Am i doing this right ?

Delaaaaaa
Delaaaaaa Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys. My name is Amanda and i just created this account last night. I am super determined because i am very unhappy with myself and decided to change my lifestyle. I started my journey on 12/31/2013. I would like advice and opinions on my new schedule which mainly consist of :

Working out 6 days a week. I always take sunday off because the gym is closed. Some weeks i will work out only 5 days a week ( incase i am busy)
The first thing i do is go on the elliptical. My first week my incline and resistance will vary every 10 minutes from 4:1 to 10:8.
I will throw in 50 leg raisers every other day for my kangeroo pouch ( i need excercise tips for the pouch !! , will cardio take it away too ? )
Ill randomly do sets of weights for my arms and legs.

This is the 4th day of my second week.I decided not to go easy on the elliptical because i can notice that my body is getting used to it. i do not do 4:1 but will do 10:8.

Is it bad to do cardio everyday ? Is it bad to workout 6 days a week? On tuesday and saturday i do the elliptical for an hour. Every other day i do 32 minutes and some weight.

I do not know how to do the calorie count intake.

But this is how i eat:

Morning i will either have : Oatmeal/boiled eggs/yogurt/specialk/fruitcup

Lunch i will either have: Grilled chicken(always) Salad / brown rice/ whole wheat pasta/pbj/12grain bread pb&j

Dinner: I dont really like eating dinner so i pick on grilled chicken/ spoon of pb&j.

I drink nothing but water. I drink about 5 cups a day. I was obsessed with Soda, but cut it out completely.
Occasionally i will drink lemonade/iced tea.


So what do you guys think ? Am i doing this the right way ? Please leave advise and tips ;)

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    For weight loss, calories matter more than your workout routine. Though I might recommend picking up a real weight lifting routine like New Rules of Lifting for Women or 5x5 Stronglifts instead of just randomly lifting weights.

    Your food plan doesn't really tell us much, especially without any idea of the serving sizes on those foods. Log all of your food into the food diary and see what it comes out to. Are you eating enough? Too much? Plenty of protein? etc. Log your exercise and don't be afraid to eat a portion of those earned calories (your body needs them). Adjust as necessary.
  • robnkellysmurf
    robnkellysmurf Posts: 10
    Hi Delaaaaa,

    So just a small word of advice since I started just like you going super hard in the gym on the eliptical and doing some weight training. Make sure that you incorporate sculpting and toning into your regimen as well as strength training. Sculpting and toning is sufficient for making sure that excess skin does not accumulate and that you not only burnt fat but maintain and grow muscle. For motivation and support throughout your journey, feel free to add me as a buddy. If not, good luck with your journey. :)
  • Delaaaaaa
    Delaaaaaa Posts: 4
    Thank you so much !!!

    Can you provide Sculpting and toning exercises that you do ?

    Is it right that i go 5-6 days ?

    And i added you =]
  • robnkellysmurf
    robnkellysmurf Posts: 10
    Sculpting and toning is core stuff like planks and crunches abdominal work. Bodybuilding.com has plenty of workout plans and excersize guides to help you out. 5 days is good but make sure that you do not burn yourself out. Looking out for your best interest. :)
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    Dianne the Geek is right.

    Get a food scale to learn what 4 oz of anything looks like. Use the MFP search feature for calories on what you eat. You need to log everything so that you can manage your calorie budget. Spend time on the MFP website and learn about what you are doing--it is a great resource.

    Losing weight is about calories because it's all based on the laws of physics: energy in = energy out (if you burn more than you eat you will lose weight---period. The energy has to come from somewhere so it comes from your body's battery--fat tissue).
  • ladyace0007
    ladyace0007 Posts: 47
    Hi Amanda,

    For your "kangaroo pouch" (I like that term haha) the only thing that will get rid of it is calorie-burning activities, aka cardio. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot burn fat in specific areas. Your body will get rid of fat all over if you continue to have a calorie deficit. However, definitely continue core work! Once that fat's gone you wanna have some nice muscle underneath! Leg raises are good, but branch out. Variety is the key to a workout program you can keep at; if you do the same thing every day, you'll get bored quickly. For core work, try planks, russian twists, and crunches and crunch variations. For a slow burn, pause at the top of your reps.

    Also try varying your cardio. The elliptical is great, but try running or using an exercise bike. One of the best cardio machines in the gym is the rowing machine. Sadly, my knees can't handle it. :(

    It is definitely not bad to do cardio 6 days a week! But seriously think about adding some real strength training. Personally, I work out 6 days a week—3 are pure cardio, usually a 5 mile run plus a cool down on the elliptical, and 3 are lifts with, again, a cool down on the elliptical, just to burn some extra calories. A lot of gyms have power classes you can take to learn some basic lifts. The key is to start light and learn good form. Besides making you stronger and healthier and being loads of fun, lifting also speeds up your metabolism so you can hit those weight loss goals.

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