Strength - where to begin?

prdwyer
prdwyer Posts: 1 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
The issue: After 6 months of (very) slow and steady progress I recently reached my best weight. The thing is, I didn’t focus on being more active or strengthening my body during that time.

What I hope to achieve now: I would like to build muscle... Everywhere! Priority areas - stomach, arms, derrière.

The problem: I don’t know what to do or where to start.
- I need a routine that starts small, but that I can build on over time. Something I can tailor to work around my right wrist problem.

- I would like to workout from home.
- I have carpel tunnel in my right wrist so lifting weights (the grip) is not a great idea for me.
- At home I have a padded mat, 5lb and 10lb medicine ball, jump rope... And a Labrador retriever who likes to play :)

My Weight Loss journey: I have been 130lbs most of my life but had a significant weight gain over the past two years. I gained 18 lbs and couldn’t understand why. I didn’t think I was eating badly or differently than I had in the past, but obviously something was off.

I started keeping a food journal through this site and was amazed to see just how out of balance my diet was. After a month of just writing down what I ate each day I could see that my carb and sugar intake were much higher than I realized, and my protein intake was quite low. I also was drinking a lot of coffee and hardly any water.

About Me: 51 years old, female, married, three teen children, and work at my local library. I’m on my feet all day, and always meet 10,000 steps, but my muscle tone has shrunk a lot over the past few years. - - I don’t like that - - It’s strange. It’s not the body I know, nor wish to have.

I have always been petite, but never slight. At 5’4” and 130lbs, I was sporty as a kid and continued that level of activity well into my 30’s. Sadly, motherhood and a very busy life sort of got in the way of sport - hiking, long walks with the dog, ice skating, soccer. Somehow, and despite my lack of activity, I felt very strong and could maintain decent muscle tone into my 40’s. Now post menopausal, that has changed. You would think being back to my regular 132 lbs I would feel great but instead I feel rather slight for the first time in my life. I don’t feel all that excited; I realize I have more to do, but I really don’t know how to approach the issue of gaining strength and muscle. I need some help.

What I’m looking for: Is there an app that can help keep me focused? I need reminders and routine, I need a workout plan. Keep in mind weights are hard on my right wrist, so I need an alternative to strength training for my arms. Is there an app that I can tailor to my abilities (limitations).

Thanks for any advice or app recommendations you may have.







Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    edited March 2018
    Well, there are tons of reminder apps. I doubt there are strength apps with substitutions for your wrist issue. That may affect most exercises, including lower body. You're probably going to need more equipment to do this right. But you can try starting with the program in my profile - just do the incline pushups on your fists on a padded surface, while wearing a brace. If you need other substitutions, let me know. :+1:
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,136 Member
    I'd invest in a set of resistance bands (multi-colored bands of varying resistance) with handles. A basic at home program would be:
    Bodyweight squats 3 x 10
    Side lunges 3 x 10
    Push ups 3 x 10
    Resistance band rows 3 x 10
    Resistance band overhead press 3 x 10

    Rest 60 seconds between sets.


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