I’m rather addicted to Instagram, and sometime in January this year – because of several IG posts – I became convinced that I should start weightlifting, so I messaged a friend who was very much into going to the gym and asked him to walk me through some exercises.
He told me, “No!” Can you believe it? The nerve!
Okay, that’s not actually what he told me…
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Two weeks ago, we talked about how I started moving my body. I unexpectedly decided that walking wasn’t enough.
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The Story
This is how it all went down. In the collaborative writing group that I’m in, I had made a friend who was very much into weightlifting. So I messaged him and asked him if he would walk me through what he did, so I could try doing it myself.
He did say,”No,” but he didn’t stop there. He continued on with, “Not until you get two sessions with a trainer so that you don’t get hurt. Then I’ll help you.”
That sounded very fair to me. I started by talking to my husband. In the past, we had talked about getting a fitness membership at a local gym, but we had never followed through. He decided that it was time to get one, so he, my youngest son, and I went to the gym and signed up. While we were there, I also asked them if they had a trainer that they recommended. They did. His name was AJ – and he is now a lifelong friend.
I left AJ a message, and he actually called me back – which in a small town feels like a rarity. We scheduled the first of two sessions. I came in – in my workout clothes – and AJ showed me the ropes.
It was – gasp – FUN! I mean, honestly fun! AJ is so easygoing. He just showed me how to properly work each machine and encouraged me. At the end of about an hour and a half, we scheduled our next session.
By the time I finished my second session, I was hooked. I mean, hook, line, and sinker! It was awesome! But I had a problem. AJ isn’t cheap. He’s a professional and charges an honest fee, but that didn’t mean that I had money just lying around.
I had gone home and told my online writing friend (Yeah – I met Carter the same way I met Sascha) that I had a blast! I had chosen to take all of my Christmas money (I hadn’t spent any of it yet), and buy 12 sessions with AJ. Carter asked me what I was going to do after that. I honestly didn’t know, but Carter did. A successful businessman from Texas – Carter paid my training fee for AJ for four months – until I got a raise at school. Can you believe it?
I’ve learned that if God wants you to do something, He will make a way – even when there doesn’t look like there is one to be had.
I still train three times a week with AJ. Working together (as of the writing of this article), I’ve lost 91 pounds since January 1st of this year. But I’ve done something even more amazing, and I fully credit it to AJ. I have gained muscle – even while on a GLP-1! AJ has told me that this is highly unusual. I’m not gaining a ton of muscle – but according to the body composition scans at my doctor’s office, I’ve gained about a pound of muscle most months.
The Weightlifting Deets 
So, what do I do when I train? AJ’s breakdown. I train three days a week. Day 1 is chest and triceps. Day 2 is back and biceps. Day 3 is legs and shoulders.
When I first started working with AJ, my friend Carter told me that he uses an app called Strength Log. I downloaded it. I only use the free version, but you can input your exercises, your weight, and your reps. Some of mine have funny names I’ve made up so that I can remember them like, “Assisted pull-up machine” or “Face pull.” No, I’m not actually pulling my face. It’s a shoulder exercise using an EZ curl handle with a cable machine. But the app keeps track of my exercises for me – so if AJ is out of town, I have a bunch of exercises to choose from – because I logged them.
Weightlifting Principles AJ Taught Me
1.) Start lighter than you think you CAN do.
2.) Start with 8 reps at a light weight.
3.) Rest for 1-3 minutes between sets.
4.) Do 3 sets of 8-12 reps for each exercise.
Other AJ tips
- AJ and I joke about my goal of building “pretty muscles” rather than training like a powerlifter. Because of my particular goals, he often has me working with moderate weights for higher reps instead of constantly chasing the heaviest weight I can lift.
- On some exercises, AJ changes my hand position or grip width to alter which muscles – or portions of a muscle – the movement emphasizes. Our goal in this is to build more feminine-looking muscles – instead of me turning out looking like a bodybuilder!
- Each day we work one major muscle group and one secondary muscle group. The major muscle group gets four exercises. The secondary muscle group (my terminology) gets 3 exercises, and I always finish with one ab exercise.
- Eat lots of protein. AJ gave me an eating plan. I was supposed to eat between 120 – 150 grams of protein every day.
It all felt very overwhelming at first, but AJ was amazing and patient with me! He (still) answers the myriad of questions that I have. He sets me up with each exercise, checks in to make sure that I’m doing them correctly, and encourages me throughout the workout process.
If you’re interested in learning a little more about weightlifting, AJ has a YouTube channel here.
Upcoming
Next week, we’re going to dive into Aris – the world of Contenders again. I hope to see you there.
But in two weeks, I’ll take you to the gym with me and walk you through one of my workouts from beginning to end—including what I lift now compared with where I started.
What about you?
Have you ever tried weightlifting? Did you love it, hate it, or decide it wasn’t for you? Leave a comment below and let me know. Let’s get healthy together.
