Women over 40 and already lifting? Let's build a supportive community!

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  • modmom1
    modmom1 Posts: 210 Member
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    That's my normal macro split as well @luluinca, and I do very well on it. I'm just mixing things up for a fun photo shoot. I'm not bodybuilder, but I want to look the best I can with what I've got :D
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
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    Sounds like fun!!!!!
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
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    luluinca wrote: »
    I just might be too old to be part of the group......LOL, but I would still love to.

    I used to do a 55lb OHP but then I hurt my shoulder....uggghhh. I'm working my way back up though and right now I'm at 12kg, not much, but better than nothing. My bench is creeping up faster I think although I'm doing them from the floor at the squat rack so my elbows don't go below parallel. I'm at 55 right now unassisted but my normal was 90 unassisted.

    Everything else is mostly back up to where I want it for now. DL at 145 lbs, squat at 125 lbs, and bent over row at 85 lbs. My leg press has crept back up to 470 lbs.

    I'm really looking forward to my workout tomorrow since I missed Friday's workout and today just did cardio, running with my dog and swimming.

    It sounds like you are on the road to recovery! Your shoulder strength will come back - just take it slow to avoid re-injury.
  • WithWhatsLeft
    WithWhatsLeft Posts: 196 Member
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    I did two days of SL last week - skipped day 3 because my shoulder was giving me a little pain. I think I might be overly cautious though and I need to carefully push through it; I think it's sore muscle pain. The rotator cuff moves I'm doing are probably the cause and it's a good thing. My weak-sauce OHP makes me realize just how poorly I'd been training and how weak my shoulders (esp the left) is.

    I cannot do 5 reps of 45lbs for OHP yet. I'm going to back off that and use a lighter bar; see what I can *just* get 5 reps of, and start from there.

    On the other side, my scale tells me that 3 days of not eating clean - mostly just alcohol and convenience foods (frozen lasagne etc) is not helping me. I have not gained 4 pounds in 3 days, so it's got to mostly be bloat.

    I made it to day 6 of pretty clean living, and went in the opposite direction. Incredibly busy work days ("I don't want to cook today!") and weird justification ("I'm an adult and if I want a little of XYZ, well, I can!"). I do this All.The.Time. I start to go in the right direction, see numbers moving down, feel swelling going down, then can't get myself over the hump towards discipline.

    But when I do make it past that point, I'm a damned freight train of discipline. And that's the only way I'm going to move forward.

    I'm going to start reading about discipline.

    Please give me your thoughts and tips about how you keep going. Do you ignore cravings? Do you even have them?
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
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    WithWhatsLeft - I don't eat "clean". I LOVE food. I love lean meats and veggies and fruit. But I also love fatty meats and starchy foods and decadent dinners and desserts. As long as I am hitting my protein and fat and calorie goal for the day I eat what I want. I may temporarily gain some water weight from some of my meals but it comes off.

    I sometimes ignore cravings because it simply won't fit into my food plan for the day. Usually the craving goes away... Is there an item in particular that you are craving?

    I try to not stay away from chocolate because it ends badly for me if I do! Every day - or every few days I have around 150 calories of dark chocolate chips. If I don't regularly do this I know I will eat over 1000 calories of chocolate one day :wink:
  • modmom1
    modmom1 Posts: 210 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Good morning and happy Sunday! I do prefer to eat 'clean', as it just plain makes me feel better BUT I also try for balance. If there's a special occasion, I will let go and enjoy the moment. Eating clean help me finally get control of my weight so I have a soft spot for it. It was a personal decision that just worked for me. You're right @withwhatsleft, your weight gain is bloat. It will come off with a couple of days of mindful eating.

    As for cravings, water really helps me. I notice a big difference when i get dehydrated. And sometimes I give into the craving, just a little bit. Or I keep busy. It really depends on what I'm craving or if I'm just hungry overall. I crave popcorn so I have a gigantic bowl of it on Saturday night. My kids joke that they know not to ask me to share hahahahaha

    So I had my little breakdown last night about this photo prep but I'm over it. I was just thinking too much about how to manipulate my food. I had to remind myself that I'm not competing!! This is supposed to be fun! I guess its normal to put a lot of pressure on ourselves. My biggest concern is that I couldn't hit the high protein numbers, and I was also cutting back the carbs so I was really starting to under eat. I was getting lightheaded and not feeling well. I don't want to lose my muscle.

