Muscle Recovery over 70, what can I do to help it?

food
proteinpowder
(Denise) #1

I’m 73 now, so looking for feed-back on Muscle Recovery.

I listen to my body with these things, but I feel tired, lethargic day after a good work-out. I do 5 lb dumbells, and body weight. I do resistance bands that mimic the dumbell sets/reps so I get 2 types of same lift. I do my squats using Swiss Ball, and need to lean on table or wall to do the lunges where I dip my back leg.

I wanted to do upper-body one day, leg-work next, but I am too tired the next day. I don’t have same amount of initiative either. I’m wondering if I just need to take the rest, give into that, wondering if others need to do that at older ages. I just hadn’t been doing weightlifting from home, and keeping track. Don’t recall having tired day-after, but I was so inconsistent with workouts.

I’m thinking more protein needed now, but I get about 107 grams for my 109 lb weight. I’ll answer any questions you might need to know to help me figure out things. I’m full keto last 8 years. I take collagen, years of that as well, Primal Kitchen with 6 extra grams. I’ve looked at Protein Powders for an extra bit. My carb intake is 20 grams, thank you in advance, for any help, :nerd_face:

PS I’m tired next day, but hardly bed-ridden, as I still do my house-chores, errands, just no type of workouts. I will get out for some fresh air, I love fresh air, who doesn’t :grin::+1:

(Edith) #2

I would suggest doing full body workouts only two days a week and then walk and/or stretch the in between days. Muscle building occurs during the recovery; and therefore, it is important to give your muscles a chance to recover before working them again. You also need to make sure you are eating enough for your body to recover. What is your daily caloric intake? 107 grams of protein and 20 grams of carbs is about 508 calories. How much fat are you getting? If you are only consuming around a 1000 - 1200 calories a day, you definitely need to increase how much you are eating.

If, after a while you feel like you can add more volume then add an extra full body day, but you may find two days can actually be pretty effective.

(Denise) #3

Ok Edie, I’ll give you numbers on typical day, they always run about 13-1400. I do feel a bit hungrier in a.m.'s, didn’t mention that. My fat intake is at an average of 100 grams, or 66% of calories. Those are just numbers though, and I think I will add a bit more meat/fish. Like last night and today, I have 7 ounces of Wildcaught Salmon to eat for dinner. But that’s all. I’ll eat 8 ounces if I have more of it. Last nights was just under 6 oz piece.

(Denise) #4

Two times a week sounds like something to try, btw. I liked filling up my time with more work-outs, but I can mix them in with my uphill walking/hiking of 30 minutes most days, some longer times if lots of energy. I can do that all Spring and Summer, have to do it early, which I love going just as the Sun comes up. But too hot later in our days here, 100’s can last weeks and more weeks :wink:

(Central Florida Bob ) #5

Just another way of looking at the input side:

Back in the mid-90s, there was a popular diet called The Zone by a Dr. Sears. I was on that well into the 2000s, before going fully keto. The approached worked but was a bit of a PITA to figure out what to eat. It was still high carbs buried in its other name “40-30-30” which was percent calories from carbs, protein and fat in that order. But it gets more complicated. The amount of protein was determined by your lean body mass and activity, and you reduced your protein depending on activity. The most you would get is 1gram of protein per pound of LBM. I suppose that was his way of encouraging activity.

Obviously, we don’t really know each other so I can’t tell you if 107grams is right for you, and that’s another thing his plan was good about - you had ways to figure that. With your 109 lb weight, it means your LBM has to be lower than that.

Over the years, I’ve decided that the least important things to regulate in our eating are both the amount of protein we eat and the amount of calories. In particular your 1g of protein per 1lb would be too much by him, but I don’t think it matters.

I see no problems with eating more protein to see if it helps get you where you want to be - feel better, faster recovery. If it doesn’t, go back to where you are.

(Denise) #6

Hi @CFLBob & @VirginiaEdie as well! I added an oz of my ground Sausage this a.m. to 4 ounces, plus 3 very large eggs I found at Kroger/Fred Meyers. I upped my EVOO amount to 1 and a half, about. I’ll check my numbers once I get everything in this a.m., for the days plan, and let you both know. I think I do need more, I just did my walk, and just going by how I feel, I think this can be easily adjusted :wink: Denise:+1:
I had to edit, I didn’t “double” anything, just added some :wink:

(Denise) #7

Here’s a snip of myfitnesspal, which I only use when I change up things, which I don’t do that often with what I eat as I eat same things and amounts over and over:

