Started Going Back to the Gym - Questions / Observations

[iamwiz82]

Some background:

So a few years ago I dropped 75-80lbs through a slight diet change (not eating when not hungry, shockingly it works! ). I reached a weight of 175lbs that I have kept constant since then, maybe a 5 pound swing up in the winter and down in the summer. Last month I decided to go to the gym to get some muscle and to lose my jiggly parts.

My current routine consists of running for 20 minutes, strength training for an hour or so, and then 25 minutes on a stair machine. I was riding a stationary bike too, but the seat caused some issues with me

Now my questions:

So far since going I have gained 5lbs and am now 180lbs, but my pants are a bit looser, so it's definately muscle I am gaining. My arms are noticably bigger and I am seeing a bit of definition in my back. But, is this type of increase normal?

I have increased my weights by upwards of 70% in some areas. My routine was originally 8 reps by 3 sets. Now I am at 8 reps by 5-6 sets at the higher weight. When I first went I was sore for days and days with fairly low weights. Now I feel no ill effects the next day at all and would have no problem doing my workout again. Am I increasing too quickly? I increase when I dont feel strained or tired by the end of the last set. I try to aim for not being able to complete the final set.

I have been having a protein shake after working out, I assume this could be the reason I am seeing changes quicker, correct?

Also, I am eating a ton more now. It feels like I am eating about 25% more than normal. I am trying to be conscience of gaining fat, but at the same time, I hate feeling like I am starving and will not tolerate it. I have been eating more fruit and drinking tons of water, so it's not like I am pigging out on junk food.

I'm really digging the energy boost I seemed to have received. Previously If I didn't get 8-9 hours of sleep I was dragging, now I am operating on 6 hours and I am just fine, I feel more alert and awake.

 

[EvilYoda]

So, you've got the woman. You've got the car. Now you want to make the rest of us look bad.

Bastard.

 

[iamwiz82]

Counter point, I live in Michigan still.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

You could quite possibly be on a more optimal program. Also, if you watched your diet a bit better then you wouldn't necessarily have to do so much cardio. Running + lifting + stair master is a bit much. You could do something like lift 3x a week and run 2x a week and that would work out great. You could read the fat loss sticky, which has a lot of info in it.

 

[EvilYoda]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Counter point, I live in Michigan still.

Ah, touche.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
You could quite possibly be on a more optimal program. Also, if you watched your diet a bit better then you wouldn't necessarily have to do so much cardio. Running + lifting + stair master is a bit much. You could do something like lift 3x a week and run 2x a week and that would work out great. You could read the fat loss sticky, which has a lot of info in it.

Can it be too much if I dont feel any ill effects the day after?

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
My current routine consists of running for 20 minutes, strength training for an hour or so, and then 25 minutes on a stair machine. I was riding a stationary bike too, but the seat caused some issues with me

What exactly are your goals? Are you trying to lose more weight? Training for hypertrophy? Trying to get stronger? Overall fitness? Training for a sport? Also, what is your experience with weight training? How long have you been doing it? Where are you in the weightlifting standards on each lift? Are you still able to make linear progress or does your program include periodization? Where did you get your routine from? Did you come up with it yourself? If so, do you have enough expertise for that?

The reason I ask all these questions is to bring to your attention the fact that we all have a finite amount of time to exercise, so it's in our best interest to pick a routine that is optimal for our goals & experience. It sounds like you've accomplished some excellent weight loss, but are still a relative beginner to weight training. If that's the case, you probably shouldn't be coming up with your own routine. I don't say that to be insulting, but just to point out the fact that there's just no reason for the average person to know the many nuances of weight training. Instead, it's probably a good idea to be using something designed by professionals. Exactly which routine depends on your goals and experience - that is, the answers to the questions above.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
So far since going I have gained 5lbs and am now 180lbs, but my pants are a bit looser, so it's definately muscle I am gaining. My arms are noticably bigger and I am seeing a bit of definition in my back. But, is this type of increase normal?

Yes. Beginners to strength training often have the ability to add muscle and burn up some fat. A more "V" shaped body - broader shoulders/back/arm/chest and narrower waist - is the most typical result. This won't last long, so enjoy it while you can.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
When I first went I was sore for days and days with fairly low weights. Now I feel no ill effects the next day at all and would have no problem doing my workout again. Am I increasing too quickly? I increase when I dont feel strained or tired by the end of the last set. I try to aim for not being able to complete the final set.

