Exercise Advice

[keelyj]

Hey guys. I'm new to this site and just want some advice.

I've been going to the gym for just over a year now but I just don't think that the machines down there are all that good because I'm just not seeing the results I want. I really want to concentrate on my legs but they only have leg lift and leg press machines. My gym membership is quite expensive and because I haven't seen the results I want, am quickly losing motivation. I was just wondering, do you think running up and down the stairs and doing squatts and lunges would be better for me? I've heard this is the best exercise for your legs. I've also got a running machine which has an incline.

I'm just fed up with my gym, it gets too busy, especially this month because of all the new joiners and the machines are rubbish!

 

[Sassy69]

If you have access to dumbbells you can do the lunges, deads, squats, etc. I've been given explicit instructions to NOT use any of the heavy leg equipment by my chiropractor so I do the following & burn the bejeezus out of my legs:

-step ups w/ dumbbells
- walkign lunges w /dumbbells
-squats w/ just a bar or some weight on the bar + sissy squats
- leg extensions
- leg curls

And don't forget your calves as well.

In the enar future I'll be adding running stairs as well.

Also just because it wasn't mentioned, you need to make sure your diet is supporting the training that you do -- protein is the best anabolic you can get your hands on so you need to make sure you are eating enough to build muscle and also enough carbs for the energy to do the building.

 

[AngMc]

Sassy, will you be doing stairs on your leg day? I'm thinking of stairs, but don't know where to do it in my schedule....Thanks, Ang

 

[keelyj]

I am going to research into high protein diets soon but is this the only diet that will give me the best results? I normally do a low calorie diet. Is this not as effective? I just think I'd struggle with high protein because I love my carbs too much. Now if there was a diet that was high carb, low fat, that would be great!

 

[Sassy69]

I am going to research into high protein diets soon but is this the only diet that will give me the best results? I normally do a low calorie diet. Is this not as effective? I just think I'd struggle with high protein because I love my carbs too much. Now if there was a diet that was high carb, low fat, that would be great!

Here's the deal w/ diet. Your body is a machine & it needs fuel. You need to feed it the fuel it needs when it needs it. "Low cal" can mean different things to different people -- but it needs to be whatever cal amount is appropriate to make YOUR body work. It also means feed it cals that are actually worthwhile cals. E.g. some of these lowfat foods that are really just a lot of processed shit, regardless of what the calorie number is. "Low carb" diets are sort of silly because you can't totally cut out carbs - they have a purpose for your body's engine. Same with fats. The media allows this shit like "low carb" and "low fat" to be marketed as viable diets but they really skip the basic rules of nutrition and perpetuate some really stupid beliefs to sell whatever products or ideas.

The general rules of thumb are:
- moderation in everything
- eat every 2-3 hrs, small meals -- proteins, carbs & fats are metabolized within 2-3 hrs.
- keep the processing in your foods to a minimum. All the artificial shit and manipulation that these companies to do their food reduces the nutritional value so much that you are better off sticking to real stuff.
-keep your portions to around fist size. Dont' "Supersize" stuff.
- drink lots of water -- like 1-2 gal / day

Also if you are looking to build or preserve muscle, protein is the best anabolic you can put into your body. So you need to be sure to eat enough of it.

You should set up an account at fitday.com, enter your typical day's menu (or today's menu) and take a look at the break down cals, proteins, fats, carbs. This will give you an idea of where you sit. You can do ratios of like 40/30/30, isometric works for lots of people 33/33/33, etc.

You don't "have" to do any particular thing w/ your diet. The point is to look at what you eat from the point of view of making sure your body gets the FUEL that it needs (not "what you ate today") and balancing that with the energy you burn and what fits your lifestyle comfortably. It isn't supposed to make you miserable & obsess about food.

 

[jenscats5]

Hey guys. I'm new to this site and just want some advice.

I've been going to the gym for just over a year now but I just don't think that the machines down there are all that good because I'm just not seeing the results I want. I really want to concentrate on my legs but they only have leg lift and leg press machines. My gym membership is quite expensive and because I haven't seen the results I want, am quickly losing motivation. I was just wondering, do you think running up and down the stairs and doing squatts and lunges would be better for me? I've heard this is the best exercise for your legs. I've also got a running machine which has an incline.

