How do I effectively gain more muscle through strength training?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 50, 5'5 and 130lbs. I've been running 3-5 miles, 4x a week for 10 months and I probably lost 2lbs. Regardless, I need to add strength training.

Generally I eat eggs, lean protein, lots of fruits & veggies. My weakness are coffee creamer, peanut M&Ms in the office kitchen and I dislike drinking water.

Yesterday's breakfast: 1 egg, 1/2 sweet potato with 1 Tbsp peanut butter, a large coffee with 1 Tbsp sugar & milk

Lunch: baked salmon belly, 1 cup steamed zucchini, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, green tea, a couple handfuls of peanut m&m

Dinner: 1 egg, 1/2 zucchini baked with egg/bread crumbs, 1 glass of red wine

How do I effectively gain more muscle through strength training? Should I get a personal trainer or join a fitness group at the gym? Between work and kids, I only have 2 evenings a week for the gym.

That's a starvation diet. You need FATTY MEATS and plenty of protein. Fruits are a waste and fructose is very bad for you. Eat a few vegetables for fiber. Take a vitamin.

Eat more, take some steroids if you really want to gain, otherwise up your meat intake to over a pound or two a day.

[Anonymous]

55 year old female I do full body 3 times a week. This takes me about an hour.

Roman chair lower abs - 3 sets of 20 reps with 30 seconds dead hang
Sit-ups on slanted sit-up bench - 2 sets of 25
Tricep pull down 3 sets 45 lbs
Kettlebell goblet squat 3 sets of 12 35 lbs
Plie with kettlebell 3 sets of 10 35 lbs
Assisted pull up 3 sets
Dumbbell curls 25 lbs 3 sets
Seated dumbbell curls and push up 2 sets 15 lbs and 1 set 10 lbs
Seated quad machine 3 sets 140, 150 and 160 lbs
Hack squat machine 3 sets 140, 150
Inner thigh leg press 2 sets 120 lbs
Outer thigh leg press 2 sets 120 lbs
Ab push machine 2 sets 85 lbs
Oblique/waist turn machine 70 lbs 3 sets of 10 each side
Chest press machine 50 lbs 3 sets

[Anonymous]

Progressive overload and enough protein and calories to support muscle growth

[Anonymous]

1 egg is not enough. Try 2 with egg whites.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't sound like you're eating enough. You have to eat calories to build muscle. Up your protein intake. You only need to lift heavy at the gym a couple of days a week.

[Anonymous]

You have to lift as heavy as you can. Even if it's one or two reps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to lift as heavy as you can. Even if it's one or two reps.

That low of reps only builds neuromuscular strength, not mass. Still good to do, but if only lifted like that, you'd get very strong but not gain much of any size.

[Anonymous]

I feel like I get dumber reading these posts.

Women, especially older women have to consume a lot of protein for strength training.

Why is protein so important?

Amino acids. Particularly leucine, valine, and isoleucine, are required important for muscle growth.
Issue is as a supplement, we have not really figured out how to deliver them safely and consistently without messing up other parts of our metabolism.
You have to eat a lot of protein to get them.

We have figured out one amino acid that helps in muscle fibers recovery safely- creatine. Humans cannot eat enough fish or red meat to deliver this amino acid typically. As it has more of secondary role in muscle development and brain health it has way less impact on our metabolism in general.

Your muscles convert creatine into phosphocreatine, which stimulates the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which provides your body with energy for short, explosive bursts of exercise.

So, you have to have a high protein diet; but odds are it is not enough. If you can eat a lot of protein and keep your A1C at safe levels consider yourself lucky.

For most of us working out and the right diet (and if needed some proven supplements) are required.

[Anonymous]

Generally you eat lean protein you say? Your protein in your sample meal was egg (7g each) and salmon belly (more fat than protein).