u/CruzanSpiceLatte

ETA: body scrub.

What I love is the lingering oil feeling on my skin. And the salt. Sugar doesn't scrub the same way IMO. I'm medium on the smell. But nothing has left my skin feeling as great as it does with the Aveda. What salt scrub have you loved?

I have tried:

• Naturium The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Scrub - this is fine, dont love the sugar, it feels like the crystals are more rounded? and smooth? and there's very little lingering oil/moisturizing effect. smell is fine
• Dr Teal's Glow & Radiance Salt Scrub - i really like the smell and how gritty it is, almost no lingering oil feel

What is so special about these ingredients that I'm not seeing in other products?

Sodium Chloride , Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil , Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil , Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate , Silica , Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil , Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil , Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil , Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate , Tocopherol , WaterAquaEau , Fragrance (Parfum) , Linalool , Limonene , Phenoxyethanol <ILN41690>

Goals and Background

I'm 39F, 5', started Jan at 222lb and am currently 205 (yay!). My main goal is to preserve muscle because I started Zepbound in February, and also to not be weak as I age. Secondary goal is aesthetic and it would be nice to have some kind of recomp to happen while I'm losing weight so my focus has been back and glutes. I'm apple-shaped, top-heavy, and everything I've read confirms that those should be my focus areas. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I thought I wanted to get hella strong at the start of this lifting renaissance, but with a tiny home gym area and wanting aesthetic goals more, I think the thing I'm looking for is hypertrophy instead? I like getting stronger in my lifts, but I won't be able to be deadlifting or benching 100s of lbs.

I'm not new to strength training. I would call myself intermediate-advanced in terms of knowing form and my own body. But definitely novice in terms of consistency to see results. That only happened with personal trainers and not having children. I've previously worked with trainers, did Youtube and Apple Fitness strength programs, and group fitness strength classes at the gym. I haven't followed a written online program, but the past several years of working out solo at home I've always just made my own based on what trainers suggested and what I enjoy. Home gym has dumbbells, a bench, small barbells with plates, bands, and a roman chair. I despise cardio and use supersets and walking as my cardio.

I'm in PT for pelvic floor issues, so I am also doing PT/core exercises as assigned, every other day or so. Exercises that may impact my routine include 2-leg RDL (with weight if i want, and I do want), glute bridge squeezing a ball, planks with knee touches and planks with step outs.

Diet and recovery

My diet the last several months has been at least 100g/protein (25+g/fiber) and 1400-1600 cals, depending on the day. I lift 4x/week and was intending to walk or do yoga the other days but honestly haven't and I've enjoyed resting instead. I haven't had a problem doing my assigned workout and pushing myself.

Program Details

A regular upper/lower split, but I like supersets for upper body. I add weight once I can do 12 reps, and then start at 6-8 and increase reps by 2-4. For the last 9 weeks I've been doing something similar but recently reworked my plan to what's below.

For upper: I took out some combo moves like a curl-to-lateral raise, halo-to-press out, plus biceps/triceps both days, to focus on back more. Not sure that was correct. I enjoyed the combo moves but I'm not sure they're doing much for me.

For lower: I was switching up some weeks with a single-leg hip thrust, or a 2-leg RDL. I enjoyed those but I'm not sure where they need to fit in with what I have below, if at all? I also have a roman chair I'm not utilizing and would love to incorp back extensions or something. Not sure where.

I feel lost in the sauce on the accessory work, which I do enjoy. My lifts have all increased, so something is/was working. I just want to make sure I'm maximizing my workouts to look good while the fat melts off. My progress pics haven't told me much in the way of aesthetics, but my inches have been going down.

Upper Day 1 supersets

3 sets, 6-12 reps, 45-60 sec rest

1. Chest press + pullover
2. Bicep curl + tricep extension
3. wide delt row + lateral raise
4. I want to maybe add a pushup here and something like the angel/devil move. Or my shoulder mobility moves with a band? I'm open to suggestions on what I'm lacking.

Upper Day 2 supersets

3 sets, 6-10 reps, 45-60 sec rest

1. Arnold press + single-arm row
2. Delt fly + chest fly
3. Reverse grip row + front raise (I had lateral raises in there
4. Same note about pushups. Or do I need to add back the bi/tri combo to be twice a week?

Lower 1

3-4 sets, 6-12 reps, 60-90 sec rest

1. Hip thrust
2. b-stance RDL
3. Step up
4. banded kickback
5. lateral lunge (I feel like these are controversial, loved or hated lol. I like them a lot, but if something is better for me, i'm open!)
6. back extensions? maybe?

Lower 2

3-4 sets, 6-12 reps, 60-90 sec rest

1. Bulg Split Squat
2. sumo squat, glute focused
3. curtsy lunge (same note about being controversial but enjoyed by me)
4. hamstring curl
5. banded walk

I think it needs to be either kind of old or brand new. My store has one shelf of brand new along with the whole store of used. Never know what will be there. I need it for lounging time that won’t have technology so I would love for it to grab you at the start or be something you were dying to finish.

I just read The Guest and liked it. I was meh about Yesteryear.