I Lifted 3x a Week for 6 Months. Here’s What Happened

A realistic look at lifting heavy, body composition changes, and chasing my first pull-up.

At the start of the year, I shared that my word for 2025 was strong. After my hip surgery, I didn’t just want to recover…I wanted to come back stronger than ever. And not just physically. I wanted to feel strong mentally, emotionally, and inside my own skin as I inch closer to 40. I’m 37 btw.

With perimenopause on the horizon and the natural muscle loss that comes with age, I made it a goal to build strength from the inside out.

Lifting 3x a Week

I committed to strength training three days a week, and I’ve pretty much stuck to it.

Most weeks, I’m at the gym at 5:30 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and then we go as a family on the weekend. I follow a progressive overload training program using the Playbook app (more on that here), which involves 12-week blocks where you repeat the same exercises while steadily increasing the weight.

Spoiler: It’s working.

I’m lifting heavier than I ever have in my life. And no, I haven’t gotten bulky. (Let’s retire that fear once and for all, please.) Building muscle takes serious effort…heavier weights, tons of protein, and consistency. If you want to feel “toned,” you need to lift. It’s hands down the best thing you can do for fat loss and long-term health.

Losing Fat & Gaining Muscle - Yay!

I’ve been tracking my progress using the InBody scanner at our gym. While it does show weight, I focus more on my body fat percentage and muscle mass. It even breaks things down by body part, which is equal parts fascinating and motivating. I’ll share a photo of my scan, but so far I’ve gone from around 25% body fat to 21%, all while maintaining roughly the same weight.

Body fat going down and muscle mass going up. Exactly what I want to see!

If I were only looking at the scale, I might’ve thought nothing was changing and given up. However, the truth is that my body composition has undergone a complete shift. My clothes fit differently, and more importantly, I feel different. Stronger. More capable.

I Got My First Chin-Up!

One of the other goals I set this year was to do a pull-up. At the time, it felt laughably out of reach. But four months into my program, I got my first chin-up (which is an underhand grip and a bit easier than a true pull-up). I screamed. I was so proud.

The turning point was when I installed a pull-up bar in our garage. Practicing just a few minutes every day—dead hangs, scapular pull-ups, banded reps—made all the difference. Now I do a chin-up every time I head to the car. My kids think I’m nuts, but hey, it’s working.

The elusive overhand pull-up? I’m not quite there yet. I can pull almost all the way up, but I still haven’t cleared the bar with my chin. I’m halfway there, and I’m determined to get it by the end of the year. I’ll report back in December. You’ll either find me celebrating… or still hanging in the garage like a weirdo.

I followed this training program to ensure I have the proper form and technique.

Keeping Active

Outside of lifting, I’ve stayed really active this summer. I walk daily (usually with my weighted vest), which I recently bumped up to 20 lbs. After lunch most workdays, I head out for a 30–45 minute walk to clear my head and get my steps in. Between that, biking around town, and chasing two little kids around, my body is moving more than it has in years, and it feels good.

I’ll link to a few past posts if you want more on the protein goals I’ve set, what my workouts look like, or how I structure my mornings. And yes, I’ll definitely share a full year-end recap. Hopefully, by then, I’ll be telling you that I've mastered my pull-up.

Until then, you’ll find me in the garage, hanging like a lunatic.

Fave Workout Items

Here are a few items that I love for my strength workouts…

• Weight-Lifting Gloves (keep my hands safe when lifting heavy)

• Biker Shorts (these make your butt look fantastic)

• Lightweight Athletic Shirt

• Weighted Vest

• High Socks

• Bose Headphones

• Wide-toe Shoes

• Water Bottle

• Chin-Up Bar

Big Sales Right Now

• Prime Day (or should I say week?!) ends today. You can find all of my top picks right here. But, if I had to buy just one thing, it would be the original LifeStraw water filter to add to your home emergency kit! It’s 43% off.

• My Bose headphones are $160 off, and the sale ends today!

• My bestselling $22 sneakers are back in stock. So many cute colors!

• I’m planning to shop the Nordstrom Anniversary sale with my friend Bridget on Monday…it’s a tradition of ours. I’ve got my eye on these jeans, these Apple watch bands, and these peep-toe sandals.