New member....gym rat but want to go further.....any advice?

[jennifer778]

Hey ladies...

My name is Jen and I am new to the community as of today. It seems like you have a great group here and wanted to introduce myself and also ask for any advice.

Just turned 33. 5'9 and 142 lbs. Have always been active and in good shape, but I want more. Took a year or so off due to injuries from an accident. I'm back and have been working out for about 1 year about 5-6 days per week, about 1.5 hours per day. Typically do 30-40 mins of weights and 40 minutes of cardio (sprints, StairMaster). I am lean. I have just a tad (like a kindergardener's) bit of definition. I want more. Feel like I have about 1/2 -1 inch of fat to lose, especially around my stomach. I have long legs..short torso so it gathers there first.

Sorry to ramble on....I want to go further, get harder...Want to lean out but get bigger muscles/definition. I know I'm working out hard enough...my diet must be killing me. Eat about 1500-1600 per day.

I'll take any advice on diet...(like what you ladies eat on a daily basis)...supplements....(should I be taking some to help aid in definition - I take whey protein).....routines/cardio?

Sitting here with my fingers crossed...Let me have it! Thanks for reading.

j-lowe

 

[dmk777]

Hey ladies...

My name is Jen and I am new to the community as of today. It seems like you have a great group here and wanted to introduce myself and also ask for any advice.

Just turned 33. 5'9 and 142 lbs. Have always been active and in good shape, but I want more. Took a year or so off due to injuries from an accident. I'm back and have been working out for about 1 year about 5-6 days per week, about 1.5 hours per day. Typically do 30-40 mins of weights and 40 minutes of cardio (sprints, StairMaster). I am lean. I have just a tad (like a kindergardener's) bit of definition. I want more. Feel like I have about 1/2 -1 inch of fat to lose, especially around my stomach. I have long legs..short torso so it gathers there first.

Sorry to ramble on....I want to go further, get harder...Want to lean out but get bigger muscles/definition. I know I'm working out hard enough...my diet must be killing me. Eat about 1500-1600 per day.

I'll take any advice on diet...(like what you ladies eat on a daily basis)...supplements....(should I be taking some to help aid in definition - I take whey protein).....routines/cardio?

Sitting here with my fingers crossed...Let me have it! Thanks for reading.

j-lowe

Hey Jen welcome to ef! I'm not the best person to give diet advice but just wanted to check are you taking enough protein? I believe it's a gram of protein for each lb of body weight. ( I think any way someone could correct me their).
Also if your considering taking the step of steroids myself and some the other girls on here have day to day posts of various cycles they could be of interest to you. And one more thing at the begging of the forum they have stickys there full of great advice from some the really knowledgeable ladies off the forum.
Good luck and don't worry some one will be along to push you in the right direction.

Donna

 

[jennifer778]

Hi Donna! Thanks for reading my post and replying. I really appreciate it. I my protein intake ranges from 80-100 each day. So do I need to be getting about 140 grams per day? If so, then I definitely need to get more. Talk to me about steroids. What kinds are out there? I am completely new to this but know that my desire and dedication is there so just need to be pointed in the right direction. Can you tell me about cycles?

So, Donna (and ladies)...what is it I'm missing to push my body to that next level?

I'm ready for some help! Again thanks for the welcome. I'm glad to be here. I am so encouraged and motivated by all of yalls pics!! You all look amazing!!! Wow!!

jen

 

[dmk777]

Hi Donna! Thanks for reading my post and replying. I really appreciate it. I my protein intake ranges from 80-100 each day. So do I need to be getting about 140 grams per day? If so, then I definitely need to get more. Talk to me about steroids. What kinds are out there? I am completely new to this but know that my desire and dedication is there so just need to be pointed in the right direction. Can you tell me about cycles?

So, Donna (and ladies)...what is it I'm missing to push my body to that next level?

I'm ready for some help! Again thanks for the welcome. I'm glad to be here. I am so encouraged and motivated by all of yalls pics!! You all look amazing!!! Wow!!

jen

Hey no problem at all Hun.
Well I'd say yeah up your protein intake to 140g ,
Eat less more lol meaning eat smaller amounts every 3-4 hours protein with each meal.
I go 40% protein 40% carbs 20% fats usually but ATM I'm doing 50% protein 30%carbs 20 fats as I'm cutting.
Well as for steroids there's a perfect sticky on the board I wouldn't be confutable about giving advice on steroids as I only know my own experiences with them. I've got two posts on here. Deca cycle & winny/var cycle both are day to day on these cycles they could be helpfull.
There are some great lasses on here who will be more experienced on the steroid side of things.

