Please help.. Weight Lifting but no results

[2lift]

Hello All:

Please help me...I have been working out and lifting weights now for around 4 months._ I've seen almost no visual progress at all. No muscles, no toning, nothing to show for all my efforts._ I don't want to give up but I feel that I'm simply wasting both my time and effort._ I have concluded what ever I'm doing is wrong otherwise I would think some muscle would be visible after four months._ Currently this is what I do:

Workout 1 day per week each
Mon (upper) 15 min cardio warm-up / 35 minutes weight lifting - bench press, barbell curl, free weight curl, push ups.
Wed (lower) 15 min cardio warm-up / 35 minutes weight lifting - leg extensions front back, heel raise (calfs), situps.
I eat good hearty meals and take Soy Isolate 25-50 mg per day.

I don't really know how to break things down into individual muscle groups, so I just put everything into 2 little categories upper and lower, for workout._ I must admit however there has been a decent increase in strength but I want to visually see an increase in muscle and tone._ Please I know I'm a female but I really want to muscle up._ I think muscles are great on both men and women. Please if anyone can help me figure out what I'm doing wrong?__ I have purchased a couple of books on bodybuilding but every book seems to have a totally different approach on how to get muscular._ Now I'm confused and don't know how to make a successful workout to build lean muscle._ Any help on how it's really done would be appreciated?

 

[flexygrl]

I'm still a newbie myself, but I'll try and help. I don't remember when I started seeing results, but I can feel them. My arms are harder without flexing and my legs are hard, but only when I flex. Couple of questions..


1) What weight are you using? (how much weight?)

2) Are you going to failure? I know that when I lift now that when I am close to failure my whole body shakes.

3) How many reps are you doing?

4) Are you really pushing yourself?

 

[2lift]

>>1) What weight are you using? (how much weight?)

2) Are you going to failure? I know that when I lift now that when I am close to failure my whole body shakes.

3) How many reps are you doing?

4) Are you really pushing yourself?>>>>

___________________________________________________
Hi:

1) I currently bench pressing 75 lbs, free weights curl 20 lbs, leg curls 50 lbs.

2) Not really sure but I do think I go to failure sometimes, if that means not being able lift even one more.

3) I don't keep a strict rule on reps, sometimes I do 3 sets of 10, and other times I feel less energetic and only do like 2 sets of 5.

4) I think I'm pushing myself, but it's getting harder to workout because it has become depressing due to no visual results. Now I have to force myself to continue.

 

[Sassy69]

As I understand, you are training 2 days / week, upper body and then lower body.

What are the types of goals you are looking for and where are you now? Changes are slow coming on the average body because it takes time for the body to respond. The change will be greater if you combine clean eating, intensity in training & an appropriate amount of cardio (this can vary from person to person depending on your body's natural metabolism & where you are now as far as bodyfat).

The types of changes you should be experiencing at this point in time are increased energy, more endurance, etc. just from the increase in physical activity. If you are not experiencing these, perhaps you should also take a look at your diet. A "hearty" meal can actually be throwing too much or not enough of the things you need to get your body responding. Also if you have been following the same training routine for 4 months, your body has probably adapted to this schedule and now needs a change to "shock" it back into responding to a new workout.

Can you lay out your diet, e.g. a typical day's meal plan & schedule? Also how much time do you want to devote to time in the gym or do you do something else such as an aerobics class, biking, skating, etc. for physical activity as well? If you only do the 2 lifting sessions per week, it probably won't display dramatic results. You can break down your schedule to one muscle group per day with more cardio or start out with a simpler routine -
if you are not familiar with weight lifting or training schedules, you might take a look at Bill Phillips' "Body for Life" book. This book will start you out with lifting 3 days/ week & 20 minutes of cardio a couple times / week. It will also give you diet guidelines & help you modify the training schedule & diet over time so your body doesn't get used to doing the same thing over & over.

 

[2lift]

Yes I only workout 2 days total out of the week. It may not be enough but I keep hearing that it takes at least 5-7 days for muscle recovery. So I thought that's literally all I should do. I just not sure anymore whats right.

As a general rule I eat the same "types" of food on a regular basis. This is usually what I consider to be good hearty food. I like to eat but I try to keep it somewhat healty so I don't get a weight problem.

Typical Days meal:

7:00am Breakfast: Cheesebread (no butter) & Protein Shake with milk
9:30am Snack: Fruit salad & Tuna Sandwich
12:30pm Lunch: Grilled Steak & Green Salad (no-fat dressing)
2:30 pm Snack: Poptart & Coffee (1 each)
6:00 pm Dinner: Pasta with Marina Sauce & Protein Shake with milk
Water regularly throughout the day

I'm 5' 4" height, current body weight is fluctuating between 123-127 up and down, but within that range. I've gained a little since I added the Soy Protein but it doesn't appear to be a muscle gain maybe more of a mass or fat gain. My goal is to be very tone, strong and muscular. I'm willing to spend as much time in the gym as it takes to get some decent results. Presently I have some equipment at home... Bench, bar, weights, free weights, leg machine, workout bag, small exercise gym unit.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Yes I only workout 2 days total out of the week. It may not be enough but I keep hearing that it takes at least 5-7 days for muscle recovery. So I thought that's literally all I should do. I just not sure anymore whats right.

