Some advice please. :|

:) Hi. I have really wanted to start a workout routine and change eating habits. But don't know where to start! I am currently 5'4" and around 123-125 pounds. My bust is 34 in., waist at smallest point is 28 in., and hips 37 in. I know I am at a healthy weight, I've checked BMI calculators. BUT, I am not an athletic person. I am starting to take jazz dance classes once a week. I want that athletic body look. I know there are layers of fat on my thighs, tummy, arms ect. I have gained 7 lbs this year. I have gotten stretch marks. I am 18 years old. I want to have a leaner body with none of that extra chub bubbling out. Just a hard, tight, athletic body. I was in a musical for school last year, FAME, and another musical is coming up and I want to get fitter to do the dancing if I make it. It's in two months. I know I won't see results drastically, but I can get a little improvement I'm sure. Also, prom in April, then graduation in May and a possible vacation (beach?) So all in all I have about 8-9 months. What is reasonable to expect, and what should I do for a workout in the mean time? Please help me. I have read the stickies on here but am not sure how to put a correct exercise together. Thanks so much,

-B
 
try more cardio and pick up some light weights. try running on a treadmill or at the local highschool track. i hope that helps. good luck!
 
Hey thanks! Yeah I think I'm going to do cardio 5 times a week? Then lift weights like M W F, But I just don't know what kind of things to do, I don't have access to a gym. I dont know what I should work out.
 
If you can afford $30 and a gym membership, I'd recommend: "New Rules of Lifting." It'll take you through a break-in, into fat loss, hypertrophy and strength conditioning in the space of a year.
 
First things... congrats on thinking ahead and having realistic expectations. From your stats it sounds like the best thing for you would be a strength training routine that focuses on lifting heavier weights, an interval cardio routine and a kick butt nutrition program that focuses on quality proteins and carbs.

I wouldn't put you on a fat loss program if you were my client. I'd get you on a lean muscle building program. That doesn't mean you'll bulk up and look like a dude. It just means that our goal would be to add some lean muscle and give you that hard body look.

Doing that will automatically reduce your body fat. The trick to this type of routine is to first get used to lifting weights. Focus on proper forms and movements. Get a base of fitness in other words.

Within a few weeks, I would focus on lifting heavier weights for 3 sets of 8 reps. I'd do a full body routine to start with. M-W-F for example.

On days you don't do strength training, I would do 20 minute session of cardio intervals (go hard for 30 seconds, go easier for a minute, go hard for 30 seconds, etc).

I'd eat 150-200 more calories per day than you need to maintain your current physique. I'd eat protein at each meal.
 
I'm with Lynn here. cardio 3 days a week plus jazz dance class is plenty of aerobic work. 3 days of freeweights and full body routines a week.

Sounds like your diet is the flaw, so get it cleaned up and eat enough protein.

BMI is crap. a big bodybuilder with 5% bodyfat will appear morbidly obese per his BMI. so just toss BMI to the wind.
 
Hi,
I think it's great that you want to be more athletic. I think you would benefit from building up some lean muscle mass, then doing a tiny bit of fat loss to uncover the nice firm muscle you have built.
Building muscle requires challening your muscles by lifting heavy weights. You could do 3 full body workouts per week, and 3 cardio sessions. I recommend mixing up your cardio; sometimes long, slow sessions, sometimes short, fast sessions, some intervals.
With your weight training you will have to have a program that hits each muscle group properly, not overtraining one and undertraining another. Compound movements are best. It's also very important to learn proper form before you go too heavy.

Please let me know if I can help at all!

Sarah
 
Back
Top