Calling all weight lifting geeks

[KayJay1971 238]

I know that we are all probably naturally muscular without ever having to work out, but I need some input. I have recently started lifting again. Probably been easily 20 years since I was last serious about it. I have been at it for about 6 weeks working out 3 days a week (including cardio) and then doing cardio only on my two off weekdays. When I was working out before creatine was pretty popular and I used it as well with some pretty good success. Are any of you using creatine and if so what brand would you recommend? Also are there any other supplements that you swear by? I am not interested in steroids btw.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

Don't waste your money on any supplement. All it will do is over inflate your confidence and make you lift more weight than you should. How old are you? 

Don't life heavy weight. It's pointless. Vary your exercises and keep tabs on if your joints start to hurt from certain things. I can't do dips because of my shoulders. Really, I don't do most lifting exercises because it hurts my knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. I'm a little extreme with my joint pain without having any major injuries. 

You don't even need supplemental protein if you consume enough, but it makes the process simpler. Very few women are attracted to guys who are jacked as hell. They just like their man to look like he is shape, if that's what you're going for. 

[Fireballer 2,383]

Food and PROPER programming is all you need.  

[Cdub100 3,383]

Left heavy

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Finally a thread where newbie may be able to do some good.

[Casual Observer 597]

19 minutes ago, KayJay1971 said:

I know that we are all probably naturally muscular without ever having to work out, but I need some input. I have recently started lifting again. Probably been easily 20 years since I was last serious about it. I have been at it for about 6 weeks working out 3 days a week (including cardio) and then doing cardio only on my two off weekdays. When I was working out before creatine was pretty popular and I used it as well with some pretty good success. Are any of you using creatine and if so what brand would you recommend? Also are there any other supplements that you swear by? I am not interested in steroids btw.

What are your goals? 

[fandandy 3,311]

10 minutes ago, Fireballer said:

Food and PROPER programming is all you need.  

What do you mean by proper programming?

[The Observer 641]

Your goals would make a big difference on getting you the right information.  Are you heavy and want to lose?  Are you skinny and want to gain?  Skinny but with a gut you'd like to lose? What's your age?

I can start with the creatine question.  I have stopped using it after 20 years of using. I haven't seen a difference. Although creatine is so inexpensive these days that it can't help if you think it might give you a little boost.

Let me know your goals and I can get you started on a workout routine and diet plan.  

[Fireballer 2,383]

5 minutes ago, fandandy said:

What do you mean by proper programming?

My comment was more related to the lifting and not supplementation or eating.  I shoulda been more clear.  

[KayJay1971 238]

23 minutes ago, Frozenbeernuts said:

Don't waste your money on any supplement. All it will do is over inflate your confidence and make you lift more weight than you should. How old are you? 

Don't life heavy weight. It's pointless. Vary your exercises and keep tabs on if your joints start to hurt from certain things. I can't do dips because of my shoulders. Really, I don't do most lifting exercises because it hurts my knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. I'm a little extreme with my joint pain without having any major injuries. 

You don't even need supplemental protein if you consume enough, but it makes the process simpler. Very few women are attracted to guys who are jacked as hell. They just like their man to look like he is shape, if that's what you're going for. 

I will be 49 next month. I am looking to shed some weight and get into overall better shape.

[KayJay1971 238]

23 minutes ago, Fireballer said:

Food and PROPER programming is all you need.  

My wife does an excellent job of food prepping over the weekends. We do not eat out at all during the week. Usually go out somewhere on Saturday nights with friends and "try" to keep it healthy.

[The Observer 641]

2 minutes ago, KayJay1971 said:

I will be 49 next month. I am looking to shed some weight and get into overall better shape.

Then I would take the advice others have offered and avoid heavy weights. The tendons and ligaments lose elasticity. . Keep reps in the 8-12 range.  

[KayJay1971 238]

11 minutes ago, The Observer said:

Your goals would make a big difference on getting you the right information.  Are you heavy and want to lose?  Are you skinny and want to gain?  Skinny but with a gut you'd like to lose? What's your age?

I can start with the creatine question.  I have stopped using it after 20 years of using. I haven't seen a difference. Although creatine is so inexpensive these days that it can't help if you think it might give you a little boost.

Let me know your goals and I can get you started on a workout routine and diet plan.  

I am going to be 49 soon. I really just have a beer belly which I would obviously like to lose. My body is pretty normal everywhere else with the exception of my huge peemus of course. I don't care about the weight as much as I want to lose the body fat.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

4 minutes ago, KayJay1971 said:

I am going to be 49 soon. I really just have a beer belly which I would obviously like to lose. My body is pretty normal everywhere else with the exception of my huge peemus of course. I don't care about the weight as much as I want to lose the body fat.