april%207_2026
april 7_2026.JPG710×498 27.7 KB

(B Creighton) #8

Hey Denise, I posted this in your OMAD thread as well:
Good to see you continuing in your efforts.
How bout I tell you what I do. Everyone is a little different, so I cannot guarantee anything. When I started my workouts this last fall, I was actually a little sore the next day… so much so that when my Wednesday workout day came around, I was sore enough that I didn’t want to do my ab rolls again… So, I make my OMAD day my workout day, and workout almost in a fasted state. I take a few supplements and eat a fat bomb just before working out. This sounds counterintuitive to most people trying to gain muscle, but the purpose is to push hormones in the right direction in preparation for working out. My fast increases testosterone and suppresses mTOR. Then the workout will boost both up at the same time. This year though on my fast morning I did supplement with olive leaf for oleopurpeine, cayenne and chromium. I did not get fat gain this year as I tried to build muscle. In the evening I would supp with EAAs, spirulina, HMB and my cacao fat bomb just before workout. The main purpose of this was to give more pump ability and start the building process. Then after the workout I would have a protein smoothie with about 50 gr of protein including Orgain with superfoods, BCAAs or leucine and goat whey protein powder. I usually supplemented this with digestive enzymes incl some betaine HCL to help with digestion of all that protein. I got to where I was consuming this during my workout inbetween rep sessions to better utilize time. Then I would prepare my evening meal. This varied. On Mon it is usually wild sockeye salmon… often with a kale and cruciferous veg salad topped with pumpkin and hemp seeds with my homemade dressing of balsamin vinegar, MTC oil and herbs, Wed it was usually lamb roast and asparagus or broccolli, etc. Fri it is often a chicken leg or 2 chicken thighs. Again, often with salad or cruciferous veggies or maybe peas and carrots. So, yes, you heard that right - my OMAD started with a fat bomb, then a protein smoothie and then the “meal.” That’s around 80-90 gr of protein all within about 2 hrs. This year the following days were recovery days with a high protein breakfast of goat yogurt and eggs. I think the goat yogurt is a real energy pickup because it is high in MTCs which become ketones for instant energy. In fact after this breakfast I usually smell ketones at the jon. Lunch will be the protein smoothie with an avocado, and then the dinner to start my next fast or OMAD period. If you feel tired the day after your workouts, I think it is important to feed your body those proteins and fats to help it regenerate and have energy.

(Bob M) #9

I have a few books at home that advocate only 1-2 workouts a week. These are for body weight or weight training and usually for the whole body. I try to split the body over 2 days and then maybe get another whole body day in there, plus 1-2 days of jogging (slowly) with my pup.

These are workouts to “failure”, meaning you can’t continue. But I think they’d work otherwise too.

(Denise) #10

Sounds good Bob! I am just trying this, I’m my own guinea pig, as always :slight_smile: 2-3 weights but I’ll just do 2 this week, see how I feel. I upped my calories/macros, didn’t make a huge difference, but I think I am satiated on my big brunch today :nauseated_face:LOL!!

#11

Are all your blood tests up to date and okay?

(Denise) #12

Yes just had my blood tests full blood work up whatever it’s called with lipids and whatever else they draw and everything looked good I guess my B12 was the only one that was kind of abnormal it was like I’ve been taking too much of my B12 that was the only thing and it wasn’t way over the top just starting she wasn’t even concerned about that she mentioned it so I know but :grin:

(Ava Carter) #13

This is normal in 70+: it’s not about protein, it’s about recovery. The muscles just need more time, plus sometimes there is not enough electrolytes or energy on keto. You probably need less load or more rest between workouts

(Denise) #14

This is the best explanation @Ava_Carter. I really feel this is working for me to take as long of a break as I need, usually just 2 days of less activity. I can still do things around the house, or run errands. It’s the muscles themselves that take longer to be ready to go again :slight_smile: Also, the soreness from workouts is lessening, same as when I was younger, just more rest.

Thank you for your reply, Denise :+1:

#15

Glad the full body work out 2 times a week is helping. I split body and legs up 4 days 72 hours between body parts. Going for walks is great for the sole and has many benefits. 80/fat 20/ protein will give you more energy. I moved from Ketogenic to Carnivore and got stronger.

(Doug) #16

I think any exercise is better than no exercise.

But intensive stuff really helps - ‘lift heavy’ as they say. Tear muscle, so the body will rebuild it and build it back larger/stronger. Even if it’s once a week or once every couple weeks, push yourself - go to muscle failure. My opinion.

Soreness/tiredness - it’s a thing. For sure, at my age… But a couple weeks of a certain activity makes it substantially easier to do that activity.

(Denise) #17

I’ve yet to do that, more going by how I feel, and lately, the barometer seems to be controlling how I feel, I get migraines, seasonal. I use WeatherX App on my phone, and it’s right on as to when a migraine hits, or subsides, weird!

Anyway, haven’t done any of my hikes. My walks aren’t usually casual, I do uphill walks, and I wish I knew how to measure the incline part. The squats and lunges work muscles that aren’t worked climbing though so I’m glad I found them. Today is leg day for me, but now I throw in some mat exercises/body weight. Except I add a 5 lb dumbell when I do my hip thrust, glute-bridge some call them, I think??

Thank you much for reply!! Denise:grinning:

(Denise) #18

This is so true for me, amazing after that first workout, where I was so sore the next day, I admit it was especially hard to sit down thanks to lunges, and squats, LOL!!

I don’t go past my reps, but I can tell you, when I reach where I can’t do another, I know I did good :wink: Denise and thank you Doug, good to see you :slight_smile:

(Doug) #19

Denise, back 7 or 8 years I got into squats. Certainly, very sore, and the “ass to grass” thing - heh, I really could not do that in the beginning. It took weeks, but huge improvement after a while, and it made a demonstrable difference for something like running up stairs.

Whatever base level of fitness we have, it really pays to go beyond it and do the ‘hard’ stuff, I think. Had a stress test on a treadmill last month as part of a heart checkup, and it was a humbling experience. I always think of myself as being in pretty good shape for someone as ‘old,’ but the really intense, maximum heartrate zone - I’m definitely not 20 years old anymore. :wink::smirk:

(Denise) #20

I am beginning to really see my age, working on a lot of acceptance, but still starting this program I made up. I am so careful but found a sore place in my arm when looks at underside. It feels like possibly a tendon. Not going to do anything that messes with it, only discovered it doing arm curl with 5 lb dumbell. I’ll only do the one where i don’t feel I’m irritating that. Hoping for healing.

I’m sorry to hear you are having a rougher time, I feel we all get there, it’s too hard to know some things about what we can do, and we shouldn’t do at all. Pain is a great way to know to detour to something else isn’t it, Denise :heart: