Introduction — why I started weight training
In 2019, I was hit with the sudden news that my mother became ill. I was shocked and confused about how she got sick as none of my family members has the illness. I also noticed that in terms of my own health, I was not sleeping well and lacking the energy to go through my day.
I started weight training in May 2019 with the goal to be stronger and healthier. Like most women, I was afraid of looking too bulky and skeptical about the whole process, but with guidance and trust, I slowly ease into the bulking phase. Our body and mind are the most important foundations in all areas of life, and we have to take it more seriously especially at a young age.
When I first started in May 2019, my weight was 112 lbs with 23% body fat. At the end of November 2019, I was 120lbs with 25% body fat — that’s 8lbs of gain. I was weight lifting 4 times per week and 1 cardio exercise per week.
There were times when I didn’t feel like eating and lifting weights and questioned myself if I’m on the right path. Nevertheless, with persistence, I have started noticing that my muscles started to grow and most importantly I feel strong mentally and happier. My friends would comment on that I look firmer and cuvier on my glutes. Since I have been called “skinny” all my life, this is truly a compliment.
Below I would like to share my beginner bulking exercise program. Please keep in mind that everyone's body is different, and what works for me may not work for you. Please consult a professional trainer or nutritionist if you wish.
Before I dive into the details, I would like to highlight why weight training is important for women.
Fact: Women who don’t exercise can lose anywhere from 3 to 5% of their muscle mass each decade as a result of inactivity. (source)
- Studies show that doing strength training can increase bone density. Developing strong bones reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis and decreases the risk of bone fractures later in life.
- Building muscle helps to more effectively burn calories which in return reduces body fat.
- It also corrects your posture and prevents any lower back pain.
- Finally, you will feel radiant and confident inside and out because of a good workout.
Compound Exercises
I started off with mostly compound exercises because they are simple to master and time-efficient while working on multiple parts of the body instead of one part at the same time! For example, the deadlift works on your glutes, legs, and back at the same time.
My weekly routine looks like this
You need to alternate days to work out your lower and upper body because your body needs time to recover in order to build muscles.
Lower Body Exercise — 1 hour
As a beginner, you can pick any of 4 main compound exercises and master them well as they are the fundamentals for building strength.
Go for 8–15 repetitions / set
Repeat 3–4 sets
1 min rest between each set
- Kettlebell Goblet Squats — target quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes
2. Romanian Deadlift — target back, glutes, and hamstrings
3. Dumbbell Lunges — target quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes
4. Cable Pull Through — target glutes, and hamstring
5. Barbell Hip Thrust — targets glutes, calves, and quadriceps
TIP: I use Jefit app to track my weights and reps for my exercises. Tracking works for me because it keeps me accountable and makes sure I’m pushing my limit each time.
Upper Body Exercise — 1 hour
Same as the lower body. Pick any of the 4 compound exercises below.
Go for 8–15 repetitions / set
Repeat 3–4 sets
1 min rest between each set
- Push Up — target chest, triceps, shoulders, abs
2. Assisted Pull Up / Pull up — target back, traps, shoulders, abs
4. Dumbbell One-Arm Row — Target back, traps, and biceps
5. Dumbbell Bench Press — Target chest, shoulders, triceps
6. Wide Grip Lat Pulldown — target back, traps, shoulders
7. Cable Rope Seated Row — target back, biceps, shoulders
Cardio
Cardio makes your heart strong and helps to burn fat. I would recommend to pick your favorite cardio activity, and make it fun! It could be playing basketball, badminton, dancing, walking, or swimming.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Our body needs fuel to perform these exercises. Without proper nutrition, our hard work would not translate to those muscles.
If your goal is to gain weight, you would need to increase your calories, which is to have a calorie surplus by eating more than what my body needs to function. A healthy weight gain is to gain in the 0.5lb to 1 lb per week. (ref).
If your goal is to lose weight, you would need to decrease your calories. This is called a calorie deficit, which I will not go over in this blog post.
I use Myfitnesspal — a free app to track my macronutrients. You can enter your current weight and goals. It will calculate roughly how many calories you should be consuming each day.
Tracking my food made me more mindful of what I was eating. To make sure I eat enough protein, I started each meal with protein first, then add carbohydrates and healthy fats. In the beginning, since I was naturally skinny, it was hard to put on the extra weight and I didn’t feel good about constant eating. When I tried adding one extra meal or smoothie in a day, I had more energy throughout my day and I feel good about what I’m eating. Peanut butter banana smoothie is my favorite smoothie which contains 300 calories.
Other than food intake, please make sure you drink at least 2L of water and sleep 8 hours every day!
Mind
I love the rush of endorphins after each workout. It makes me feel good. I love my body before but weight training makes me feel more powerful inside and out. I feel awed at times about the weights I can lift and how my body transforms. It took me about 3 months to actually see results by sticking with the plans. I learn to be kind to myself and trust the journey it takes.
“Health is wealth”. Focus on what feels great to you. Don’t forget for being you and love yourself! It’s the journey and how you feel that matters!
What’s next for me?
From December 2019, I have started to focus on cutting — meaning having calorie deficit and losing a little bit of fat. I would like to cut my fat percentage down from 25% to 22% while keeping my muscles in order to stay lean in the following 3 months. While body fat percentage is hard to measure, I will track my performance by tracking increases of weights.
I’m learning as part of my weight lifting journey. If you have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me.