You probably don't belong here then because everyone here, including the women, have extra huge peemus'. Just regular huge is small by gc standard. 

[fandandy 3,311]

17 minutes ago, The Observer said:

Your goals would make a big difference on getting you the right information.  Are you heavy and want to lose?  Are you skinny and want to gain?  Skinny but with a gut you'd like to lose? What's your age?

I can start with the creatine question.  I have stopped using it after 20 years of using. I haven't seen a difference. Although creatine is so inexpensive these days that it can't help if you think it might give you a little boost.

Let me know your goals and I can get you started on a workout routine and diet plan.  

I know you are talking to kayjay, but I turned 47 in December, haven't smoked or drank in 5 years.  Don't drink pop or eat fast food.  I have a bit of a belly and would like to lose that and tone up and gain more muscle definition, especially in the chest.  Not looking for an extreme physical change but something that after a few months or a year, if I stick with it, I can definitely see a difference.   Also, I don't want to exercise more than 3 times a week.  I currently own a Bowflex, a treadmill, and just got a Schwinn knockoff exercise bike.  What types of exercises would you recommend?  TIA.

[cyclone24 1,814]

29 minutes ago, TimmySmith said:

Finally a thread where newbie may be able to do some good.

 He asked for creatine...not steroids.

[MDC 5,893]

Other geeks will give you better advice than me on lifting. For weight loss I found walking on an incline to be a really efficient way to burn calories with less stress on joints.

I jog maybe once a week, the other 2 cardio days I walk 4 miles on a pretty steep incline. Takes a little over an hour but I burn 800-900 calories per and I’m not a heavy guy. You might want to give that a try and work your way up on distance and incline.

I lift 2x a week, higher rep / lower weight. Newbie will have much better advice for you than me. I doubt Creatine is going to help much with your goals.

[The Observer 641]

5 minutes ago, fandandy said:

I know you are talking to kayjay, but I turned 47 in December, haven't smoked or drank in 5 years.  Don't drink pop or eat fast food.  I have a bit of a belly and would like to lose that and tone up and gain more muscle definition, especially in the chest.  Not looking for an extreme physical change but something that after a few months or a year, if I stick with it, I can definitely see a difference.   Also, I don't want to exercise more than 3 times a week.  I currently own a Bowflex, a treadmill, and just got a Schwinn knockoff exercise bike.  What types of exercises would you recommend?  TIA.

I'm on the road right now then going to dinner. I'll get back to you later tonight or in the morning. 

[TimmySmith 2,782]

7 minutes ago, cyclone24 said:

 He asked for creatine...not steroids.

Supplements.  When I lifted a lot, 25 years ago, I loved creatine.  I would still use it, but I would try other stuff as well if it was recommended. 

[KayJay1971 238]

9 minutes ago, MDC said:

Other geeks will give you better advice than me on lifting. For weight loss I found walking on an incline to be a really efficient way to burn calories with less stress on joints.

I jog maybe once a week, the other 2 cardio days I walk 4 miles on a pretty steep incline. Takes a little over an hour but I burn 800-900 calories per and I’m not a heavy guy. You might want to give that a try and work your way up on distance and incline.

I lift 2x a week, higher rep / lower weight. Newbie will have much better advice for you than me. I doubt Creatine is going to help much with your goals.

I currently do 30 minutes of cardio 3 days on the treadmill and 2 days on the stationary bike). I am gradually increasing speed on the tread but I have been doing about 1.5 miles in 30 minutes. Have not started to add incline but do plan on adding it.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

I have been lifting and doing cardio for the last few years (2-3x a week). Medium weight, but higher reps (8-12). I have gained 15 pounds. 

If you want to lose weight, lifting won’t work that well.

[MDC 5,893]

1 minute ago, KayJay1971 said:

I currently do 30 minutes of cardio 3 days on the treadmill and 2 days on the stationary bike). I am gradually increasing speed on the tread but I have been doing about 1.5 miles in 30 minutes. Have not started to add incline but do plan on adding it.

If you have an incline treadmill or can use one at the gym definitely give it a try. It will vastly increase the calories you’re burning and you can up your distance, speed and rate of incline as you slim down. 

You probably know that diet is 75% or more of weight loss.

[KayJay1971 238]

3 minutes ago, Patriotsfatboy1 said:

I have been lifting and doing cardio for the last few years (2-3x a week). Medium weight, but higher reps (8-12). I have gained 15 pounds. 

If you want to lose weight, lifting won’t work that well.

