Intake help

Sarauk2sf

Hi!


Regarding your intake, we would suggest to leave as is at the moment as you are losing at a reasonable pace.

With regard to the body fat estimation, we are happy to do one, but at the end of the day, it is what you see in the mirror and what weight you are happy with that matters. If we come in at x% or y%, will it change anything?

When you get near your goal weight, it really is playing it week to week to see how you are doing and your goal weight may change depending on how happy you are.

sun_fish

Yes, you are absolutely right that knowing my body fat % would not change anything. I need to accept that a goal weight or body fat % goal is useless if I don't like what I see in the mirror. This whole journey has been about seeing that magical number on the scale, and I wanted to get away from that way of thinking. So I guess I was trying to replace that number with another number to obsess about.

I will keep my intake as is and check back in a few weeks.

Thanks! :flowerforyou:

sun_fish

Update on weight: 120.6, was hoping to be lower by this time but weird thing – inconsistency with deficit = very slow loss. Go figure. But, it’s a loss, so I’ll take it!

Anyway, I’m wondering if you guys can help me with a temporary program for lower body exercises using bodyweight, or let me know if what I’m doing sounds good. Shoulder impingement is keeping me from doing All Pro at this time. I have an appointment for Physical Therapy starting Monday, April 28. From past experience with this I imagine it will be another 4-6 weeks before I can resume AP.

After much perusing the internet and the YAYOG app, I came up with some exercises that seem to be good and have been doing this for 3 weeks now on my normal All Pro days, MWF, it takes me about 25-30 minutes. I do some core/ab exercises 3x a week too, mostly youtube or fitnessblender videos – about 8-10 minutes.

Bodyweight Squats 2x20 (more of a warm up/keep practicing form thing, I could do more)
Bulgarian Split Squats 2x15 (the last 2 reps on the 2nd set are hard)
Elevated One Legged Bridge 2x15 (same ^)

I’ve been adding a fourth exercise, experimenting with these: One-legged Deadlifts, Glute Bridge with band, Good Mornings with band, Glute Kick Backs with/without band (standing and on floor). Just not sure which one gives me the biggest bang for my buck. As I’m writing this it occurred to me I could probably get my husband to place a barbell on my hips to do BB bridges.

My main questions:
Is 3 days a week enough?
What about putting a sandbag in a backpack for some of the exercises to add some weight?
Do I progress by adding more reps? More sets? Or at some point switch out for harder exercises?
Should I have more variety or is it ok to do the same ones each time? Or should I do like a A, B, A type routine?
Any other exercises you would recommend? I am not able to do any type of jumping type movements as they cause knee pain (I feel like a big mess right now!)

And one more question about upper body strength. Right now I am doing exercises that the PT gave me when I had a consultation 3 weeks ago. They consist of what I assume is the norm for shoulder pain - stuff with a band, 5 exercises, 2 sets of 20 daily. I do feel muscle fatigue at the end of each set. I assume this is more of an endurance training approach and I should expect to lose some strength and will need to deload when I get back to AP?

Thanks as always for your help!

Sarauk2sf

Hi!

Can you ask your PT if there are specific exercises you can or cannot do with your shoulder issue when you see them.

Also, what gym equipment do you have access to?

sun_fish

Hi!

Can you ask your PT if there are specific exercises you can or cannot do with your shoulder issue when you see them.

Also, what gym equipment do you have access to?

I will ask again when I see her on Monday, but when I had the consultation, she said avoid anything that causes pain. Right now, lifting anything, including holding a dumbbell for goblet squats, causes pain. Also, anything that requires a push up movement, but I can be in a plank position or on hands and knees without pain.

I work out at home, and have 2 BB's (15 pounds that I have plates for and a 35 pound one w/out plates), DB's that adjust with plates, a sandbag, physio ball, and bands.

Sarauk2sf

Does holding a dumbbell (with arms down) hurt?

sun_fish

Does holding a dumbbell (with arms down) hurt?

I just tried it and no, it doesn't hurt! I lifted it from the floor with my good arm then transferred it, and it felt fine.

Sarauk2sf

What you have suggested actually looks like a good balance until you get the all clear to do upper body exercises. I would however increase the number of sets to 4 (other than the bodyweight squats) and drop the reps a bit (8 - 12 range) if you have challenging enough weights to up the weight you are using.

For a 4th lift, we would suggest dumbbell Romanian deadlifts - which you can do single legged if you do not have enough weight to be challenging.

sun_fish

What you have suggested actually looks like a good balance until you get the all clear to do upper body exercises. I would however increase the number of sets to 4 (other than the bodyweight squats) and drop the reps a bit (8 - 12 range) if you have challenging enough weights to up the weight you are using.

For a 4th lift, we would suggest dumbbell Romanian deadlifts - which you can do single legged if you do not have enough weight to be challenging.

I like the idea of dropping the reps and doing more sets, and I will add the RDL. As much as I love All Pro and am anxious to get back to it, this has been a nice change and I'm liking it.

Thanks so much!

Sarauk2sf

Welcome!

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