@cthelight7 I am sceptical of people who say your diet is the problem. Like, when it comes to weight gain it definitely is, but strength gains.. idk. What's the smallest fractional plate your gym has? If it's not 0.5kg, consider getting two of those. You are quite small after all. Other than that, look into a program with a structure. And make sure to really push yourself every time using those fractional plates.
Frustrated after 6 months lifting weights
- Thread starter cthelight7
- Start date
sevenstars
New member
@cthelight7 1g/lb of protein! Even if you just tracked that, would be a huge help. If not you might just be running in circles 
@cthelight7 I’m not sure if it’s true or not. I remember reading an article saying the first really gains you’re going to be seeing is neurological gains. Muscles follow afterwards.
I’d bump up that frequency to four a week.
Ultimately make sure you’re checking your boxes. Working out hard enough, diet, sleep, stress.
I’d bump up that frequency to four a week.
Ultimately make sure you’re checking your boxes. Working out hard enough, diet, sleep, stress.
@cthelight7 Everyone gave you great advice especially about your diet. I'm a newbie of sorts too -- getting back into it again after a very long time (more like a couple of decades). I just want to say that I am not even anywhere near your level yet! I'm still making progress but with dumbbells and kettle balls not barbells.
I'm guessing I'm older than you and started more out of shape. I stopped strength training years ago due to repeated injuries. Being sedentary was good, I had no pain. I controlled my weight for years through diet-- but ya know skinny fat, and it's not healthy to subsist on 1000 calories for years.
But I'm back at it, because I can't live like this anymore. Yet I am being SUPER careful not to get injured again -- that is my primary goal at the moment for personal training.
You may or may not relate to this, but I am realizing that there is so much that has to get strengthened first before I can even begin to attempt the heavy stuff without injury: ligaments. Tendons. Smaller stabilizer muscles (including my ankles). And building back a strong core.
I started in April and looking back my gains may seem really insubstantial compared to most people here, but for me they are huge and life changing. Even if I can't deadlift more than a 20 lb kettle ball-- that's more than I could do a year ago.
I'm guessing I'm older than you and started more out of shape. I stopped strength training years ago due to repeated injuries. Being sedentary was good, I had no pain. I controlled my weight for years through diet-- but ya know skinny fat, and it's not healthy to subsist on 1000 calories for years.
But I'm back at it, because I can't live like this anymore. Yet I am being SUPER careful not to get injured again -- that is my primary goal at the moment for personal training.
You may or may not relate to this, but I am realizing that there is so much that has to get strengthened first before I can even begin to attempt the heavy stuff without injury: ligaments. Tendons. Smaller stabilizer muscles (including my ankles). And building back a strong core.
I started in April and looking back my gains may seem really insubstantial compared to most people here, but for me they are huge and life changing. Even if I can't deadlift more than a 20 lb kettle ball-- that's more than I could do a year ago.
cthelight7
New member
@pandafan Congrats on also making a start! Kettle bells and dumbbells are great too and I still do lots of different exercises with them.
I understand about the skinny fat thing - even when I was at my lowest weight I still had no muscle definition. I was eating about 1000 kcals too for way too long!
I admire your determination! Injuries can be really frustrating, I have a recurring problem with my knee that used to especially bug me when I was doing very low weights and high reps and would ache constantly. I actually found that lifting heavier weights at lower reps improved my knee issue quite dramatically! Not sure what kind of injuries you've had but maybe the right kind of strength training can help you too
Yes I completely get this! I especially noticed how weak my core was and how much I had to focus on engaging it when lifting. Plus mobility was poor from being so sedentary and not moving my body.
Your gains definitely aren't insubstantial if they're improving your life! Everything is relative and we are all on our own journeys
I understand about the skinny fat thing - even when I was at my lowest weight I still had no muscle definition. I was eating about 1000 kcals too for way too long!
I admire your determination! Injuries can be really frustrating, I have a recurring problem with my knee that used to especially bug me when I was doing very low weights and high reps and would ache constantly. I actually found that lifting heavier weights at lower reps improved my knee issue quite dramatically! Not sure what kind of injuries you've had but maybe the right kind of strength training can help you too
Yes I completely get this! I especially noticed how weak my core was and how much I had to focus on engaging it when lifting. Plus mobility was poor from being so sedentary and not moving my body.
Your gains definitely aren't insubstantial if they're improving your life! Everything is relative and we are all on our own journeys
christianteen1997
New member
@cthelight7 Honestly, I don’t think strength training alone is a particularly effective way to see physical body changes in the average person unless they’re strict with their diet, which I don’t think is sustainable or enjoyable for most people. Calorie counting is something I stopped years ago and will never go back to. If you’re looking to see changes, a HIIT type of workout will be more effective as you’ll burn a lot more energy doing them.
You say you have a past with getting obsessive about dieting so I would really not recommend counting calories… I think that switching to a higher intensity workout or at least adding in some intense cardio will help!
You say you have a past with getting obsessive about dieting so I would really not recommend counting calories… I think that switching to a higher intensity workout or at least adding in some intense cardio will help!
cthelight7
New member
@christianteen1997 I actually used to do a lot of HIIT stuff back when I was eating in a calorie deficit. To be honest, I didn't really see much difference to my physique except for fat loss. However, the calorie deficit certainly wasn't helping with that. Maybe I could add a few HIIT workouts back into my routine again now I'm not undereating!
meteorstorm
New member
@cthelight7 Yeah I second what the other commenter said. We have our height working against us so weightlifting alone isn't enough. I kind of realized that once I started adding more Muay Thai lessons post partum. The abs start coming bad. I had them prior to pregnancy since I was doing both MT and lifting but post partum I was doing just one MT lesson and lifting 4-5 times a week. Once i increased my MT lessons to 3 times and cut lifting to 3 times I saw a major difference even though I was eating more.
