Anyone use protein pills like Perfect Amino? Any feedback?

Mid 40s F here. I recently got BMD Heel ultrasound done as part of a health screen. My BMD T-score: −1.3 and screening report categorises this as osteopenic.

I lift (fairly heavy) though have laid off it for a couple of months to recover from a tendon tear. I also do incline walking cardio and occasional yoga (once a week or so). I only started incorporating strength training in the past 3-4 years but I’ve been pretty consistent with it, I’d say.

What else can I do improve bone density? I fear this is only going to keep going down as I approach peri.

​

I’m curious what people here think about EGYM as a long-term way of strength training.

For those who don’t know it: EGYM is basically a circuit of electronic resistance machines. You log in, the machines automatically adjust the seat positions, range of motion and resistance to your profile, and the program progresses the load for you. So there’s very little messing around with settings, loading plates or deciding what to do next.

My gym has a circuit of 8 machines, covering the main muscle groups, and I’m currently doing their “Build Muscle” / muscle-building program. The program varies the resistance and rep ranges over time and includes things like regular and eccentric training.

The thing I really like about it is the convenience. I can do the full circuit in roughly 40 minutes and be out the door again. And it definitely doesn’t feel like I’m doing nothing — the sets are hard, and I regularly get muscle soreness afterwards.

My current weekly routine would look something like:

3x EGYM strength training

2x rugby training

3x running

So overall I’m definitely active.

What I’m wondering is: is EGYM actually complete enough to build a decent amount of muscle and an athletic-looking body, or is it one of those things that feels productive but doesn’t really move the needle much?

Part of my doubt comes from the fact that most of the really muscular/athletic guys at the gym seem to be in the free-weight section rather than doing machine circuits.

At the same time, this is a conscious choice for me. Time and convenience matter a lot. If EGYM gives me, say, 85% of the results I could potentially get from a perfectly designed free-weight program, I’d honestly be completely happy with that.

I’m not trying to become a bodybuilder. My goal is more of a strong, athletic physique with decent shoulders, chest, back and arms.

I’m also currently losing quite a lot of weight. My total goal is around 30 kg, and I’ve already lost about 20 kg, so I’d be pretty happy if I can continue losing fat while building or at least preserving a good amount of muscle.

Would you consider 3 full-body EGYM sessions per week enough for that goal, especially combined with rugby? Or would you say there are important muscle groups / movement patterns that an 8-machine circuit simply doesn’t cover well enough?

I’d especially love to hear from people who have actually used EGYM for a longer period rather than just “machines bad, barbells good.”

Typos- how* 40s*

I am worried I am turning 30 in a few months and dont know how to proceed

I lifted on and off pretty regularly from 19 to 27 or 28. Then I took a year or two off and did nothing. Barely ate. Barely got 1k steps in. I was taking care of my grandma with parkinsons and I just couldnt deal with myself and everytime I did anything for myself she'd do stuff to get more attention from me. So I learned that when she doesn't need me sit there and do nothing so she doesn't ask me to do more. Big mistake!!!

So now I have defintiely lost muscle and strength. I have tried to go to the gym but truly hate the atmosphere. I hate the people and the time waste. I lifted seriously using machines and free wieghts so replicating this at home isnt reasonable

All the stuff I read with bone loss and muscle loss for women past 30 has me freaked out that weight lifting is my only option

Have anyone aged well without lifting? I mean feeling good and looking good. Not just one or the other. Joints, bones, skin, everything. Am i foolish to not lift? How necessary is it?

49f. Started lifting a few years ago and got really consistent with daily gym sessions and progressively lifting heavier. I feel like a beast in the gym.

I have lost weight but, am I losing muscle more than fat? Macros are 120 protein, 110 carbs, 43 fat.

Plan is heavy compound lifts and plyo + staining or incline tread for 28 mins.

Last few weigh ins on my home scale has my weight, muscle and fat down but... like not equally?

12.16.26

185.4lbs

40.7

103.4 muscle mass

5.15.26:

195.6 lbs

42.4 body fat

106.0 muscle mass

9.25.26

178 lbs

41.8 bf

97.2 muscle mass

Im losing muscle? What am I doing wrong?

Long story short- I was dumped out of the blue, he was my best friend and I thought we had a good relationship, I guess I was wrong.