I thought I had read or heard somewhere that muscle burns more fat and that even though you don't lose weight necessarily you could lose inches? I understand that losing the inches is no the same as losing weight but I guess I would still feel and probably look better.

[KayJay1971 238]

1 minute ago, MDC said:

If you have an incline treadmill or can use one at the gym definitely give it a try. It will vastly increase the calories you’re burning and you can up your distance, speed and rate of incline as you slim down. 

You probably know that diet is 75% or more of weight loss.

I will try the incline tomorrow at the gym. Thanks for your input.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

12 minutes ago, KayJay1971 said:

I thought I had read or heard somewhere that muscle burns more fat and that even though you don't lose weight necessarily you could lose inches? I understand that losing the inches is no the same as losing weight but I guess I would still feel and probably look better.

It is better for you. However, many people measure success by weight loss. I want to be able to get up if I fall, so I want to have some muscle. 

I now want to work on flexibility with stretching. Not sure if I can get motivated to do so, though.

[OldMaid 1,838]

The absolute best way to get rid of stubborn fat, is to clean up your diet and and do high intensity interval training at least 2x a week. It won’t be easy, but Hiit works wonders. You pick an activity and work out at 80%-90% percent maximum heart rate capacity, for a short burst, followed by a slightly longer interval, at a more relaxed pace. This type of exercise will keep your body in fat burning mode the longest. 

As far as diet, start by getting rid of as much processed food as you can. Carbs are ok, as long as you stick to whole grains and whole foods, and of course, reasonable portions. Stay away from added sugars, but naturally occurring sugar from fruit is fine. Load up on fiber and veggies, and lean protein. Download the MyFitnessPal app or something similar, so you can get an idea of how many calories you should be eating in a day, and log your food for a few months. You’ll be surprised by how many calories are in things. They will also have a bunch of great meal suggestions and articles. You don’t need the paid version, either, everything you need is in the free version. Also, I find that for me, I have to have 2 cheat meals a week. And nothing is off limits all the time. Otherwise, you won’t be able to stick to it. Like if I really want a glass of wine, then I know I have to either shave those calories off of somewhere else, or put in more exercise time. This will only work to a certain extent, though. You can’t do it every day and get away with it. 80% of the time, you need to follow healthy/clean eating, or the weight will creep back.

[jerryskids 5,206]

1 hour ago, Frozenbeernuts said:

Don't waste your money on any supplement. All it will do is over inflate your confidence and make you lift more weight than you should. How old are you? 

Don't life heavy weight. It's pointless. Vary your exercises and keep tabs on if your joints start to hurt from certain things. I can't do dips because of my shoulders. Really, I don't do most lifting exercises because it hurts my knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. I'm a little extreme with my joint pain without having any major injuries. 

You don't even need supplemental protein if you consume enough, but it makes the process simpler. Very few women are attracted to guys who are jacked as hell. They just like their man to look like he is shape, if that's what you're going for. 

Jeebus, you are < 30 years old and your joints are going on 90. 

I call bull on all of this joint crap.  Yes, I can see a specific joint issue based on some injury.  But all of these joints?  I'm 52 and have had pretty much all of the meniscus removed from my knees from injuries.  Also I've had two Jones fractures in my right foot.  Nevertheless, I lift heavy at least once per week, jump on boxes, do HIIT, hike difficult trails, sleep with all of your moms, and just started training for the Pat Tillman run (4.2 miles) in April.  

Use it or lose it.  Impact activities have been shown to significantly improve bone strength/density.  Joints get stiff/weak because we don't stress them. 

Oh and as others have said, weight loss is pretty much all diet.  Avoid processed foods and simple carbs.  Eat real food, a little less than you have been, mostly veggies.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

7 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

Jeebus, you are < 30 years old and your joints are going on 90. 

I call bull on all of this joint crap.  Yes, I can see a specific joint issue based on some injury.  But all of these joints?  I'm 52 and have had pretty much all of the meniscus removed from my knees from injuries.  Also I've had two Jones fractures in my right foot.  Nevertheless, I lift heavy at least once per week, jump on boxes, do HIIT, hike difficult trails, sleep with all of your moms, and just started training for the Pat Tillman run (4.2 miles) in April.  

Use it or lose it.  Impact activities have been shown to significantly improve bone strength/density.  Joints get stiff/weak because we don't stress them. 

Oh and as others have said, weight loss is pretty much all diet.  Avoid processed foods and simple carbs.  Eat real food, a little less than you have been, mostly veggies.

