Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Weights

Help me incorporate weight lifting into my current fitness routine.

reticulatedspline — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:03:37 -0800

How can I successfully incorporate weight lifting into my current fitness routine? Backstory: was overweight for much of my adult life. Was around 220lbs at the start of '07, and dropped down to 160 since then. Mostly this was done through dieting but I have been doing yoga about 2 to 3 times a week for the past year, and about 6 months ago I upgraded to hot yoga (hot vinyasa flow, to be specific).

In terms of how I want to look, I'm pleased weight-wise, but I'd like to have a bit more muscle mass. Nothing insane, just a slight increase in bulk to help me more pleasantly fill out those size small tshirts I can now (finally) fit into.

That in mind, I wanted to start doing some weight lifting.

A few questions:

-I've been told I need 48 hours minimum to let the muscles repair in between sessions. Does this mean no yoga during this time, or just no weight lifting? I have tried to research this, but have heard a lot of mixed things. Some are saying yoga helps restore some of the lost flexibility, some say it actually hinders the muscles getting bigger. Does anyone have anything scientific that puts this issue to rest?

-Is hitting each muscle group once a week (i.e. like chest/shoulders/back on one day then arms/legs on another) enough to see results in any reasonable time period, or should I be doing 4 total days a week, hitting each group twice?

-Diet-wise, I'm still hoping to shed a bit more of my body fat. I'm currently at 10% (down from 24%, boo-yah) but I'd like to get that down another 1-2%. I've been on a diet of about 1300 calories a day (with weekends off) for a long while, but I understand that calorie restriction can hamper the repair process. What's a good amount of calories to aim for to continue to lose the fat but to still supply the muscles?

-Protein. I know I'm supposed to have a big dose of it in the 30 minutes or so after I work out, but do I need to also up my protein intake throughout the entire 48 hour recovery period? I've also heard one or two people mention extra protein leading up to a workout. Is this essential or just for the hardcore?

Big man workout system?

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:44:40 -0800

I need a workout system for a BIG man. So, I'm 6'8" and about 380lbs. I'm most certainly overweight, but not as much as those numbers would make it seem. The best shape in my life was when I was 18 years old and just 300lbs and I was wrestling and running many miles a day.

I'm looking for a programthat will help transform my fat into muscle. I recently quit smoking, so my cardio is pathetic at the moment. I'm also open to any SAFE supplements.

I have a membership to a very, very nice YMCA with full weight room, nautilus, pool, track, and aerobic center. They also offer pilates, spinning, and step classes.

I've started taking yoga in the mornings to increase my flexibility and core strength. My goal is to see a marked improvement in around 2-3 months. I have a long vacation planned and would really like to see some results.

How to improve my workouts while visiting family?

mizrachi — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:54:21 -0800

What's the best way to take my workout routine to the next level while spending ten days with my family? As it is, I do cardio six days a week and perform a very basic weightlifting routine every other day. I've seen gains and I'm getting stronger and more muscular but I know there's more I could do.

Since the chances of eating poorly and working out less while visiting family on Long Island are great, I've decided this visit would be a good time to push myself more than ever.

I'm considering: crossfit, a personal trainer, a revised, more difficult workout routine, an increase in my weights and time on the elliptical, etc.

What would you recommend?

Dumbbells vs Barbells

Vorteks — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:18:05 -0800

Is there any reason that barbells would be indispensable from a serious stength-training program? Or are dumbbells just fine? I've been wanting to get serious about building strength for a while now, and after reading a question about workout routines yesterday, I've pretty much decided to try the StrongLifts 5x5 routine. One question though: it seems a lot of these programs pretty much assume that when you're doing squats/deadlifts/bench press/etc that you'll be using a barbell. I don't have barbells, but I *do* have dumbbells. I've always thought that dumbbells would be better. Especially since I'll be lifting while alone in my apartment, if I run out of strength while doing bench presses or something, it seems like I'd be less likely to kill myself using dumbbells than barbells. But at the same time, if barbells are necessary to get the full effect of the exercises, I don't want to be shooting myself in the foot. Does it make a big difference? Why would one use barbells over dumbbells, or vice versa?

Thanks Mefites.