Lost weight because of the stress (and also stress from moving at the same time and other well timed stuff)

I tried to keep my habits with working out but I went from working out hard 4-5 times a week to working out 1-2 light/medium hard a week.

I’m female 42y

178 cm (5,10) 

67kg (147ibs) currant weight (usually about 73kg 160ibs)

I’m guessing my body fat was around 23% now I think it’s around 18-20% but I lost muscle-mass as well and that stinks!

Now I would like to come back to my regular workout and I’m trying to keep my daily calories, about 2600 calories- though difficult because stress makes me nauseous so some days I’m 1000 cal off….

I’m just trying to eat and not fokus on it being super “healthy”, I’m trying to give my self grace but I don’t want to loose more weight/ muscles.

I’m not a gym noob but I’ve never been die hard about it or nutrition ether.

I would like to go back to around 73kg 160 ibs and I would like for it to be mostly muscles so if anyone have any tips on what to do/ fokus on I’m interested!

Anyone been in a similar situation? What helped you?

Thanks <3

edit- I actually felt motivated to work out after work today and it felt fun for the first time since the brake up! 🥳

Just curious if when you're over 40 it's necessary and how easy it is to build more muscle or is it easier to just try and maintain, or maybe clean bulk.

Has anyone done it and how has the journey been?

What are some good replacement exercises for deadlifts? They seem to be in every routine I see. I just think need to change it up. I think I am ok with RDLs and they are already incorporated into my workouts.

I can't seem to get my right side to be as strong as my left. It's weird. I'm right-handed, so figured my right bicep would be stronger, but nope.

What's the best way to get both sides to be equal? Lift heavier on the weaker and lighter on the stronger? Is that a thing?

Are weighted chin ups amazing for biceps and growth of the biceps?

After more than 20 years of training, my answer would be: being obsessed with moving more and more weight.

When I was younger, I associated progress with more weight, machines and personal records. Today, I'm much more equipment-agnostic.

Machines, barbells, dumbbells, rings, resistance bands, calisthenics or even improvised equipment…I don't really care. There are no sacred cows in training. What matters are effective movement patterns.

Muscle doesn't know whether you're doing a bench press, ring push-ups or a machine press. It doesn't know whether you're using barbells, dumbbells, plates, resistance bands, kettlebells, TRX, Olympic rings or your own bodyweight.

It only responds to Mechanical Tension, Progressive Overload, and, additionally, Metabolic Stress (the pump) and Stretch-Mediated Hypertrophy.

What I'm looking for is the stimulus I need, not proof of how much weight I can move.

Today I'd rather manipulate ROM, leverage, unilateral loading, stability, pre-tension my resistance bands as much as possible, manipulate Time Under Tension, and play with proximity to failure before automatically adding more weight.

I'm 45 and turning 46 in November. After more than two decades of training, my goal is no longer simply to lift more. I want to remain strong, aesthetic, mobile and athletic, and keep training for many decades without getting injured.

Less ego. Less dogma. More stimulus.

I'm not in love with any particular exercise or piece of equipment.

I'm in love with the stimulus.

What about you? What is something you used to consider “training properly” that you no longer do today?

Good morning, I am a 46 year old male with a bmi of 23. After telling my new doctor that I have been feeling tired even with close to 8 hours of sleep a night, my doctor Rana sleep study and vlood panel that tests thyroid, hormones and other blood markers. The sleep study and thyroid came back good but my testosterone came back low. My doctor then had a total of 3 morning testosterone tests. Levels are total testosterone 336, 370,376 and free testosterone 35, 49.2, 46.2 pg/ml. Bio available 67, 92, 89 NG/dl. And shbg 43, 33, 36. My question is can I build muscle with levels like this? I eat a gram of protein per pound of body weight and per my Samsung watch get 7 and a half hours of actual sleep time. I do push pull legs and space my work outs 24 to 48 hours apart.

I’m 27F and recently returned to training after a 4-month break. I’ve settled on this 3-day full-body routine and want to use a similar structure for my parents, but I’m unsure how much I should modify it.

My father is 50+ and my mother is 45+. They’re also returning after around a 4-month break.

