Justpixel's Quest to turn back the clock

[justapixel]

As part of my accountability, I am going to keep a journal here, as well as at home. That way, maybe some of you can slap me if I give up.

I was born in April of 1958. I have two children, one who just turned 9 and one 19, and a husband who is 11 years older than I am.

I am 5'3" and weigh 100 pounds.

My Goals:

I am beginning to feel weakness set in. Carrying groceries is harder; painting rooms is harder, moving furniture is more difficult. I get tired more easily, and need to take more rests than I used to. Recovery time for strenuous chores takes longer.

Goal Number 1: Strength and Stamina

I have been slim all my life. While I didn't used to think so, it is a blessing in middle age. However, I am starting to see a softer belly, a lower rear, and should not be wearing a bikini anymore. I want to wear a belly shirt again, I can't get used to the fact that I can't. I am going to Hawaii for my 50th birthday, and I want to tan in a skimpy bikini and not gross people out.

Goal Number 2: Build and Firm Muscle

I have never been a person with energy. I've always been one of those who need to sleep 10 plus hours a day, and who can't get out of bed until at least 11 in the morning. I love to play on the computer, read, and watch TV. I have a sedentary job. When I hear about friends who do all kinds of activities, I wonder where they get the energy for it.

Goal Number 3: Increase Energy Level

And, the most important - as I look to my future, I see I am at a crossroads. I can take the road of fitness and age with energy and grace, or I can take the road of sloth and slowly deteroriate. I was blessed with good genetics and now is the time to take advantage of that gift - I can't get by looking fit and healthy anymore without working for it. I also had my youngest child late in life, and I have to be fit for him, so I can be there for his school activities and eventually his children. My husband is 11 years older than me. Like me, he has always been thin and strong, yet lazy. He now has arthritis and other health problems caused by a sedentary lifestyle, and even has trouble getting off the couch without pushing himself up. The liklihood is I will need to be strong for the family. Maybe I can inspire him to work out eventually. Also, as a thin woman, I am at risk for osteoporosis - in fact, my bones have already shown signs of pre-osteoporosis - and now is the time to do prevention.

Goal Number 4: Healthy, Fit Aging

How to reach those goals:

I puchased work-out clothes. I have taken a "before" picture. I have written down my personal goals publicly (here). I have written them in a more detailed way in a journal. I have purchased a 60 day food and exercise diary. And, today, I joined a gym, despite ancient fears of exercising in public. I have an appointment with a personal trainer on Thursday.

I will get a customized workout on Thursday, and will update this thread at that time. In the meantime, I'll look for a yoga or spin class to start, just to get into the gym, as those things seem non-threatening.

My Exercise Plan

coming soon

My Eating Plan

coming soon

Thanks for welcoming me to the forum, everybody.

[batteryrequired]

First off...welcome to the gang!

I think you will find your energy level come back once you get into a regular fitness routine and get your body built back up again. I am seeing this in the seniors that are coming in regularly now in our newly expanded fitness facility that half is set up for women and seniors just starting out. They tell me all the time how much better they feel now and how they have their stamina back again. Its great to see and hear it. Stick with it and the rest will all fall into place. Eventually your husband will follow. Just set the good example. Hope ya stick around. We are all good for a few kicks around here...lol

[joed]

We'll be here to cheer you on pixel, & to try answering any questions that you have. You've made a good decision.

[40andNew]

Welcome to the best forum in bb.com. I joined just a couple of months ago and I am having a blast. You will find lots of advice and support.

[Hibiscus09]

Good luck to you, pixel! If you are consistent with your plan and eat enough to support the exercise, you'll see that your energy does pick up. I promise strength training will help with the grocery bags, etc. also.

I predict you'll be bikini ready again long before your trip to Hawaii!

[GREENFEATHER]

Good luck !! You're only 4 years older than I.

[jaguarr]

Welcome, pixel!

jag

[justapixel]

Okay, I finally had my appointment. For the first week, I'm going to do a circuit training type strength training, all with machines. I don't remember exactly what they are called though, or what weights I was lifting. Leg presses, chest presses, etc. I will do one rep of 15 three times this week, with cardio also. I don't think anything was over 35 pounds, but since I'm a weak almost 48 year old newbie, that's okay. She wrote it all down for me, but put it in a file there.