Soreness in outside of lower leg during squats

stopgap — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:20:00 -0800

I am getting soreness/discomfort in a strange place while doing squats: on the outside of my right leg only, 4-6 inches above my ankle. I'm returning to weightlifting after a year off with unrelated shoulder injury, and this happens with very little additional weight beyond just the bar. Should I be stretching, starting with less weight, or something else?

Why is this workout better that this other one?

smelvis — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:38:01 -0800

What's the benefit of multiple sets of one exercise at a time vs. one quick set of several exercises repeated? The guide I'm following lists the following as a good weight-loss workout:

5 min. cardio, then one quick set of about 8 different exercises (bench press, ab crunchs, squats, etc.), then repeat twice.

I've always heard that you should do one exercise at a time, 3 sets of 10-15 reps. What is the benefit of one over the other? I'm in good shape, outside of a my middle-age tire around my belly, and want to lose 5-10 lbs.

I would like to start working out during my lunch hour.

heeeraldo — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:47:19 -0800

Help me plan a lunch-hour workout. There's a gym in my office building, and I've decided to use it on my lunch break, which will mean I spend less time puttering around malls downtown, I bring lunch more often, and I get in to better shape.
I'm not too worried about cardio, as I am doing the 6 weeks from couch to 5K thing.

The gym itself is decently equipped with free weights, cardio machines, a bunch of the not-free-weight machines and a couple of balance balls/yoga mats.

I'd like to figure out a routine or a number of them I can rotate through (which is better?) for four workouts a week which take up no more than 30-40 minutes altogether, as I need time to eat, change, shower, etc.

Thanks in advance, gang!

What is a normal amount of weight gain to expect in strength training?

cavalier — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:23:42 -0800

[ExcerciseFilter] What's a good target for weight gain in strength training? Not to say body building, but general fitness-level training. I can't seem to find a clear resource for equating weight training to muscle mass. After many years of a sedentary life, I took on strength training 8 months ago. It's been a blast, and I'm kicking myself for not doing it sooner. It looks like I've been gaining around 1lb/5 weeks or 15 sessions. Does this seem appropriate? I did not have any significant weight to lose when I started and my fat % measurements appear to be holding steady (16% avg).

I guess I became concerned because I hadn't been paying attention to my scale for a long while and now I've noticed I'm about 4-5 pounds bigger than I was pre-strength. I'd like to attribute this to the excercise if I can, otherwise the only other angle I see is too much protein.

Did I just tell the internet I had weight issues?

How to get ripped?

four panels — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:20:28 -0800

What are some basic exercises to get ripped in the style of Fight Club Brad Pitt or Tupac, not the steroid style Arnold/body builder type? Assume I am an idiot regarding lats, delts, and physiological terminology, because basically I am :) I do curls and flat-on-the-bench butterflys with 30lb dumbbells, and I run every other day. Should I do the rowing machine? The pull down bar lat machine? Stick to all free weights?

I guess if someone could point me to a basic regimen that I could understand, I will be able to stick with it. Thanks!

Muscle building for the lazy home body

zaebiz — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 06:11:58 -0800

What is the best way for a fairly unmotivated but still moderately fit guy with a lot of time on his hands to build upper body mass in the comfort of his own home?

Workout Filter: Help me assess my weight lifting workout.

prior — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:22:28 -0800

I've been lifting weights for a long time, but recently decided to switch from the machines to mostly free weights and cable lifts. I've done a lot of reading on the subject, and have cobbled together the following routine that seems to be giving me some results, but I wanted opinions on what muscles I might be missing/which exercises might be superfluous. I'm a 26 y/o female, 150 pounds, looking to build muscle. I'm doing this workout four to five times a week, alternating arms and legs days. I do a fair amount of walking but am not really doing any cardio on top of this.

