Trying To Get Muscle Definition

[XZIllR8]

Hello all. I know you guys have probably had this question before, so forgive me. I did a search and couldn't find the answer I wanted.

I am not trying to "bulk up". My goal is to lose weight, have a lean body, and achieve muscle definition.

In order for me to get muscle definition, I want to make sure I'm doing my weight training right. Should I be doing less weight with more reps (3-4 sets of 10-15 reps) OR should I be doing more weight with less reps (3 sets of 6-10 reps)? I've also seen the "Body For Life" workout where it's kind of a twist on less weight and more reps (where you progressively add more weight to each set), so I didn't know which would be the best weight program to follow.

Also, (due to time constraints) is it okay for me to do weights 2-3 times a week and cardio (HIIT) the other 4 days?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[scorpiogirl]

Well, the first thing we're going to ask is what are your stats?

It just depends on your body as to what the best training program will be for you. I'm leaning out right now also, and I lift moderate to heavy (for me), do 3-4 sets per exercise and usually 3-4 exercises per body part, and try to keep my sets to 10-12 reps. For others, that may not be the best thing.

I would; however, switch one of those cardio days to a weight training day and make it a 3 day cardio, 3 day weight training week instead of only 2 days of weights.

 

[XZIllR8]

Thank you for the reply. I am 28, 125 lbs, 5'3", and around 25% BF. I would like to lose 15 lbs and get back to 19% BF.

So you do 3-4 exercises per body part? I've only been doing 2. Then I switch to 2 different exercises for that body part every 2 weeks so my progress doesn't plateau out. Should I be doing more? Could you give me an example, say if you were doing exercises on your quadriceps, what 3 or 4 exercises would you do?

Thanks!

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Diet Diet Diet

What do you eat everyday? SPECIFICS ... measurements, amounts, preparations, condiments, etc Include TIMING of when you eat, water intake and supplements.

 

[BOWTECH]

Remember one thing alot of people forget when you are weight training, when you are done with your set you can actually do an active rest. An active rest for instance is let's say you are doing the bench press. When you are done with your set get up and do 20-30 jumping jacks. This way you are resting the muscle you are training but also you are keeping your heart rate up. Trust me this works very well for helping you lose excess bodyfat! But just as Daisy Girl said. Diet is the key. Good luck!

 

[Miss Scarlett]

I use fitday.com, as many do here, to get a good idea of what I am eating and how it effects my goals. What kind of calories are you taking in day to day? Do you know what your fat/pro/cho looks like over an average day?

The responses above are good advice. If you are working hard already, it's really about DIET! 'Definition' is about seeing the working muscle and that can only be gained with knowing what goes in and how much of what goes in is being burned by your exercise regimen. Post up your 'stats' and take a few minutes to see what you taking in with FitDay. It's a wonderful resource.

 

[Sassy69]

Start at the top of this board w/ the stickies - Are you new to EF LAdies board and also TOP THREADS MUST READ.

 

[XZIllR8]

Great suggestions. I will try the active rest. That sounds like a great idea! I have been on the Fat Flush Plan since the end of June. I don't know if any of you are familiar with the plan, but here is a sample menu:

Breakfast (7 am): morning shake (including 1 T flax seed oil, 1 T flax seeds, 26 g protein powder, 1 tsp lemon juice, 3/4 C strawberries, 1oz unsweetened cranberry juice, probiotic powder, 1 pkt of Stevia, 1/2 tsp cinnamon).

Morning snack (9:30 am): 2 boiled eggs.

Lunch (12:30): 4 oz meat and 2 veggies (such as 1/2 C cooked rutabaga and 1/2 C green beans)

Afternoon snack (4:00): 1 apple or 2 plums

Dinner (6:30): 4 oz meat (such as grilled chicken basted with 1T of all-natural, low sodium, no fat BBQ sauce), 1/2 sweet potato (topped w/ flax seed oil & cinnamon)and a side of veggies (such as a small salad with 1T reduced calorie dressing)

I have been using fitday.com for quite some time. I stay between 1200-1400 calories a day typically. I don't feel hungry at all during the day, so I wouldn't think I'm in "starvation mode". Should I be eating more even though I'm not hungry?

The supplements I take are all natural. I take GLA, mulitvitamin, fiber supplement in the evening, magnesium, stress formula (which contains things like B vitamins), weight loss formula (which inlcudes things like chromium, biotin, and l-carnitine), digestive enzyme. I just recently added CLA. I also take L-Glutamine on the days I do weights. I drink appx. 64 oz of water a day.

