Rethink Your Workout Routine

MARIA V., STOCKTON, CA “I’m a 44-year-old grandmother. I weigh about 68 kilos. I work out three days a week, focusing on the upper body. My goal is to lose weight and sculpt muscle all over.”

OUR EXPERT SAYS

Congrats on being such an active grandmother! You’re working out often enough to meet your weight loss and muscle development goals but need to focus on the quality of your training and nutrition. For workouts, try to include compound (multijoint) exercises for upper and lower body, done at a high enough intensity that you feel fully fatigued by the end of each set. Progression is critical: Every four weeks, increase the weight while hitting the rep counts outlined here. To help keep your diet on track, use a food log. I would also recommend emphasising your protein intake. Protein is an enormously valuable macronutrient responsible for supporting tissue repair and muscle growth and retention.Add in a whey protein post-workout shake.

—EVAN SHY, OWNER OF SHYTOWN

WORKOUT LINGO

periodization

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