Jazzing Up My Workout Routine (Suggestions Please!)

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DaintyMonster
DaintyMonster Posts: 16
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone,

For close to 7 months I've been doing basically the same workout routine. In early summer I started running for 3 miles a day in addition to doing Shaun T's Rockin' Body program. I finished that and kept up with running until my semester at school started. I changed up my routine by doing the Hip Hop Abs Total Body Burn DVD 3 days a week with 2 days of 60 minutes on the elliptical. I'm sort of at a stand still. I feel like my routine isn't really doing it for me anymore.

I haven't lost anymore weight and I'm not really seeing the toning results I'm after. I've been looking into Insanity or T25, but I'm not sure as to which I should try. (Both pretty expensive programs). I feel like 25 minutes wouldn't be enough since I'm used to doing at least an hour, but I'm concerned that Insanity might be a little too difficult. Either way what I'm doing right now doesn't seem like it's really doing anything besides maintaining my current weight, which is good (don't get me wrong), I just want to be more toned (specifically in my arms and lower abs.)

I would appreciate any suggestions you guys have. Also, if you've tried either program let me know how it is.

I'm 27, female, 135 pounds and 5'2". I've lost a total of 25 pounds over the 7 months I've been at this, along with eating pretty clean. I usually don't work out on Sundays and will allow myself one "cheat" meal then. If you need any other info, please let me know. Thanks!
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  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Losing weight and toning are both largely functions of calorie intake, which you make no mention of in your post.

    Maintain a modest calorie deficit to lose weight.
    Start lifting to help focus on fat loss (rather than simple weight loss).
    Add in cardio if you want, whatever you like.
  • DaintyMonster
    DaintyMonster Posts: 16
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    Oh, right. I usually maintain about 900-1000 calories daily, except for Sundays. Sundays I don't really track at all and I suppose that could be a problem except that I read that cheating alittle is a good metabolism boost.
  • EmmieBaby
    EmmieBaby Posts: 1,235 Member
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    if you are doing that much exercise and eating so little....how do you have the energy to continue? you need to consume 1200 cals net (consume - burn = net) at a minimum.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    That's a load of garbage... cheating doesn't do anything for your metabolism.

    However, in your case, with such low daily calories, cheating is probably a good thing... assuming it's not completely over the top.
  • DaintyMonster
    DaintyMonster Posts: 16
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    I never have extra energy. I have just enough to do my routine along with my daily responsibilities. Alot of the time I'm pretty exhausted after my workout (I work out in the evenings). I do it however, because I know if I don't I'll feel pretty lousy.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    That's a strong indication that you're not getting enough calories.
  • DaintyMonster
    DaintyMonster Posts: 16
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    Like I said though, I do the TBB DVD twice a week and 3 times a week I'll do the elliptical for an hour. Even then the TBB only goes about 45 minutes so I feel like I need to supplement that with an extra 15 minutes of elliptical. I don't want to burn myself out, but I don't know what else to do. I'm also the type of person to eat the same thing, every day, because it's all portioned out.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    What does that have to do with energy intake?
  • DaintyMonster
    DaintyMonster Posts: 16
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    I don't know, what doesn't it have to do with energy intake? I'm giving you extra information, I guess. I feel like I can't add more calories because I don't know what foods work with my body. I know what I'm eating works fine for me now. I just feel stuck. Should I be working out harder or what? I'm just not seeing the results I'm looking for.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
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    There have been two instances in my 2.5 year journey where I was working out like crazy and tired all the time and the scale wasn't moving. I think what happened is the days I wasn't strict on my nutrition I was naturally eating what would balance me out at maintenance level throughout the week. However most days I was under eating and since I was working out so much (triathlon training) it made me super tired.

    Less body fat = more toning. So focus more on nutrition. Set your calories based on a .5-1 pound loss per week and make sure to eat back what you burn in exercise. 900-1k calories intake with exercise is NOT enough!

    As far as "mixing up your workout routine" I would try something new. I have done triathlon training, group classes, PT sessions, and now I'm addicted to mud runs and obstacle course races. So I set goals based on races and that keeps me motivated and going to the gym.

    Good Luck!!!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited November 2014
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    You feel stuck, you're not seeing results, you don't have any extra energy... what about that is "working"?
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
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    You are eating more than you think you are, either underlogging or way overdoing it on Sunday. If you were truly eating 900-1000 calories a day, you would be losing weight. No one (unless you are really tiny or have a medical condition) maintains on 1000 calories a day.

    Starting weighing all solids and measuring all liquids to find out what you are truly eating. From there, you can cut out a couple hundred (250-500) to create a deficit. If you workout, log those calories and eat about 50% of them back (for starters, you may need to adjust this precentage up or down depending on your body and rate of loss). If you eat or drink something, log it. Don't cheat yourself and say, "oh, it's just a bite of peanut butter/cookie/etc.." (not saying you do that, but some people (myself included) do. It can completely negate your deficit over a week of taking "just bites" of stuff.)

