Desperately seeking muscle.... HELP!

heathercochrane

Nothing is working – I need to make changes -  I’m 36 – I weigh 122lb. I quit smoking a year ago – I gained 6lb in the year since I stopped and no matter what I do I cannot shift it.

I go to the gym 5-7 days per week. I do Half hour CV and around 20 minutes weight lifting each visit and 400 crunches style exercises – I’m no the strongest - bar bell I can curl is about 15kg. I really need to lift a lot heavier to gain muscle.

I recently got diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis – and so really need to boost my muscles to give less pressure on the joints – I’m way to old to let arthritis slow me down.

Daily I eat around 1300 calories per day – this tends to creep up one night at the weekend when I let my hair down a little – I have tried eating more – but it just stays as fat… As of this week 175 of them calories will come from protein drinks (SCI MX) - I have changed my diet targets to gain 25% of my calorie intake from Protein, 55% from carbs and 20% from fat. I’m by no means a nutrition expert- I just used protein calculators from body building sites to find the right needs for the amount of exercise I do. And I hope I;m not too far off the mark.

I’m really hoping these changes I have made help me to build lean muscle and burn a bit more fat off – both to slow the crippling effect of my disease and to improve my general health and appearance. At present I have a 29.5inch waist, and 37inch hips - most of my chubbiness is around my core… Bit pear shaped I guess. I have a tiny frame in there somewhere as my arms and legs are really skinny… I think my waste aught to be around 24 :-/

… Any one got any other tips on how I can reach my goals?

nickm21

Hi do you lift heavy? Free weights or machines?
From all I have read on her you need to be lifting heavy, and preferably free weights as they incorporate more muscles. Check out Jaimie Easons program on bodybuilding.com or New rules of lifting for women - Lou Schuler, or for your core New rules of lifting for abs - also Lou Schuler.

Good luck

okerachel

My Mum's had RA since she was 25 so here's a bit of wisdom. Go for high intensity, low impact exercises like elliptical or biking. Baby those joints but move 'em or lose 'em. If you want to do weights, go with machines or be careful to keep things smooth with free weights. Try yoga! But keep up the exercise. Even if you manage to "shift" those 6lbs, don't stop. The number one killer for people with RA is heart disease. Your rouge immune system is going to affect your heart as much as your joints so your risk is higher anyway plus those swollen and painful joints make getting up and moving doubly difficult. You can do it! I gained ten pounds last year and I just managed to get it off, it just takes time when you don't have a lot to loose.

Feel free to add me as a friend.

Sl1ghtly

www.bodyrecomposition.com

AbiNichole

I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. You should be very proud of yourself for being motivated to minimize the effects of the disease.:flowerforyou:

Two suggestions for you (and I'm no expert):

1.) Investigate the best times to be eating your protein to build lean muscle. If you're diet is in check and you're getting in the appropriate amount of protein (for you about 61g/day.) Then it may have something to do w/ WHEN you're eating that protein and WHAT TYPE of protein you're eating. If you're eating fatty protein your body very well may be storing it as fat. Or even if you're lifting weights then refueling your body w/ carbs. It's crucial to rebuild your torn muscles w/ protein in order to build the muscle.

2.) Lift HEAVY! and often. If your goal is to build muscle do less cardio and more weight lifting. 20 mins isn't enough for your goals. Do at least 4 sets of 3 types of exercises. Make sure the weights you're choosing are challenging enough for you. Meaning you shouldn't be able to do more than 12 reps comfortably. Also, the last set should be very tough.

Good luck! You can do it!

UsedToBeHusky

Have you been getting enough protein? Lifting weights won't help much if there is not enough protein in your body to generate the new muscle with. You might look there.

wellbert

You have to push slightly more each workout and eat enough food as well.
I added 30lbs to my squat in 2 weeks using Mark Rippetoe's program (Starting Strength)
Previously it took me 3 months to add that kind of weight.

I hear that the new rules of weightlifing for women is pretty popular.

msjessae

Get Protein and Multivitamins! Also, my mom had joint problems as well and I recommended her to take "Flex Support" and it worked for her Also had a client that had the same thing happen to her

It has glucosamine and other good stuff for the joints and such

FITnFIRM4LIFE

I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. You should be very proud of yourself for being motivated to minimize the effects of the disease.:flowerforyou:


2.) Lift HEAVY! and often. If your goal is to build muscle do less cardio and more weight lifting. 20 mins isn't enough for your goals. Do at least 4 sets of 3 types of exercises. Make sure the weights you're choosing are challenging enough for you. Meaning you shouldn't be able to do more than 12 reps comfortably. Also, the last set should be very tough.

Good luck! You can do it!

This....and Up your cals -Work up to heavy slowly<----Good luck to you!

suavequeen

I am 36 yrs old and currently weigh 135. My goal now is to build muscle and found this blog one of my MFP peeps posted very helpful.. Here it is..