As a general rule I eat the same "types" of food on a regular basis. This is usually what I consider to be good hearty food. I like to eat but I try to keep it somewhat healty so I don't get a weight problem.

Typical Days meal:

7:00am Breakfast: Cheesebread (no butter) & Protein Shake with milk
9:30am Snack: Fruit salad & Tuna Sandwich
12:30pm Lunch: Grilled Steak & Green Salad (no-fat dressing)
2:30 pm Snack: Poptart & Coffee (1 each)
6:00 pm Dinner: Pasta with Marina Sauce & Protein Shake with milk
Water regularly throughout the day

I'm 5' 4" height, current body weight is fluctuating between 123-127 up and down, but within that range. I've gained a little since I added the Soy Protein but it doesn't appear to be a muscle gain maybe more of a mass or fat gain. My goal is to be very tone, strong and muscular. I'm willing to spend as much time in the gym as it takes to get some decent results. Presently I have some equipment at home... Bench, bar, weights, free weights, leg machine, workout bag, small exercise gym unit.

The idea of a muscle needed a week to recovery is a modern bodybuilding myth, perpetrated by the late Mike Menzer. I muscle generally needs no more than 48 hours to recovery from a weight training session. If your current routine had been work up until now, increase your frequincy. Try doing each workout twice a week, to that you are now training 4 times a week. Break up your split for recovery. For example you could traing upper body on monday & thursday, and lower body on tuesday & friday.

 

[Determined Girl]

Yes I only workout 2 days total out of the week. It may not be enough but I keep hearing that it takes at least 5-7 days for muscle recovery. So I thought that's literally all I should do. I just not sure anymore whats right.

As a general rule I eat the same "types" of food on a regular basis. This is usually what I consider to be good hearty food. I like to eat but I try to keep it somewhat healty so I don't get a weight problem.

Typical Days meal:

7:00am Breakfast: Cheesebread (no butter) & Protein Shake with milk
9:30am Snack: Fruit salad & Tuna Sandwich
12:30pm Lunch: Grilled Steak & Green Salad (no-fat dressing)
2:30 pm Snack: Poptart & Coffee (1 each)
6:00 pm Dinner: Pasta with Marina Sauce & Protein Shake with milk
Water regularly throughout the day



I would definatley get rid of the cheesebread in the morning. Try oatmeal or eggs.

The fruit salad is too much sugar. What kind of bread are you using on that tuna sandwich? Is there full fat mayo in the tuna? If it is white bread, then that might be one of your problems. If you must have bread try it on whole wheat.

Poptarts???? Come on now.

The pasta might have to go too.


One the the reasons you are not seeing progress after four months of working out is your diet. I am pretty sure you are develping some kind of muscle under there, but your are not going to see any muscle as long as the flab is covering it. Hope this helps a little.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Ops, I totally overlooked her nutition, which is SUPPOST to be my specialty. Thanks DG.
1) fruit salid needs to go. Limit yourself to one piece of fruit during that meal, and find a better carb to go along with it. Fructose is a poor choice for replenishing muscle glycogen, and eaten in excess can slow down your metabolism. This means a deduction in protein sythesis. In layman's terms, it makes gain fat easier and gaining muscle harder.

2) drop the protien shake except for your post workout shake at the gym. Replace them with meat, or just drink a little more milk.

3) poptarts have got to go. Not only are they loaded with synthetic high GI carbs, and more fructose... they have hydrogenated oil. Obviously hydrogenated oil is bad for your heart and tends to be rather fattening. For your purpose though, it is off limits because it will impede gains in muscle mass. It reduces insulin sensitivity, meaning you must now eat MORE carbs to properly replenish muscle glycogen (and those extra carbs calories will impact your body fat stores). Even worse, it can interfere with the absorbsion of essentail fatty acids, which are required for new tissue growth as well as repair of trauma induced on your muscle fibers from your training.

4) There seems to be a lack of raw green vegetables in your diet. Shoot for at least 3 salids a day. Romaine lettace and raw broccoli are your friends.

5) One serving of meat? This could be a limiting factor for you as well. Meat is not only a source of protien, it is the richest natural source of creatine and glutamine peptides. The fatty acids in meats are also well documented to increase the release of anabolic hormones in your blood stream.

6) Pasta is not always that bad (unless one is doing a keto diet, which you aren't), just be selective in the type and make certian it is made from whole grains, and add a bit of olive oil to the sausce to lower the GI of your pasta a bit more.

7) you could also replace the milk with plain or artificially sweetened yogurt later in the day. It has a lower GI than milk, although whole milk is fairly low already.

8) 5 meals a day? That's fine for sedintary individuals, but If you are serious about gain more muscle mass, 6-8 is really the minimum for optimal recovery and growth for an athelete. That doesn't mean you must load up on huge amounts of excess calories though. They need not be large meals.

