GNC Products?

A

Ashley91

New member
Hey all...


I am a 20-year-old 5'2" 150 lb female... I am looking to lose at least 20 lbs. For the past 2 1/2 weeks, I have been doing 45 minutes of cardio 5 times a week, with either a walk or run on Saturday & then Sunday I take off to recover. I have been eating 1-2 protein bars a day (it varies by day) & often a low-calorie Subway sandwich.


I was wondering if anybody could recommend any GNC or other female weight-loss products. I am trying to get a little toned up before my spring break, which is now 33 days away & I was hoping to speed up the process a little, even though I know it takes time.


If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!


Thanks,

Ashley
 
Hi Ashley,


You are taking a very common route to quick weight loss, but it's not your best route by any means. (I'm only going by the variables that you have stated above.).


First, you only mentioned cardio. Are you doing any sort of resistance training at all? If not, you will want to start. Otherwise you risk burning what lean muscle tissue you have...and then your metabolism drops. This will making dropping that fat/weight even harder. I know there is a common misconception where some women don't want to lift weights or engage in resistance training in the fear of "getting bulky." I can tell you it won't happen. One in a million women even have the ability to grow muscle that quickly and easily (that is obviously not a scientific number). Couple that with the myth that cardio is the preferred source for fat burning and it's an awful combination. The truth is you need both. It would take to really delve into the benefits of resistance training. I have an article up on my website that goes into it deeper if you are intereste: [Link Removed] Cardio alone won't "tone" you up.


The other thing I have to tell you is that if you are just eating 2 bars and a Subway sandwich a day, you are not doing your metabolism much good either. The truth is most bars are just candy bars in health food wrappers. And you will find they either have too much sugar (natural or not) or sugar alcohol. You would actually be better with a quality meal replacement shake. You can find some quality ones that have low to no sugar, high in "QUALITY" protein (meaning having high biological values and protein efficiency ratios), and a nice macro-nutrient balance (proteins, carbs, and healthy fats). I understand the convenience of the bar. But I would really urge you to keep them down to a maximum of 1 a day.


All in all, you are better off eating really foods with the bulk of it coming in the form of lean proteins, vegtables, and some fruits. If weight loss is your concern, I would stay clear of starches/grains, eat every 3-4 hours, and keep your portions on the smaller side.


You may lose weight doing what you are doing now. But it won't be quality fat loss. And you are setting yourself up for a bad rebound effect afterwards where you may end up heavier than when you started (because of your metabolism getting depressed).


Hope you find this helpful, Ashley.


James Cipriani

[SPAM REMOVED]
 
James,


That is all extremely helpful!!! Thank you for starting to point me in the right direction.


As far as my workout schedule goes, I do free fitness classes at my college..

Monday - Chiseled & Core: Basically, we do core work & some free weight work for the arms. Not much work is done with legs. This is 45 minutes.

Tuesday - Zumba or Dancing: If I don't go to Zumba, I go out dancing at night, which I think has the same effect Zumba does, especially when I dance more. Zumba is 45 minutes.

Wednesday - Tabata Attack: Basically like the Intensity workout. Class is 45 minutes long but actual exercise is only 12 minutes. We do 4 exercises 3 times each at our full potential.

Thursday - Zumba. 45 minutes.

Friday - Cardio Interval & Strength: Sometimes we use resistance bands but most of it is cardio.

Saturday & Sunday - Run/walk/or recover



The protein bars definitely are convenient, especially when I am a full-time college student & I am at school almost all day, so they are just any easy thing to grab & take with me on the go. Do you recommend a brand of meal replacement shake? Also, you don't believe I should take any supplements of any sort yet & that I should just start incorporating resistance training?


Thanks for all the help!

Ashley
 
Hey Ashley,


I'm a Health and Wellness coach and I deal completely in nutrition. There was a study last year that showed only 12% of the products on the shelves at the stores like GNC were pharmaceutical grade. When a product doesn't meet that standard, they only have to label 40% of what is in the product. I'd love to talk with you and help you get your nutrition in line so you can learn to boost your metabolism and your body can start to get itself down to its natural weight!
 
What are the protein bars you're eating? Different bars are meant for different goals. Took me about 5 months to find the out, changed the bars and my goals moved forward much faster.
 
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