Overtraining
Posted on 02/16/2012 by TuDominicano
I'm doing my best to kill it in the gym, but I'm not getting the results I want and I feel tired and sore all the time. What do you think Obi: Am I overtraining?
You probably are. When I first started working out, I thought training 6-to-7 days per week for 3 hours per day would get me ripped way faster than the dude who trains only 3 times per week. It took me years to figure out that I was overtraining and I wasn't giving my body enough time to recover. You don't build muscles when you're training; you build them when you're resting. So if you don't rest, you can't build.

Sometimes, it's difficult to tell if you're overtraining, but there's a difference between being sore from a tough lifting session and being sore from overtraining. If you are feeling consistent pain in your muscles and joints or have headaches, insomnia, and uninspired gym sessions - you might be overtraining. You need to give your body a break. If you feel really sore, it's not just okay, but necessary to take a day or two off. Resting a day or two does not mean you won't reach your fitness goals: it means you'll probably help yourself achieve them.

More generally, here are some keys to healthy training - as opposed to overtraining:

1/
Be Efficient
There is no mathematical equation that makes the length of time you spend in the gym equal to the awesomeness of your physique. My body always recovers best when I train 4 days per week. On this schedule, my body aches less and I can power through my workouts with strength and energy.




<!-- end content-image -->
If I train my chest every day, it will be seven
times bigger than the other guys. Right?
<!-- end content-image-caption-box -->


2/
Sleep
Sufficiently
Your muscles grow when you sleep. If you don't get enough sleep, it's almost impossible for muscles to recover and repair at their optimal level. A lack of sleep prevents your body from being fully functional for the next workout. Sleep at least 8 hours each night.

3/
Listen To
Your Body
If you aren't tuned in, you have a much greater chance of injury. You'll also struggle to lose fat because you won't know when to take down the duration and intensity. Objectively assess your training routine and adjust before injuring yourself.

4/
Remember Reaching
Goals Take Time
Take it from me. I used to train 6-or-7 days per week for 3 hours per day. Anyone spending that much time in the gym is overtraining (not to mention in serious need of an intervention). And I can promise that training that often for that long will not help you achieve your fat-loss goals any faster. It's a hard pill to swallow. But when you recognize that your goals aren't going to materialize overnight, you'll see that it doesn't matter how much time you spend in the gym. Keep in mind, however, you actually have to go to the gym to build muscle.



Splitsville
My split works great for me, my goals and my lifestyle. Adopt one that works to fit you.

Obi's Training Split
Monday- Chest/Biceps- 30 minutes of high intensity cardio
Tuesday- Legs/Triceps/Abs- 30 minutes of high intensity cardio
Wednesday- Shoulders/Back- 30 minutes of high intensity cardio
Thursday- Light Chest/Biceps/Abs
Friday- Off
Saturday- Off
Sunday- Off

jgibson2

From WebMD:

Exercises to Avoid if You Have Rheumatoid Arthritis
Are there any kinds of exercise you should avoid if you have rheumatoid arthritis? In general, you should be careful about activities that put a lot of stress on a joint, or are "high-impact," such as:

Jogging, especially on paved roads
Heavy weight lifting
That's not to say that these activities are totally off-limits. If you're interested in trying them, talk to your doctor first.

Your rheumatologist can help you create an exercise program that is right for you. This may also involve meeting with a physical therapist. Physical therapists can identify what areas you need to work on, choose the right exercises for you, and tell you how vigorously you should exercise.

SOONERborn80

Nothing is working – I need to make changes -  I’m 36 – I weigh 122lb. I quit smoking a year ago – I gained 6lb in the year since I stopped and no matter what I do I cannot shift it.

I go to the gym 5-7 days per week. I do Half hour CV and around 20 minutes weight lifting each visit and 400 crunches style exercises – I’m no the strongest - bar bell I can curl is about 15kg. I really need to lift a lot heavier to gain muscle.

I recently got diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis – and so really need to boost my muscles to give less pressure on the joints – I’m way to old to let arthritis slow me down.

Daily I eat around 1300 calories per day – this tends to creep up one night at the weekend when I let my hair down a little – I have tried eating more – but it just stays as fat… As of this week 175 of them calories will come from protein drinks (SCI MX) - I have changed my diet targets to gain 25% of my calorie intake from Protein, 55% from carbs and 20% from fat. I’m by no means a nutrition expert- I just used protein calculators from body building sites to find the right needs for the amount of exercise I do. And I hope I;m not too far off the mark.

I’m really hoping these changes I have made help me to build lean muscle and burn a bit more fat off – both to slow the crippling effect of my disease and to improve my general health and appearance. At present I have a 29.5inch waist, and 37inch hips - most of my chubbiness is around my core… Bit pear shaped I guess. I have a tiny frame in there somewhere as my arms and legs are really skinny… I think my waste aught to be around 24 :-/

… Any one got any other tips on how I can reach my goals?

You quite possibly might be doing to much cardio. Also try to go as heavy as you can in an 8-10 rep range.

heathercochrane

Wow - loads to take in here. Thank you all do much - ill read through and consider every suggestion.. Thanks heaps peaps :-)