    I ate some rice crackers and up'd my water intake and immediately felt better (a little sodium maybe?)...and I was down a lb this morning.

    I have a new, realistic plan that goes into action today. My energy is back and I have great focus for the finish line.
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,152 Member
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    I've been overeating ice cream the past few weeks and not logging it either. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome so carbs are not my best friend. I don't eat low carb, I call it lowER carb, around 80 g/day. My doing the Bod Pod and dietician visit last week helped kick my butt back in the right direction. She told me to lay off the added sugar for two weeks and see what happens. I did have the free donut on National Donut Day - it's one of two I eat during the year and I logged it - and I add a tbsp of dark chocolate chips to my Elli Quark that I bring to work, but have done well otherwise. And it's shown me that this morning 3.4 lbs down in these past five days. So the ice cream stays out of the house for now. I'm okay with that. This whole thing has also resparked my enthusiasm for lifting as well.
  • modmom1
    modmom1 Posts: 210 Member
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    Here it is ladies!!!! Our new group!!
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/114430-defying-gravity
  • megemrj
    megemrj Posts: 547 Member
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    I try to eat clean or at least as clean as feasibly possible. I also do low carb as I have Raynaud's which goes symptomatic when I have too many carbs. Swelling, headaches, heat, cold, and burning. I usually keep carbs between 20-30 net.

    I love chocolate (used to crave it) and have 85-90% dark just about everyday. I refuse to give it up! If I'm still hungry at the end of the day, I will eat even if it puts me over. I follow my body's lead which works for me.

  • modmom1
    modmom1 Posts: 210 Member
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    I love that we fee it's not necessary to give up what we love, like chocolate. Balance!
  • dcresider
    dcresider Posts: 1,272 Member
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    Balance is key since I'm a foodie too, and the occasional glass of wine (or 2). I grew up on rice and bread so those are my downfalls but I try to eat healthy/clean whenever I can.
  • ScoobaChick
    ScoobaChick Posts: 184 Member
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    I just found this thread and applied to join the group (MFP though tells me that my "reasons I want to join" was too long so I had to sadly truncate it).

    I'm currently finishing stage 3 of STRONG. I eat a lot of processed protein food like whey isolate shakes, Quest bars and protein chips in order to meet my protein goals.

    Looking forward to getting to know you. I'm always happy to have FRs if you want to send some.
  • modmom1
    modmom1 Posts: 210 Member
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    Great to meet you Scooba. You`ve been added to the group :)
    I`m bumping up this thread so other fabulous lifting ladies over 40 can find us
    our group

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/114430-defying-gravity
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
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    Hmmm, I tried to join as well but I must have done something wrong? It's not showing up on my groups.
  • modmom1
    modmom1 Posts: 210 Member
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    I added you @luluinca
  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
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    I'm interested in joining your group. I'm a 47 yr old female and been lifting for 6 months. I did a lot more weight lifting about 8 years ago, when I was single and went to the gym 6 days a week. Now I'm going 3 days a week and am seeing good progress despite arthritis in my back :)
  • jlbs75
    jlbs75 Posts: 7 Member
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    I'm so impressed with both the 103 lb loss and the "days into it" in the thousands! Go you. What an inspiration. I'm proud just to have logged 10 days in a row, and to have got back into strength workouts. Even if just 5kg Dumbbells. You ladies are inspirational!
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,411 Member
    edited June 2016
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    I am 61. I lift 7 lb dumbbells in Jazzercise. I want to start doing heavy lifting 2 days a week. I don't have a gym membership or any equipment. I don't want to injure myself by doing something stupid. I am really a total beginner, intimidated but definitely interested. Have been thinking and talking about doing this for awhile but haven't started.

    I tried to join but can't find the group, please add me.

    Karen in Virginia
  • TnTWalter
    TnTWalter Posts: 345 Member
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    I would love over 40 weight training buddies. I've been lifting for 12 years....despite losing and gaining fat, I am strong and proud of that. I've had trainers in the past that taught me how to do it. Currently, I do lots of bodybuilding . com programs. Erin Stern is awesome. Currently doing Jim Stoppini Hiit 100 6 week shred. Loving it. I also have lessened my cardio to 3 x per week HIIT 20 min runs [20 second sprint and 40 second walk] outside, power walking, and a weekly piyo class. Feel free to add me as friends if you all want. Trish
  • modmom1
    modmom1 Posts: 210 Member
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    Please come over and join us! Here is the group link

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/114430-defying-gravity

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