Too much at the gym, or too little?
 

For a little over two weeks now, Ive been going to the gym every single day and putting in at least an hour of cardio and doing some light weight training, alternating muscle groups every day.

So far I havent seen any results from this, so last night I added another hour of cardio. So basically I do an hour on the elliptical, and then another hour walking on at 6% incline on the treadmill, which is about as much as I can do thanks to my bad leg. Im not able to jog or run yet.

Can anyone tell me if this is a good routine, or when or if I'll see results? I guess I kind of feel healthier, but its discouraging to put in time at the gym every day and not see any change.

Also, my diet isnt bad. Im actually eating LESS than I normally do simply because Im not hungry, and I dont eat junk food. My meals usually consist of cereal in the morning (Pops or Special K), cottage cheese for a snack, a protein shake, a ham sandwich, then something light for dinner such as a banana or a taco made with a whole wheat tortilla.

If someone could help me out Id really appreciate it, this is the first REAL effort, I think, that Ive made to really try and lose weight and get in shape.

Congrats on your effort!
Your body maybe in starvation mode and you should have at least 1 recovery day per week and eat more protein.
I'm sure others will chime in....

I thought about that, but Im pretty sure I eat enough calories a day to avoid that? I never feel hungry or like I need to eat more.

Oh! And some extra info, I also take yoga classes every tuesday and thursday, which Im hoping will be good since Im a girl and would like to look longer and leaner.

IMO your routine is no good. It sounds like you are overtraining! Sometime less really is more. Even if it was a good routine, it's only been 2 weeks. Give it a little time. If you are bent on going to the gym often (I feel like that myself)... on the weeks that I go 6 days, 3 will be cardio (for about 30mins) and 3 days I'll lift weights. I'm not saying that 30 mins of cardio is what you need but I am saying that 2 hours a day, especially with a bad leg, may be doing more harm than good... and slowing your results.

Okay, thankyou. Like I said this is the first time Ive ever really put effort into it and I dont really know how long to go for or how much I could do. I want to feel like Ive really accomplished something and got a good workout, of course, but I really dont want to slow down any progress :[

well it looks like you've put in a lot of effort, for sure. I just think if you cut back, you'll see better results. You may also look at HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training" on a recumbent bike or something. You may see it listed as "interval" on the program settings. That should quickly burn calories, be easier on your leg, and allow your body time to recover if you are taking days off.

Firstly congratulations on jumping in to a new healthy lifestyle! I know you are impatient to see some results, we all long for the day believe me. But as much as I hate to say this, 2 weeks isn't long enough to see your efforts yet, not that there aren't some improvements going on but you really can't see them yet. Believe me your muscles are still in a state of confusion, all standing around looking at each other going "Seriously, we're at the gym AGAIN?". I would encourage you to take some starting measurements, because that will start to show with a few weeks, even if you can't see it with a naked eye. The scale and the tape don't know enough to lie to you, even when they should... Oh and again the protein thing, Mike's right you gotta make sure you're getting enough for your muscles to build up.

I agree, a lot of effort.

I think you could put in a more concentrated effort 3 times a week and try an alternative to your 2 hours of cardio. That much cardio will build you great cardio vascular endurance, but its not going to burn fat like weight training and HIIT.

I do weight training and HIIT 3 times a week, with a day off in between.

Turn your program upside down is my suggestion. Put that 2 hours of cardio aside and make your weight training the main focus, along with HIIT workouts.

Don't worry about bulking up, most women have this misconception that they will bulk up weight training. This is not true.

Look at this woman:
http://www.projectswole.com/wp-conte...-squatting.jpg

She is squatting as much weight (225lbs) as most average guy lifters do, and she isn't bulky. In fact I would say damn thats a nice ass. lol

Jason, I'm so glad you posted the Pauline squat picture. It's one of my favorites.

bbycakes, there are three things going on here:

1. Don't get down on yourself if you haven't seen much in two weeks! Most workout programs last anywhere from 2 - 4 months so two weeks is barely past the intro phase!

