thecrutch Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Hi everyone! I'm a 27 year old female scientist from Philadelphia. I've been pretty skinny and weak all my life, and I'm finally ready to get strong! I started lifting last week with my trainer. I'm pumped! So far I've been doing deadlifts, barbell squats, Turkish get ups (which I'd never heard of before!), planks (the kind where you alternate touching the wall), pushups, leg raises, and a bunch of other dumbbell upper body exercises. Edit: I'm 5' 9" and ~145lbs. BMI taken at gym reported. 21.9I really can't want to get stronger. Diet is mostly veg and lean meat (no mammals) with minimal dairy and grain. I don't have much fat to lose, just a bit in the normal places for women: belly and thighs/ass. Here's a pic: I'm not sure how much diet is really affecting me at this point, but any suggestions are welcome there as well as with regard to exercises. N00b questions: How do you track your workouts? I'm using Fitness Buddy right now and it's OK, but I'm also going to start doing a google spreadsheet so I can make graphs easily (nerd ftw). Does anyone have an app for the iPhone they love?Should I wear a flat soled shoe for lifting? Right now I'm wearing the New Balance WX813 cross-trainer, but I wonder if the sole is messing with my form on squats ( I have a tendency to go too far forward).What do you eat for breakfast? This is the meal I struggle with the most. For a while I would eat a bagel, but it made me feel like crap. Recently it's been yogurt with a bit of granola, a piece of fruit (orange today), and carnation instant breakfast with skim or 2% milk. Whatever I eat needs to be portable and easy because I bring it to work. My goal is to be stronger, but more concretely I'd like to be able to do 10 pull ups and 50 push ups by the end of the year, and increase my deadlifting and squats by 5lbs each workout. Are these reasonable?If I have any other questions, I'll ask. Feel free to school me on the use of forums or give me any tips you feel like sharing. I'm excited to be a part of this community! Link to comment
bigm141414 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Welcome to NF thecrutch! Let me see if I can answer some of your questions: How do you track your workouts? I'm using Fitness Buddy right now and it's OK, but I'm also going to start doing a google spreadsheet so I can make graphs easily (nerd ftw). Does anyone have an app for the iPhone they love?I use pen and paper. Others use a simple note taking app, or just access google docs from their phone. Also, Fitocracy is popular around these parts too. Should I wear a flat soled shoe for lifting? Right now I'm wearing the New Balance WX813 cross-trainer, but I wonder if the sole is messing with my form on squats ( I have a tendency to go too far forward).Yes, flat soled shoes with little to no cushioning should be worn when performing lifts. Cushy soles mess up balance more than anything else. From what you describe you may just need to practice some bodyweight squats first to get form down. When you say you go too far forward do you mean you end up on your toes? This is a common issue when beginning squats. Common solution is to widen the stance a bit and point the toes out more (20ish degrees) and shove the knees outward while going down. There is a section of the forums where you can upload videos of your lifts and we can give you feedback. What do you eat for breakfast? This is the meal I struggle with the most. For a while I would eat a bagel, but it made me feel like crap. Recently it's been yogurt with a bit of granola, a piece of fruit (orange today), and carnation instant breakfast with skim or 2% milk. Whatever I eat needs to be portable and easy because I bring it to work. I've done the yogurt/fruit thing before, but I have found I feel better with good old eggs and bacon. Seeing as you don't eat mammals that option is out, so I can't really help ya here. My goal is to be stronger, but more concretely I'd like to be able to do 10 pull ups and 50 push ups by the end of the year, and increase my deadlifting and squats by 5lbs each workout. Are these reasonable?Sure. Totally doable. Just make sure you come up with a plan. There are several linear progression programs that are great. Starting Strength program is 3 sets 5 rep (3x5) and you increase your weight every session. There is also Stronglifts 5x5 which is basically the same thing expect SS has power cleans and SL has barbell rows. I highly recommend either program to keep you on track. "Pull the bar like you're ripping the head off a god-damned lion" - Donny Shankle Link to comment
thecrutch Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Starting Strength program is 3 sets 5 rep (3x5) and you increase your weight every session. This sounds like what my trainer suggested.. Thanks! Link to comment
CyningaDena Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Good to have you on board! It sounds like your trainer has got you on an awesome start for your goals. You can doo eet!!What do you eat for breakfast? This is the meal I struggle with the most. For a while I would eat a bagel, but it made me feel like crap. Recently it's been yogurt with a bit of granola, a piece of fruit (orange today), and carnation instant breakfast with skim or 2% milk. Whatever I eat needs to be portable and easy because I bring it to work.Smoothies ftw. Endless variation (it's possible to get all major food groups in there, though I recommend a powder for the protein instead of actual, ya know, meat) and they pack nicely. Some day I might even splurge for one of those one-cup blenders. I used to skip breakfast because I thought it made me sluggish. Turned out I was just raised in a German family where breakfast doesn't count unless it's a solid ball of carbs held together by grease and jam. Smoothies let my body ease back into the food business after the nightly fast. Give 'em a shot! Wood Elf Ranger LEVEL 1, It don't mean a thing if I don't hear that ding: My Epic Quest Link to comment
