help me sort out my goals and things please

ObsidianMist · February 2016

so I'm pretty new to this whole fitness thing. I've been going to classes at my gym for 7 months where we do body weight exercises and some free weights stuff. everything else, I don't really know anything about. basically I need layman's terms here. think fitness for dummies, lol.

I've been eating at a deficit for the past 20 days, since joining this site. the weight is coming off but I still have about 15 more pounds to go. beyond losing some weight, I want to work on my body composition, which from what I understand pretty much requires heavy lifting. it's something I'm interested in getting into. I just want to make sure I do it right.

let me say straight up I can't pay for a personal trainer right now. I can barely afford my gym membership at the moment.

I've seen conflicting information about this, so let me ask - is it okay to start getting into doing heavy lifting maybe a day or 2 a week for now while I'm still eating at a deficit? or is it better to just keep doing what I'm doing now until I'm in maintenance, and then start doing the heavier stuff? and how does protein factor in? I rarely ever hit my protein macro for the day, I'm usually quite a bit under it. I've never messed with the macros MFP gave me when I signed up since I don't know much about it and it seemed like just eating at a deficit was the most important thing for losing weight. should I adjust them in any way when I start getting into heavy lifting? or wait until I'm no longer eating at a deficit?

and any tips I can get for how to go about learning about heavy lifting would be great. advice, links, videos, whatever. I want to make sure I do things correctly. what do you guys think are the easier moves to start out with? I've watched some videos of heavy squats and that *kitten* looks terrifying to me lol. I think I'll want to leave that one until I've built up some strength doing easier moves.

I think that's all I wanted to ask. I know it's a lot but I know a lot of you are excellent sources of information and experience and I super appreciate any and all helpful replies!

galgenstrick · February 2016

Lifting heavy doesn't mean loading the bar with 300 lbs and attempting squats. What it means is that you're lifting with the goal of increasing the weights on the bar as you progress. It's called progressive tension overload and should be the goal of any "heavy lifting" program if you're natural (not on steroids).

Since you're interested in it, I would start right away. No reason to weight until you're done losing weight. You can start light with an easy amount of weight, and work on your form, then when you're ready, add a bit of weight. It doesn't need to be terrifying. However, it would be wise to use a squat rack with spotter bars while doing your squats and bench pressing, unless of course you have a spotter.

You want to focus on compound lifts, those are the ones that work multiple muscles in your body at the same time. think squats, deadlifts, bench press, military press, pullups, etc. So make sure the program you pick focuses on those types of lifts as they are the best for building an overall foundation of muscle. And speaking of programs, make sure you pick a structured program, and not just make something up. It will be more effective in the long run, and if you have a good program you'll learn and progress as you go. I recommend either "Thinner leaner stronger" or "New rules of lifting for women" since it sounds like your goal is for body composition rather than pure strength. For getting down the right form, I highly recommend picking up the book "Starting Strength" which goes over form extensively on the harder lifts. You don't necessarily have to follow that program (it's a power lifting program focused on gaining strength), but it is one of the best books out there for learning form.

As for protein, you should be eating >0.8grams per pound of body weight per day if you're lifting. This is pretty important because it will keep you satiated, but also help with muscle growth and recovery, or at least maintaining the muscle you have now while you're losing weight.

ObsidianMist · February 2016

@galgenstrick I definitely know better than to start out trying to lift a ton of weight, haha. I fully intend to start out with no weight at all just to figure out form and make sure I don't hurt myself. just the general positioning of the bar in squats seems awkward, never mind with weight on it. I'm still figuring out proper form for regular squats without any weight and I sometimes lose my balance doing them so it kinda makes me nervous.

definitely not on steroids.

thanks for the suggestions for programs for beginners! I would prefer a good website with lots of information about form since I have no money right now to buy a book.

so, I currently weigh 131 lbs, so if I am to eat 0.8 grams per pound I should be eating like 105 grams of protein a day? am I understanding your math right? my daily goal right now based on MFP's numbers for me is 60 grams and I never even come close to hitting that

galgenstrick · February 2016

ObsidianMist wrote: »

@galgenstrick I definitely know better than to start out trying to lift a ton of weight, haha. I fully intend to start out with no weight at all just to figure out form and make sure I don't hurt myself. just the general positioning of the bar in squats seems awkward, never mind with weight on it. I'm still figuring out proper form for regular squats without any weight and I sometimes lose my balance doing them so it kinda makes me nervous.

definitely not on steroids.

thanks for the suggestions for programs for beginners! I would prefer a good website with lots of information about form since I have no money right now to buy a book.

so, I currently weigh 131 lbs, so if I am to eat 0.8 grams per pound I should be eating like 105 grams of protein a day? am I understanding your math right? my daily goal right now based on MFP's numbers for me is 60 grams and I never even come close to hitting that

If you're struggling with squats without the bar it's probably a balancing issue. I had that too. You may need to work on hip and hamstring mobility. But for now, if you cant squat a 45lb bar, then goblet squats are the way to go to teach you proper form. then work your way up to the bar.

