Newbie here too....need lots of advice

**TxChick** · 03-08-2003, 02:05 AM

Wow, I just found this board tonight and I have been reading for about 3 hours straight. I wish I would have found it sooner. Ah well, I'm here now.

First off, I would like to get an idea of what type of workout routine I need to be doing at the gym.

My husband and I joined the gym back in September of 2002 and I have lost approximately 23lbs. I did not start really watching my diet until the first week of January, and when we returned to the gym after the Christmas holiday (about 14 days no training) I had gained 6lbs!!!

I have lost that 6lbs since and about 4 more.

My diet usually is Special K cereal for breakfast, yogurt for a snack with some type of fruit, lunch is usually 4oz Tuna on wheat bread or about 4oz turkey on wheat, piece of fruit, and dinner is usually grilled meat and veggies. I have made shakes in the blender with frozen yogurt and fruit, but I don't make these everyday. I also have to make myself drink water, I tend to forget about me when I am keeping up with 2 small children. What is so hard for me is that my husband is trying to gain weight.

Oh to be 'blessed' with such a high metabolism.

I have had 2 children, both by c-section (I have been told that its harder to tone up the belly after c-sections

)

My routine at the gym is pretty much a 'hodge podge' of different things. I do alternate upper and lower body each day. We go five straight days in a row, monday thru friday, as they do not offer nursery for the girls on weekends. Husband is a police officer and he works nights currently, so there is no way for him to keep girls on the weekend for me to go then.

This is what I do now at the gym everyday:
cardio:
treadmill, I walk/run to keep my heartrate over 150. At first, I could walk and keep this rate, but now I have to run a lap, walk a lap to keep it up...and it goes into the 190s when I am actually running. I have NEVER been a runner, even when I was a cheerleader back in the good ole days. lol Usually about once a week, I will catch an aerobics class...which all the ones offered here are some form of step-aerobics and kick boxing mixed together. Intermediate/advanced paced.
weights:
leg press
leg extension
lying leg curl
pec-deck fly
forward machine press (not sure if this is what its called)
dumbell lateral raise
dumbell overhead extension
overhead press machine (when I feel like torturing myself)
tricep machine (push down motion, again, not sure of the correct term)
squats (free weights)
seated calf raises
hip extension machine (another one I am unsure of, I face forward, put one leg on the pad just above my knee joint, and cross over in front of my other leg, works inner and outer thighs)

I also do various ab exercises about twice or so a week. I hate abs...but mine suck...so I have to do them. lol

Oh, I did get my body fat percentage measured at the gym on January 3rd. I wish I would have them measure it when I started, but oh well, too late now. It was (I am so ashamed) 37.2%!!!! Actually, I bet it was like 40% when i started....just guessing by the weight/inches I have lost so far. I go tomorrow to get her to measure it again, I will post the results as soon as I can. I am hoping for at least a little improvement. I will attach 3 pictures...1 will be from last year, 1 from Jan 27th this year, and one from March 2nd of this year. I am seeing results...I just want to get a good routine going.

Thank you so much in advance for any advice you can throw my way.

**TxChick** · 03-08-2003, 02:07 AM

oops, also my height is 5'7", and I currently weigh in (ack!) 198.

Here is the Jan 27th pic:

**TxChick** · 03-08-2003, 02:10 AM

and the current photo from last week:

**TxChick** · 03-08-2003, 02:37 AM

and a 'normal' photo:

**w8lifter** · 03-08-2003, 06:43 AM

First of all...welcome to IM...and you've made great progress so far!

Both your diet and routine need a little work

My husband and I joined the gym back in September of 2002 and I have lost approximately 23lbs. I did not start really watching my diet until the first week of January, and when we returned to the gym after the Christmas holiday (about 14 days no training) I had gained 6lbs!!! I have lost that 6lbs since and about 4 more.

Remember that muscle is more dense than fat...as you gain muscle (from working out) and lose bodyfat, the scale may not change. It's all about body composition here, not body weight! What's important are those skinfold readings...make sure those keep getting smaller...and your clothes keep fitting better and better.

