So confused and unmotivated =(

jade_131

Hi, I'm an 18 year old girl. 5'2 1/2 and 105-106 pounds.
I am currently doing 6 Week 6 Pack and also running HIIT on the weekends for 30 minutes.
I've heard everywhere from cardio is bad, cardio makes you lose muscle, girls that do a lot of cardio got fatter... well it's not like i have money to go to the gym and lift weights. =/
80% of my workout is cardio. Idk what is right and I feel so unmotivated. I am also bloated right now (REALLY bad, I look pregnant) and I have no idea why. Maybe it's because of stress.
Also, this is weird but I didn't work out for a week because I had tests and stuff. My body feels noticeably tighter. Can anyone explain this? Lol it's weird because that also makes me unmotivated because I feel like when I work out I am squishier.
Also, to tone up and get a flat stomach, do you HAVE to exercise 5 times a week? Sometimes I just don't feel like it and I feel better if I take rests every other day. Is it going to affect anything other than the time it takes to get toned?

So this is the question I really want answered: Can cardio tone me up? Is it just going to waste my time? So if I do HIIT training (6 week 6 pack) for 30 min every other day and run HIIT (search Treadmill Shredmill) for 30 min. on the weekends. Sometimes I add in some Blogilates. Don't have very much time. I used to work out 6 days a week. . I posted some other posts too but people kept telling me how I was already skinny, I need fat (-___-), and I probably had high expectations....no, I just want to tone up and lose some extra fat =[ Yes I do have fat believe it or not -__- A lot of asians are skinny-fat.

ubermensch13

So, you are at a ok weight, so weight loss should not be your goal. Eat at your maintenance, and incorporate a resistance weight routine. Google weight training/resistance weight training/body weight and see what you can do with what you have. Push ups, sit ups, lunges, squats, burpees, etc....

twinketta

This is a very short version

Cardio is aimed at your cardio vascular system and will help you lose weight with a calorie deficit. It is always good for you.

If you want to tone then resistance will help you.

If you are lifting heavy then you will need to increase your diet to accommodate it

jade_131

This is a very short version

Cardio is aimed at your cardio vascular system and will help you lose weight with a calorie deficit. It is always good for you.

If you want to tone then resistance will help you.

If you are lifting heavy then you will need to increase your diet to accommodate it

Is 2000 calories max a day good? I don't count calories anymore. I eat super clean anyway. Maybe if I ate at a restaurant everyday I'd be counting my calories.

twinketta

Well you are in the very low end of weight for your height, but that being said it is your body.

I think 2000 cals a day is good. I took a little look at your diary and it is inconsistent, but when you log it looks good. I would try to keep up with the logging. I know it is a chore but it does help, really.

There are lots of good topics on MFP to help with toning and exercise if you want to look in the search bar?

At your weight then I would try to tone down the cardio (but as I said it is always good) try to go with resistance and weights to tone up. If you can not go to a gym then there are lots of exercises on youtube to help.

Lunges, squats, leg raises repetition is the key.

Really, put some questions into the search facility on here and you will gt lots of answers

Guinevere117

I have definitely been where you are, and can see where you are coming from in terms of the confusion.
Diet is one of the most important parts of a weight loss program. Altering you diet can help you lose weight without much exercise (up until a point, of course). Cardio is super important to maintaining you weight, but it is not the only thing you need to really maintain a good figure. I lost the majority of my weight via treadmill and elliptical machine. Unfortunately, the cardio left me with a lot of loose skin and a rather bad figure, which is why I have moved onto more strength training in order to improve that.
You sound as if you are at a good weight at the moment, so toning should be your main focus. The time you put into exercising, does, for the most part, effect when you start seeing results. Though it is different for everyone, you do not need to exercise 5 days a week. For example, every other day works for me, because I really do not have the time (nor the energy, sadly) to work out for days and day on end in the space of a week (I go to university).
Weight lifting is definitely going to help you with the toning, but like you said, money is a bit of a problem when it comes to gyms, etc. One suggestion is to buy some cheap weights (dumbbells, ect) (preferably not really heavy ones) from some place like Walmart. There are a ton of workout videos on Youtube that can aid you in getting active with a few simple weights. Or as some else already suggested, start off with some non-weight exercises like push ups, sit ups, anything that gives your body resistance.
All in all, tone down the cardio (every other to every two days), include some weight training (every other day) that works on various parts of the body, and maintain a healthy diet. Weight loss is a very very confusing thing at times, because every individual is different, so certain things that work for some, don't work for others, etc, etc. Usually the basic stuff will work for just about everyone. The most important thing is to stay motivated. I know that is hard..... lol.... but I guarantee you that the effort you put into it will give you results - it just takes time!!! Stick to it and don't give up! ^_^!

jade_131

OH and does cardio get rid of armpit fat though?? Because it's bugging me =[