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To all folks who Weight-lift/workout/body build

Sweetrice80

Sweetrice80

Deaf Mofo
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
1,475
I am having a few issues lately with trying to get back into Weightlifting. A little back ground information. I am 26 about 5'9 a buck 55 and been not lifting for about 4 years now. Back when I was in high school/college I was lifting everyday since I played football at the college level for 4 years. I used to be about 185 lbs with about 5% to 8% body fat. My goal is to try to get back to those levels by this time next year.

Anyways, I am about 5 weeks into my new workouts; I lift 3 times a week, and run during my off days. I try to eat healthy, but it often does not seem like enough, even though I am bring in 2,000 calories I feel like I should be eating around 3,000 to 4,000 since I am much more active. But anyways here is my issue I am having. The first three weeks of lifting and running I was feeling great and energized, but lately the last two weeks, I have been having a hard time getting through my workouts due to the lack of energy. This is getting frustrating because I keep track of the weights I do for each exercise but these last two weeks I been finding myself going downwards (decreasing the weights) rather than going upwards little by little.

I am possibly thinking about taking some pre-workout supplements to get a boast of energy that I need. But I am not sure if that is the correct way to go in the early stages of getting back into working out.

Any advice would be great, I can also provide the workout regime if that is needed.


Thanks,

David
 
I believe he's joking. Personally, I would say focus on getting strong. Don't worry about your weight so much, but you are right about the eating. You have to take in more calories to gain weight and you have to do it consistently. Also, working your arms and chest a lot are good for glamour more than anything, but getting your legs and core strong are where it's at. You'll feel like a bull, no matter how much you weigh, and it's very good for your health overall. You are much less likely to injure your back when your legs and core are strong.
 
tsmckenney said:
I believe he's joking. Personally, I would say focus on getting strong. Don't worry about your weight so much, but you are right about the eating. You have to take in more calories to gain weight and you have to do it consistently. Also, working your arms and chest a lot are good for glamour more than anything, but getting your legs and core strong are where it's at. You'll feel like a bull, no matter how much you weigh, and it's very good for your health overall. You are much less likely to injure your back when your legs and core are strong.
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Oh I do lowerbody work, squats, Power Clean, Press squats, lunges etc. I love doing lower body workouts more than I do upper body (mostly because that was more important during football) I am not about all the glamour, I just want to bulk up a bit in a good way rather than being so damn skinny all the time. I dont really need to have the 8 pack or look like the oil covered guys on the cover of Men's Health. The sole struggle is getting through the workouts due to no energy to get through them.

Acclaym said:
Are you taking protein? Shakes or otherwise..
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Negative, I have tried taking protein shakes during my college years and I hated them, tasted like chit. But I know for a fact I was eating way way more during my college years than I am now, due to unlimited food in the cafe. Maybe I have to starting adding some fruit into the Protein shakes so I can bear the taste better.

David
 
You need to take in more carbs & fats to fuel your workouts. Protein builds muscle, the body burns sugar made from the carbs & fats to fuel the workout.
 
The only supplement I take (other than regular vitamins)...is Amino Vital - as a drink before and during a round. (btw - those are amino acids (protein)!)

I've noticed it's allowed me to be less fatigued and a better recover on the tougher days.

As for the other stuff...there are two camps on supplements...pick one. (but first - figure out why you want them)!!!
 
You work out 7 days a week, or do you have a couple of days off? Rest can help, gives the muscles time to rebuild.

I can't stand taking pills but one supplement I used to take that seemed to help was a B complex vitamin. Nothing drastic, but I did seem to feel better when I took them.

Drink plenty of water? There's supposed to be an upper limit to how much you should drink, but I know I never drink enough. My best runs are after I've heavily hydrated two or three days in a row. I just don't like or think to grab water versus coffee or other stuff.

Integrate some foods in your diet that are high in fiber to keep yourself feeling "fuller", and maybe check out some low glycemic substitutes if you're heavy into pasta, rice and starches.
 
