strength training too much.

blueeyedangelar

I think I may be strength training too much. I do arms/legs/core/ and at least 15 mins of cardio 3 days a week. I'm at the gym for 1.5 hours each time. I also play sports on Sundays for a few hours a day.
Could this be way I am not losing inches around my midsection?? I see lots of changes in my muscle tone.
I have upped my calories to 1455. I have gained around 7 pounds in the last 6 weeks (since I started)

Lizzy622

I'm not sure how old you are but my magic number of how long I should rest muscle groups between heavy activity is 72 hours. If you are rotating arms one day, legs another and core the third you should be fine but 1.5 hours on one muscle group seems like a bit too much.

stt43

Full body, three times a week, for an 1.5 hours a session sounds perfect to me. Many great novice strength training programs start with something along these lines. And you have a good level of cardio too.
It shouldn't effect your waist measurement though. I assume you are looking to lose belly fat and that isn't happening? Belly fat is usually the last to go, perhaps you need to wait a little longer before you will see a waist decrease? Or maybe your calories in/out are off and you aren't in the caloric deficit that you think you are.

blueeyedangelar

I am 37 years old. I weight 145-149.
I have changed my calories around on and off for 4 years and can't find what works for me. I did the metabolism reset about a year ago and gained 12 pounds which I lost back once I cut again. I have lowered my calories to 1200 and lost a few but then plateaued . I have tried fasting, lost a few then platued again But no matter what I can't seem to get below 140. I really don't care about my weigh anymore. I just want to tone up and lose this dang muffin top.
Any suggestions are appreciated
Thanks. Everyone.

persistandendure

You may be spending too much time at the gym. Studies have shown that exercise behind a certain time can produce cortiso, which in turn, can deposit fat in the abdominal area.

contingencyplan

To be perfectly honest your training regimen doesn't sound very well thought out. No offense but I think that if you don't know enough to be able to put one together (which you clearly don't) you should follow a pre-fab one. I think once you do you'll find there are dozens of things you've been doing wrong.

Also, 1200 calories is not suitable for someone engaging in regular high intensity exercise, especially strength training.

booyainyoface

that low of calories and that much activity isn't going to really allow you to "build muscle" so i'm guessing your holding water

im 5'5 150 lbs and eat 2000 calories a day. i don't lose weight ever, but lose inches with heavy lifting. focus on compound movements such as HEAVY squats, deadlifts, overhead presses (strict, push jerk), heavy weighted lunges, pull ups, bench presses, kettlebell swings...

edited: you might want to look up your TDEE and take away 10-15% and try eating that and not logging exercise... you will be surprised how much more energy you have for workouts when you fuel your body correctly.

blueeyedangelar

Thanks everyone....Believe me my workout routines are well thought out. I was just listing the different things I have tried over the years. I have looked up my TDEE. I don't eat at 1200 anymore. that doesn't get anyone anywhere in the long run.

FromHereOnOut

focus on compound movements such as HEAVY squats, deadlifts, overhead presses (strict, push jerk), heavy weighted lunges, pull ups, bench presses, kettlebell swings...

^ I like this advice.

OP, sounds like your routine is well-thought, but that you are doing isolation moves for arms/legs/core, but you might consider what is written above for awhile (compound moves) and see if the fat begins to budge, then after the fat is gone, go back to the isolation if you are looking to get a more "precision" (bodybuilding-style) look. I'm currently looking for a gym, to start SL5x5 (or similar) for compound moves 3x/wk and maybe do a few isolation moves at home--I want to get the fat moving OUT & I believe this will be the best way to do it. Good luck!

blueeyedangelar

Thank you everyone. I have decided to go back to having a leg day and arm day. So I can focus more on exercises for each.
This is a sample of my week

Sunday. Kickball
Monday: REST or easy run
Tuesday: 10-20 min of cardio / 30 mins of strength (legs) / 12 mins of abs / 10 min cardio / 10 mins core and stretch
Wednesday :REST or easy run
Thursday: 10-20 min of cardio / 30 mins of strength (arms) / 12 mins of abs / 10 min cardio / 10 mins core and stretch
Friday: REST or easy run
Saturday: 45 mins Running

booyainyoface

instead of "arms" day... it would be much more practical to do "back day" aka pull muscles, and "chest day" aka push muscles...

back: rows, pull downs, pull ups... with biceps between sets or as burnout sets

chest: bench press, flyes, push ups... with dips, kickbacks, skullcrushers between sets or burnout sets.

your "front shoulders" and "back shoulders" will get hit with both of those moves but you can still add in isolation exercises if you want to... but by working your back and chest your arms will get a great workout and you will build more muscle and keep your RMR up

ninerbuff

You may be spending too much time at the gym. Studies have shown that exercise behind a certain time can produce cortiso, which in turn, can deposit fat in the abdominal area.

You produce cortisol regardless of time in the gym if intense enough. Stress releases cortisol and exercise is stress. Good stress.

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

2spamagnet

I think I may be strength training too much. I do arms/legs/core/ and at least 15 mins of cardio 3 days a week. I'm at the gym for 1.5 hours each time. I also play sports on Sundays for a few hours a day.
Could this be way I am not losing inches around my midsection?? I see lots of changes in my muscle tone.
I have upped my calories to 1455. I have gained around 7 pounds in the last 6 weeks (since I started)

I don't think you have any muscles in your midsection that would bulk up enough to cause you to not slim down when losing fat. If you are not losing inches around your midsection, you have not yet started to burn off the calories stored as fat in that region.

Unfortunately, you cannot target where you lose fat cells. They come off where they want to come off. If you are over 10% to 13% body fat (essential fat for a woman), then cut more calories in order to lose fat. Depending on your size, you may need to cut to 1200/day or less in order to lost fat. 1200 is not some magic number - it all depends on your size.

Get down below 100 cal/day for an extended period of time and we can talk about screwing up your body. But you might need to go below 1200 to lose fat.

Gaining weight could be muscle, or it could be fat. Not enough info to determine, but sounds like it is muscle. EDIT - Probably mostly fat you have gained, and a little muscle. Unless you are juicing, 1 lb of muscle mass gained/month is likely what you should expect at your age. 7 lb muscle in 6 weeks is unlikely.

You can gain muscle AND lose fat while eating a caloric deficit, but you need at least 0.8 gr of protein per lb of body weight. So for you, you should aim for 120 to 150 gr protein per day in order to keep/gain muscle while you lose/use stored fat.

Try it. Eating less always works to lose fat. If it does not work for you after 2 - 4 weeks, go back to trying the "eat more weigh less" "theory".