Confusing results from workout.

[Dansterhamster]

Hey, this might be posted in the wrong section of the forum as i`ve registered just tonight and i`m rather inexperienced in using forums,
so whilst keeping that in mind, it would be nice if this post could be moved to it`s appropriate subforum if need be.

Now to the matter at hand.
I`m 26 years old and i made a decision about starting to work out on a regular basis late january of this year.
It had been years since i had commited myself to any form of exercise and i was more or less stationary for the majority of the day.

When i first started working out, i began doing alot of cardio, usually for around 45 - 60 minutes each time for 4-5 days a week.
I decided to couple the increased level of activity with a cut in food intake, which allowed me to net a total of around 90 lbs ( I`m norwegian so i had to used a kilo to lbs calculator :P ).

Now, as the year is coming to an end i`ve begun doing weight training, trying to add a better shape to my physique.
While i`ve managed to injure my left shoulder quite abit, i have at the same time made some adjustments to my routine to accomodate that.
My usual week looks something like the following:

Day 1: Chest/Triceps
Day 2: Cardio of some form, usually a lengthy walk
Day 3: Back/Biceps
Day 4: Legs/shoulders ( Mostly just doing exercises to help alleviate some pain from my shoulders )
Day 5: Cardio, another lengthy walk
Day 6: Chest/Triceps ( And the cycle continues )

If i feel i need to rest and avoid any exercise completely, i`ll use a cardio day for that.

I focus on using freeweights as much as is possible, i avoid machines but i`m considering doing them for variation at times.
I tend to go anywhere from 10-18 reps on upperbody exercises for about 4-5 sets, depending on which areas need the most attention.
And being that i do each muscle group twice during the course of one week, i do 3 different exercises for large muscle groups and 2 for smaller ones.

My workouts are usually around 90 minutes each, and i do them before going to work in the morning.
My workout time tends to be before work.
From 06:30 - 08:00 in the morning.

I believe my diet is in check but i suspect i`m not eating enough.
My daily eating routine is something like this:

Breakfast: 1 Protein shake
40 - 60 grams of oatmeal and alittle bit of milk

Post workout: 1 Protein shake and possibly a banana if i feel the need for it.
Pre-work meal: 10 - 15 almonds and a protein shake.
Lunch at work: Anything from an omelette to fish and vegetables
Afternoon meal: Usually a yoghurt and on occasion some nuts.
Evening meal: Small omelette or some chicken meat or fish and vegetables
And usually just a few spoons of cottage cheese and a casein shake before bed.

And having one cheat meal a week, usually a medium sized pizza or so.

I`ve been at this training and eating routine for abit now but i`m seeing minimal results, it seems as if i`ve actually gotten fatter.
Which is rather disheartening, i browse the web quite alot for information which i try to incorporate into my own habbits as best i`m able to.

I guess what i`m looking for are obvious signs that i`m doing something wrong, but i find it difficult to pinpoint what the main culprit might be.
I`m not opposed to working hard or making changes in any way, but i just need to know what i need to change in order to get results.

I`m grateful for any helpful tips and such in advance!

[Tel0s]

Program at least 2-3 abdominal workouts into your week. Also, keep track of your nutritional information: carbs, fats, proteins. Head over to the Nutrition forum and check out the Sticky Page at the top called: Calculating Calorie & Macronutrient Needs.

[Dansterhamster]

Thanks for the tip, i`ll check that section out.
I`ve been putting off ab exercises lately, i used to do them at the end of each workout but i discovered i had separated abs,
and the general advice there was to avoid doing any ab exercises at all costs.
If anyone has had any experiences with that, i`d be thrilled to hear them!

[Tel0s]

what do you mean by separated abs ? Everyone's muscles look different. Take UFC fighter George St Pierre for example. He is one of the best in the world and his abs are not the typical look. The abdominals are a key part of lifting and it would be best to give them their own day, such as on cardio days.

[Dansterhamster]

I'm abit uncertain of the name of the condition, i think it's called "diastasis recti" or so, basically, from what i could gather, the muscles on the front of ones stomach split, leaving a gap in the middle. I suppose in some way you could think of it as a breach of sorts, there is little or practically no resistance between the separated abs, so when i do leg raises for example, my stomach bulges abit due to the weakened gap in my abs not keeping everything inside in place. ( writing from a phone, sorry if it might be messed up )

[Tel0s]

Oh okay I thought you meant something else. If you have diastasis recti then you should definitely google specific exercises for that ! Normal ab exercises aren't the best thing to do.