muscle loss, because i'm stupid.
mariaeli93
Posts: 42 Member
I, before, was doing pretty hardcore cardio for an hour everyday 7 days a week and eating only 1200 calories per day. i later got stuck in a weight plateau and i realized how stupid i had been. I checked what my BMR was and i got to it and i kept doing cardio (an eliptical machine we have at home) but only 4 hours spread over 5 days. (48 minutes per day) and i kept losing weight of course. then my husband started mentioning week after week how skinny my legs started to look (skinnier than the weight i was losing generally all over my body)
my question here i suppose is kind of stupid because i also see what i've been doing wrong but i feel lost about what to do about it.
I know that with so much cardio and 0 strength work i probably lost muscle mass in my legs and everywhere else (because my tummy is far from flat and i'm 6 kilos away from my goal weight) So i guess it's time to slow down with the cardio and do strength work and toning but what do i do? i dont have a gym near by. anyone recommend any work outs? how many times per week and how long of a session is "healthy"? because apparently i've just been doing too much.
Also, I always thought that cardio was most important because it makes you lose calories, so if i lower my cardio work outs per week but do more strength, do i also lower my calories? or do they stay the same?
thank you in advanced!
my question here i suppose is kind of stupid because i also see what i've been doing wrong but i feel lost about what to do about it.
I know that with so much cardio and 0 strength work i probably lost muscle mass in my legs and everywhere else (because my tummy is far from flat and i'm 6 kilos away from my goal weight) So i guess it's time to slow down with the cardio and do strength work and toning but what do i do? i dont have a gym near by. anyone recommend any work outs? how many times per week and how long of a session is "healthy"? because apparently i've just been doing too much.
Also, I always thought that cardio was most important because it makes you lose calories, so if i lower my cardio work outs per week but do more strength, do i also lower my calories? or do they stay the same?
thank you in advanced!
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Replies
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I know what you mean. Everyone started commenting on how skinny I was looking and people who were previously interested or motivating were saying I'd lost too much. This was despite lifting heavy.
So I cranked up the calories and made sure I ate enough protein, reduced the cardio, continue the heavy lifting. Things are looking much better.
Funnily, I gained my weight back but as muscle not fat.0 -
but the weight gain afterwards was nice though, I assume. not bleh and wobbly like fat? how often do you lift and for how long? how much cardio do you do now?I know what you mean. Everyone started commenting on how skinny I was looking and people who were previously interested or motivating were saying I'd lost too much. This was despite lifting heavy.
So I cranked up the calories and made sure I ate enough protein, reduced the cardio, continue the heavy lifting. Things are looking much better.
Funnily, I gained my weight back but as muscle not fat.0 -
First off, don't be so hard on yourself. Lots of people don't lift for assorted reasons. But good on you for deciding to incorporate that.
There are plenty of workouts that you can do involving bodyweight. Just enter bodyweight exercises into Google and you'll get lots of suggestions. Also, if you can afford to add exercise bands or even some dumbbells, those are helpful. Even canned goods will work in a pinch in place of dumbbells. I'd recommend starting out slowly on lifting, maybe 2-3 times a week at first to give your body time to adjust. Your muscles also need rest in between. Also, be sure you're getting enough protein.
Good luck to you!0 -
You should try lifting 3 days a week with rest/cardio days in between lifting days. You will burn calories and continue to burn after lifting although it may not show as displayed on your heart rate monitor, metabolically active muscle continues to burn after lifting. I noticed you said there are no gyms near you. Assuming you can't get to a gym to do heavy lifting (Stronglifts 5x5, Starting Strength), which is the kind of lifting you want to do, it will build muscle and burn body fat, you could look at nerdfitness.com. Steve's program offers a lot of bodyweight workouts that focus on the main muscle groups you want to train. It's also a great site with a lot of great stories and blogs. I've noticed that lifting more than anything has actually changed the shape of my body and with a loss of body fat. Nobody likes the term skinny fat and that's not what I'm implying but adding true strength training will help you achieve that look most women are reaching for. Good luck
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if you want to build a home gym you can do stronglifts 5x5 or starting strength, and get a used barbell, bench and squat rack - or if you have a big stash of cash you can buy them new :drinker:
if that's not an option, then you can do bodyweight strength training routines, like convict conditioning or you are your own gym. there are a few out there so do a google search. some minimal equipment may be required (e.g. pull up bar) but these things tend to not be that expensive. You can get pull up bars that you use on a door frame, for example.
you need to ensure that you are eating enough protein and calories... for bulking (muscle gain) you need to eat a little more than you burn off, for cutting (losing fat while preserving muscle mass) you need only a small deficit - too big a deficit will result in loss of lean mass.
