Never been serious about body-building, til now ;)

(Denise) #1

I am starting at a new gym, since I moved to a new area, and I have been doing I’d say, strict Keto since March 2021, so about 3 years and 5 months now. I reversed my A1c’s which was my main goal because my diagnosis with T2 scared me good. I’ve lost from 140 down to 107 in that time, and now, I need more muscle, for me “too thin” bod :grimacing:.

Anyway, my reason for making this thread is because I need help doing this, and seeing how others have succeeded in building muscle, not just toning, but building muscle on Keto. Been watching a guy named Robert Sikes mainly because he does super low, or no carbs at all (I think he said) keto. I figure I don’t need carbs, but I still eat a few, under 20 a day. I also like Thomas DeLaure and he is Keto as far as I know :wink:

I don’t have any desire to go Carnivore now, after trying it, I’m happy with Keto, and happy others really like their Carnivore diet.

So, I don’t care how you do your diets, I’ll take any tips at all on gaining muscle mass. I don’t expect to be totally ripped at age 71, I just want to be the best I can be mostly for health reasons, keeping my body strong as long as I can :wink:

I’m already set on lifting heavy, and starting out slow. I read a lot so when I share it, feel free to tell me what you think, I’m a good listener and need to learn. Videos/articles welcome. @Alecmcq helped me this a.m., hope he’ll join me here. Tuesday (Sept. 2, 2024) my gym membership kicks in so I’ll be starting an actual workout then.

I’m putting together a plan right now that I can sort of follow, but I get 1 hour free with a trainer, so I’ll see what she says, or he.

Ok, love to hear about your muscle building/maintaining etc. so hope to see you soon, denise

PS should have added I worked out at a gym for about 3 years, did good toning, but never pushed myself as was suggested. I mean free-weight, lifting until failure/fatigue, and got stuck doing 12 reps, and not adding weight so basically toned up just “ok” but still not enough muscle. Wasn’t watching my macros either, not close enough

(Geoffrey) #2

Tagged to learn along with you.
I used to be a gym rat many many moons ago and was taught how to lift from a friend who was a professional body builder but I was never interested in bulk but just general fitness.
Now that I’m down as far as I intend to go I need to get the weights out and start hitting them again as I know I’ve lost some strength.
I’m looking forward to hearing other’s opinions.

(Denise) #3

Great glad you’re here and I’ve got a couple of three maybe four people I’m going to tag tomorrow if I don’t hear from them I know they’re in to weight lifting and they probably just haven’t seen my post yet catch up with you later :+1:

#4

Hi Denise, I started in the gym a couple of months ago after being pretty much sedentary since the end of January when I broke my foot. I do have a personal trainer to help me as I have a few other long term injuries so I wanted to take it slow and not injure myself further. I’m 58 and female by the way. We’ve been using a combination of dumbbells and machines and slowly upping the weights and number of exercises per session. A session consists of a leisurely cycle for 10 mins followed by a warm up of walkouts (stand, walkout to plank, back to stand) lunge stretches, cat/cows and a few other active stretch type exercises. The weight routine originally consisted of two upper body and two lower body exercises doing 3 sets of 10/12 for each. At the end of each session I do calf raises as rehab for my foot followed by about 10 mins of stretches. We’re now incorporating some double exercises (one exercise straight into another without rest) so I’m doing 6 weight exercises per session now. Weights have slowly gone up (eg. Doing squats without weight to doing a goblet squat with an 8 kg dumbbell) We’ve been aiming for an 8/10 for effort so that your muscles feel tired the next day but you can still go up and down the stairs​:rofl:. The hardest exercise is the walkout but I’m now motivated to get them over and done with quickly. My sessions are an hour although the bike ride and stretches at the end are in my own time. I’ve wanted to lift free weights for a while but realise now that I need to work at squatting low with good form (ie. good core) and have proper control over the weights in both arms before I’m let loose on a bar. :weight_lifting_man:‍♂

(Denise) #5

so glad you are, tons of good info in your reply! I had internet trouble on my main computer this a.m. so went to do groceries instead. I wanted on here bright and early but didn’t make it til now. Large PC (great for me games) is capoot I’m afraid, but luckily bought a backup in a Laptop, so I had to tear down the PC and all it’s cords, blah blah blah, and set up my laptop as my main now, but here I am, finally :slight_smile:

I really excited about my workout, and first I want to put together what I think will work for me, then see what the trainer I get free for 1 hour, has to say :wink:

I saw an article for folks wanting to bulk, and I especially wanted @Geoffrey to see it, not too long, and pretty much to the point. Hope to hear more about everyone’s progress!! I’ll be back and forth here on KF so it’s great you’re here @Thistley , Denise
here’s the article, just one I found so far :slight_smile: https://www.dummies.com/article/academics-the-arts/science/kinesiology/4-simple-rules-for-gaining-strength-and-muscle-157949/

