From someone who is disorganized and discouraged, I would love advice on weight-lifting/building muscle. Would you share your understanding of building muscle and the breakdown of diet?
If possible, could you share how you apply what you know to yourself? If you use any tools to help you?
Struggled with working out, gaining weight, and eating my whole life. Thanks!
prefacing this with some important info for fellow disorganized scatterbrains!!!!
the main reason why ppl have trouble sticking to a lifestyle change is because they try to make very drastic changes too quick, and you get overwhelmed and it becomes unsustainable. this is especially an issue for neurodivergent folks, and since it's Tumblr I assume a good chunk of y'all are (me too dw)
DON'T immediately overhaul ur diet and hit the gym 5x a week from day 1!!! hitting tiny goals consistently is also more rewarding than working towards one very large arbitrary goal that you might not reach, esp when it comes to working out. start veeery small if u need to, such as only 10 bodyweight squats per day like i did and go from there. you wanna program ur brain into feeling accomplished to keep you motivated. patience is key!!!!
ok!! now onto the more detailed info below
Disclaimer: I'm still a newbie myself!! only consistently lifting heavy for about 3 months as of this post. I did a good deal of excessive info diving on lifting using the power of Sheer Autism, and my main gym buddy is very experienced & taught me a good chunk of this shit so shout-out to my pal for making all this possible xoxo
so good news!! "building muscle" is very easy for beginners starting from zero. newbie gainz are absolutely real. at this stage you can do just about anything at the gym and get stronger bc u can only go up. BUT!! if you structure it, you can make the process enjoyable and much more efficient. if you're goal oriented (lookin at u ADHD menaces), you'll love the concept progressive overload.
PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD & SETS/REPS
wikipedia defines progressive overload as: a method of strength training and hypertrophy training that advocates for the gradual increase of the stress placed upon the musculoskeletal and nervous system.
in layman's terms, it just means gradually adding more weight as you work out to increase the difficulty as you get stronger. progress is VERY easy to track because of this, and you'll be hitting PRs pretty much every week for the first couple of months and that shit feels fantastic because you physically feel yourself getting stronger so rapidly. I use the app Strong to track my workouts.
so, how do we structure progressive overload? that's through sets/reps.
A rep is a single execution of an exercise. 1 squat is one rep. 2 squat is 2 reps. and so on.
A set is a collection of reps.
The format is Sets x Reps, for example: 3x5 means 3 sets of 5 reps.
You will rest between sets, and it's typically anywhere from 1 minute all the way up to 5 minutes depending on the level of exertion/type of training you are doing. Heavier weights mean longer rest periods and vice versa.
WHERE DO I EVEN START??
For those interested in barbell training: the r/fitness beginner routine is pretty good! I also recommend 5x5 stronglifts. both are very straightforward, but also note the typical olympic barbell is 45lbs. If this is a weight you struggle with, you can begin with bodyweight exercises, dumbbells, or machines at the gym which are all very BEGINNER beginner friendly. especially when it comes to legs you're probably much stronger than you think. Most people can squat 45lbs first try. don't be afraid -- you're standing on those things all day, they can support hella weight.
Like I mentioned earlier, don't be afraid to start veeeery small and work your way up from there. I started at home with doing only bodyweight squats without the barbell, then added on benching with light 7lb dumbbells after a week, then impulse signed up for a gym membership a month later and began to go there to use equipment and now i'm deadlifting over 100lbs as a tiny girl that previously was too weak to even lift a 40lb dog. it snowballs quicker than you think once you gain confidence in your own body and its abilities!
WOAH I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SQUAT/DEADLIFT/BENCH/THIS IS SCARY AND IM FUCKING UP
If you can, i highly recommend getting a personal trainer to assist you, or tag along with a gymrat pal to show you the ropes. This page is also a good resource to learn specific lifts. otherwise, youtube is your best friend. you can record your sets and compare your form to form tutorials on youtube, and actively take notes on what to change the next time you work out. Be an active learner!!! be aware of what muscles are engaged when you lift and how your body feels.
almost NOBODY gets it right the first time, esp with barbells. we've all made fools out of ourselves at the gym as beginners it's chill. i find people at the gym are very nice and willing to help you out if you're struggling, and people don't judge at all-- it's very easy to get in your own head in these spaces but most humans there are supportive and want you to succeed, especially since it's a hobby they are also passionate about. the more you do it, the less anxious you get. exposure therapy is very effective!!
Also, almost all the barbell exercises can be replaced with smaller dumbbells, and you can do them at home if you get your own set + a workout bench (pretty cheap if u get secondhand, check facebook marketplace/craigslist). i got mad social anxiety myself so i understand sometimes you just can't, and this is an option for those that find public spaces overwhelming.
DIET
I personally don't think specialized diets/precise macro tracking is super duper important for newbies/casuals, only moderately important (spicy take for some but whatever). but you probably naturally will take an interest in diet once you realize it'll help you perform significantly better in the gym. the only macro i track is protein.