I'm not going to lie, I go off my diet sometimes on the weekends.

I'm just not seeing the definition I expected. The rest of my fat I have to lose is at my midesction (stomach, hips, butt). My twin sister is Strawberry2. It's hard feeling like the "fat" sister next to her. I've never had this much trouble before losing weight.

 

[scorpiogirl]

I think anything over 1250 - 1300 calories a day for you is too high if your trying to cut. My stats are similar to yours (5'4" & 123 lbs) I eat around 1100 - 1200 cal per day to maintain. If you want to lose some fat, I think you need to lower it a bit. The diet looks ok, but watch the fruit. I would say no more than 2 fruits a day - one of them preferably AFTER a workout. Supps look good and Bowtech's "active rest" sounds like a great idea! I just might try that one myself!! lol

Sweety, most people would KILL to be 5'3" & 125! You are better than average! Just tweek it a little bit and you'll get what you want!

I'm willing to bet that if you drop the fruit (maybe a piece every other day), do the active rest and drop the calories to nothing over 1250, you'll have at least 2 lbs gone within 4 days - probably sooner (but make sure you're keeping your protein at least 125).

 

[XZIllR8]

Thank you for the reply and the encouragement scorpiogirl. I don't think I'm a cow or anything. But I know I need to get back to the size/shape I used to be. I am thankful that I only have 15 lbs to lose. I lost 15 lbs so far doing the Fat Flush Plan. I've just stalled in the last month or so and it's frustrating me. Most of the time, I do stay between 1200-1250 cals, but sometimes it does go over that. I just want to make sure I don't go into a caloric deficit.
I've heard that the last 15 lbs are the hardest to lose, but I really believe I've hit a plateau.

I have been doing the weight routine from "Bodysculpting Bible For Women", but I'm considering a "Body For Life" type of routine. My sister even showed me some workouts in "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" which I'll most likely try. Is anyone familiar with the routines in these books? Does anyone have any suggestions as to what type of weight routine I should do (refer to my first post above for more info)?

Thanks!

 

[Miss24k]

drop the calories to nothing over 1250.

Are you serious? Less isn't going to help you lose weigh if you are in starvation mode!

You should NEVER go below 10-12 times your body weight.

at 125lbs your min. should be 1250, and max 1500, for cutting.

You should be having some kind of lean protein at every meal, drop the fruit, and read the sticky at the top of the page. There's lots of good information in there!

 

[MILF69]

Remember one thing alot of people forget when you are weight training, when you are done with your set you can actually do an active rest. An active rest for instance is let's say you are doing the bench press. When you are done with your set get up and do 20-30 jumping jacks. This way you are resting the muscle you are training but also you are keeping your heart rate up. Trust me this works very well for helping you lose excess bodyfat! But just as Daisy Girl said. Diet is the key. Good luck!

Great suggestion Bowtech...gonna try it!

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Are you serious? Less isn't going to help you lose weigh if you are in starvation mode!

You should NEVER go below 10-12 times your body weight.

at 125lbs your min. should be 1250, and max 1500, for cutting.

You should be having some kind of lean protein at every meal, drop the fruit, and read the sticky at the top of the page. There's lots of good information in there!

Word! Based on my calulations your maintance cals are 1700 to maintain your current weight. To lose fat not muscle your cals would be optimal around 1360 based on your activity level. As long as your chosing the right foods IE clean eating you should be able to lose about 1-2 lb per week.

 

[scorpiogirl]

Girls, that doesn't work for me. I guess we're all different. I'm not losing any muscle, but my bf% is down to 14.5 right now. She's saying she's 25%. If she keeps her protien high, she shouldn't have any problem.

If I ate 1700 calories a day I would be a frickin' PIG! Being the body type that I am, I gain all in my butt and upper thigh area. Everything else stays lean. If I ate 1500-1700 calories a day my ass would be HUGE!!!!

Word! Based on my calulations your maintance cals are 1700 to maintain your current weight. To lose fat not muscle your cals would be optimal around 1360 based on your activity level. As long as your chosing the right foods IE clean eating you should be able to lose about 1-2 lb per week.

This doesn't make sense - I started at 125 -127 lbs, lost 8.5% bf, and now weigh 120-123 (depending on the day) and eat 1100 - 1300 (high) a day except Sunday. So it's just my bodytype then?

Exillr8 - what body type are you?

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Girls, that doesn't work for me. I guess we're all different. I'm not loosing any muscle, but my bf% is down to 14.5 right now. She's saying she's 25%. If she keeps her protien high, she shouldn't have any problem.

