Building Muscle - My Diet and Exercise Plan

So my weight is almost up to 120 but my BF% has also increased... it works out to about 2 lbs of muscle gain, 3 pounds of fat gain. Not great. Time to change a few things, namely:
1. Stop eating like a heifer on weekends... just because I'm trying to create a calorie surplus doesn't mean I should be consuming massive meals, cake and wine every weekend.
2. Try some new workouts; I'm trying a new class today taught by the instructor who teaches my weekend classes; she does lots of strength training (higher weight, lower rep) in her classes mixed in with bursts of intense cardio.
3. Do some more reading/research about muscle building. If anyone has any good books on this subject to recommend, that'd be much appreciated.

Okay, so now that I've gotten that reality check out of the way.

Monday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2)
Snack - chocolate milk
Lunch - avocado, spinach, egg and cheese in a whole wheat tortilla
Snacks - Vita muffin, apple
Dinner - soba noodles with vegetables
Snacks - carrots and edamame hummus, greek yogurt and blueberries
Workout - Body Pump

Tuesday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Snack - Greek yogurt and blueberries
Lunch - leftover soba noodles
Snack - carrots and edamame hummus
Dinner - bean pasta with parmesan cheese
Snack - banana and skim milk
Workout - RPM

Have I recommended "Starting Strength" or "New Rules of Lifting" to you yet?

SS has some of the best instruction on the big basic compound exercises - much better than most internet resources and even most fitness instructors can or will provide. The program itself is primarily focused on maximal strength, but will produce muscle gains with appropriate nutrition. That said, I wouldn't recommend following the very brief nutritional recommendations in the book, which add up to about 5,000kcal/day :| Even if you never do the program, the technique instruction is priceless.

NROL (and NROL4W [NROL for Women]) is a good resource with a variety of exercise programs. It doesn't matter if you go for NROL, NROL4W, or both - the first thing you'll read in NROL4W is that women should be training the same way men train, so the programs should all amount to the same overall results.

You're already doing bodypump regularly. The best thing you can do to build muscle is to progressively increase your load. I think the normal recommendations in bodypump are to increase the weight every 6 weeks. Instead, until you get the courage to go out onto the gym floor (and then discover that it's really not so bad after all), focus on increasing weight as often as possible (without sacrificing form). I'd aim for an increase in weight every week if possible, even if it's only the smallest increase available.

Just to make a point on progression, if you have a look in my own journal on here, about a year ago I squatted 35kg. Once I was squatting 60kg+, it was getting hard. Initially I was aiming to increase weight - just by the smallest amount possible - every session. Above 60kg, I've stalled many times, had to reset the weight and work back up. I've had health issues and time out of the gym completely, setting me back further. As the weight's gotten heavier and heavier, I've had to slow down progress from day to day to aiming for only once a week, and not always getting there each week. Now, where you're currently at, you have so much more potential for improvement than I've got. Last I heard, you were squatting 12kg. I honestly think that if I were training you and we took you out of pump classes and got you on the gym floor, I could have you squatting 40-50kg by the end of this month just started, possibly more, just by adding the tiniest bit of weight onto the bar with every session.

It's the most basic of muscle building techniques. Lift a weight. Eat. Recover. Lift slightly more weight. Repeat. It's not super fun or interesting, it's not glossy or cutting edge. It's boring and simple. But it works.
 
On the right path!

Hi everyone,

I'm Christine and I'm a long time lurker here. My current goal is to build muscle and increase my upper body strength. I recently lost 15 pounds and found it was pretty easy in terms of figuring out how much to eat and exercise, but when it comes to building muscle I'm not entirely sure what to do. The current plan is to eat more and do more strength training but I imagine it's more complicated than that and there's bound to be some trial and error involved. With that in mind, I want to keep track of my progress to see what works and what doesn't and also to get feedback from people who know more about this than I do ;) So here goes...

