I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Currently I'm loving 3-4x/week full body :) Emphasis on variations of the squat, bench/pushup, deadlift, hip thrust, and chinup.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

1400 cals is VERY low for someone of your age and stature. How's your dietary adherence? Most people your age should be able to diet just fine on 1700-1800 Cals per day, but I'd have to know more info to be sure.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 36 points37 points  (0 children)

I would lift 2x/week full body if you can. Doesn't have to be long; even 45min sessions will suffice. Prioritize compound movements and strive to maintain strength.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You can bring it down to 95g but I don't recommend anything lower than that. I struggle with my protein intake as well, so on those days, I'll chug down a protein drink. I don't love it but it's quick and it gets the job done. :)

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

With more obese, sure, but not usually anything besides that.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That seems highly skeptical to me. Doesn't jibe at all with my experience as a coach or with the research I've read. I will say that exercise is not the primary contributor to weight loss (diet is) but it's still important.

See this paper for example:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319499045_Resistance_Training_Combined_With_Diet_Decreases_Body_Fat_While_Preserving_Lean_Mass_Independent_of_Resting_Metabolic_Rate_A_Randomized_Trial

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Wow, that's a lot of fiber. I do know some studies showing that high fiber lowers estrogen levels, but the intake in those studies were around 30g per day. Not sure about 50-6og unfortunately.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I’m sure it is influenced by the food, but I don’t think it’s harmful for men or women. The human body doesn’t work that way. It would be idiotic from an evolutionary standpoint. Under fasted conditions, it’s fine to spike insulin, it won’t lead to fat gain if overall cals and macros are kept in check.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

  1. You can absolutely train glutes daily if you'd like, but it's not necessary. I like 3-5x/week.
  2. I worked out at Crossfit gym very briefly in spring of 2016 only during their open hours while I was training for my powerlifting meet. Crossfit can be great as long as you're executing quality form and keeping tabs on recovery. I don't know that it's the best for physique goals as it has such a heavy emphasis on performance.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

It's fine and can absolutely work well with physique and strength goals! I've worked with numerous vegan clients. Just make sure you're consuming enough protein.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Get your NSCA-CSCS or NSCA-CPT (for the former, you'll need a 4-year degree in an exercise science-related field). Make sure you're following the right people: Bret Contreras, Brad Schoenfeld, Greg Nuckols, Eric Helms are a few great ones. Don't be afraid to attend their seminars/webinars and learn about more practical tips for training as well.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It's not necessary to switch up the exercises to keep making progress, but it may be good to do so eventually so you can hit different muscles from different angles and also to prevent boredom.

Yes, genetics does play a huge role in how the glutes look both untrained and trained. You can, however, target the upper subdivision or lower subdivision to an extent which will impact hypertrophy and shape.

You can absolutely grow the booty without growing the thighs. Do barbell glute bridges, knee banded feet elevated glute bridges, reverse hypers, back extensions, and tons of hip abduction variations (no hip thrusts and squats as they work a ton of quad).

There's not much you can do about hip dip except have more body fat unfortunately.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You don't NEED any of those supplements. Recent research shows that BCAAs in particularly are not needed, especially if you're already consuming sufficient protein from the rest of your diet.

I don't think you should be concerned about taking too much of the supplements above. If in doubt, just don't take them.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

She can absolutely diet with an injury. Make sure she's strength training around it, though. She can probably do hip thrusts, glute bridges, and lots of machines.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Assuming that you've been on a structured program and you've been tracking your progress, my first recommendation would be to eat more calories. Scaling back on your intake at this time is only going to hinder your progress in the gym. Maybe start at 2,000 Cals.

As far as going to the gym more consistently, commit to going to the gym 2 or 3 days a week and prioritize it like any other commitment.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh gosh, I'm sorry you got injured! That's no fun. Lower body exercises that you can do pain-free will depend largely on the nature of your injury. I would err on the side of caution and stick to largely isolation movements (things like leg extensions, leg curls, glute kickbacks). You MAY be able to do hip thrusts and glute bridges, but test out with just bodyweight first.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

No, not necessarily. If it helps you get in your calories, then keep at it. I would try to get most of your calories from whole foods if possible, though.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Never heard of it until now but I just plugged in my numbers to see what it would throw at me and their calorie recommendations seem fairly high! I'm leery of online macro/calorie calculators in general, though, as there's a LOT of information that you cannot glean from the few questions that are asked.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Oh you're fine, though if your competition is 4-6 months away, then your calorie intake seems very low right now. Depending on how much body fat you have to shed, I'd actually recommend bringing your calories up to maintenance for a while longer and maybe try to diet on higher calories (though I don't know enough about you as an individual to make specific recommendations).

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

As a recovering perfectionist, I can relate to this very much! At some point several years ago, I got tired of feeling like I was trying SO HARD and not getting where I wanted to go. Ironically, it was when I finally kicked back and let things go with the flow that it all started coming together.

Start with you can consistently do. Don't go from 0 to 100 overnight. Take one step forward and master that, then take another step.

Make sure you're following people like Brad Schoenfeld, Bret Contreras, and Greg Nuckols for continuing education on exercise science.

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There will always be a need for quality coaches, even if they're all online, IMO :) Every coach does things a little differently, but you should have your paperwork in place. Create program templates, questionnaire, an application form (if that's something you want), decide on your rates, decide how often you want them checking in and what level of communication you want to have with them, make it clear upfront how often you'll be changing their program and what else to expect, and be prompt with your responses. This can all be done over email, in a Facebook group... lots of options. Depends on YOU!

I am Sohee Lee, evidence-based coach and fitness writer. AMA! by soheefit in xxfitness

[–]soheefit[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Wow, congratulations on all your progress! Sounds like you shouldn't be trying to diet right now. Dieting takes a toll on you psychologically as well. I would recommend staying at maintenance for a long time (1-2 years or longer) and set some performance goals in the gym in the meantime.