The arms workout is as follows:
(sets x reps x weight)
Machine: Tricep pulldown 3 x 10 x 50 lbs
Lat pulldown 3 x 10 x 70 lbs
Row 3 x 10 x 60 lbs

Dumbbell bench press 3 x 10 x 20 lb weights
Bicep curls 3 x 5 x 20 lbs
Overhead tricep curls (holding one dumbbell over my head) 3 x 10 x 20 lbs
Dumbbell row 3 x 10 x 20 lbs
Squats 3 x 10 x 20 lbs bar

And the legs workout:
Lunges 3 x 10 x 20 lb dumbbells
Machine: Back hyperextensions 3 x 10
Situps 3 x 20
Conventional deadlift 3 x 10 x 50 lbs
Machine: Dips 3 x 10 x 80 lbs
Squats 3 x 10 x 20 lbs bar

Any ideas on how to improve this? I am trying to pay attention to form and have found that any more weight degrades my form. Also important to note is that I go to the gym at a high-traffic time of day and am a bit intimidated by the huge muscle-bound men using some of the more “serious” machines. I also don't have a spotter.

I know about the wonderful stumptuous.com but would be very open to suggestions of other women-friendly weight lifting sites.

What do I need to know about creatine?

Who_Am_I — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:27:39 -0800

I bought a bottle of creatine powder and I want to know how to use it properly. I'd like to hear your advice/experiences. I'm doing weights 2-3 times a week, full-body workouts each time. After my workout I have a protein shake with milk, and my only supplement is fish oil for Omega3.

Should I just take the creatine on days that I work out? Can I take it afterwards with my protein shake?

I'm 5'10" and ~145lbs. (and slowly rising), how much should I be taking at a time?

Do I take a certain amount per day/week forever, or do I do "cycles"?

I'm a vegetarian, do I need to take that into account?

I know I need to drink "a lot" of water, how much is a lot? I drink about 1 liter a day right now, as well as a few cups of tea.

I've seen a few people say that they suffered permanent kidney damage from using this stuff(!), are they mis-attributing their problem or overdosing, or is this a real risk for a normal user? I recently had a physical, all my functions (kidney etc.) and levels are in normal ranges.

Is there anything else I should be aware of? Side affects? Dangers?

Muscle Fatigue

alcoth — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:02:47 -0800

Should I proceed with my routine workout if the particular muscle group in question hasn't fully recuperated? I recently increased the amount of resistance I'm using across the board during most of my lifting exercises. My last increase yielded muscle fatigue/"failure" after my normally self-prescribed 10-12 reps per set. I've been seeing decent gains but of course, my body eventually got used to the weight and it wasn't as intense of a workout. So, I upped the weight again (~15%). This time, as opposed to last time, I am actually getting soreness from the workout that lasts for more than my typical 48 hours. After a few days pass, I am still a bit sore when the day for the same muscle group comes around. Usually I'm a fast healer, and recuperate quick enough for the next workout of said muscle group so in the past six months I haven't had to deal with soreness lasting this long. I read a lot about rest time and proper healing. I don't mind being sore, but should I delay one more day when the same muscle group still hasn't completely healed? Or is it okay to go ahead and work that group again?

Just as a side note, my diet hasn't changed (except a small increase in intake, still healthy foods though) and my day-to-day work load is still the same.

I just don't want to adversely affect any work I've put into this, and appreciate any opinions/help. Thank you!

minimalist home workout tips

mecran01 — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:34:42 -0800

I'm looking for a single book on exercises I can do at home without any extra equipment that will help me build some muscle mass and definition while (hopefully) losing weight. I'm 40+, 6'6, 225 lbs and an ectomorph. I'd like to gain some upper body muscle mass and definition without using any weight machines. Dumbells would be ok, but I don't have room for a weight bench.

I'm familiar with Shovelglove but would prefer something in book form that emphasizes a wider variety of exercises, and is geared at the absolute n00b.

A pull-up bar also falls within the range of minimal equipment purchases, although honestly I can't even do one pull up right now.

I feel like Popeye with a bulgy gut

brandnew — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 05:14:32 -0800

The best way to develop muscle without weights? About 4 months ago I was a slightly overweight 210 lbs @ 6' tall. I had a nice amount of muscle mass and somewhat of a bulgy gut. I had been doing a regular weight training program over the past several years: heavy weight, slow reps of 8. I would work out at the gym 3-4 days a week, and occasionally I would mix in a jog or an elliptical session.

Then, my schedule at work changed, and it made making it to the gym much more difficult. Also, I had wanted to lean myself out for some time. So, I decided 4 months ago I to switch my exercise routine to jogging, yoga, walking, calisthenics.