If I ate 1700 calories a day I would be a frickin' PIG!

Depending on the food choices probably wouldn’t blow up. My last bf test was in around 12% @ 150 I was doing cardio twice a day and training twice a day and eating around 1800 cals a days my cals never dropped bellow 1500. Right now I am still losing weight post comp and my cals are 1800-2100 only lifting once a day and doing cardio once a day in the morning for 50 minutes 5-6 times a week. Food is not your enemy you just need to manipulate it to your advantage.

 

[XZIllR8]

How do you add more calories to your diet? Especially since I'm not hungry from what I'm already eating. Any suggestions on how to add 500 more cals to my diet?

 

[scorpiogirl]

Well, I guess if you train 2x a day and do cardio 2x a day that would be one thing. She's not.

 

[scorpiogirl]

How do you add more calories to your diet? Especially since I'm not hungry from what I'm already eating. Any suggestions on how to add 500 more cals to my diet?

Just add a little more of the foods your already eating.....instead of eating 3oz. lean meat, eat 4oz, etc. Figure out your macros and then divide your added calories into each of your 6 meals (or however many you eat) while still keeping your macros the same.

Right now I am still losing weight post comp and my cals are 1800-2100 only lifting once a day and doing cardio once a day in the morning for 50 minutes 5-6 times a week.

...but you are also 12% bf where she is 25% - you will burn more fat because of your muscle AND she doesn't do the cardio or training as often as you do.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Just add a little more of the foods your already eating.....instead of eating 3oz. lean meat, eat 4oz, etc. Figure out your macros and then divide your added calories into each of your 6 meals (or however many you eat) while still keeping your macros the same.


...but you are also 12% bf where she is 25% - you will burn more fat because of your muscle AND she doesn't do the cardio or training as often as you do.

I know but I used the same formula to come up with her caloriies as mine and based it on her activity level trust me this formual works I have set a number of friends on a diet using these numbers and everyone that followed the plan lost fat not muscle. Anyone can lose weight that if freakin easy not everyone can lose fat.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Nobody can make a blanket statement to say that ONE THING will work for everyone - even IF you are built similar to someone else. You can be the same height and weight as someone, with similar fat distribution and you will both STILL have different caloric intake to lose fat OR gain muscle.

It doesn't even have to do with body TYPE. it has to do with individual genetics, muscle/BF percent, age, hormone levels, activity choices, activity levels, exercise/diet history, sleep amounts, stress amounts, water intake, medications, etc. There are so many things that can influence caloric intake and results.

Yes, the basic fat loss forumla is 10-12xBW to determine caloric intake. But even THAT must be modified based off your results. Some people can cut with higher calories, some go lower. In GENERAL you should no go below 10xBW - especially not to start with. Losing fat (and thus, typically gaining definition) is a trial and error process that takes TIME until you figure out what intake works for YOU.

You should generally start with 12xBW and then go from there. If you do not lose after 2-4 weeks of following this - then drop calories SLOWLY, a little bit at a time. Sometimes, you do not even have to drop CALORIES - you just need to change the food choices or meal timing. Or adjust avtivity choices or levels.

You MUST take the time to get to know **your** body ....


xzillr8 - how long have you been following this diet? How about the workout routine?

 

[Sassy69]

I have to agree w/ Daisy - I'm 5'7" and I cut nicely on no more than 1800 cals / day. If I go above that it all seems to stop. You can start w/ the formulas, try & then tweak after a few weeks as to what seems to work the best.

My only suggestion on the diet would be to make the 4 pm "snack" more of a meal for 2 reasons - 1) no protein, 2) its 4 hrs since the previous meal & another 2 before the next real meal. Personally also, apples on an empty stomach just kill my digestion w/ the acidity. I would stick a protein + somethign meal around 3 pm instead.

From what you put into fitday.com, can you tell us the protein / fat/ carb percentages?

 

[superqt4u2nv]

You MUST take the time to get to know **your** body ....

Very true my point was that there are simple templates based on hieght weight and body type (IE meso, endo, ecto) and activitly level that come with a great baseline for calorie intake Just a matter of tweaking the macros to find your optimium fat burning combo.

 

[scorpiogirl]

You must spread Karma before giving it to Daisy_Girl again!!!

 

[XZIllR8]

I have been following my diet since the end of June. I lost 15 lbs from the plan. Last month I lost an inch but no weight. I'm not quite sure what that means. Over the last month to month and a half, my weight loss has been slowing and I'm just trying to narrow down what the cause may be. I personally thought my diet was fine, that's why I'm trying to find out if it may be my workouts that are not cutting the mustard.

