Is three days a week enough?
alexbusnello
Posts: 1,010 Member
I'm trying to rebuild lost muscle from dieting and doing HIIT a few months ago (almost a year now). I was doing a free online program called Bodyrock and at first, it worked....but the more I did it and the longer I dieted, I began losing muscle, hair, probably bone, my period stopped, my metabolism is slower, gained inches, clothes are a bit tighter, weaker, mood swings, food obsession, sore joints everywhere, ect.
To rebuild lost muscle and to burn fat and lean out again, is strength training three times a week with very little to NO cardio at all enough? I don't think I could do it everyday to be honest. I use to, but not anymore since I'm weaker now.
And since my metabolism is slower, I have a fear I'm slowly getting over which is eating more again. I keep hearing my metabolism will adjust and I'll build muscle faster and burn fat quicker and get my body back sooner. I'm doing what my body is physically capable of right now with what I have. I have two 5Lbs dumbbell's and two 7.5Lbs dumbells with a big Swiss ball, stretchy band, two light small balls, yoga block, yoga mat and my ipod for timer. Oh, and body weight, of course.
I think I weight 100 - 101Lbs right now and I'm 5' 2 1/2" which is underweight, but I look fatter. I don't look like I only weigh 100Lbs. When I had more muscle on me, I looked smaller which I want back! I was also happier, healthier, stronger and more confident. And i don't know how much weight I need to gain for how much muscle I want. I don't know my goal weight to be since I don't know how much the muscles will weigh when I look the way I did last year....So I have it set to maintain my current weight but I know I need to gain weight to gain muscle.
I think my routines are OK, but obviously not perfect. And my food diary is set to public so you can see.
To rebuild lost muscle and to burn fat and lean out again, is strength training three times a week with very little to NO cardio at all enough? I don't think I could do it everyday to be honest. I use to, but not anymore since I'm weaker now.
And since my metabolism is slower, I have a fear I'm slowly getting over which is eating more again. I keep hearing my metabolism will adjust and I'll build muscle faster and burn fat quicker and get my body back sooner. I'm doing what my body is physically capable of right now with what I have. I have two 5Lbs dumbbell's and two 7.5Lbs dumbells with a big Swiss ball, stretchy band, two light small balls, yoga block, yoga mat and my ipod for timer. Oh, and body weight, of course.
I think I weight 100 - 101Lbs right now and I'm 5' 2 1/2" which is underweight, but I look fatter. I don't look like I only weigh 100Lbs. When I had more muscle on me, I looked smaller which I want back! I was also happier, healthier, stronger and more confident. And i don't know how much weight I need to gain for how much muscle I want. I don't know my goal weight to be since I don't know how much the muscles will weigh when I look the way I did last year....So I have it set to maintain my current weight but I know I need to gain weight to gain muscle.
I think my routines are OK, but obviously not perfect. And my food diary is set to public so you can see.
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This may come of harsh and I really don't want it to but I need to get across a point.
You need to eat more! I am 5'3 and 130. You know that 100 lbs is underweight but our MFP is set to lose weight. If you want to gain muscle u need to wrap the brain around the fact that you will gain weight/muscle.
I eat on average of 2000 calories a day, I am maintaining while doing p90x to build some muscle. You are losing hair because you are starving yourself...EAT!0 -
This may come of harsh and I really don't want it to but I need to get across a point.
You need to eat more! I am 5'3 and 130. You know that 100 lbs is underweight but our MFP is set to lose weight. If you want to gain muscle u need to wrap the brain around the fact that you will gain weight/muscle.
I eat on average of 2000 calories a day, I am maintaining while doing p90x to build some muscle. You are losing hair because you are starving yourself...EAT!
Did you looked at my food diary?
And I know it's a fear of more fat that I have to get over. I keep hearing different things like, "Your metabolism is slower now so you WILL gain fat and little muscle but it will grow" or, "You won't get fatter, you'll have more energy to actually gain muscle mass. But if you do gain more fat, it will come off easier since you're eating more and building muscle." Those types of things.
I workout three times a week, rarely do cardio now, most weights and body weight. I do upper body and back on Monday's, Wednesday's I do whole core (mid section) and Friday I do lower body and back. Weekends I'll take off, too..unless i feel like working out a bit, I'll do light stretching and quick full body moves throughout the day.
I had to stop Bodyrock because I noticed it wasn't doing what I wanted and in order for me to get back into it, I need to be stronger. I wouldn't even be able to do their fit test this time like I had no problem with it the very first time I did it. Plus, the room in my house is now limited to do those types of workouts so I'm adjusting and do moves I can do in my room that will help build muscle. Or when nobodies home, I'll use the living room for more space but that's rare.
Anyways...