Current stats:
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 115lbs
Body Fat: 20.3%
Current workouts: 3 strength training sessions per week (usually Body Pump), 2-3 cardio sessions per week (I mix it up between spinning, step, sports conditioning, running and boot camp... can you tell I get bored easily?) and occasionally a yoga class
Diet: 1800-2000 calories per day, trying to cut back on refined sugar
Goal: I don't have an exact goal weight I want to reach, I just want to be able to see a bit of muscle definition in my arms and abs... in other words, I'll know it when I see it!

Here's what yesterday looked like:
Breakfast - Almond butter on whole wheat toast, skim milk and an apple
Snack - Greek yogurt with blueberries
Lunch - Peanut shrimp with bok choy, carrots and egg noodles
Snack - Carrots and hummus
Dinner - Spaghetti squash with roasted tomatoes and beans
Snack - Rye crackers with peanut butter
Workout - 50 minutes RPM (interval based spin class)

Hi Christine,

You're doing terrific. You seem to have a good quality diet with a nice combination of quality protein, carbs, and fats. Body Pump is fun and fabulous for building muscle and raising metabolism. If you're looking to build the upper body faster I'd do a few extra sets of upper body after class focusing on the areas you're concerned about. Also keep your protein drink handy as your muscles are craving that after the Body Pump and you don't need the body cannibalizing itself or becoming catabolic. Awesome job!

Fred B.H.K. Certified Trainer
 
I've heard of NROL but not Starting Strength. I always prefer reading actual books instead of stuff off the internet, so I'll check those out for sure.

NROL (and NROL4W [NROL for Women]) is a good resource with a variety of exercise programs. It doesn't matter if you go for NROL, NROL4W, or both - the first thing you'll read in NROL4W is that women should be training the same way men train, so the programs should all amount to the same overall results.

I noticed the same thing with the Men's Health Big Book of Exercises and the Women's Health Big Book of Exercises... both books are practically identical, page for page, except one has a male model and the other one has a female model. Basically, just playing on women's fears of "bulking up" and repackaging a "men's" workout program as one designed for women. Oh well, can't hate on good marketing!

Last I heard, you were squatting 12kg.

15 kg now ;)

I honestly think that if I were training you and we took you out of pump classes and got you on the gym floor, I could have you squatting 40-50kg by the end of this month just started, possibly more, just by adding the tiniest bit of weight onto the bar with every session.

I've talked to my brother-in-law about going with me to the weights area and he said we could probably go this week if our schedules sync up... I think I'll feel better going for the first time with someone who knows what they're doing. I'm trying to get my sister on board too but she says she already knows how to do free weights and doesn't need any help (she's of the 3lb dumbbell persuasion). But until I get comfortable with a free weights routine, I'll definitely continue to focus on increasing the Body Pump weights every week.

Hi Christine,

You're doing terrific. You seem to have a good quality diet with a nice combination of quality protein, carbs, and fats. Body Pump is fun and fabulous for building muscle and raising metabolism. If you're looking to build the upper body faster I'd do a few extra sets of upper body after class focusing on the areas you're concerned about. Also keep your protein drink handy as your muscles are craving that after the Body Pump and you don't need the body cannibalizing itself or becoming catabolic. Awesome job!

Hi thanks so much for the encouragement! :) I've started to drink skim chocolate milk after Pump, or some other high protein/sugar, low fat combo -- like a banana and skim milk or low fat greek yogurt and berries. I wasn't paying enough attention to post-workout nutrition in the past, and I've noticed I've been feeling a lot better lately post workout.
 
And now onto the last couple of days....

Friday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), skim milk, apple
Snack - banana and skim milk
Lunch - whole wheat tortilla with egg, spinach, avocado and cheese
Snack - strawberries, Vita muffin
Dinner - the boyfriend really, really wanted Taco Bell. I figured that once we're married, he's in for a life of whole grains, vegetables and lean protein, so I could probably make this one concession... I ordered the Crunchwrap Supreme, which at first glance seems like the worst thing on the menu - it's a hard taco, wrapped with a soft taco and filled with ground beef, lettuce, sour cream, salsa and something that vaguely tasted like melted cheese. But I figured it would be the most filling option for the least amount of calories (550). I could've ordered one of their "Fresco" items, but they are so small and depressing; what's the point, if I would just be hungry and have to eat again in a few hours? So I went with the Crunchwrap Supreme and while it was kind of vile (in theory anyway... it tasted pretty good), it did keep me full all night.
Workout - Body Attack

Saturday:
Breakfast - peanut butter and banana slices on toast (2), skim milk
Snack - 1 cup skim chocolate milk
Lunch - chicken, Brie cheese and mushroom crepe, garden salad; coffee with milk (2 cups)
Snack - apple
Dinner - went to Real Sports Bar & Grill in Toronto to watch the UFC fight (first UFC event in Toronto so it was a pretty crazy atmosphere downtown). I had a few loaded nachos (I'd like to attribute only eating a few to discipline, but it had more to do with the fact that I was sharing with three hungry guys... I didn't stand a chance) and for my main, a portobello mushroom sandwich with a side garden salad. Yeah, I was the girl at the sports bar eating a salad... such a cliche, but I'd already had one greasy hot mess of a meal this weekend and I wanted something a bit more clean. I also had a couple of beers.
Workout - Body Pump. I think this is the last week we're doing the latest release (hopefully, it's getting a bit played out) and I'm back to my regular 10kg weight for the back track (I had lowered it because of the new "power press" move in this release). Other than that, I added 2kg for triceps. Will increase squats and lunges next time.
 
Sunday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Snack - banana and skim milk
Lunch - lasagna, small serving of potatoes, salad with oil and vinegar
Dinner - caught a case of the Sunday night lazies and picked up some Amy's palak paneer with basmati rice and beans
Snack - strawberries
Workout - 6.5 km run
 
Monday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Snack - banana and skim milk
Lunch - egg, spinach, avocado and cheese in a whole wheat tortilla
Snack - Kashi bar
Dinner - jerk-spiced tilapia with brown rice and chickpeas
Snack - strawberries
Workout - Body Step and Body Flow (mix of yoga, tai chi and pilates... not really my thing but I was craving a nice stretch this morning)

I've started reading New Rules of Lifting for Women and I'm liking it so far. The author uses a very straightforward, no B.S. approach, which I always appreciate. Looking at the exercises, they really aren't anything different from what I've been doing in Body Pump and some of my other fitness classes, except I would be using heavier weights in the weight room. I'm planning to start stage 1 of the program next week. My main concern is figuring out how much weight to use (I'll start by using a bit more weight than what I've been using in Pump and adjust accordingly) and finding a time when the gym isn't too crowded.
 
^ Excellent :)

One relatively simple way to figure out your starting weights (and this is the way specifically used in Starting Strength) is to start with the bar and do all your intended reps with good form. Then rest briefly, and add a little bit of weight to the bar (how much will depend on how heavy the bar felt, how good your form was, and the exercise in question). Do all your reps again. Rinse and repeat until the bar speed slows down or technique would break down if you went any heavier (obviously, this can be a tough call to make - when in doubt, err on the side of caution). Then stay at that weight and do all your remaining work sets.
 
Yesterday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Snack - greek yogurt and blueberries
Lunch - leftover tilapia with brown rice and chickpeas
Snack - 1/4 cup almonds
Dinner - spaghetti squash with olive oil, grape tomatoes, navy beans and cheese
Snack - banana and skim milk
Workout - RPM

So I've decided to start stage 1 today instead of doing Body Pump. I can be quite the little procrastinator so I figure I can put it off until next week (or until someone can show me around the weight room or until I've done more research, etc., etc.) or I can just go today by myself and get it over with.
 
Success! Here's what I did today:

NROL4W - Stage 1, Workout A

Squats - 2 sets, 15 reps. I used only the bar, which I think was 20kg (?).

Alternating sets (2 each):
Push ups - 15 reps
Bent over row - 15 reps, 20 lb bar

Alternating sets (2 each):
Step ups - 15 reps per leg holding 10 pound dumb bells
Jack knife with stability ball (8 reps)

The whole workout, including the warm up and stretch, took about 30 minutes, which felt strange to me because I'm used to hour long classes. But I worked up a decent sweat and predict I will be sore tomorrow. I need to get over the mentality that for a workout to be effective, it has to be time consuming lol...