I've been doing the basic workouts from the "Bodysculpting Bible for Women" for a year.....more consistently in the last 6 months. Would spreading my weight training from 2 days a week to 3 days a week increase my fat loss and bring out muscle definition?

Good suggestion on putting protein in my afternoon snack. I'm wondering if it would help if I had 1 small plum and 1 hard boiled egg for my morning snack and my afternoon snack. That way there's protein present in each meal. I will try to eat larger protions of what I'm already eating. Not eating enough calories may be the culprit as well. It's going to be hard for me to eat more....I'm not used to it. My approximate percentages of food intake are: 40% fat (good fats), 35% protein, and 25% carbs. I'm not sure what my body type is. I know my fat is at my midsection, so I'm apple shaped.

Thanks for all you suggestions!

 

[superqt4u2nv]

40% fat even good fats is way to high IMO. Fat levels are best kept 20-30%.

 

[Sassy69]

I have been following my diet since the end of June. I lost 15 lbs from the plan. Last month I lost an inch but no weight. I'm not quite sure what that means. Over the last month to month and a half, my weight loss has been slowing and I'm just trying to narrow down what the cause may be. I personally thought my diet was fine, that's why I'm trying to find out if it may be my workouts that are not cutting the mustard.

I've been doing the basic workouts from the "Bodysculpting Bible for Women" for a year.....more consistently in the last 6 months. Would spreading my weight training from 2 days a week to 3 days a week increase my fat loss and bring out muscle definition?

Good suggestion on putting protein in my afternoon snack. I'm wondering if it would help if I had 1 small plum and 1 hard boiled egg for my morning snack and my afternoon snack. That way there's protein present in each meal. I will try to eat larger protions of what I'm already eating. Not eating enough calories may be the culprit as well. It's going to be hard for me to eat more....I'm not used to it. My approximate percentages of food intake are: 40% fat (good fats), 35% protein, and 25% carbs. I'm not sure what my body type is. I know my fat is at my midsection, so I'm apple shaped.

Thanks for all you suggestions!

I agree on the way high fats. Something like a 40% prot, 30%carb, 30% fat or 40/40/20 might do you better.

Also yes if you want to build muscle 2 things are a must - 1) eat like u want to grow muscle - i.e. no protein = no muscle - nothing to build with. 2) training -muscle grows by tearing it down & letting it build back up. I'd go to the gym AT LEAST 3x /week. You aren't doing anything in your routine (eating , training) that even remotely supports anything above just bare maintanance.

Why you lost 1" but no weight --- "weight" = skeleton + bodyweight + muscle mass. If your weight isnt changing but your bodyfat is, that means the sum total of skeleton, muscle & fat isn't changing , but the amount of each (except skeleton) is. Its a good thing. This means your bodyfat is still dropping but you are starting to recover some of your muscle as well. That's why we constantly say don't get hung up about the number on the scale. Its almost irrelevant because it tells you nothign about the composition of your body. So many people freak if they dont' see the scale go down - there is a point where the exchange of fat & muscle starts and the total weight won't change. You should get your bodyfat measured to track relative changes, or even just go by how your clothes fit instead of teh scale.

 

[Miss Scarlett]

.... or even just go by how your clothes fit instead of teh scale.

I would be a cause for more than a little celebration month to month if the dress size droped but the bodyweight stayed the same...

 

[XZIllR8]

I will cut out the Flax Seed Oil in my morning shake then. That should help. For some reason though, the percentage naturally climbs up to that for my fat when I enter my meat in. I don't eat fatty stuff, so I'm not sure how to cut it down anymore than leaving out the FSO in the morn.

I've been doing interval cardio 3-4x a week and regular cardio (non-interval) 1-2x a week 30-40 minute sessions. The other 2 days I do weights. So I will start doing weights 3 times a week now.

 

[Sassy69]

Doing anythign 2x / week is sort of "nice to do" -- that's about the level of result you can get from it. For ex, something like yoga 2x/week is a nice thing to add into a weekly regimen just for something different and a little stretching. But you won't really get the full benefit of it that few times/week. Same w/ resistance training.

 

[scorpiogirl]

If you're going to cut out fat, I wouldn't cut the "good" fat. Keep the good stuff, such as your flax, and eliminate the fat you get from meat. Instead of eating a lot of red meat, switch to fish or chicken. ...and the fish is still "good" fat. I don't think 40% fat is cause for alarm....if you start getting any higher than that though, I would try to find ways to cut it back.

