What am I doing wrong? (x-posted to r/fitness)

[cherrelle]

@brooklyn1212 I mean when do I change from doing 15 reps to doing 8-12 reps and then to doing 3-6 reps? (Not when do I increase weight while maintaining rep range)

Find someone to watch and correct you over and over again.

This is what I wanted to pay the trainer to do, I don't really have anyone else who would do that.

 

[brooklyn1212]

@cherrelle It's the same answer, it depends on how well you progress. It won't be over the course of a couple weeks though. It will take time. You have to be patient. Why do you want to do 3-6 reps so badly? Why is "strength" so important to you? Do you want gym strong or functional strong? There are so many factors to designing an exercise regime that I can't give you direct answers from a few words over the internet.

Try to find a trainer using the tips I already gave you. If you can't find a trainer or have friends, then find a random person in the gym. Ask them to record you doing a set and give them your phone to do so. Most serious gymrats will have been where you are and will be glad to help you out.

 

[cherrelle]

@brooklyn1212 I want functional strength. I'm not really working out for aesthetics and to "tone up" - fat loss will happen from changing my diet. I work in special ed and sometimes I need to physically pick somebody up to move them. I want to be able to walk to the back of the parking lot with a bunch of heavy grocery bags and only have to make one trip, to be able to properly lift furniture, stuff like that.

I wanted to do a program like starting strength/stronglifts because they are considered to be beginner programs to build a basic foundation of strength.

 

[brooklyn1212]

@cherrelle Well if that's your specific goal (which is always beneficial to state up front), then get someone to examine your form and correct it. Then start the SS program.

Go over to r/fitness and check out the many threads on SS there. You might even be able to find someone in your area willing to help you out. I don't know much about SS, so I'm not in a position to suggest it or help you understand it. I'm sure there are books available for you to read as well.

 

[cherrelle]

@brooklyn1212 Thanks, I edited my original post so that the goal says "increase functional strength" and not just "increase strength".

 

[dawn16]

@cherrelle I don't think 10 lb progress & 50 lb progress are at all insignificant gains over 90 days, personally, especially for your size. Second, are you sure that it's body fat causing the clothes fit changes? It might be worth it to do a BF assessment, especially if your weight is maintaining.

Have you had bloodwork done & a physical exam lately? The mood & body composition woes could be indicators of some other issue, like maybe thyroid or glycemic control issues.

Also, how do your macros look? Have you tried messing with them to see if that helps your energy?

I know people will say to disregard the trainer, and I agree that finding a trainer who will support your goals is very important. I will say that I've been using one for the last year, and I was crazy weak in my core/upper body areas like most ladies, and she started me with core/bodyweight stuff for the arms/shoulders/back. I have seen slow but steady progress there, though, and I can now do 75 lb lat rows, and 65 lb. overhead presses, up from 15 lbs when I first got started. But again, that's been very slow gain over about 13 months, especially compared to my legs.

 

[cherrelle]

@dawn16 I'm very sure it's body fat, I'm more squishy and I can also pinch more fat on myself. I get annual physicals and whatever bloodwork goes with that (which is always fine), but if I ask my GP specifically to test hormones he just says I don't need it. The macros thing is a good point, I'll play around with those.

Do you have any links about what strength gains I should be expecting for my size?

 

[dawn16]

@cherrelle See, I think if you rely on "should expect" that's kind of a mistake. Your body is going to move at its own pace. You might be able to jigger it by either messing with your meds or messing with your macros, but there's no gold standard for progress that I know of. I do my sets at the weight until I can get through all 3 sets without failing or taking a break. Once I can do that, I increase the weight, and usually have to decrease the reps too at first, then I bring them back up. With my legs, I can do that pretty much every couple of weeks. With my arms, it takes more like a month and even more than that sometimes. I do the same for kettlebell stuff like for Turkish get-ups.

The most important thing I've learned from the trainer is: I don't do a weight, even if I can lift it, unless I can lift it with perfect form. If I sacrifice form to get something up, then the weight gets dropped down to a more manageable level. I used to not be able to feel my lats at all, and so she would make me do other things until now, I can feel them working to pinch them & keep my shoulders back for stuff.

Your comment about your GP made me also wonder: it could be that your med mix isn't right for you anymore? Maybe talk to a psychiatrist instead of your GP for labs that can help evaluate those; your OB is the place to go for hormone levels outside of thyroid problems.

 

[newenglandpeter]

@cherrelle If you are on both anti-depressants and stimulants and your GP refuses to do additional blood work to deal with the side effects / causes / additional issues, then you need a new GP right the fuck now.

 

[cherrelle]

@newenglandpeter You're definitely right. There are a lot of other reasons I don't like him, it's just the closest office to my house. Do you know what tests I should ask for when I go to a new dr? All I can think of is thyroid.

 

[willc233]

@cherrelle If you can swing it, I would recommend talking to a psychiatrist (preferably one who specializes in the things you're taking meds for). Everything you describe in the OP is something that I or someone I know has experienced as a result of antidepressants or stimulant meds, and I'm thinking someone who is really familiar with the side effects of those medications is much more likely to be able to help you than a GP.