Does it matter how I divide-up my work out over the week??

kimber0607

Im doing yoga, dance cardio and light weights (3 pounds arms) and floor excercises (abs, legs etc)
Im 5'8 and stuck at 139..I would have liked to hit 136-137 but not a big deal
Im trying to tone up (will be 46 in a few days and its been a slow process..toning...LOL)

I was working out 1 hr, 6x a week
Recently I have been working out 2 hours, 3x a week....does it matter as far as loosing weight or toning up...sorry if it's a silly question..I assumed it all nets out to the same..but wanted to ask ..

Thanks, kim

Chieflrg

Generally speaking it doesn't.

You won't achieve better or worse weight loss by splitting the activities assuming everything including caloric intake is the same. In the end weight loss comes from how much you eat compared to how much your body burns.

You mention having a problem toning. If you're eating in a deficit, then more than likely you would be trying to retain as much LBM as possible. This is done with s adequate protein intake and adequate stimulus to your muscles. More than likely you are lacking the stimulus from the activity you list. I would suggest running a intelligently written resistance program to assist you with your goal.

MT1134

Think about what you're doing from a stress and recovery standpoint.

Training duration really doesn't play that big of a factor looking at it in a singular focus. 1 hour, 2 hours - It really doesn't matter.

Focus more on keeping in a caloric deficit if you're looking to drop weight.

I agree with Chieflrg about getting on a properly designed program. Random exercises get you random results.

MT1134

What days you do what type of training isn't too important for your goals as long as you follow something that stimulates your body just enough for change but leaves enough room for recovery.

apullum

Fat loss is about consistently eating fewer calories than your body burns. From a fat loss perspective, as long as you stay in a calorie deficit, you lose weight. It therefore would not matter how you divide up your workouts as long as your eating accounts for exercise calories correctly.

From a training/fitness perspective, it might matter depending on what you want to accomplish. For example, if I want to build endurance, then I need to gradually increase the amount of continuous time I spend doing that activity. Running 2 miles 5x/week does not equal a single 10 mile run from a training perspective.

Another thing to account for is weight fluctuation. Working out harder than usual may cause temporary water weight gain, which is a normal part of the muscle repair process. Just keep in mind that this water fluctuation can mask fat loss on the scale.

Finally, “toning” usually means building muscle rather than just losing fat. I would recommend following a recomp plan instead of focusing on fat loss. There isn’t currently very much strength training in your workout regimen.

kimber0607

Thanks so much for the insight/advice
I've never been to a gym or worked out in my life until 2 months ago..so im pretty clueless and I have been feeling like im spinning my wheels with minimal results
I work out at home. I have a treadmill, weights, yoga, toning and cardio DVD's...also using youtube

I am looking to tone and tighten...makes my muscles smaller more toned def not bulk up
any advice on how to put together a comprehensive routine

Kim

lorrpb

The calories will net out the same but there can be toning/fitness reasons to spacing things out certain ways. I think you will benefit on the toning side by lifting heavier weights for both upper and lower body and following a structured program. See the stickied thread at the top of the page “Which Lifting Program Is Right for You?”

apullum

kimber0607 wrote: »

Thanks so much for the insight/advice
I've never been to a gym or worked out in my life until 2 months ago..so im pretty clueless and I have been feeling like im spinning my wheels with minimal results
I work out at home. I have a treadmill, weights, yoga, toning and cardio DVD's...also using youtube

I am looking to tone and tighten...makes my muscles smaller more toned def not bulk up
any advice on how to put together a comprehensive routine

Kim

“Bulking up” takes a considerable amount of effort, especially for women. You’re not going to get bulky without intentionally trying to. A moderate strength training program won’t do that. If you want to look toned, then you want strength training.

kimber0607

lorrpb wrote: »

The calories will net out the same but there can be toning/fitness reasons to spacing things out certain ways. I think you will benefit on the toning side by lifting heavier weights for both upper and lower body and following a structured program. See the stickied thread at the top of the page “Which Lifting Program Is Right for You?”

thank you!

kimber0607

apullum wrote: »

kimber0607 wrote: »

Thanks so much for the insight/advice
I've never been to a gym or worked out in my life until 2 months ago..so im pretty clueless and I have been feeling like im spinning my wheels with minimal results
I work out at home. I have a treadmill, weights, yoga, toning and cardio DVD's...also using youtube

I am looking to tone and tighten...makes my muscles smaller more toned def not bulk up
any advice on how to put together a comprehensive routine

Kim

“Bulking up” takes a considerable amount of effort, especially for women. You’re not going to get bulky without intentionally trying to. A moderate strength training program won’t do that. If you want to look toned, then you want strength training.

sounds good ...thank!

sijomial

Not surprised you are spinning your wheels with 3lb weights!

Get on a proper training program with challenging weights, don't let an irrational fear of "bulking" stop you training effectively.

nossmf

For reference, at the gym the other day I saw two women in the squat rack. From my standpoint they looked identical, but one was squatting almost double the weight of the other.