Thread: Confused

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and I wondered if anyone could help me with a question or two.

I'm 29 years old, 5"4 and weigh 212 pounds. I've decided enough is enough and want to get into shape.

My question is this, If i want to lose the weight and become toned, what is the best way for me to do this?

I am currently doing a full body workout using weights at the gym 3 days a week which takes about 60 minutes, the other 3 days I am doing cardio for 60 minutes and the 7th day I don't go to the gym at all. I have read that to lose weight you need to go on a calorie reduced diet but to gain muscle you need to increase your calorie intake. Is it possible to gain muscle and lose weight at the same time?

I have totally changed my eating habits as well, no more fast food for me.

I also have read that to much cardio can decrease your muscle mass.

Should I stick to just the cardio, lose both the fat and muscle and then once I have slimmed up, start weighh training to regain the muscle I lost?

Or am I able to do both at the same time? If so how many calories should I be eating? Should i still lower my calorie intake if I am weight training?

Anyone have any pointers?

Thank You

I should also mention that burnout will not be a factor with me going to the gym so often.

Originally Posted by colos29

My question is this, If i want to lose the weight and become toned, what is the best way for me to do this?

1. A good diet that has you at a calorie deficiency - ensuring adequate protein, adequate essential fatty acid and an appropriate intake of carbs. A healthy diet high in fibre, vitamins, minerals will also prove more beneficial.

2. Heavy resistance training to prevent lean mass loss and to help prevent the metabolic concequences of dieting.

3. Sufficient cardiovascular activity to improve insulin sensitivity and improve partitioning (so the energy you eat goes to your muscles), increase calorie expenditure and improve cardiovascular health.

I am currently doing a full body workout using weights at the gym 3 days a week which takes about 60 minutes, the other 3 days I am doing cardio for 60 minutes and the 7th day I don't go to the gym at all. I have read that to lose weight you need to go on a calorie reduced diet but to gain muscle you need to increase your calorie intake. Is it possible to gain muscle and lose weight at the same time?

Yes it is possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time (**as long as you are not doing something completely rediculous**).

It is ESPECIALLY possible for those new to weights training and those with high bodyfat%.

I have totally changed my eating habits as well, no more fast food for me.

Great!!

I also have read that to much cardio can decrease your muscle mass.

It can - but for about 99% of the population it is not going to significantly impact on muscle.

It is only if you are REALLY going overboard (6 days a week, LONG sessions), if you are starving yourself or if you are exceptionally lean (low BF%) that it will count.

3 session a week of 60 minutes is not going to impact on your muscle. Especially if your BF% is high.

Should I stick to just the cardio, lose both the fat and muscle and then once I have slimmed up, start weighh training to regain the muscle I lost?

NO!!! ARGGG!!! NO NO NO!!! Weight training is, essentially, more beneficial in the long run!! Not only will it help STOP any muscle loss that may occur with the cardio (or more importantly - it will help stop the loss that will occur when dieting) but that muscle is going to be what is BURNING your FAT and maintaining your metabolism! You lose the muscle and you just made your work in losing weight about 100 x harder!

Stick to your weights!

Or am I able to do both at the same time?

You can!

If so how many calories should I be eating? Should i still lower my calorie intake if I am weight training?

Your calorie intake will depend on many things - so it is hard to say...

See, it will depend on your LEAN mass (you can get a rough BF% at www.mybodycomp.com , but to get something more accurate you would need to get someone to do a caliper reading), your activity level (both exercise and during the day), your sex (females generally need less than males of the same body composition), hormones/physiological state (low thyroid, low growth hormone, low testosterone etc all decrease requirements), your genetics (some people just need less), the rate at which you want to lose weight.... etc etc..

If you get a rough BF% then I could give you a rough 'guestimation' of calorie requirements - but you would then need to stick to that for ~2-3 weeks and monitor your progress... If nothing changed you would then need to decrease calories accordingly.

But yes, you should still have a lower calorie intake, even if you are weight training. At 214 and 5'4 you are going to have a substantial energy reserve and you are going to have to eat less if you want to start to burn that off.

Anyone have any pointers?

Start with the simple things. Good diet. Weight training. Cardio. These make the biggest changes.

Don't get caught up in the 'nitty gritty' stuff - you don't need it at your stage of things!