If you do the strength training and eat right, you should be able to regain the lean mass you lost - muscle memory gains are a little easier than new muscle gains, i.e. it's slightly easier to regain muscle that you lost than it is to gain new muscle that you never had. So you have a good chance of regaining it all. And don't beat yourself up or call yourself stupid. You're not stupid 0 -
Don't have any specific advise for your exercise, but please use more positive words when you talk about/to yourself Being kind to yourself is much more likely help your goals in the end, denigrating yourself is more likely to derail you. Good luck! 0
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Don't have any specific advise for your exercise, but please use more positive words when you talk about/to yourself Being kind to yourself is much more likely help your goals in the end, denigrating yourself is more likely to derail you. Good luck!
you're right, thank you 0 -
You should try lifting 3 days a week with rest/cardio days in between lifting days. You will burn calories and continue to burn after lifting although it may not show as displayed on your heart rate monitor, metabolically active muscle continues to burn after lifting. I noticed you said there are no gyms near you. Assuming you can't get to a gym to do heavy lifting (Stronglifts 5x5, Starting Strength), which is the kind of lifting you want to do, it will build muscle and burn body fat, you could look at nerdfitness.com. Steve's program offers a lot of bodyweight workouts that focus on the main muscle groups you want to train. It's also a great site with a lot of great stories and blogs. I've noticed that lifting more than anything has actually changed the shape of my body and with a loss of body fat. Nobody likes the term skinny fat and that's not what I'm implying but adding true strength training will help you achieve that look most women are reaching for. Good luck
so then, how much cardio (how long of a session) do you do? and the lifting, how long is okay? I'm planning to get some small things here and there to help me with the work out, but of course ultimately it would be best to go to a gym, too bad there isn't any near by
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but the weight gain afterwards was nice though, I assume. not bleh and wobbly like fat? how often do you lift and for how long? how much cardio do you do now?
Exactly. I look much better. And the right way round.
)
Follow a standard beginner's routine as mentioned above eg 5x5.
Cardio - I play tennis twice a week. Dunno if you call that cardio - I call it fun.
(Used to do HIIT which wasn't really fun even though it was challenging.) 0 -
Check this group out:You should try lifting 3 days a week with rest/cardio days in between lifting days. You will burn calories and continue to burn after lifting although it may not show as displayed on your heart rate monitor, metabolically active muscle continues to burn after lifting. I noticed you said there are no gyms near you. Assuming you can't get to a gym to do heavy lifting (Stronglifts 5x5, Starting Strength), which is the kind of lifting you want to do, it will build muscle and burn body fat, you could look at nerdfitness.com. Steve's program offers a lot of bodyweight workouts that focus on the main muscle groups you want to train. It's also a great site with a lot of great stories and blogs. I've noticed that lifting more than anything has actually changed the shape of my body and with a loss of body fat. Nobody likes the term skinny fat and that's not what I'm implying but adding true strength training will help you achieve that look most women are reaching for. Good luck
so then, how much cardio (how long of a session) do you do? and the lifting, how long is okay? I'm planning to get some small things here and there to help me with the work out, but of course ultimately it would be best to go to a gym, too bad there isn't any near by
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women0 -
I built a hodge podge gym, buying off CL, amazon, and a few odds and ends from play it again sports for very short money. Gyms where I live are over $100/month.
Sounds like you already know what you have to do exercise wise, which is half the battle sometimes. Its easy to do strength training at home. Start small and add slowly, in six months you'll have a decent setup I bet.0 -
but the weight gain afterwards was nice though, I assume. not bleh and wobbly like fat? how often do you lift and for how long? how much cardio do you do now?
Exactly. I look much better. And the right way round.)
Follow a standard beginner's routine as mentioned above eg 5x5.
