Please I need some help

[sharon224]

Hi everyone, I'm not really new to this site but I lost my old account so I created a new one.
Anyways I'm 23 now I trained with a bodybuilder for about 2 years back in 2005-2007. I took a lot of supplements whey, casein, bcaa, N.O., etc I had even tried AAS clen, t3, oxandrolone, and some light AAS for women, my trainer asked me to take winstrol but I never did. I did gain a lot of muscle back then, I had 3-4 guys sitting on the leg press machine (max 8 plates on each side). I had a high bodyfat% before I was 5'2" about 165lbs.

Then in early 2007 I stopped training and I was pregnant (luckily all those AAS I took 1 year before I got prego didn't hurt me or the baby) The next day after I had c-section I weighed 175lbs, that was the end of 2007 and I had been watching my diet, I didn't exercise much (only went swimming a few times) but kept my calorie intake below 2000cal/day.

Today my weight is 134lbs (still 5'2") and I started lifting weights again a few weeks ago but I lost all my strength I had back then. I find it difficult to lose more weight, I've been doing cardio only once or twice a week for 30min because I'm so busy. I have been eating about 1800cal/day. The last time I weighed at my gym I was told my upper body strength is stronger than my lower body strength and the core strength is kinda weak. (I believe my upper body strength came from lifting the baby) and my balance is poor, right leg is stronger than left leg. But overall my muscle mass is above average.

So what kind of exercises should I do to improve my body strength and lower body fat? I am down to about 25% and my goal is 15%. I have been doing bar squats, leg press, dumbell lunges, leg raises, incline bench press, crunches, deadlifts, dumbell row only because I do not want wide shoulders and big arms. Am I doing this the wrong way? my diet is clean and should I increase the cardio but keep the same amount of calorie intake? Please help. Thanks.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Hi everyone, I'm not really new to this site but I lost my old account so I created a new one.
Anyways I'm 23 now I trained with a bodybuilder for about 2 years back in 2005-2007. I took a lot of supplements whey, casein, bcaa, N.O., etc I had even tried AAS clen, t3, oxandrolone, and some light AAS for women, my trainer asked me to take winstrol but I never did. I did gain a lot of muscle back then, I had 3-4 guys sitting on the leg press machine (max 8 plates on each side). I had a high bodyfat% before I was 5'2" about 165lbs.

Then in early 2007 I stopped training and I was pregnant (luckily all those AAS I took 1 year before I got prego didn't hurt me or the baby) The next day after I had c-section I weighed 175lbs, that was the end of 2007 and I had been watching my diet, I didn't exercise much (only went swimming a few times) but kept my calorie intake below 2000cal/day.

Today my weight is 134lbs (still 5'2") and I started lifting weights again a few weeks ago but I lost all my strength I had back then. I find it difficult to lose more weight, I've been doing cardio only once or twice a week for 30min because I'm so busy. I have been eating about 1800cal/day. The last time I weighed at my gym I was told my upper body strength is stronger than my lower body strength and the core strength is kinda weak. (I believe my upper body strength came from lifting the baby) and my balance is poor, right leg is stronger than left leg. But overall my muscle mass is above average.

So what kind of exercises should I do to improve my body strength and lower body fat? I am down to about 25% and my goal is 15%. I have been doing bar squats, leg press, dumbell lunges, leg raises, incline bench press, crunches, deadlifts, dumbell row only because I do not want wide shoulders and big arms. Am I doing this the wrong way? my diet is clean and should I increase the cardio but keep the same amount of calorie intake? Please help. Thanks.

Awesome on the 41 lbs you already lost!

Can you please list your exact diet?
Example
Meal 1
1/3 cups oats
10 egg whites
Meal 2
4 oz chicken
1 cup green beans
Meal 3
1/2 cottage cheese
Meal 4
1 oz almonds
Meal 5
4 oz chicken
1 cup spinach
Meal 6
1 oz almonds

Also if you could put your daily intake into FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal and provide us with your macro break down that will give us a good idea of where we can start to tweak things with your diet. As for training and cardio if you could get in 3 days a week of 45 minutes of weight training and 30 min of cardio that would be ideal. Even the carido does not have to be a big thing could be a 30 minute walk pushing the baby in the stroller.

 

[slat1]

QT is right on the money with the food.
Also, kick ass on losing 41lbs that is impressive!

 

[sharon224]

Thanks for the replies.
From 2007 to last month I ate anything I wanted, including pizza, chocolate, chips, cookies, fast foods but I kept calorie intake per day below 2000cal thats how I lost those 41pounds. But my baby is getting bigger and life is not too stressful so I want to take my diet and training seriously.

This month I'm switching to a cleaner diet (not really clean I know), I don't eat the same things everyday but here is what I eat when I'm at home. I live in Asia right now when I'm out I usually request lean meat without sauces, boiled/steamed vegetables with white rice(sometimes red/brown rice). and sometimes sushi. I also cut out all junk foods.

Meal 1: 1 slice wheat bread, 2 tbsp peanut butter
Meal 2: 1 cup white rice, steamed chicken, and some boiled veggies
Meal 3: Myoplex carb sense shake
Meal 4: 1/2 cup white rice, some lean meat and some cooked veggies
Meal 5: 1 apple

usually around 1800cal. I feel ok with this diet but recovery is very slow. I'm thinking I'm not getting enough protein and maybe I should include whey protein and skim milk in my diet?

and for supplements I'm taking Tonalin CLA and a multi-vitamin.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Thanks for the replies.
From 2007 to last month I ate anything I wanted, including pizza, chocolate, chips, cookies, fast foods but I kept calorie intake per day below 2000cal thats how I lost those 41pounds. But my baby is getting bigger and life is not too stressful so I want to take my diet and training seriously.

This month I'm switching to a cleaner diet (not really clean I know), I don't eat the same things everyday but here is what I eat when I'm at home. I live in Asia right now when I'm out I usually request lean meat without sauces, boiled/steamed vegetables with white rice(sometimes red/brown rice). and sometimes sushi. I also cut out all junk foods.

Meal 1: 1 slice wheat bread, 2 tbsp peanut butter
Meal 2: 1 cup white rice, steamed chicken, and some boiled veggies
Meal 3: Myoplex carb sense shake
Meal 4: 1/2 cup white rice, some lean meat and some cooked veggies
Meal 5: 1 apple

usually around 1800cal. I feel ok with this diet but recovery is very slow. I'm thinking I'm not getting enough protein and maybe I should include whey protein and skim milk in my diet?

and for supplements I'm taking Tonalin CLA and a multi-vitamin.

For sure not getting enough protein try to get about 25-30 grams per meal. This is for sure better then the pizza and the cookies that you were hitting up last month but still room for improvement. I think if you make a few more changes you will see really dramtic results considering what you have been able to do so far is awesome.

This is my suggestion on some tweaks
Meal 1:
1/3 cup oats (before cooking)
10 egg whites
If you blend them together with some splenda and cinnomin kinda like a pancake.
Meal 2
1/2 cup brown rice or yams
1 cup green veggies
5 oz chicken or turkey breast fish or lean beaf
Meal 3 ( I am assuming post work out?)
Any protein shake that give at least 30 grams per serving
Green apple
Meal 4
1/2 cup brown rice or yams
1 cup green veggies
5 oz chicken or turkey breast fish or lean beaf
Meal 5
1/2 cup cottage cheese

If there is anything you absolutly hate from that plan let me know and I will tweak it for you there is lots of creative ways to get in a more protein. I would give the tweaks a two weeks if there working reward yourself with a meal of something you crave. Keep setting goals and if you achive them then reward yourself it always helps when there is a carrot in front of you.

 

[sharon224]

For sure not getting enough protein try to get about 25-30 grams per meal. This is for sure better then the pizza and the cookies that you were hitting up last month but still room for improvement. I think if you make a few more changes you will see really dramtic results considering what you have been able to do so far is awesome.