So diet is also important. You need to increase your calories and also eat more protein. Protein should be preferably 1g/lb of your weight.
So diet is also important. You need to increase your calories and also eat more protein. Protein should be preferably 1g/lb of your weight.
christianteen1997
New member
@cthelight7 Definitely try it out again alongside the strength training! Maybe try 2 hiit and 2 strength. I think you’ll see differences with that
@cthelight7 Eat eat eat. If possible track protein AND calories to make sure you're eating.
It's impossible to know if your program is good for your goals without details, but any common 3 day total body program should give you great results right about now.
It's impossible to know if your program is good for your goals without details, but any common 3 day total body program should give you great results right about now.
@cthelight7 Hey, progress is progress and I think you should be proud of that! I barely recognize my achievements month-to-month, but when I look at my old workout notes my progress is obvious.
Also, it takes a surprising strength increase to build visible muscle. I measured the diameter of my arms years ago, and they pretty much stayed the same even though I can lift 50-100% more weight now than then -_-
Also, it takes a surprising strength increase to build visible muscle. I measured the diameter of my arms years ago, and they pretty much stayed the same even though I can lift 50-100% more weight now than then -_-
cthelight7
New member
@cthelight7 This is true! I do have pretty nice shoulders and neck muscles. It's just amazing how compact muscle is in general. Except the booty. I will definitely not fit into my old pants ever again 
@cthelight7 I’m similar to you—I started strength training the beginning of this year, but have only been on a solid program (GZCLP) since the summer. But I’ve been very consistent and was beginning to get frustrated because my weight is basically the same and I look the same. But then today I remembered I had taken pictures of myself trying on some clothes earlier this year, and I checked them out. I purposefully didn’t take before/after pictures because I struggle with body image; but today comparing myself to pictures from ~8 months ago…there’s a noticeable difference. My body IS shaped differently, my stomach is smaller, the point where my hips meet my thighs is different. It’s nothing I’d have noticed WITHOUT that comparison; and again my weight is the same, and my measurements are minimally different (maybe 1/2 inch smaller?).
But I’m so much stronger than I ever have been, and I’m in a lifestyle that works for me and I feel good doing. I also cannot handle counting calories, I spiral way out of control. So I’ve only counted protein on days that I lift, and other days just kind of stick around what I assume is maintenance (but I eat well on weekends because I am social and won’t stop).
I guess my thoughts are: take before and after pics, things will fall into place, but it is a slow and steady kind of deal.
But I’m so much stronger than I ever have been, and I’m in a lifestyle that works for me and I feel good doing. I also cannot handle counting calories, I spiral way out of control. So I’ve only counted protein on days that I lift, and other days just kind of stick around what I assume is maintenance (but I eat well on weekends because I am social and won’t stop).
I guess my thoughts are: take before and after pics, things will fall into place, but it is a slow and steady kind of deal.
cthelight7
New member
@poptech Congrats on working so hard and seeing results! I should take more progress pics too really. The calorie tracking thing can go very badly wrong very quickly depending on what kind of person you are I think. I like the idea of just tracking protein, seems a lot more manageable. Hearing your story is super comforting, I'm glad to hear from someone in the same boat!
danielfromcanada
New member
@cthelight7 So, as far as "newbie" gains go, you've actually got a pretty decent amount. You might be focused on the raw quantity, like only 10kg gain in your deadlift, but that's nearly 30%! Your squat improved by a huge 43%!
As far as everything else, it's just important to be patient with yourself. I have the same troubles mentally myself and often will find myself skipping a day or three when I start to feel demotivated about it. Which is just counterproductive and is exactly why my progress is uber slow right now. That said, you might consider a change in your lifting routine? There a recent post here on GZCLP and it was truly comprehensive. This change in pace might be of interest to you?
Also, if it's not too much trouble, adding some extra protein immediately after your workouts may help out a bit too.
As far as everything else, it's just important to be patient with yourself. I have the same troubles mentally myself and often will find myself skipping a day or three when I start to feel demotivated about it. Which is just counterproductive and is exactly why my progress is uber slow right now. That said, you might consider a change in your lifting routine? There a recent post here on GZCLP and it was truly comprehensive. This change in pace might be of interest to you?
Also, if it's not too much trouble, adding some extra protein immediately after your workouts may help out a bit too.
cthelight7
New member
@danielfromcanada Wow when you look at it that way, it's not so bad! Yeah, I find the motivation is definitely the biggest battle so I'm quite proud I have stuck at it this long at least.
Cool, I will have a look at that! I have heard of this program before so definitely worth checking out. I think after your comments and everyone else's too I will be looking into switching up my routine for sure.
Extra protein shake, got it!
Cool, I will have a look at that! I have heard of this program before so definitely worth checking out. I think after your comments and everyone else's too I will be looking into switching up my routine for sure.
Extra protein shake, got it!
@cthelight7 I suggest the Renaissance Periodization Female Physique Template for lifting and their diet app (used for cutting, bulking, and maintenance). It literally walks you through every aspect of nutrition and hypertrophy and is great for any level. I have been lifting for over 20 years now and it is the best program I have found. I compete now in Figure, but their program gave me the body/muscles to start competing. I know that isn’t everyone’s goal, but if you want that “fit” look and build some muscle, you cannot go wrong with them.