I am here for another kick at the can. I am an over-35 female (haha) and I love cardio. But I now (or always did) have low bone density so I need to lift weights. I also want to increase my strength because I believe it will protect me from injury.
I would also really love to have the upper body strength to take some adult gymnastics classes. I took a series about 5 years ago but quickly realized that to get the most out of it I really need a stronger upper body.
This time around, I am going to try to keep it really really simple and do 5/3/1. I am also going to try to eat a lot more protein. I think these are the 2 areas where I went wrong last time around. I love complexity to the point of doing more reading and analysis than actual weight lifting and my strength was not increasing, likely because my protein was way too low.
So I am calling this journal Bones & Bounce:5/3/1 & Protein* because I am doing this for my bones and to protect me when I bounce (aerobics, dance and hopefully gymnastics) and I am hoping to achieve this with 5/3/1 and protein.
I did my first 5/3/1 workout today. It was painless and did not take long at all. I could likely lift twice this amount but it will take me a couple of weeks to have the confidence etc to determine what my 1 rep maxes are.
Today
Deadlift:
5@45#
5@55#
5@65#
Accessories:
12@10# single leg rdl’s (my favorites)
21060# calf raises
2860# seated hip abductor machine.
[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
it will take me a couple of weeks to have the confidence etc to determine what my 1 rep maxes are.
[/quote]
If you don’t like the idea of testing your 1 rep max and have a lot of patience, you can just stay the course with 531 and add weight at the end of each cycle. Eventually the reps will get more difficult, which will give you an idea of what max you’re bumping up against.
If you don’t like the idea of testing your 1 rep max and have a lot of patience, you can just stay the course with 531 and add weight at the end of each cycle. Eventually the reps will get more difficult, which will give you an idea of what max you’re bumping up against.
Welcome back.[/quote]
Thank you Kpsnap! That is an excellent idea. I think I will do just that
So I was actually sore yesterday- mostly my butt from the rdls but a bit in my abs and back from the deadlifts- very subtle though. I don’t think I hit even 60g protein. The protein is going to be the real challenge.
so total of 72 grams. I am stuffed, I can’t eat more protein… I guess I ate too many grapes today, apart from that no carbs except for broccoli and an apple. Gee, I only need to double that amount…hmmm.
^^I was just going suggest that, I can’t eat breakfast so I just hold my nose and drink one in the mornings. Or well I used to, like you I need to up my protein again, I’ve been very very slack.
I would also suggest cramming more eggs into you, but disguising them in a lovely veggie & cheese filled omelet, or make quiche with veggies and sprinkles of chicken, ham, etc. If you are finding it hard to get the food into you, I would skip the rice to make more room for protein.
Just write down all the protein filled foods you can get your hands onto (bnls chick, road kill, whatever) and then start seeing what recipes you can make from them. Just start little by little.
Yeah, I need to renew my Costco membership so can get back to buying those 2 kg bags of frozen berries and then I will make protein smoothies. I have switched to stevia now so I don’t have to be guilty over splenda anymore. I love eggs but 3 eggs only give 18 gram of protein so really…
Well I did find a cool product, it is a little gross but it was on sale last week- it is a tube of extra lean ground turkey meat- frozen. It is ground really really fine which is why it is a little gross but I fried it up into about 5 little patties and with some ketchup it was not bad. Even though it is extra lean, there is something about it that seems unhealthy- not sure. Anyway, one “Log” is 454 grams with 81 grams and I ate 3/4 of a log no problem (LOL!) It’s on sale for only $2 a log, which is an amazing price. I keep wondering what it wrong with it!
I don’t know what to think about the idea of not being able to utilize more than 20-30 grams of protein at a time. I read an recent article here where they claimed that concept is bogus.But they didn’t say why it is bogus. I almost grew up with that notion. It would make my life a lot easier if I could eat 60 grams at once.
Anyway, sadly I have not lifted any more weights though I did go to another step class. For the first 3-4 days I honestly just forgot. It’s like, yeah, I haven’t done it for so long, I just forgot. Then I was at the gym on Wednesday and I just didn’t feel like doing it after step class- sort of like eating broccoli after ice cream. I have just been really busy.
[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
Hey MT and Eyedentist, thank for the replies
I don’t know what to think about the idea of not being able to utilize more than 20-30 grams of protein at a time. I read an recent article here where they claimed that concept is bogus.But they didn’t say why it is bogus. I almost grew up with that notion. It would make my life a lot easier if I could eat 60 grams at once.
[/quote]
I grew up with the same notion–we must have read the same Muscle & Fitness article back in the day. ;^)
Nevertheless, it seems the lab-coats have discovered that not only is this a myth, but it turns out that too-frequent protein ingestion might actually downregulate protein synthesis within skeletal muscle. So it seems less-frequent, higher-protein-content meals are fine. Your life just got a lot easier!
[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
Hey MT and Eyedentist, thank for the replies
I don’t know what to think about the idea of not being able to utilize more than 20-30 grams of protein at a time. I read an recent article here where they claimed that concept is bogus.But they didn’t say why it is bogus. I almost grew up with that notion. It would make my life a lot easier if I could eat 60 grams at once.
[/quote]
I grew up with the same notion–we must have read the same Muscle & Fitness article back in the day. ;^)
Nevertheless, it seems the lab-coats have discovered that not only is this a myth, but it turns out that too-frequent protein ingestion might actually downregulate protein synthesis within skeletal muscle. So it seems less-frequent, higher-protein-content meals are fine. Your life just got a lot easier![/quote]
Makes sense really from an anthropological angle. I can’t think our hunter gatherer ancestors after going hungry for several days could only ingest 30 grams of dinosaur protein in one sitting when they finally caught something!
I grew up with the same notion–we must have read the same Muscle & Fitness article back in the day. ;^)
Nevertheless, it seems the lab-coats have discovered that not only is this a myth, but it turns out that too-frequent protein ingestion might actually downregulate protein synthesis within skeletal muscle. So it seems less-frequent, higher-protein-content meals are fine. Your life just got a lot easier![/quote]
Oh, the small-amounts-of-protein-myth is alive and well, and filling the pockets of the supplement companies. Since the OP doesn’t seem to be a breakfast person anyway, I’d look into intermittent fasting and all that’s been written about it. Yes, it’s a bit of a fad at the moment, but it works, is simple, and blows a couple of those muscle-and-fitness-myths right out of the water.
Wendler 5-3-1 is excellent. I did it for 2 years straight and at 42 years old got to be my strongest ever. I have plateaued several times now in my bench and squat, so I’m trying some different stuff to jump start my gains.
Keep it up. It’s a simple system that works, especially if you’re a typical adult with responsibilities that lie outside the gym. I recommend creating a simple Excel spreadsheet that tracks your monthly progress…it’s cool to look back month by month and actually see your performance gains. I’ll email you mine if you want.
