Need help toning up and getting 'the body'

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dcampus
dcampus Posts: 18
in Health and Weight Loss
Looking for some advice on honing the perfect body.

Most would say I am at an 'ok' weight for my height - at 5ft 3 I hover between 123-126lbs (aiming for 112-115) . I have been eating 'around' 1200-1500 calories (occasionally go over when drinking etc and struggle at the weekends) and have been losing, but I have to say it's somewhat inconsistent and I can't really attribute any one thing to my weight loss; for example sometimes when I limit carbs I lose - sometimes I don't.

My problem is that I can't seem to tone up and sculpt my body. I am going on holiday tomorrow and dreading getting in to a bikini; I have a tummy and love-handles and despite always mixing cardio with weights and intervals at the gym (and going about 4-5 times a week), I can't seem to get to where I want to be.

I don't really eat clean (will eat chocolate etc if I have the calories and love a glass (or two) of wine) - is this my problem? Should I give up the alcohol etc? I need something sustainable, whether its upping the ante on exercise/weights or getting clean with my eating - I just need to know how to really turn it up a notch.

Thanks so much!

Replies

  • Tayzerr
    Tayzerr Posts: 1
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    Bump. Interested in answers too.
  • Nicola0000
    Nicola0000 Posts: 531 Member
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    When you say you do weights, how heavy do you use??
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
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    "Sculpting" the body implies adding muscle, which, beyond the initial phase commonly referred to as "noob gains," cannot be done in a calorie deficit.
  • BenW1980
    BenW1980 Posts: 9
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    from what you have written. I would say defiantly start to eat clean.. cut out all the bad things, (chocolate and wine), drink lots of water and keep doing your cardio and weights...

    your food diet is just as important as your workouts. both go hand in hand and neither work that well without the other.

    :)
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
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    When you say you do weights, how heavy do you use??

    ^This. What is your weight training routine like?
  • dcampus
    dcampus Posts: 18
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    I tend to do about 10-20kg depending on whether its free weights or machines. I often follow this interval plan from Men's Health called Spartacus - because it gives me a bit of direction. Would have 4kg in each hand for that...
  • dcampus
    dcampus Posts: 18
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    Another question would be whether I should be doing weight training more than cardio? I feel guilty if I don't do cardio when I go to the gym and could probably be doing more weights stuff if it wasnt for that.
  • goodtimezzzz
    goodtimezzzz Posts: 640 Member
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    for you??? drop all cardio lift quite heavy..trust me on this one:)
    Kristian Rocco
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
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    I tend to do about 10-20kg depending on whether its free weights or machines. I often follow this interval plan from Men's Health called Spartacus - because it gives me a bit of direction. Would have 4kg in each hand for that...

    I would look into a strength training program like New Rules of Lifting for Women, Starting Strength, or StrongLifts 5x5. That will give you the structure you need to your weight training routine. :)

    I would also recommend a trainer if you are unsure about form. That is what I did to feel comfortable and it gave me the confidence to start!
  • cdjs77
    cdjs77 Posts: 176 Member
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    You don't have to stop cardio or lift heavy to accomplish what you want. You can do so if you want to, but you could probably also accomplish what you want with just cardio and some body weight/hand weight exercises. I would check your protein intake. I worked out for quite some times with very little gains, but noticed I usually averaged less than 30 g of protein per day. I bought some protein powder (as price/preference means I don't eat a lot of protein rich foods) and bumped up my protein consumption to about 60 - 70 g per day and just that made a huge difference. I not only started to see change (that my friends and family also noticed) but I progressed much more quickly. Other than that, make sure you are doing your strength routine until you are tired, you don't have to overdo it, but you should be struggling a little bit to complete your last sets. If it's easy for you, you need to increase your weight or reps. Also, the high-rep, low-weight theory to toning is a complete myth, so make sure you are using enough weight for your strength.
  • Abells
    Abells Posts: 756 Member
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    It seems as though you want to focus more on lowering your body fat % than anything. Start lifting more weights (you don't have to give up cardio) increase your protein intake, and I would slow the alcohol down. Cut it to 1 or maybe 2 nights a week if you can. Not sure how you are drinking now but seems you binge when you do (unfortunately in the final "few pounds" stage - that will prevent it)
  • dcampus
    dcampus Posts: 18
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    Thanks all - some great advice! Taking it on board and will report back.... :)
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Maybe don't eat at as much of a deficit?

    People say that when you lift weights while cutting calories you're mostly just preserving your current muscle mass and then losing the fat that sits on top of the muscles.

    Well, if you never actually had many muscles to begin with before you started cutting calories, and you cut calories before adding any resistance training (so you lost more muscle) -- then it seems to me that the problem is that there's nothing to reveal by "toning," and you're not going to build much new muscle at a deficit.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
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    The Spartacus workout isn't really for muscle building but for getting leaner.

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