What can I do to improve?

Three4MeNHim

Am I even doing it right so far?

I'm 31 yrs old, 5' and 147lbs. I'm a size 6. I'm big boned and have a decent amount of muscle.

I believe my BMR is 1432 and TDEE is 1959 if I use light and 2209 if I use moderate.
I have a home daycare and 3 kids of my own. So I'm busy. I go up and down my stairs a lot and am on my feet a lot.
I'm currently doing Ripped in 30 5 days a week and some strength training and cardio when I can. Usually 1/2 hour of both 3 days a week.

I have my calorie intake set to 1600 (for almost 3 weeks, previously was at 1200 because I just went with what MFP told me) and I eat some of my exercise calories back. Once a week I usually consume more than I should. Maybe an extra 500 or 600 calories. I have lost a little more than 1 lb in those 3 weeks. I would really like to lose 1lbs + per week. What should I be doing differently?

SideSteel

Please set your intake as follows and be extra diligent with tracking your intake and weighing/measuring everything:

1650 kcals
110 p
50 f
Remainder in CHO.

Do not eat back exercise calories with the above setup.
Report back to me via PM in 1 week with a link to this thread.

Three4MeNHim

Ok I'll try that out. Thanks!

What about my exercising? Is there something I should be doing differently?

kjskates12

Hi there.... not sure if I'm doing this right because I've never posted in any of the forums before. I need help too though, so thought I would try here. I've been using MFP for months now, and haven't lost an ounce. It's motivated me to watch what I eat more, and to be more active, but I would like to see some improvement in the body fat % area if possible, and just don't understand the whole TDEE, BMR mumbo jumbo enough to really know what to do. I've been bouncing around at different calorie levels hoping something would work, but nothing has so far.
Anyway, if you can help, here's some of my stats: Age 45, Female, 5'4" tall, size 8 (Canada), scale says my body fat % is 36-37% depending on the day. I do have a desk job, but get up often. I work out 3 - 4 days a week with different things like cardio, Zumba, Insanity (although I hate that one), 30 day shred, weight lifting, squats and lunges, bosu ball etc. I have a gym in my basement with a squat rack and bench as well as an elliptical and various free weights, bosu ball, yoga ball etc. I can open my food journal for you, but I'm not sure how you do it. I would be forever grateful if you could set me on a path to success! :blushing:

Sarauk2sf

Hi there.... not sure if I'm doing this right because I've never posted in any of the forums before. I need help too though, so thought I would try here. I've been using MFP for months now, and haven't lost an ounce. It's motivated me to watch what I eat more, and to be more active, but I would like to see some improvement in the body fat % area if possible, and just don't understand the whole TDEE, BMR mumbo jumbo enough to really know what to do. I've been bouncing around at different calorie levels hoping something would work, but nothing has so far.
Anyway, if you can help, here's some of my stats: Age 45, Female, 5'4" tall, size 8 (Canada), scale says my body fat % is 36-37% depending on the day. I do have a desk job, but get up often. I work out 3 - 4 days a week with different things like cardio, Zumba, Insanity (although I hate that one), 30 day shred, weight lifting, squats and lunges, bosu ball etc. I have a gym in my basement with a squat rack and bench as well as an elliptical and various free weights, bosu ball, yoga ball etc. I can open my food journal for you, but I'm not sure how you do it. I would be forever grateful if you could set me on a path to success! :blushing:

Could you start a new thread with the information requested here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/817167-asking-questions-about-your-intake-providing-info

Thanks

Sarauk2sf

Ok I'll try that out. Thanks!

What about my exercising? Is there something I should be doing differently?

What strength training are you doing and how often?

Three4MeNHim

Right now I'm following this 3 times a week.
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/conditioning-workout-for-women.html

Sarauk2sf

Right now I'm following this 3 times a week.
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/conditioning-workout-for-women.html

I am not a fan of that one...reps are too high and any routine that has the word 'for women' in it makes me irritable

Do you have access to a gym?

Three4MeNHim

Ok, Ha ha. I'd love if you would suggest a good one for me.
I have a gym in my basement, not sure of all the names....I have a treadmill, bike, fan rower, dumbells from 3lbs - 60lbs, a barbell with a few hundred pounds of weights to add, a squat rack, a bench kickboxing bag, dip bar, a box step (that you add height to) a thing for back exercises, not sure what it's called, and one other one with cables that you sit on and you can pull down a bar or you can pull up a bar from the ground. Sorry! I hope you know what I mean.

Sarauk2sf

Ok, Ha ha. I'd love if you would suggest a good one for me.
I have a gym in my basement, not sure of all the names....I have a treadmill, bike, fan rower, dumbells from 3lbs - 60lbs, a barbell with a few hundred pounds of weights to add, a squat rack, a bench kickboxing bag, dip bar, a box step (that you add height to) a thing for back exercises, not sure what it's called, and one other one with cables that you sit on and you can pull down a bar or you can pull up a bar from the ground. Sorry! I hope you know what I mean.

Dang...sweet.

What are your goals? Strength or 'definition' focused?

Three4MeNHim

I'm really lucky to have it My husband NEEDED all of it and hasn't touched it yet. We've had it for 4 years. Ha!

My goal is to lose 20lbs and get toned. I like seeing the muscle definition that I have so far in my arms and would like to see it everywhere else. I would like to be strong too.

Sarauk2sf

This is a good routine in the mid rep range that I would suggest:

A Simple beginner's Routine
You will do 3 work outs per week on non consecutive days. The first work out is your heavy work out. The second work out is your medium work out, use 10% less weight for your work sets. The final work out for the week is your lite work out, use 20% less weight.

Do a lite warm up with 1/4 of your work sets weight. Do a medium warm up with 1/2 of your work sets weight. Do 2 work sets with the same weight. Choose a starting weight and start light.

These are the seven exercises you will be starting with.

Squats
Bench Presses
Bent-Over Rows
Overhead Barbell Presses
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
Barbell Curls
Calf Raises (optional)

You will be running this program on a five week cycle as follows:
The first week do all 4 sets for 8 reps.
The second week do all 4 sets for 9 reps.
The third week do all 4 sets for 10 reps.
The fourth week do all 4 sets for 11 reps.
The fifth week do all 4 sets for 12 reps.
If you got all of the required reps on the fifth week then increase the weight by 10% and repeat the cycle. If you didn't get all of the reps on the fifth week then repeat the cycle with the same weight.

You shouldn't need more than one minute rest between the warm up sets and you shouldn't need more than one minute thirty seconds between the work sets.

Do some cardio and abs work on non weight training days.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843&page=1

Three4MeNHim

Thanks, I'll try it out!

Right now I'm using 5 lbs weights. I do 3 sets of 20 reps and depending on the exercise sometimes it burns throughout the last set. So I'm not sure how much I should be lifting. Should I be struggling to finish? Or do I just need to feel the burn through it all.

Sarauk2sf

Thanks, I'll try it out!

Right now I'm using 5 lbs weights. I do 3 sets of 20 reps and depending on the exercise sometimes it burns throughout the last set. So I'm not sure how much I should be lifting. Should I be struggling to finish? Or do I just need to feel the burn through it all.

You should be struggling on the last few reps of the set, especially the last set, but not enough so that your form breaks down to any significant degree.

Sarauk2sf

So it is easier to see which threads have been resolved we are locking threads that are not active (or that we do not expect a response back for a while). More details here:http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/914180-thread-locking-and-intake-follow-ups

If you want to discuss further or have any follow up comments or questions, please feel fee to PM either myself or SideSteel with a link of the thread in it and we will unlock it so you can comment.