Toning but no real results...?

Check this out OP

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/416059-more-strength-training-success-pics

I've been working out almost every day since April 2011... I started @ 216 and now I'm at a plateau range of 180-190.... I see my body looks more toned but I haven't lost any weight or inches since September. I want to say its due to a birth control that I began taking in sep and I've decided to quit ... Is this possible that it has caused me to stop losing weight!? I stopped 3 weeks ago but I'm still the same. Right now I'm at 190. I want to be at 150 by April.... Can you offer me advice? I started eating breakfast a month ago... And only ate fast food once in 3 weeks... I eat 2 egg whites and one egg for breakfast... For lunch I eat tuna sandwich or ham and cheese.... And the bad part is I eat dinner after 7 sometimes 8. I am nor perfect .., I still eat cookies sometimes lol ummm but I workout A LOT! Monday's: 1 hour Zumba + 1 hour cardio and weights at the gym Tuesday: 1 hour cardio at the gym and some weight Wednesday: same as Monday Thursday: body pump + 1 hour cardio Friday: cardio at gym 1 hr same sat and sun.... Everyday!!!!! Please help

Mlrosa123, first of all, I want to say congratulation on your loss. The food pyramid is the best way to eat. Portion control and moderation is the key. Don't deprive yourself of anything that you like to eat, just include the food into your daily calories. If you want a cookie, you can have one. Don't let food make you feel guilty.

I'm going to suggest you incorporate Tae Bo into your workout routine. You will start to see a difference, trust me. I always recommend Tae Bo and a lot of people don't like to see this recommendation. Tae Bo is a good workout . I was like you, for months I wasn't losing inches. I wasn't doing Tae Bo much. I was focus on other workouts. In October, I've decided to create a 30 Day Tae Bo program and in 27 days, I've lost 5 inches. I only measure three areas of my body and I've lost inches in all three areas. 5 inches may not be much to some people, but it's a big number to me. I'm not aiming to lose scale weight. I'm aiming to loss fat. Scale weight loss and Fat loss aren't the same thing.

I don't lift heavy. I never will. For me, heavy weights will not make a difference. I don't even have to lift heavy to get the results that I'm aiming for. I do strength train, but I rather do cardio strength than do solo strength training. Billy has a workout called Tae Bo Ripped Extreme, it's a workout for women. Billy is the only man that's in the workout. It's a cardio sculpt workout. I've used my 3 pound weight with this workout. I've also used my 3 pound weights with Billy's Boot Camp Cardio Sculpt. Some people think that a person can't get a workout using 3 pound weights, but I disagree big time. I see a difference in my arms. For cardio sculpt/cardio strength workouts, you don't have to use 20 pound weights. Within seconds, you will want to put down those 20 pounds weights.

Do whatever you want to do, but I believe that Tae Bo can help you. You can check out Billy's workouts on Collagevideo.com. I'm doing his PT 24/7 program right now and I'm loving it. Tae Bo is my number one workout. I will also recommend it to people. You can find Billy's workout at Walmart, Target, etc.

I like working out to men workouts. Workouts that's lead by men. If you are looking to do some strength workouts. You can try the following as well. You can check these workouts on collagevideo.com and youtube. You can find these workouts on Amazon.com for cheaper than collagevideo.com.

1. Abs Diet 2. Terry is so fun.

2. Men's Health 15 Minute Workout. Terry again

3. Men's Health Belly Off: The Body Weight Routine

4. Men's Health Belly Off: The Strength Training Routine

5. Supreme 90 Day is a good program as well. It's a muscle confusion program. You get 10 dvds for $19.99 or cheaper. I've seen the program at Bed Bath and Beyond for $9.99. You can find the program at Bed Bath and Beyond, Walgreens, Target, Academy, Walmart, The Dollar General Store, etc.

Whatever you choose to do, you can do this. Believe in yourself. Baby steps is the key.

I'm really good about staying under. Today I had 722 left.

There's the problem. You're off by 722. You should aim to have 0 left. But over/under by 50-100 and you're good.

This is a valid point as well.

I bulk up really easily I have to be careful not to get too toned when i lose weight. I wonder if genetics plays a part??? my sister is like that too, she runs and goes to the gym, but has to be careful not to get her arms too muscular ! she can bulk up just from playing the guitar

Any type of cardio will suffice, it doesn't have to include Billy Blanks to work. Something as simple as the free Couch to 5k running program that can be found on the web easily via Google search worked for me, I started in July and completed it in October, I'm now able to run for about 40min. without a rest. It starts you off nice and slow, check it out if you enjoy running! Bottom line for exercise though....do what you ENJOY. :drinker:

good advice !!

