or whatnot, that's just the average. (NEVER less than 80g, I will drink a shake as needed to push above that floor.)
From the sedentary studies i have seen, it would recommend around 1g per lb as sufficient to sustain lbm.0 -
1g/# of LBM or BW? (I'm falling short either way.)0
-
Meh, I'm estimating I'm in the 15-17% BF range, so not terribly lean but I'm happy with it for pushing 40 yo. I'm familiar with the idea of 1g/#, but have always associated it with either gaining LBM or losing fat, where I'm happy to maintain, so I didn't know if that changed the equation any.0
-
Meh, I'm estimating I'm in the 15-17% BF range, so not terribly lean but I'm happy with it for pushing 40 yo. I'm familiar with the idea of 1g/#, but have always associated it with either gaining LBM or losing fat, where I'm happy to maintain, so I didn't know if that changed the equation any.
If anything i would person aim to get close to 1g per lb of lbm. I will keep looking but the only study i could find was on sedentary older women.0 -
I have two questions related to my lifting routine, which is this one here:
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/the-beginner-weight-training-workout-routine/
Briefly, it's compound, 3 lifts a workout, rep pattern of 3x8-10
My first issue is deadlifts. Im getting to the point of 8-10 reps being too much for that move, and injury as I scale up on weight concerns me. Any suggestions, such as bringing down the volume just on this move, maybe to 5?
Second issue/question is, is there any issue with me changing the sequence from:
deadlift, pull ups, OHP
To
deadlifts, OHP, pull ups?
(Reversing last two). Reason is because I dont want to give up my rack at the gym deadlifts and ohp are in my rack but I use a pull up assistance machine.
Thanks!
0
