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ChilliRed

Hi, I am female, 51 years old, height 5ft2 weight now 151 (yay i was 152) I go to the gym three times a week, I was doing 20 minutes cardio and 40-50 mins weights just lifting 3 x 15 reps and increasing weights each week, I have now started lifting heavier weights and doing 5 x 5 with the heavier weights.  On days that I dont go to the gym I go out walking or sometimes cycling for an hour.  This morning I started doing the 30 day shred as well.  I haven't really logged heart rate although I do look at it when I am in the gym occasionally.  Distance when I go out on my bike normally do about 7 miles, weights - I only just started doing deadlifts and only do 15kg on those, I use the leg press 30kg the leg extenders 20kg and leg curls at 20kg.  The abduction machines (not sure if thats what they are called they work your thighs and bottom) when you push the weight in on the one machine, and out on the other I do 45kg on each of those.  I also do bicep curls with 5kg dumbells.  Shoulder press 15kg and chest press 15kg.  Hope that helps

ChilliRed

Thanks for your input.  I know MFP give calories for exercising but i dont think it is correct.  I thought that by calculating my TDEE and then taking of 20% this gives me a better overall amount of what to eat and not to worry about how many calories I am burning but someone on there said that upping my calories would not help me lose weight but it seems to have worked the last week.

sniffer66

Agreed, like I said they are only estimates and can be well off. I'll let Wardy work out the details but I suspect if you have only been eating 1289 cals for 7 weeks with all that exercise you are so far under your maintenance cals your body is clinging on to every last ounce. By upping your cals this week to a reasonable deficit you have accelerated your metabolism somewhat and your body is happier to let the weight go

Wardy257

Firstly, I need to point out that none of the calorie counting techniques are perfect, plus not all calories are equal.  I just used the Schofield Calculation for you and got:

BMR = 1417
Sedentary Calories = 1984
Light Exercise Calories = 2126
Medium Exercise Calories = 2409

So these are quite different to what you have.  They key thing is to keep and accurate log and adjust based on what you see and feel.  This is largely trial and error but dramatic calorie reductions rarely work.

Your work out does not seem to be all that logical to me, I see plenty of women do similar in the gym every day though!  If you have not done so already have a read of my Common Gym Mistakes thread and it should help you come up with something a bit simpler, a bit more specific and at the right intensity.

ChilliRed

Okay thanks

starfarer

Hi Wardy, I'm in 9th week since inspired by your common gym thread. I'm training to gain strength to have more muscles and hopefully that will help in weight/fat loss which is my main goal. I'm Asian male 5'5" 40 yrs currently weighing 83 kg for last 2 years. From last GP record, I've gained 8-10kg in those years without any big lifestyle changes. I'm not new to the gym environment but mostly was restricted to cardio exercises and can do 5km run (35-38 mins) without a big struggle.

Anyway keeping it very simple, only things I've been doing 3 x week are squat, bench press & deadlift while cardio on separate days once a while. As the weights are getting heavier, I'm not sure whether to continue with those exercises on same day or to split. Till now, it was to gain strength and loosely based on mixture of SL5x5 with increments on each days or 5/3/1 if struggling. Last week took time off gym and yesterday's workout:
Squat: 10x85kg, 8x90kg, 6x95kg, 3x100kg
bench press: 8x65kg,  6x70kg, 5x75kg (assist), 2x80kg (assist)
deadlift: 6x100kg, 4x110kg, 2x110kg (lost grip)

Apart from bench press, I'm quite happy with the progress on other two. IF I continue on these 3 exercises (3 x week), do i risk hitting the same old muscle again and again? ( point 6 Over training...commong gym thread). Should I split or 2 x week is more than enough? As I'm close to upper limits on my strength, I'm thinking of mass gain for next 6 weeks.

Thanks.

Wardy257

Well I am glad I could inspire you and congratulations on your progress so far.

I think for now you should just keep it simple, train the whole body each time but add some new exercises and reduce the frequency of others.  Work on a 3 sets of 12 basis:

Day 1

Squat
Bench
Row

Day 3

Squat
Overhead Press
Lat Pull
Deadlift

Day 5

Squat
Bench
Row

Add some core exercises once/twice a week and see how you get on.

starfarer

OK I'll try to add row, OHP & lat pull. Tried before these but never seems to get form right on row despite viewing few videos while its a proper struggle on OHP even at low weights.

Is that 3 sets and 12 reps each? I'll probably need to take 15% off my current PR then.

Wardy257

Yep, 3 x 12 for each and you will have to drop some weight.

starfarer

Thanks again. Just about managed with 60% on my heaviest weights (15% off was bit optimistic ) and even then was struggling on deadlifts.

What about increase on weights? Is that need to be linear on each day/week? or just whenever I feel I can push?