To OP:
You got a lot of good advice on this thread.. so heed it! Switch up what your doing.. and take a few rest days. Your body needs a chance to rest and recover... and without it, nothing is ever going to happen.

I don't even know what to say to that... I always keep my heart rate up. When I do cardio I check that it's at 160 or so... I increase weights when I feel my body can take it... I do 2 hrs 3 days a week... And 1 hour 4 says a week...i go everyday , unless for some reason I can't. I push so that I'm dripping sweat throughout the entire workout.... But yea I guess I don't try then. ..

You are confusing your effort with your results. Having been doing this for a long time, I've met with so many people who have the same outlook you have. Then I train them and they find out what hard training is really about. Dripping sweat is not always the best indication you're working out hard. You can sweat sitting in a sauna doing nothing.
This isn't a bash against you, but you asked why no results? I am telling you that what you perceive as hard may not be. You are probably only using a small percentage of the total output you can really do.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I don't even know what to say to that... I always keep my heart rate up. When I do cardio I check that it's at 160 or so... I increase weights when I feel my body can take it... I do 2 hrs 3 days a week... And 1 hour 4 says a week...i go everyday , unless for some reason I can't. I push so that I'm dripping sweat throughout the entire workout.... But yea I guess I don't try then. ..

Honestly I think you are doing too much cardio. :Your body quickly adapts, and Bodypump its a good start but not nearly heavy enough, its more of a cardio workout than a true lifting workout. Try for just a month to scale back your cardio and really focus on the compound lifts and keep track of your reps and wt and try to increase the wt. And make sure you are eating enough and keep your protien high.

I will forever recommend Tae Bo, if a person doesn't like that, they can ignore me. Tae Bo works. Try it, before you try to knock it.

But it doesn't always work. What if someone can't kick because of knee and hip issues? Then the program wouldn't be as effective as say the elliptical trainer.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Body Pump and ChaLEAN Extreme are great strength training fitness programs (both offered by Beachbody -- Pump is coming to Beachbody 01/04/12...I'm SO excited because I'm a Beachbody coach!), but to get the results you mentioned, I agree with the others, lift heavier and lift slower. ChaLEAN Extreme offers that type of workout and it's something you can do over and over, using heavier weights. I love it! I've only lost 10 lbs BUT I've lost 10 inches, JUST in my lower body. Don't focus on the scale

Body pump doesn't focus on heavy lifts. Learn compound lifts: squats, deadlifts, bench presses, pullups. Add in a couple of isolation movements for the arms and shoulders. Lift heavy (meaning the last 2 reps should be VERY difficult) for every exercise and keep your reps within 8. ]

I would disagree with this. Body Pump does focus on compound lifts and isolation movements, actually quite a bit. If she is not seeing any results then she is not listening to her instructor and adding weight like she is supposed to in body pump, or she is not completing to exhaustion, like she should be just before the end of each section.

Words have meanings. Ninerbuff clearly defined "heavy lifting" above, (weights that meet or exceed your 8RM).

Bodypump is glorified cardio, nothing more.

I think you have a misconception that you will turn into the Incredible Hulk if you lift heavy weights. Unless you have an abnormally high level of testosterone or are taking steroids, it cannot happen. The female "body builders" that look ridiculous muscular fall into either one of those categories. Guys bulk up because they have testosterone. I lift 100 lbs for my biceps at about 8 reps. I've been lifting heavy weights (well heavy for me) for two years. The result? You can still barely see my biceps! My hubs on the other hand just started lifting again about a month ago... For him? Yeah, his arms are already huge. Lifting heavy weights won't make you look ridiculous.

I would disagree with this. Body Pump does focus on compound lifts and isolation movements, actually quite a bit. If she is not seeing any results then she is not listening to her instructor and adding weight like she is supposed to in body pump, or she is not completing to exhaustion, like she should be just before the end of each section.

While squats and rows are part of Body Pump, the amount of weight used in each class is VERY VERY moderate by even the instructors. The reps usually range in the hundreds by the end of class. That's for MUSCLE ENDURANCE.
With the LARGEST weights weighing 5K even with 2 of them on each side of the bar is only under 50lbs. And the only people I see doing that much are men in the classes.
Sorry, but comparing Bodypump to actual heavy lifting is like comparing apples and oranges.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition