Calling all fitness buffs... or anyone, really. Desperate!

jacquelyn_erika

This question can go for anyone, really. I just need some advice...

I have access to a gym. I go about 5-6x a week, doing cardio for an hour every time and every other day, legs or arms (depending on what I did the prev. time). When I do legs and arms, I'm using machines vs. free weights (not sure which one is more successful). I haven't really seen a lot of progress in my arms which leads me to believe I'm doing something wrong.

I'm currently aiming to lose 1-1.5 lbs per week. I have 15 more pounds to lose before I reach my original goal weight. Now that I'm getting closer to goal, I'm almost positive I won't be happy at 138 (i'm 5'3") and I'll probably want to get down to somewhere in the 120s.

I neeeeeed an awesome cardio/strength training regimen. I just really don't know if what I'm doing is beneficial as far as strength training concerned. My cardio routine usually consists of the arc trainer and I enjoy that and always get a good calorie burn.

If you read all of that, THANK YOU...and if you have any advice at all, even more thanks. I'm desperate!

barbiex3

just go after it. there are a lot of resources online. Ask the guy in your picture to lift with you, he will show you the ropes! lol

deathstarclock

Hire a trainer

Acg67

Check out Ripptoe's starting strength or the New Rules of Lifting for women for a solid strength plan. you have other muscle groups then your legs and arms that need to be worked (chest, back, shoulders etc)

5-6hrs of cardio seems excessive imo but i'm sure there will be others that will say it's fine.

ht/wt/avg caloric intake?

jacquelyn_erika

the guy in my picture is my boyfriend who is hooked on video games and doesn't so much care for the gym. lol... but yes, I need to use my resources online.. I just get so frustrated!

lilRicki

or go to bodybuilding.com...there's lots of toning exercises on there...and wicked routines

sweetheart03622

What kind of lifting are you doing? If you want the "toned" look, then you need to stop doing "toning" exercises and start focusing on building muscle. The best way to do this is to focus on doing heavy lifts (free weights or machines, both are effective for you at this point). Try to do a weight that only allows you to do 4-6 reps and do 4-5 sets of each rep. Make sure you supplement your lifts with some protein afterwards to repair and build the muscle. Where you're so close to your goal, you'll start to see a difference relatively quickly. But, bottom line, you need to focus on building some muscle as opposed to just pounding out the cardio.

jacquelyn_erika

5'3"/152/1580 is what MFP has my calories set at currently.

I actually bought NROLFW a few months ago and should probably start putting it to some good use.

idiocracy

I do Nike Training Club and it covers EVERYTHING. Cardio+ strength training for all muscle groups. Free in my living room, no machines. Great results!

KyleB65

If you gym has a Trainer, book some time with him/her.
A Trainer will help you push past any pre-concieved limits you may have and help you develop a new exercise regime to move you closer to your goal.
Good Luck!

jacquelyn_erika

What kind of lifting are you doing? If you want the "toned" look, then you need to stop doing "toning" exercises and start focusing on building muscle. The best way to do this is to focus on doing heavy lifts (free weights or machines, both are effective for you at this point). Try to do a weight that only allows you to do 4-6 reps and do 4-5 sets of each rep. Make sure you supplement your lifts with some protein afterwards to repair and build the muscle. Where you're so close to your goal, you'll start to see a difference relatively quickly. But, bottom line, you need to focus on building some muscle as opposed to just pounding out the cardio.

The toned look is exactly what I'm going for. I want to be thin, lean, and LOOK toned. I feel like with all the cardio I'll just end up being a "skinny" fat and I've come way too far to end up like that. I'm not doing any actually lifting at the moment, just using the machines which I feel like are getting me nowhere. Looks like I need to step up my game in that department! What do you recommend for protein afterwards? Shakes, bars, etc?

MinnieInMaine

I'm not a big fan of using machines for upper body strength training. Maybe it's just me but I've always felt very awkward trying to use anything besides the chin up assist machine for upper body stuff.

Definitely look around online and think about investing in at least a couple sessions with a personal trainer to make sure you've got proper form and the right weights.

Topsking2010

Do P90x and follow their nutrition plan. I guarantee it works. Lost 27 pounds in 90 days and I was able to workouts at home.


Top

mamamudbug

I'm looking at NROLFW but I started with Stronglifts 5X5. Simple, short, and sweet.

Jeff92se

You need to be doing compound lifting exercises that will engage as many body parts as possible. machines usually just target certain mucles. You will burn alot more calories doing free weights because of the supportive requirements to lift/hold/stablize the weights.

Free weight squats, dead lifts, power cleans to an overhead press all require to use your entire body to perform. I don't care if you have to use a bare 45lb bar. Or even a 30 lb dumbell.

ilike2run

If you have access to periodicals, maybe on-line?, there is an AWESOME training article in a magazine called Muscle Media--it had amazing wieght lifting articles/training plans in it! i have one from 7-8 years ago that we still pull out and use every few months...also, and I have lifted weights for years, have found, and have been told by weight lifters, that you MUST mix up your routine at least every four weeks. Your muscles need to be confused (like the program Insanity) to keep challenging them! Best of luck, hope that helps!!!