My diet usually is Special K cereal for breakfast, yogurt for a snack with some type of fruit, lunch is usually 4oz Tuna on wheat bread or about 4oz turkey on wheat, piece of fruit, and dinner is usually grilled meat and veggies. I have made shakes in the blender with frozen yogurt and fruit, but I don't make these everyday. I also have to make myself drink water, I tend to forget about me when I am keeping up with 2 small children. What is so hard for me is that my husband is trying to gain weight. Oh to be 'blessed' with such a high metabolism.

Ok...I hope you don't mind, but I'm about to rip your diet apart

Special K is crap...in fact all breakfast cereals are. I'd switch this to regular old fashioned oats w/o sugar. There's no protein in this meal either. You want to make sure you're getting a good balance of protein, slow burning carbs and healthy fats in every meal. Eating more frequently, 5-6 smaller meals a day, is also going to help FAT-loss.
Read these threads and the shopping list for more info. Then I'd suggest you take a look at some of the girls journals here for meal suggestions. You are not eating enough food....and until you start, your progress will be slow, if it even goes anywhere. If you're body thinks it's not getting food, it's not going to shed the stored energy (fat).

weights:
leg press
leg extension
lying leg curl
pec-deck fly
forward machine press (not sure if this is what its called)
dumbell lateral raise
dumbell overhead extension
overhead press machine (when I feel like torturing myself)
tricep machine (push down motion, again, not sure of the correct term)
squats (free weights)
seated calf raises
hip extension machine (another one I am unsure of, I face forward, put one leg on the pad just above my knee joint, and cross over in front of my other leg, works inner and outer thighs)

I also do various ab exercises about twice or so a week. I hate abs...but mine suck...so I have to do them. lol

You're right...a virtual hodge-podge

This doesn't look like an upper/lower split...unless I'm reading it wrong? Here's how I would change it:

Monday

BB Front Squats
Rear Lunges
Hack Squat
Leg extension
Seated Calf Raises

Tuesday

Machine Back Row
Machine Chest Press
Cable Lat Pulldown
DB Chest Fly
Bent-over Cable Row (or use BB if you can)
Incline DB Press

Wednesday

Abs
Cardio

Thursday

Leg Press (legs high)
Forward Lunges
Smith one-legged Lunge
Leg Curl
Standing Calf Raise

Friday

Seated DB Shoulder Press
Prone DB Lateral Raise (over a swiss ball)
Standing Lateral Raise
Tricep Pressdown
Cable Curl
Lying Tricep Extension
DB Curl

One set of 10-12 repetitions of each exercise. You must go to muscle failure on each exercise. If you are not struggling w/ the weight by rep 7, you are not lifting heavy enough to fail at 12. Stop and add weight, and start over.

If you're in shock about only doing one cardio session per week....read closet cardio and consider 30 second intervals of skipping in between exercises...instead of doing 40 minutes all at once on a machine....till you come to the conclusion that cardio ain't all that on your own

Hope that helps a bit

...And remember...just my opinion and what I'd do w/ you

**Dr. Pain** · 03-08-2003, 07:20 AM

Nice w8!

Welcome to IM

DP

**TxChick** · 03-08-2003, 08:14 AM

Thank you for responding so quickly!

Yes, I know my diet is crap...lol thats why I posted here. I know I need help! I will read up on your links in a few minutes...I just needed to say thanks first for all your info!

As far as the 'hodge podge', I don't do things necessarily in that order, I was just naming the different things I do....I really don't have a written work out routine, thus more reason for me to post here!

okay, off to read the links you gave me

**ZECH** · 03-08-2003, 08:23 AM

Welcome!

**buff_tat2d_chic** · 03-08-2003, 08:53 AM

Originally posted by w8lifter
Remember that muscle is more dense than fat...as you gain muscle (from working out) and lose bodyfat, the scale may not change. It's all about body composition here, not body weight! What's important are those skinfold readings...make sure those keep getting smaller...and your clothes keep fitting better and better.

This is a hard one to get used to....but believe it, it is true.

**buff_tat2d_chic** · 03-08-2003, 08:55 AM

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you hi and welcome...

Hi!!

and Welcome!

**Scotty the Body** · 03-08-2003, 10:00 AM

Welcome to IM

**Jemal** · 03-08-2003, 12:43 PM

welcome to IM and i have to say that you've made great progress

and one thing, don't be ashamed of your seemingly high bodyfat %. your probably thinking that you should aim for 10% or so, but (someone correct me if i'm a bit off), a 'slim' lady usually has a bodyfat % in the high 20%'s.

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