Hello,
I started working out when I was 20 (am now 26). Before then I was pretty chubby and had atrocious eating habits and lived a sedentary lifestyle. When I turned 20 I joined a gym and started running like crazy and immediately got addicted. I'd gradually improved my endurance over a few months and ran almost an hour every other day and I also did weight training via dumb bells and machines. I also made a few minor adjustments to my diet (no butter, no mayo, no soda, no white bread, etc) that enabled me to lose 15 pounds. I was thrilled but not satisfied. I looked smaller but not fit. Meaning that I had flab still even though I had lost inches. So I tried the Body for Life diet and went to the gym 6 days a week and burned myself out and didnt see much of a difference in my body fat%. I had hit a plateau.
Then when I was 24, I went to another gym and got a personal trainer. and I worked out with him 4 days a week (30 minute sessions) and did cardio for 6 days a week(30-45 minutes). I went on a very clean diet (egg whites, oatmeal, grilled chicken, carrots, salad w/balsamic vinegar and lemon, salmon tilapia,clean shakes, water and a lot of supplements) and I dropped about another 15-20 pounds. I was thrilled...but I still was not seeing much tone developing in my arms, legs or stomach. I was shrinking but not developing any definition. I was eating so much chicken that I almost grew feathers but my body refused to change. People have told me that if you do not see a change within a month, to change things up. Others have told me that changes take time and to stick with it. I am beyond frustrated.
I've eaten clean, I've shaken up my diet as well as my workouts, I've worked with a trainer as well as with myself, done long cardio, short cardio, heavy weights, lighter weights, different types of cardio and etc. But nothing happens in the definition department. I am a little disheartened because this is something I've wanted for a very long time. To be overweight all your life and then to lose weight is quite empowering. But I want more. I want to feel stronger (another issue, I have no strength!) and more defined. I would like the hard work I do to reflect in my body. Unless you know me as being overweight before, you would not look at me and think I work out all the time. This plateau has been going on too long. Any advice would be appreciated.
I started working out when I was 20 (am now 26). Before then I was pretty chubby and had atrocious eating habits and lived a sedentary lifestyle. When I turned 20 I joined a gym and started running like crazy and immediately got addicted. I'd gradually improved my endurance over a few months and ran almost an hour every other day and I also did weight training via dumb bells and machines. I also made a few minor adjustments to my diet (no butter, no mayo, no soda, no white bread, etc) that enabled me to lose 15 pounds. I was thrilled but not satisfied. I looked smaller but not fit. Meaning that I had flab still even though I had lost inches. So I tried the Body for Life diet and went to the gym 6 days a week and burned myself out and didnt see much of a difference in my body fat%. I had hit a plateau.
Then when I was 24, I went to another gym and got a personal trainer. and I worked out with him 4 days a week (30 minute sessions) and did cardio for 6 days a week(30-45 minutes). I went on a very clean diet (egg whites, oatmeal, grilled chicken, carrots, salad w/balsamic vinegar and lemon, salmon tilapia,clean shakes, water and a lot of supplements) and I dropped about another 15-20 pounds. I was thrilled...but I still was not seeing much tone developing in my arms, legs or stomach. I was shrinking but not developing any definition. I was eating so much chicken that I almost grew feathers but my body refused to change. People have told me that if you do not see a change within a month, to change things up. Others have told me that changes take time and to stick with it. I am beyond frustrated.
I've eaten clean, I've shaken up my diet as well as my workouts, I've worked with a trainer as well as with myself, done long cardio, short cardio, heavy weights, lighter weights, different types of cardio and etc. But nothing happens in the definition department. I am a little disheartened because this is something I've wanted for a very long time. To be overweight all your life and then to lose weight is quite empowering. But I want more. I want to feel stronger (another issue, I have no strength!) and more defined. I would like the hard work I do to reflect in my body. Unless you know me as being overweight before, you would not look at me and think I work out all the time. This plateau has been going on too long. Any advice would be appreciated.