So now that I've gotten over my weight room phobia and have found a fairly straightforward program to follow, I can focus on adding more weight.
 
Wed:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Snack - 1 cup skim chocolate milk
Lunch - leftover spaghetti squash; strawberries
Snack - baked tortilla with salsa
Dinner - shrimp, bok choy, carrots and egg noodles in peanut sauce
Snack - Kashi bar
Workout - NROL4W Stage 1, Workout A (above)

Today (rest day):
Breakfast - PB and banana on toast, skim milk
Snack - Kashi bar
Lunch - leftover shrimp and egg noodles
Snack - Greek yogurt and blueberries
Dinner - whole wheat pita with beef and vegetables
Snack - almonds
 
Just did workout B.

Deadlifts - 2 sets, 15 reps using olympic bar

Alternating sets (2 each)
Dumbbell shoulder press - 15 reps, 10 lb dumbbells
Lat pull down - 15 reps, 18kg

Alternating sets (2 each)
Lunges - 15 reps each leg holding 10lb dumbbells
Stability ball crunch, 8 reps

The only thing I'm struggling with at the moment is the olympic bar. I think it's too heavy for me; the undersides of my forearms are killing at the moment, which obviously is not the area that should be hurting after deadlifts. I've never had this problem after doing deadlifts before so I think the weight is too heavy?

It wasn't as bad when I did squats the other day but I still found it really difficult/awkward to manouvre the bar. Like I'm not entirely sure how I'm supposed to remove and replace the bar on the rack (I know for squats you're supposed to duck under it and place it on your shoulders but I can't figure out how to adjust the height for this purpose) but what are you supposed to do to pick it up/replace it for deadlifts? My gym is not heavily staffed in the morning (as in there is only one person working the front desk) so I couldn't really ask for help. I definitely need to bring the bro in law next time I go (which will be Wed because I'm planning to do Pump on Sunday) before I injure myself. Ugh, I feel like such a dummy...
 
Friday:
Breakfast - peanut butter and banana on toast
Snack - skim milk with two scoops of protein powder
Lunch - whole wheat tortilla with egg, cheese, spinach and avocado
Snack - almonds
Dinner - vegetarian chapchae, 1 beef rib, small serving of vegetarian red curry with rice
Dessert - glass of wine, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream with strawberries
Workout - NROL4W Stage 1, Workout B

Saturday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast, apple
Snack - 1 cup chocolate milk
Lunch - ~1/2 cup each of quinoa and kamut power blend from Whole Foods, broccoli and chicken
Snack - Vita muffin
Dinner - chicken satay skewers (4), eggplant stir fry, ~1/2 cup rice
Workout - 40 min. step aerobics followed by 20 min. of light weights. I didn't really feel like doing weights because I was sore from Friday, but I checked with the instructor first and found out we wouldn't be working any of the muscles that were hurting... we did bicep curls, some weird variation of squats that work your quads more, and a plie squat with hammer curls... nothing too strenuous and I kept the weights light (no more than 3kg) so I would consider it a rest day for strength training. I'm feeling much better this morning!
 
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Sunday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast, apple
Snack - protein shake (1/2 banana, 1 cup skim milk, 2 tbsp protein powder)
Lunch - 2 slices focaccia bread w/ olive oil, 3-egg omelette with smoked salmon, sundried tomatoes, feta cheese and spinach, garden salad, cup of coffee with milk
Dinner - turkey cutlet with salsa, 1/2 baked sweet potato w/ butter
Snack - Vita muffin
Workout - Body Pump. Increased weights to 17kg for squats and 10kg for the chest track. Squats went well, chest presses not so much – I had to skip a few reps at the end but I think I’ll be able to make it all the way through next time. We didn't use the bar for triceps or lunges, so I didn't get a chance to add for those two tracks; my shoulders were still a bit sore from Friday so I kept my usual weights there. Same for the back/hamstrings and biceps tracks.
 
Just did workout B.

Deadlifts - 2 sets, 15 reps using olympic bar

Alternating sets (2 each)
Dumbbell shoulder press - 15 reps, 10 lb dumbbells
Lat pull down - 15 reps, 18kg

Alternating sets (2 each)
Lunges - 15 reps each leg holding 10lb dumbbells
Stability ball crunch, 8 reps

The only thing I'm struggling with at the moment is the olympic bar. I think it's too heavy for me; the undersides of my forearms are killing at the moment, which obviously is not the area that should be hurting after deadlifts. I've never had this problem after doing deadlifts before so I think the weight is too heavy?

It wasn't as bad when I did squats the other day but I still found it really difficult/awkward to manouvre the bar. Like I'm not entirely sure how I'm supposed to remove and replace the bar on the rack (I know for squats you're supposed to duck under it and place it on your shoulders but I can't figure out how to adjust the height for this purpose) but what are you supposed to do to pick it up/replace it for deadlifts? My gym is not heavily staffed in the morning (as in there is only one person working the front desk) so I couldn't really ask for help. I definitely need to bring the bro in law next time I go (which will be Wed because I'm planning to do Pump on Sunday) before I injure myself. Ugh, I feel like such a dummy...

You'll find the sorest bodypart after deadlifts is often whichever muscles are weakest. I've found that at different times in my life I've felt it more in the glutes, or hamstrings, or lower back, or upper back, or hands/forearms, all depending on which muscle group/s struggled the most to get the weight up. Forearms will often be the weakest link; not surprising really considering the size of them compared to all the other muscles used. If you can keep your spine in a neutral position, chest up, shoulders back, back and core tight, and keep the bar against your body throughout the whole lift without coming too close to dropping it, you're probably good to go. If you do feel like the bar's going to slip out of your hands, maybe you'll need a lighter bar (or maybe you just need some chalk?).

Jsut to make sure you're clear on squats, the bar should be set up to be at mid-chest height in the rack. Depending on the rack, there may be adjustable pins in the uprights. At my gym, they have a very basic key in the back of each pin that you pull out to unlock the pin, then move the pin up or down the notches.

With the deadlift, you don't really need to use the rack. If you're doing Romanian Deadlifts, you might have the pins set to around mid-thigh height and rack/unrack the bar from there. But in a conventional deadlift, the bar should be set ~20cm off the ground, and you should pick it up directly from that position. I find (with the equipment I have at my disposal) this works better outside of the rack, with 3 step up blocks underneath the bar on either side. Once you get up to the 20kg/45lb plates when deadlifting, the plates themselves will boost the bar up to this height.

I imagine my writing isn't very clear right now (trying not to just type a wall of text on how to set up and do the deadlift here), so if you need a clarification, I wrote an article on performing the deadlift last month that's probably a little more concise.

Anyway, no point feeling like a dummy. Everyone starts somewhere. You'll be queen of the gym in no time, don't worry ;)
 
Thanks... your post and the linked article were both very helpful (and perfectly clear :)). I think I might need a lighter bar for deadlifts but I'll give it another go with the olympic bar next time I do workout B. Thanks again for all of your feedback and help!

Monday's diet and exercise:
Breakfast - peanut butter and banana on toast (2)
Snack - 1 cup chocolate milk, apple
Lunch - egg, avocado, spinach and cheese in a whole wheat tortilla
Snack - Vita muffin
Dinner - home made pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, eggplant, zucchini and grilled chicken
Snack - almonds
Workout - 6.5 km run
 
Tuesday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast, apple
Snack - almonds
Lunch - leftover pizza
Snack - yogurt and blueberries
Dinner - pasta with beans and parmesan cheese
Snack - banana and skim milk
Workout - RPM

Back in the weights room tonight!
 
Wednesday:
Breakfast - peanut butter and banana on toast
Snack - almonds
Lunch - turkey, lettuce and cheddar cheese in a whole wheat wrap
Snack - carrots and edamame hummus
Dinner - no-butter chicken with zucchini and brown rice
Post-workout - protein shake (1 scoop powder, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, 1 cup skim milk)
Workout:
Squats - 2 sets, 15 reps. I used the same bar as last week without adding any weights; I'm still getting used to the feel of the olympic bar compared to the body pump bar.