Soreness is not an indicator of progress. As you've noticed, the more training you do, the less sore you get. This does NOT mean your training isn't working. The only true measure of progress is the weight on the bar. If you're moving more weight and getting stronger, then your routine is working. If you're stalling out on your lifts, it's time for a change.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I have been having a protein shake after working out, I assume this could be the reason I am seeing changes quicker, correct?

Quicker than what? Athletes have higher protein needs than non-athletes, and those who do weight training have higher needs than those who don't. So, yes, increasing your protein intake with a protein shake can have some benefits. However, keep it within limits. The average person needs ~1g of protein per pound of lean body mass per day. Don't just guess how much you're taking, as you'll probably guess wrong. Instead, track your intake on a site like thedailyplate.com or fitday.com.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Also, I am eating a ton more now. It feels like I am eating about 25% more than normal. I am trying to be conscience of gaining fat, but at the same time, I hate feeling like I am starving and will not tolerate it. I have been eating more fruit and drinking tons of water, so it's not like I am pigging out on junk food.

Obviously, you burn more calories when exercising, so you might just be making up the difference. It's a good idea to use the tracking sites I mentioned above to estimate your daily caloric intake and expenditure. Roughly speaking, if you wish to gain weight, eat more than you burn. If you want to lose weight, eat less than you burn.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I'm really digging the energy boost I seemed to have received. Previously If I didn't get 8-9 hours of sleep I was dragging, now I am operating on 6 hours and I am just fine, I feel more alert and awake.

Great to hear. Just don't reduce sleep too much as it's necessary for proper recovery from lifting. With too little sleep, your progress will slow and instead of feeling energetic, you'll be constantly tired.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
You could quite possibly be on a more optimal program. Also, if you watched your diet a bit better then you wouldn't necessarily have to do so much cardio. Running + lifting + stair master is a bit much. You could do something like lift 3x a week and run 2x a week and that would work out great. You could read the fat loss sticky, which has a lot of info in it.

Can it be too much if I dont feel any ill effects the day after?

Yes. You won't feel your nervous system fatiguing until the summation of each day comes upon you really. You don't need that much cardio on a day that you lift on as well. Cardio before and after weightlifting is too much. Also, cardio should never be done before lifting due to increasing the likelihood of injury and stability caused by fatigue.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
My current routine consists of running for 20 minutes, strength training for an hour or so, and then 25 minutes on a stair machine. I was riding a stationary bike too, but the seat caused some issues with me

What exactly are your goals? Are you trying to lose more weight? Training for hypertrophy? Trying to get stronger? Overall fitness? Training for a sport? Also, what is your experience with weight training? How long have you been doing it? Where are you in the weightlifting standards on each lift? Are you still able to make linear progress or does your program include periodization? Where did you get your routine from? Did you come up with it yourself? If so, do you have enough expertise for that?

The reason I ask all these questions is to bring to your attention the fact that we all have a finite amount of time to exercise, so it's in our best interest to pick a routine that is optimal for our goals & experience. It sounds like you've accomplished some excellent weight loss, but are still a relative beginner to weight training. If that's the case, you probably shouldn't be coming up with your own routine. I don't say that to be insulting, but just to point out the fact that there's just no reason for the average person to know the many nuances of weight training. Instead, it's probably a good idea to be using something designed by professionals. Exactly which routine depends on your goals and experience - that is, the answers to the questions above.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
So far since going I have gained 5lbs and am now 180lbs, but my pants are a bit looser, so it's definately muscle I am gaining. My arms are noticably bigger and I am seeing a bit of definition in my back. But, is this type of increase normal?

Yes. Beginners to strength training often have the ability to add muscle and burn up some fat. A more "V" shaped body - broader shoulders/back/arm/chest and narrower waist - is the most typical result. This won't last long, so enjoy it while you can.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
When I first went I was sore for days and days with fairly low weights. Now I feel no ill effects the next day at all and would have no problem doing my workout again. Am I increasing too quickly? I increase when I dont feel strained or tired by the end of the last set. I try to aim for not being able to complete the final set.