It's physics really when it comes to building mass. You can't get something for nothing. If you want to build muscle then you have to eat more. It is recommended that you take in 1.5 grams of protein for every pound of body weight to gain muscle mass, but you also have to calculate what calories you are burning through out the day as well as calories required to fuel the workout. You will not gain mass if you are burning more calories, protein or carbs, than you are taking in.
 
I've tried the protein shakes and whey powder as well. They do taste better now than they used to, but they still don't do much for me as I never seem to eat enough calories. They also now have drinks that are specifically made to provide pre and post workout energy. You could maybe try some of those. They come in the same containers as the whey powder mixes. Although I hear they taste like crap. One other thing is that it takes the body a little while to get used to the workouts. Your energy will seem down in the beginning, but after a few weeks it should get better.
 
Joebunaga said:
You work out 7 days a week, or do you have a couple of days off? Rest can help, gives the muscles time to rebuild.

I can't stand taking pills but one supplement I used to take that seemed to help was a B complex vitamin. Nothing drastic, but I did seem to feel better when I took them.

Drink plenty of water? There's supposed to be an upper limit to how much you should drink, but I know I never drink enough. My best runs are after I've heavily hydrated two or three days in a row. I just don't like or think to grab water versus coffee or other stuff.

Integrate some foods in your diet that are high in fiber to keep yourself feeling "fuller", and maybe check out some low glycemic substitutes if you're heavy into pasta, rice and starches.
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I take a weekends off, M-W-F are lifting days and T-TH are cardio days, running/steps/row etc. Water is all I drink, I rarely drink anything else, my "treat" to myself is Arizona green tea that I have about once every 2 weeks.

I really think that it either A. I need to start eating a hell of alot more, and B start taking some vitamins, Trial and Error I guess. Sigh, not to pick on you old guys, But I dont know how you do it. how I wish I was 19-21 again, everything seemed much easier then, now I'm only 26 and struggling. I dont know how you older fugglers do it, but those who do :thumbs: .

David
 
Joe has another good point. Perhaps the strongest. Get plenty of rest. Even if you are going 7 days a week, if you are getting 8 hours of sleep each day, that will help in a big way.
 
Breads what are you specific goals? Hit me in chat and tell me about your regimen and more details on diet/supplements. I have to lift at ~10 pm after 10-12 hour work days etc so I almost always have a pre-workout energy supplement, it helps.
 
tsmckenney said:
Joe has another good point. Perhaps the strongest. Get plenty of rest. Even if you are going 7 days a week, if you are getting 8 hours of sleep each day, that will help in a big way.
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But when will I be able to play xbox??? :(
 
I am 38, and in almost the best "total" shape of my life, dropped almost 15 pounds over the last 3 months. I am now adding body weight in a good way, and hope to hit about 167 at 5-5 and hold there.

Diet, rest, and the right program...the right program was the one that was hard for me to find. You might need to chart your food and what you burn, to make sure your not only feeding the machine, but you are leaving enough behind to grow.

Also, as it was said before, there will be a period of decline, your body has to learn how to readjust the fueling so to speak, and you have to rebuild the connections between your nerves and muscles....it all takes time.

Good luck

Tim
 
I think you need options A and B, both. At 2,000 calories a day, you are not getting enough total nutrition for your goals stated in your first post. Also, you state you don't care about glamour, but want to walk around at 5% bodyfat? In a former life I was into both bodybuilding and then, later on, powerlifting. Two completely different "core values", if you will. If you want to put on another 30 lbs of muscle, it will take you a few years, but you will also have to get "out of shape", first. You just aren't going to put on that kind of quality muscle eating 2K calories a day, expending probably half or more of that, and hoping to keep your bodyfat that low.

Look up the Madcow 5x5 program. I used to have a link for it, but I don't have it on this computer. If you are honest with yourself in your beginning numbers, you will be increasing your max every single week. Don't let the first three or four weeks fool you. It's a "running start" into the heavier weights. A program like that would fit perfect into the schedule you say you already keep.
 
Everybody is a little different, just play around and figure out what works. Also,sometimes hiring a trainer, getting a partner or putting together a group can change your attitude enough that it'll push you through a workout you'd normally stop short on.
 
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