Intro / Need Supplement advice

[1lostyankee]

Hello, I have done a lot of searching on the web and in forums and not finding anything to help me figure this out. I just turned 50, am 5'5" and 20 lbs overweight. I have done different exercise routines for the majority of my adult life, most of them weight bearing. I don't want to bodybuild, my goal is to tone and get stronger but not bulky. I do a 30 minute upper body routine Mon-Wed-Fri. I do some leg work on Tue-Thur-Sat but upper body is the focus. I am slowly losing weight by portion control at dinner time. Hubby cooks and we have eliminated pork and beef from our diet. Mostly Mediterranean style dinners. For breakfast and lunch I eat as minimal as I can, very low-carb.

So, you know my exercise routine, I do not wish to exercise any more than that, I do see progress with the upper body workout. You know how I eat Mon-Fri. On weekends, I splurge a little more. I eat a bit more carbs, and I have one Coke (usually Mexican, no HFCS). I would like to know if I CAN or SHOULD take a supplement to help build muscle. Just looking for a little boost - if there is something that can help me achieve my goals. Is there a pre-workout supp I can take? I was reading about creatine and read if you take that you should push yourself to the max which is not what I am doing. And I don't think I need caffeine because I drink coffee 2 hours before I workout.

If you recommend a supplement can you tell me which one, because I am overwhelmed trying to pick one. I don't know what ingredients I need.

In the evenings, I have hardly any energy or motivation at all. This could be because of my thyroid (I have hashimoto's) and this is why I exercise in the morning. If there is a supplement you recommend for a little boost at night, that would get my butt off the couch, please let me know also.

[1lostyankee]

I do take a multivitamin - Metagenics PhytoMulti with Iron. I take a probiotic (Pure Encapsulations), red yeast rice and coQ10 for cholesterol. Armour Thyroid, CuraMed and Low Dose Naltrexone for the thyroid.

[Garage Rat]

Two things i would recommend if your serious about your weight loss/goal.
Start tracking your macro intake in a food journal.
Track calories,carbs,protein and fat.
Right down everything you eat and add them up at the end of the day.
This will give you a more precise way to know what your intaking and you can adjust accordingly if your not meeting your goals.
Really the only supplement i might recommend is a whey or casein protein to make sure your getting enough for recovery.
Coffee for pre workout is just fine and has been used safely for decades.
Second have a training journal and write down exactly what your doing in your training sets,reps,exercises each day.
You then can progress on movements with more reps or weight.
Dont worry you won't become a bodybuilder in the huge muscle sense but should be concerned about gaining muscle and losing body fat.
The more muscle mass you have the more calories burned when training.
You don't want to be like the people on the biggest loser with floppy skin from dramatic weight loss with little muscle gain.
Most people wouldn't do all this but if your really set on a goal you have to make the time and effort to go beyond what the average person would do.
Good luck.

[1lostyankee]

This is getting a lot of views, the fact that no women have replied, does that mean you feel I'm not hardcore enough to take any supplement? I saw there is a thread about Hashimoto's. I don't think adding a protein supplement should affect that. I am wondering what whey or casein products taste good as I am fussy about flavors and textures. You drink this right after a workout?

by the way I did go to the Supplement section on here but I can't find posts about women.

[SuffolkPunch]

Women don't generally need different supplements to men. The biological processes are all the same and common to both. Even though men have much higher levels of testosterone, actually the amount of muscle that can be built by women (as a proportion of initial frame size) is very similar. I don't think being a woman or being a novice is the reason for lack of response.

Perhaps people don't know what Hashimotos is (I don't) and we are always careful to offer advice around a medical condition. Quick google tells me that you might be on thyroid medication - prescription drugs can't be discussed but that doesn't matter since if your goal is to lose fat then the process is still the same regardless - it's all going to come from diet and calorie management and doing resistance training to prevent muscle loss. Supplements play very little role - they tend to be the last 1% in a well thought out plan. But you have to get the other 99% right first...

Perhaps head over to the Fat Loss forum and read the sticky threads at the top of the page as a starting point.

[1lostyankee]

Thanks. I did post above what supplements/medications I am on, but you made a good point. Maybe the supplement difference isn't so much between men and women as it is between hardcore bodybuilders and people like me. I know that if I were to take a supplement meant for a bodybuilder that would be a very bad idea.

[Bagpuss13]

Thanks. I did post above what supplements/medications I am on, but you made a good point. Maybe the supplement difference isn't so much between men and women as it is between hardcore bodybuilders and people like me. I know that if I were to take a supplement meant for a bodybuilder that would be a very bad idea.

I totally agree with SuffolkPunch on this...I am female, 41 years old and 5'2" and have been weight training for 4 years now....trust me if you go at it hammer & tong you will still struggle to get bulky!! Dont be afraid to lift heavy - but plan your meals & keep it simple. What worked for me( and this is literally just my opinion) pick two proteins, mine are chicken and tuna- I only eat one carb which is rice and then I do loads of different veggies.....at the start of the week I cook everything up and I will meal prep 2 days worth of food eating 3 meals a day so
meal 1 might be- chicken, rice & veggies....meal two might be tuna, rice & veggies...meal 3 chicken, rice & veggies.....your food doesn't have to be bland and you don't need to eat like a rabbit either! use seasonings to make things more interesting. ( the only thing I don't weigh is the veggies! But measuring cups are awesome!!
The plus point to working food this way is you can track progress really easily because you are eating the same food ( make it food you enjoy!) so if after 4 weeks say you aren't noticing a difference you can say okay I will cut my carbs from one cup to half a cup...see what that does
Its all about finding what works for your body, what it responds well to, what it likes, what it doesnt so listen to it...if you are eating right you will get few sugar cravings, you will feel full so will not be tempted to snack & you will see the results in the mirror.
Id get your macros sorted first so you have a starting point and plan plan plan.....Once you have nailed that, then Id look into suppliments but Id go via your GP.....The only reason I take whey is because I physically cannot eat the amount of protein my body needs to gain muscle....well I could but Id be so ill LOL!!
Good Luck !