2. Like Mike mentioned, you are probably overtraining. And overtraining on cardio, especially where you said you have a bad leg. If you want to do steady cardio instead of HIIT for the time being that's fine, cut it back to an hour 3 days a week, and lift weights 2-3 days a week. Like Jason said (right above this post) you'll burn a lot more fat if you make your focus weight training rather than cardio. Also, take one day out of the week for complete rest, and get good sleep. Your body will thank you.

3. You may not be getting enough protein in your diet to take full advantage of what you're doing in the gym. Absolute calories are important, but it's also important to make sure a good chunk of those calories come from protein. You'll get different recommendations from different people of exactly what "good chunk" means, but I'll say get at least 0.75 g / lb lean body mass. This means for a 150 lb person with 20% body fat (80% lean mass), minimum 90 g of protein, or about 360 calories.

Good luck! And don't hesitate to post again if you have more questions!

They say it takes about 3 weeks to start seeing results. I would not give up, but you might want allow yourself one day off a week so you don't get burned out.

Just wanted to throw my two cents behind what has already been said.

* Make weight lifting your focus. Lift heavy, use weight that allows only 5 to 6 reps to failure. To see examples of how this can change your body check out the Female Transformations of the Week at Bodybuilding.com Bodybuilding.com Writer: Female Transformation Of The Week - How Much Have You Changed?
* Use HIIT so you don't have to do 2 hours of cardio. This lets you work smarter not harder.
* Protein, follow Nik's suggestion. I have read countless times of women who were frustrated in their weight loss efforts until they increased their protein intake.
* Take measurements. As almeeker said, we can't always 'see' the changes.

Don't get discouraged, make the tweaks and stay consistent. The results will come, although never as fast as we would like.

Hey bbycakes,
I just wanted to second what's been said and throw out a book recommendation. Based on personal experience (I'm not associated with the book in any way), I'd encourage you to check out The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler. It clearly and logically lays out the information that other folks have already shared (more protein, more weights, replace steady-state cardio with HIIT, keep eating, have patience). If you're like me, no matter how many times you hear even the most valuable and heartfelt suggestions/tips/recommendations, it doesn't really sink in until you've seen a "big picture" argument for WHY you should do something. This book did that for me.

I can virtually guarantee that the argument for a different fitness routine layed out New Rules will turn your workout upside down. Not only does it explain why hours of cardio might be impeding your efforts, but it also lays out plenty of high-protein/clean-eating meal ideas, gives an easy-to-follow workout schedule, and explains various strength and conditioning exercises in detail.

Even of your fitness goals do not match the book's "plan" precisely, there's still plenty of great information. In my experience, there's hardly anything that changes your perspective more than going form 10+ hours a week in the gym to 4 hours! Might be worth a trip to your local library...

In any case, I salute your efforts thus far -- you certainly have a great deal of drive and motivation and I think that's more than half the battle!

I agree with all the previous posts, but I want to add from personal experience, the yoga is a GOOD thing and I hope you follow through with it. For one, alternating workouts does a lot more for you than the same exact routine every day ever will. I have joint issues, and I cannot tell you how much of a difference regular deep stretching does to make me feel better. A good yoga/meditation routine relieves my pain better than vicodin, and that's no lie. It also gets you in tune with your body, allows you to focus on individual body parts and really FEEL what you're doing. Watching tv while mindlessly trotting on the treadmill doesn't do this. The deep relaxation at the end is the reward, don't skip it or shortchange it. Breathe deep and exhale all the stress in your life, and you'll sleep better and recover faster.

Two weeks is not enough time to judge anything. It's barely enough time to start feeling like you aren't going to die during cardio. Stick with it, the results will come.

Also if it hurts, don't do it, especially where your injury is concerned. There's a difference between feeling the burn and being in pain. Burn is good, pain is bad.

Thanks for all the input, I really appreciate it!

It seems like everyone agrees to do more weight lifting, but the truth is I already AM rather bulky...I have massive huge thigh muscles with a layer of fat over it, so I just look huge and fat in my opinion. If I keep building muscle under the fat, wont it just make me look even bigger?

I want some way to work out and lose weight, and maybe make the muscles leaner too? I have a wide, thick body shape that I really, really dislike.

I don't think you will bulk up, the bulky appearance comes from body fat, not muscle.