You can use a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator to roughly estimate the amount of protein you need for maximum gainz. it's usually around .7-1g of protein for every pound of lean body mass (weight that isn't fat mass). Imma be real it's pretty hard for me to hit the recommended protein goal and most days I don't because my appetite just can't kick in for the amount it demands, and protein is super filling. I found that if i decreased the amount of carbs i eat, i am able to consume more protein bc i guess there's more room in my stomach lol.
i eat a fuck ton of greek yogurt, chicken, fish, and tofu. when i started working out, i begin cooking a lot more and found i naturally craved less processed junk foods and snacks because the protein was keeping me full all day which is a plus! Even when im not regularly hitting my protein goal my gym progress is still going well and I think it's simply because my diet is A LOT better than what it used to be in my gremlin days.
I also eat a lot more now that i've gained a bit of muscle, so do be prepared for food costs to go up as your metabolism increases and demands more energy to upkeep your gainz.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR ME TO LOOK LIKE A MUSCLE MOMMY????
a whileeee. over a year, probably, unless if you're on anabolic steroids (dont ever do that u will quite literally die). and physique is mostly from diet since it's dependent on your body fat percentage, the saying "abs are made in the kitchen" is true. its why you see hyper skinny terminally indoors gamer dudes with abs, even if they'd snap in half if you farted in their general direction. those mfs barely eat they too busy being gamers
i am no longer interested in lifting for aesthetics personally since i get more joy from hitting PRs and i'm pretty content with my body image, but ik physique is the reason why most people get into lifting so i'll touch on it.
Weightlifting on its own will not make you lose weight or fat. Again, it needs to be supplemented with a healthy sustainable diet (DO NOT DO CRASH DIETS THAT SHIT IS GARBAGE) and a form of cardio.
I actually gained 8lbs since I began lifting from water retention & new muscle mass (muscle is more dense than fat, your body retains water when repairing muscle after a gym sesh) but my measurements and pants size have remained the same. I'm short, so something as small as a 5lb increase usually bumped me up a pants size but it didn't this time bc im gettin swole :') if you want to track physique changes, measuring your waistline & progress pics is a better way to do so than the scale.
If you want bigger muscles, look into hypertrophy training. it's a tad different from strength training, mainly because you do higher reps at a lower weight.
hi!! im a baby lifter and i have a bunch of questions about concealing. 1st is how did u conceal that checkered journal? basically how do u conceal big things. and also if you take something and conceal it in a blind spot/changing room and the staff realises its missing they will just check the cams and see u took it and left without it. also its nowhere found in the store. how do they not catch you? tysm and happy roleplaying!!
Wow I'm not on this blog enough haha this is an old ask.
How did I conceal the checkered journal?
I did not, but if I did hypothetically I would put it into a large bag like a tote bag, or slip it into the back of my waist band and a tight shirt. (In a blind spot)
2. How do I get away with staff noticing me concealing?
This is SUCH a great question my answer will probably be controversial, considering I haven't been immersed in lift media online. It's just something I learn how to get better at with time. I would like to clarify I live in Appalachia, so not everything is brand new tech like in TX or NY. And it affects peoples behavior and suspicion of others. LOCATION MATTERS. But I don't think the workers are even pay that close attention to you, and if you are missing something you had before. That is not their job, its loss prevention's. They do not care enough to check security footage to see if somebody stole a keychain. (That can be a lot of footage to sort through!) but not being on footage in the first place helps a lot! fitting rooms are the HOLY GRAIL. I conceal a lot of stuff in there and I'm suprised how little they are talked about online. also learning blind spots in stores helps alott. but sometimes I just conceal infront of the camera. It's about being quick and leaving before they can catch you. Because once you're gone, there is really not much they can do especially if its not your area and people don't know you.
I really hope this helps you guys!! F LARGE BUSINESS
*feel free to add on!!! (Remember these will almost always be at least somewhat opinionated answers)
1.)
Q: Should I conceal on floor or in a fitting room?
A: Fitting Room ALWAYS unless there are none or for certain stores that make this an exception (EXAMPLE: if they count all your clothes before AND after you are in the room and take all of your items either to put away or to put at the register after leaving)
2.)
Q: Ulta or Sephora for high end makeup?
A: Ulta ALWAYSSSS!!!! They have a no chase policy and are NOT allowed to accuse you of shoplifting unless they actually SEE you conceal the item AND leave the store with it. Cameras almost never monitored. Sephora for palettes since Ulta started that bullshit fancy tag thing. But be EXTREMELY careful, not for beginners. (Beginners you can find untagged palettes at Ulta. Smaller ones, sale ones, and usually Tarte or brands less famous for their eyeshadow are not tagged.) Sephora monitors their cameras, has LP, and can chase. Will prosecute. MAJOR TIP: they stay open about 10-15 minutes after closing time if there are still customers. You can go I at 6:50 and if they close at 7 you can usually shop until around 7:10 unnoticed. Use this, security should be clocked out a while ago and everyone is too busy closing up to really give a shit UNLESS they find you suspicious so don’t be suspicious and be FAST!! But Ulta. As much as possible. Only including other tips because some brands are only sold at one store and those stupid tags etc.