Go on youtube and search for both Mike Matthews and Omar Isuf. They both have solid advice, so watch as many of their videos as you can. Steer clear of channels like AthleanX, and Mike Chan, they are scam artists and their advice is sub optimal or just wrong. Mike Matthews also has a website and a ton of articles on muscleforlife.com, they're worth reading and answering a lot of your questions. But as a warning, his website is pretty in your face, LOL.

For protein, you got the math right. It's that important of a macro nutrient that you should be hitting that number as best as possible. Work on eating lean meats, and lowfat / fat free dairy if you struggle hitting that number before going over on calories. Protein powder is great too, just make sure to get a good quality one and not some amino spiked junk.

ObsidianMist · February 2016

thanks so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to reply, I'll definitely check out that website and the youtube channels. and yeah, I have really poor balance, always have. you should see me try to do tree pose in yoga lol. it's just a joke.

galgenstrick · February 2016

ObsidianMist wrote: »

thanks so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to reply, I'll definitely check out that website and the youtube channels. and yeah, I have really poor balance, always have. you should see me try to do tree pose in yoga lol. it's just a joke.

No worries, if you don't have something to improve, then the journey wont be rewarding. And just remember, there's a lot of *kitten* advice out there. If anyone isn't transparent about the requirement for putting in hard work, then they're probably giving bad advice. And of course, if anyone is trying to sell you on some gimmick diet or workout routine, you're better off ignoring that too.

ObsidianMist · February 2016

I picked up pretty quickly that all those weight loss products are useless and scams. and I fully expect it to be hard work, but in a good way!

if anyone out there has any thoughts on whether I should adjust my macros, other than increasing my protein, I'd love to chat about that! I have zero idea what a good and sensible balance would look like.

galgenstrick · February 2016

For macros, you should hit your protein goal of >0.8g per pound of body weight per day. After that you need enough fats for good health, about 0.4g per pound of body weight. After that the rest can be all carbs, but you can go more fat if you feel better that way. Think of the protein and fat numbers as a minimum. That said, you'll probably be stronger on more carbs and keeping fat on the lower end. This is because carbs replenish glycogen, which is the primary energy source your body uses while doing intense exercise.

robertw486 · February 2016

Beyond the lifting, I noticed that you didn't mention cardio at all, unless your body weight and free weight stuff in the first post is possibly quick moving circuit stuff. Though I agree with starting some strength training now, tossing in some cardio will also help with the strength training. Many people neglect one or the other, when in reality they somewhat compliment and build on each other. It's also a much quicker way to build deficit, and gives you a chance to eat more goodies when you want.

As for the protein, plenty of ways to up it. Sometimes things as easy as milk with meals, more eggs, more meats, jerky, etc. If you just don't like whole food proteins in natural form there are processed options that are higher in protein too. We had some dinner sausages tonight that were mostly pork and chicken mix, and they were fairly high in protein. And there are actually some really tasty protein bars if you like to use them as snacks, or you can use protein powders in many things to alter flavors.

ObsidianMist · February 2016

galgenstrick wrote: »

For macros, you should hit your protein goal of >0.8g per pound of body weight per day. After that you need enough fats for good health, about 0.4g per pound of body weight. After that the rest can be all carbs, but you can go more fat if you feel better that way. Think of the protein and fat numbers as a minimum. That said, you'll probably be stronger on more carbs and keeping fat on the lower end. This is because carbs replenish glycogen, which is the primary energy source your body uses while doing intense exercise.

awesome information, thank you! I'll have to play around with the macros at some point. go figure, carbs and protein are the 2 things I have the most trouble getting enough of.

ObsidianMist · February 2016

robertw486 wrote: »

Beyond the lifting, I noticed that you didn't mention cardio at all, unless your body weight and free weight stuff in the first post is possibly quick moving circuit stuff. Though I agree with starting some strength training now, tossing in some cardio will also help with the strength training. Many people neglect one or the other, when in reality they somewhat compliment and build on each other. It's also a much quicker way to build deficit, and gives you a chance to eat more goodies when you want.