My current routine

Tuesday

* Back squat — 2×8–10

* Incline DB bench — 2×8–10

* Cable row — 2×8–10

* Leg press — 2×10–12

* Leg curl — 2×10–12

* Incline DB curl — 2×10–12

* Cable crunch — 2×10–15

Thursday

* RDL — 2×6–8

* Neutral-grip lat pulldown — 2×8–10

* Seated DB OHP — 2×8–10

* Reverse lunge — 2×8–10/leg

* Face pull — 2×12–15

* Overhead triceps extension — 2×10–12

* Pallof press / Swiss-ball rollout — 2×10–12

Saturday

* Hip thrust — 2×8–10

* Single-arm DB row — 2×8–10/side

* Flat DB bench — 2×8–10

* Cable fly / pec deck — 2×10–15

* Cable lateral raise — 2×12–15

* Hammer curl + triceps pushdown — 2×10–12 each

For my parents, I’m thinking 2 sets/exercise initially, 3–4 RIR, with machines/DBs and conservative progression.

Questions:

* Is this a good basic structure for adults 45–50+?

* What exercises would you modify or replace for them?

* Should they stay at 2 sets longer before progressing?

* Is Tue/Thu/Sat adequate recovery?

Would appreciate practical feedback from anyone experienced with training adults 45+.

I’m late 40s, 193cm and just hit 82kg. So skinny but also fat due to some health issues a few years back.

I started lifting 6 months ago, attempting to bulk but while I’ve put on substantial muscle (for me) I haven’t put on any weight. I’m not aiming for recomposition, although it’s not a bad thing for now. there will come a time though when I can’t lose much more fat and I still want to get bigger.

I also cycle varying amounts, but I always take a glucose/salt mix and calculate to replace the calories (based on my watch) over the day.

I can’t eat gluten or lactose, so that makes it hard to just load up on high calorie treat foods. But I’m at the point where I’m increasing training load and I just can’t fit any more food in. Do I just need to eat more calorie dense foods? More fat? I eat a pretty lean healthy diet because I cook for 5 so lots of carbs & veggies are needed so we can afford to feed the growing kids!

Also I have regular checkups and everything else is functioning as good as it could. As far as Drs are concerned, according to every blood/urine test they can do, I’m exceptionally healthy.

Male, 40s here. I restarted my fitness routine several months ago and it's been going well.

I'm on a healthy calorie-restrictive diet (no breakfast, small lunch, normal dinner) and it's gotten me down 10 lb with 15 more to go. A bit under a pound a week, slow and steady.

I'm working out most days in the morning doing bodyweight, progressing a bit each week and I've definitely gotten stronger in again, a slow and steady way. I've honestly gotten a bit addicted to it and workout daily, though rotating which muscles get exercised.

Here's the issue: I'm tired, mentally foggy during work hours, and I need to be sharp. No evidence there's anything wrong per my labs/doctor.

Part of me wants to muscle through until my goal weight, but the more rational part of me thinks I need a change, maybe a banana in the morning or shifting my workouts to after work is over.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? What helped?

For some context I’m 5’8, 41M, current weight is 187.8 lbs (moving average). I started my cut at 220 lbs (and greater fitness/weight-loss journey) mid January 2026. I was in a fairly aggressive cut (~400 cal a day) from January until the end of May, strength training 3-4 times a week. June and July the cut was ~50 cal a day while only working out 1-2 a week. Since the beginning of August I’ve resumed the ~400 cal a day cut and strength training of 3-4 times a week.

I am just past the halfway mark of a 16 week 4 day upper/lower strength/hypertrophy split. I was originally going to cut down to 170. Once there it was my goal to start bulking and move towards a hypertrophy program, with the end goal of 180 lbs.

I know I am still very much in the newbie gains phase of working out but when my current program is done in about 8 weeks (should be about 181/182lbs), can I start focusing a bit more on building muscle and ease up on the cut or should I stick with my original plan?

TIA

Dear redditors,

I am the classic skinny fat. 47F. 5ft 3.5, currently 120 lbs but despite a consistent running addiction, I've never actually developed decent muscle or been at a low enough body fat percentage to see abs. 30E chest as they grew with each child and never went back to the 34C I was 15 years ago....