  • Aemely
    Aemely Posts: 694 Member
    edited November 2014
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    DaintyMonster wrote: »
    Oh, right. I usually maintain about 900-1000 calories daily, except for Sundays. Sundays I don't really track at all and I suppose that could be a problem except that I read that cheating alittle is a good metabolism boost.

    I hope this not true. 900 calories?? :tired_face: MFP says your estimated BMR is: 1,301 calories/day. Scooby agrees. Why are you eating so little?

    www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

    scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator
  • DaintyMonster
    DaintyMonster Posts: 16
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    @esjones12, thanks for your post. I really enjoyed running when I was doing that but again, I'd just feel so tired afterwards that I basically couldn't do anything else. I probably am under eating Monday-Saturday. Insanity looks like a good cardio workout, but I'm questioning if I could even complete it. The 60 minutes on the elliptical is torture because it's just boring and the Total Body Burn seems a bit too easy now. (I'm not dead tired after finishing the DVD and it's actually kind of fun). By PT sessions, do you mean like boot camp style training? I think that could be fun, but wonder where they would offer that sort of thing?

    @jacksonpt, Yeah, I'm stuck in a sense that I'm not losing anymore weight or seeing any toning results, BUT I'm not gaining anything either so that's why I say my meal plan is "working" for me.

    @xcalygirl, like I was saying to esjones12, I definitely stay at or under 1000 calories from Monday-Saturday (basically all the days I work out). On Sundays, I don't eat "regular" meals. I'll do some grazing (like you mentioned, mostly on nuts, I'm always craving nuts for some reason) and then for dinner I'll have a "cheat" meal. That could be anything from a bowl of red beans, rice, and sausage OR a bowl of spaghetti. Something I really love. I'm guessing from the nuts alone, my calorie intake is way over 1000 on Sundays. I figure if I'm eating super clean during the week, I might as well have one day where I could eat alittle more, you know? And like I said, I read an article saying that a cheat day tricks your body into burning more when on a low calorie diet. I'm not a nutritionist, but it made sense to me.
  • DaintyMonster
    DaintyMonster Posts: 16
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    Hrmm, I see that. I guess I don't want to gain any weight. I'm pretty short and it's super easy to gain weight when you're short and curvy as it is. When I started all this, I was a bit heavier and my BMI was gauged as "overweight" and even now I'm only just under that at 24.7.
    Aemely wrote: »
    DaintyMonster wrote: »
    Oh, right. I usually maintain about 900-1000 calories daily, except for Sundays. Sundays I don't really track at all and I suppose that could be a problem except that I read that cheating alittle is a good metabolism boost.

    I hope this not true. 900 calories?? :tired_face: MFP says your estimated BMR is: 1,301 calories/day. Scooby agrees. Why are you eating so little?

    www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

    scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator

  • Aemely
    Aemely Posts: 694 Member
    edited November 2014
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    DaintyMonster wrote: »
    Hrmm, I see that. I guess I don't want to gain any weight. I'm pretty short and it's super easy to gain weight when you're short and curvy as it is. When I started all this, I was a bit heavier and my BMI was gauged as "overweight" and even now I'm only just under that at 24.7.
    Aemely wrote: »
    DaintyMonster wrote: »
    Oh, right. I usually maintain about 900-1000 calories daily, except for Sundays. Sundays I don't really track at all and I suppose that could be a problem except that I read that cheating alittle is a good metabolism boost.

    I hope this not true. 900 calories?? :tired_face: MFP says your estimated BMR is: 1,301 calories/day. Scooby agrees. Why are you eating so little?

    www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

    scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator

    I understand. 1,300 is with the calculator set at 20% calorie reduction. Your maintenance is more like 1,600.

    Here's an image from Scooby:

    kul84puo6q55.png

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    Log a couple of your Sundays and see what it comes out to.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    DaintyMonster wrote: »
    @jacksonpt, Yeah, I'm stuck in a sense that I'm not losing anymore weight or seeing any toning results, BUT I'm not gaining anything either so that's why I say my meal plan is "working" for me.
    But if you could not gain on 1500 cals per day, wouldn't that be good, too?
  • DaintyMonster
    DaintyMonster Posts: 16
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    @Aemely, I see what you mean. I guess it's just hard to allow myself to eat more than I have when I've been doing this for so long. (I'm afraid to gain weight). Sometimes, I'll change up what I eat, but like I said I know everything I eat and it's portioned out. Someone mentioned to me that I should maybe add more protein to my diet in order to start seeing results. I usually have about 22g of protein for lunch and the same for dinner. (I'm a chicken breast kind of gal). I don't snack at all between meals, BUT I do eat breakfast, so there's that. Maybe adding more too breakfast could jump start my day. Again, I'm pretty tired ALL of the time.

    BTW, is that a nightelf paladin or warrior? :P
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    You went to a dietitian for a reason, right? Trust them until the you have sufficient results telling you not to.

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