As for the protein, plenty of ways to up it. Sometimes things as easy as milk with meals, more eggs, more meats, jerky, etc. If you just don't like whole food proteins in natural form there are processed options that are higher in protein too. We had some dinner sausages tonight that were mostly pork and chicken mix, and they were fairly high in protein. And there are actually some really tasty protein bars if you like to use them as snacks, or you can use protein powders in many things to alter flavors.

one of the classes I go to includes a half hour on the spin bikes, other than a lot of walking that's the only cardio I do. I figure once I get into the heavy lifting and making my own schedule at the gym I'll incorporate some treadmill running into it a couple days a week.

I drink chocolate milk as a post workout drink as well as in my tea lattes quite often, but the fat and sugar in it make me wince lol. definitely going to start eating more eggs, I'm not a huge meat person unfortunately. mainly I think raw meat is disgusting and I can't bring myself to deal with cooking it so I never eat it at home, only at my boyfriend's house when he makes dinner with chicken or something in it. the amount of sodium in chicken strips is horrendous so I'm a bit put off from eating those anymore. and I don't have a lot of money to spend on things like protein powder, that *kitten* is expensive! I may check out protein bars but I worry about fat and sugar in those too. I nearly always eat more than my allotted amount of sugar and fat on here.

MommyMeggo · February 2016

Im shooting for .8g protein and its tough to hit it but on the days I lift I really try to meet that goal above all else.
I do Stronglifts 5x5 and started with the empty bar for the first 3 workouts while I got used to the moves. Now I cant wait to get in the garage and add some weight! Point is work with what you got! I hate cardio, HATE it. But I walk daily for my sanity and to get off my butt!
IIFYM.com is where I went for my calculations of macros and TDEE. But its all personal to the individual.

Dont wait to lift. I like to watch Alan Thrall on Youtube for a lot of laymans terms for perfecting form and tips. I also enjoy his majestic beard. As well as Body Building.com. I like Layne Norton- for the obvious reasons but also because his vids are easy to watch. Good luck!

briscogun · February 2016

Protein powder can be costly, I have that same aversion. But I get mine at Walmart for like $17 for a tub of it. It may have gone up a couple of bucks now that I think of it. But it lasts me a good month or two. I only have some on my strength days usually as a part of my post-workout meal. Its a great way to up my protein intake for the day. I seem to have trouble getting enough of that stuff, too, and I try to incorporate a protein at every meal! I have eggs, meat, tuna, etc. almost every meal without fail, and I still seem to come up short. What can you do, right?

robertw486 · February 2016

ObsidianMist wrote: »

robertw486 wrote: »

Beyond the lifting, I noticed that you didn't mention cardio at all, unless your body weight and free weight stuff in the first post is possibly quick moving circuit stuff. Though I agree with starting some strength training now, tossing in some cardio will also help with the strength training. Many people neglect one or the other, when in reality they somewhat compliment and build on each other. It's also a much quicker way to build deficit, and gives you a chance to eat more goodies when you want.

As for the protein, plenty of ways to up it. Sometimes things as easy as milk with meals, more eggs, more meats, jerky, etc. If you just don't like whole food proteins in natural form there are processed options that are higher in protein too. We had some dinner sausages tonight that were mostly pork and chicken mix, and they were fairly high in protein. And there are actually some really tasty protein bars if you like to use them as snacks, or you can use protein powders in many things to alter flavors.

one of the classes I go to includes a half hour on the spin bikes, other than a lot of walking that's the only cardio I do. I figure once I get into the heavy lifting and making my own schedule at the gym I'll incorporate some treadmill running into it a couple days a week.

I drink chocolate milk as a post workout drink as well as in my tea lattes quite often, but the fat and sugar in it make me wince lol. definitely going to start eating more eggs, I'm not a huge meat person unfortunately. mainly I think raw meat is disgusting and I can't bring myself to deal with cooking it so I never eat it at home, only at my boyfriend's house when he makes dinner with chicken or something in it. the amount of sodium in chicken strips is horrendous so I'm a bit put off from eating those anymore. and I don't have a lot of money to spend on things like protein powder, that *kitten* is expensive! I may check out protein bars but I worry about fat and sugar in those too. I nearly always eat more than my allotted amount of sugar and fat on here.

If you don't like meat all that much, look into fish and beans for protein too. Both very cheap when you look at the protein per serving. Beans made from scratch that you buy in bags are a really cheap from of protein. There are actually many types of canned fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines) that are good on salads and such cold. If you don't like cooked fish in some forms just be creative. We make fish tacos with talapia and either black or pinto beans, and they are delicious! Greek yogurt is great for snacks, and like milk you can buy it in varying fat levels, as well as flavors. Plain Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute for sour cream if you buy the right brand.