She did not discuss nutrition or anything like that - just showed me how to use the machines. I am going to do my cardio today, and will write down all the strength training exercises, bring them home and post them. Maybe I can get some advice on it from you experienced people.

I probably shouldn't do this, but here is my "before" picture, taken 30 minutes ago.

http://www.eclecticladyland.com/imag...efore31806.jpg

If anything will keep me motivated, looking at that picture should.

[CheryleB]

Hi Pixel. You look absolutely great for any age but especially for a woman in her mid-forties. With a start like that, you'll be strutting in that bikini in no time.

[justapixel]

Thank you Cheryl, but ick on me. I'm so soft now.

Anyway, I did my first cardio today - 25 minutes on a bike. I "rode" 3.75 miles and even posted on the internet while doing it.

Here is what I've eaten so far today - so far, I've not changed anything out of the ordinary since we didn't discuss nutrition:

10:00 a.m.: 2 cups coffee with tablespoon of milk
11:00 a.m.: 1/2 cup oatmeal with 1 pat of butter
12:31 p.m.: 1 blueberry yogurt
2:30 p.m.: 2 eggs, fried with 2 T of salsa
(I didn't get up until 10:00. Don't know what I'm having for dinner today - maybe leftover corned beef)

Here is what she has me doing for strength training. I did this yesterday and am not really sore at all, so maybe it's not enough. But, I'll do it for the first week until I speak to her again.

Chest Press 15 reps @ 30 pounds, 1 set
Seated Row 15 reps @ 30 pounds, 1 set
Leg press 15 reps @ 30 pounds, 1 set
Leg curl 15 reps @ 30 pounds, 1 set
Trunk Flexion, 15 reps @ 35 pounds, 1 or 2 sets
Bicep curls, 15 reps @ 8 pounds, 2 sets
Tricep overhead, 10 reps @ 10 pounds, 1 set.

I do have to start slow, I know that. Advice will be welcomed, especially on the nutrition!

[joed]

From your pic, you've got a good base to work from; nutrition will be a big part of helping to gain muscle. You've made a good start.

[GREENFEATHER]

Just go slow and steady, go up in wieght where you can and you'll do just fine. This is more of a marathon than a sprint. You don't want to get hurt or really, really sore right out of the box!!

[Hibiscus09]

I think you have a very nice figure, pixel! You can already see oblique lines and there is certainly not a weight problem going on.

The nutrition part needs some help. Is she going to discuss nutrition with you? Okay -- I haven't had any coffee yet and just saw where you said nutrition advice would help.

I like this guy's site -- he's a bodyforlife supporter:

http://www.hussmanfitness.org/

and you can also find out how many calories you should be eating here:

and here's some stuff by Tom Venuto that may help. I really like what he has to say:

http://www.femal************/nutrition/counting.html

and these links by Venuto help you determine how to gain lean mass:

http://www.femal************/nutrition/lean.html

http://www.femal************/nutrition/lean2.html

http://www.femal************/nutrition/lean3.html

That should be enough to keep your mind busy for a little while. I really do think it is good info and worth reading.

[1stindoor]

Welcome to the adult side of BB.com justapixel. Keep with it and you'll be showing off those muscles in your new bikini. Remember though, you didn't run out of energy and start feeling "soft" overnight; you're not going to regain energy and muscle overnight either. You may find yourself more tired than usual when you first get started with weights that are right for you, but that'll pass and as others have already said you'll see your energy return. Keep us up to date.

[justapixel]

Again, thanks for the support and especially those great links, Hibiscus09. I've spent today reading them, and I am getting closer to understanding what I should be doing.

I did my strength training today, and it's too easy. I think I need to increase, even if I am old. I don't want to be too sore, but a little sore is okay with me.

[Original Poster]

Welcometo the Forum Justapixel !

You look great already and will surely reach your goals.
One tip..........just remember there is no one size fits all program. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another. I am sure with a bit of trial and error and tweaking things.....you'll do just fine.

