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Female, 42 and Bodybuilding - DV's Journal


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Thanks for the replies! It's nice to know that someone reads this blog. I'll post my diet from two days ago (a low calorie rest day) and yesterday ( a high calorie day).

 

I spoke with my trainer today about my plans to slowly lose fat while gaining muscle. He thinks it's definitely possible (especially since that is exactly what I've done in the last 3 months). The only big difference in my diet is overall calories on a given day. I still eat every 2.5 to 3 hours and eat high protein. My thoughts on fat loss and muscle gain are as follows. Your body synthesizes protein and burns body fat in the same day, depending on what you feed it, how you are working out, when you feed it and how you manipulate your insulin levels - among many other variables. In the course of a week, I wouldn't expect anyone to naturally (no HGH, no steroids) lose 2 pounds of fat while gaining two pounds of muscle but I believe you can lose moderate amounts of fat while gaining moderate amounts of muscle. As I am not looking to do either quickly, this program is perfect for me so long as it continues to work.

 

The only other difference to my lower calorie days (my fat burning days) is that I maintain a very low glycemic load on those days. The theory behind this is that it keeps insulin from spiking, thereby keeping your body from going into fat storage mode.

 

Yesterday.............

 

Back

 

Lat Pulldowns

80 x 12

90 x 8

90 x 7

 

Reverse or Back Lat Pulldowns

60 x 14

70 x 12

70 x 12

 

Standing Rows (Charles Glass style - hard to explain this one)

50 x 16

60 x 12

60 x 12

60 x 12

 

Seated Rows (with forward stretch for lower back involvement)

70 x 12

80 x 12

90 x 10

 

One-Arm DB Rows

35 x 12

37 x 12

40 x 10

 

Low Back Extension (on the T-Bar with abdominal support - no added weight)

3 sets of 20 reps

 

Calves - Donkey raise and Plated Loaded

 

Diet for Low Calorie Day

 

1)Smoothie - 100 gms blueberries, 100 gms strawberries, 2 Tbls ground flax, 50 gms rice protein, Glutamine 5 gms

2)Super firm tofu 5 oz., kale (1/2 pound) sauteed with shallots and 1/2 Tbl olive oil

3)Almond butter 2 Tbls, Glutamine 5 gms

4)Super firm tofu 5 oz, mixed leafy greens (1/2 pound), mushrooms, garlic sauteed with shallots and 1/2 Tbl olive oil

5)Gemma protein (25 gms) and Buckwheat protein mix (25 gms) as pudding

6)Hazelnuts 1 oz.

 

Calories 1750, Protein 180 gms, Carbs 110 gms, Fiber 41 gms, Fat 55 gms, Glycemic Load 49

 

Diet for High Calorie Day

 

1)Smoothie (as above), Glutamine 5 gms

2)Clif Builder bar, Xtend BCAAs, glutamine 5 gms

3)Split pea soup, broccoli and alfalfa salad

4)Brazil nuts 1 oz.

5)Seitan with mushroom onion sauce, Steamed broccoli with lemon shallot sauce, Amaranth grits with corn, sauteed spinach, Red wine (I eat this over 2 to 3 hours)

6)Gemma/Buckwheat pudding

 

Calories ~ 2800, Protein > 200 gms - I didn't count the rest.

 

One day of the week I eat at a restaurant and have refined flour/sugars. I usually bloat for about 1-2 days with a 1-2 pound water weight gain. After 1 or 2 days of the low calorie, low GL diet I lose the bloat and water weight.

Edited by DV
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thank you. that was really informative. i'm on a similar diet with high protein and moderate carbs (by training of veggie princess )and i like seeing other people's daily diets too. do you think you could explain ow you calcultate out this glycemic load thing. i know about the glycemic index, but i've never really heard of that before....i;m just curious.

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Thanks for putting all that up there DV.

What is the deal with xtend? I noticed that you and a few others drink it.

Have you experimented with different protein amounts or are you following the standard bb equation? If you want to maintain rather than build is it necessary to have so much?

mieke

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Hi Annemiekeclark.

 

Xtend is one of the brand names for the branched chain amino acids L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine and L-Valine. Some research supports claims such as reduced muscle breakdown and maintaining lean body mass.

 

As for protein intake, I'll continue a high protein intake for another 2 months or so and then see if a decrease makes a difference. I did a lot of things at once when I made my greatest gains - Xtend, creatine cycling, higher protein. Eventually, I'll remove each component to see whether or not it's necessary.

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Two days ago........

 

Nutrition: Calories 2800, Protein 180

 

Legs (new routine with trainer, some exercises would be difficult to describe)

 

One Legged Stationary Lunge with DBs

BW x 10

10 x 10

15 x 10

15 x 10

 

Incline Walking Lunges with Plate held behind head

BW x 12 then down x 12

10 x 12 then down x 12

10 x 12 then down x 12

At the top of the incline, lean against wall with knees at 90 degrees and hold for 20 seconds.

 

Leg Extension I

90 x 12

105 x 10

120 x 8

 

Leg Extension II

90 x 12

105 x 10

120 x 7

 

Stiff-Legged Dead Lifts with angled DBs (concentrates more on the later aspect of the hamstring)

30 x 15

40 x 12

50 x 10

 

Leg Raises

20 reps x 3 sets

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Wow, high protein for that amount of calories! What are you eating in a day like that? I need to get on your program!

 

I'm off to Canada in an hour or so, but we should train again sometime. I look forward to it.

 

I'll come downtown one of these days.

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This was not the healthiest of days as far as variety of veggies. I only ate about 5 servings of fruits/veggies yesterday. And no grains. My morning smoothie is 400 calories and has about 56 grams of protein. I can easily eat a pound or more of high protein tofu in a day. Other protein powders also add up. To do this on a whole foods diet would not be possible at that low amount of calories. I'm not sure it's necessary but I'm experimenting with high protein right now.

 

I can always come to your gym - just not early evening when that place is too packed!

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Yesterday........ (I'm having internet connection problems this week)

 

Nutrition: Calories ~ 3000, Protein 160 gms

 

Chest

 

Flat Bench Press with DBs

20 x 15

30 x 12

32 x 11

35 x 9

37 x 6

 

Flat Bench Flys

15 x 15

17 x 14

20 x 12

25 x 8

 

Incline Press (Paramount Machine)

20 x 12

25 x 10

25 x 11

25 x 11

 

Decline Cable Flys and Incline Cable Flys - the weights are always different depending on which set of cables are open.

3 sets of each

 

Pec Stretch with DBs

5 lbs - hold for 30 seconds

 

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Inspirational tune is "Everything is Everything" by Lauryn Hill

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Nutrition: Calories 2200, Protein 120 gms

Triceps

 

Dips

5 sets - some assisted, BW x 7 for 2 sets

 

Kickbacks

17 x 15

20 x 12 (felt like I was using too much deltoid)

17 x 15

17 x 12

 

One-Arm Reverse Pushdown

12 x 12

12 x 12

15 x 10

15 x 9

 

Biceps

 

Close-Grip Chin-Ups

4 sets - all assisted but close to body weight

 

Z-Bar Curls

55 x 10

55 x 8

55 x 8

 

Incline Bench Curls

20 x 12

25 x 8

25 x 8

 

My arms were TIGHT after this. I should have taken my avatar picture after this work out, LOL.

 

I'm traveling a bit for the next 10 days. I'm not sure how much I'll be able to post. I certainly won't have as much control over my nutrition.

 

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Inspirational tune is "Toxicity" by System of a Down http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdRd3k4CIAg

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I won't be updating until next week. My whole schedule has been completely upset with family and legal obligations. If I don't see another airplane, hotel room or rental car again I will be a happy woman. There's no place like home...............

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I won't be updating until next week. My whole schedule has been completely upset with family and legal obligations. If I don't see another airplane, hotel room or rental car again I will be a happy woman. There's no place like home...............

 

I feel your pain

 

Seriously, hotels, planes, rental cars become something stale when not used on a vacation. I've had family emergencies in NJ too. Top it off with legal issues I can see where you are coming from.