I just don't want to get any fatter. That's why I fear eating more of everything (calories, fats, carbs, ect). I fear it because maybe my workouts aren't enough to keep up with the increase of food so my body won't use all of it for muscle and will just store what it can't use to repair my body and fuel my workouts.
Am I just being paranoid? = /
Thank you0 -
Get over the idea your metabolism is slower. 99% of the people on the planet have a metabolism very much the same. The whole slow metabolism idea is a myth unless you have some disease factor going on. 100 lbs for 5'2" is on the very low end and you will need to eat more to gain muscle. You won't build muscle if you aren't feeding it.0
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You need to get help
eat healthy and clean lift your weights and throw away the scale
google why the scale lies please0 -
You need to get help
eat healthy and clean lift your weights and throw away the scale
google why the scale lies please
I know the scale lies. I went on it to find out if it was broken but it's not0 -
Your problems were likely diet induced.
But to answer your question, yes, 3 days per week of lifting is enough. I would do full body training and use a program based on compound lifting. I would eat in a small caloric surplus with the intent to increase bodyweight slowly over time.
You will gain a combination of muscle and fat. This is perfectly normal.0 -
Am I just being paranoid? = /
Thank you
No, until you do not fear food or gaining weight you will not gain lean mass. If you are underweight and it is due to an ED, then you need to re-evaluate many things in your life. The most important being your relationship with food and yourself. You need to learn to love yourself first and foremost and accept yourself for who you are...your body is the most important part of this equation, it needs loving, looking after and essentially needs to be a healthy weight...your mind needs to catch up with this (I am recovering and have taken 21 long years to get to a clear stage in my life where I have no fear, no guilt, no purging, no negative stuff with regards food and eating)...only then will you be able to gain lean mass and be a healthy weight...it is a long, hard journey...but you will get there, if you work through the issues, it takes practice as much as doing, saying and being all the negatives does...0 -
Your problems were likely diet induced.
But to answer your question, yes, 3 days per week of lifting is enough. I would do full body training and use a program based on compound lifting. I would eat in a small caloric surplus with the intent to increase bodyweight slowly over time.
You will gain a combination of muscle and fat. This is perfectly normal.
After I've started to gain muscle again, will the fat come off "easier"? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just hearing different things.0 -
I've realised I'm in a similar boat. Just that mine has more seamen in it. Bm bm tss.
I've over-done the HIIT on a calorie deficit for the last 3-4 months. And have just started re-building. I may get slightly podgy but that's just the way it is. I'll be trying to find the right balance point with eating and training, though.0 -
Your problems were likely diet induced.
But to answer your question, yes, 3 days per week of lifting is enough. I would do full body training and use a program based on compound lifting. I would eat in a small caloric surplus with the intent to increase bodyweight slowly over time.
You will gain a combination of muscle and fat. This is perfectly normal.
After I've started to gain muscle again, will the fat come off "easier"? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just hearing different things.
The answer to the question should have no bearing on your decision to do it based on your current situation. That being said, you will likely be in a better position to drop fat.0 -
Good luck and listen to Sidesteel..... He is a great help. I do not know if anyone suggested it but I would see a dr to have blood work done. It would help know what kind of damage you have and how to help yourself.0
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I've realised I'm in a similar boat. Just that mine has more seamen in it. Bm bm tss.
I've over-done the HIIT on a calorie deficit for the last 3-4 months. And have just started re-building. I may get slightly podgy but that's just the way it is. I'll be trying to find the right balance point with eating and training, though.
I've already gotten pudgier and I hate it. I really want my body back...I'm still young enough to get there again. It's not a huuuge difference but it is a difference. Enough that it bothers me.0 -
Your problems were likely diet induced.
But to answer your question, yes, 3 days per week of lifting is enough. I would do full body training and use a program based on compound lifting. I would eat in a small caloric surplus with the intent to increase bodyweight slowly over time.
You will gain a combination of muscle and fat. This is perfectly normal.
After I've started to gain muscle again, will the fat come off "easier"? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just hearing different things.
Yes it will, but having some fat is healthy. As you build muscle up, you will be less concerned about fat as it is the muscle/fat ratio is what you should be looking at.0 -
Your problems were likely diet induced.
But to answer your question, yes, 3 days per week of lifting is enough. I would do full body training and use a program based on compound lifting. I would eat in a small caloric surplus with the intent to increase bodyweight slowly over time.
You will gain a combination of muscle and fat. This is perfectly normal.
After I've started to gain muscle again, will the fat come off "easier"? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just hearing different things.
The answer to the question should have no bearing on your decision to do it based on your current situation. That being said, you will likely be in a better position to drop fat.
Thank you for your comments and the help
Much appreciated.
This will take some time...maybe the whole year of 2013, but I'll get where I was before or better.0 -
Your problems were likely diet induced.
