Get Sexy Back

[OfficeGirl]

Hello, I'm brand new here. I've been working out for about 2 1/2 months now in the gym at work. I use lunch breacks, so time is pretty limited. I recently had to change diet due to some food sensitivities. This caused me to drop 20lbs in a hurry. I was looking kind of scary, and that's what prompted me to join the gym. I've put 6 lbs of muscle back on since then. I feel pretty good, but now I'm looking to set real goals. So here are current stats: 28yo female, 5'10", 160 lbs. I'm looking to build a program that will work in current 35-40 min window. Right now I'm alternating between upper and lower body days with core and back exercises everyday. I lift each set at a low weight at 15 reps, if I can get there (before fatigue). I try to lift quickly to keep heart rate up, but I feel that cardio is pretty crappy.

On a personal note, son is 2 1/2 and extrememly active. husband is on his way to super fit. I feel like I'm getting left behind. What kind of program might improve cardio a bit and put more muscle on?
Thank You!

[Boss Man]

Hi Og, good to talk to you.

If you want more muscle or even for people who want general fitness and / or weight loss, high rep low weight stuff is rubbish and is a waste of anyone's time including females, but many females won't lift heavier and better because they think they will end up looking manly, which is complete rubbish and not true.

Cardio doesn't need to be a major focus, though you can add some, but you need only limit it and given your time frame to workout, you're probably not going ot get enough time to do any anyway, unless you add a couple of sessions in and do 6 sessions in the gym a week, so you might have to look at abstaining from cardio.

What do your workouts look like now in terms of what you do each session?

Also what times do you eat and what foods do you eat at those times?

[OfficeGirl]

Hey BossMan,
I'm not afraid of a heavier weight. I don't mind a little bulk, as I think that looks sexy on girls. As I said, I alternate upper and lower body days. On upper body days it looks like this (2 sets of as close to 15 as possible):
warm up
bench press
incline press
front shoulder raise
outward shoulder raise
shoulder press
bicep curls
outward bicep curls
tricep kickbacks
lat pulldowns
tricep extensions
core
-mason twist
-full sit ups
-alternating leg raises

Lower Body:
warm up
squats
lunges
dead lift
calf raises
upward row
lat pinches (like a standing, reverse butterfly, I guess)
speed skaters
Core:
-Crunch with Leg Lifts
-Bicycles
-oblique side lifts
I think diet is in pretty good shape:
7:30breakfast is 1egg and 1/2c egg whites, rice mea, tea, water
10:00snack: protien shake, 1/4c almonds
12:00 lunch: 5oz chicken, 1/2c rice, green salad with tomatoes and peppers w/vin. dressing
3:00 Snack: repeat morning snack
6:30 Dinner: 5-6oz lean meat, veggies

Please feel free to critique and improve Thank you!

[Boss Man]

I will amend this where necessary

On upper body days it looks like this (2 sets of as close to 15 as possible):

warm up

bench press

incline press (You don't need this in opinion)

lat pulldowns (Big muscle groups first, before synergists and stabilisers as smaller muscles being fatigued could affect your ability to train bigger muscles. Also make sure the pulldowns are done in front of the face not behind the neck, to avoid rotator cuff problems.)

(Cable Rows)

front shoulder raise

outward shoulder raise

shoulder press (Switch these for Dumbbell shrugs, otherwise you'll have an incorrect ratio of press to row movements, 2 versus 1. You must remember that opposing muscle groups, (agonists and antagonists), require equal work to avoid imbalances or it could affect your ability to walk and / or move your arms.)

bicep curls (you don't need these, as you're getting some bicep work from the row movement and one bicep exercise should be sufficient.)

outward bicep curls

tricep kickbacks

tricep extensions (You don't need these as you're getting some tricep work from the press movement, when you're benching and one tricep exercise should be sufficient.)

core

-mason twist

-full sit ups (I think you could switch these for planks, aiming for around one set of 45 seconds)

-alternating leg raises

Lower Body:

warm up

squats

lunges

dead lift

calf raises

upward row (not relevant on a lower body day, so can them)

lat pinches (like a standing, reverse butterfly, I guess) (not relevant on a lower body day, so can them)

speed skaters

Core:

-Crunch with Leg Lifts

-Bicycles

-oblique side lifts

(I'd keep all the core stuff the same as the other workout, although squats and deadlifts have a secondary emphasis on the abs, so no need for a lot of abs stuff on days like this, so do the other core workout but keep the twists and raises to one set only.

