Curling in the squat rack 🏋️

[Girlinterrupted]

This is about me getting ME back
In the 90’s, not only was I was a successful personal trainer, I was training for the 1995 Miss Fitness competition. Unfortunately, my addiction killed that dream. Maybe I’ll train for some geriatric competition now lol.

For those that don’t know what a recomp is:

Body recomposition is the process of reducing body fat while simultaneously increasing muscle mass. Consistent nutrition and workouts are essential.

I’m working out twice daily and for 60 days trying the following macro percentages:

Carbs: 35%
Fat: 15%
Protein: 50%

Everyone’s body is different, so there is no exact science on what macros you should be incorporating into your diet. I started these percentages on July 15th and will continue until September 14th. At that point I will experiment with a different set of percentages. That is yet TBD.

Height: 5’7”

Start Weight: 117.3 lbs
Start BFP: 16.7%

Current Weight: 115.5 lbs
Current BFP: 16.2%

Goal Weight: 130 lbs
Goal BFP: 10-12%

As you can see I’m going in the wrong direction weight wise. Yesterday, I added weight gainer to my diet.

For the first 4-6 months I will weigh daily to watch for hormonal trends etc. and record the data. After that, probably weekly. It’s very hard for me to remember to weigh myself so I had to put the scale out where I practically trip over it. Please note this is NOT an obsession thing, it’s a data thing to understand my body. It’s a common practice in training.

Starting Before Pic (July 2, 2021)
Progress pics will be posted around the 5th of each month.

August 2021

September 2021
Coming soon, gotta suck it up and put on my fake tanner.

[Runningfree]

@Girlinterrupted

I’m going in the wrong direction weight wise.

If you don’t mind me asking- Why do you feel this way? Your BF is going to be going down which means more muscle in that weight number. It’s a good thing!

Great goals btw! Ready to watch you kill it

[Girlinterrupted]

Ask away… I want to change my body.

I’ve been into fitness all of my life, even in active addiction. When I was a young gal I wanted to be a body builder, but then slowed my roll. I was a personal trainer and I was also training for the 1995 Miss Fitness competition, but my addiction did kill that one. I ended up in rehab.

I’m 5’7’’, so technically underweight. However, because I’m somewhat muscular, I don’t really look it. I may or may not look like I smile leg day though

[Girlinterrupted]

I may need to put a disclaimer in there that I’m highly knowledgeable on the subject. Studied nutrition and fitness since childhood.

My goal has nothing really to do with weight, but more so how much muscle mass I can gain, which I’m hoping for around 15lbs.

I completely understand that a recomp is difficult. It takes incredible dedication and consistency. Some say it’s impossible, others, like me, say that it’s not.

So, typically you need to eat in a surplus to gain muscle and a deficit to lose weight, so how can you do both? Science and success from others has proved that this is indeed possible. However, there is no magic formula. Therefore, I will need to experiment with different macros and workout routines to see what my individual body responds to. I’m completely up for the task and I find the process fascinating.

I have a long history with fitness including being a personal trainer and training for competition. So, I definitely do not want this to be considered a weight loss thread. I’m truly looking to change the composition of my body. Some examples below. I realize the last one is wow, but why not try. The first two are totally obtainable, but I’m shooting for a pinch lower body fat.

[Girlinterrupted]

Haha tiedät, että rakastan sinua! Saat aina vapaan kulkuluvan

[Girlinterrupted]

And now you just made my day

[Clarity]

Yessss!! Soo excited about this thread!! I’m so pumped up just reading the intro! I am glad you didn’t put “No stupid questions” in the rules because I have a lot of them most likely, I am pretty new to lifting… but this is what I need in my life! All those classes aren’t cutting it, even if I do 5 a week I still need weights! But I get so intimidated. Thanks Beth, you’re a lifesaver.

[Nordique]

I would also like to say I’m very excited about this thread!! Lifting weights has always been a big part of my life. I lost that part of my life when I started really drinking…there was no way I could, or wanted, to lift hungover (or drunk).

Now that I’m sober it has been a huge part of my recovery. Early on, I did several Beachbody programs in a row because I needed something to occupy my time. Now I’m back to straight weight lifting and I love it; it’s been a major part of my recovery.

[Girlinterrupted]

Yayyyyyy I’m excited that you’re excited!!! I can’t wait to watch you get swole. You are on your way already. I’ve seen them Guns girl, hope you have a concealed carry permit

[Girlinterrupted]

Awesome!! I’ve actually just added BeachBody. I just finished my first workout in The Master’s Hammer and Chisel.

It’s not completely what I was expecting. I was expecting pretty much straight lifting, but it took a lot of strength. I was feeling pretty badass BEFORE doing the workout. I did my regular lifting this morning before posting. I need to pepper in fun stuff like BOD and FitOn.

I’m not at the point where I’m back to lifting heavy at all. That’s going to take time. It’s been a while, years, since I’ve put this type of effort into it. I seem to forget I’m 50 years old. I have to get over the fear of breaking a hip some of these bench jumpy things terrified me at first. It’s definitely mental. All of it… The fear, the weakness, a lot can be overcome with mindset. I work on that daily.

@Clarity do you have any of the apps? They have weight lifting in them. I used to get nervous at the gym. For some reason I was always the only girl in the free weights area. You get over it quickly. Just be careful of ignorant dickheads that try to mansplain shit they know nothing about You look at them dead in the eye girl, and you say…. “Do you even lift bro?”