It takes some looking and figuring out what you like, but you can get proteins in whole form for reasonably cheap. And really some of the bars and stuff are reasonable too, with some having 30 grams of protein for a buck or a little more. That's about 10 times the protein of a Snickers bar for only about 20 cents more.

galgenstrick · February 2016

brian_gunther wrote: »

Protein powder can be costly, I have that same aversion. But I get mine at Walmart for like $17 for a tub of it. It may have gone up a couple of bucks now that I think of it. But it lasts me a good month or two. I only have some on my strength days usually as a part of my post-workout meal. Its a great way to up my protein intake for the day. I seem to have trouble getting enough of that stuff, too, and I try to incorporate a protein at every meal! I have eggs, meat, tuna, etc. almost every meal without fail, and I still seem to come up short. What can you do, right?

I have to disagree. You can't get much lower price per gram of protein as you do with a quality whey protein powder. A good quality one is well worth it over the cheap stuff.

ObsidianMist · February 2016

@MommyMeggo I'll definitely be starting with empty bars. will check out that website as well, and youtube.

@robertw486 I don't like fish either. shrimp is the only seafood I even sort of like. I tried beans but they have so much fat! I need to search out a greek yogurt that isn't full of tons of fat and sugar. I tried one at random recently and didn't realize until I logged it how much fat and sugar were in it.

sbermud · February 2016

Beans don't have a lot of fat

kmsoucy457 · February 2016

It took me a long time to get enough protein in my diet, and I usually still fall short on weekends, so here's my 2cents on just that. I have to agree with ^, beans are low in fat especially for the nourishment you get from them (and all that fiber?! you can't go wrong!).
Eggs are great: cheap and a great protein/carb combo. If that's what you're felling, go for it!
Tofu is also a good cheap protein, but I recommend a little research on prep methods to make it taste right. On sale I get them (in the NE US) 2 packs for $4; each pack is 4 servings. It looks scary but it's really mild-tasting and easy to prepare.
Have you tried the rotisserie chickens from the grocery store? They are pretty cheap and already cooked. If you're worried about fat just avoid the skin...though it's pretty tasty. You can make chicken salad out of the leftovers, and if you use cottage cheese or yogurt in place of the mayo (I recommend Fage because the taste is so mild) that packs in even more protein. My 5oz serving lunches of chicken salad prepared this way have about 30g protein for under 250cals.
It'll definitely be more cost effective to buy raw meat in bulk, but I can understand the aversion. A friend of mine got over her squeamishness by starting with boneless, skinless chicken breast halves: they're the least icky of raw meats as they require no boning or skinning. If you open the package right, you can just dump them right into a heated pan without having to touch them LoL
And on protein powder: many health food stores and co-ops sell pure whey powder in bulk for a few dollars on the pound; I think a 1.5lb bag (think 10"x5"x5") cost about $5.00 last week.

ObsidianMist · February 2016

maybe it was the sodium that I was horrified by. just checked the label on my can of kidney beans and there's tons of sodium in it. I finally figured out I can change which macros I track on here though lol and I got rid of sodium coz it didn't seem that important of a thing to track anyway. I'm tracking fiber and iron instead of sodium and sugar now. are there more important things I should change them to?

I'm eating more eggs for sure, I hard boiled a bunch yesterday and will be having those with my lunches. I hate tofu and generally avoid soy when I can. never considered rotisserie chickens. I actually don't know if my grocery store sells them, I don't think I've ever seen one there.

I like the sounds of your friend's trick for not having to touch them, lol! I still am scared of undercooking meat and making myself sick. I can't seem to get past it. my city unfortunately doesn't have much in the way of health food shops, and I'm not sure the ones we do have would have a bulk section for things like that. I'll have to check it out.

thanks for all the tips!

cafeaulait7 · February 2016

Pre-cooked dinner sausages are yummy. Kielbasa and pre-cooked brats and things like that. They go great with beans, too, imho**. My local stores have sales on various ones all the time, and I don't have to buy pounds and pounds of meat like most sale meats here. My freezer is little.

**ETA: For example, this week I made a meal of lentils, quinoa and kielbasa as a one-pot sort of meal. It was very good and filled with protein.

ObsidianMist · February 2016

I could probably deal with pre-cooked sausages! that sounds good

help me sort out my goals and things please

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