flab and fitness frustration

[alison_in_oh]

The partner thing has nothing to do with being female. I'd rather have a lifting partner for two reasons: spotting and motivation. A spotter is important, not just for safety but also to help me really work to exhaustion (just a finger's help can make a huge difference in finishing a set). The motivation thing, well, it's nice to have someone to coax you or yell at you, as the situation warrants.

Ah-ha! That'd definitely be nice. Lack of a spot is definitely one reason that I am still on machines, and also a reason that I'm not lifting as heavy as I could. But I'm still doing a decent job of growing lean body mass and strength, so I'm not too concerned yet.

I've now been off of depo for two months. I remember losing weight so rapidly a few years ago that co-workers worried that I might be anorexic, and I remember that I got off of depo for six months, but I don't recall if the time periods overlapped. I was also clinically depressed at the time, which ruins my appetite. I saw my doctor today about my cold, and she said she's happy to have me off the depo. (Turns out I have a viral bronchitis that's been making the rounds; joy! I should feel better by Sunday, she said.)

Well, I hope it helps and I really hope you feel better soon!

[bounceswoosh]

Thanks for the link; I've voraciously plowed through that site a few times, and I think it's great what Krista is doing for women who lift.

The partner thing has nothing to do with being female. I'd rather have a lifting partner for two reasons: spotting and motivation. A spotter is important, not just for safety but also to help me really work to exhaustion (just a finger's help can make a huge difference in finishing a set). The motivation thing, well, it's nice to have someone to coax you or yell at you, as the situation warrants.

Now I'm rereading Krista's site and she mentions that you shouldn't be lifting to exhaustion. Once again, info that contradicts what I was taught in college. I'll look around the site, but anyone know why this would be bad? I thought the whole point was to lift enough weight that you could just barely make the last lift. Gaaah!

Oh, on the topic of lifting, I have a single 10-lb weight, so when I'm better I'll go buy another one and a pair of 12s. That should set me up for military and bench press, I believe.

[LBTC]

I do have a set of cast iron weights that I got years ago before I went back to the day job. I think I will dig them out from where ever they are in the house, dust them off and start lifting.

yay! You go, JO!!

Namaste,
~T~

[Raindrop]

I'm a full-time personal trainer that works in the clients homes and as a result, carry an entire gym with me in my car. To set up a gym at home can be pretty inexpensive; a stability ball, flex-tubing of various strengths, adjustable dumbells, a jump rope and a mat. I also have a lot of other tools (BOSU, Medicine balls, body blades, weighted bars, boxing gloves and focus mitts etc., but those aren't really necessary for your own home gym unless you want them).

If you can contract with a trainer that works with functional training and is knowledgeable in setting up a program using those tools...even better. But there are also sites that sell instructional DVDs and VHS that can help you to do your own program. www.collagevideo.com is a good one.

The only other thing I wanted to add was that when one works with weights, you want to perform enough repetitions to go to muscle "fatigue". That is, the last repetition should be the last one you can accomplish using good form. I see plenty of people in the gym, throwing the weights up with horrible form just to get more reps in. Taking those muscles to fatigue will result in a metabolic change that will result in the muscle getting stronger (as long as there is adequate nutrition and rest involved).

Hope this helps a little.

[alison_in_oh]

Now I'm rereading Krista's site and she mentions that you shouldn't be lifting to exhaustion. Once again, info that contradicts what I was taught in college. I'll look around the site, but anyone know why this would be bad? I thought the whole point was to lift enough weight that you could just barely make the last lift. Gaaah!.

If I recall, it's because the tiny added benefit from that extra intensity does not compensate for the increased risk of injury.

I've been told to lift enough that the tenth rep burns but is still fairly readily completed in good form.

[Crankin]

Glad to see that others have the same issues. Although my weight is fine now (most would think i am very skinny), I still have fat on my thighs and butt that I hate. It's something I can live with, but I have actually dreamed of lipo (I would never do it). I've been road cycling for 3 and half yrs and it really helped me lose about 15 menopausal pounds that had crept up, despite almost 25 years of aerobics, weight training, walking, etc. I weigh the same as i did in high school, but I get sick of having to watch constantly. I eat much more protein than i used to and only low GI carbs. I can resist the sweets and I never eat fried food. I just read the Nancy Clarke book and it is very sensible. I think that I don't plan my eating well enough during the summer when I ride a lot. I am going to eat more carbs this year. Being short and small, it takes nothing for me to gain 5 lbs. and a huge time to take it off. I also am half way to osteoporosis. I can't take Fosomax (it made me deathly sick to my stomach) so I am on Evista. So far, it hasn't helped. I've been taking calcium for 20 years, but i have never been a milk drinker. Hopefully, weight training will help this, but I can't train hard when i am riding a lot, it just makes my muscles too sore. I hope I don't end up a hunchback on a bike when i am 60. I tried running last year, but I just hate it. So, I started mountain biking last fall and hiking a little, and while I enjoy these, it's a whole new set of skills, esp. the mountain biking. Well, enough of my rambling.

[bounceswoosh]

I also am half way to osteoporosis. I can't take Fosomax (it made me deathly sick to my stomach) so I am on Evista. So far, it hasn't helped. I've been taking calcium for 20 years, but i have never been a milk drinker. Hopefully, weight training will help this, but I can't train hard when i am riding a lot, it just makes my muscles too sore. I hope I don't end up a hunchback on a bike when i am 60. I tried running last year, but I just hate it. So, I started mountain biking last fall and hiking a little, and while I enjoy these, it's a whole new set of skills, esp. the mountain biking. Well, enough of my rambling.

Well, maybe that's one benefit to all my extra flab -- it's more for me to carry around, so everything I do is weight training! *sigh*

After reading about the cycling/osteoporosis connection, I asked my dr. about a bone density test at my next visit (I'm 27). She said that it really wouldn't be useful because some people, like herself, have bones that are less dense. She said that the only useful info is the differential in two tests taken a year or two (?) apart around the onset of menopause, because they can then see how much you're losing. If they do find that you have low bone density at a younger age, all they can really do is tell you to get more calcium and do weight-bearing exercise, which they'd tell you to do anyway.

I'm sure your dr. has it all in hand, but I just thought I'd share this little anecdote ...

Anyway, mountain biking, while fun, really won't do much, if anything, for bone density. Hiking is much better. But I don't think you have to get excessively sore in order to see bone benefits from weight training; are you getting enough potassium in your diet? Is it possible to splurge and get some massage work done? I go to a massage therapist whenever I can free up some cash, and she's helped me find and fix a lot of muscle issues.

[snowtulip]

Everyone's had great information! Bounceswoosh, I love freeweights, it's usually what I use when I do strenght training. Another suggestion would be to get a set of resistance bands, they are cheaper and don't take up as much room and you'd be surprised at how effective they are. When I find the link to the place I bought mine, I'll post it.

Also regarding hydration and mountain biking, I also used to not drink while I was riding or be sooo focused on riding that I would forget to drink. I had to mentally remind myself to stop and drink (if you don't feel comfortable drinking from your camelback while riding). I stop even if people are far ahead of me.

Good luck!

[Dogmama]

I've read many times that lifting to complete muscle failure is extremely taxing to your body. Additionally, tendons & ligaments are slower than muscles to become accustomed to weight training - thus the number of injuries caused by lifting to failure.

As someone else posted - if you're lifting to complete failure, your form is probably compromised, which can lead to injury. You should lift until you cannot complete another rep with good form.

Pushups - my wrists are bad also. Instead of putting my hands flat on the floor, I grasp two dumbells to keep my wrists straighter. If your feet are slipping try a non-skid mat or wear sneakers. If you're getting dizzy, start with one or two. You'll be doing pushups like a Marine recruit in no time!

Also, if you're riding a bike and lifting 3X week, you might begin to exhaust your body which is to be avoided. Training is riding that delicate balance between pushing your body to become better, but not tipping into exhaustion.

I lift by myself, free weights and some machnes, in a gym. I don't worry about a spotter because I'm not lifting to failure - no where near it.

Lastly, if I just ride and don't lift, I become flabby. Even in the legs. It might have to do with slow twitch vs fast twitch muscles - some women on this board seem to have earned muscles on their bikes!

[Crankin]

Well, maybe that's one benefit to all my extra flab -- it's more for me to carry around, so everything I do is weight training! *sigh*

After reading about the cycling/osteoporosis connection, I asked my dr. about a bone density test at my next visit (I'm 27). She said that it really wouldn't be useful because some people, like herself, have bones that are less dense. She said that the only useful info is the differential in two tests taken a year or two (?) apart around the onset of menopause, because they can then see how much you're losing. If they do find that you have low bone density at a younger age, all they can really do is tell you to get more calcium and do weight-bearing exercise, which they'd tell you to do anyway.

I'm sure your dr. has it all in hand, but I just thought I'd share this little anecdote ...

Anyway, mountain biking, while fun, really won't do much, if anything, for bone density. Hiking is much better. But I don't think you have to get excessively sore in order to see bone benefits from weight training; are you getting enough potassium in your diet? Is it possible to splurge and get some massage work done? I go to a massage therapist whenever I can free up some cash, and she's helped me find and fix a lot of muscle issues.

I have had 2 bone density tests; one when I was about 47 and still in peri menopause and one this year (I haven't had my period in almost 3 yrs). First it showed osteopenia in my hips and the second one showed it in my spine, too. I am not sure why I get sore from anything other than cycling! Even cycling will cause this if I do a really long ride- 50-60 miles. I think I just don't do enough of the other stuff (never more than twice a week), so my muscles never adapt. I have had plenty of massages, but not on a regular basis for years. Maybe I'll try that. I have 2 more sessions left with my trainer and then I'll be on my own. I really don't want to do too much with the weights while I am training for a 6 day bike trip in Europe, but I will force myself. I hate being indoors when the weather is nice!