Cardio - I play tennis twice a week. Dunno if you call that cardio - I call it fun. (Used to do HIIT which wasn't really fun even though it was challenging.)
I play league tennis as well. I darn sure count it as cardio. I do all my cardio as "unstructured" fun outside activities. Bike riding, hiking, tennis, etc.0 -
if you want to build a home gym you can do stronglifts 5x5 or starting strength, and get a used barbell, bench and squat rack - or if you have a big stash of cash you can buy them new :drinker:
if that's not an option, then you can do bodyweight strength training routines, like convict conditioning or you are your own gym. there are a few out there so do a google search. some minimal equipment may be required (e.g. pull up bar) but these things tend to not be that expensive. You can get pull up bars that you use on a door frame, for example.
you need to ensure that you are eating enough protein and calories... for bulking (muscle gain) you need to eat a little more than you burn off, for cutting (losing fat while preserving muscle mass) you need only a small deficit - too big a deficit will result in loss of lean mass.
If you do the strength training and eat right, you should be able to regain the lean mass you lost - muscle memory gains are a little easier than new muscle gains, i.e. it's slightly easier to regain muscle that you lost than it is to gain new muscle that you never had. So you have a good chance of regaining it all. And don't beat yourself up or call yourself stupid. You're not stupid
+10 -
No, you need to eat more. 1200 is not enough to support your activity, and it sounds like your goals are too aggressive. And weight lift.I, before, was doing pretty hardcore cardio for an hour everyday 7 days a week and eating only 1200 calories per day. i later got stuck in a weight plateau and i realized how stupid i had been. I checked what my BMR was and i got to it and i kept doing cardio (an eliptical machine we have at home) but only 4 hours spread over 5 days. (48 minutes per day) and i kept losing weight of course. then my husband started mentioning week after week how skinny my legs started to look (skinnier than the weight i was losing generally all over my body)
my question here i suppose is kind of stupid because i also see what i've been doing wrong but i feel lost about what to do about it.
I know that with so much cardio and 0 strength work i probably lost muscle mass in my legs and everywhere else (because my tummy is far from flat and i'm 6 kilos away from my goal weight) So i guess it's time to slow down with the cardio and do strength work and toning but what do i do? i dont have a gym near by. anyone recommend any work outs? how many times per week and how long of a session is "healthy"? because apparently i've just been doing too much.
Also, I always thought that cardio was most important because it makes you lose calories, so if i lower my cardio work outs per week but do more strength, do i also lower my calories? or do they stay the same?
thank you in advanced!0 -
Honest mistake, eat more.0
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The more cardio you do the harder the work outs etc the more calories you must consume. I don't know the ratios but it is the fuel to get through the sessions. They say to alternate with cardio and strength training 3 days on two days off. Some good toning can be achieved with yoga. Walking. Pilates. Or you can do pushups. Side planks. Situps. I did the slim in 6 videos and thats a mix of strenth and cardio. Body bands are good and cheap start with the smallest tube and gradually challenge yourself to harder bands. There are lots of exercises u can do at home just look up strength training on youtube. You can use cans you can use bottles of water as weights then gallons of water. Then 5 gallon buckets. You can use chairs for differnt depths or step ups. Stairs at home. Counters walls for a sitting squat or whatever its called. Fill socks with sand and tie or velcro around legs or wrists for weights. So many ideas out there just google it.0
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but the weight gain afterwards was nice though, I assume. not bleh and wobbly like fat? how often do you lift and for how long? how much cardio do you do now?
Exactly. I look much better. And the right way round.)
Follow a standard beginner's routine as mentioned above eg 5x5.
Cardio - I play tennis twice a week. Dunno if you call that cardio - I call it fun. (Used to do HIIT which wasn't really fun even though it was challenging.)
I play league tennis as well. I darn sure count it as cardio. I do all my cardio as "unstructured" fun outside activities. Bike riding, hiking, tennis, etc.
The best kind of cardio - stuff you actually enjoy and could happily do for the rest of your life.0 -
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but the weight gain afterwards was nice though, I assume. not bleh and wobbly like fat? how often do you lift and for how long? how much cardio do you do now?
Exactly. I look much better. And the right way round.)
Follow a standard beginner's routine as mentioned above eg 5x5.