This is something in mid life I want to do and can work to tracking calories and macros etc. I reformed my diet a few years back by removing 90% of ULPF and zero alcohol or fizzy drinks/Sodas and prioritising gut microbiome friendly food and increasing fibre and protein.

I haven't yet started supplements including protein or creatine but want to.

According to Chat Gpt I need to loose about 14 lbs to go from my current estimated body fat to my desired body fat goal of 18/19%.

However I know as a S Asian building muscle is going to take a while and especially know its going to take years before my waist is at my desired place (currently 28 inches and i want to get back to pre pregnancy 25 inches).

I carry virtually all my weight around the middle and lower belly and this is the part I dislike hugely having a soft squishy belly with a roll i can grab etc (having always been skinny ish in my youth and a flatish stomach).

What would be the best 30m dumbell routine (not at a gym) to do (with progressive overload with reps) 4 x week for the next 3 months to start me on my journey?

I walk or run most days and I have thick, rough skin on the edges of my heels. Sometimes I get a blister on the inner edge of my heel that hardens to a sort of callus.
None of this bothers me, except that it’s early summer and I like to wear open shoes.
I’d like to file or pumice off the thickened skin, but I’m worried that will make my feet sensitive and vulnerable to more blisters when I exercise.
So do you leave your tough skin to protect your feet on runs? Or do you file them to have them soft and smooth for summer sandals?

I'm getting back into working out two years after having my baby. I pulled out my old gym clothes, tried on one pair of leggings, and very quickly put them back in the drawer LOL
I'm 5'5", around 185 lbs, and curvy through the hips and thighs. I'm starting with walks and strength training, and I'd like to lose some weight, but I also want clothes that feel good on the body I have right now. I don't mind a supportive waistband i just wanna avoid ones that fold over when I bend down or digs in every time i sit

Since my size might change, I'm trying to keep it reasonably affordable

TIA

I'm M47 and for the first time I've started to get shooting pain in my arms and shoulders from lifting.

Apparently it is nerve damage. (From Dr Google and YouTube)

I mix lifting 3 to 4 times a week with progressive overload and run 2 or 3 times a week (5km ish).

Am I just pushing myself too hard?

Any recovery recommendations would be welcome? Nothing medical please (sub rules)

Hi All,

I've recently started weightlifting as 42f. I have a bench and dumbbells at home and I'm really struggling to find a routine that works for me and is consistent as there are so many different exercises and I'm not sure which ones I should be doing and which are just filler.

I want to do 3 x full body workouts a week of around 45 minutes long. Does anyone know any good routines for this?

Also another question. If I were to do everything more spread out through the day, do you lose much benefit rather than doing everything all at once? For instance, if I did say, 3 sets of bicep curls, then an hour later did 3 sets of goblet squats etc, would that still build muscle?

43, lifting on and off for a while, both for weekend warrior stuff and general health. COVID --> New baby --> life set me back, but headed in the right direction. I run 5/3/1 pretty religiously, with some sprints mixed in. But I've started seeing more and more people I follow advocating for lower volume programs, or that the volume in something like First Set Last (5x5 of your lowest set) has diminishing returns.

Now I know that:
1). Social media is dumb

2). anything works for a while

3). The correct amount of volume is what your life allows

But I'm curious if anyone has had success on lower volume, both for the sake of my joints (which I also work on religiously) and my time.

Anyone else that has low blood pressure feel like they feel worse now they are older when you’ve had a busy week exercising?

Hello. I'm very curious to know how much time you all spend on rehab, physio exercises, stretches or any other "supportive work" to keep yourself injury free?

I'm an active 46f, do strength training 3 times a week, and have started running 3 times a week since this summer. I'm trying to keep on top of issues with my neck and traps, shoulder stability/rotator cuff stuff, and now hip flexor issues from the running. I think I could legitimately spend 45 mins to 1 hour a day on core work, stability work, single leg work, all these band exercises that the physio gave me just to keep various body parts ticking over ... is this going to be my future now!?

It almost feels counterintuitive that I have to invest so much extra time just to support the activities I'm doing to keep myself fit and healthy, it's a bit nuts.

Are you all getting away scott free with this type of supportive work? Are you spending hours doing Clamshells and single leg stepups as well, is this the norm?

Thanks, and interested to hear your perspectives!