mtaylor Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Breakfast is hard for me too. I usually just mix protein powder into my morning coffee and then eat lunch around 11:30 or noon. [table] [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Adventurer Level 1 Str 1 | Dex 2 | Sta 2 | Con 4 | Wis 3 | Cha 1 MFP | Fitocracy | Challenge [/table] Link to comment
thecrutch Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Good to have you on board! It sounds like your trainer has got you on an awesome start for your goals. You can doo eet!!Smoothies ftw. Endless variation (it's possible to get all major food groups in there, though I recommend a powder for the protein instead of actual, ya know, meat) and they pack nicely. Some day I might even splurge for one of those one-cup blenders. I used to skip breakfast because I thought it made me sluggish. Turned out I was just raised in a German family where breakfast doesn't count unless it's a solid ball of carbs held together by grease and jam. Smoothies let my body ease back into the food business after the nightly fast. Give 'em a shot!Sounds perfect! Any recs for protein powder? Link to comment
mtaylor Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I like Optimum Nutrition whey powder. They have a lot of flavors, but my favorite is the vanilla ice cream! [table] [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Adventurer Level 1 Str 1 | Dex 2 | Sta 2 | Con 4 | Wis 3 | Cha 1 MFP | Fitocracy | Challenge [/table] Link to comment
thecrutch Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Thanks everyone!Also, I joined Fitocracy. I can't believe I haven't heard of this site. It's awesome! My biggest frustration with fitness sites is that the exercises are so poorly organized or inconsistent. "Pullups" in some places and "Pull-ups" in others. I joined the Fitocracy group, and here's my profile: www.fitocracy.com/profile/aworldgoesnova Link to comment
CyningaDena Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 I like Optimum Nutrition whey powder. They have a lot of flavors, but my favorite is the vanilla ice cream!mtaylor is sadly misguided: you must get the caramel toffee fudge! Here's a link with far more options (and I think for less money) than you'll find at your local GNC. It also saves you the experience of walking into a GNC. Wins all around. Wood Elf Ranger LEVEL 1, It don't mean a thing if I don't hear that ding: My Epic Quest Link to comment
mtaylor Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 oooh, haven't tried that one! the double chocolate whatever was disappointing. [table] [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Adventurer Level 1 Str 1 | Dex 2 | Sta 2 | Con 4 | Wis 3 | Cha 1 MFP | Fitocracy | Challenge [/table] Link to comment
Tinessael Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 What about boiling some eggs? You can easily boil them for a couple of days ahead and they are easy to pack and bring them with you. A Hobbit who wants to become an Elf - Scout - Level 3STR: 2,75 | DEX: 4 | CON: 5,5 | STA: 2,5 | WIS: 3 | CHA: 2,75The journey of Tinessael 1The journey of Tinessael 2Tinessael's Challenge (ongoing) Link to comment
thecrutch Posted August 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 mtaylor is sadly misguided: you must get the caramel toffee fudge! Here's a link with far more options (and I think for less money) than you'll find at your local GNC. It also saves you the experience of walking into a GNC. Wins all around.This is excellent! Thank you!What about boiling some eggs? You can easily boil them for a couple of days ahead and they are easy to pack and bring them with you. Love hard boiled eggs! Great idea. Link to comment
thecrutch Posted August 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Update! Deadlifted 100lbs today, and finally progressed to adding weight to my barbell squats. 50lbs! YES!! Also, Turkish get-ups are HARD! Love them though! Link to comment
Razor Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 I like Optimum Nutrition whey powder. They have a lot of flavors, but my favorite is the vanilla ice cream!ON is good quality, but all that stuff is really expensive.Crutch, if you have access to Sam's club, costco, or a friend who can buy whey from an Army/Naval Exchange I'd look for supplements there. Look for supplements online too, but make sure it's name brand. A lot of lower brands have no quality control (the same is rumored for the upper), and even though heavy metal levels are nowhere near dangerous amounts in supps, you never know what else is in there.Try to get a membership at a Vitamin World(e) if you can, it's free to join and when you do you get a Buy 1 get 1 free and a Buy 1 get 1 half off coupon, which both really help for whey.Oh, and good job on the deadlift. Make sure you get your form checked for deadlift and squat, it's extremely weird to be squatting half of what you deadlift (Might just be CNS recruitment, but still it doesn't hurt to make sure). If you're form is good, you can lift more than me and I've been at it for four months! *Albeit with terrible form up until about ten days ago*Oh, and in terms of good protein stuff? Eggs for sure, tuna, whey powder, and nuts (good fiber too). I like almonds. Neutral Good-High Elf Warrior What we move is far less important than what moves us. Razor's Three-Fortnight Challenge Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.