Soreness is not an indicator of progress. As you've noticed, the more training you do, the less sore you get. This does NOT mean your training isn't working. The only true measure of progress is the weight on the bar. If you're moving more weight and getting stronger, then your routine is working. If you're stalling out on your lifts, it's time for a change.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I have been having a protein shake after working out, I assume this could be the reason I am seeing changes quicker, correct?

Quicker than what? Athletes have higher protein needs than non-athletes, and those who do weight training have higher needs than those who don't. So, yes, increasing your protein intake with a protein shake can have some benefits. However, keep it within limits. The average person needs ~1g of protein per pound of lean body mass per day. Don't just guess how much you're taking, as you'll probably guess wrong. Instead, track your intake on a site like thedailyplate.com or fitday.com.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Also, I am eating a ton more now. It feels like I am eating about 25% more than normal. I am trying to be conscience of gaining fat, but at the same time, I hate feeling like I am starving and will not tolerate it. I have been eating more fruit and drinking tons of water, so it's not like I am pigging out on junk food.

Obviously, you burn more calories when exercising, so you might just be making up the difference. It's a good idea to use the tracking sites I mentioned above to estimate your daily caloric intake and expenditure. Roughly speaking, if you wish to gain weight, eat more than you burn. If you want to lose weight, eat less than you burn.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I'm really digging the energy boost I seemed to have received. Previously If I didn't get 8-9 hours of sleep I was dragging, now I am operating on 6 hours and I am just fine, I feel more alert and awake.

Great to hear. Just don't reduce sleep too much as it's necessary for proper recovery from lifting. With too little sleep, your progress will slow and instead of feeling energetic, you'll be constantly tired.

Rather than break up and quote each section i'll just hit your points here.

1. I am looking to tone up and gain strength. I have had no formal experience previous to this really, fooling around in the past, mainly. About 3 years ago I did lift for about 3 months and never really saw any increase or benefit, which annoyed me and a quit. I have been going for about 4 weeks now. I am untrained in everything. I am looking towards linear for now, until I reach a point where I plateau.

My routine came from gymtechnik (weightloss plan, slightly modified with some different machine workouts).

2. I will enjoy it for now

3. So far i'm still going up. I up my weights as lowly as possible, that is I choose the next heaviest, I don't generally jump more than that.

4 . Quicker than I expected when compared to my past results.

5. I dont mind gaining weight due to muscle growth. I'm all for it, in fact.

6. Hasn't been a problem yet. I dont feel run down through out the day, which is a very nice change.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
1. I am looking to tone up and gain strength.

Please remove the word "tone" from your vocabulary. For practical purposes, there's no such thing. Instead, try to use words that actually have meaning, such as: more muscle or less muscle and more fat or less fat. I'm going to interpret your goals as "gaining muscle mass" and "gaining strength". Please correct me if necessary. Given this fact, you'll want either a strength training routine or a hypertrophy (mass gain) routine.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I have had no formal experience previous to this really, fooling around in the past, mainly. About 3 years ago I did lift for about 3 months and never really saw any increase or benefit, which annoyed me and a quit. I have been going for about 4 weeks now. I am untrained in everything. My routine came from gymtechnik (weightloss plan, slightly modified with some different machine workouts).

Ok, so we'll classify you as a beginner. For beginners, assuming the diet is reasonable, hypertrophy comes for free with strength gains. Therefore, a beginners strength training routine is probably the best choice for you. As I've said before, you should use one designed by professionals. I'm not too familiar with gymtechnik and without seeing your actual routine it's hard to know, but from a brief look, their routines looked like bodybuilding style split routines. These are typically NOT an optimal choice for a beginner to strength training. The fact that you mention "machine workouts" is even more dubious as virtually all exercise machines are a very ineffective way to strength train.

As an alternative, I instead highly recommend the routine described in Starting Strength. The book explains not only a very popular and notoriously effective routine, it also discusses why you should do strength training, why you should use free weights, which exercises are the most effective and extremely detailed descriptions & pictures of how to do each lift. It's worth the money no matter what routine you do. You can preview some of the content of the book on The Starting Strength Wiki. There's also a lot of good content on the Stronglifts website, including the stronglifts 5x5 routine. It's quite similar to Starting Strength and also a great choice for beginners.