Kind regards

Donna

 

[jjtt]

Hey ladies...

My name is Jen and I am new to the community as of today. It seems like you have a great group here and wanted to introduce myself and also ask for any advice.

Just turned 33. 5'9 and 142 lbs. Have always been active and in good shape, but I want more. Took a year or so off due to injuries from an accident. I'm back and have been working out for about 1 year about 5-6 days per week, about 1.5 hours per day. Typically do 30-40 mins of weights and 40 minutes of cardio (sprints, StairMaster). I am lean. I have just a tad (like a kindergardener's) bit of definition. I want more. Feel like I have about 1/2 -1 inch of fat to lose, especially around my stomach. I have long legs..short torso so it gathers there first.

Sorry to ramble on....I want to go further, get harder...Want to lean out but get bigger muscles/definition. I know I'm working out hard enough...my diet must be killing me. Eat about 1500-1600 per day.

I'll take any advice on diet...(like what you ladies eat on a daily basis)...supplements....(should I be taking some to help aid in definition - I take whey protein).....routines/cardio?

Sitting here with my fingers crossed...Let me have it! Thanks for reading.

j-lowe

Hi and welcome,
Like the other girls said, you're not getting enough protein. There is no secret to getting big it only comes with hard work and the basics. Protein, Hard heavy weights and quality recovery time. I am willing to bet you have got comfortable in your routine at the gym. That won't get you big. I suggest going back to basics, maybe doing a 5x5 and starting out from scratch doing heavy compound exercises. I would suggest giving it your 200 % effort for a couple more years until you see the limits of your genetic ability to grow until you start steroids. There are so many ways to complicate going to the gym and really there is only one way to get larger muscles- too stress them considerably until they rip, and then rest them until they get bigger while eating enough protein to repair them.
Your cardio is damaging your ability to get larger as well. You can't have it all, you can focus on aerobic exercise which will eat your muscle mass, or you can focus on building your muscle mass and leaning out through diet and through lifting weights heavy and hard enough to stimulate your natural growth hormone, lactate threshold, and metabolism.
Just my opinion, whatever you end up doing, good luck to you

 

[dmk777]

Hi and welcome,
Like the other girls said, you're not getting enough protein. There is no secret to getting big it only comes with hard work and the basics. Protein, Hard heavy weights and quality recovery time. I am willing to bet you have got comfortable in your routine at the gym. That won't get you big. I suggest going back to basics, maybe doing a 5x5 and starting out from scratch doing heavy compound exercises. I would suggest giving it your 200 % effort for a couple more years until you see the limits of your genetic ability to grow until you start steroids. There are so many ways to complicate going to the gym and really there is only one way to get larger muscles- too stress them considerably until they rip, and then rest them until they get bigger while eating enough protein to repair them.
Your cardio is damaging your ability to get larger as well. You can't have it all, you can focus on aerobic exercise which will eat your muscle mass, or you can focus on building your muscle mass and leaning out through diet and through lifting weights heavy and hard enough to stimulate your natural growth hormone, lactate threshold, and metabolism.
Just my opinion, whatever you end up doing, good luck to you

Great advice there jjtt !
Yeah Jen I so would recommend taking amino acids the essential ones there great for muscle recovery especially now that your going to be hitting it hard.
I agree with jjtt's advice bout the 5x5 I just got that advice from Zedhed and been working it for the past moth with great results as my body was so used to my old way of training it stopped been so affective .
I really believe if you up you protein and maybe drop Zed a pm he could arrange a training guide for you along with the sups we spoke about That you will see some great gains in strength and size.

Feel free to ask away if you need any more advice.
And good luck please keep us posted.

And one more thing always take pics every week you can see the results infront of you that way it's good for your determination !

Donna

 

[jennifer778]

Hi and welcome,
Like the other girls said, you're not getting enough protein. There is no secret to getting big it only comes with hard work and the basics. Protein, Hard heavy weights and quality recovery time. I am willing to bet you have got comfortable in your routine at the gym. That won't get you big. I suggest going back to basics, maybe doing a 5x5 and starting out from scratch doing heavy compound exercises. I would suggest giving it your 200 % effort for a couple more years until you see the limits of your genetic ability to grow until you start steroids. There are so many ways to complicate going to the gym and really there is only one way to get larger muscles- too stress them considerably until they rip, and then rest them until they get bigger while eating enough protein to repair them.
Your cardio is damaging your ability to get larger as well. You can't have it all, you can focus on aerobic exercise which will eat your muscle mass, or you can focus on building your muscle mass and leaning out through diet and through lifting weights heavy and hard enough to stimulate your natural growth hormone, lactate threshold, and metabolism.
Just my opinion, whatever you end up doing, good luck to you

jjtt---

thanks so much for your post!! You and Donna are wonderful!! I like your opinion and will definitely follow it. That's why I'm here...to get some help and guidance ( I would love to help some folks out in the process but I'm afraid I'm not as advanced as yall..yet!!LOL) I agree that it is so easy to get things complicated in the gym. I have had no one to ask until now, so I've just been winging it, along with the help of research, magazines, etc. I think some things are so deceiving about working out...some of these magazines and commercials make it out like you can become ripped in months and I just don't buy that garbage. I have definitely gotten too comfortable.