But to answer your question, yes, 3 days per week of lifting is enough. I would do full body training and use a program based on compound lifting. I would eat in a small caloric surplus with the intent to increase bodyweight slowly over time.
You will gain a combination of muscle and fat. This is perfectly normal.
After I've started to gain muscle again, will the fat come off "easier"? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just hearing different things.
Yes it will, but having some fat is healthy. As you build muscle up, you will be less concerned about fat as it is the muscle/fat ratio is what you should be looking at.
Oh, I know. I don't want a severely low BF%, I just want to look better and feel better. But with the amount I have on me right now and so little muscle, my height and how everything falls together on me looks bad. lol I've always had a belly, I just suck in. I don't even notice doing it anymore because I've been doing it for a few years now. My stomach is the largest part on me if I completely relax my stomach, especially the lower half........0 -
Also, on the days I don't workout, should I lower my intake of everything or keep eating more?0
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Girl, u need to eat!!! And u must do Cardio. Why would u cut cardio out?0
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Girl, u need to eat!!! And u must do Cardio. Why would u cut cardio out?
I cut it out because it will interfere with building muscle since i need the fuel to feed the muscles.0 -
Girl, u need to eat!!! And u must do Cardio. Why would u cut cardio out?
She needs to gain weight. If she doesn't have any fitness goals that are specifically cardio related, she can cut cardio without problems.
Just for reference, I do not do any cardio and I'm in the best shape of my life right now.0 -
Also, on the days I don't workout, should I lower my intake of everything or keep eating more?
Both methods are acceptable but don't get too caught up into one method being ideal as far as progress goes. You need to eat in a small caloric surplus and you can let personal preference dictate how you partition that weekly.
Some people like to eat a bit more on training days.
I like to eat roughly the same daily for preferential reasons.0 -
Girl, u need to eat!!! And u must do Cardio. Why would u cut cardio out?
She needs to gain weight. If she doesn't have any fitness goals that are specifically cardio related, she can cut cardio without problems.
Just for reference, I do not do any cardio and I'm in the best shape of my life right now.
I did too much of it in the past while eating too little for what my goal was and still is..... to burn fat, but build muscle. I did the complete opposite.0 -
Before and afters:
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In order to build muscle you need to eat more, max out on protein and lift heavy.
3lb and 5lb weights will not build muscle. You can still do cardio while trying to build muscle... you still need to work your heart which is a muscle itself.
Get some heavy weights or join a gym to use the ones there.
If you are serious about getting some muscle you need to have patience.. you need to not pay attention to the scale since you WILL gain weight. You need to pay close attention to your diet.0 -
Also, on the days I don't workout, should I lower my intake of everything or keep eating more?
Personally for most people I would say that it depends. But for you it sounds like you desperately need the calories. You need your body to beable to rebuild itself and with the low caloric intake that youve been having it will be hard to do that without a consistent caloric increase.
And I dont think this will in anyway make you fat. You need the calories and especially the protein to gain muscle.0 -
Before and afters:
http://i46.tinypic.com/281x3t5.jpg
Left: Before
Right: After
http://i49.tinypic.com/2qjc8dw.jpg
http://i48.tinypic.com/v81qfc.jpg
Left: now
Right: before
http://i48.tinypic.com/25rmp6r.jpg
Left: before
Right: now
http://i49.tinypic.com/2djvxhx.jpg
Left: now
Right: before
http://i45.tinypic.com/r7vsev.jpg
Left: before
Right: now
http://i45.tinypic.com/n7sc9.jpg
Left: now
Right: before
By looking at the pictures you posted I'm not sure where you see any fat...0 -
In order to build muscle you need to eat more, max out on protein and lift heavy.
3lb and 5lb weights will not build muscle. You can still do cardio while trying to build muscle... you still need to work your heart which is a muscle itself.
Get some heavy weights or join a gym to use the ones there.
If you are serious about getting some muscle you need to have patience.. you need to not pay attention to the scale since you WILL gain weight. You need to pay close attention to your diet.
it's 5Lbs dumbbell's and 7.5
I get tired rather quickly with 7.5 so it should be enough until I'm strong enough to do more reps. THEN I could buy heavier weights....but I cant buy any right now because money is tight and it's christmas soon, so...0 -
The phrase "you can't make an omelet without cracking some eggs" comes to mind. Sometimes things have to get a little worse before they get better. If you want to add muscle, you have to accept that you will gain some amount of fat in the bulk cycle, which you will then take off in the cut cycle.0
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The phrase "you can't make an omelet without cracking some eggs" comes to mind. Sometimes things have to get a little worse before they get better. If you want to add muscle, you have to accept that you will gain some amount of fat in the bulk cycle, which you will then take off in the cut cycle.
Hopefully not much worse...0
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