This is my suggestion on some tweaks
Meal 1:
1/3 cup oats (before cooking)
10 egg whites
If you blend them together with some splenda and cinnomin kinda like a pancake.
Meal 2
1/2 cup brown rice or yams
1 cup green veggies
5 oz chicken or turkey breast fish or lean beaf
Meal 3 ( I am assuming post work out?)
Any protein shake that give at least 30 grams per serving
Green apple
Meal 4
1/2 cup brown rice or yams
1 cup green veggies
5 oz chicken or turkey breast fish or lean beaf
Meal 5
1/2 cup cottage cheese

If there is anything you absolutly hate from that plan let me know and I will tweak it for you there is lots of creative ways to get in a more protein. I would give the tweaks a two weeks if there working reward yourself with a meal of something you crave. Keep setting goals and if you achive them then reward yourself it always helps when there is a carrot in front of you.

Thanks the meal plan looks great except I really hate the taste of oats, oatmeal and cottage cheese. Can I substitute these with something else. Also people here don't sell yams, can I replace it with sweet potatoes, white potatoes or taro? And I have problem eating so many eggs because the eggs here are from China and I really don't trust these melamime filled eggs.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Thanks the meal plan looks great except I really hate the taste of oats, oatmeal and cottage cheese. Can I substitute these with something else. Also people here don't sell yams, can I replace it with sweet potatoes, white potatoes or taro? And I have problem eating so many eggs because the eggs here are from China and I really don't trust these melamime filled eggs.

How about cream of wheat? You could even get away with the slice of whole wheat toaste just without the peanut butter. Can you get egg whites that come prepackaged and pasterized? Sweet potatoes and yams are the same thing so that will work. One of the main goals is trying to avoid anything white IE white rice and white potatoes both will cause a spike in insullin. You could have a shake as your last meal with 1 tbsp of all natural peanut butter.

 

[slat1]

Definately go with brown or wild rice. White rice is a no no.
I think you will be really impressed with what QT laid out for you too!

 

[sharon224]

Thanks I'll definitely try that and let yall know the results.

 

[sharon224]

OK I have started a cleaner diet and I have some questions.
- Is it okay to eat my last meal right before bed?
- Can I drink skim milk with 1 scoop whey for my last meal?
- Yesterday I weighed at my gym again, I lost 1pound muscle and 5 pounds fat after being ill for 1 week (lost 2% bodyfat in 1 week) at 1800cal/day if I lift heavy will I still be able to gain back some lean mass? Is gaining lean mass with 200cal calorie deficit a myth?
- People at the gym tell me to stop lifting weights cause I'm a woman, they recommend training with a fitball/stability ball. Can I build muscle with a fitball? I'm still gonna lift weights I just wonder if fitball can replace weights on my busy days at home.

Thanks.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

OK I have started a cleaner diet and I have some questions.
- Is it okay to eat my last meal right before bed?
- Can I drink skim milk with 1 scoop whey for my last meal?
- Yesterday I weighed at my gym again, I lost 1pound muscle and 5 pounds fat after being ill for 1 week (lost 2% bodyfat in 1 week) at 1800cal/day if I lift heavy will I still be able to gain back some lean mass? Is gaining lean mass with 200cal calorie deficit a myth?
- People at the gym tell me to stop lifting weights cause I'm a woman, they recommend training with a fitball/stability ball. Can I build muscle with a fitball? I'm still gonna lift weights I just wonder if fitball can replace weights on my busy days at home.

Thanks.

Yes you can have the last meal before bed just make sure to add a little fat to it like all natural peanut butter or mac nut oil so that the absorption is better. The fit ball stability ball will never replace good old fashion weight lifting. It is good to do once in a while to change things up but certainly not a supplement for regular weights.

 

[ironwings]

sharon - oh my. I could rant and rave about "you shouldn't be lifting weights because you are a girl". I want to say tell those f@*kers to stand out of the way. I'm going to get you a shirt that says "I sweat like a girl" and I want you to flaunt your a#* in that gym doing power cleans. In a few months they'll all be asking what in the world your routine is. They will want the results you will be getting. Being is the opposite of hoping.

Please don't pick up a fitball unless you are doing wood shops with it.

With the food, if you are above 20% body fat (which you are) all you need to do is keep it simple. Small changes will go a LONG way.

