How much weight training is enough?

[ICriedAllTheWayToTheChipShop]

I've just been thoroughly frightened by another thread that talks about building muscle mass back up during and after weight loss, so I've dug out my 3kg dumbells (should really have taken a photo of the cobwebs on them) and come up with a programme of exercises I can do with them at home. It should take 20-30 minutes. If I do that every evening, am I doing enough to work on strength and muscle building? I haven't done any proper exercise in years and I'm a bit out of practice. Obviously I will increase reps and/or weight when things become easier.

I asked at the physio this exact question today.
he told me: 45 minutes 2-3 times a week. 4-5 different exercises - whole body exercises Ed press up, swuats, bicep curls. 12 reps of each exercise repeated 3 times.

Oh I got ChatGPT to design me a strength programme last night so will paste it below. I told it I'm a 41 yr old woman who weighs 175 lb, has not done any structured exercise programmes for over a decade, am starting from scratch and very unfit, I told it what gym I would be using and asked it to look up what equipment they have and this is what it told me to do:

Beginner’s Gym Routine:

Frequency: Aim for 3 sessions per week on non-consecutive days to allow adequate recovery.

Duration: Each session should last approximately 45-60 minutes, including warm-up and cool-down periods.

Session Structure:
1. Warm-Up (5-10 minutes):
• Engage in light cardiovascular activity to increase heart rate and prepare muscles.
• Options include brisk walking on a treadmill or using a stationary bike.
2. Strength Training (20-30 minutes):
• Focus on full-body exercises to build strength and enhance metabolism.
• Perform 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions for each exercise, resting 1-2 minutes between sets.
• Suggested exercises:
• Leg Press: Utilizes the leg press machine to strengthen quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
• Seated Row: Employs the rowing machine to target the upper back and biceps.
• Chest Press: Uses the chest press machine to work the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
• Lat Pulldown: Engages the lat pulldown machine to focus on the upper back and biceps.
• Seated Leg Curl: Targets hamstrings using the leg curl machine.
• Plank: Bodyweight exercise to strengthen the core; hold for 20-30 seconds.
3. Cardiovascular Exercise (15-20 minutes):
• Choose a low-impact activity to promote cardiovascular health and aid in weight loss.
• Options include:
• Stationary Bike: Adjust resistance to maintain a moderate intensity.
• Elliptical Trainer: Set to a comfortable level that allows sustained effort.
4. Cool Down and Stretching (5-10 minutes):
• Conclude with gentle stretching to enhance flexibility and reduce muscle soreness.
• Focus on major muscle groups:
• Hamstring Stretch
• Quadriceps Stretch
• Chest Stretch
• Upper Back Stretch

Additional Recommendations:
• Progression: As your fitness improves, gradually increase the intensity or duration of exercises.
• Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body responds to workouts. If you experience pain or discomfort, adjust the exercise accordingly.
• Consistency: Regular exercise, combined with a balanced diet, is key to achieving fitness goals.
• Hydration and Nutrition: Maintain adequate hydration and consider consulting a nutritionist for personalized dietary advice.

Embarking on this routine with patience and dedication will set a solid foundation for improved health and well-being.

For a visual overview of Braunstone Leisure Centre’s facilities, you might find this video informative:

Given your body weight of 175 lbs (approximately 80 kg), here are suggested starting weights for the strength exercises in your routine. These are based on general beginner guidelines and adjusted to suit your weight and starting level:

Suggested Starting Weights (Machines)
1. Leg Press:
• Start with: 40–50% of your body weight.
• Approximate weight: 35–40 kg (75–90 lbs).
• Why? The leg press engages strong lower body muscles (quadriceps, glutes), allowing you to lift more.
2. Seated Row:
• Start with: 10–15% of your body weight.
• Approximate weight: 8–12 kg (20–25 lbs).
• Why? Focuses on your upper back and arms, which typically start weaker than your legs.
3. Chest Press:
• Start with: 10–15% of your body weight.
• Approximate weight: 8–12 kg (20–25 lbs).
• Why? Targets chest, shoulders, and triceps, which often require lighter loads for beginners.
4. Lat Pulldown:
• Start with: 10–20% of your body weight.
• Approximate weight: 10–16 kg (25–35 lbs).
• Why? Works the upper back and arms, starting light helps you focus on proper posture.
5. Seated Leg Curl:
• Start with: 20–30% of your body weight.
• Approximate weight: 16–24 kg (35–50 lbs).
• Why? Targets hamstrings, which are often less developed compared to quadriceps.
6. Plank (Bodyweight):
• Hold your bodyweight in a plank position. Start with 20–30 seconds and gradually increase as your core strengthens.

