So I’ve been sticking to my program and I feel really good so far about my progress. I had a 30 day update with my physical trainer and he took my measurements and unbelievably, I’ve lost 3 pounds of fat and gained 2 pounds of muscle! I really exceeded my goal. I understand that it takes 6 weeks to gain a pound of muscle so the measurements confused me. I did some research and found that if you are a “beginner” weight trainer, it’s possible to gain muscle faster and to gain it while you lose fat. Apparently it’s a beginners luck thing! Perhaps it has been my increases in weight every session or perhaps taking in enough protein. You can determine the amount of protein you need to build muscle mass by using this calculation: Lean Mass Weight (Kg) x 2.75 = Daily Protein Requirement. That is a lot of protein. I’ve been eating or drinking between 60 and 100 g. of protein per day but that has been difficult to do. Lots of peanut butter, chicken, lean steak, cereals with high protein, and my favorite, Odwalla chocolate protein drinks. All the while I’m cutting out more of the sugar and processed foods that I used to eat to actually burn fat in the process.
It’s a difficult balance because you have to eat to gain muscle and eat less to burn fat. To date, my weight on the scale has barely changed. At first I was freaked out because here I have been eating so carefully, exercising daily, karate twice a week and sometimes more, weight training from 2 to 3 times a week and I expected to lose pounds. But actually… I’m reshaping my body! So I’ve lost inches, built muscle tone and lost fat which is keeping me about the same on the scale. I have to learn to stop weighing myself and gage things by how I look in the mirror, my strength, and how I feel overall.
I’m excited about the strength that I’ve been building. I can tell that I’m getting better at karate, it’s easier to lift heavy items, I don’t tire as easy doing things like gardening etc. Most importantly, I feel good about the fact that I know that stronger muscles improve posture, provide better support for joints, and reduce the risk of injury. In my research I found that older people who take up weight training can prevent some of the loss of muscle tissue that normally accompanies aging—and even regain some functional strength—and by doing so become less frail, and can avoid some types of physical disability as well as prevent osteoporosis. The benefits of weight training for older people have been confirmed by studies of people who began engaging in it even in their 80s and 90s. Wow! So I have a huge head start.
It’s never too late to change your lifestyle!!
i love both peanut butter and cheeze as the filling of my morning sandwhich.”‘-