Trust me its hard for any women to put on enough pure muscle to make them look bulky. The bulk is from having too much subcutaneous fat (under the skin.)

Muscle is way more dense than fat so even if you are packing on some decent muscle, by the time you get to your desired body fat, you will love the way you look!

Just look at that picture I posted on page 1, if you can't squat as much as her, you won't be bigger either. Muscle size = muscle strength. Not to mention squats are way more effective for getting six pack abs than crunches.

I hope this makes you feel better: there a lot of men out there that love women with curves, not stick figures, so love your body!

bbycakes,
The weight lifting will help because:
1- more muscle building will increase the amount of calories you burn in a day.
2- you will increase lean mass AND reduce body fat by lifting weights AND doing cardiovascular activity AND eating a balanced diet that fuels your workouts.
3- the muscles will help your body be stronger and reduce your risk of injuries.

As long as you are burning more calories that you are taking in, and you are not on any steroids you are NOT going to get more bulky! No worries! :)

I agree! :)

Hey bbcakes,
I totally agree with what midwestj is saying. Muscle on us ladies rarely looks bulky (barring certain health problems/hormonal imbalances) -- your time is better spent focusing on eliminating some of that body fat overlying it. Ironically, for females, doing what guys do to "bulk up" has what I would consider an opposite effect on us since lifting weights challenges your body in ways that result in major calorie burn both during and after your work out. That interval training-type cardio others have mentioned has a similar effect. You will lose body fat and retain muscle mass. Additionally, the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns naturally -- so instead of having to eat less and less as you lose weight the "conventional" way (i.e. low calories, lots of cardio, etc. which results in loss of both muscle mass and body fat resulting in a slower metabolism) your body will continue to need a lot of energy (calories -- yum!) to maintain its new leaner, meaner form. Instead of focusing on "weight loss", try thinking about "fat loss" -- this means cutting body fat while preserving (or increasing!) your metabolism. In my experience, this is way more delicious than feeling guilted into choosing the salad over the burger or, worse, having to pass up a fun night out.

Also, just a note of reality in here, girl to girl -- I saw that you wrote that you dislike the shape of your body, and this worries me. I can relate in some ways, being a short "curvy" girl myself -- sometimes I feel like I'm all boob, thigh and hip and not in a good way! A person cannot change the underlying dimensions of your body or the shape of your muscles no matter how hard you work out. You cannot have a "dancer's body" by doing a dancer's workout (as I saw on a Shape or Fitness magazine lately) and your muscles cannot become longer or leaner than they are genetically predetermined to be. Because you cannot change these things (i.e. no matter how hard I try I will never, ever have a body like Kate Moss), you have to work with what you have and realize that this is not a bad thing! For me, that meant becoming less jiggly (lol), stronger (Here's me: "Like, holy crap! I'm pretty strong! I could get REALLY strong, like stronger-than-some-guys-at-my-gym strong!"), and faster than I was previously. I say this with all sincerity: realize you already have a good base to start from. Don't try to change it into something it can never be, but morph it into something that makes you feel better about your badass self!


(sorry for letting this get so long, its just something I've been thinking a lot about lately :))

Great post Sailordoom!

I think what you said about lifting is spot on.

Everything guys do to get big muscles cause women to get lean, athletic, and toned.

I think its a shame that most women think that weight lifting will make them bulk up, when the opposite truly happens. They in turn never pick up any weights or go at the weight training seriously and spend way too many long grueling hours doing marathon cardio sessions (YUCK! which are seriosuly boring and not challenging at all!)

Its all about testosterone, we have it so we get big muscles, women produce a fraction of the testosterone men do, so they produce way less muscle mass too. It doesn't mean they can't be really strong and lean, it just means that the size of their muscles cannot naturally get as big as a man.

well i was once told to either focus on muscle gain or weight loss not both.
the training programs are two different things. to gain muscle sometime requires eating more than a daily caloric needs.
if you want to loss and tone up. just eat your daily level and exercise to burn more so you will always be under the daily needs. also refine your numbers based on your current weight monthly at a min. they are right a person needs a lot of protein base on current weight for example i need about 160 grams of it a day. according to what info i have read. i get that thru fish,nuts,grains, powders, bars.

my suggestion is to dial down the cardio you could very well be over training. also after your routine within 30 minute intake as much protein as you can an easy way is a glass of whole organic milk (with some nuts in my case) which has the two best proteins in it. names escape me. also every 9- 12 weeks a rest week helps. change up routines somehow every 8 weeks so your body will not get used to it. gains come in from over lifting but not over training.

be patient..
 

