New Girl - Please Help

loubylou

loubylou

0
Hi, I have been in training now for about 6 weeks and following a sort of cutting diet.

Problem is that although I have shed a few inches and noticing certain areas becoming more toned - I haven't lost a lb!!!

Mission to get fit is because of snowboarding holiday on 23rd July so only 2 weeks to go! Any help would be much appreciated.

I am 5'2" and currently weigh about 168lbs. yuk

Diet (Typical Day)
Meal 1 - 100% natural oats or Muesli with skimmed milk
Meal 2 - Banana, Cottage cheese on wholegrain bread
Meal 3 - Chicken or Tuna Salad with Jacket Potato
Meal 4 - Tuna and veg (sometimes have fruit too - apple or strawberries)
Meal 5 - Chicken or Salmon with Veg or salad. Wholewheat Pasta or Wholegrain Brown Rice.

When I have sweet cravings I tend to have either peanut butter on toast (no butter) or a banana sandwich.

I have cut out all processed foods, and eliminated fizzy drinks, mayo and butter etc. Have not eaten ice-cream for whole 6 weeks which has been most difficult for me!

Exercise (weekly plan)

Monday - 10 mins cycling (do approx 4km), 10 minute aerobic warm up + 45 min womens body toning class working with free weights.

Tuesday - 10 mins cycling, 10 mins row, 20 mins elliptical trainer at high intensity, 10 mins treadmill on 40 second intervals at pace 4/8

Wednesday - as above followed by variety of crunches and sometimes a swim for 30 mins

Thursday - as Tuesday

Friday - 1 hour high impact aerobics/step class

Saturday - as per Weds

Sunday - rest.

What am i doing right/wrong?
 
Last edited:
I can't answer that. Maybe one of the other girls can answer it.
 
stingo said:
Maybe you're adding muscle? Muscle weighing more than fat might account for some of that....
Click to expand...

I second that.

It's so frustrating when losing weight when u don't see the scale budge. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water. It's good that you are eating 5 meals per day. As far as what you are eating, someone else will have to critique it. Trainer Lynn has 5 steps/rules to losing weight. She has posted them numerous times on this site. She also has a fabulous site! Check it out. One other thing that people have said to me, but I can't quite bring myself to do, is to throw that scale out.

I am 5'3" and weigh 129 and it's driving me nuts! I have been on my "diet/weightloss plan" for about 6 weeks and have only lost 1 pound, but I can tell (and so can't others) that I have toned up in several areas.

Chin up, Louby! YOU CAN DO IT! We're all here to help!
 
i tell all client's that i don't care if wt stays the same or increases as long as body fat decreases...that should be your mission not body wt...models don't look good i think most of u all will agree but athletes do
 
loubylou said:
Hi, I have been in training now for about 6 weeks and following a sort of cutting diet.

Problem is that although I have shed a few inches and noticing certain areas becoming more toned - I haven't lost a lb!!!

Mission to get fit is because of snowboarding holiday on 23rd July so only 2 weeks to go! Any help would be much appreciated.

I am 5'2" and currently weigh about 168lbs. yuk

Diet (Typical Day)
Meal 1 - 100% natural oats or Muesli with skimmed milk
Meal 2 - Banana, Cottage cheese on wholegrain bread
Meal 3 - Chicken or Tuna Salad with Jacket Potato
Meal 4 - Tuna and veg (sometimes have fruit too - apple or strawberries)
Meal 5 - Chicken or Salmon with Veg or salad. Wholewheat Pasta or Wholegrain Brown Rice.

When I have sweet cravings I tend to have either peanut butter on toast (no butter) or a banana sandwich.

I have cut out all processed foods, and eliminated fizzy drinks, mayo and butter etc. Have not eaten ice-cream for whole 6 weeks which has been most difficult for me!

Exercise (weekly plan)

Monday - 10 mins cycling (do approx 4km), 10 minute aerobic warm up + 45 min womens body toning class working with free weights.

Tuesday - 10 mins cycling, 10 mins row, 20 mins elliptical trainer at high intensity, 10 mins treadmill on 40 second intervals at pace 4/8

Wednesday - as above followed by variety of crunches and sometimes a swim for 30 mins

Thursday - as Tuesday

Friday - 1 hour high impact aerobics/step class

Saturday - as per Weds

Sunday - rest.

What am i doing right/wrong?
Click to expand...

Well first off your post is refreshing. You seem to have got a lot underway and ready to roll. Your diet is pretty great though its a little high carb at night. So I would have just veggies with your protein for your last meal. Kind of a set up like this.

protein/complex starch carb or fruit/fat
protein/complex starch carb or fruit
protein/complex starch carb or fruit
protein/veggie/fat
protein/veggie/fat

Here is a good food list for some added info on different foods you should have.
http://www.fitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5614&highlight=food+list

As far as your workout I think its time to throw some strength training in there. Try a set up 3 full body strength training sessions in a week. Meaning pick one exercise per group and start off with a 3x10-12 rep set. Meaning if you have...

Squats 3x12
planks 3x12
bicep curls 3x12 so on

This means you go through all your movements and then start over again and then one more time. Doing 3 rounds all total.

Will you get bulky? No not possible. You are in a calorie deficit, can't happen, you need LOTS of excess calories to gain lots of muscle. However being a newbie you will gain a little, and keep the muscle you have. Muscle burns way more than fat when doing nothing. Its important to have.