Now, 4 months later, I'm down to 182 lbs (yay), but I look like crap. Most of my previous muscle mass in my shoulders, chest, and back has withered away. However, oddly I've retained a good amount of muscle in my arms and legs. But, my waistline hasn't changed at all. Now I just feel like a skinny guy with a gut .

Obviously I want to change things up so that I develop more muscle, especially in my shoulders, chest and back. However, going back to weights will be difficult. I can't make it to the gym regularly, and I don't have the space for my own weight equipment.

What can I do?

Hip hip hooray OR it's hip to be square

ludwig_van — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:24:11 -0800

Why is squatting causing pain in my hips? I'm 23 years old, 6', and weigh 150 lbs. I've been following the stronglifts 5x5 strength training program for 6 weeks or so. This entails performing 5 sets of 5 reps of squats 3 times a week, adding 5 lbs. each time. In my last workout I squatted 130 lbs.

When I started squatting my legs and glutes would be really sore afterwards. For the last couple of workouts I haven't felt that soreness so much, but I've developed a lot of pain of a different sort in my hip joints. I feel it most of the time, but especially when I try to rotate my leg by pointing my knee outward. When I squat I feel a sharp pain in my hips right around when I hit parallel, which tends to keep me from squatting as low as I should be.

I've watched lots of videos and read lots of descriptions of proper squat technique and I've been doing my best to follow it. So what am I doing wrong, what should I do now, and how do I prevent this in the future?

What happened to my knee, and how can I exercise around it?

Who_Am_I — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:01:04 -0800

Should I seek additional physical therapy for my mysteriously injured knee, and how can I continue to work out in spite of it? Last year, around September or October, I injured my knee. I was playing a lot of racquetball at the time, but I don't remember any specific incident causing it (like coming down on it funny or twisting it). It swelled up a little and for a few weeks it was painful to squat down, or go up or down stairs. I went to the school physical trainer and she said something about leg muscles firing out of order because of the injury, gave me some light physical therapy to do and told me to ice it a lot which I did. It has slowly, slowly gotten better since then, but bending the knee past ~20 degrees with any weight on it still hurts a bit. Walking normally is fine, stairs are almost ok but I can still fell it. I asked my doctor about it a few weeks ago and he didn't seem concerned, but we were covering a lot of stuff (initial visit with a new doc). So part (a): what happened to my knee, and should I seek additional physical therapy or just give it more time?

Interestingly, I discovered that running is not hindered by, and does not aggravate, the injury. So I've been running 3-4 miles at a time, with no ill effects, but I feel like I'm getting to the point where I need to be doing some lower-body weights to improve my stamina and speed. I've been going to the gym regularly and just doing upper body stuff, but when I try to do squats or leg extensions my knee hurts a lot and I have to stop. Is there any way to improve my leg strength with my hurt knee?

Fighting Blubber—The Gym Reassurance Questions.

wildrain2008 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:06:36 -0800

Fighting Blubber—The Gym Reassurance Questions. INFORMATION:
=================

Background: So here's the deal, during late high school and early college I hit the gym on and off for a month or so, always breaking my routine and never getting the the exact point that I wanted to reach—which was getting cut like B. Lee but with a bit more mass.
After college work left me drained so even though I had time to hit the gym after.. I rarely did.

Negative Result: The result of not hitting the gym was not so much as getting overweight (I have a relatively fast metabolism) but rather the addition of blubber... that fat over the 6 pack and the love handles and especially Gluteus Maximus.

Resolution: After a year I switched jobs (on my new job 5 months now) and I've forced myself to get back into shape—watching my diet and resurrecting my gym routine. My current weight is 190lbs, I guess that's not so bad for a guy who's 5'11. But there's definitely has room for improvement from what I've read.

The Stalling: So I've been hitting the gym 3 days a week for almost 2 months now. My routine involves 30 mins of jogging or stationary bike, followed by 45 mins to an hour of weight lifting.

