Please help! - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

PrincezAnjali · 03-28-2004, 06:09 AM

Hi, I'm a seventeen year old girl who just recently got into somewhat decent shape. I was overweight, I started eating better and running and lost about 25 pounds. Now I run 4 miles a day, and feel great, but 25 pounds may have been a bit much to lose. I want to start adding weight training to my exercise regimen, and with this I want to gain weight in muscle mass, to increase my metabolism and weight more. I just have a few questions.
1. Should I start eating more immediately, on my first day of weights? If not, then when?
2. How long will it take me to gain a sufficient amount of weight, maybe, 7 or 8 pounds?
3. What pound weight should I start off with? I was thinking I'd do just a five pound weight, 2 sets of 12 reps, until I feel ready for more.
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

psuguy98 · 03-28-2004, 09:12 AM

Congratulations on losing 25 lbs

If you are new to weight training, I would suggest a full body workout for about 6 weeks or so ( 2-3 times a week). This will enable you to familiarize yourself with the various exercises and let your body adapt accordingly. You also need this time for your tendons and ligaments to adapt. I would use moderate weights until you feel comfortable with the movements.

Stick with the compoung movements such as squats, bench press, followed with the isolation movements like barbell/dumbell curls ...etc

You will have to eat more if you want to gain lean muscle, especially protein. There are many other facets to gaining lean mass, but these are a few of the basics.

good luck

Naxis · 03-28-2004, 09:23 AM

I wouldn't advise to start eating a lot more calories right away. Maybe add 100 or so a week until you hit your ideal intake, but I definitely agree with adjusting your current ratios so that you are getting enough protein starting asap. That will be very important to building and maintaining lean muscle mass.