joined gym but putting on weight?

i've been going to the gym now for 5 months and i havent lost any weight infact i'm putting it on. i'm a dude, 24, 6 feet tall and 14 and a half stone(93kg) also i have an abnormally large bottom which comes from my moms side(thanks mom).

the reason i joined the gym is because i want to look good in job interviews, also i think the way i look is also affecting my confidence in these things.

im defo not eating as much as i did 5 months ago but i still indulge here and there, when i go to the gym i first go on the cross trainer for about 25 mins (300 calories) i then go on the leg press and do about 100 - 200 reps on weight 20, i then have a go on the tread mill for about 20 mins if my feet can take it (200 calories). as i said i do have a big bum which also means big thighs but i'm relatively thin up top and it does make me look very strange as you can imagine.

i would get a personal trainer but they cost too much, so any advice on what to do when i'm at the gym specific to my thighs and bum would be great.

thank you

zed
 
hi zeddy,

how many times a week do you go? Its seems that you're putting a lot of concentration on leg exercises. I understand you are self conscious about your legs, but there is no such thing as spot reduction.

I suggest you do total body exercises and for fat loss emphasise on cardio.

Also for weight training you would do better to do exercises that employ more muscles than that which the leg press does, such as squats, lunges and dead lifts. The squats and lunges are good for stabilizers and will help define more of the legs, and dead lifts targets the glutes but make sure you master the technique as it can be damaging if practiced incorrectly.

As for diet, your doing well to have cut back. But remember that quality of food plays a part too. How's your fruit and veg intake? Are you getting enough protein?
 
Try and get to the gym 3+ times a week. Stick with the cardio work, i'd cut the leg presses completely. I've never done them and I have iron legs with very little fat on them. All I can say is squats, squats and more squats will get rid of that butt in no time. I used to be a right fatty, and i've managed to lose the fat and build some awesome looking muscle, and this is coming from a serious endomorph. Rather than just training your legs i'd work on arms, chest etc as well to get a well balanced figure. I'd incorporate lots of compound weight training excercises alongside the cardio for best results :)

I'd just like to emphasise also that it's more important at the moment you're eating the right foods as opposed to how much of them at this stage. For instance, a fast food meal may net you 1000 calories, but eating a far better option such as grilled chicken with brown rice and some vegetables for the same 1000 calories is far better for your body and weight loss.

hope this helps :)
George
 
thanks wil give it a go. i do go to the gym 5 times a week but maybe as you say im not doing the right things. i would love to run on the treadmill for longer say 30 mins at a steady pace and i have stamina enough to do it but my feet cant take it. my ankles will hurt after 10 mins, maybe im not running properly.

zed.
 
you could look at your postural alignment and check if your feet are tracking right when you run. This could be contributing to your pain but other than that i suggest you vary your cardio with low impact exercises that eases off on your feet and ankles, such as cycling or shadow boxing is very good for cardio. Keep up the consistency, be patient and remember to measure your sense of progress by how you feel as well. :)
 
Does your gym have elypticals? They are much easier on the knees and feet. They provide not only good cardio/fat burning but they will also strengthen your legs based on the resistance level you choose. I DESPISE running, so I tried the stationary bikes. The bikes are ok, but just seemed too easy. The elyptical is now my favorite peice of cardio equipment at the gym.
 
sorry i meant elyptical machines not cross trainers and i use that instead of the treadmill since my feet were hurting but is 14 stone too heavy for running?

zed
 
That's around 195 lbs or so. That is not too heavy for running. I see folks close to 20 stones running both on the road and on treadmills at my gym.
 
I knew what you meant by cross trainer Zeddy. I think it goes by both names. You might want to question your footwear too. Do you know if you are flat footed or arched?
 
Try building some extra muscle up top, sounds like it would balance out your body better, and the extra muscle will up your matabolizm, so you will lose fat all over, if you're only training your legs you may be increasing the muscle on your lower half therefore making it look bigger.

Try not to focus on your weight, only how you look.
 
ye my feet are arched and im running with the cheapest pair of nike trainers i could find, what trainers you recommend?
 
I don't think the price range is too important, just as long as the shoes complement the type of alignment you have. I'm not an expert but if you go into a sneaker shop, they are likely to have the right shoe for arched feet. You could also look at exercises that correct feet that over arch. Flat or arched feet are usually due to muscle imbalance.
 
Back
Top