Alternating sets (2 each):
Push ups - 15 reps
Bent over row - 15 reps, 40 lb bar... I think 40 lbs is too heavy for me but the 20 lb bar I used last week was too light. The obvious solution would be a 30 lb bar.... except that there wasn't one.

Alternating sets (2 each):
Step ups - 15 reps per leg holding 15 pound dumb bells
Jack knife with stability ball (8 reps)

Last night, before my workout, my bro-in-law showed me around the weight room at the co-ed gym (wayyyy bigger than the one at the women's gym I usually go to... shocker) and showed me how to adjust all of the racks. We were there in the evening and the place was packed with big guys lifting some serious weights, but I proceeded to do my little circuit anyway. After that, I think hitting the weight room in the women's gym at 7 in the morning when there are like two other middle aged women there will be no big deal at all. I definitely feel a lot more confident about the whole thing now.
 
Just did Workout B again and it went much better than last week. Whoever used the bar before me left it on the floor outside of the rack so I didn't even have to move it... normally it's a pet peeve of mine when people don't return equipment to its proper place but today I appreciated this person's laziness.

Today's weights:

Deadlifts - 2 sets, 15 reps, olympic bar

Alternating sets:
Dumbbell shoulder press - 2 sets, 15 reps; used 15 pound dumbbells for the first set but couldn't finish (I was very close... I got to 14) so I used the 10 pound dumbbells for the second set.
Lat pulldown - 2 sets, 15 reps, 20.3 kg

Alternating sets:
Lunges - 2 sets, 15 reps per leg holding 15 pound dumbbells
Stability ball crunch, 2 sets, 8 reps

Yesterday's food:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast
Snack - Kashi bar
Lunch - leftover no-butter chicken with zucchini and brown rice
Snack - blueberries
Dinner - whole wheat pita with grilled chicken, vegetables and tzatziki sauce
Snack - Vita muffin
 
Friday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2 slices)
Post-workout - protein shake
Lunch - edamame, rainbow roll
Snack - skim cafe misto, almonds
Dinner - miso soup, salad, bibimbap (Korean stone bowl with fried egg, ground beef, bean sprouts, carrots, onion, zucchini, 1/2 c. steamed rice and hot sauce)
Workout - NROL4W Workout B

Saturday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Snack - chocolate milk
Lunch - spinach, egg, cheese and avocado in a whole wheat tortilla
Snack - Kashi bar
Dinner - 8 oz. hamburger with garden salad; pint of Heineken
Workout - 30 minutes step aerobics, followed by a quick strength circuit of two exercises repeated twice, with two minutes of jump rope in between: lunges with back leg elevated holding 3kg dumbbells (10 each leg); jacknife/push up with stability ball (10)
 
Sunday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Post-workout - chocolate milk
Lunch - pork souvlaki with tzatziki sauce, small greek salad, roast potatoes and ~1/2 cup brown rice with peas
Dessert - small slice of mango mousse cake
Dinner - shrimp and couscous salad with olive oil, lemon juice, grape tomatoes, cucumber and feta cheese
Workout - Boot camp (60 minutes):

Cardio interval: shuffle 4 counts left, touch the floor, 4 counts right, do 3 jump squats, repeat for 1 minute, then go the other way

Combination #1: (repeat x2)
Scissor jumps and bunny hops (alternate 8 seconds each for 1 minute)
Plank with side row (1 minute each arm with 8 push ups in between)

Cardio interval: 1 minute jumping jacks

Combination #2: (repeat x2)
Squat jumps and burpees (5 of each, then 4 of each, then 3, etc.)
3 plank sliders followed by a push up (repeat for 1 minute)

Cardio interval: 2 minutes quick step ups

Combination #3: (repeat x2)
Sumo squats (pulse for 20 seconds, hold for 10, repeat x3)
Mountain climbers (1 minute)
Ninja rolls (1 minute)

Core:
High plank, touch left elbow with right hand, alternate (70 seconds)
Oblique crunches (1 minute)
Scissor abs (1 minute)
Superman pose (1 minute)
 
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