Basically, it all comes back to what your body responds to.

 

[Sassy69]

Might be interesting if you can post up the breakdown of your diet & we can see where all the fat is coming from & maybe recommend some places to shave it out.

 

[scorpiogirl]

^^^

 

[XZIllR8]

Basically, the fats are coming from the flaxseed oil, flaxeseeds, eggs, and meats I'm eating. Flaxseed oil is obviously where most of the fat is coming from. If I take out the flaxseed oil, my percentage will go from 42% fat to 26% fat. If I keep just 1/2 Tbsp of FSO, it takes my percentage to 31%.

 

[scorpiogirl]

Keep the flax oil.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Are the flaxseeds whole or ground?

 

[XZIllR8]

The flaxseeds are toasted and ground. I put them in my morning smoothie to help regulate my hormones and to keep myself "regular"

 

[Daisy_Girl]

If the flaxseeds are ground, then there is no need for the oil. I would reduce the amount of oil.

 

[XZIllR8]

Update:

I have appreciated all your advice and suggestions. Since then I have gone to 3x/wk of weights and I have increased the intensity of my weight training.

Should it really be this hard to lose fat? Agh! I've read that if you burn 3500 calories a week in excess of the amount of calories you've eaten, you will lose 1 lb of body fat. Well, I guess that theory doesn't work for me because I exceed that every week.

It's weird because for one reason or another, I will gain 2-3 lbs and have no problem losing it, but once I hit 125 lbs, it's like my body has set up a wall that I can't break through.

It shouldn't be this hard to lose the weight....should it? I eat right most of the time and I do some sort of exercise (cardio and/or weights) every day. A couple of years ago I was able to lose most of my weight with half the effort, but this time my body is just hanging on to it for some reason. Will being even more strict on my diet make much of a difference? Am I being naive in thinking that cheating on my diet plan a couple of times a week won't hinder my weight loss efforts? I can't be the only one that cheats...LOL

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Give us EXACTLY what you eat everyday and EXACTLY what your workout routine is.

 

[scorpiogirl]

We can't give you any help unless you post your diet and training schedule. When I started on EF in Sept., I thought I had my diet down pretty well and was stuck at 125 myself.

As it turns out - I was eating a bunch of shit that I didn't think was shit and I've been training for 13 years. I was unaware that all the processed CRAP really DOES make a difference.

Post your diet - THEN ask the questions.

 

[XZIllR8]

Here is a quote from an earlier post I did:

" ...Here is a sample menu:

Breakfast (7 am): morning shake (including 1 T psyllium husks, 26 g protein powder, 1 tsp lime juice, 3/4 C strawberries, 1oz unsweetened cranberry juice, probiotic powder, 1 pkt of Stevia, 1/2 tsp cinnamon).

Morning snack (9:30 am): 1 boiled egg and half an apple with 1 T of all-natural peanut butter.

Lunch (12:30): 4 oz meat and 2 veggies (such as 1/2 C cooked rutabaga and 1/2 C green beans)

Afternoon snack (4:00): 1 boiled egg and half an apple with 1 T of all-natural peanut butter.

Dinner (6:30): 4 oz meat (such as grilled chicken basted with 1T of all-natural, low sodium, no fat BBQ sauce), 1/2 sweet potato (topped w/ flax seed oil & cinnamon)and a side of veggies (such as a small salad with 1T reduced calorie dressing)

...

The supplements I take are all natural. I take GLA, mulitvitamin, fiber supplement in the evening, magnesium, stress formula (which contains things like B vitamins), weight loss formula (which inlcudes things like chromium, biotin, and l-carnitine), digestive enzyme. I just recently added CLA. I also take L-Glutamine on the days I do weights. I drink appx. 64 oz of water a day.

I'm not going to lie, I go off my diet sometimes on the weekends. But when I do go off my diet, I don't go over board by eating donuts or a cheeseburger with fries or something... For instance, a "cheat" would be with some limits like eating a breakfast taco or eating stir-fry chinese food without the rice. Every once in a while I might have chicken strips with a salad or something..."

My current workout consists of: alternating days of weights and cardio. Weights are 5 sets for each muscle group with increasing weight for each set (ie, set 1= 12 reps, set 2= 10 reps (with increased weight), set 3= 8 reps (with increased weight), set 4= 6 reps (with increased weight), and 12 reps (back at original weight).

