u/mcdonaldlargefry

Just found out within the last thirty minutes that you are not supposed to have both if you are legally married. We just got married back in December and had NO idea, and we’ve kept all of our insurance stuff separate so didn’t even know to look into this. I just now stopped my disbursements for the year but I’ve contributed $2,400 already into my HSA. My husband has contributed $1,200 to his FSA. Where do we go from here?

Goals and constraints
I am currently working on gaining more muscle mass after spending 6 months on a GLP-1. I did workout while taking it, and before starting one. I do not have any real constraints, but I prefer to workout Mon-Thurs because I’m more likely to skip if I plan to go on a weekend just due to life stuff (errands, social life, seeing family, etc). I’m not using a wiki program because I am using a program given to me by a physical therapist/personal trainer provided by my workplace.

Background
I’m 29. I have been working out off and on since I was a teenager (~15 years), with much of that time spent on cardio because of school sports and it being my favorite. I started strength training when I was 19-20, I’ve probably only done that for 4-5 years total, but not consecutively. I started again, consistently, back in August after meeting with my PT and getting a routine in order. My routine was created for me based on existing knee, shoulder, and back injuries. I’d never done any real programs before having this one, and this one has been working very well for me. I’m seeing good progress with new muscle definition and regularly being able to increase my weights.

Diet and recovery
My PT suggested the Vertical Diet to me, so I loosely follow that. I don’t count my macros, but I make sure I always have a source of protein, fiber, and good carbs. A usual dinner for me will be chicken, sweet potato, and some kind of vegetable (Brussel sprouts and green beans are a favorite). I also eat a ton of berries (especially blueberries) cause I love them. Lunches vary because my workplace provides them but every meal has a protein, carb, vegetable, and fruit. I am almost never hungry enough for breakfast, so I rarely eat it, but if I do, it’s usually just eggs and breakfast potatoes, or yogurt/cottage cheese. I don’t think I have anything affecting recovery, except recently (the last week) I’ve been dealing with getting way too hot at night and waking up drenched in sweat. I ordered a lightweight quilt to replace my down comforter for the summer, so that should fix that. I also crave salty snacks really bad during my period, so for that week, I will have tasty little treats with no nutrition (my current is white cheddar cheez-its) but I weigh them so I don’t go overboard.

Program details
Again, my routine was created for me based on existing injuries. I’m not sure which, if any, program most of it is based on, but core is based on McGill Big 3. He called my routine Upper/Lower, but I’ve moved stuff around based on what I’ve found easily available on the times I can get to the gym each day.

My current setup is:
M: chest/tricep
T: back/bicep
W: shoulders/core
Th: legs
2 lifts per muscle group, 4 sets each, 10-12 reps per set, except for legs where I do leg press, calf raises, leg extensions, and hamstring curls.

My PT gave me a variety of lifts I can do so that if any one lift is taken, I can swap to something else that will hit the same area. I am intended to progressive overload each week by increasing 5-10 lbs on each workout. Some of the machines only increase by 15, so I might get stuck and can’t go up that week, but I will add extra reps instead.

The problem
My main issue is that my recovery feels too easy. In the 10 minute drive home from the gym, I will have basically entirely recovered. I rarely experience soreness (if I do, it’s very light) and I barely sweat, though I am failing or almost failing my last 2-3 reps on most workouts for each set. I will often have to take a quick breather to push out those last few, or I’ll have to do a drop set so my form isn’t impacted. I feel stronger, I feel like I am working myself as hard as I can each day, but the lack of sweat/soreness/need for recovery have me questioning if I’m doing enough? Has anyone else experienced this? Is it normal and I’m just overthinking/comparing myself to others in the gym too much?