Ok more questions: (sorry if these seem elementary...like I said I've been winging it on my own)

What is a 5 x 5?

Can you give me an example how I can lean out with my diet? (Like one day of what I should eat/how often)

How much cardio should I do (or limit myself to) as to not eat my muscle?

Another stupid question: So, it truly takes years (at least several good years) for one to reach their maximum potential in terms of muscles, is that what I'm hearing? If so, that makes sense to me. Again, sometimes I get caught up in the "look like this in only 12 weeks" and it discourages me because I'm thinking "sh*t, I'm working my butt off without those kinds of resutls!"

Any other opinions? I think your opinions are right on! Thanks again for the help. Sorry to have so many questions!

jen

 

[jennifer778]

Great advice there jjtt !
Yeah Jen I so would recommend taking amino acids the essential ones there great for muscle recovery especially now that your going to be hitting it hard.
I agree with jjtt's advice bout the 5x5 I just got that advice from Zedhed and been working it for the past moth with great results as my body was so used to my old way of training it stopped been so affective .
I really believe if you up you protein and maybe drop Zed a pm he could arrange a training guide for you along with the sups we spoke about That you will see some great gains in strength and size.

Feel free to ask away if you need any more advice.
And good luck please keep us posted.

And one more thing always take pics every week you can see the results infront of you that way it's good for your determination !

Donna

Thanks ladies...I am so excited by your responses. It lets me see what I need to add/change/etc...

So, to be clear.......I should be getting aabout my body weight in protein?

What type of amino acids?

I will definitely contact Zed!

THANKS SO MUCH!!

 

[dmk777]

jjtt---

thanks so much for your post!! You and Donna are wonderful!! I like your opinion and will definitely follow it. That's why I'm here...to get some help and guidance ( I would love to help some folks out in the process but I'm afraid I'm not as advanced as yall..yet!!LOL) I agree that it is so easy to get things complicated in the gym. I have had no one to ask until now, so I've just been winging it, along with the help of research, magazines, etc. I think some things are so deceiving about working out...some of these magazines and commercials make it out like you can become ripped in months and I just don't buy that garbage. I have definitely gotten too comfortable.

Ok more questions: (sorry if these seem elementary...like I said I've been winging it on my own)

What is a 5 x 5?

Can you give me an example how I can lean out with my diet? (Like one day of what I should eat/how often)

How much cardio should I do (or limit myself to) as to not eat my muscle?

Another stupid question: So, it truly takes years (at least several good years) for one to reach their maximum potential in terms of muscles, is that what I'm hearing? If so, that makes sense to me. Again, sometimes I get caught up in the "look like this in only 12 weeks" and it discourages me because I'm thinking "sh*t, I'm working my butt off without those kinds of resutls!"

Any other opinions? I think your opinions are right on! Thanks again for the help. Sorry to have so many questions!

jen

Did you manage to find the stickys chic? There are loads of recipes ect on there.
Here's a great link by Radar

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/a...-build-muscle-loose-fat-then-read-712503.html

The amino acids are great bcaa's the essential amino acids.
Leaning out will come when you build up your diet and protein radar is great with the diet part im sure if you read the link I posted you could sort put a mean diet from this and if you need further help maybe you could pm Radar .

5x5 means less reps but heavier weights to cause more strain on your muscles.

I was doing 3 sets 10 reps for years and last month Zed said to change to 5x5 and because there less reps its so much easier to add lots more weight = better results!!

Sometimes while your training it's not easy to see much difference just by eye. Best to take regular pics you'll be surprised with the results !

Yes it is right that it takes years however don't loose faith because I'm 100 % when you tweak your training & diet along with you determination you'll be amazed at the results. And soon as you start to see it in front of you that's enough to push you to the extremes you can't beat the buzz haha.

Donna

 

[dmk777]

One more great post !!

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...dybuilding-training/steroid-faq-s-650939.html

Don't worry Jen we will look after you here !!
Donna