3.)
Q: Easiest stores to do this at in your opinion?
A: (NOT doing these in any sort of ranking okay??? Just a list!!) Ulta, Staples, Pacsun, PINK, Victoria’s Secret, Forever 21(better always and in other stores if you can get in an open room while the attendant is distracted or gone!), TJMaxx, Famous Footwear, Albertsons, Spencer’s, Wal-Mart, Adidas Outlet(be careful- tags have RFIDs! Remove or rip tags. If ripped, hide somewhere like a pocket or shoebox for something you don’t want), Starbucks or Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (referring to products on the shelf/snacks on shelves), McDonald’s & Taco Bell (referring to using a card that gets declined after trying to buy like one cheap thing and they will 9/10 just give it to you because it has to be thrown away anyways.. especially ice cream or soda), Wendy’s, Hollister (I used to work there so DM me your Hollister bullshit lmao basically no chase policy, must see you conceal, and still can’t accuse you of being a thief), Brandy Melville, Urban Outfitters (ONLY if you own a magnet ok??? Otherwise sunglasses and tights for u), American Apparel (be careful rags have RFIDs in them!) FEEL FREE TO ADD ON!
4.) Conceal in shopping bag, purse, or on person?
Guys I gotta go imma finish this later lmao bye love ya 💋
"Lifters are just helpless victims of capitalism uwu it's cuz we're poor."
You don't write about stealing a loaf of bread so your baby sister can eat. You write about your Sephora and Forever 21 hauls. Go fuck yourselves, get a job, and I hope you all go to jail. ❤
There is... fermented soybean called natto? Smells foul. Stringy, DO NOT WANT. Also... Russian dish that translates in English to herring under fur coat? Did not care for it as a child, will not make it now. It is... herring salad with layers of vegetables to make a coat? Very popular dish around the New Year.
Hi! Regarding your lifting post, I wanted to ask since I'm a gym newbie. I don't really wanna get 'muscular', just mainly tone up and I've got a lot of weight to lose, but apparently I need a lot of protein (like 190g a day) unless I want my body to consume muscle mass instead of fat. How would you recommend getting close to that protein goal for someone who lives with other people who don't need to eat that much protein and also doesn't have the time to cook two different dishes for each meal? Would protein-high snacks help? Or powder?
Thank you!!!
it's VERY hard to get super muscular unless if you're intentionally working towards that, i.e. pro bodybuilders. don't even worry about it, especially if you're just starting out. that kind of physique takes like 5x a week training with pretty strict diet tracking. saying "i don't wanna lift too hard, I might get too muscular" is like saying "I don't wanna learn piano, I might accidentally compose an entire symphony". it just won't happen unless if it's intentional with the skill & knowledge to do so.
you don't have to absolutely reach your protein goal every day especially if you're just starting out. just focus on increasing the amount of lean healthy protein in your diet, and once you begin to plateau with your gym progress is when you can begin tracking your protein intake more precisely to increase it. I found that hitting only about 80% of my recommended protein goal was still effective for me, so I hover around there. I'm not very strict on my diet since im just a casual.
protein powder is good in smoothies, but it's really not necessary unless if you're struggling with protein intake. it's better to get it in with actual foods. personally I eat a lot of chicken breast/eggs/fish/tofu/various types of beans and lowered my carb intake so that I don't get full as quickly, it gives me more room to eat protein lol. meal prep is also a great option, I reccomend josh cortis on YouTube who specifically makes high protein meals.
ok I'm getting a sudden fuck ton of asks about working out so reply to this post with any questions and I'll respond to them here so I don't clog up y'all's dashboards lol
do you have any tips/suggestions for bodyweight workouts for those of us without acces to weights/ a gym?
a doorframe pullup bar is only around $20 and you can do quite a bit with it (despite its name it's versatile for more than just pullups!), I keep one on my bedroom door. if ur unable to do a pullup/chinup you can modify it with resistance bands (p cheap too at around $10-30) or begin with deadhangs/negative pullups (research proper form or you'll fuck up your tendons). I also see people working out at my local playground during after hours to do bodyweight calisthenics on the bars lol
I would research calisthenics routines too and I've seen people get pretty damn shredded doing those with minimal weights. there's other options like power yoga/pilates with plenty of routines on YouTube. as long as you stay consistent and track your progress anything will work great.
I kinda get bored with most bodyweight exercises tbh bc I enjoy the heavy exertion you get right off the bat with lifting, so I can't give a super in-depth answer sry :(
