Workout and Diet Advice for Women over 45

Today I am sore. I am excited. I used muscles I had been avoiding; and at least I am admitting that here.

When it comes to body-building, I love sharing, and I love learning – and this week it was learning.

Because I had a recent birthday, my Gym offered me a session with a trainer. I hate missing out on something free, and upfront I leveled with the manager that I wouldn’t be signing up for the program they were marketing but would love some new ideas or a suggestion for a change in schedule. So if I could take advantage of the freebie with that understanding, then I was there!! He agreed to it saying he didn’t really think I needed a trainer – that he has seen me train and I work out hard and am committed.   But to keep me happy I was welcome to the Birthday session.  So we set up an appointment and he said he had just the trainer for me.

My concern is always that I will be frustrated with the trainer showing me weight-training 101 (I used to be a trainer doing just that, and it’s great for getting people on track, motivating people etc), and I was wanting much more than that.

Despite the skepticism, I am always on the lookout for advice and suggestions that will take me to the “next level”. I learned a long time ago that it doesn’t matter what level we are at, there is always the opportunity to improve, if we are open to it. This is true of business, sport, dance, chess, relationships or any other endeavor. And in the case of body-building I will always take the opportunity to enhance both my skill and achievement level. So it seemed worthwhile to spend 30-45 minutes of my time with a trainer, even if I learned only one new thing.

I lucked out!!  Someone new to the team, with a lot of experience working with professional body-builders, was now “taking it easier” in more laid-back San Diego and would be the person I would meet with. I still did not have high expectations and to be honest we didn’t hit it off immediately. I’d say we warmed to each other. We chatted for a bit to make sure our expectations were aligned – what I wanted to get out of the session, and what he was prepared to share in a one-off meeting. We agreed to focusing on one of my current workouts and getting his recommendations for changes. This made sense – though I wanted to have it all of course. So I had to think quickly what advice might be of greatest benefit to me – what body part we should work on.

What helped was that I put aside the desire to get a new take on arms or back exercises (some of my favorite areas to work), and admitted that “legs are my weak area”. Best thing I ever did. Got confirmation that I could be working my legs a whole lot harder (denial is such sweet bliss) and got a couple of new killer exercises.

I am so used to working in my zone, and the few people who do comment on my workout usually mention that I work strictly and I work out hard and well, or that I look good. (Be honest, we like to hear this occasionally, since we work so hard at it.) It was sobering that the trainer barely praised my physique – and said that I have some “nice definition”. I kept the perspective that his standard for comparison was likely a recent Mr/Ms Olympia. He did comment that my form was good, that I quickly picked up on doing the new exercise correctly, and that I incorporated the corrections he made to my existing exercises.

After we parted I continued with my workout focusing on the corrected technique and did a few sets of the new exercise. All I can say is that three sets “killed me” – I was panting after each. So yes, this confirms that “my usual” was no longer challenging me. I already commented on the “denial” and “bliss”!! And along those same thoughts, I later spoke to the training manager to give some feedback on my session. He has always been complimentary, and likely thought he was still offering praise when he said “your upper body is good – it is just your tush that needs work. You have ‘let that go’!” Now why didn’t someone share this sooner? (OK we don’t generally like to hear this type of comment.)

So some self analysis.  Have I simply ignored the signs of too much desk work? Well never too late to change, and the new challenge is invigorating!

Regardless of one’s experience, and how much we think we know, we can always learn something new – especially from someone with depth of training experience. And especially from someone who can be objective, and see things we cannot see as easily – like our behinds.  Thanks Chris and Lee.