What should I do?

Aimeehoag
Aimeehoag Posts: 4 Member
edited February 15 in Fitness and Exercise
I am 130lbs at 5'4" (female). My goal is to be 20% body fat - I am not worried about what the scale says, which is why I am not giving a goal weight. Currently, I am about 29% bf, according to the calculations a trainer used at my gym. I only recently started going to the gym and am very shy/intimidated while I am there. I feel very lost in there. I got a trainer 8 weeks ago, which has helped me get a little more comfortable, but I can't afford a trainer anymore. I only got the trainer to help feel comfortable and to see how some machines work. I am only able to get in 2-4 days in to work out (2 days for sure, 3 days maybe, 4 days if I am lucky). I usually only have about 1 hour to be in the gym and do not have anyone to go with me. 2-3 other days (when I'm not at the gym) I am able to be on the treadmill at my home for about 30-45 mins (usually only 30mins where I do interval sprints).

I have looked at things on BodyBuilding.com, but cannot find plans that fit my limited schedule. I do not know how to make up my own plans as I am not sure what to work out/what is most effective. I am here asking you all to please help me figure out a plan that is most effective for my 2-3 (if I'm lucky 4) days a week availability for the gym.

Thanks a ton!

Replies

  • cpusmc
    cpusmc Posts: 122 Member
    so if i read your post correctly, you are working out 4-7 days per week if i take both gym and treadmill at home. is this correct?
  • cpusmc
    cpusmc Posts: 122 Member
    lets assume yes. heavy weight circuit training when you are in the gym will help build muscle and shed bf. if you can squeeze 4/week great, 2 upper body days, 2 lower body days. change your treadmill time to 20 min of hiit. 2 min of walking at a brisk pace and 1 min of sprinting, all out. if you miss a gym day add bodyweight exercises to your home routine before doing the hiit treadmill work.

    bf will respond to the heavy weight work and the hiit training, but consistency and paying very close attention to your calories is most important. eat at a small deficit so you lose bf and maintain muscle, keep protein macro high, 1g/lb of bodyweight.

    if you need more detail in the workout, holler...

    good luck, i'm sure others will have thoughts as well.
  • norcalskater
    norcalskater Posts: 194 Member
    Your main focus should be your caloric deficit because in the end that's what will get you to that goal. Exercise should be second priority. As far as what to do in the gym that depends on what parts of your body you want to work on the most. You could do a leg and ab day, an arm day, a back day...
  • Aimeehoag
    Aimeehoag Posts: 4 Member
    Yes, it's more like 5 days and if I'm lucky then 7 days of some sort of physical activity going on. When you say "upper body day" or "leg day" I worry about the weeks where I am only able to lift 2 days a week. This "My Fitness Pal" says I should be taking in 1350 calories a day (or something like that) and apparently I will lose 5lbs by April.

    Will supplements speed up the loss of body fat?
  • ME0172
    ME0172 Posts: 200 Member
    Do weights at the gym and cardio at home. If you're only able to do 2 days of weights at the gym do upper body... if you're running you won't miss leg days as long as it isn't every week. If you notice several weeks in a row of only getting 2 days at the gym then just change up each week what you skip.
  • Yes, it's more like 5 days and if I'm lucky then 7 days of some sort of physical activity going on. When you say "upper body day" or "leg day" I worry about the weeks where I am only able to lift 2 days a week. This "My Fitness Pal" says I should be taking in 1350 calories a day (or something like that) and apparently I will lose 5lbs by April.

    Will supplements speed up the loss of body fat?

    I'd say stay away from "weight loss" supplments. Do it the old fashioned way, it'll feel better, cost less, and you wont have to worry about all those awesome side affects listed on the side of the pill bottle - Is it Alli that causes anal leakage?
  • Aimeehoag
    Aimeehoag Posts: 4 Member
    Do any of you know of an effective upper/lower body routine? I want to eventually come up with my own workouts, but I don't know what things to combine or avoid...if that makes sense. Any samples I can look at/try out?
  • cpusmc
    cpusmc Posts: 122 Member
    Do any of you know of an effective upper/lower body routine? I want to eventually come up with my own workouts, but I don't know what things to combine or avoid...if that makes sense. Any samples I can look at/try out?