Now given your stats and your activity level you may not be eating enough so make sure at least starting off you keep track of you calories. It seems like you are but here is what i derived for you. Rougly you burn around 2000-2100 including working out. So you do not need to go under 1500 calories a day. Bouncing between 1600 and 1900 right now would be ideal. Even some days little more. What this does is keeps your metabolism guessing, allows you to never enter starrvation mode (even by accident), and provides enough fuel to your working out. You are doing some long hard hitting cardio sessions which is great but I would even think of knock it down a notch. You could be burnig your body out a little. A good routine could be (days up to you just am example)

day 1-Full body weights/HIIT (25 mins first 5 warm up, rotate between running till you drop for 1 min, walk 1 min, repeat for 15 mins, cool down for 5 mins)
2-Low Intensity (40 mins of steady low paced)
3-Full Body weights
4-Medium intensity (30 mins of moderate paced cardio)
5-Low intensity (40 mins of steady low paced)
6-Full Body weights/HIIT
7-Rest

Notice also how the cardio FOLLOWs the weight training. You always want to do your weight training first. Exception is if you do morning cardio and night weight training or do your weight training and cardio at a later time that day.

One last thing, sadly muscle doesn't weigh more than fat, HOWEVER if you are losing inches you have probably lost some fat, gained some muscle and that muscle takes up less space. So either way I would contribute your change to muscle growth.
 
stingo said:
Maybe you're adding muscle? Muscle weighing more than fat might account for some of that....
Click to expand...
Actually one pound of muscle is the same as one pound of fat. One pound = one pound, right ?? :) Muscle is denser than fat, so a pound of muscle takes up less body space than a pound of fat. Sorry I just had to be technical. :rolleyes:
 
Thanks for your feedback

Thank you so much for all your help.

I have been trying to read up on the nutrition, but I find it all so confusing. You have really helped. I will definately switch my meals slightly. Should I bother going down the route of Protein Shakes?? I don't really understand what they do - apart from give you protein obviously!!!

Water - I am drinking down 1.5 litres during the day at work and another .5 during work-out.

Don't have time for gym in the mornings so generally my work out is between 5-7pm. So meal 4 comes at about 4pm and meal 5 at about 7.30pm. Does that have any effect?

Definately going to switch my routine and introduce the strength stuff 3 x a week. I am booked into the gym today to go through a weight training programme!

Thanks will keep you updated :)
 
Protein shakes give you just that protein, nothing else. Real food is better than suppliment, however if you have a day where you are lacking protein or are at the gym and want a post workout shake then whey of course is great for that. And since you might be strength training right before your last meal, then adding a higher glycemic carb would be okay as its supports muscle growth and repair. However the nights that you don't do your strength training still stick to the veggies. This just helps things along but don't be to overwhelmed, these are just tips to further your advancement. :) You are doing great and should be proud.
 
loubylou said:
Thank you so much for all your help.

I have been trying to read up on the nutrition, but I find it all so confusing. You have really helped. I will definately switch my meals slightly. Should I bother going down the route of Protein Shakes?? I don't really understand what they do - apart from give you protein obviously!!!

Water - I am drinking down 1.5 litres during the day at work and another .5 during work-out.

Don't have time for gym in the mornings so generally my work out is between 5-7pm. So meal 4 comes at about 4pm and meal 5 at about 7.30pm. Does that have any effect?

Definately going to switch my routine and introduce the strength stuff 3 x a week. I am booked into the gym today to go through a weight training programme!

Thanks will keep you updated :)
Click to expand...
what theleip said is good advise
this is your 4th and 5th meals.

Meal 4 - Tuna and veg (sometimes have fruit too - apple or strawberries)
Meal 5 - Chicken or Salmon with Veg or salad. Wholewheat Pasta or Wholegrain Brown Rice.
have your 5th meal before workout and your 4th meal after workout(less carbs to use up)
you have enough protein pre and post workout so dont waste your money on suppliments.good luck:D
 
Protein Shakes

Thanks for the clarification. Will swap those meals. Think I am beginning to get the hang of this!!!
 
Progress

Hi everyone.
Just thought you would like to hear that I have made a little progress this week. Switched my meals around a bit and have lost 2lbs. Carbs in meal 4 giving me loads more energy at the gym so I have pushed myself a bit further this week. Also been doing light weights, alternating upper and lower body each day to allow musles to recover? I think this is the right thing to do.

Had a reminder session for snowboard on a dry slope today which was great!! Can't wait until the 23rd!

PS. Going to get my husband to take some new pics tonight :eek:
 
loubylou said:
Hi everyone.
Just thought you would like to hear that I have made a little progress this week. Switched my meals around a bit and have lost 2lbs. Carbs in meal 4 giving me loads more energy at the gym so I have pushed myself a bit further this week. Also been doing light weights, alternating upper and lower body each day to allow musles to recover? I think this is the right thing to do.

Had a reminder session for snowboard on a dry slope today which was great!! Can't wait until the 23rd!

PS. Going to get my husband to take some new pics tonight :eek:
Click to expand...

Its always great to see progress, it is when you hit a platue that you must really pick it up. When it comes to that don't get down. It's just time to change it up.

Take care and keep it up!!
Kevin
 
Excellent to hear sweetie! You should be very proud of all the hard work you are doing, and doing it the right way. Cant wait to see some pics.
 
remember that sometimes the scale isn't an accurate measurement of progress at all. . . possibly consider body fat measurement.

also how often do you weigh yourself? i weigh in about once every month and it helps me stay on track and feel successful because:
1. When on a program I pretty much always have my weight going down and seeing the signifigant drop rather than a little each week makes it seem more signifigant
2. I always assume i'm losing weight on a 'plan' and not weighing myself often
so i stick to it better (if i see my weight everyweek and notice no/small loss whether it be fluctuation or slow starting or whatever i feel discouraged and am more likely to quite)
3. It can be more accurate than short term measuring because of day to day flactuation and such

Hope whatever you do works out for you! good luck, Slickzchik
 
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