Key Guidelines
1. Test and Adjust:
• These weights are starting suggestions. Test each exercise and adjust based on how challenging the weight feels.
• You should complete 10–12 reps where:
• The first few feel manageable.
• The last 2–3 reps feel challenging but doable with proper form.
2. Progress Gradually:
• Once you can complete 2–3 sets of 12 reps easily, increase the weight by 5–10%.
• Progress at your own pace; strength gains will come with consistency.
3. Rest Between Sets:
• Take 1–2 minutes of rest between sets to recover.
4. Track Your Weights:
• Keep a simple log of the weights you use for each exercise to monitor improvement.

Starting at these levels ensures a manageable and effective workout while building confidence and reducing injury risk.

Thanks so much, that seems really doable and fits with what I was planning - maybe a few more reps of some of the exercises to make it last 45 minutes.

@InfoSecInTheCity I'm not planning to incorporate cardio just yet because I have a bit of arthritic joint damage and I'm still obese, but I'll definitely bear that in mind for when I'm not so heavy.

I generally do 20mins weights training, (dumbbells, kettlebells, leg press and pull up machine) and 25-30mins cardio (rower, treadmill gradient, cross trainer and recline bike) at the gym 5x a week.

It has toned up my arms and legs.

Make sure you are eating at least 1g of protein per 1kg of body weight as an absolute minimum, ideally more.

I just do Caroline Girvan videos on netflix. She's has numerous series, some up to 50 episodes. I just do what she says and don't have to think!

*YouTube

Look up Juice and Toya on you tube, very good.

Everything movement and exercise is good and will benefit your mind and body.

If you stick to a regular routine then you'll soon need to upgrade your 3kg dumbbells though!

Per day, or per meal? I'm not very well up on sports nutrition, for want of a better term.

Per day 😊

You would have to eat like Henry VIII to get that kind of protein intake per meal!

@ICriedAllTheWayToTheChipShop per day, so if you weight 80kg that would be 80g protein.

It can be difficult to eat enough so just work on upping protein. What you will find is that the more protein you eat, the less you crave sweet carbs foods and the more you want strong savoury flavours, It takes about 10 days of high protein/low carb to get past the hunger/craving bit but then all of a sudden you realise that when you feel peckish you're looking for cheese, or pickled onions, or boiled eggs rather than chocolate.

Some good sources of protein to keep in the fridge/cupboard other than the obvious protein powders are

• boiled eggs
• beef jerky
• cooked sliced meat
• longley farms full fat cottage cheese (Morrisons, Asda, home bargains, Iceland) trust me, it's the only cottage cheese worth eating and it's amazing!
• full fat Greek yoghurt
• babybel/cheesestrings/small chunks of cheddar

Op, in a large chicken breast there is 31 grams of protein, so getting all your protein in in a day can be challenging, as you also need to do it in a calorie deficit. It is critical though if you want to maintain muscle,

I enjoy Huel black, it has 35 grams, I have one for brunch often, and I then try to eat enough protein at my dinner, so am basically low carb as once you add up all the protein cals, and the veg/salad, there isn’t much left for carbs too, it’s a challenge but critical.

I think a lot of people underestimate the impact of muscle loss. And how hard it is to rebuild it.

I went to a 'functional fitness' class last night, I learned that they keep the description purposely vague because it's code for 'Bootcamp'. I pretty officially have no upper body strength according to my performance last night, so I really need to commit to doing this and building that up. I think the key is to just start OP, so you have your dumbells, pull up YouTube and give it a go.

I don't think I'm going to be able to eat enough full stop to get 80g protein, not on Mounjaro - I struggle to get that much down me. It might have to be protein powders.

Yes it’s a challenge, hence why you need to come up with a plan.

if you’re struggling to eat are you on too high a dose, as thay should not be the case.

@ICriedAllTheWayToTheChipShop I’m going to be contentious here and say don’t panic about stuffing yourself with protein. It seems to have become an obsession with the MJ community BUT, if you read some scientific studies, recommendations vary from 0.8g per kg to 1.2. Also, there is a lot of research that says it should be 1g per kg of your goal weight.

Basically, don’t beat yourself up about it. Don’t feel you are ‘failing’ if you can’t eat 100s of gs of protein a day. Just aim to eat a protein led, nutrient rich diet and move your body as much as you can!

Try Caroline Girvans, I subscribed to her app for the ultimate beginner programme. I’m using 3kg, 4kg, 5kg, and 6kg at the moment depending on the exercise (need to dig out my 7kg’s). It starts with 3 times a week full body for 3-4 weeks and then 4 times a week with split workouts. First week my legs really really hurt but after the second week it has been fine. She really talks through form, I found this really really helpful as a newbie.

Whatever you do I think it’s a good idea to keep increasing weights once you get comfortable. There are also loads of other youtube workouts to follow.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-much-protein-do-you-need-to-build-muscle#What-do-studies-say

Caroline Girvans is very good, multiple workouts and yes to the making sure you're form is correct. I started with her and am now weight training at a local gym 3 times a week. (Cardio is on a non gym day!)