Getting more conditioned... but not noticably thinner

N

norconick

New member
I've been excerising on an almost daily basis for almost 2 weeks. I've noticed a definate increase in firmness and definition in my muscles in my shoulders and arms... but I can't tell that i've actually lost any fat. My routine is 20 minutes on the bike keeping my heart rate up around 155 the whole time, two sets of 10 lat pull downs, row pulls, knee tucks and military presses as well as 2 sets of 20 bench presses and two 20 second bridge holds. (I'm not really aiming to gain all that much muscle, I just have a past shoulder dislocation and fairly serious back injury I'm trying to get back to 100% with, plus its all cardio based)

Should I just keep being patient and working at it? or does anyone see any flaws in my routine that would keep me from burning fat? I'm also watching my diet more carefully... but could be more careful about how much and what i eat how long before I go to bed.

Thanks!
 
To me it seems like you are doing a lot of resistance training and only really the cycling other than that. Although resistance training and building up your muscle will help to burn the fat maybe you should consider adding some more cardio, such as walking/jogging? (Or if you use a gym using the cross trainers, treadmills, rowing machines etc...)

This is the only thing I can think of. Although I am sure if you're patient what you are doing already will bring results.
 
I was told that if you do the kind of weight training where there are a lot of reps and it gets your heart rate up (which it does... to about the same level as when I'm on the bike) its pretty much the same thing as "cardio training". I was told the goal is to have your heart rate up the entire time... but I was actually thinking of going back on the bike or stair climber after my weights are done for a little longer so maybe I'll try that. I'd run but its too hard on my joints.

Also, I just took that online body fat percentage test and it says I'm around 28%... I'm already very muscular and toned all through out my legs and arms and shoulders except for the chubbiness in my mid section, are there different strategies out there for people that already have athletically build bodies?
 
Dietwise no, you will just lose weight from all over. But workout wise... yes.

Obviously different excercises work out different parts of the body. If it is resistance training that interests you there are plenty of different weights routines but I don't know much at all about that I'm afraid, I should imagine your best bet would be to research online or ask at your gym if you attend one.

I'd suggest sit-ups and twists and stuff like that to help you tone up your mid-section but of course if you've got the excess weight there that has to go before you will see much definition. (Which is hard when losing weight takes it from all over!)

Oh and yes you're right, keeping your heart rate up is a good thing and will help you to lose the weight :) but I should imagine running, cycling etc would directly burn more calories. Might be wrong though!
 
I noticed something very similar when I first started - I could feel a difference, say, when I put my hands on my hips - but my measurements were the same, my weight was pretty similar. I was pretty annoyed!:mad: But then, I kept trucking, kept tweaking my diet slightly (actually RAISED my calories and fat intake!) and my workout routines (moved eventually to heavy on the strength training and fewer days of cardio, but HIIT when I do it) and started to see some slow, but steady results on the scale, the measurements, and, as I just found out recently, my bodyfat percentage!:D

Two weeks is a short time. Maybe your routine needs tweaking, but maybe it's just going to take a bit of time to go from the 'firming' you feel to a measurement or scale shift.

But the firming feel is real! and it's something to be proud of!!:D
 
It takes a couple of weeks before you're going to see solid results in terms of fat loss. You will start to feel firmer and have an increased feeling of energy and well being. One of the ways that I have found is an excellent way to lose fat quickly is to exercise first thing in the morning... before eating, before anything. Quite literally roll out of bed and get into your gym gear and go for it. I never noticed the bike did alot for me in terms of exertion though. You might try doing intervals on an elliptical or something to that effect. However, anything, if you make it difficult enough, and put intensity behind it, will show you results.
In regards to losing fat through weight training, you might try dropping your reps and increasing the weight. I'm not sure if it would aggravate your shoulder and back condition though. I used to have fairly serious back problems from a previous car accident, but since I started stretching alot and increasing my core strength, I haven't had to go to the chiropractor in well over 2 years.
Anyhow, by increasing the weights and reducing your reps you will gain more muscle, which will increase your basal metabolic rate, thereby increasing your caloric requirements throughout the entire day! You might not be interested in gaining muscle for the looks of it, but the health benefits are fantastic.
 
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