Or you can be a hermit like me and lift at home

[Mike_Gee]

Would be cool to have big muscles. I just cant put weight on

[Girlinterrupted]

Edited @Mike_Gee Well I’m a dumbass, just looked at your pic

[Chiron]

I love the gym humor. Working out used to be my life for a long time. I have a home gym, but it’s small and I can’t fit a cable machine in there. It’s my cat’s favorite spot in the summer.

Are you planning to nix cardio for this goal? I know there are different thoughts about whether or not to add it in something like what you’re doing. Seems to me you’d be getting your heart rate up just fine if you’re hitting the iron twice a day and also not wanting to spend that extra time training the fast twitch muscles.

How are you loading in the extra calories? Whole foods only or are you adding in shakes, gels, etc?

@Clarity Just do your thing. Seriously. You might get some looks, but if there are regulars there, that could also be it. In the end, you’re there for you, and it doesn’t matter if you’re lifting the same as everyone else.

[Girlinterrupted]

It’s so funny you mentioned that. I just lectured a young kid on my bodybuilding forum about cardio. He keeps complaining that he’s skinny fat. It’s because he’s doing straight up cardio for an extended period of time. I told him to poke around the forum and check out the journals of other men that have the physique he’s looking for. He’ll find they do little to no cardio! Poor kid has an eating disorder, so obviously my heart goes out to him. Some of the guys are being real ducks to him. For crying out loud it’s an eating disorder thread. Freaking meatheads lol.

So anyway, cardio has been mixed for a very long time for me. The only cardio I do is a short HIIT or HIIT Tabata. These are lifting incorporated HIITs. It’s usually 15-20 minutes. These have been proven to stimulate muscle growth. Straight up cardio is very counterproductive and people have a very hard time letting go of it.

My gym is super small too. I turned my living room into a gym. I have freakishly long legs (5’7” and 34” inseam) and I’m always smacking something with them lol. They make really strong resistance band/cable things that you put in the hinge of a door. I know it’s not the same, but it’s a start. There’s always the roof

And I have to ask if your cat even lifts bro?

[Girlinterrupted]

Oh! I forgot to answer about the extra calorie loading. I’m m using a mixture of both. I physically cannot stuff myself with the amount of food required. I have so many food allergies that it makes it difficult too. I try to get the majority of it through food, but I use protein drinks and a weight gainer shake throughout the day. So, what I’ll do is add it to a meal to get those extra calories. I put the protein in my coffee as creamer or the weight gainer in there. I put protein in my oatmeal. OMG that’s yummy! I also have clear fruity type protein and that goes in all my water along with psyllium husk. I’m allergic to almost all grains except rice and oats, so it’s hard for me to get fiber naturally. The oats help and I eat beans too. I hate beans, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I hate rice too. I won’t eat it, but I like rice cakes.

My metabolism is pretty slow due to having an eating disorder for so many years, so luckily my calorie requirement isn’t too high. I’m sure as my muscle mass increases, so will my calorie requirement. Who thought eating would be such a chore??

[Girlinterrupted]

My workouts yesterday were rough. My body said listen lady, calm down. Today I rest and will only stretch and stretch A LOT! I used to be sooooo flexible. I was a gymnast as a little one and into my teens. The in jr. high school and high school I was on the physical fitness team. It was for kids that scored perfectly on the physical fitness test. Not sure if they do it anymore. But it was timed sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups etc. that’s when I started lifting because we got access to a gym!

Anyway, as the years went on my body got a lot less flexible. So, I make sure I stretch throughout the day. I should say “stretch” it’s pitiful

Macros yesterday came out to:

Calories: 1628 (163 calorie surplus)
Carbs: 36%
Fat: 14%
Protein: 15%
Workout: Morning
Evening

So close!!!

Here’s what I’m using to calculate my caloric intake for recomp. I will reassess after 60 days. There is no one single thing that works for everyone, so trial and error, here we come. This is fun and gives me something to do haha.

Calorie Cycling via Mifflin-St Jeor

Rest days need to be at a 10% deficit: -146.5
Rest day calories: 1,320

Workout days need to be at 15% surplus: 219.75
Workout day calories: 1,685

[Clarity]

Lifted today!
Took your advice and followed a work out video…(why didn’t I think of that!) Did arms with my brothers barbell. Might have to do an arm pic soon if I keep this up.
Thanks Beth, you were my motivation!!

[Girlinterrupted]

I’m so saving up money for tickets to the gun show!!!

How do you feel? It’s something I’ve always truly enjoyed. I’m not much for cardio, which I guess is a good thing with my goals. I’m perfectly happy with short Tabata spurts or nothing at all

Today was a rest day for me. I’m feeling miserable. I’ve been so sick to my stomach for a few weeks now. I’m not sure if my belly is maybe just rebelling against having food in it? But I have my bowl of oatmeal next to me trying to choke down my rest day calories, but I’m pretty sure it’s not going to happen.

I am a ridiculous person. If I’m not supposed to eat, it’s all I want to do. If I’m supposed to eat it’s the hardest thing in the world. Guess I’m just a rebel

[Hopeful777]

@Girlinterrupted hey Beth i got your thread…like @Clarity sarah, pleased no disclaimer for beginner questions
I do swimming, body pump (light weights) pilates, but need to really tone.

I will revisit later as off to work in abit, but your stats i would like to understand more and how you measure.

You bloody toned!!! So i am motivated , thank you for creating this thread

[Girlinterrupted]

Yayyyyyy you’re here!!!

I’m excited for you. It’s fun to have healthy goals. The part that motivates me the most is the results. It’s just sticking with it long enough and remaining consistent once you start seeing the results. Then, your transforming body will be all the motivation you need. For me, seeing my little itty bitty six pack starting to show through keeps me motivated like crazy. I’m so here for it lol.