How to compare repetitions to heavy exercise

lillyloki28

Now that I'm rolling along here at the gym for a week trying to 'tone up'; I've been doing the treadmill for 30 minutes 5x's a week; the elliptical 4x's a week and using weight machines 3x's a week. I've noticed I'm using light weights (from 10-20 lbs) to start with maybe 5 sets doing 10 reps per set. Is this too much for toning? I don't want to be a muscular person; I'm just looking for good exercise and toning as I started my strict diet this past week and have been exhausted but going to the gym 4x's a week. I'm being dedicated to start and need as much help and inspiration as I can get; yet like I said, don't want to be a big muscular person.

Any help here is appreciated.

Cindy

malibu927

If your focus is on losing weight, you won't gain muscle. You're better off choosing a good progressive lifting program with free weights to help you retain muscle, though. Look into Stronglifts 5x5 or NROLFW.

sammyliftsandeats

If you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose fat and reveal the muscle underneath...which is what most people mean by 'toning'. So all you need is a calorie deficit for that.

As for your light weights, higher rep scheme...that is in a more hypertrophy (size) and muscular endurance range.

Are you on a program?

jessef593

My first question. Why are you alternating between elliptical and treadmill on the same day. They both produce the same effect. Increased calorie burn. Second. What do you mean by lifting weights? As in bicep curls, or a full body routine. Third why are you following a "strict" diet plan? Unless you have a medical issue there is absolutely no reason to put yourself through a diet you don't enjoy. You can eat however you want as long as it's in moderation.

No you will not tone anything with those reps, or any reps for that matter. "Toning" is the increase of muscular definition through loss of total body fat. You won't accidentally become big, no way, never in your life. I am a 22 year old male, with upwards of 200x the amount of testosterone in my body compared to yourself, one of the most anabolic hormones there is. After lifting progressively for 2 years in a consistent surplus I've yet to accidentally become big and bulky. Look up a program like strong curves for shaping your body how youd like, it's built around building a booty and eccentuating an athletic female look

deluxmary2000

You will not be "a big muscular person" if you eat in a deficit. Building muscle requires eating MORE, and training for a very long time.
Also, it sounds like you may be overdoing it a bit on the cardio. Don't make the process too miserable for yourself, or it'll be easier to fall into bad habits.
As Malibu said, look into a proven beginner lifting program, throw in some cardio that you actually enjoy, and eat at a small to moderate calorie deficit.

ninerbuff

If you don't want to look muscular, then don't let your body fat get too low. How you're currently lifting weights doesn't really even get close to what you don't desire.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Lizarking

Try really, really hard not to accidentally take steroids and then lift for 3 hours every day. You'll be fine if you can somehow avoid it.

jessef593

Lizarking wrote: »

Try really, really hard not to accidentally take steroids and then lift for 3 hours every day. You'll be fine if you can somehow avoid it.

So that's what I've been doing wrong!

But CT Fletcher said if I will the muscle to grow that it will grow and some day I'll be as big as him "Naturally"

Lizarking

jessef593 wrote: »

Lizarking wrote: »

Try really, really hard not to accidentally take steroids and then lift for 3 hours every day. You'll be fine if you can somehow avoid it.

So that's what I've been doing wrong!

But CT Fletcher said if I will the muscle to grow that it will grow and some day I'll be as big as him "Naturally"

Did you remember to angrily shout "I COMMAND YOU TO GROW" to your muscles?

not_a_runner

jessef593 wrote: »

Lizarking wrote: »

Try really, really hard not to accidentally take steroids and then lift for 3 hours every day. You'll be fine if you can somehow avoid it.

So that's what I've been doing wrong!

But CT Fletcher said if I will the muscle to grow that it will grow and some day I'll be as big as him "Naturally"

I'm dying over here.

jessef593

Lizarking wrote: »

jessef593 wrote: »

Lizarking wrote: »

Try really, really hard not to accidentally take steroids and then lift for 3 hours every day. You'll be fine if you can somehow avoid it.

So that's what I've been doing wrong!

But CT Fletcher said if I will the muscle to grow that it will grow and some day I'll be as big as him "Naturally"

Did you remember to angrily shout "I COMMAND YOU TO GROW" to your muscles?

Damnit.. I have so much to learn

lillyloki28

jessef593 wrote: »

My first question. Why are you alternating between elliptical and treadmill on the same day. They both produce the same effect. Increased calorie burn. Second. What do you mean by lifting weights? As in bicep curls, or a full body routine. Third why are you following a "strict" diet plan? Unless you have a medical issue there is absolutely no reason to put yourself through a diet you don't enjoy. You can eat however you want as long as it's in moderation.

No you will not tone anything with those reps, or any reps for that matter. "Toning" is the increase of muscular definition through loss of total body fat. You won't accidentally become big, no way, never in your life. I am a 22 year old male, with upwards of 200x the amount of testosterone in my body compared to yourself, one of the most anabolic hormones there is. After lifting progressively for 2 years in a consistent surplus I've yet to accidentally become big and bulky. Look up a program like strong curves for shaping your body how youd like, it's built around building a booty and eccentuating an athletic female look

I'm not 'lifting weights' but am working with different machines to work my body. I use the treadmill as a warm up as well as something I do on a daily basis outside the gym and the elliptical at the gym since it does work my body harder and I sweat more. I do have a medical issues such as celiac disease wherein a 'strict' diet is necessary.
I'm not as young as you lol ............ I'm well into my 50's and a female so as we all know the older you get the harder it is to remove that old built up fat one may contain in their body after the winter seasons; and I'm not one to take hormonal or other associations like that to help my body.
I appreciate the strong curves program you suggested and will look into that.
Thank you.

lillyloki28

Lizarking wrote: »

Try really, really hard not to accidentally take steroids and then lift for 3 hours every day. You'll be fine if you can somehow avoid it.

I don' take steroids lol; I'm too old for that and although there are some supplements women can take I'm not looking into that type of assistance. I'm only looking into working hard to lose 35 lbs to get this old body back to what it was a few years ago and lose the winter blues.
Thank you though! You're info was insightful!

lillyloki28

ninerbuff wrote: »

If you don't want to look muscular, then don't let your body fat get too low. How you're currently lifting weights doesn't really even get close to what you don't desire.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Thank you

lillyloki28

sammyliftsandeats wrote: »

If you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose fat and reveal the muscle underneath...which is what most people mean by 'toning'. So all you need is a calorie deficit for that.

As for your light weights, higher rep scheme...that is in a more hypertrophy (size) and muscular endurance range.

Are you on a program?

I'm repeating a program I was on 4 years ago. I'm a female well into my 50's and exercised regularly with a trainer in a gym in the past. I had gone to the gym dedicatedly for over 7 years until it got shut down and the woman who trained me left. Such a sad situation; yet finally found a gym once again with a lot of the equipment I used before such as ab machines; leg lifts; rowing machine; elliptical and more. So, I remember how to use them yet don't remember if I did more rapid reps per set or more sets with the same amount of reps.
Unfortunately here in a small sleepy mountain town it's hard to get to know anyone who wants to be healthy (which is truly sad since our old program shut down). Since the old gym shut down it's been 4 years wherein I've been fighting with an extra 35 lbs that is so hard to keep off and fit as I grow older.
Any help I can get is so truly appreciated.

lillyloki28

malibu927 wrote: »

If your focus is on losing weight, you won't gain muscle. You're better off choosing a good progressive lifting program with free weights to help you retain muscle, though. Look into Stronglifts 5x5 or NROLFW.

Thank you I will look into that!