(Marianne) #6

I really enjoyed “weight lifting.” Believe me, it wasn’t anything major, but I enjoyed it waaay more than cardio and I felt great doing it (have since gotten lazy). I had a membership to Planet Fitness ($10/mo.) and I would just to the 30-Minute Workout. It’s a series to weight machines that target the major muscle groups, alternated with light stepping. When I was really into it, I’d do two circuits (60 minutes). It was engaging and enjoyable. Normally, there weren’t many people using it, so I’d have the machines to myself. What amazed me is how quickly I progressed with heavier weights. Good luck to you!

(Denise) #7

It was amazing to me that I progressed to heavier weights on cable machines and the other “machines” but I didn’t push myself, so I think, and mind you, only think the looser skin is from weight loss more so than age wrinkles, lol!! So I’m hoping to eliminate at least some of that.

It’s funny because all of a sudden, I want to bulk up. I’d like to fill out my skinny pants again like I did when I was, uh, lumpier, LOL!! Oh well, might as well just be honest, yes, I want to preserve what health I have, but I also want to look good as possible :wink:

You might get one of those brain-zaps I did, and decide to go back to the gym. As long as we are still upright, we can do something hey :grin: hugs, denise

#8

I always like these threads of yours, Denise as I need all the help to get reminded to lift… I just always skip too many days eventually :frowning: Well I do it at home (I would never do anything if I had to cycle 50km for a gym… well the village has some I guess but that’s tiny… and even that 10km - and going near people - would stop me too easily) but still, if I take it remotely seriously, I can do my workout. Nowadays it was worse as summer is hard on me, it kills my mood and lately I got hungry too early and I only can bring myself to lift before my first meal and never early.
I want to change my life for the better in various ways and of course I pick up lifting again. I never really stopped, I just don’t do it frequently enough and certain muscle groups are neglected. I can do MUCH better! I don’t get weaker, I do enough for that but I do want to get stronger as there is a huge room for improvement!

Good luck for all of us! :smiley:

(Denise) #9

Glad you are here Shinita :wink: I think we all need encouragement, and I am so much like you in that I go along really well, then I just stay in my apartment for a time. I wanted to start the thread in hopes of encouraging others, and being encouraged as well.

I try to look at what I call failings, different as I get older. I just did what I needed to do, which I have that freedom to do that God! I mean give myself permission to just lay low for awhile. Seems when I come back to what I want to accomplish, I do way better next time.

I hope we all stick together here even if we need to take a break, it’s still good to communicate with others that want to take care of their bods, not just with Keto/Carnivore/low carb, but keeping as strong and healthy with our exercises. I should have made the title a little better, because any exercise is good, so I want to encourage others to “get back on the horse” and go at it again :wink: hugs, Denise

(Denise) #10

I forgot to mention that I am working out before I eat, and it is going great! So far, just did one workout at the gym when I signed up and got a free day, and have walked uphill one way, and downhill next, like probably a medium hike in the hills, only in residential here. The town is built on hills and lower valleys between :wink:

So now, I’m just doing TMAD :wink: Two meals a day which I really like. I have snacks of fat bombs, 2 a day though as well, with my chocolate (cacao actually and add stevia). I upped my amount of breakfast/brunch to 3 eggs, and 3 oz’s of sausage, and a lot of bacon, 1/2 lbs when I have that. I will eat more meat at dinner, and that’s all I have at dinner, red meat, chicken, salmon, or pork. I do like shrimp but don’t have that often.

I was so surprised how well I did working out at the gym for about an hour, then went in and did some water-aeorbics for another hour (I think it was like 45 min). I didn’t get hungry but when I got home I was ready to eat and that was about 1 pm. Never thought I could work-out on an empty stomach :wink:

#11

As an ex swimmer doing early morning training, swimming on an empty stomach was almost a necessity although all that water massaging your tummy made you very hungry. Getting up and going to the gym first thing seems very natural to me now that I have my fat burning body back. I can do a workout and then eat … whenever. My trainer was a bit concerned that I might pass out but, no, not yet.

(Denise) #12

I love the water, not a great swimmer, but I love it, and one reason I picked my gym as it has a great pool! Indoor, but a deck off it with lawn-chairs, I feel so spoiled, lol :wink:

It’s great having a fat-burning body, I never doubted it when people told me about keto and how ketones worked, and I slowly learned how my body was a carb burner plus eventual Insulin resistor.

It’s all just the opposite of what I was taught growing up in the 50s, 60s and into the 70s I still believed it all until I found videos, and luckily, this forum :wink:

(Geoffrey) #13

Thanks for that link Denise. Much of it follows what I had learned. Well except the part about eating carbs as 60% of your diet. Haha, yeah, that ain’t happening.

The way I was taught by my friend was to first start your workout with some cardio to get the blood flowing in your body. That could be running, sprinting, elliptical machine, stationary bicycle or just walking.
The only work pull exercises on one day and push on another.
You now do three sets of lifts. The first set is easy and light. Maybe 20 reps. It’s only designed to get blood flowing to the intended muscles that you are fixing to engage. The second lift is of moderate weight that will work your muscles and turn them on to get ready for the big lift. 10 to 15 reps should be fairly easy to do. The third lift is for max. You will put on what you can handle for up to ten reps maximum. You want to go till absolute failure. If you can reach ten reps without failure then you aren’t lifting heavy enough.

(Denise) #14

Hi Geoffrey :slight_smile:

Yeah, I have my nutrition so I don’t pay attention to other diets. I just know mine works so I it don’t need fixin :wink:

Sounds like you have a great plan! All I know for sure right now is I want to lift heavier and less reps. One benefit I realized while watching a video today is, I wouldn’t have to work out as long doing less reps and heavier.

I kind of want to do some right here at home as I have a good weight bench, but my weights/dumbells are just 10 lbs each. I think that will be enough to start out but I was pushing/pulling 30-40 lbs at the gym, and 60 or more for my leg-work. That was just pully type, and the machines.

The winters are very cold, icy, and snowy here so I’m glad I have some of my own equipment when I don’t want to drive up to my gym. We had another hot-streak here with the temp going 3 digits again so only early mornings work for me going out, and no AC in truck :slight_smile:

But the other things at the gym are a big attraction to me as well, like the swimming pool, and they have some classes that would suit me as I realize I like follow a video, having to keep up. I’ll paste in a video of a workout I really like, but would be hard for me to do the part where she is in a pushup position, and lifts the dumbells one at a time etc. I doubt I could even lift a hand up w/o a weight right now, but that won’t stop me trying it :grin:

here’s the video, love this little gal, she was puffin, but she has a shape, the amount of muscle I think would be great, although she’s of course 50 years younger than I am so I won’t be having any unreasonable expectations:crazy_face One thing I do wonder about these videos is how many other types of weights the people do, like more types of free-weights etc??:

Dumbell Workout from Youtube

(Joey) #15

@Goldengirl52 Denise, you are an inspiration for the 20 yr olds. Go girl! :muscle:

(Denise) #16

Thanks Joey, that’s pretty encouraging for me this a.m. Good to see you, as always :wink: Got up late today, had a little insomnia lastnight so it will be good to get back to some workouts. Everything gets better after a workout, and hopefully, even more muscle :muscle: :+1:

PS Oh good, I see Caroline has a 20 min. workout, although I will only have one set of dumbells that will work as the others aren’t heavy enough :wink: I like in the start she explains for those of us, me for sure, that will need to “change” up to make it through the 20 minutes.

I’m not calling it cheats though, it’s just working my way up, cheats doesn’t give us any credit for still doing the workout, we are still working hard to build. We still deserve that pat on the back :+1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_d1qyHATb020 minute full-body :wink:

#17

Great thread!

I’m a cardio person and struggle to lift. Your thread is motivating!

I have a question… ahem… for a friend. What is toning?

I’d like to get more muscles, too, or at least keep what I have. My legs are strong, but my arms are weak. My dream is to be able to do a pull up.

#18

Step 0. I am writing about working out. Tomorrow I will actually do it already. I keep forgetting before my first meal - that comes too early lately but my SO goes back to work and won’t trigger an early meal :D. Yeah, self control isn’t my thing.

I can’t even imagine avoiding fat and protein to that extent… Both my SO and I had some unusually, extremely carby days (that I tracked) but we couldn’t even go near that! For multiple reasons.
Sigh. I would love if they would stop with those advice. My SO would be miserable with such a high percentage and he is a high-carber with a huge sweet tooth!

IDK what is with water but it always made me hungry. And I barely swam as I can’t. Now I don’t think it has that effect but fat adaptation changed my hunger quite drastically.

I still didn’t do my workout as I forgot, I just walk every morning, it’s challenging enough with my injured leg and the Super Hot Weather we have since several weeks and will have in the foreseeable future. Without rain. Even trees in the nearby forests started to wilt quite seriously (the smaller kinds but still).
But I will start tomorrow. Along with carnivore and other dietary changes.

I do those too lately, as a warm up. I feel it helps. Especially my bicepses don’t like the normal weight right away, in my most uncaring state it could stop the whole workout!
But my other 3 series are with the normal weight and I go for 6-12 reps. 12 is already boring so I have to raise the weight there :slight_smile: The 12-20 reps with the small weight is fine as it’s very easy.
Never heard about the method you do, I will wonder if I could try it out. As I don’t LOVE lifting unconditionally, I need to choose what I feel like doing or else it won’t happen. (There is a reason I don’t train my legs. I dislike that. And anyway, I have cycling and hopefully later running for it. My SO has quite impressive thighs from those but well, he does those activities every day…)
But maybe not, I get more and more tired even with my very long breaks between series so my reps tend to drop. Not always, depends on the muscle group and who knows what else.

I wonder how to do that. Sometimes I can do it, sometimes I don’t have the mental fortitude or mood? care? for it. I probably should work on it.

Indeed. My main reason for this is that I get bored (not the right word) easily if my reps are too big and I just stop when my muscle could do more. But sometimes I stop early when the weight is heavier, not too much but it is hard to do and I am a lazy hedonist… Sometimes it’s a sign I need a different exercise (but that is research… I only do that if I have some strange pain or strain too early. some exercises work well with small weights but at some point my elbow starts to complain…)
So I am glad I have learned that smaller and bigger weights both work well (of course not too big or small and only when the rep is right) and choose what feels best for me. But it’s usually 6-12 reps for me :slight_smile:

It’s good for certain things, well obviously not for everyone… But I like to raise my weights whenever I need it so fixed dumbbells aren’t my thing. I do have a pair of 2kg ones (so tiny, I don’t use it for anything. used to, for some extra shoulder exercises) and a pair of 3.25kg ones (it is my warm-up weight for biceps) but my normal weights are currently between 9 kg (biceps. I haven’t got better since ages :frowning: I want to raise it already! I use 2x9kg) and 14kg for dumbbells and nowadays just 17.5kg for my barbell (shoulders). If I wanted to do squats, I had to disassemble my dumbbells and barbell ALL the time as I would need all the weights. I only tried it once and 28 kg was not much harder than 0kg, I really disliked the squatting itself, weights or not… And I actually can do a proper squat unlike my SO… I should appreciate my anatomy or what and do it more…?

It’s so cool the gym has a swimming pool… I doubt the small ones around here (so, no farther than 30km) has one…

Oh my… My wildest dreams are less than this :slight_smile: (Very right considering my laziness and age.) Nice :slight_smile:

But I saw women starting lifting at an older age I am now (I kinda started several years ago but not much muscle gain this far. some! but not much for sure) and while they had smallish muscles, they were shapely! And looking young for their age. Possibly good genetics but surely the determination and work helps a lot! And the looks aren’t the whole picture, not even the main thing. That is strength and health!
I will watch the video soon! Thanks for the link. I always like to look muscular gals (guys too but they are easier to find) :wink:

Yeah that would be nice… I think I will wait until I lose my lots of extra fat, I am too heavy for my little arms…
I saw videos where it was shown how to build up to a proper pull up (and how to make it way more difficult too but that’s not for us). It was interesting! There was like 5 steps, making the whole thing less challenging than doing a pull up. I am nowhere even remotely close for THAT.
But I can’t even do a push-up. Or plank for more than a few seconds. I have a core problem I should work on… I am apparently “novice” when it comes to the lifting I actually do but if it’s core related? I am a disabled baby. It gets annoying after some time. And I always forget about my core exercises after a while :frowning:

(Denise) #19

Hi Corals, glad you are here :slight_smile: I don’t know what others may call “toning” but for me it means firming up just what I already have. Building is what I need because I lost the weight but with that, I lost a lot of shape, which, I didn’t have a lot to begin with.

I had only heard of muscle “building” but never pursued it. Now I want to so that I not just add more definition and shape to my muscle, but also increase my strength,

Really glad you came along as we can all help each other, encourage :wink: Denise

(Denise) #20

Hi @Shinita, good to hear you are starting up again. I know what you mean about distractions. I’ve been struggling getting back into “actually” working out myself. Just been in the planning stage, watching videos, reading a few things, but mainly, sitting around. There’s no legitimate excuse, I just go through these times.

So here’s to both of us breaking back into a good place with working out, for me, at the very least, I need to do it 3 times a week, so that’s my goal, with some walks uphill in between :wink:

I know several people who work-out regularly and I know I can do this, it’s just prioritizing it, which I have done in the past. But slumped back, but here’s a new day to work with so I’ll just start here :wink: denise

PS Caroline (from video) is just a good role-model for me. I am 71 years old, and I do think having her, as well as others, as role-models, is the smart thing for me ;). You can maybe find one that suits what you want to shoot for. We are all different, so we each need to find whatever works for us :wink: