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Just as a further update to this thread: in spite of about 7-8 weeks of iron supplementation I still struggle to do my workouts (in fact, this week I haven't even done any! But at least over the weekend I did some heavy outdoor chores). After my weight training workouts I would experience 2-3 days of such bad soreness that I wouldn't be able to do the next workout even if I wanted to, even though I was using the lightest weights. I could NOT understand why I could not build up a tolerance to the exercise like everyone else seems to do. And then yesterday I got some test results back and discovered that in fact I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune hypothyroidism) along with low levels of associated hormones like norepinephrine/epinephrine and sex hormones. According to my health practitioner, THIS is the most likely explanation why I have exercise intolerance, low muscle tone, lack of progression, exhaustion (and just cannot lose that last 5-8 lbs). The low iron would just compound that. I guess the moral of the story is: if you think your body isn't working right, there's probably something wrong LOL. I was thinking it was something I was doing or not doing. Ended up being actual physical issues which luckily are treatable. If anyone else finds themselves in the same boat as me where nothing is working, a complete functional medicine testing workup might be in order!

I use Vega protein powder. They have lots of different varieties like "Protein & Greens" or "All-in-one Meal Replacement" (which has added vitamins) or straight-up protein. Here in Canada you can get it at most grocery stores or the drugstore. They also have many flavours like Berry, Mocha, Chocolate, Vanilla, and plain. I like to make mine into a smoothie (by adding a banana, green leafy veggies and berries) but it's designed to just add water or a beverage of your choice (like milk/plant milk or even juice which I think works well with the berry one). The texture is a bit gritty since it uses pea protein, and all but the plain one is sweetened with stevia (which is a downside for me). It's also rather expensive. However, it's fast, easy and convenient and (other than the stevia) I like the taste. And I feel like it's really nutritious and the protein fills me up for longer. It's also easy to add on to (e.g. you could add ground flaxseeds for additional calories/fats or peanut butter powder would go great with the chocolate one)

ADHD isn't one of my issues, so this may or may not work for you. I read once (maybe even on the NerdFitness site) that "behaviour chaining" is a very reliable way to build a habit. This is where you create a new behaviour around a habit you already have. Example, "after I brush my teeth, I will do 10 pushups" - you already brush your teeth each day, so now you will also do pushups each day. Or, "as soon as I get home from work, and before I make supper, I will do my (DVD/online/program) workout." I hope that makes sense. For me the harder thing is with diet. The NerdFitness blog had some really great suggestions, like "try one new vegetable this week". If you buy it at the store, you're very likely to try to find a way to eat it. Edit: Just came across a link in another thread to a great discussion about this exact thing

Whoops, I feel like this thread got derailed by the definition of "intensity". To clarify, the training I was doing is called "LIST" - a term which I think was made up by the program's creators. Anyway, I went back and looked it up, and it actually stands for "Low-Impact Strength Training". I got confused because it was named and described in a podcast, and they spent a good portion of the time at the start discussing the "intensity" of various types of cardio - a topic unrelated to what they've named their strength program. So anyway, the word was "impact" and not "intensity". Sorry for the misunderstanding! At the time I posted this thread, I was doing bodyweight/yoga/pilates program IN ADDITION to the strength training program (on my off days) resulting in working out 6-7 days a week. For the next couple of months, I'm going to only do strength training 3 days a week (along with my new iron supplements) and see how it goes. @Harriet I hope you're right about the fatigue. I suspect/hope that could be the reason I can't complete workouts or sets and then feel tired the rest of the day, and feel like I never progress at all. Yes, ideally, slimmer and more toned arms and a nice hint of abs. I'm not looking for very low fat percentage or to look like a professional athlete. Something around the 23-25% bodyfat as shown in the blog post I had linked to in one of my early posts would be perfect. Just .. less muffin top and old-lady saggy sad arms LOL. I would even settle for being able to do 10 push-ups.. or even 2 pushups or do a bunch of yardwork without being totally wiped for the day (increased stamina). Baby steps!

Hi everyone, I haven't been back here in a while because I did actually give up, figuring I was just wasting my time by doing all these workouts with no results. However I got the email notifications and wow! Thanks for all the replies and encouragement. It is appreciated. I have read each reply, so thank you. I guess the gist of what most of you are saying is to change my expectation of what a "result" is. I was looking for any result, be it looks (which would be the gold standard IMO), stamina, strength, health.. anything to know I was making progress, but I was seeing literally zero change. (e.g. cannot do any push-ups; cannot lift heavier things; cannot complete some workouts I've been working at for months). But I think it would be really great if I could feel confident in my clothes instead of saggy and flabby lol I truly appreciate those who have shared their stories and what works for them. It's helpful! A few of you have mentioned that I was changing programs too often. Over 3 years I did 4, maybe 5 programs and, except for Chloe Ting, I tried each for a minimum of 5 months, which should have been enough time to tell if it was working. @GeekWingChun As for the "low-intensity" exercise, I believe the "low-intensity" refers to the level of cardio. So the strength training program I was doing most recently was weight lifting, yes to failure, and with rest between each set. But its goal was not to raise heart rate as with "high-intensity" exercise like intervals or running. I hope that explains it better. After my last post here, I did manage to increase my protein to over 90g/day for several weeks. However as mentioned, I gave up on the workouts. Been doing work around the house though so I've not been fully sedentary or anything :) Anyway, new update: I went to the dermatologist yesterday for an evaluation for hair loss (believing I had androgenic - female pattern - hair loss or telogen effluvium or a combination) and to my surprise the doctor said I was quite low on iron and would require a prescription strength iron supplement to get my blood levels up. Apparently even though my ferritin was "normal" it was on the low end and low enough to the point I've been losing my hair for years. After a bit of research, I am now thinking this could be the reason why I haven't been able to build muscle or progress in my workouts, while feeling fatigued and out of breath easily. So new experiment: once I start taking the iron I'll go back on my low-intensity strength (LIST) workouts and see if that has made a difference. Oh and also I have inherited a complete set of weights, rather than the few I had, so I will be able to customize the workout better. I will give it several weeks and then report back with an update.

Hi all, I enjoy researching health topics in my spare time and I always come across studies, documentaries, etc that find that plant-based diets are just all around better for you. (I'm assuming here that plant-based means vegan). Today I watched an interview with Dr. James Loomis, the Medical Director of Barnard Medical Center in Washington, D.C. His bio for the interview was as follows: You can learn about the movie here if you're interested https://gamechangersmovie.com - I haven't seen it yet, but plan to. I think it's free to watch on YouTube and other places. In the interview they discussed how vegan diets do not affect athletic performance, but as they make you overall healthier they improve your recovery and progression. I had been reading about vegan diets and their health effects, but hadn't thought of how veganism may (or may not) affect athletic performance. I am not a vegan nor even a vegetarian, but am interested to know if anyone here is and if you noticed any changes in your workouts that could be attributed. On a side note, I am interested in eating more plants but an obstacle for me is how much work it is (prepping and cooking). I also notice that most vegan recipes are mocks of animal-based recipes (for example, I see sour cream, mayonnaise, and cheese sauce replacement recipes, pizza with cashew sauce instead of cheese, burgers or meatballs made with tofu or beans instead of meat) and to me it's just easier, faster and cheaper to use the actual thing. I would be interested to know (if there are any vegans here) how you are able to make this diet do-able - especially if you aren't big on cooking like me

Thank you for this @Artemis Prime. I do love science! Both unfortunately and fortunately, I've been off work. I haven't had to use an alarm clock in over a year. Theoretically I should be able to get plenty of sleep, but my brain still frequently wakes me up in the middle of the night, for several hours (last night: 3 hours!), for no reason, just to be a jerk. I have tried things like melatonin, lemon balm, yellow glasses after dark, etc and am now trying the 432 Hz frequency music. Good to know that if I ever succeed at sleep, it will potentially help me make progress! Extra incentive to work at it. And don't you just love Steve's articles? (As an aside, I clicked on the first link, and it had a "recommended article" about "how to grow your butt fast"! As the owner of a very sad, flat, white-girl butt, I eagerly clicked on the article, only to realize that I really need video workouts to follow as the text descriptions of exercises simply do not work for me Now I have a new YT rabbit-hole to go down later, though lol) In other news, today was 27 degrees C (like 80F) and I realized that I am too embarrassed to even wear T-shirts now. So I wore a hoodie to do errands. I've given up on abs (which can just be kept covered) and am now focused on my arms. I know, I can't spot-train or only lose fat in one place, but am sad that the 7-8 weeks of weight training isn't showing. However, I do feel like I am ready for heavier weights for a couple of the exercises; I don't have any, but am happy there seems to be a glimmer of progress. I have tried to increase my protein as Elastigirl recommended, and I think this has helped!

Ahh okay, thanks! :) Great ideas.

Welp, I did my strength workout on Monday and then did exactly what I said I wouldn't, a PiYo workout today. d'ooops. I do take weekends off usually, but my brain is thinking if I take too much time off I won't get any results (even though I don't get any results with 5-on 2-off or 6-on 1-off either lol). Really want to try and shrink my arms. This is my only goal for now. @Elastigirl : I do have some "before" pictures from before I started the PiYo program almost 3 years ago. I was thinking at the time I would be all toned up in 6 months. hahaha! I can't tell a difference between the before picture and my current arms/abs. Currently just using the tape measure to check if anything is actually changing. (And yes, looking in the mirror for any signs of looking "toned") I will say though, I actually believe my legs/rear feel firmer since starting my strength training (around 6 weeks now). They don't look different, but they feel somehow more solid. This is nice. I added some more protein into my diet, but I think I'm still falling short. Am struggling to find ways to get about 30g protein per meal. I saw in your challenge thread that you are trying for 150g/day so an average of 50g/meal. Wow! I have yet to track my actual numbers, so I will try to start tracking. However! I feel like my PiYo workout was a bit easier today than normal. Can this be possible after only like 3-4 days with a bit more protein? Maybe I am dreaming it, but it would be the first time I can remember not feeling dead before even finishing it. I appreciate all the encouragement. What a welcoming community!

All right - thanks! I'll try taking a day off in between, and see if that helps. I'll cut out the PiYo entirely and just do the strength training and the new arm YT workouts for a couple of weeks. I have a treadmill, so I can do some walking or light jogging while watching a show on the between-days. As a side note, I don't own a scale - I just get weighed at the doctor once or twice a year lol. I do have measuring tape and keep track of my measurements every month or two, as well as carefully examine myself in the mirror to see if I can see any muscle definition. (And after one week of 8-minute-arms, I can safely say that there is absolutely no difference in measurement or muscle tone/appearance. :( )

Thanks for all the comments guys!! I splurged on some protein powder for this month, so I'll get to add some protein smoothies to my diet for a few weeks at least :) I'll try to increase my protein in other ways too. Budget is very tight so meat twice a day probably can't happen for now, but I can add in some Greek yogurt, milk, lentils, and beans. Am going to monitor my intake and see if I can get my average up :) I just added in a new daily workout - 8-minute beginner friendly arm exercises for thinner arms in 30 days! LOL (found on YouTube). I *really* want to wear sleeveless tops this summer and not feel self-conscious about the flab. The first couple of days the exercises seemed kind of easy, and I was like, oh, maybe all this weightlifting really is doing something! I even added in weights on day 2. After day 2 though, it was like I went backwards and today (day 6) I couldn't do any - any! - of the exercises without stopping to rest 3-4 times during each 45-second set. The video's comments had everyone saying the exercises were *so hard* the first 2-3 days and then got easier, and many people commented it really worked for thinner arms. So again, I seem to be not progressing like a normal person would :D :D Is this what you mean by accessory work? Maybe I am overdoing it; never thought of that. My plan was 8-minute arms every morning 6 days/week, 4-minute arms (another YT video with half the exercises) every evening 6 days/week, strength/weight training 3 days/week (MWF) with yoga/pilates/bodyweight (plank, side plank, tricep dips, crunches, situps, rotations, squats, lunges, leg lifts, bowlers, etc) on the off days 2 days/week (T/Th) and weekends off except the arm stuff. I have been trying to make one of the PiYo classes per week the Core class (so we basically do 30 minutes of all core stuff.. and yes, I still can't complete some of the exercises! Like the criss-cross crunches. But I do my best) but no abs are happening yet. Other than the workouts I am very sedentary (computer work) and pretty much never go outside so it's really my only activity. So basically I am active for about 1 hour total per weekday :) I guess the rest of the time is.. rest? Or do you mean I should take full days off other than Sundays? Anyway thanks for the dialogue guys.. appreciate it! You're the best :)

If you read "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" (it's available free on the Gutenberg project, since it was written like 100 years ago or so) they are studying the (relatively new) effects of "modern diets" on cultures around the world. They note that there is no traditional culture on any continent they visited that does not contain some form of animal protein. So veganism is a new, modern creation that didn't exist in our ancestors' history. The authors conclude that the best diets were "the ones our ancestors ate." So for example if you are of Japanese ancestry, the best diet for you would be a traditional Japanese diet. If you are Inuit, then you probably do best with a lot of animal protein and fat. etc I've also read research that the Mediterranean Diet is considered the most healthful in general.

Hi there and welcome! I wonder if you established a home workout routine (like bodyweight exercises) if it would be easier than trying to get to the gym. Just a thought

Hello and welcome. My condolences on your fiancee's father. Just wanted to chime in and ask if you have had your Vitamin D levels checked. You mentioned not getting sun, so it may be worthwhile. Low Vitamin D has been shown to worsen (and in some cases even cause) depression. I (female, 115 lbs) need to take 3,000 IUs per day just to stay in the mid-normal range. The recommended 1,000 IU doesn't even get me to normal I get my levels checked every year or so. Anyway sorry to hear you're not doing well, but seems like you're using the "not happy or satisfied" as motivation to change things up. 👍

@Artemis Prime Thank you!! I feel like I have kind of tried some of that stuff (cut calories, increase protein, prioritizing strength and bodyweight training over cardio). I'll go through it again in case there's something I've missed. @Elastigirl Thanks for your reply! To clarify, currently, I'm doing strength training (technically it's kettlebell workouts, but I only have dumbbells, so I use those) 3 days/week and PiYo (pilates+yoga) bodyweight exercises 2 days/week. The strength training is LIST (low-impact strength training) and it does have rest periods of around 2 minutes between sets. The PiYo does not have any rest (picture like a Pilates class or something but with lots of lunges, squats and pushups). I've been doing this particular routine around 4-5 weeks. I'm going to give this new routine until May to decide if it's helping or not. My ideal weight is usually around 110-112 lbs, so yeah, I don't have a lot of fat to lose, it's just all around my middle and arms haha I'm not getting anywhere near that amount of protein currently though. Previously I would say I could get around 90g/day, but that was when I could afford protein powder mixes. Also, I'm allergic to eggs, so high-protein affordable breakfasts are really difficult. According to my calculations, I'm getting around 50-60 g per day right now. Been trying to eat more veggies like broccoli, greens, lentils, beans and only having meat like once/day (or less) to try to lower cortisol and inflammation, which I read can also prevent weight loss and progression. Any ideas on how to increase protein? Carbs are pretty much no problem (I think) - I get around 180g/day in the form of oatmeal or cereal, organic bread, starchy veg like sweet potatoes and potatoes, rice, lentils and beans. Great to know that you were able to get your triceps to stop flapping I look forward to getting to that point! Some nice shoulder definition wouldn't hurt either.