What does your routine look like?

emz_1993
emz_1993 Posts: 96 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
So I'm trying to come up with a new gym routine since I kinda just go in there and do whatever and am not seeing much progress lately. What does your routine look like and do you incorporate cardio? I want to burn fat and build muscle that's my goal to drop 25 lbs of fat (dropped 37 already) and have some muscle definition showing through.

I've been strength training for about 6 months and was seeing progress in the first month but it has slowed down without a consistent routine. Been doing cardio for a year.

Replies

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited June 2016
    You won't build muscle while trying to loose weight.. Its just not possible to build muscle fibers unless you eat at a surplus to do so..

    You saw progress due to what is called newbie gainz.. these taper off after about 5 - 7 weeks. This is normal.. you may loose a wee bit more of this muscle mass if you are loosing weight aggressively, like 2 pounds a week, otherwise keep lifting to keep what you have while still loosing.

    I run and lift (no together).... I no longer have weight to loose and now in what you call a clean bulk (maintenance calories plus 250 while doing a progressive overload strength program)..

    1) You can cut now (keep loosing weight and keep lifting to maintain your current muscle mass)
    2) You can bulk later (to build muscle... you will have to eat more above maintenance to build new muscle fibers in conjunction to the muscle mass you already have).. and then cut again to loose the fat you gained while in a surplus to put new muscle on..
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I don't think telling you my routine would be helpful, but I can say that if you are not seeing progress with your lifts you need to change your program. What are you doing now? What do you mean progress has "slowed down"?
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited June 2016
    Op maybe this link will be helpful to choose a program..

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Op you can entertain this idea.. but you are still trying to loose a good bit of weight.. so this might interest you in the meantime, should you want to go this route at maintaining..

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    edited June 2016
    You can also eat at maintenance and gain muscle mass while losing fat if you don't want to put on weight.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    You can also eat at maintenance and gain muscle mass while losing fat if you don't want to put on weight.

    I posted a link.. OP just know that this is a very difficult thing to do for us women. It will take quite a while to do, nutrition is key and also the lifting program you choose.

    Its not impossible but a long process.. I did it while maintaining for about 7 - 8 months it did give me a long needed diet break and allowed me mess around with lifting not expecting a lot of growth or results..
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    You can also eat at maintenance and gain muscle mass while losing fat if you don't want to put on weight.

    I posted a link.. OP just know that this is a very difficult thing to do for us women. It will take quite a while to do, nutrition is key and also the lifting program you choose.

    Its not impossible but a long process.. I did it while maintaining for about 7 - 8 months it did give me a long needed diet break and allowed me mess around with lifting not expecting a lot of growth or results..

    Yea, I can't vouch for women, but throwing it out there that it is possible. Some people just don't want to add weight back on to their body.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    You can also eat at maintenance and gain muscle mass while losing fat if you don't want to put on weight.

    I posted a link.. OP just know that this is a very difficult thing to do for us women. It will take quite a while to do, nutrition is key and also the lifting program you choose.

    Its not impossible but a long process.. I did it while maintaining for about 7 - 8 months it did give me a long needed diet break and allowed me mess around with lifting not expecting a lot of growth or results..

    Yea, I can't vouch for women, but throwing it out there that it is possible. Some people just don't want to add weight back on to their body.

    I concur.. I was one of those.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    You can also eat at maintenance and gain muscle mass while losing fat if you don't want to put on weight.

    I posted a link.. OP just know that this is a very difficult thing to do for us women. It will take quite a while to do, nutrition is key and also the lifting program you choose.

    Its not impossible but a long process.. I did it while maintaining for about 7 - 8 months it did give me a long needed diet break and allowed me mess around with lifting not expecting a lot of growth or results..

    Yea, I can't vouch for women, but throwing it out there that it is possible. Some people just don't want to add weight back on to their body.

    I concur.. I was one of those.

    I still am... It's hard to get past.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    You can also eat at maintenance and gain muscle mass while losing fat if you don't want to put on weight.

    I posted a link.. OP just know that this is a very difficult thing to do for us women. It will take quite a while to do, nutrition is key and also the lifting program you choose.

    Its not impossible but a long process.. I did it while maintaining for about 7 - 8 months it did give me a long needed diet break and allowed me mess around with lifting not expecting a lot of growth or results..

    Yea, I can't vouch for women, but throwing it out there that it is possible. Some people just don't want to add weight back on to their body.

    I concur.. I was one of those.

    I still am... It's hard to get past.

    I am in my first clean bulk right now.. I am dealing with it and it being mid summer .. what was I thinking? LOL

    nah for real it is really fun and enjoying the process.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    You can also eat at maintenance and gain muscle mass while losing fat if you don't want to put on weight.

    I posted a link.. OP just know that this is a very difficult thing to do for us women. It will take quite a while to do, nutrition is key and also the lifting program you choose.

    Its not impossible but a long process.. I did it while maintaining for about 7 - 8 months it did give me a long needed diet break and allowed me mess around with lifting not expecting a lot of growth or results..

    Yea, I can't vouch for women, but throwing it out there that it is possible. Some people just don't want to add weight back on to their body.

    I concur.. I was one of those.

    I still am... It's hard to get past.

    I am in my first clean bulk right now.. I am dealing with it and it being mid summer .. what was I thinking? LOL

    nah for real it is really fun and enjoying the process.

    If it makes you feel any better I had to quit my cut after my winter bulk because I'm a big baby. So now I'm just chubby again...for the summer. Yay.

    Enjoy the gym though! That was my favorite part of the bulk. Constant PRs ha.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    edited June 2016
    Download the free smartphone app Jefit. You can choose from a number of workouts, depending on number of days and equipment/facilities you have available. It's awesome!
  • ObsidianMist
    ObsidianMist Posts: 519 Member
    I do stronglifts 5x5 and if I feel up to it I do a 10 minute run on the treadmill after. I also walk a lot, almost every day, including to and from the gym.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    ObsidianMist wrote: »
    I do stronglifts 5x5 and if I feel up to it I do a 10 minute run on the treadmill after. I also walk a lot, almost every day, including to and from the gym.

    I just started Stronglifts 5x5 too........3 x week for about 45 minutes, compound lifts, easy to follow program. As far as cardio goes I usually run 4 x weekly (Tue, Thu, Sat & Sun) row indoors 2 or 3 times weekly & ride my bike as often as I can.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
    I have a 7day routine. Days 1-3 are mostly low reps 4-8 strength orientated days, days 5-7 are more high rep 8-16 hypertrophy orientated days
    Day 1 chest/tris/bis
    Day 2 legs/calves
    Day 3 back/shoulders
    Day 4 abs/obliques
    Days 5-7 repeat days 1-3 but high rep with exercise focussing on different areas.
  • delazouche
    delazouche Posts: 55 Member
    I've found I just stop seeing progress if I don't change up what I do every couple of months. I typically stick with an hour of cardio per day as many days a week as I can work in (normally 6) and a few 30ish minute strength training sessions. I vary up what sort of cardio and weights I do though. Right now it's either running or the Arc trainer machine and mostly kettlebells for weights.
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