Monday: weights= chest and triceps
Tues: cardio= 30 minutes on elliptical or hike and bike trail (mostly elliptical though) and abs
Weds: weights= legs
Thurs: cardio= same as above
Fri: weights= shoulder, back, and biceps
Sat: cardio
Sun: cardio

This week it was suggested to me to do 20-30 minutes of cardio everyday instead of ever other day, so I started that this week.

 

[scorpiogirl]

My fiance is standing here reading this stuff with me - he just said EXACTLY why Daisy & I are telling you to POST your EXACT diet....you are probably eating more than you should - even if it IS the good food. You don't know portions because you're not logging it. Put it in fitday and check it out. You will probably be unpleasantly surprised of how fast the calories stack up.

If you're cheating a couple of times a week....what are your calories for those days? Do you have any clue....or are you just pretty sure you're ok?

Until you log it....you don't know and that's the bottom line. We can't pull answers out of the air and give you the "magic" answer. You have to put some effort into this (as I'm sure you have to this point)....but you can take it a step further.

If it were easy to have a beautiful body with minimal work - we would all be gods and goddesses. It takes work. Work it, girl!!!!

 

[musclemom]

I'm not the expert that the other ladies are but just some ideas ...

1. What about having real food for breakfast. Get some oatmeal, put the ground flaxseed in there (my breakfast sounds revolting but is 1 c. cooked oatmeal, 1/4 c. 1% cottage cheese, 2 oz cooked chicken, 2 T. ground flaxseed ... it's not so bad with salt).

2. Looks like you have a limited diet ... more green things would be nice ... my rule of thumb, when in doubt, add 1% cottage cheese.

3. Are you doing any big compound lifts like deads or squats? They're scary, but they make a difference.

4. Have you increased your weights?

I think your calories are low ... I'd say for a hoot, if you're really frustrated, bump it say 200 to 400 a day while maintaining ratios to see what happens ... if you're not focused on a competition, you have some leeway to play around, you might gain some mass that might tip the scale with fat burning.

Like I said, I'm in NO way an expert, but just some food for thought.

 

[XZIllR8]

I use Fitday everyday. I'm sorry, I misunderstood what you meant by an exact menu. I'm trying to transfer a week of my menu from Fitday.com, but I'm having a hard time. I transferred to a word doc but the word doc is too big to upload on here. If anyone has any suggestions on how to transfer that info on here, I'd appreciate it.

As far as specifics on my workout.... I alternate every 2 weeks to a different weight exercise so my body doesn't get used to it. I will choose one exercise for each muscle group below, do that exercise, and switch to a different one after 2 weeks. I have been increasing in weight.

Chest= Barbell or Dumbell bench press/ Barbell or Dumbell incline press/ Dumbell flyes/ Cable crossovers

Back= Lat Pulldown/ Seated cable rows/ Straight arm pulldowns/ Bent over lateral raise

Shoulders= Seated Dumbell press/ Front raises/ Lateral Raises/ Reverse Flyes/ Upright Barbell rows

Biceps= Dumbell or Barbell curls/ Preacher curls/ Concentration curls/ Hammer curls

Triceps= Overhead Dumbell extension/ Tricep kickbacks/ Cable extension/ Dips

Quads= Barbell or Dumbell squats/ Leg press/ Leg extension

Hamstrings= Dumbell lunges/ Straight leg deadlifts/ Lying leg curls

Calves= Seated calf raises/ Calf press/ Standing heel raises

Abs= Swiss ball crunches, hanging knee raises, bicycle crunch, oblique exercise with medicine ball, lying leg raises

Thank you all for your encouragement and suggestions. I don't expect my weight loss to come easy. It's just taking longer and harder than it used to be.

 

[scorpiogirl]

So you're stuck at 125? If you log in fitday, you know your calorie intake then, right? What is it? We had talked about how many calories you should be eating earlier on in this thread.

You're only doing 5 sets per muscle group...and your pyramiding(sp) those sets? Maybe try doing 3 different exercises, 4 sets per exercise and 10 reps per exercise. Switch it up a bit and see if that helps. Still doing cardio? 20-30 Minutes of HIIT 3x per week should really help if you're not already doing it.

 

[XZIllR8]

My calorie intake typically ranges from 1200-1450. During the week it is normally 1200-1350. On the weekends it is normally 1350-1500 (because I've cheated). On the days that I have cheated, it has never been more than 1600. No matter what, I always strive to eat at least 100 grams of protein, 20 grams of fiber, and less than 100 grams of carbs per day. I'll see if I can type out what I've eaten for 7 days off of fitday since I can't seem to upload it. If I've cheated on the weekend, I will usually eat 1200-1250 cals for the following 2 days to offset it. I don't know if that's the wrong thing to do or not.