1. Eat small meals more often and absolutely eat breakfast
2. Limit or hopefully eliminate: alchohol, soda, fried foods, trans fats, white bread (pasta, rice etc), high fat dairy
3. Drink tons of water and get plenty of sleep
4. If losing fat is more important to gain lean muscle mass (you have to decide which is most important for now) don't eat a couple hours before bed
5. If lean muscle mass is more important make protein the base of each meal

What super has laid out is perfect - a little advanced but certainly will yield results. Make it a lifestyle

 

[slat1]

Yes you can have the last meal before bed just make sure to add a little fat to it like all natural peanut butter or mac nut oil so that the absorption is better. The fit ball stability ball will never replace good old fashion weight lifting. It is good to do once in a while to change things up but certainly not a supplement for regular weights.

Great point. Change it good but the foundation to results is still lifting iron.
If you do some research you will actually find that the stabilization ball will reduce strength over time. You have to love the European University studies!

 

[sharon224]

QT how much do you lift? How much do most ladies lift? I see fitness models using 10lbs dumbells which I think is too light for me.
I've taken var and primo before does it mean I can gain back the strength I had before without AAS?

 

[superqt4u2nv]

QT how much do you lift? How much do most ladies lift? I see fitness models using 10lbs dumbells which I think is too light for me.
I've taken var and primo before does it mean I can gain back the strength I had before without AAS?

I think you can because of mucle memory but it will take some time. My strength is still pretty low compard to years past but I try not to focus on that as much as just on burning out the muscle. If you feel like you can lift more then do.

 

[sharon224]

Here is an update.
I'm impressed with the meal plans you all suggested, and I forced down the bowl of oatmeal in the morning. I can feel that I have more energy and I have been able to do more cardio this week!!
I'm eating at least 130g protein per day. I have not lost weight though but I can feel my muscles growing?! so I guess I'm gaining muscle mass?? I can lift a little heavier now too. I'm eating around 1800cal per day but if i eat less I feel weak and I can't workout properly, does it mean I should just keep it at 1800cal and lose fat by doing more cardio?

 

[ironwings]

QT how much do you lift? How much do most ladies lift? I see fitness models using 10lbs dumbells which I think is too light for me.
I've taken var and primo before does it mean I can gain back the strength I had before without AAS?

I would imagine you are seeing those fitness models in magazines, right? Those shelf magazines are geared to those wanting to get in shape. That is there biggest market so the don't want to intimidate anyone by having their ladies lifting 50lb dumbbells.

Lift the maximum weight you can possibly lift for 8 - 12 reps. Everyone's strength is different and you have to build from where you are. If you are worried about not burning enough fat - do your exercises as supersets. One exercise followed by another with no rest and continue that cycle for all of your sets.

I have a recipe for you. I hate oatmeal too! This recipe takes a little preparation but you an make a big batch to last a week or more. I typically double the recipe and make a bunch at a time.

Quinoa Granola (4 servings)

1/2 cup raw quinoa
1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)
2 tbsp walnuts, crushed
1/8 tsp salt (I omit this)
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp raisins or any dried fruit

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F
2. In a medium pot, add the quinoa and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 7 minutes. Drain and rinse the quinoa in cold water.
3. Combine all ingredients (including quinoa) except for the raisins or dried fruit on a sheet pan and place in the over. Mix often with a spatula to prevent sticking and to toast evenly. Cook unitl dry and lightly toasted, about 45 minutes (mine takes an hour). Mix in raisins or dried fruit and serve.

- You can make this ahead and store in an airtight container or resealable bag. Serve with soy milk or milk of your choice (just a little)

- I also like to add fresh blueberries to this. Some ladies swear off fruit but it is a staple of my morning routine.

188 cals, 5g protein, 34g carbs, 3g fiber, 12g sugar, 4g fat, 25mg calcium, 79mg sodium

 

[sharon224]

Thanks all for the great replies.
I have been eating 1800kcal for about 2 weeks now and lift hard. cardio 3 times a week.
Today I measured my bodyfat, muscle mass etc again and it is surprising. I gained one pound on the scale.
But I have lost 6lbs of fat and gained 7 pounds of muscle in 2 weeks!!!! my bodyfat has dropped 2.5%
I have been eating 40% Protein, 40% Carbs and 20% Fats. Should I increase the protein and decrease the total calories?
I'm gaining muscles really fast but the fat loss is slower. How can I twist this?

 

[the_alcatraz]

Congrats on losing that much weight, getting back into training and finding this website.
Welcome to EF