New to weights and exhausted

[gillyweed]

I'm after some advice. I've always done some form of exercise; yoga, swimming (properly, and fast!), Hiking etc. But realised in the last few months it's not really getting me fitter, maybe cardiovascularly but not 'sculpting' my body or making me feel strong, I do feel fit/healthy though.

I'm 39, overweight (just under 14st), 5ft 4" - but carry it well, I think 🤔

I've joined a gym. I've cut back loads on swimming and now going 3 times a week to the weights room instead. I do about 20mins cardio to warm up, doing reps to failure, and lifting as heavy as I can, but only on the machines - I'm not ready for free weights yet. Sometime do a few lengths after if still feeling good.

My main aim is to lose weight, so trying to eat in a calorie deficit. But I do want to be fitter/stronger. I have defo started to build muscle.

At the time I feel great, like I could do more! But I'm absolutely exhausted within a couple of hours and by the evening I ache all over and feel awful! Every time! What am I doing wrong, or how do I stop it happening?

I would suggest you maybe reduce the weights a bit and do some more reps. 3 times a week to failing could be burning out your central nervous system.

That buzz followed by exhaustion shouldn't be happening, so maybe go lighter for a while and build up.

For the failure maybe once a week.

Is it worth investing in a bit of PT to help you get something sustainable?

I'm struggling to afford my PT but I feel so much better/ healthier since I started doing regular PT that I'm cutting down elsewhere.

Have you got good form on the machines? What does your food intake look like?

Check your blood sugar.

To loose weight and gain muscle tone and would eat calories in a deficit and ensure fat wasn't over 30g and ensure I eat plenty of protien within my Calorie in take.

Secondly I would exercise 45min - 1hr30 5 x a week doing mainly strength workouts plus 10k steps every day. I found I got desired results.

Also persistence it takes a a while. Well done, how you can fine tune and get results soon. It's so worth it in the end

Well done on your progress but slow down a little. You shouldn't be feeling like that after every workout. I wouldn't go to failure three times a week, on every exercise, and I wouldn't bother swimming after - go home and eat and rest 😀. How long are your workouts and how are you splitting them?

Why are you aching in the evening? It seems early for DOMS to have kicked in?

Overall, I would dial it down, maybe try 5 mins cardio and some mobility as a warm up, 45 mins weights, then stretching, see how you feel after that. If you programme it right, you can make progress that way 3 times a week IME.

Ow thanks for all the responses!!!

Errrr so too much it seems, I need to do less often or fewer weights?

Food is inconsistent, I've got 6 people at home and I'm so sick of cooking/shopping all the time I'm not great at feeding myself! What should I be eating before/after a workout?

I think my form is good, but will check.

can't afford a PT, I would love one but it's been a massive stretch to afford the gym already

Give up on the swimming... I really love it! I'm so confused by the cardio Vs weights arguments.

You need to build up slowly is all. So I would cut back on the other stuff while your body adjusts. And follow a structured programme - it is impossible to advise you without knowing what you are doing at the moment but with 3 times a week you could do two upper/one lower days, with core each time. Then gradual, progressive overload, note your reps and sets and increase gradually as long as you mostly feel OK after a workout. How you feel at the time isn't much of a guide I have found!

I'd stick to three times a week but reduce the intensity and/or length of sessions till you feel better afterwards. I would swim and do cardio on the other days for now, and not flat out, use as active recovery, and again build up slowly. And one complete rest day a week.

I’ve been powerlifting for two years now. I absolutely love it! Deadlifts are my favourite. I think you need to reframe your approach. You need to eat well to weight lift. Nutritious, energising food. You’re building muscle. Much harder to do it when you’re aiming for weight loss. If you change your focus to changing your body shape (which is what you really say in your OP), not what the scales read, you’re free to focus on building muscle, increasing the strength you can lift but also focus on technique. I agree with pp you need someone to check your form (I do a class with 4 of us so you get guidance). Weight only result refers to your gravitational pull!
incidentally I’ve lost 3 stone and a dress size but only when I stopped worrying about my weight! I only weigh myself every few weeks. But I know my form and strength are improving.

I've been going to the gym a lot for years and doing a bit of cardio (mainly running) as well and the weight didn't shift. What I found did work was one day of a really long low intensity cardio - in my case it was marathon training so very long slow runs (15 miles +) Hard to get four hours of running in though.

If you love swimming go swimming!

Are you staying sufficiently hydrated? Refuelling with protein and carbs after your workout?

Are you sleeping well?

It is doable but you need to go slow.

I was actively doing 2 HIIT classes, 1 spin and 1 swim for 2 months prior to joining the gym. During that time I cleaned up my diet - no refined carb, added sugar or ultra processed food. I then did general light gym machines for about a month, then I started on a program like what you describe (3 × 1 hr weights a week including 90 second rests between sets) and have progressively built up (1 session a week with a PT). As soon as I started on the intense weights I realised very quickly I had to up my carb, protein and calories. I also stopped the extra classes after a couple of weeks and swapped in shorter cardio (9 minutes 2 x a week atm, building up), plus I do about 8-12k a day.

