confused on how to meet my goal

[jeni5.0]

ok, i have a lot of questions. i am 5'9, 166lbs. i need to lose weight. i want to weigh 150-155. i also want muscle definition. my main goal is to lose the flab, get thinner and be happy with how i look.

right now i do a total body workout with light (not too light) weights 2-3 times a week. ive been reading a lot about split days and working out muscles just once a week. i came up with a plan i think might work, but please give me any suggestions and advice.

lower body
back, abs, shoulders + cardio
biceps, triceps + cardio
abs + cardio
rest

where should i put chest? should i make it 4 days of weights?

also, how many exercises per body part? i do not want to bulk up, at least not until the fat is gone.

[Ravenous_T]

Why are you only lifting light weight? What is your diet like? Are you new to liting (it sounds like it) Do you know your bodyfat or lean mass?

If you are only lifting light "not to bulk up" then the best thing you can do right now is lose that mentality. Women do not bulk up. Building muscle mass will give you more definition, a better shape, and will increase your metabolism so you are able to burn more calories at rest. Keep in mind that it is VERY hard for women to build large amounts of muscle mass. We don't have a high enough level of testosterone in our systems for that to happen, so don't worry about becoming too muscular! The best way to get a better physique and to burn fat is to lift heavy weights.

[jeni5.0]

im not worried about getting too bulked up, im worried about building too much muscle before i lose the fat. muscle isnt going to look good with a layer of fat over it, wouldnt it just make me look bigger? if im lifting heavier weights will that speed up my fat loss? i dont lift too light, but i could add a few pounds.
how much cardio do i need? and what would be best to get leaner legs? that is where i carry most of my weight.

and i am sortof new to lifting. ive done it before, but never my own routine. i just went along and did what my friends were doing. now i am overseas with my husband and dont have anyone to ask for help. he works on a small german base with only about 100 americans, so there are no trainers or anything in the tiny gym we have.

anyway, that is why i am on this sight, to ask people who know what they are doing and to get my own routine. so thank you very much for your help. i know i have a lot of questions.

[jeni5.0]

my diet is all whole grains, fruits and veggies, sometimes fat free yogurt, and lean beef, skinless chicken, or sliced turkey once or twice a day. i also drink a lot of milk.

ive tracked my diet for the last 2 days however, and i dont think i am very good at balancing.
the first day i got only 983 calories, 61 g pr, 139.5 g darbs, and 26.4 g fat. the next day i had 1527 cal, 104 g pr, 190 g carbs, and 44.1 g fat.

my normal eating day would normally look like the first day, because i am usually not that hungry. the second day had so much because i forced down some food to get some more protein, ended up with too many calories and carbs.

[EliteRightist]

ok, i have a lot of questions. i am 5'9, 166lbs. i need to lose weight. i want to weigh 150-155. i also want muscle definition. my main goal is to lose the flab, get thinner and be happy with how i look.

right now i do a total body workout with light (not too light) weights 2-3 times a week. ive been reading a lot about split days and working out muscles just once a week. i came up with a plan i think might work, but please give me any suggestions and advice.

lower body
back, abs, shoulders + cardio
biceps, triceps + cardio
abs + cardio
rest

where should i put chest? should i make it 4 days of weights?

also, how many exercises per body part? i do not want to bulk up, at least not until the fat is gone.

Try this routine:
Chest/Back
Abs/Cardio
Legs/Shoulders
Biceps/Triceps
Rest

Or:
Chest/Triceps
Back/Biceps
Abs/Cardio
Legs/Shoulders
Rest

Or:
Chest/Triceps
Back/Biceps
Legs/Abs
Shoulders/Cardio
Rest

These would be good for a 4-day workout. Aslo, you could add abs or cardio at the end of any of the days. Possibly change up with abs one day and cardio the next and repeat. This should help you to lose bodyfat and build muscle at the same time. Also, since you haven't been training for too long you should use a weight that is not too heavy or too light, something you could do for about 8-10reps with good form, based on what your goals are. If you want to cut down and just add strength, then lower the number of reps to a 4-6 range or possibly less. My other suggestions would be to make sure you eat healthy and have enough to eat. If you don't have enough you will not see results and probably slow down your metabolism and gain fat rather than muscle. Try to eat at least 2000 calories a day and 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight (at least 150 grams since that is you goal weight). You should try eating 5 or 6 small meals a day if you can and split up the amount of protein equally between them, about 30 grams per meal every few hours. If you're worried about getting too many carbs, just eat more of them earlier in the day and less post-workout, closer to bedtime, since you'll need more energy when training rather than resting. Hope this is helpful to you. Good luck on reaching your goals.

[jeni5.0]

thank you. that is actually very helpful.

it is hard to eat a lot of calories tho because i sleep til about 10-11am, eat breakfast. then ill eat a small lunch (like a sandwich and a peice of fruit- which fills me up) about 4 hours later, then dinner about 5 hours after that. i get off work anywhere from 9:30pm to 11pm, and that is when i work out. ill have a peice of fruit or a bar or half a bowl of whole grain cereal when i come home. and go to bed anywhere from 12-3am.

with the 5-6 meals, can i replace 2-3 of them with a shake or bar? and what would you recommend?