Cardio - I play tennis twice a week. Dunno if you call that cardio - I call it fun. (Used to do HIIT which wasn't really fun even though it was challenging.)
I play league tennis as well. I darn sure count it as cardio. I do all my cardio as "unstructured" fun outside activities. Bike riding, hiking, tennis, etc.
The best kind of cardio - stuff you actually enjoy and could happily do for the rest of your life.
sounds like the best aproach! thanks!0 -
No, you need to eat more. 1200 is not enough to support your activity, and it sounds like your goals are too aggressive. And weight lift.I, before, was doing pretty hardcore cardio for an hour everyday 7 days a week and eating only 1200 calories per day. i later got stuck in a weight plateau and i realized how stupid i had been. I checked what my BMR was and i got to it and i kept doing cardio (an eliptical machine we have at home) but only 4 hours spread over 5 days. (48 minutes per day) and i kept losing weight of course. then my husband started mentioning week after week how skinny my legs started to look (skinnier than the weight i was losing generally all over my body)
my question here i suppose is kind of stupid because i also see what i've been doing wrong but i feel lost about what to do about it.
I know that with so much cardio and 0 strength work i probably lost muscle mass in my legs and everywhere else (because my tummy is far from flat and i'm 6 kilos away from my goal weight) So i guess it's time to slow down with the cardio and do strength work and toning but what do i do? i dont have a gym near by. anyone recommend any work outs? how many times per week and how long of a session is "healthy"? because apparently i've just been doing too much.
Also, I always thought that cardio was most important because it makes you lose calories, so if i lower my cardio work outs per week but do more strength, do i also lower my calories? or do they stay the same?
thank you in advanced!
i know, thats why i up'd my calories when i noticed i realized what BMR was. i was eating 1500 at the time of the muscle loss 0 -
The more cardio you do the harder the work outs etc the more calories you must consume. I don't know the ratios but it is the fuel to get through the sessions. They say to alternate with cardio and strength training 3 days on two days off. Some good toning can be achieved with yoga. Walking. Pilates. Or you can do pushups. Side planks. Situps. I did the slim in 6 videos and thats a mix of strenth and cardio. Body bands are good and cheap start with the smallest tube and gradually challenge yourself to harder bands. There are lots of exercises u can do at home just look up strength training on youtube. You can use cans you can use bottles of water as weights then gallons of water. Then 5 gallon buckets. You can use chairs for differnt depths or step ups. Stairs at home. Counters walls for a sitting squat or whatever its called. Fill socks with sand and tie or velcro around legs or wrists for weights. So many ideas out there just google it.
sooo creative, thanks! I'm surely gonna alternate now. i will do my research 0 -
so then, how much cardio (how long of a session) do you do? and the lifting, how long is okay? I'm planning to get some small things here and there to help me with the work out, but of course ultimately it would be best to go to a gym, too bad there isn't any near by
I do 30-60 minutes of cardio that I enjoy 3 days a week. My workouts are different now than they used to be bc I find I don't enjoy working out 6 days a week, I like to work out a total of 4-5 days a week. I do Heavy lifting twice a week (used to do it three days a week) because I find my strength workouts are more effective on my days off in the morning. I'll lift sunday, off monday, bike outside or spinning Tuesday, trail run Wednesday, lift Thursday, off Friday, kickboxing Saturday. I mix up the biking and running sometimes with dance or power yoga or bootcamp or hiking. Basically I like variety and all of the cardio activities I do I really enjoy. I like to take active vacations so I need to keep my endurance and training up in those activities. Sometimes I do HIIT in place of cardio, its easy to youtube those videos if you want to stay at home. I do believe in more interval training for fat loss rather than steady state full out cardio the whole time.
As far as strength goes, I read a lot about heavy lifting here and on bodybuilding.com and books/articles. It needs to be challenging, people often challenge themselves with cardio so that they're out of breath and profusely sweating. You need to challenge yourself every week just like that with strength. It should be hard and it should increase every week. Just pumping out the same number of reps at the same weight every week won't change anything. I used to do this weight class before heavy lifting and would use basically the same weights every week, my muscles were tired by the end of the 30 reps of course because they were fatigued but it didn't change my muscle mass or shape. And you won't bulk up. Everyone is so afraid of that lol, like they think overnight they'll go from no muscle to body builder.0
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