I do 20-30 minutes of HIIT 2x per week and the other 5 days, I just do regular cardio.

I started doing the above mentioned weight routine about a month and a half ago. I changed it to that since the other routine didn't seem to be working for me. I don't know how long I should try this routine before determining if it's working for me or not.

I would like to lose my 15 lbs (and/or go from 20% bf to 15% bf) by the end of February.

I appreciate all your help!

 

[scorpiogirl]

Well, the first thing I would do is bring your calories down a little and try that. Stay between 1250 - 1300 and see if that helps. Don't go above 1300 Monday thru Saturday. Cheat meal or cheat day one day per week - no more. You need to bring your protein up to 125 grams per day.

If you want to lose 5% bf, you won't lose 15 lbs, but you will definitely reshape your body. To lose 15 lbs, you would have to lose some muscle too, and you don't want to do that.

What time of day are you doing cardio?

 

[Daisy_Girl]

No matter what, I always strive to eat at least 100 grams of protein, 20 grams of fiber, and less than 100 grams of carbs per day.

I do 20-30 minutes of HIIT 2x per week and the other 5 days, I just do regular cardio.

Couple things ...

How many grams of fat?
Because here is my math thus far ...
4cal per g of protein x 100g = 400 calories
4cal per g of carb x 100g = 400 calories
So without adding in fat yet, you are at 800 calories a day.


You are doing some form of cardio 7x a week? Stop it.
HIIT can be done 2-3 times a week, but I wouldn't do steady state cardio ALL the other days. You need a rest day. I would do HIIT 3x a week and steady state 2x a week and THAT IS IT for cardio. Increasing cardio shouldn't be the first thing you do - changing DIET is the first thing.


What are your "cheat meals" usually consisting of? Do you cheat all weekend at every meal? Are they planned out in advance, or is it a free for all? What is the structure of your cheats?


* Your protein is low - increase protein to 1g per lb BW.
* Don't limit green veggies - they are so low in calorie and high fiber, vitamins, minerals.
* Don't forget good carbs include things like yams, sweet potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal - these things are GOOD for you.

 

[XZIllR8]

Well, the first thing I would do is bring your calories down a little and try that. Stay between 1250 - 1300 and see if that helps. Don't go above 1300 Monday thru Saturday. Cheat meal or cheat day one day per week - no more. You need to bring your protein up to 125 grams per day.

Sounds good. This may seem like a dumb question, but how do I add another 25 grams of protein a day? If I'm already eating a chicken breast, egg, or lean burger patty for each meal, what can I add to bump up my grams?

If you want to lose 5% bf, you won't lose 15 lbs, but you will definitely reshape your body. To lose 15 lbs, you would have to lose some muscle too, and you don't want to do that.

What time of day are you doing cardio?

During the week I do my cardio before lunch (since unfortunately I don't have time in the mornings). On the weekend though, I do my cardio before breakfast.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

More protein is easy to add.

Add more protein to the shake.
Add more protein to your snacks - they are so pitifully low in protein.
Add another protein only shake after your weight workout.
Add more meat to the meals, another 1-2oz will make a huge difference.

 

[XZIllR8]

Couple things ...

How many grams of fat?
Because here is my math thus far ...
4cal per g of protein x 100g = 400 calories
4cal per g of carb x 100g = 400 calories
So without adding in fat yet, you are at 800 calories a day.

My fat intake is around 50.

What are your "cheat meals" usually consisting of? Do you cheat all weekend at every meal? Are they planned out in advance, or is it a free for all? What is the structure of your cheats?

My "cheat meals" might be fast food chicken strips (NO dipping sauce or gravy) with green beans (maybe a scoop of mashed potatoes), or beef fajitas with a little chips and salsa, or chinese food (no rice). For breakfast on the weekend, I will occassionally have breakfast tacos (tortilla, egg, bacon, and salsa) or IHOP eggs, bacon, with 1/2 hash brown serving on plate and 1/2 wheat toast serving on plate.

Over the course of the entire weekend, I don't have any more than 4 "cheat meals". Usually it's 2 or 3. I will start being more structured about my weekend cheats and make sure I do no more than 1 day of cheating.

* Your protein is low - increase protein to 1g per lb BW.
* Don't limit green veggies - they are so low in calorie and high fiber, vitamins, minerals.
* Don't forget good carbs include things like yams, sweet potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal - these things are GOOD for you.