I've not had any DOMS of significance but I have had some very tired days, especially in the second half of my cycle, I really struggled through the last few workouts.

There is no way I could train at intensity and expect any muscle growth without eating very close to my maintenance every single day. Even one day where I am under then I feel unfocused the next day and playing catch up with energy levels.

If you get nutrition right and ease back on the cardio it should be easier.

I train to failure in my weekly session with my coach, not on all but definitely on the ones I have got the form down on. On my own I do really try and push.

My coach recommended a pre workout snack that has carb, protein and fat, like oats, protein powder and peanut butter.

Hi, an experienced lifter here (+20 years), powerlifting, olympic weightlifting and physique.

Going as heavy as you can until failure 3 times a week is setting yourself up for injury and loss of motivation. I’d pay for a few PT sessions and get an initial program.

If no PT, it looks like you have time available so I’d look at increasing volume and decreasing intensity. Should be more manageable. Your aim is progressive, manageable overload. I’ve had great success with Pavel’s easy strength.

If you can go 4-5 times per week:

Pick 4-5 exercises e.g. one hinge (trap bar deadlift), one push (a form of bench press), a pull and a couple of full body (pull-ups - might need to use assisted machine, just do hangs off a bar for time or banded-pull ups) and a carry (farmers walk). Estimate 1 rep max and start week 1 and 2 at 55%, 3-4 at 60%, 5-6 at 62.5%, 7-8 at 67.5%.

Do 2x5 reps for each exercise on 4 out of the 5 days of the week. Apart from the carry: 1x25m.
On one day of the week vary the reps and increase the weight e.g. 1x5 reps (same weight as previous day), 2x3 reps (+10%), 3x2 reps (+10%).

Summary: sessions should be short, don’t go too heavy, take a rest day if tired, start light and leave the gym refreshed not drained. Get consistency.

And, make sure you eat enough.

I'd drop the 20 mins cardio before the weights. Do a 5 minute slow run to get warmed up - literally warmed up. Get the blood flowing etc. Then do about 5-10 minutes mobilisation. Then do your weight routine.

Are you following a programme of progressive overload? Are your work outs balanced?

Are you sleeping, and getting proper rest days?

Are you eating enough protein? For a good ration of protein to calories - try tuna steaks, chicken breasts, Greek yoghurt (as unprocessed as possible - so basically Fage or the like)

Well done for starting weight training! It honestly changed my life when I started - my energy and my body m. I love the buzz I get. I echo above pps that it will change your body shape but not necessarily the number on the scale. I am not an expert so probably worth following some of the above advice about approach to reps and sets. I just wanted to mesage as I hope you stick with it and get to enjoy the benefits and “buzz” long term. :)

Hey OP just wanted to let you know you're not alone! So this thread has been an eye opener to me! I used to train a lot when I was younger and was one of the only women in my gym who went near the free weight section! I'm discovering now that my 40 year old body is in fact older than my 25 year old body was! The responses you've had are very helpful to me too so thanks for starting the thread and to all the posters.

Seems like I need to not try and do what I did when I was younger take it easier!

@PostOpOp I wish I'd discovered or known about weights in my 20s! I rarely regret anything but this is do!

I could have had my diet sorted and given up dieting, and I am 100% sure I wouldn't have struggled in my 30s, everything seemed to take incrementally more effort, until I got brain fog and started to take action.

I'm 43 now and I can't compare muscle building to my 20s as never did it, but agree with what everyone here says on taking it easy. I'm still finding it an incredibly efficient way of seeing results (not so visible yet but definitely seeing measurements change weekly).

I love free weights training! I also think that doing the big compound moves is tougher and better for hypertrophy (muscle building).

What you are seeking to do is what's called body recomposition- losing weight and gaining muscle at the same time.it can be done-1 dropped 13 kilos in my first year of training with doing compound lifts (squats and deadlifts). I started at 40 k DLs and got to around 75 in that first year at age 59 while dropping from 81 to 68 kg (although my sweet tooth means that’s crept up to 71 kilos).

I train with a PT twice a week (30 mins strength, 30 mins metcon), do group Bootcamp class once a week and follow the Stronger by the Day programme 2-3 days. I have rest days where I don’t train on the 2 days before my PT days. I walk everywhere though so average around 15,000 steps a day.

So it can be done, but I think you might need to look at your programming.

Hello, came on to see what chat there was about this. Your OP resonated with me.

I run between 30 and 40km a week, swim once a week. Saw on here the Lift with Cee you tuber and did one of her whole body workouts on Tuesday, super light weights, but even so, omfg, have had the worst DOMS. I've carried on running, motion is lotion etc, but legs are still dead, I can barely walk up the stairs.

I'm going to keep at it just do an upper workout tomorrow, try and build up to 3 sessions a week. Will keep weights super low.

I definitely don't eat enough protein so that is also going to change.