Weight Loss QUESTION PLS HELP!!!!!

hi all :)
so basically I want to lose 20 more pounds. I do not know what the best exercises to do for weight loss. I know how to lift heavy and weight train, etc. but i am not looking to "bulk" up like many competitors do before cutting for a competition. I am looking to lose the weight and then tone up. I carry most of my weight in my hips/thigh area. I am currently on a 1200-1300 calories 45 carbs 35 protein 25 fat macros. I have been working out 5 days a week. in about 2 more weeks when classes start it will probably go down to 3-4 days a week. My nutritionist says my calories are fine for weight loss and that i should just do walking and light cardio.. however if i am going to the gym i want to feel the burn and sweat!!! I want that sick transformation body you see on the cover of Oxygen Magazine.
Any tips, advice, Weight training plans etc.. books.. anything please help thank you in advance :-)

Replies

  • The Elliptical works best for me! Make sure you are keeping your target heart rate in the fat burning zone and not the heart rate zone! It's easy to work past the fat burn zone to where the cardio is more giving your heart a good workout!
    I use MFP to track my caloric intake and calories burned. Works for me EVERY time!
    Note, I do weights first...30-45 minutes and then 20-40 minutes on the elliptical. I train 5-6 days a week.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    A few thoughts...

    1) weight loss happens by sustaining a healthy calorie deficit. It does not require exercise. If you choose to exercise, it doesn't matter so much WHAT you do but rather HOW HARD you work at it.

    2) assuming your are on a calorie deficit, you won't bulk up strength training... though the term "bulk up" is largely relative, so YMMV.

    3) Talk to your nutritionist... if you insist on going that hard at the gym, see if they suggest increasing your cals a bit.

    4) Look through Oxygen magazine... look at all the weight training routines they have. If you want those results, do those routines. Don't expect to look like some of those models if all you do is the elliptical.
  • dmtodd58
    dmtodd58 Posts: 6 Member
    Zumba works great. burns up to 1000 calories in an hour. Once you learn the moves its a lot of fun too!
  • If you want to look like the people on a magazine...then scrap the gym membership and hire a great photographer!!! most of the people on the covers and in the magazine have a team that have done them up from head to toe, given them the best lighing, contoured everything that was great and made it fantastic, then a great photographer comes in takes a great shot, edits it to make it look outstanding. :):)
  • What's worked for me is Boot Camp classes. I love them!! It's circuit training, so I can't get bored. And boy! Do I sweat??!!! That combined with a 1200 calorie diet and MFP.......SUCCESS!!!
  • The terms bulking and toning are a myth....bulking will only happen, especially for women, if you are eating a huge amount of calories, training like crazy, and most likely taking steroids. Toning is just the result of losing fat and building muscle. Lifting heavy is good for weight loss because muscle burns more calories than fat and your are less likely to plateau. Doing some cardio on your rest days (which are essential because muscles grow stronger during recovery) is also helpful. Make sure you are still consuming enough calories to match your level of fitness though...your numbers sound very low to me if you are doing a lot of physical activity....I would think you should be closer to 1800-2000, but I don't know a whole lot about that.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    You aren't going to bulk up. Ladies with bulk have to work incredibly hard to get there, and you won't get there unless you are specifically trying to do that. Eat at a sensible deficit (not too much of a deficit) and lift.
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
    90% of weight loss is dieting. You don't need to move unless you wanna tone up. The best bet, however, is to lift heavy and preserve the muscles you have while increasing your metabolism and keeping your diet. That'll work, every time.
  • lasmit4477
    lasmit4477 Posts: 308 Member
    A few thoughts...

    1) weight loss happens by sustaining a healthy calorie deficit. It does not require exercise. If you choose to exercise, it doesn't matter so much WHAT you do but rather HOW HARD you work at it.

    2) assuming your are on a calorie deficit, you won't bulk up strength training... though the term "bulk up" is largely relative, so YMMV.

    3) Talk to your nutritionist... if you insist on going that hard at the gym, see if they suggest increasing your cals a bit.

    4) Look through Oxygen magazine... look at all the weight training routines they have. If you want those results, do those routines. Don't expect to look like some of those models if all you do is the elliptical.



    ^This!

    You will not gain muscle mass at a calorie deficit, you would have to be in a calorie surplus. Also, strength training while losing weight will help preserve lean body mass. When most people have a goal weight in mind, they really just have a goal "body image" that they are trying to achieve in mind and they think that they will achieve that by the reflection from the number that the scale gives. As you start to lose body fat, you will then start seeing a more tight body/body recomposition because of strength training!
  • bluecrush1203
    bluecrush1203 Posts: 22 Member
    I agree with the post about striving for a certain "body image" rather than a specific number on the scale. If you do strength training you'll lose fat because muscle burns a ton of carlories AFTER your workout. And because you're building lean muscles while losing fat, you'll look more toned. Doing cardio alone may help you lose weight on the scale, but some of that weight may actually be muscle loss. So even if you don't lose 20lbs you may still achieve the ultimate look you want. I personally weigh exactly the same as I did in high school (I'm 27 now) but I'm 3 full pants sizes smaller because now more of my weight comes from muscle mass.
  • What's worked for me is Boot Camp classes. I love them!! It's circuit training, so I can't get bored. And boy! Do I sweat??!!! That combined with a 1200 calorie diet and MFP.......SUCCESS!!!

    Agreed. I lost about 20 pounds in 2 months with a 1500 calorie a day diet and going to an hour boot camp class 3 times a week. Its never the same workout so your body doesn't get used to the same thing over time.