New to lifting, doing it wrong?

moohffjb
moohffjb Posts: 9
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi!

I've been on MFP for quite a while, but after reading through topics I decided to buy some dumbbells and start lifting (can't afford gym membership at the time)! The thing is, since I'm a beginner I have no idea if this program I've decided to do is "right" or "good" enough;

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


I've done Monday and Wednesday, and I've definitely never gotten this sore by just running or doing various Melissa Bender fitness videos on youtube (which is what I've done up until now)! But still.. Three times a week? Is that enough? I know muscles need time to repair, but still!

Also I've recently decided upping my calories from 800 (I know, way too little!) - 1300 to about 1500. I'm 5'3, I fluctuate between 127-132 lbs and think I'm lightly active (walk brisk pace at least 45 min a day, and lift 3x a week as of Monday (yay me!) but might just as well be sedentary as the walk I mentioned and lifting is pretty much the only thing I do.

Oh, and one more thing! If someone could check my diary and tell my if my protein intake is way too high, that would be really nice of you! Please do check it anyway and see if there's something I could change to be healthier. I should mention that I went to New York on family vacation during easter, and that's way there's so much unhealthy food around that time.

Sorry for the long post, I hope some of you experienced lifters will take time and answer this!

Replies

  • moohffjb
    moohffjb Posts: 9
    Oh, and I'm 20 in June if that helps :)
  • ChrisLindsay9
    ChrisLindsay9 Posts: 837 Member
    Everything looks good to me.

    The workout is pretty solid, with the exception of the dumbbell side bends. This is an area of some controversy, but there are many people who think that women should not do weighted side bends for aesthetic reasons. Your sides are covered with muscle (obliques) and if you use weight, they will grow. And they say that most women would rather have more of a cut look to their sides, and they end up mistaking their more broad sides as an indicator of being overweight. If your goal is to be strong and you don't care about the look, then continue to do them. Otherwise, do them but without weight.

    Personally, I am a fan of "if it's a muscle, then train it." But I do know that some people do prefer that V-type cut to their torso.

    You will want to continually challenge yourself, and so you may find that some lower body exercises will require heavier weight (dumbbell squats/lunges, etc.). So you can invest in heavier dumbbells or look at a weighted vest (or just wear an old backpack with some extra weight (other dumbbells) as you do squats and lunges with dumbbells in hand.

    2-3 times a week for full body workout is sufficient, especially for a beginner. The soreness will start to subside or diminish as you continue with your workouts because your body will get better at recovery. This is how I started and eventually came to enjoy weight training.

    Your protein intake is solid. Anywhere from 0.75g to 1.25g per pound of your bodyweight is the ideal. In fact, your macro ratio is pretty good. You could probably play around with it a little (lower carbs 5% and raise fat 5%, for example). But if you're plus or minus a handful of calories at that macro split, you'll be fine. If you're putting in good solid workouts, then don't sweat it if you miss the mark a little bit.

    Keep up the great work! Take pictures and measurements, so you can track your progress every couple of months. You should see some nice results.

Categories