Keep all your sets on the upper and lower body workouts, except as directed, to 2 sets and go for more weight and less reps. I'd aim for around 8-10 reps and use around 25% more weight onto all muscle groups, but you might find with the bigger ones like legs, back and chest, you might get away with 50% more, but add 25% more weight and see what happens to begin with, remembering not to go to failure, as it wastes more energy and is unproductive.

If you can do enough reps to feel like you've got another 0.5-1 rep left that's the point to stop; don't struggle to get another out. You'll recognise the stopping point as you get more lifting experience, the same as you'll learn to recognise at what point in your progression, you can start adding a bit more weight.

If you have not yet experienced it you may get something called DOMS, (Delayed onset Muscle Soreness), where your muscle feel sore around 24 hours after a workout. This is normal and some people get it, but in time it should subside with each passing session.)




I think diet is in pretty good shape:
7:30breakfast is 1egg and 1/2c egg whites, rice mea, tea, water

(That seems okay, but I'm not sure what rice mea is)

10:00snack: protien shake, 1/4c almonds

(Fine)
12:00 lunch: 5oz chicken, 1/2c rice, green salad with tomatoes and peppers w/vin. dressing

(Fine)

3:00 Snack: repeat morning snack

(Fine)

6:30 Dinner: 5-6oz lean meat, veggies

(Fine)

You can have other foods that make up whole or partial snack options if you want alternatives sometimes, including microwave soup, rice and baked beans, bread, sandwiches, low fat cheese, peanuts, flax seeds, celery sticks, raw carrot and beef, chicken, ham and turkey from a packet. I sometimes mention other things as well but you already have those so there's no need.

If you need anything else feel free to ask, or you want to keep us updated then please do, as we always like to hear how people progress.

I want you to be proud of your decision and I am proud of you for it as well, because I will always, always support any female who wants to lift seriously and build muscle, as much as someone who wants to gain long distance stamina or lose weight, because you are looking after yourself and I'm a big advocate of that, so GOOD LUCK and as I said ask as many questions as you need and keep us updated as often as you wish and if you ever have any personal or sensitive things in your life, you think are getting in the way of your lifestyle, let us know whenever you feel you need to and say as much as little as you need to, or PM me directly for a private, confidential one to one, as I endeavour to try and help people of any and all backgrounds, with mental and emotional concerns as well, because physical progress happens better when the mind is in a good place .

[OfficeGirl]

Thank you! I followed normal program today since I hadn't heard back yet, but I did lower reps and increase weight. I am sore, but I don't mind it too much. I will try your suggestions, though. I meant Rice Meal (like oatmeal) in the diet plan. I appreciate your diet alternatives. It does get pretty mundane eating the same thing everyday.
How much weight might you recommend for a shrug if I'm lifting about 10lbs/arm on shoulder exercises?

Personally, I'm feeling sooooo much better about myself. I want to be able to take care of son, so I have to take care of myself. I really feel great since I changed diet to accomodate food sensitivities. I had no idea why I felt so sluggish and tired, but now I can make it through the day and still smile at the end. husband went through something similar, feeling fat and ugly and just generally bad. He started doing something about it several months before I did, though. I just couldn't find a program that worked for me because I'm not a morning person, and I didn't want to miss out on family time in the evening. The work gym is the best thing that could have worked out for me. Now I'm looking and feeling better, so I feel like we match when we're out together. Maybe that's shallow of me, but I was so self-concious! I can't wait to see the changes and the healthy increases in strength. I look forward very much to time in the gym. It keeps me balanced and keeps things in perspective. Thank you again for your help!

[Boss Man]

The oatmeal should be fine then if that's what you meant in your original post.

In relation to your question about shrugs, if you're using 10lb dumbbells on side and front raises, then you should be okay to use that on shrugs. You might find you can go a bit higher, but that should be okay for starters.

Just remember never to use a rotating motion on shrugs as that can cause potential damage to the rotator cuffs. The best method is straight up and straight down, though some people like to you a momentary squeeze when the hit the top of movement, but it's a standard part of the movement, but you could do it if you wanted to.

The main things to remember are that you DESERVE to put the time and effort into yourself and you ARE worth it and if you keep believing in the whole process, I have no doubts you will go far and you will progress and develop into a person of even more strength and beauty than you probably are already and we as a community will certainly support you all the way whenever you need us .