Ah, the challenge of trying to achieve a new fitness / muscle / weight goal. So incredibly complex, with an incredible amount of information - so often conflicting with other sources.

I've been interested in health and nutrition for a very long time. I used to do a lot of weight training when I was younger (not as seriously as some of my friends - one of which is now a body builder) and in my 20's got into distance running, frequently running half marathons and on one occasion a full marathon. Every objective is different - what and when you eat depends upon when and how you train - ensuring that protein in particular is consumed straight after a session to ensure muscle recovery. I'd always have a protein shake with me after the gym.

It's so complex. So much to consume and there must be an App on your phone which can accurately track your protein, carb, etc. requirement based upon your height, weight and type of training.

Everybody has their "happy weight" - the weight that their body tends to drift towards without specific training. After 40, I read that this slowly increases - probably more due to lifestyle changes than anything else.

It's an interesting topic - on which many books have been written and much research has been done. Most weight goals are 80% food, 20% exercise. The food industry has tried to convince us that it's the exercise that really matters - allowing them to produce any crap they like and package it up as a meal. But I'll save my food industry rant for another day 😆

Good luck with the weight training - build up steady. If you're serious, concentrate on specific muscle groups that compliment each other on any given day. And I'm sure you don't need to worry about this one - but get a strong core (stomach, abs, back). Most importantly, enjoy it!