I'm trying not to limit veggies. I try but in all honesty, it's hard for me to eat a lot of veggies (not a veggie fan). I do like sweet potatoes though, I eat those all the time. I rarely eat brown rice and oatmeal though. I will occassionally eat oatmeal for breakfast on the weekend or have 1 slice of sprouted grain bread with my eggs.

Is 6 days of cardio okay?

 

[XZIllR8]

What kind of protein do you add to your snacks?

 

[scorpiogirl]

Choose ONE day to cheat.... & 4 cheat meals is too much. Keep it to 2 or less - depending on what it is you're eating.

I find the easiest way to add protein when I need it is to add another shake. No more than 2 shakes per day. The BEST way though, is to add a litte more meat to your meals. Make it 4 oz. instead of 2. If your eating 4 oz., make it 5 oz.

Six days of cardio is too much. Stay with 5x per week at the most.

 

[buffalogal]

Another easy way to add in protein is to add a scoop of powder to your oatmeal. If you have trouble getting oatmeal down, you can always sweeten it with spices, berries, splenda, etc. I think you'll be surprised to find you may actually start enjoying it once you spice it up a little. Adding one scoop should add about 20-25 grams of protein, depending on the brand.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

How to add protein to snacks ....

Can add nuts (although this also increases fat).

More eggs, can limit the yokes to reduce fat, but this also bring the protein down some. I would do 1 whole egg, 2 boiled whites (toss the yokes).

Add cottage cheese or yogurt - can do 1/2c CC with the apple and PB.

Also, a REAL easy way to increase daily protein is to do what I said earlier - increase amt of protein in AM shake, increase meat amt by 1-2oz, add protein only shake post WO.


Hell girl, your cheat meals are weak. Those are barely cheats. I could cheat you under the freaking table. lol When I dropped 30+ lbs and over half my BF, I went ALL OUT one day a week (every Sunday) - the entire DAY was a cheat. I probably ate 2,500 calories that day - easily. Not that I recommend this, lol.

Although, I think you are doing too *many* cheats. And they are random cheats - not planned or thought out. Ahead of time, I would pick 2 meals a week to cheat - maybe 1 during the week and 1 weekend. Like - 1 dinner and 1 breakfast, or 1 breakfast and 1 dessert). And go for it - don't stress about the calories. If you cheat at ONLY 2 meals a week, and the rest is clean and your training is strong - then the cheats can only help you - psychologically and physically. (assuming one is not getting ready for a comp, of course)

 

[Sassy69]

The thing about cheats is that they are like carb rotation - your body needs a consistent schedule to set itself to optimal fuel consumption. If your cheats are not large but pretty regular (more than 2x/week), they may be screwing up that consistency. It really does work better to keep your cheats scheduled.

 

[XZIllR8]

Wow, that totally makes sense! I will only do 2 cheats a week. And I won't feel guilty about them either! LOL

I will add the protein shake and a little more meat and add another scoop of protein to my morning shake and see how much protein that will add for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what brand of ready-made high protein/low carb shake (that isn't really expensive) to buy?

Also, is eating tortillas bad if I limit to eating one?

Thanks gals!

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Nothing is bad in moderation. There are no BAD FOODS. It is all about what works for you, and taking things in moderation.

If 1 tortilla a day works for you, then do it. It is always something you can take out if results stall.

Planning and executing a diet is an ever-changing process. There is no ONE diet that works for everyone, and even when you find a diet that works for YOU, you will still change it - sometimes weekly. There are always tweaks and changes to make. As you see results (or lack thereof), you will adapt your diet to those results (or lack thereof).

 

[Sassy69]

I think a lot of the girls found Optimum Nutrition (ON) protein powder to be good.

 

[scorpiogirl]

I think a lot of the girls found Optimum Nutrition (ON) protein powder to be good.

I WAS using Isopure....but since a lot of girls were using ON, I tried it and found that it tastes great and I like it better. The Rocky Road is AWESOME!

As far as the cheat meals.....Daisy was saying she could cheat you under the table - as could I!!! I went from Saturday night thru Sunday afternoon eating nearly EVERYTHING in sight AND ate out 2x with no reservations - BUT - that's it for me until next Sunday (and I just started the monthly, so that had something to do with it). Scheduling is a big part of it. There is a mental "mode" I go into every Monday. For me, if I let it slip - I'm screwed. Quite a few of us are like this.

Keep in mind that if you have a cheat during the week, you probably will want to make it a "mini" cheat and not all out or you could stall out big time. Especially since you are already stuck.