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

[zedhed]

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.
Hey sista Welcome to EF and we are glad to have you here with us.
You have questions and you came to the right place. Lots of really gr8 peeps on here that wanna see you be successful with your health and fitness goals.
Ask all the questions that you have and the diet section is gr8 too.

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.
Just basically what got broke?
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.
You sound leas sista but to gain muscle we gonna have to cut back on the cardio a bit.
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.
Believe it or not pumping weights will burn more cals for a longer period of time then any cardio. With cardio when you quit the caloric consumption quits too. With the weights it lasts for several more hours.

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

More to come sista!

 

[zedhed]

This is my fav and the program I use for size and strength.

StrongLifts 5x5: Ultimate Strength & Muscle Building Program | StrongLifts.com

That is a 5x5 program.
It works extremely well if you follow it and dont change anything. But you have to eat to support the program too sista.

 

[jennifer778]

More to come sista!

Hey Zed. thanks for the comments...I appreciate it.

What got broke? Well, do you mean why I want to go further or injuries from the wreck? I was in a head-on collision in Oct. 09. Broke just about everything on the left side. All is healed and fine now...Why do I want to go further? Meaning what's broke...I want more. I used to work out with several guys when I was in college and I got big (for me). I was extremely lean (and come to think of it, we never did cardio..just straight two hours of lifting) but had really great muscles. I just love my body with muscles. I've been working out heavily for the last year but I haven't gotten what I wanted. Yeah, I'm in shape compared to the average joe, but, like I said..I know my body is capable of more. Also, I have like 1/2 inch of fat I need to lose (thighs, waist especially) and by god, I want it gone!!

I think you all have hit it on the head and made me realize that I am doing too much cardio. How much cardio should I be doing? Should I do cardio everyday or no?

Also, I need to start lifting heavier weights, right? I've been doing 10-12 reps per set. So, I need to do heavier weights with less reps.

thanks everyone!! you've been a freakin huge help.

 

[zedhed]

Ok jenn, there are the basics for you.
With where you are right now I dont really feel that you are ready for or really need chemical enhancement. What I do think you need is a whole lot of reading and education, and that is exactly where we all started me included.

What I would really like to see you do is to up your protein intake right now to 1 grm of protein per pound of body weight per day. This is total protein for the day.
Learn about diet in the diet section and ask questions.
Begin the SL 5x5 on your very next workout.
Run that for 2, 12 week sessions with one week rest between them.
Then see how you look as compared to now.
This means you take pics you know but you dont have to post them if you dont wanna.
Also reduce your cardio to the following,
1, 30 min walk per day.
A run on the weekends, long and slow.

Your comments and questions here.

 

[caligirl85]

Hey girl...got your pm and will answer ya here but feel free to pm me again as well.

I think you need to start by defining your goal and your time frame. Most people will either "cut" or "bulk"...so you either focus on losing that last bit of fat or focus on building the muscle. You can also look at doing both at the same time, more of a recomp, but the results are generally slower. It sounds like you are a little bit stuck and working hard but not getting the results you want.

Either way, I don't think you're eating enough and your macros would be off...meaning, like the others have said, not enough protein.

If you already have a routine in place for diet and training, you could post it up and we could assist you in tweaking it. Sometimes that's easier then re-doing the whole thing and starting from scratch.

 

[jennifer778]

Hey girl...got your pm and will answer ya here but feel free to pm me again as well.

I think you need to start by defining your goal and your time frame. Most people will either "cut" or "bulk"...so you either focus on losing that last bit of fat or focus on building the muscle. You can also look at doing both at the same time, more of a recomp, but the results are generally slower. It sounds like you are a little bit stuck and working hard but not getting the results you want.

Either way, I don't think you're eating enough and your macros would be off...meaning, like the others have said, not enough protein.

If you already have a routine in place for diet and training, you could post it up and we could assist you in tweaking it. Sometimes that's easier then re-doing the whole thing and starting from scratch.

Hey caligirl..

thanks for the response. I sent you a pm as well. with more questions, of course!!

You are exactly right...I'm working really hard but not getting the exact results I want. I feel like I should be fat free and getting bulkier, so I'm in a tailspin trying to pinpoint what's been holding me back or what I need to tweak.