Just a few small pointers that should help with your sudden lack of progress.

 

[Determined Girl]

BodyByFinaPlex: are you a dietician? I was wanting to go to school for it. I always thought it would be fun to be one! What degree do you have to have for it?

DG

 

[Deleted member 33117]

BodyByFinaPlex: are you a dietician? I was wanting to go to school for it. I always thought it would be fun to be one! What degree do you have to have for it?

DG

Not yet, I'm studying to be one now. I'm working on my BA in Nutritional Science. After you get your degree you must take a national example to be a registered dietician. If it interest you, go for it.

 

[makedah]

Like sassy said, I think 2lift needs to say more about what her immediate and long term goals are. ("more toned and more musclar" is really, really vague)

2Lift, what kind of results do you want to see RIGHT NOW? More strength, bigger muscles or a leaner body? Speak in pounds, inches and/or feats (no, not 'feet' ). Because you are not obese, my guess is that it will be hard for you to get bigger muscles and lose body fat at the same time for very long.

2lift have you been here: www.stumptuous.com/weights.html ? There is some great advice there for women who are starting to lift.

 

[JJFigure]

Here's my two cents:

Training:

An upper/lower body split is fine, but 2 days/week is not enough training - with the right nutrition, you can train 3-4 days/week to develop mass. You're also completely neglecting certain body parts and are only using isolation movements for your lower body. You're doing no back work (pulldowns, pullups, rows), no tricep work (tricep extensions, dips, close grip bench press), no shoulder work (military presses, dumbbell presses, rear/front/side lateral raises), no trap work (shrugs, upright rows). For lower body, you should be using compound movements like squat, stiff leg deadlift (SLDL), front squat, leg press, step-ups, and my favorite, deadlifts.

I highly recommend heading over to the training board and checking out the sticky for the different training methodologies. You may find a split that interests you that incorporates these type of lifts.

Nutrition:

Not enough protein. You need to eat protein if you want muscle - bottom line. I eat 1.5 grams of pro per 1 lb. of bodyweight in protein - most of which comes from whole food sources (not protein drinks). I only drink protein post workout. At the very least, strive for 1xbodyweight for daily protein intake. You also need to make sure you're consuming some essential fatty acids (EFAs) like flax oil, olive oil, canola oil, and fish oil. And keep the simple sugars as limited as possible.

 

[2lift]

First of all, let me say thank you for these excellent suggestions and comments. I will definitely make the necessary changes in my diet and cut down on the sugars. It also sounds like I need to make some serious changes in workout frequency and techniques.

My goal is to be both physically strong and muscular. I want it to show that I work out and no doubt about it. I like big arms on both men and women too. So I want big arms biceps and triceps meaning, I want to see some muscle without having to flex (especially for the arms). A strong chest, tight abs, tight glutes, strong and muscular back, legs and calf's. Almost forgot about the shoulders, want those too.. strong and muscular shoulders. Currently, when I look at my arms they just look like a regular pair of arms for a basic female who doesn't work out, but who isn't over weight either (just kinda average). To look at me you wouldn't even know that I lifted any weights at all. What I want is for muscle to be noticeable at a first glance, no flexing required and still noticeable. Not so much to show off, it's just that I admire being muscular, sting and healthy and would like to become that way too. That is what I am trying to accomplish.

 

[2lift]

Just to clarify that's...Big but lean muscle. If it's possible to achieve both at the same time?

 

[makedah]

2 lift - I'm not the expert, but everything I've read says that obese people and beginners can gain muscle and lose fat in significant amounts at the same time. (And even that is a limited-time offer! ) Other folks will have to choose which they're doing at the moment. This is why bodybuilders (and some other folks as well) have "bulking and cutting" cycles: months of building muscle and eating more (bulking - which not only adds muscle, but some fat as well) alternated with weeks or months of dieting (cutting).

It doesn't sound to me like you are overweight. You talked at length about building bigger muscles, so maybe you should focus on that right now and then "tone up" ("cut" aka diet so that your muscles are more visible).

So how do you do that? There are lots of methods. Read the sticky and see which one works for you. It is likely that you will have some trial and error.

Finally, if you were like me when I started lifting, you may be underestimating how much you can lift. I would hold back, thinking that if I went all out, I wouldn't be able to finish the workout. Basically - I was cheating myself. The only times that I havent' been able to finish a workout is if I haven't eaten properly before I hit the gym. JUST TRY a heavier weight on your moves and see how it feels. Of course, use caution when doing this. We don't want you to hurt yourself!

 

[Gymgurl]

I can only tell you what has worked for me and I know that EVERYONE is different. When I stoped using the"pink" weights and the machines (though I still use them for some things) and started working one - two body parts 4 days a week and doing cardio after my weights I began to notice a big difference. I didn't notice any difference weight wise or muscle for 4 months the other way. I have lost 30 pounds and went from 29% to 20% body fat in about 4 months. Please don't be afraid to go heavy on the weights.....it makes a huge difference

 

[makedah]

Congrats gymgurl and you are RIGHT!