I'm just fed up with my gym, it gets too busy, especially this month because of all the new joiners and the machines are rubbish!

Machines or no machines, free weights or no free weights........ either way doesn't matter if your diet isn't up to par....

Post up your daily eating plan, times, etc & your workout routine & we'll see what we can change up to see some results.....

 

[jenscats5]

I am going to research into high protein diets soon but is this the only diet that will give me the best results? I normally do a low calorie diet. Is this not as effective? I just think I'd struggle with high protein because I love my carbs too much. Now if there was a diet that was high carb, low fat, that would be great!

You need quality carbs & quality protein & quality fats to build a quality, strong body......

DO NOT go too low calorie as it will throw your body out of whack.....

Body weight x 12 is usually the rule for a cutting plan....

 

[keelyj]

Thanks for your advice. My eating plan is pretty poor I think from what you are saying. I usually have breakfast at about 8am of cornflakes or porridge, with skimmed milk. Then at 1.00pm, I usually have a salad, usually just lettuce, tomatoes with either ham/chicken/turkey/bacon and a spoonful of low fat coleslaw and then for my dinner in the evening, around 7.00pm, I usually have whatever I want which is usually either a portion of chips (fries) from the chip shop or oven chips with some form of meat. If I get hungry during the day, I usually have a low fat yoghurt or some crackers with low fat cheese on. I also snack on fruit like oranges, bananas and grapes.

I usually go the the gym about 3 times a week maximum. I'm usually there for around 90 minutes and do 40 minutes of cardio, although not running, and 50 minutes of weights. Usually the leg lift machines, sit ups and various arm exercises.

I recently came back off holiday and was sticking to the diet I said above, maybe even stricter with the evening meal (forgot to say that I generally eat what I like, within reason, of a weekend - that is when I treat myself), and I got really thin, but not necessarily lean looking. My head just looked too big for my body but I couldn't really see much muscle defiition, especially on my legs. I think this happened because I was going to the gym about 4 or 5 times a week and possibly burning up more calories than I had eaten on some days.

 

[jenscats5]

Thanks for your advice. My eating plan is pretty poor I think from what you are saying. I usually have breakfast at about 8am of cornflakes or porridge, with skimmed milk. Then at 1.00pm, I usually have a salad, usually just lettuce, tomatoes with either ham/chicken/turkey/bacon and a spoonful of low fat coleslaw and then for my dinner in the evening, around 7.00pm, I usually have whatever I want which is usually either a portion of chips (fries) from the chip shop or oven chips with some form of meat. If I get hungry during the day, I usually have a low fat yoghurt or some crackers with low fat cheese on. I also snack on fruit like oranges, bananas and grapes.

I usually go the the gym about 3 times a week maximum. I'm usually there for around 90 minutes and do 40 minutes of cardio, although not running, and 50 minutes of weights. Usually the leg lift machines, sit ups and various arm exercises.

I recently came back off holiday and was sticking to the diet I said above, maybe even stricter with the evening meal (forgot to say that I generally eat what I like, within reason, of a weekend - that is when I treat myself), and I got really thin, but not necessarily lean looking. My head just looked too big for my body but I couldn't really see much muscle defiition, especially on my legs. I think this happened because I was going to the gym about 4 or 5 times a week and possibly burning up more calories than I had eaten on some days.

The way you eat is very poor to say the least. You are waiting waaaay too long between meals. You need more whole grains, proteins & healthy fats in every meal & you should be eating every 3 hours or so.

No wonder you're not seeing any results!! Look at anyone's 2005 log for ideas on what to eat....

 

[alycat]

/\ Totally... it is not the machines at the gym... it's your knowledge. you need to check out all these food logs that we all have posted... eat every 2 to 3 hours and YOU HAVE TO EAT CLEAN.... I've been going to the gym since I was 15 (I'm now 25) and nothing shows results like a clean diet... it will be a challenge at first, but give it even a week and you will see it gets easier and becomes a way of life. you have to research, educate & learn what you're putting in your body... break down your food in a journal... review it at night and look where you went wrong... plan meals for the next day...post it here where you can get some EDUCATIONAL feedback...we will help you out...
you made your first good move... joining here! keep learning and you can't go wrong...
what's your stats? bf% height, weight etc....
eat clean!!!