Cougar7279

First of all, Major Kudos for what you already do!... I agree with what's already been said... There's more to strength and conditioning than arms and legs....And it's a total myth that if a woman 'weight lifts' that she'll bulk up with man muscles..... thoses muscles are caused as much if not more my hormonal differences that anything else... If you buy a few "women's health" magazines, they'll have a lot of exercises in there you can do on your own at the gym... Watch and talk to others in the gym; most will be happy to help. Look me up on facebook.com/Ron Andersen. email: Ron_Andersen2000@yahoo.com.... I have several female workout buddies across the nation who do weight training as well as a lot of cardio... I love to help anyone who is serious about exercise. We make up challenges for each other.... it's pretty fun..... and a butt kicker at times..

ArroganceInStep

Give me an idea of what you lift. Exercises, amount of weight, number of sets, number of reps per set.

Obviously it'll be a rough generalization, but it's hard to give advice without knowing what you're starting at.

Also bear in mind that lifting weights is a very mental task. I personally believe that a great many people don't have the success they could because they don't go into it with the right mindset and/or (usually and) aren't willing to put their bodies into the kind of discomfort it would require to make solid progress.

Do you do any calisthenics? If so what kind and how many?

The votes for a trainer are solid advice, but depending on your budget you may want to wait until you've built up some. I can't afford to use a trainer continuously, so I generally only get one for a month or so when I'm trying to push past a plateu after I have a solid foundation built.

jayb0ne

I do P90x at the moment (I'd recommend it by the way), but generally, it sounds like you need to build some muscle. Lift some heavy weights and go for 5 sets at 5 reps. You should be lifting a weight that you can get 5 on the 1st 2 or 3 sets but you're struggling to get 5 on the last 2 or 3. Once you can get 5 on all 5 sets, increase your weight.

I'd recommend free weights and compound moves rather than machines. Machines tend to isolate single muscles whereas compound moves with bar or dumbbells - like squats, lunges, deadlift, shoulder press, back rows, bench press etc - work the main muscle group you're going for along with a whole bunch of secondary muscles.

Switch out your routine every 4-6 weeks to get round the plateau. Just change round the day you do the different muscle groups, which muscle groups you do together and the order and types of movement you make, there's a million different movements that work the same major muscle groups but keep your secondary muscles guessing. Switch em round a bit.

Don't worry about bulking up, it aint gonna happen as a woman - you don't have the hormones to get bulky and mannish, you'll just get a nice toned look. And bulking while eating on a deficit is virtually impossible for anyone ever.

I'd say work cardio and strength alternate days, but that's open to opinion... Regardless, switch muscle groups between resistance workouts to give each the time to recover before hitting it again. The major muscle groups are legs, back, chest and arms & shoulders. You can work 2 on the same day - eg. legs/back, chest/arms etc - so you should be able to do a week rotation if you leave a day between most resistance workouts. Even do one area twice a week with another group, tailor it to the areas you want to work on.

For your cardio, give HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). Basically training at 60% your max intensity for a period, then a short burst of 90% for a short period and back and forth. I'm not a major gym/machine cardio kinda guy though so maybe someone else can fill in the blanks on this training style....

For post WO nutrition, you could drink whey shake for quick release protein to get the best out of your muscle recovery after resistance training. You should probably eat something protein rich like cottage cheese or chicken or tuna shortly after a workout at least.

Of course, these are just my suggestions, you gotta do what's good for you!

Hope some of that helps!

Jay

kdiamond

5'3"/152/1580 is what MFP has my calories set at currently.

I actually bought NROLFW a few months ago and should probably start putting it to some good use.

Do it girl! The best way to get results is to be consistent and the best way to be consistent is to follow a tried and true program!

AggieCass09

i highly suggest new rules of lifting for women. I've had great success with it...check out my most recent blog on it for my first 7 week progress stats.

jayb0ne

Do you do any calisthenics? If so what kind and how many?

Oh, this too! Old school calisthenics are solid! Pushups, pullups, leg raises,situps, unweighted squats. All excellent ways of building stamina and generating muscle with nothing but you and gravity

Jay

jacquelyn_erika

I'm going to reply to everyone when I get back. I'm off to the gym for now, hopefully I can put some of this information to good use...thanks to everyone for being awesome and giving me great advice

Stacey5330

I have been using Jillian Michaels shred it with Kettlebells for about 3-4 weeks 2-3 times per week just on level one and I can't believe the way my arms and legs are getting definition. It's quick 25 min, and very effective way to do cardio and strength at the same time!

BaliRun

I have tried P90x and insanity and the truth is that they do work!!!! you will see results. They only thing is that you need that inner motivation to push yourself hard. It is easy to stop when you feel like it hurts too much or you are too tiered, the same with going to the gym were you have to work out on your own. This is why I gave up my big gym membership and put the dvd's away. I now take part in group classes. I joined a small boutique like gym that focuses on group training and everyone is like a family. It is more expensive than what I I used to pay but it is well worth it. It is almost like having a personal trainer. Every day I do something different, my body never gets used to the same workout. I have never been so challenged in my life. The motivation I get from the trainers and those around me is like no other. When we run sprints, I want to run faster. When we do pushups, I want to do more. When the person next to me quits, I make sure not to (even if I want to). Every time I finish a class I am drenched with sweat and I love it!!! I hear CrossFit has the same effect on people. Maybe you should try something similar. Hope this helps! : )

LivLovLrn

Zumba is the best, most fun, easiest to stick with cardio program I have ever tried. It is like you get to go party for an hour and ...oh bonus! ...lose weight in the process!!