Hey all,
I am a frequent lurker but have only posted once or twice. In October of 2007, I was in the best shape of my life. Still not competition shape, but for me, very good. I am 5'3" was 128lbs. and 19.3% body fat. Then I turned 40 and the holidays hit. I normally gain a few pounds over the holidays (5-7), because of my horrible sweet tooth, but I always continue my same workout routine throughout the holidays and the pounds typically fall off as soon as the new year begins.
Not this year. It's like I turned 40 and my metabolism came to a screeching halt. I am now 142 lbs and have not had my body fat evaluated recently, but is is certainly higher than it was.
I've been weight/cardio training steadily for 4 years. I have been lifting heavy for about a year, using variants of the following routine:
Sunday - Chest/triceps/abs 45 minutes, 45 minutes HIIT elliptical cardio
Monday - Off
Tuesday - Back/biceps 45 minutes, 45 minutes HIIT elliptical cardio
Wednesday - Shoulders/abs 30 minutes, 45 minutes HIIT elliptical cardio
Thursday - Off
Friday - Legs/abs 45 minutes - 45 minutes HIIT elliptical cardio (or in the summer, home to mow the yard using a manual Reel push mower for cardio)
Saturday - Off
The weights I've been lifting:
Plate Loaded Machine Chest Press - 90 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Plate Loaded Machine Incline Chest Press - 90 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Plate Loaded Machine Decline Chest Press - 150 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Stack Loaded Machine Triceps Rope Pulldown - 100 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions - 40 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Standard Pushups - 3 sets to fatigue (typically 20, 10, 10)
Bicep Barbell Curls - 70 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Bicep Dumbbell Curls - 25 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Stacked Machine Standing Bicep Cable Pulls - 80 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Mid Back Standing Barbell Rows - 70 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Stacked Machine Seated Cable Rows - 80 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
Stacked Machine Seated Lat Pulldowns - 80 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
Arnold Presses - 40 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Upright Barbell Deltoid Rows - 70 lbs 3 set 8 reps
Plate Loaded Machine Standing Shrugs - 180 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
Plate Loaded Machine Leg Press - 200 lbs 3 sets 10 reps / 290 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Smith Machine Sumo Squats - 70 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
Stack Loaded Machine Leg Extensions - 120 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
Stack Loaded Machine Lying Hamstring Curls - 90 lbs. 3 sets 8 reps
Stack Loaded Machine Seated Calf Raises - 290 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
I just adopted a vegan diet (previously was a vegetarian), so instead of a whey protein shake after weights, I drink a mix of rice and soy protein with almost as many grams of protein per shake.
All muscle groups continue to get sore, some more than others (like my legs!).
My diet looks a bit like this and hasn't changed much since before the holidays other than I no longer eat dairy and eggs:
Breakfast
Bowl of Grape Nuts with Light Soy Milk and a dusting of Splenda
64 oz. water
Several Supplements
30 minutes pre-workout 2 scoops NOXplode
Snack
Banana with peanut butter
Lunch
Roasted Vegetable Pocket Sandwich and a handful of almonds
Snack
Hummus on 1 piece whole wheat bread
Dinner
Textured Vegetable Protein "Chicken" with Marinara sauce over whole wheat linguine, Green beans, 2 glasses red wine
I'm off the refined sugar again finally, but my weight doesn't budge and my clothes from last fall that were previously a bit big, are now quite snug. My upper body still seems to be fairly defined, but my abs and upper legs have lost almost all definition.
What am I doing wrong? Too many days off? Should I be lifting lighter with more reps? Too much/little cardio? Not enough calories? I am at a loss. Any advice?
TIA!
Dawn
P.S. I don't know why my profile shows my posts at over 1000. there is no way I have posted that many times. Perhaps I was credited with posts when I became a member?
I am a frequent lurker but have only posted once or twice. In October of 2007, I was in the best shape of my life. Still not competition shape, but for me, very good. I am 5'3" was 128lbs. and 19.3% body fat. Then I turned 40 and the holidays hit. I normally gain a few pounds over the holidays (5-7), because of my horrible sweet tooth, but I always continue my same workout routine throughout the holidays and the pounds typically fall off as soon as the new year begins.
Not this year. It's like I turned 40 and my metabolism came to a screeching halt. I am now 142 lbs and have not had my body fat evaluated recently, but is is certainly higher than it was.
I've been weight/cardio training steadily for 4 years. I have been lifting heavy for about a year, using variants of the following routine:
Sunday - Chest/triceps/abs 45 minutes, 45 minutes HIIT elliptical cardio
Monday - Off
Tuesday - Back/biceps 45 minutes, 45 minutes HIIT elliptical cardio
Wednesday - Shoulders/abs 30 minutes, 45 minutes HIIT elliptical cardio
Thursday - Off
Friday - Legs/abs 45 minutes - 45 minutes HIIT elliptical cardio (or in the summer, home to mow the yard using a manual Reel push mower for cardio)
Saturday - Off
The weights I've been lifting:
Plate Loaded Machine Chest Press - 90 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Plate Loaded Machine Incline Chest Press - 90 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Plate Loaded Machine Decline Chest Press - 150 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Stack Loaded Machine Triceps Rope Pulldown - 100 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions - 40 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Standard Pushups - 3 sets to fatigue (typically 20, 10, 10)
Bicep Barbell Curls - 70 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Bicep Dumbbell Curls - 25 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Stacked Machine Standing Bicep Cable Pulls - 80 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Mid Back Standing Barbell Rows - 70 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Stacked Machine Seated Cable Rows - 80 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
Stacked Machine Seated Lat Pulldowns - 80 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
Arnold Presses - 40 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Upright Barbell Deltoid Rows - 70 lbs 3 set 8 reps
Plate Loaded Machine Standing Shrugs - 180 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
Plate Loaded Machine Leg Press - 200 lbs 3 sets 10 reps / 290 lbs 3 sets 8 reps
Smith Machine Sumo Squats - 70 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
Stack Loaded Machine Leg Extensions - 120 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
Stack Loaded Machine Lying Hamstring Curls - 90 lbs. 3 sets 8 reps
Stack Loaded Machine Seated Calf Raises - 290 lbs 3 sets 10 reps
I just adopted a vegan diet (previously was a vegetarian), so instead of a whey protein shake after weights, I drink a mix of rice and soy protein with almost as many grams of protein per shake.
All muscle groups continue to get sore, some more than others (like my legs!).
My diet looks a bit like this and hasn't changed much since before the holidays other than I no longer eat dairy and eggs:
Breakfast
Bowl of Grape Nuts with Light Soy Milk and a dusting of Splenda
64 oz. water
Several Supplements
30 minutes pre-workout 2 scoops NOXplode
Snack
Banana with peanut butter
Lunch
Roasted Vegetable Pocket Sandwich and a handful of almonds
Snack
Hummus on 1 piece whole wheat bread
Dinner
Textured Vegetable Protein "Chicken" with Marinara sauce over whole wheat linguine, Green beans, 2 glasses red wine
I'm off the refined sugar again finally, but my weight doesn't budge and my clothes from last fall that were previously a bit big, are now quite snug. My upper body still seems to be fairly defined, but my abs and upper legs have lost almost all definition.
What am I doing wrong? Too many days off? Should I be lifting lighter with more reps? Too much/little cardio? Not enough calories? I am at a loss. Any advice?
TIA!
Dawn
P.S. I don't know why my profile shows my posts at over 1000. there is no way I have posted that many times. Perhaps I was credited with posts when I became a member?