I feel like a fool

M

moka183

0
I wake up everyday at 6:00AM to go to the gym. I go to the gym 4-5 times a week doing at least 40 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of strength training/ weights each time I go. Plus one 60 minute boxing class every week. I switch up my exercise routine often, and eat a healthy diet.

All this and I still see my the scale climbing. I feel all the effort is for nothing. Is there something I am doing wrong?
 
Judging weight alone is very deceptional. You will need to start losing body tape, impedance device or skin calipers. This way you get the full story on what is really going on with your body.

Now saying you do all this is one thing. Quantifying it is quite another. Hopefully, you already keep a journal on nutrition, cardio and resistance training. Otherwise how can you know what works for you and what doesn't:confused:

Regroup in get back on track
Goodluck
 
I eat regularly, here's a sample of what I ate. I don't eat red meat and in the morning I am usually rushed and don't have enough time to sit down for a "real" breakfast". I alway exercise before I eat.

For Breakfast:
Protein Shake (2 scoops)
Nature Valley Trail Mix Bar
Fruit

For Lunch:
Salad with almonds or other types of nuts
Vegetable Soup
Apple

sometimes left overs from the night before (rice +veggies)
sometimes eat a sandwich tuna or vegetable

Snack:
Fruits
Nuts

Dinner:
Rice
Some type of Fish
Tofu
Various Vegetables(spinach, broccoli, cauliflower stir fry)
Soup
 
5'2 125lbs, 24 years old, Female, I don't know what my body fat is.
I'm starting to do some jump rope right now for approx. 10 minutes, in addition to my regular cardio routine. I'm not sure if that is good for burning body fat.
 
OK, 125 is NOT very much, unless you were 4'9" or something!

Of course diet is as important as your exercise routine, but focusing on your routine: you may be doing to much volume. The key to fat loss is intensity NOT volume. You might want to try alternating cardio and weights on different days, 6 days a week. Do your 60 minute boxing class as one cardio day a week and 20 minutes of HIIT the other 2 cardio days, and do 40 minutes of weights the other 3 days of the week.
 
I originally went from 140lbs to 115lbs (took me a long time) All the sudden this year it went from 115 to 125lb relatively quickly, despite my increase in exercise. Its just a little scary when you gain that amount in such a short amount of time.
 
Moka,

If you are gaining muscle due to your increased exercise, your weight will go up, but not in a bad way.

When you gained the ten pounds in a short time were your clothes fitting tighter/not fitting?

What else was going on in your life at the time of this quick the gain (going off a diet/time off from the gym/holiday eating/any change in diet or exercise)?
 
That's not very much food. Not much protein at all.
Possibly a little heavy on starchy carbs (rice, the trail mix) and sugars (the fruit).

as LV says, fat loss is very reliant on diet, particularly intake of nutrients that can be used for energy...carbs.
you can't really over eat veggies since they're mostly fiber and water. but fruit is loaded with fructose sugar, which you can use for energy. starch carbs like bread/pasta/potatoes are also energy.

on a fat loss diet you wanna restrict that incoming energy, to a degree, so the body has to burn your stored fat for energy.


That's the basis behind Atkins, and the reason it works ...but Atkins isn't well designed in too many other areas, so I never suggest it.

What I do suggest is a carb cycling diet. almost no starchy carbs on days you don't lift weights...and only a moderate amount of carbs on the days you do lift weights.
 
RedT said:
Moka,

If you are gaining muscle due to your increased exercise, your weight will go up, but not in a bad way.

When you gained the ten pounds in a short time were your clothes fitting tighter/not fitting?

What else was going on in your life at the time of this quick the gain (going off a diet/time off from the gym/holiday eating/any change in diet or exercise)?
Click to expand...


My clothes fitted the same. Jeans still fit fine.
As far as changes, it would be mostly working out more. Instead of working on 3-4 days, I would go to the gym 5x a week plus one additional day on the weekend.
Eating habits: I was a pretty strict vegetarian for a while. Recently I started eating more seafood, but no red meat still. Just more salmon, sushi, shrimp.
 
You mentioned fruit (sugar). Can eating too much fruit be bad for you? Too many sugar? What types of fruits would you suggest?
 
This is what my work out looks like. I'm in the middle of modifying. Like adding jump rope and spinning class.

Monday
-Walking treadmill at 4.0 and 7-13 Incline for 40 Minutes
-Hip Abductor with cable at 7lbs
-Squats with side lift
-Lounges
-Various Glut exercise

Tuesday
-Walking treadmill at 4.0 and 7-13 Incline for 20 Minutes
-Stationery Bike for 20 Minutes from light to heavy
-Bicep curls
-Tricep-Kickbacks (I think thats what you call them)
-Tricep-Bar 20lbs
-Arm raises in the front with 5lbs

Wednesday
-Stationery Bike for 45 Minutes from light to heavy
-Ab Machine
-Crunchs on mat
-Hip Abductor Seated
-Various Glut exercise

Thursday
-Club Boxing 60 Minutes

Friday
-Eliptical 30 Minutes
-Chest Machine
-Back extension
-Seated Rows
-Leg Extension

Saturday
-Belly Dance (light work out) 90 minutes

Sunday
-Rest or very light cardio(eliptical, treadmill, or bike)
 
Yeah you are probably just putting on muscle :p

And your BMI is fine...22.9 :D

You should maybe get a body fat reading from the gym - That will give you an even better idea as you go along if the weight gain is due to muscle or fat :)

Good luck :)
 
I remembered when I first went to the gym they tested for body fat. How acurate is that? They used something that you hold in your hands and you hold it out straight. What is the correct way to find out your body fat?
 
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