What Happened To My Guns?

Blessed with my dad‘s genes (his nickname in the Army was Muscle Hubble), I’ve always had great shoulder and arm definition. Until I didn’t… Which brings forth the question, “What happened to my guns?”

For years, mixing up my favorite shoulder and arm exercises worked fine and dandy, and I was more than happy to flex and strike a pose to show off the fruit of my hard work and my dad’s genes.

 

Post-Menopausal Mesomorph

As a mesomorph, it was always easy for me to build muscle mass. Team that with consistently lifting weights and you’ve got a formula for guns that any girl would be proud to own.

However, as a post-menopausal mesomorph, my body just doesn’t respond like it did when I was younger. I realize that my best gun-toting days may be behind me, but I’m not one willing to sit around and whine, nor give up.

My flexed arms and shoulders still look pretty good, but relaxed?  Today, the juxtaposition of my arms and shoulders in a flexed and relaxed state make them look like they belong to two totally different people.

 

So What’s A Girl To Do?

Obviously, the subtle changes I’m starting to see in my arms and shoulders are something I notice or I wouldn’t be writing about it. So what am I going to do? I can hide in 3/4-length sleeves or I can do something…

1.  For starters, I’ll continue to mix up my favorite shoulder and arm exercises:

  • Shoulders – upright rows, Arnold presses, and forward/lateral raises
  • Triceps – dips, skull crushers, cable rope press, and push-ups
  • Biceps – seated rows and pull-downs, but no curls, curls always cause tendonitis in my elbows

2.  I’ll also continue to focus on my nutrition, especially making sure I eat enough protein for building muscle – sarcopenia is more common as we age. My macronutrients pie chart always appears light on protein and as I get older I need to get closer to the higher end of the range. Listed below are the Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board’s recommendations for percentages of daily caloric intake.

  • Carbohydrates – 45 to 65%
  • Fats – 20 to 35%
  • Protein – 10 to 35%
What Happened To My Guns

Today’s macronutrient pie chart

3.  I’ll put that hand on my hip in pictures so my relaxed arm doesn’t appear so squishy. 😉

4.  And most importantly, I’ll accept that my body is changing and make the most of it. It’s the only body I’ve got!

 

Questions:
  • • What body part do you focus on most when lifting or do you focus on the entire body equally? ~ I work my entire body pretty much equally.
  • • How often do you lift? ~ I lift three days per week.
  • • Have you ever seen guys (or girls) in the gym looking in the mirror flexing and admiring their muscles? ~ A client and I once rounded the corner to see a guy with his shorts legs pulled up as far as he possibly could while flexing his quads and posing. It was hilarious and he was oblivious that we even walked past him!