Weightlifting Routine breakdown:

Bench Press: 3 sets/ min 127lbs max 157lbs
Lat Pull Down: 3 sets/ min 90lbs max 100lbs
Sitting Bicep Curl: 3 sets/ 22.5lbs
Tricep Pull Down: 3 sets/ 40lbs
Dumbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets/ 30lbs
Butterfly: 3 sets/ 110lbs
Shoulder Machine: 3 sets/ 70lbs
Glutes Leg Press: 3 sets/ 260lbs
Abb Death Circuit: 3 sets of: hard medicine Ball leg lift, large medicin ball crunches (lying on top), standing oblique lifts (45lbs each side)

Positive Results: I've noticed definition on my body in general and the showing of the 3pack lol upper abbs.

Again my goal still remains to: to get cut up but have a bit more mass than just the average kung-fu fighter lol.

QUESTIONS:
=============

I know that 2 months at the gym is a short time for me to expect major results, but I would really love to get rid of the blubber that is still covering the results that I'm trying so hard to improve (aka the muscles and the tone that is slowly appearing.. again very slowly lol).

1. How many moths do I have to wait to see substantial results aka the evaporation of this darn flab?

2. Is there anything I can do to improve the weight loss but not damage my other goal (building mass)?

3. My brother after a year of swimming completely transformed his body, would adding maybe 1 or 2 days of pool to my overall routine damage or improve the results I'm striving towards?

END NOTES:
============
I told myself this time that I'm never quiting gym again.. and it looks like I've caught the gym bug as I get antsy (like an addict) towards the end of my work.. to get back into the gym.. :)

Andy advice is always helpful.

Need Help with lifting program and supplementation

Ezrie — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:49:52 -0800

I have been training seriously for about 1 month now. I am 28, 5'11" and weigh about 240 (lots of flubber.) I have noticed that I am putting on good amounts of muscle and adding good strength as well (the beginner effect I guess), as well as losing inches of my waist. I am hoping for a little help with my program and supplementation. My Program is as follows

Monday, Wednesday (all 4X8):
Deadlift
Front Squat
Good mornings
Calf Raises
Shin Raises
Reverse Lunges

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (all 4X8):
Bench Press
Lat Pulldown (prone)
Lat Pulldown (supine)
Barbell Curl
Hammer Curl
Face Pull
Dip
Shoulder Press
Concentration curl
Overhead tricep extension

My questions are as follows:
1)Are there any glaring holes in the program?
2)Can anyone suggest an order to progress through the exercises? Right now I usually do them in a random order different almost every night (except I always deadlift first on leg days, and I try to do the compound movements first on all days)

As far as supplementation, I currently have a whey protein shake with 60 grams of protein after my workout, in addition to two other shakes in the day for another 40 grams total. I also take flax seed oil in pill form and one tablespoon of fish oil in the morning. I also just bought creatine powder and bcaa and have no idea when to take them or how much to take.

I am not sure if I am timing the supplements correctly, or if I am over/under doing the supplements in general. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

running and weights

honeyx — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:22:11 -0800

Is it best to weight train before or after a run? I would like to add weight training to my fitness regimen. Since I only have one period during the day on weekdays that is available for me to exercise in, the weight training will have to either be immediately before or immediately after my run. Does the timing matter? Is one more beneficial than the other?

How lazy should I be after working out?

bluejayk — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:18:48 -0800

Is it okay to swim after weightlifting? I've recently started lifting weights for the first time ever. I want to get back into the kind of shape I was 5-8 years ago. Just about everyone now says that you gotta lift some. Okay, I looked on AskMe and read about ExRx.net, and I started a 2-3 day a week full body plan. It's good, I like it a lot more than I thought I would.

However, the part of working out that I have always loved and missed when I stopped is swimming. My new gym has a swimming pool and I'd like to swim 2-3 times a week. I usually swim somewhere between 300-600 yards, nothing super intense, but it does make my arms tired.

My question is this: If I swim on my 'rest' day after weightlifting, is that ruining my recovery? I just swam this afternoon, the day after lifting, and my upper body is feeling a weird kind of enervation (no pain). How restful does my recovery have to be? Obviously I don't need to lay in bed all day the day after a workout, but I'm not to clear on what constitutes proper recovery.

Thanks in advance!

Weight, weight, don't tell me...