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I got lucky and found a decent gym down the street from our hotel. It's not the best but it will do in a pinch. I now realize that my current gym is the most well maintained and supplied gym I've ever joined.

 

Nutrition: Not sure. I've definitely had some high calorie days and some lower ones. Worst of all, I haven't been able to spread my calories out over 6 meals. For this trip (5 days), I at least have my glutamine, Xtend, Clif Builder bars and gemma powder.

 

Chest

 

Flat Bench Press with DB

20 x 15

25 x 12

35 x 10

40 x 6

40 x 5

40 x 5

 

Flat Bench Flys with DB

20 x 14

25 x 9

25 x 9

25 x 9

 

Decline and Incline Cable Flys

 

Push-ups

BW x 12

BW x 11

BW x 9

BW x 10

 

Pec Stretch

 

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Currently reading "The Worst Hard Time" by Timothy Egan - a fascinating history (United States) of the phenomenal environmental disaster known as The Dust Bowl. http://www.amazon.com/Worst-Hard-Time-Survived-American/dp/061834697X

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Thanks Marcina!

 

I wasn't always strong. If you want to get stronger then you might try focusing on strength for your primary exercise. For example, if you are doing chest then go for very high weight with low reps (4-6 at failure) for your primary exercise and then go for growth (7-12 reps at failure) for the other exercises. It's best to use a compound exercise as the primary - bench press for chest, squats for legs, dead lifts or rows for back, etc.

 

I have a program that I followed for 12 weeks and made my greatest gains (so far!) during that time. If you are interested in more detail then pm me and I can email you.

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We're still away from home. But this travel time is with great family so that makes up for the fat gain/muscle loss I'm anticipating.

 

Legs

 

Stiff Legged Dead Lifts

95 x 15

115 x 12

125 x 9

135 x 7

135 x 6

135 x 6

 

Front Squat with DB - these are getting better. Maybe someday I'll advance to a barbell.

35 x 12

45 x 8

45 x 8

45 x 7

 

Walking Lunges with DBs

20 x 12

25 x 10

25 x 10

 

Leg Extension I

100 x 12

115 x 10

125 x 8

125 x 8

 

Leg Extension II

100 x 10

110 x 9

115 x 8

115 x 8

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inspirational tune is "Give it Away" by the Chili Peppers -

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Way too early to train today as my nephew kept us all up too late. He gets so excited to see his uncle!

 

Back

 

Bent Over T-Bar Row

25 x 15

50 x 12

60 x 10

65 x 8

70 x 6

70 x 5

 

 

Lat Pulldown

80 x 13

90 x 9

90 x 10

100 x 5 - Too heavy

 

 

Standing Row - Charles Glass Style

60 x 15

70 x 12

80 x 8

80 x 7

 

 

Seated Rows

90 x 13

100 x 10

110 x 7

 

 

Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Low Row - one arm at a time

35 x 13

40 x 10

40 x 9

40 x 9

 

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Inspirational tune is "Epic" by Faith No More -

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  • 2 weeks later...

I promise to find you one of these days. We've both been busy and out of town but hope to see you soon. I'm here the next 2 weeks and then going to a bodybuilding show in Bend. Bill Pearl Classic!! Wanna go?

 

I hope all is awesome!

 

Take care. -R.C.

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Hi there!

 

I'm staying in Portland that weekend but thanks for asking. If you are around this Sunday then you should head over to my place for brunch with some other forum members. I'm working legs tomorrow and either back, chest or arms on Wednesday. Call me.

 

Back to the log......

 

My month of travel has set me back 1 pound of muscle and ahead 3 pounds of fat. This sucks big time. I attribute it to the loss of 6 workouts and not eating every 2.5-3 hours. And restaurant food. It's almost impossible to count calories when you eat at restaurants and have others prepare your food. It could have been worse. I'll start logging my workouts and nutritional status this week.

 

On a side note, my trainer is leaving in a few weeks. However, his buddy (also a bodybuilder) is taking a trainer job at my gym. He has massive legs so I'm looking forward to some great workouts with him. The only downside is that he doesn't curse as much as my current trainer. I really appreciate a few well-placed expletives when I'm training.

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