Hi, I'm new, Can someone help me w/toning certain body parts?

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samantha621

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Hi I'm very new to this board, and trying to find my way around. Any help would be appreciated greatly :) I'm 29 years old, had 2 kids and am 5"4 and 105 lbs....I would really like to gain at least 10 lbs.....I'm pretty thin as you can figure out, lol.......BUT, i need desperate help for the butt area, especially those awful saddlebags I can't get rid of. I'm pretty new to working out, so all exercises are new to me.....I want to fix that area the most, and then also the calves, thighs, arms, shoulders.......My abs are probably fine:) Where do I start to get results and to gain the weight?

Thank you, I know I asked for a lot!

Samantha
 
My answer to your question where do I start, would be, lift weights and clean up your diet. I do not know if you have access to free weights. Let us know what is at your disposal and we can go from there :)
 
i am just going to be able to workout at home.....not a gym......i only have handweights.....but should i buy some type of bar set?.....i don't have a bench either! thanks!

i guess the diet part is confusing for me, i have no idea what type of foods i should be eating to gaint that weight......i'm not really a breakfast person, but i suppose i need to be one soon.....i did have 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast and 2 pieces of toast......lunch is usually some type of sandwich (lunch meat) usually w/some type of salad....dinner varies......often its frozen food cuz i'm working 9 hour days....but i could change all of that if i knew what i should be eating!
 
Well some rules of thumb:

Frying = bad news... don't do it...

Ideally you want foods as natural as you can get them. Buying long grain brown rice vs white rice for example, or buying steel cut oats (or whole oat groats) rather than quick cooking oatmeal makes a difference. The less processed the food, the better. Fruits (blueberries especially) and veggies (spinach) of course are high on the list of good carbohydrate and vitamin resources. Potatoes (sweet potatoes especially), and brown rice are also good complex carb too. This is true of whole grain breads as well - just have to read the ingredients carefully. If the first word is Enriched (as in enriched wheat flour), put it back on the shelf, and look for Whole grain wheat. As for proteins, fish (salmon especially) and poultry (white meat chicken breast) are good sources of proteins. Nuts (almonds) and peanut butter (if you can get it where you are, get Crazy Richard's PB) are as well, along with the healthy sort of unsaturated fats that you need.

Protein-carb combinations will help you get the most bang for you buck and a little fat thrown in will help slow digestion further - meaning you'll feel fuller longer with a balanced diet. Spreading these calories over 5 to 6 meals throughout the day is best for keeping the metabolism on its toes. And always try to get in a cup of water at every meal.

Sorry if this is all in a jumble - hope it helps.
 
Oops, hit the post button too quickly... if you're out all day like that - you might want to invest in a slow cooker/crockpot. Throw things into it in the morning, turn it on, and come home to a nice cooked dinner. Alternatively, make dinner on the weekends and freeze it, so you can just pull them out of the freezer and nuke them. I've recently started doing it and it's worked quite nicely.
 
Thank you very much Stingo! I will start making dinners when I have time off, thats a good idea! Ok, so I will break the meals down to 5-6 smalls ones (which is good for me, cuz I never have a big appetite)......but where do I start w/the working out to gain the weight, and tone up?

Are handweights sufficient? I think I have some 5 lb. ones somwhere. Or should I get a bar, w/a little weight on it? I have been reading, and saw Trainer Lynn and others repeatedly saying that lunges, squats and dead lifts are good for those saddlebags. Shall I alternate legs and arms and then throw in a day or two of cardio, w/one or 2 of rest? Thanks again, this site is great!

Samantha
 
Check the recipes section for ideas on healthy stuff you can make - I've posted a couple myself. (Just had the spicy chickpeas with a dollop or two of fat free yogurt and a couple of slices of whole wheat low fat bread - nice lunch).

Since I've had problems getting to the wellness center where I work out, I picked up some dumbbells (5, 15, 20, 30, 40 lbs in pairs) plus two sets of platemates (magnetized plates in pairs of 2.5 and 1.25 pounds), along with a stability ball. All told it came to about $200, but I'm able to do just about my whole strength workout (with the exception of two exercises, the chest flies, which can be replaced by pushups, and the hamstring curls, which are a bit more problematic - used the stability ball but need some way of adding weight). But really, there's no need to go nuts and buy everything all at once either. I think the program I have (see my diary in the women's section - yeah I don't follow directions too well) is pretty basic - 2 sets per exercise, and all major muscle groups covered. You might want to go to a fitness gear store and actually lift some of the weights to get an idea of what you'll need. Cardio of course, is a bit pricey, unless you're able to run in your neighborhood, or something comparable. Regardless though, start VERY SLOWLY, and do sets/reps you can easily handle (to get an idea of how strong you are) before bringing up the weight. Also, a light cardio warmup before you start is helpful, as is a stretching session afterwards. If you're doing a full body workout, 3x a week is sufficient, because you'll need time for the muscles to rebuild themselves. And of course, talk to your doc first before starting an exercise program - he/she may have suggestions that will benefit you as well, or cautions as to what to avoid. Hope this helps.
 
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Thank you again for your help! We do have a 2nd hand fitness store around here somwhere too, I may go there for some stuff. I think I will be able to get out and jog in my neighborhood. I just moved here 2 weeks ago, and it is safe and I see lots of other runners ;) I'm trying to read through everything and work out some type of schedule.......thank you!:)
 
I know the feeling - a kid in the candy store kind of feeling where you want to try absolutely everything. But I've found cardio 5x a week and strength 3x a week has worked for me. I try to do balance and flexibility in there too.
 
Can I do cardio and strengh training on the same days then? Oh, and another question, lol (sorry!)......with my schedule, do you think its best for me work out before work or after work? I basically work 6 days a week 9-6pm. Thanks.
 
Yes you can do them both on the same day. Most reccomend weights first. It is also best to do it early before work. It will keep your metabolism up. It sounds like you have a good attitude so good luck! You can do it. It will be awhile before you notice big cahanges but they will come. Remember bodybuilding is 90% diet. I should remember that too! lol
 
missannie said:
Yes you can do them both on the same day. Most reccomend weights first. It is also best to do it early before work. It will keep your metabolism up. It sounds like you have a good attitude so good luck! You can do it. It will be awhile before you notice big cahanges but they will come. Remember bodybuilding is 90% diet. I should remember that too! lol
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Yup - annie's right - can do both on the same day. You have the most energy in the mornings (well most do anyhow) so yeah before work is the best time to do it - esp since it won't be looming over your head all day.
 
ok thanks guys......i guess i'm going to have to learn how to be a morning person though.....usually i can barely roll out of bed and wasn't eating any breakfast......at least now i'm getting in a bowl of cereal and a banana, lol
 
As I'm sure you've read, breakfast is the most important meal you can have. Good luck.
 
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