Again..Welcome to the Over 35 section.

LMAO.........on Batts calling us a GANG

[Gunn27]

Just stopping by to catch up on your journal and say “welcome”. As the others have said, you already look great…. Good luck with your goals.

[hohandy]

so...Pixel - been a couple of weeks now - how's it going??

[justapixel]

so...Pixel - been a couple of weeks now - how's it going??

Thanks for asking. Sorry I didn't notice the bump earlier.

It is going very well. I love doing it and am starting to see some teeny muscle growth in my thighs and biceps. I will have been lifting weights for a month on the 17th, for the first time ever in my 48 years. Below is my current routine.

I am not sure I'm doing everything I should be doing to work every body part and that is where any advice would be welcomed:


Upper body
Chest presses, 40 pounds, 2 sets of 12, 30 pounds 2 sets of 12.
Seated Rows, 40 pounds, 2 sets of 12, 30 pounds, 2 sets of 12.
Overhead Press, 10 pounds, 2 sets of 12. (Weak on this one)
Lat Pull down, 37.5 pounds, 3 sets of 12. (I'm ready to up this to 50, but will have to lower the sets to 2)
Triceps push down, 40 pounds, 3 sets of 12.
Bicep curls, 10 pounds, 3 sets of 12.
Triceps overhead, 12 pounds, 3 sets of 12.

Lower Body
Leg extensions, 40 pounds, 2 sets of 12, 30 pounds, 1 set 12.
Leg press, 90 pounds, 3 sets of 12
Leg curl 40 pounds, 2 sets of 12, 30 pounds, 1 set 12.
Thigh Abductor, 40 pounds, 3 sets of 12
Thigh Adductor, 40 pounds, 3 sets of 12
Standing Calf Raises, 40 pounds, 3 sets of 12
Kickbacks, 30 pounds, 3 sets of 12.

60 crunches with 2 pound medicine ball
60 twist crunches with 2 pound medicine ball.

I've started doing only 10 minutes of cardio to warm up, mainly because of time constraints. I'm not trying to lose weight anyway.

So, what am I missing, and what should I be doing differently?

Eating enough is a problem. Breakfast is typically an egg beater omelet (3 eggs) with salsa and oatmeal or a half whole grain english muffin with peanut butter. I eat a salad with chicken at about 11:00 and about 1:00 eat a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread and have fruit. I work out after work, at 4:00, so I drink a protein/caffeine drink first, and then come home and have two scoops of whey protein powder in some orange juice. Dinner is turkey, chicken or lean beef with either brown rice, sweet potato, whole grain pasta and some vegetables. If I snack later, which I typically don't, I have fruit. I'm not sure I'm eating enough, but I've not lost weight.

[justapixel]

Bump...

No advice? I guess I'll keep plugging along then.

[GREENFEATHER]

Bump...

No advice? I guess I'll keep plugging along then.

If you're not losing and not gaining fat, you're swapping fat for muscle. This isn't too uncommon in the beginning. The one suggestion that I would make is to ditch the OJ PWO and either get maltodextrin, dextrose or Orange Vitargo. You want a refill on muscle glycogen, not a refill on liver glycogen which is what the fructose in the OJ does.

Here's the link to the stuff I use PWO and while biking.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/prosup/vit.html

[justapixel]

Thank you! I will get some of that.

You have no idea how confusing this all is for a rank beginner.

[=M=]

Hi, welcome to the forum. 2 cents from me is be careful with the overhead presses. You don't want to go to heavy on them right away because that is a shoulder injury looking to happen. I can't even do them right now. BTW I don't think you look bad at all. I wish I had your genetics to start out with!

[joed]

OK pixel, it's been 2 wks now & I for one am not gonna wait much longer for your workout update. (joed looking at the clock, tapping his foot on the floor)

[baldiechic]

JUSTPIXEL. am 2years older dan u. its never 2 late to train. I started training 7 years ago with weights and my body is proper fix up, I never was soft as i was a dancer 13yrs b4 dat. I was very lean b4 i started weights,too lean, so i put 2stone of muscle of muscle. So carry on girl make trainin ur way of life.