Need Advice!

[rpook]

Hello Everyone!
Im in need of a little advice. I have been heavily weight training for the last 6 months and at first starting seeing some great results (without really paying attention to my diet), and since moving to Australia I have increased my training and started really watching what I ate, and for some reasong I keep gaining weight! Im very puffy and I no longer see any muscle definition.
Im 5'9 and 6 months ago I weighed 135lbs and now I weigh 145lbs! I understand that I could very well be gaining muscle..but 10lbs? obviously Im doing something wrong and seems that I hit some sort of plateau..

My diet
meal 1- proetein pancakes with a coffee

1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup oats
3 egg whites
1/2 scoop protein powder
1/2 bananna and 1tbsp of blackcurrent jam

meal 2- proein shake with half milk half water and rice cakes with 1tbsp of PB

Meal 3- grilled chicken breast with veggies and tbsp sweet chilli sauce

meal 4-low fat chai latte with non fat yogurt and all natural granola bar

On average 1600 calories per day with 2 cheat meals per week. I do circuit type training with little to no rest between sets 4 to 5 days per week. I dont do cardio machines because I HATE them..Id rather go for a run outside which I do once a week.

I feel like Im doing everything right, but I just cant get LEAN! I have a big event in 10 days and any suggestions on how to lose 5lbs or help me lean out would be greatly appreciated! Possibly I need to do MORE cardio?? ugh...

Thanks!
Robyn

[y0lked]

re-adjust your cheat meals. dont make them so consistent and certainly not 2 times a week. Thats a little too much!

I would drop your cheats to once a week, and make them random. IE not every friday lol

Also sounds like u need to change up your training. Are u giving the muscles days to rest? Or are u doing full body curcuit training 4 days a week?

[birdiefu]

The major question would be - how many cals are your cheats? Especially with it twice a week, they can easily put your weekly average over maintenance.

[rpook]

re-adjust your cheat meals. dont make them so consistent and certainly not 2 times a week. Thats a little too much!

I would drop your cheats to once a week, and make them random. IE not every friday lol

Also sounds like u need to change up your training. Are u giving the muscles days to rest? Or are u doing full body curcuit training 4 days a week?

Hey Y0lked!
Thanks for your reply, you are probably right with the cheats..I dont count the calories on cheat meals..for expample last night was a cheat and I had a big Sushi fest..other times its just dessert. I will cut out the cheats for a couple of weeks and see what happens!

a typical workout looks like this:

Day 1 Arms
Circuit #1- Shoulder press 15kg 6 reps
Upright rows 7kg 12 reps
rear delts 4kg 25 reps
Circuit #2- reverse bicep curl 8kg 6 reps
incline bicep curl 6kg 12 reps
hammer curl 5kg 25 reps
Circuit #3- skull crushers 6gk 6 reps
rope pull down 12 reps
tricep kick back 4kg 25 reps

I do each circuit 4 times..
Day 2 legs, Day 3 back and chest and Day 4 run / cardio Day 5 and 6 rest..

How does this look to you?? Thanks for your help

Robyn

[JontheAtheist]

re-adjust your cheat meals. dont make them so consistent and certainly not 2 times a week. Thats a little too much!



I have two cheat meals a month.


Yeah, def cut these cheat meals down.

[y0lked]

If i were you i would look into starting strenght. Its got great compounds that burn major calories.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=117429161

Then i would put cardio days on tuesday and saturday or whenever u want, and make it 5 days a week program. 3 heavy lifting, 2 cardio.

As for your diet, try keto, or just bring your carbs to mornings and noon, post workout, and none past 6-7 pm.

[thedogdidit]

Hey Y0lked!
Thanks for your reply, you are probably right with the cheats..I dont count the calories on cheat meals..for expample last night was a cheat and I had a big Sushi fest..other times its just dessert. I will cut out the cheats for a couple of weeks and see what happens!

a typical workout looks like this:

Day 1 Arms
Circuit #1- Shoulder press 15kg 6 reps
Upright rows 7kg 12 reps
rear delts 4kg 25 reps
Circuit #2- reverse bicep curl 8kg 6 reps
incline bicep curl 6kg 12 reps
hammer curl 5kg 25 reps
Circuit #3- skull crushers 6gk 6 reps
rope pull down 12 reps
tricep kick back 4kg 25 reps

I do each circuit 4 times..
Day 2 legs, Day 3 back and chest and Day 4 run / cardio Day 5 and 6 rest..

How does this look to you?? Thanks for your help

Robyn

I would definitely change your workout. Do more compound movements! Have you read the Training Sticky yet?
Go with something like New Rules of Lifting for Women or, as suggested above, Starting Strength or All Pro's Beginner Routine (sticky in the main Workout forum). Something that has more compound movements.

[rpook]

Thanks for suggestions guys! I really appreciate it...
Im in the mood to change up my program, but there is SO MUCH out there and its really hard pick one..I guess trial and error..
I get frustrated with the cardio dillemma..all the pro bodybuilders seem do A LOT of cardio, and when I look at the BB transformations, again they seem to do hours and hours of it! Then I read article after article saying that cardio is a waste of time. I guess it just goes to show that everyone is different and its total preference. Im going to bump up my cardio for a couple of weeks and see if I notice any difference.
Thanks again!

[thedogdidit]

Thanks for suggestions guys! I really appreciate it...
Im in the mood to change up my program, but there is SO MUCH out there and its really hard pick one..I guess trial and error..
I get frustrated with the cardio dillemma..all the pro bodybuilders seem do A LOT of cardio, and when I look at the BB transformations, again they seem to do hours and hours of it! Then I read article after article saying that cardio is a waste of time. I guess it just goes to show that everyone is different and its total preference. Im going to bump up my cardio for a couple of weeks and see if I notice any difference.
Thanks again!

Actually, if you read a bit more here, you'll see that most people are opposed to excessive cardio.
Read the Training Basics sticky http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=127023861

[ayeaye0930]

what is your sodium intake like

[anna-maro]

Actually it's all up to your goals. Pros usually dont do cardio, only on competiton prep.
I'm 5'9 and I managed to gain 17lb of muscle the first year, i have been doing 5-6 day splits, and usually no scheduled cardio. I am an active person, so i do enjoy outdoor activities, biking, roller blading, swimming etc... As i had pretty high bf% to start out with, it was very important for me to stay the same weight even tho I was gaining muscle. I didn't have a structured meal plan, but i tried to keep it real clean, lean proteins, lots of vegetables, some fruits,nuts, and small amount of grains... this is only me tho...