New here

caramammal

Hi all.

I'm new here and trying to find an alternative to low fat dieting and cardio workouts. I would like a toned body, and to lose 10lb in the process.

Age: 34
Height 5'4"
weight 131 lbs
Goal is 121lbs.

I'm guessing I have a moderate amount of body fat at the moment, (not sure how to measure this) and I seem to have been dieting forever. but not getting very far in terms of definition. I've recently started doing weights and can see some definition, however how do I speed up the process? I'd like to be able to lose 2lb a week.

can anyone offer any advise?

Many thanks

Nick500

First of all, welcome to the site.

Generally, it is argued that you need to consume healthy fats to be able to lose bodyfat. The concensus that as close to zero fat diet is an effective and optimal way to shed body fat is out dated and old fashioned. So in that respect, good news for you.

Secondly, cardio is not the only way to raise the heart rate in order to stimulate a fat burning state in the body. There are many many alternatives. Popular ones are taking up some kind of sport, like tennis squash or badminton (personally I play squash), cycling or even dancing. In terms of encorporating this into your weights workout, if you stick to major, compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench and shoulder press, trying to use a good, heavy weight for ~ 8 - 12 reps (and some people argue doing even higher reps), then you will engage many muscle to work, and then also repair, which uses up a hell of a lot of calories.

I find at the end of a heavy weights session that i'm often far sweatier than I would be if i'd just been on the bike - so its possible to have a very effective fat burning session in the weights room.

For starters, can you post up your current exercise regime, your daily diet, and ideally some pictures of yourself, in order to give some really solid goal-specific advice to suit you individually.

Nick

caramammal

Thanks for your quick response.

My diet consists of around 1400 calories as day, with one 'cheat' day at the weekend. This normally gives me a 1lb a week loss. I'm worried that I've done irreparable damange to my metabolism and body shape because of my low fat diet, my hair went so dry I had to get it all chopped off ;o(

this is my average routine: (although eating at breakfast time has always been hard for me:
7am - glass of fruit juice
9am - 5-8 brazil nuts
12pm - chicken on wholewheat sandwhich / green salad / fruit salad
3pm - piece of fruit
5-6pm - GYM, 20-30 mins cardio, normally cross trainer and rowing machine, followed by weights machines, concentrating on arms, shoulders, legs.
7pm - either chicken stir fry, or salmon and veg or baked beans (a whole tin - if i'm in a rush).
PLJ lemon juice in filtered water.

I'm currently in the office so am unable to post a piccy however if I sit with good posture, I can pinch an inch around my rib area.

Many thanks

Nick500

OK theres a classic problem that you are facing here. You want to be 'toned', which essentially just means more muscly, with less fat.

I can tell you that the diet you are currently following is doing nothing in the way of muscle building. Granted you are fairly short/light so the total calories a day would be lower than say a 200lb bodybuilder... of course... But i think you need to be eating much higher protein, more food around gym time, and something before bed, like a big tub of no fat cottage cheese.

Extreme

Cara, welcome to the site, my girlfriend had never been a gym goer untill 3.5yrs ago and she only came to keep me company.

We had a fitness expo in May 05 which she wanted to look good for so in December 04 she started cleaning up her diet and increasing her protein, unlike many she did this by using protein shakes and Meal Reps because she would never have managed all the food and she hates cooking!

When we got to the fitness expo she actually looked better than the female athletes we sponsor and a contest promoter suggested she should compete, we went to see one of this persons events but only as a fact finder and were dumbstruck, Jo could have walked it!

The next event was 6 weeks later and she won it, then went on to win the British finals 12 weeks later.

Jo ate MORE than she ever has before, she trained weights 4 times a week and did cardio 5 times for an hour a day to get into British Champion shape.

Now my advice to you is weights 3 or 4 times a week and train so you get sore the following days, cardio should be 40 mins 3-4 times a week. Diet should be 6 meals daily,
7am, 50g Meal replacement.
9am 5-8 brazil nuts
12 noon chicken sandwich or better still take in a chicken salad in a tupperware dish, eat as many green veg, onion, mushroom, peppers, beansprouts, etc as you can, they are effectively negative calories.
3pm 50g Meal Rep
7pm chicken/steak/fish boiled/baked spud and fibrous veg or salad.
10pm 50g Meal rep

Follow this monday to friday, if need be have a "nice" meal on a wednesday and a saturday night, this way you have something to look forward to thats not too far away.

Have a look at the girls on our site, most of them are natural and got the way they are through diet and training alone, none look blokey and all are very attractive and feel more so now they are fairly well toned.

www.extremenutrition.co.uk

caramammal

thanks so much for your replies.

I'll begin planning more protein into my diet and eating more often too. When it comes to training, should I be doing the cardio at the beginning of my workout followed by weights or should cardio be done on separate days?

Many thanks

Extreme

I would think its down to you as a person, I like to do my cardio prior to weights, some prefer doing it afterwards but I always find I'm to knackered to want to do cardio at that point.

When Jo was getting ready to compete she did 40 mins every morning before work and 40 min before her weights sessions.

www.extremenutrition.co.uk