    Note - you can pick and choose, add or subtract etc, but I would try and do a circuit of 3-4 rotations that included 2 exercises per bodypart, say starting out 3 sets 10 reps each.

    Upper - Chest - any press (flat, incline, decline, machines ect) any fly (flat, incline, decline, machines etc), push ups (wide hands, narrow hands, normal hands, incline, decline, lots of options), dips
    Back - pull ups (assisted if necessary, this is a great exercise) rows (any row machine, dumbells, one arm, both arms, long pulley, etc.) pull downs (machine, wide hands, narrow hands)
    Shoulders - presses (machine, dumbells, etc) lateral raises (machine, dumbbells), dips
    Arms - biceps - curls (machine, dumbbells, etc) triceps - presses and extensions (machines, dumbbells etc.), dips

    Lower - squats, leg presses, leg extensions, leg curls, walking lunges...

    Bodybuilding.com has pics and videos for most of these listed if you are unfamiliar. If you only get 2 days, then you have hit whole body by doing 1 upper and 1 lower. As the weights become easier, increase weight, or sets ect.

    Success will be determined by your consistency, timing will depend on whether you are able to have more 4 days/week or 2 days/week. Diet is key and all this goes out the window if that is not solid... good luck..
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    learn how to compound lift.

    seriously.

    don't be making up your own programs if you don't know what you are doing.

    Also - a M-W-F split- just means you are lifting 3 times a week.

    My bf's weekend is Wed- Thur- his "workweek" is Friday through Tuesday- so for him a standard 3 day split would be Friday- Sunday- Tuesday- I lift Sunday- Tuesday- Thursday. Your body doesn't care what day of the week it lifts.

    . So exercise a little common sense- adapt a program to your schedule that involves fewer splits and just manipulate it to fit into your program.
    Personally I would go with Starting strength/Strong lifts or NROLW. Don't try to re-invent the wheel.

    Will supplements speed up the loss of body fat?

    sigh
    no- there is no magic pill- only hard work.

    calorie deficiet will lead to weight loss
    weight training will keep toward the FAT loss- not muscle and fat.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Do any of you know of an effective upper/lower body routine? I want to eventually come up with my own workouts, but I don't know what things to combine or avoid...if that makes sense. Any samples I can look at/try out?

    the one that I do is the following:

    Monday - Upper - Barbell Bench press, dumbbell overhead press, low row, chin ups + 50#, lat pull down
    Tuesday - Lower - Barbell Squat, sumo deadlift, dumbbell lunge, calf raise
    wens - off = HIIT/Abs for me...
    Thurs - upper - dumbbell incline press, pull up + 45#, barbell overhead press, dumbbell fly, dumbbell lateral raise, tricept push down (note for first three I try to do about 4 sets by 8 reps; last three I try to go for more volume 2x12, 3x12)
    Friday - lower- deadlift, front squat, leg curl, smith machine calf raises....
    Saturday off
    Sunday - whatever the hell I feel like doing...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    learn how to compound lift.

    seriously.

    don't be making up your own programs if you don't know what you are doing.

    Also - a M-W-F split- just means you are lifting 3 times a week.

    My bf's weekend is Wed- Thur- his "workweek" is Friday through Tuesday- so for him a standard 3 day split would be Friday- Sunday- Tuesday- I lift Sunday- Tuesday- Thursday. Your body doesn't care what day of the week it lifts.

    . So exercise a little common sense- adapt a program to your schedule that involves fewer splits and just manipulate it to fit into your program.
    Personally I would go with Starting strength/Strong lifts or NROLW. Don't try to re-invent the wheel.

    Will supplements speed up the loss of body fat?

    sigh
    no- there is no magic pill- only hard work.

    calorie deficiet will lead to weight loss
    weight training will keep toward the FAT loss- not muscle and fat.

    also this ^
  • Aimeehoag
    Aimeehoag Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you everyone =)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Nia Shanks has some heavy lifting programs that take about 30-45 minutes to do. I'm a big fan.
This discussion has been closed.