I've been thinking...my first goal is to lose this fat. That is first and foremost. How do I do that?

Here's what I typically do...eat...

Go to gym 4-6 days per week and do 40 minutes or so of weights and 30-40 minutes of cardio.
For weights I typically do 1-2 workouts of triceps and chest..1-2 workouts of biceps, shoulders, and back...1 or 2 workouts of legs...Typically do about 3 to 4 different types of exercises for each body part. 10-12 reps.

I was eating 1200 calories per day..then upped it to 1600 and I feel like I'm gaining my fat back again. Although I must say that when I was only eating 1200 there were hardly any carbs in there...so now that I'm eating carbs again I think that's why the weight is going back up...I'm being really honest..I think my diet sucks. I THINK I'm eating good, but I think I do more cheating than not. So right now I'm eating about 1500-1600 calories.

I weight 144 pounds. Eating only about 80-100 g protein per day (sometimes less).

Typicallly I eat:
breakfast: shredded chicken on wheat flat bread or several egg whites on flat bread with hummus
snack: protein shake (optimum nutrition..24 grams protein..whey)
lunch: more egg whites or chicken or a salad
snack: sometimes skip it or sometimes another protein shake
dinner: typically an egg white omelet with some cheese and some veggies (or just the omelet)

I have a bad habit of throwing in some cheat meals...every couple of days. That's probably no good.

Hope this helps in terms of what I am eating/training. Thanks for all of your help!

 

[jennifer778]

Hey Donna..I did find the stickys. I appreciate it. I have spent all day looking at them, trying eagerly to learn. I am feverish!! I will have to look into the amino acids. How long you been working out? thanks for all of the advice.

 

[dmk777]

Hey Donna..I did find the stickys. I appreciate it. I have spent all day looking at them, trying eagerly to learn. I am feverish!! I will have to look into the amino acids. How long you been working out? thanks for all of the advice.

You have the main thing that's the drive to go further. Ive been lifting 5 years but only 3 solid due to injury to my shoulder.
All thus advice I'd spot on I was like you just a couple months back I had sooooo many questions but no answers most my friends are men so can't always get the answers from them as there body's and needs a far different from our. So when I stubbled across EF I fired ?s non stop still do lol. That's ok though because that's part the learning process . On my deca cycle post that's my average daily workout and week by week progress from doing 5x5 training as Zed recommend it's what my body need a break from the norm.
Georgia? Is that in America ?

Donna

 

[jennifer778]

You have the main thing that's the drive to go further. Ive been lifting 5 years but only 3 solid due to injury to my shoulder.
All thus advice I'd spot on I was like you just a couple months back I had sooooo many questions but no answers most my friends are men so can't always get the answers from them as there body's and needs a far different from our. So when I stubbled across EF I fired ?s non stop still do lol. That's ok though because that's part the learning process . On my deca cycle post that's my average daily workout and week by week progress from doing 5x5 training as Zed recommend it's what my body need a break from the norm.
Georgia? Is that in America ?

Donna

I must definitely have the drive. I"m like a dog on a hunt..when I put my mind to something, I'll figure out how to do it. EF has been great (so have you)!! I definitely have tons of questions and everyone here has been great so far. I appreciate yall putting up with me!
You are right...it's like we have a lot of questions but really no one to ask them and get good, knowledgeable answers. I have asked a few folks at the gym and either they look at me like I've got two heads or they start rambling and I regret asking. It's almost like they don't want you to figure how to better yourself. Just my opinion. I have been searching desperately trying to find someone to ask these questions to, so you guys are lifesavers!!

Yep, Georgia is in the US. I am definitely a southern girl. Got the redneck accent to prove it! LOL!! It's not really redneck..I'd like to call it southern belle. I've got friends that are from the UK (where the husband and his family are...from Birmingham). About where do you live in the UK?

 

[dmk777]

That sounds allot like me lol I don't do things by halfs it's full on or nothing for me haha!
Well you definitely came to the right place for answers you will fit right in here hun.
I thought you had the southern twang in your posts lol great acccent, Birmingham yeah that's way down the country from me iv'e never been there im a good old Geordie girl living in a little village just outside of Durham now though .. I love it here really quiet great for walking out with our dog cycling ect really historic place once belonged to the romans! haha

Donna