Im 36. Yeah it's not normal for my joints to hurt like this, but my grandfather had really bad joints. My elbows are especially bad. The swelling is so severe that I can't flex or straighten my arm all the way sometimes. 

 

I also wouldn't lie about my joint pain... 

[MDC 5,893]

37 minutes ago, OldMaid said:

The absolute best way to get rid of stubborn fat, is to clean up your diet and and do high intensity interval training at least 2x a week. 

No offense to KayJay, but I don’t think anybody who is walking 1.5 miles in 30 minutes is anywhere near ready for HIIT.

[TBayXXXVII 2,117]

2 hours ago, KayJay1971 said:

I know that we are all probably naturally muscular without ever having to work out, but I need some input. I have recently started lifting again. Probably been easily 20 years since I was last serious about it. I have been at it for about 6 weeks working out 3 days a week (including cardio) and then doing cardio only on my two off weekdays. When I was working out before creatine was pretty popular and I used it as well with some pretty good success. Are any of you using creatine and if so what brand would you recommend? Also are there any other supplements that you swear by? I am not interested in steroids btw.

NEVER use any of that crap.  The ONLY supplements you should ever take are ones suggested by doctors... and that's only if you are deficient in that nutrient, vitamin, etc.  All of it is essentially expensive urine.

Unless your are trying to be an athlete, you should never try to be under 10% body fat.  If you're going for an athletic looking build/fit, you're looking at around 15%.  A perfectly healthy/normal range to strive for is about 20%.  If you're working out and are striving for a lean body would good muscle/fat ration, you'd want to target a number under 17% but no lower than 12%.  At that point, you're moving towards athlete stage with will be extremely hard to maintain unless you are an athlete.  Judging by your "20 years" comment, I'm guessing athlete isn't in the discussion any more.  At that point, you should strive for about 14-17% body fat.  To accomplish this and maintain it will require work.  That work depends on 2 key factors... 1) you're starting point and 2) genetics.  You need to have a realistic grasp on where you're at (now), and what you're working with (genetics).

 

Do not go by any federal health guidelines, they're always full of crap.  Do not go by any generic online calculators.  They generally want very little information that is very basic.  The results are always suspect.  A good BMI to strive for, that is more towards the athletic/fit would fall in the low 20's range.

 

A good website to visit is bodybuilding.com.  Not so much for the products, as those are designed for the meatheads, but their articles, guides, and plans are really exhaustive and have a wide range of goals that they most likely have plans that would fit your needs.

 

Something I can NOT stress enough is the importance of a physical.  If you are over the age of 30, you should absolutely see your doctor and tell him/her what your objective is.  You should probably take a stress test to be safe.  Visit a personal trainer for an initial consultation and even sign up for an introductory period.  The costs are very low and reasonable if you're truly interested in improving your health.  I've heard many people say, "I go to the gym x-days a week/month", "I buy this and that", "I go hear and I go there..."  All they're doing is spending money... yet, when it comes to a professional opinion, I hear "Nah, I don't want to pay for that".  It's like saying, my cut bleeds every day, so I'll just keep buying band-aid's instead of going to a doctor.

 

Now, all of that is from the workout side.  From the eating side, you need a well balanced menu.  None of this fat-free or carb-free or other gimmicks work.  Carbs and protein are what heal your muscles after you work out.  If you're sore, that's because your muscles are stealing nutrients from your bones and cartilage to heal itself.  All that's doing is slowing down your workouts and limiting your improvements.  If you're trying to build muscle, you need body weight.  The best source of nutrient to add body weight, is fat.  There are good fats and bad fats.  You have to target the non-saturated fats.  Olives are a great source of that.  The metric for men is... Muscle mass fuels your metabolism.  Metabolism burns fat.  Fat burning fuels muscle mass.  That cycle is what helps you lose bad weight and gain good weight.  You can't get that by starving your body of fat or sugar or protein.  You need all 3.

[posty 2,296]

2 hours ago, TimmySmith said:

Finally a thread where newbie may be able to do some good.

You might be giving him way too much credit...

[KayJay1971 238]

3 minutes ago, TBayXXXVII said:

  Judging by your "20 years" comment, I'm guessing athlete isn't in the discussion any more. 

Nailed it. I actually just wen to my doctor and got a physical and they also did an EKG. Heart is good and I go the green light to start lifting. 

[OldMaid 1,838]

8 minutes ago, MDC said:

No offense to KayJay, but I don’t think anybody who is walking 1.5 miles in 30 minutes is anywhere near ready for HIIT.

Maybe true... but, nothing works quicker to burn fat or increase your fitness level faster. Besides, I found it never really gets any easier. It always sucks balls while you’re doing it, but since it’s so effective, you don’t have to do a lot of it. 

[TBayXXXVII 2,117]

2 minutes ago, KayJay1971 said:

Nailed it. I actually just wen to my doctor and got a physical and they also did an EKG. Heart is good and I go the green light to start lifting. 

I'd suggest a visit a personal trainer.  Most have introductory rates/periods.  For a 1-week trial, I give offer 3 - 30 minute (one-on-one), sessions for $75.  After that, my rates are $40/$60/$80 for 30/60/90 minute sessions.  Some personal trainers work at gyms, some at rehabilitation centers, and some at do it on the side.  I work for a physical therapy group and put a few hours a week at a local gym.  I usually cut people a break if they come by my work (which can be tricky for some personal trainers - depends on their employers policies), or if they stop by the guy while I'm working.  Try to find a personal trainer at one of those places.  You don't need a lot of hands on oversight, just someone to point you in the right direction.  I have people who come to me just once a month for 30-minute or 1 hour session to chart their progress, change their regimes, etc.  Some come to me once every 3 months.  If you're already spending $10-$50 per month at a gym (pending on where you live), what's another $40 or $60 here and there?  I have a few clients who come to me twice a year for 90 minute session.  Because of the amount of time I've worked with them, plus they meet me at the gym, I only charge them the 30-minute rate.

[Fireballer 2,383]

Dont over complicate this stuff if your goals are just to "get in shape" or "shed some weight".  

- you have to be in a deficit.  End of story. If your fluffy, you can get away with adding strength and cutting fat, but not likely.  Suck it up for a few months and lose fat.  For arguments sake, 3500 calories burned is 1lb of fat loss.  You need to be in a weekly 10k deficit to lose 3lb a week.

-you need to stress your muscles enough to remind your body that you need to retain lean mass.  Just cardio will make you sacrifice too much lean muscle.  You also need sufficient protein to also let your  body know that you intend to repair those muscles.  Id start with bodyweight stuff( push ups pull,ups lunges, etc) and about a 600 cal deficit via diet and see what happens.  All of that weight  lifting stuff is great, if you are dedicated to stay with it. If all you want to do is to be fit, you have to have something that fits into your lifestyle. Anybody can do bodyweight exercises anywhere. Most of us here probably have a busy enough lifestyle where working out in a gym is a pretty big inconvenience. The rest is left up to diet.

 

 

[shorepatrol 1,737]

3 hours ago, KayJay1971 said:

I will be 49 next month. 

Meat and veggies. Take at least 2 days off between lifting, not even cardio on off days. Cardio of your choice twice a week.  (You're old, you need to recover) Lots of water and sleep. Squats, deadlifts, rows. OHP and bench press if your shoulders can handle it. 

[Casual Observer 597]

4 hours ago, KayJay1971 said:

I know that we are all probably naturally muscular without ever having to work out, but I need some input. I have recently started lifting again. Probably been easily 20 years since I was last serious about it. I have been at it for about 6 weeks working out 3 days a week (including cardio) and then doing cardio only on my two off weekdays. When I was working out before creatine was pretty popular and I used it as well with some pretty good success. Are any of you using creatine and if so what brand would you recommend? Also are there any other supplements that you swear by? I am not interested in steroids btw.

Based on what you've told us, I think you have a little homework and some experimentation to do.  I like this guy, Paul Revelia, on Youtube  https://www.youtube.com/user/fltallpaul

"Fitness Youtube" has a lot of bullshit, but I think Revelia is the real deal and has a lot of useful information, especially as to body re-comp and weight loss/maintenance.

Getting back into lifting, why don't you take a look at something like Stronglifts to get started.  They have a 3-day a week program:  https://stronglifts.com/5x5/  These are all 5 rep sets.  Should you decide to continue lifting you can expand reps, sets and exercises to suit your objectives.

[Fireballer 2,383]

1 hour ago, shorepatrol said:

 Cardio of your choice twice a week.  (You're old, you need to recover) Lots of water and sleep. Squats, deadlifts, rows. OHP and bench press if your shoulders can handle it. 

Sounds like Starting Strength for Geezers. An extra day for recovery is key. Ive had good success on something similiar.  This would be a good template if someone has access to a rack. The only thing is the long rest periods between sets as weights get heavy. It makes workouts take too long.  My preference now is a 5/3/1 variance 3 days a week.  

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Remember, “round” is a shape.

[shorepatrol 1,737]

47 minutes ago, Fireballer said:

Sounds like Starting Strength for Geezers. 

He's a geezer, it applies. I WAY over did it. No results , beat up and tired constantly. 49 ain't 30.