I would like to just say it took me about 5-6 weeks before I saw any weight loss. I know everybody's metabolism is different so just be patient. I was getting a little frustrated but once it started to come off it was steady. I am kind of at a plateau now but have lost 76lbs since January 17th. I focused on weight loss first because I did not want to be bulky. Now I am at a point where I want to build muscle because I lost a lot of it by my weight loss. So if you want to build muscle you might want to take the advice of some of posters. Good luck and congrats on taking your first steps.

Patti

First I just wanted to say that I just bought SailorDoom's book recommendation (The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler). I have only read a little bit so far but I think it's great! Thanks SailorDoom!

I have a short, curvy, muscular body myself. I, like you bbycakes, was worried about making my thighs thicker and more "bulky." I was doing cardio through kickboxing classes and was losing weight. Then I joined a boot camp like program with lots of weights and worked out with a trainer. During that time (about two months) I didn't lose much weight- if any. BUT all of my clothes became too big- WAY too big! My body was much firmer and I lost a lot of inches. Even the "massive" muscle I thought was hiding under fat in my thighs was smaller. The shape of my muscles didn't change but my legs seemed longer and leaner because they lost fat and the muscle was more defined. After that the weight even started coming off faster (I assume because the muscle I formed was burning more calories). Coming from a "thick" girl who always considered herself bulky, I can tell you that you won't get any bigger than you are now from lifting. Like someone mentioned above- in order to gain large amounts of muscle you would have to be eating a lot more. It isn't easy to gain muscle and people don't gain large amounts of muscle on accident.

Oh and I actually don't consider myself big or bulky anymore- thanks to weight lifting. It's funny that the thing I was afraid would make me big actually made me smaller :)

I love that lifting has made me strong. I set my PR on my deadlift almost a year ago. Had a setback due to sugery and injury but am fully recovered and have been lifting at home. Thank goodness muscle has good memory! I am returning to my gym tomorrow to fight the guys for the cage since I am ready to lift heavy again! http://www.snay.org/smileys/laugh.gif

I'm glad you scooped up the book, angel! It's pretty rad -- I'm not usually one to "drink the kool aid" on one particular fitness program or diet, but this one seems pretty legit. It really makes you think about the scientific basis (or lack thereof!) of what's always been presented to us as the "right" way to get fit, especially in fitness magazines. Also, the no-nonsense science-based approach really resonated with me, especially since I picked it up at a time when I was feeling absolutely inundated with information (many times biased or conflicting) about fitness and nutrition.

And to you, vabeachgirl, way to get back in there! Don't let those men have all the fun!

Here's to the fit, healthy, strong, smart, sexy, successful, kick-butt women on this forum!!! Cheers! *clinky-clinky*




Oh, and the guys here are alright too in my book -- as long as they're not hogging the squat rack. :D

I'll second that.. *clink! I wish more women would take note of the benefits of weight lifting.

Thanks! I did NROL4W 18 months ago. I liked it but I liked NROL more! :D

I got back to the gym and felt great! I was the only female squatting! Lol! :p

Cheers to the women who lift heavy!http://www.snay.org/smileys/cheers.gif

Here's an overview by Alwyn Cosgrove, on what he calls the 'hierarchy of fat loss'. It's for an audience of bodybuilders, but he summarizes some of the reasoning behind the idea that muscle needs to be there for optimal fat loss.

What's the deal with your leg? Are you seeing a PT?

A 'home gym' can be a place where you exercise and lift weights, and a home gym is also a compact unit of equipment designed to allow you to perform many exercises at the one station. These are also called 'multi-gyms'- workstations designed to fit into a spare room, basement or garage so that you can do weight training at home.