Unicorn on the cob — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:06:53 -0800

Cardio isn't doing it for me. The diet change is working verrry slowly, but I want to lose 10 pounds. Problem is, I can't lift anything heavier than 15 pounds, so is weight training even an option? Long story short: I was born with a hole on either side of my spine around where my shoulder blades are. My father and grandfather also have this same defect. I used to do Golden Gloves boxing when I was 21, and hurt myself pretty badly by straining a muscle one day. Because of the holes, when I strain a muscle in my shoulders, it swells INTO the hole, not outward, making a squeaking noise every time I move. The pain is excruciating and it typically (in the two times I've stupidly managed to do this) takes 2-3 months to heal. Bonus: I'm allergic to painkillers of all kinds, except Darvocet, and even on that I wake at night crying from the pain when I'm "squeaking". So definitely, absolutely NO free weights larger than small dumbbells for me. The doctor said specifically that I am banned from lifting ANYTHING heavier than 15 lbs. above my head... ever.

I keep hearing and reading that weight training plus cardio is the only effective workout. I've been doing hours upon hours of cardio for almost a decade now and can't seem to break a certain weight barrier. I regularly work out for up to two hours at the gym doing the elliptical, stairs, rowing machine, treadmill, stationary bike, even a few of the weight machines. I've cut back my calories, but want to build muscle in order to help break my fitness plateau. What do I do? Kettlebells? Resistance bands? Help! I'm fairly destitute, so cheaper is better (i.e. a video workout and implements are yay, classes are boo). My main goal is to avoid hurting myself and improve my overall fitness, so if you have a DIY method, even better.

Help me get my brain pumped up.

Tbola — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:32:12 -0800

I watched "Pumping Iron" again a couple of months ago. I was surprised at how inspiring some the training scenes still were to watch. (Yes, I'm aware it was a docu-drama, not a documentary.) Any recommendations of other good dvds that might be a source of training inspiration? It doesn't have to be bodybuilding training necessarily - just something that will make me want to go to the gym and grunt.

I have to become an athlete for one night: what do I eat?

grumblebee — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 08:57:58 -0800

My boss has challenged me to complete some sort of marathon workout at his gym. I'm not very athletic, but if I can finish, my boss will buy all his employees an expensive steak dinner. I need tips -- especially as to what/when to eat. The workout is at 8pm tonight. The workout is a combo spin class and weight-lifting course. It's only one hour long. Apparently, you ride the bikes for a while (alternating tension), then you stop, lift weights for a while, and then get back on the bikes. And it continues to alternate this way for the whole hour.

It seems you have some control over how heavy the weights are, which is good because I never lift weights and have low upper-body strength.

On the other hand, I ride a stationary bike (very fast) for an hour every morning.

I've only ever worked out in the morning. This event is at 8pm. I got a good night's sleep last night, and so far I've only eaten a power-bar for breakfast. I'm drinking a lot of water.

What can I do to maximize my changes of getting trough the workout. Eat before? Don't eat before? Carbs? Proteins?

I will be at work all day, so I can't do all that much prep. But I will be able to control what and when I eat.

Effexor and Iron

Tbola — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 18:50:55 -0800

I was on Effexor for about a year to treat my depression, during which time (for the first time in 7+ years) my weight training came screeching to an abrupt halt. (My energy level just wasn't there anymore, nor was I able to focus enough to be able to have a satisfying workout.) Anyways - I've been off that stuff since late September, and for the last few months I've been attempting to make lifting weights part of my regular lifestyle once more.
Problem is - even after a few months, my strength just doesn't seem to want to come back.
Coming back off of a layoff, I expected to start out weak, gain strength fairly quickly, then plateau. My plateau seems to be at the "weak" level, however.
I'm keeping my workouts very bare-bones with just the basic moves (presses, deadlifts, etc.) and six days of rest before working the same muscle group, to avoid over-training.

So, I guess I have two distinct questions. (I hope that's not cheating.)

1) To any past Effexor users: has anyone else had a similar experience, either in the initial drop in energy level, or the difficulty in getting back in shape?
2) To everyone: any ideas for "kick-starting" my failing attempts to regain my strength?

(I'm 34 years old - in case that matters.)