Fat Loss

[ckgreen1]

I am a 36-year old female. I have had a hard time losing weight , my doctor gave me diet pills , but I have no problem controlling my appetite. I just wonder if you could suggest a protein shake to help me lose fat and tone up but not bulk up with big muscles? I like to look feminine, not hard. I have been working out about five months with no weight loss and not a bodybuilder.

[joed]

Welcome CK. Lose fat and tone up?

I recall a guy here named Gamedaydog who's looking into that.

Dog: copy?
Dog? Ya there? Help CK out will ya?

& it's only her 3rd post so don't scare her away.

[lvtrojan]

If you have been working out for 5 months with no results, either your still eating too many calories or your not burning enough.

Why dont you list your diet and training program so we can see whats going on.

You have to create a caloric deficit to lose weight.

[Shadow Fox]

Welcome CK. Lose fat and tone up?

I recall a guy here named Gamedaydog who's looking into that.

Dog: copy?
Dog? Ya there? Help CK out will ya?

& it's only her 3rd post so don't scare her away.

Welcome CK, and Joed is absolutely right you need to speak to GDD and make sure he knows that you want to TONE up. It might be a bit frightening at first because he is an Alpha male, but you just have to buck up and stand your ground.

[Indy33]

I'm a 33 year old male. I began lifting back in December of 2004 with the goal to shed some pounds. I always heard that you'll shed more weight doing both weights and cardio rather than just cardio alone. This is a proven fact that you can read up on by doing a little research. Even knowing this I simply just lifted. I hated doing any form of cardio and hoped that I could just lift my way to being skinny. It didn't work. I've been told that your body is like a car. You can't drive it in forward and reverse at the same time. In this case 'forward' is gaining strength and 'reverse' is losing weight. It's hard to do both at the same time. That's why you'll hear terms like 'bulking' and 'cutting'. These are phases people do, it's hard to do both at the same time.

One has to up food intake (while keeping it clean, eating more often, and less portion sizes) to get bigger strength gains. One has to burn more than they intake to get smaller. When I began I didn't really change my diet all that much, except to dump soda pop intake. I thought I'd just lift and cut down on the sugar and things would take care of itself. I never worked my legs because it was hard. After a few months I was stronger in the upper body but still had my belly. I did more research. I changed my plan. I started doing weights 5 days a week instead of 3. I was doing heavy weight for low reps. I was overtraining. My elbow started to hurt, then my shoulder, and still, I had the belly. I did more research. I changed my plan.

Now I eat every 3 hours. I make sure to get protein intake with every meal. I taper carbs off as the day goes on. I take fish oil pills and high lignan flax oil (2 tablespoons a day). I drink Whey protein in milk in the morning (slows the digestion of it) and with water after the gym (to increase the speed at which you body absorbs it). I take a good quality multi-vitiman. I take Ibuprofen (3 pills 3 times a day for the eblow pain). I take Creatine before and after working out (not that you'd be doing that). I have a plan. Having a plan is very important. You must have a plan. To counter the overtraining was doing I now follow the following plan:

Monday - PUSH day. All exercises are 'push' exercises and focus on the chest, delts, and tris. At the END of the weights I do 15 minutes of eliptical machine at a low intensity.

Tuesday - PULL day. All exercises are 'pull' exercises and focus on the back, traps, and bis. NO CARDIO.

Wednesday - No weights at all but rather ab exercises (crunches, leg raises, etc.) followed by 30 minutes of low intensity cardio on the eliptical.

Thursday - LEGS day. All exercises are 'leg' exercises and focus on the quads, hams, and calves. NO CARDIO.

Friday - PUSH day again. (if you must you can do 15 minutes of cardio on the eliptical at low intensity)

Saturday or Sunday - another 30 minutes of eliptical and abs exercises. Do this on just one of the two days, rest on the other.

When Monday comes around you'll do PULL day (since you did PUSH day on Friday). Then just follow the rotation. It's always PUSH, PULL, CARDIO, LEGS, Cardio, OFF. Just rotate this, doesn't matter what day it happens to be. If you want me to go into more detail about the actual exercises I'm doing on those days I'd be happy to, just ask.

Since I started this plan I'm more fit. My pants fit better. I'm getting smaller and stronger. I'm not overtraining. I'm finding time for cardio but not so much I'm burning out on it. My elbow feels better. I also take a 2 mile stroll in the mornings when the weather is nice. I might do that again in the evening. This actually is nice as you get out and see nature and smell the air and just walk. I like it and it's easy to do. I was at the doctor yesterday and my blood pressure is now down over 20 points since my last visit. It's now at 104/64. That's well below 'normal' and considered really good. The exercise and fish oil and flax oil and eating right is working. I'm down 6 pounds as well.

My biggest concern here is that when new people start an exercise routine they don't know what to do. They are intimidated by the gym. They walk around like lost sheep. Every day I see new people in the gym and they have no idea what to do. I see women on the eliptical going so darn slow they might as well be sleeping and when they are done they are not even sweaty. What's the point? You think that's going to make you lose any weight? I'm not saying kill yourself but come on, do something. Same for weights. A lot of women say, "I don't want to get big." What do they do, they spend time dicking around with the machines lifting very little weight and not even pushing themselves. Again, what's the point?

Look, I know first hand, losing weight is hard damn work. The weight didn't come on over night and it sure as hell isn't going to come off overnight. Ask anyone who knows and they'll tell you the same. You MUST push yourself and work hard. To me that means using free weights (even if you are intimidated by them just get over there are get started) and incorporate leg exercises and do some core exercises and cardio. You're not going to get huge or ugly. It takes way more hard work and proper diet than you'll ever put in to get 'big' or 'huge'. I suggest lifting fairly heavy weights for low reps. Screw this, I'm going to saunter in and put the machine on 5 pounds and do it 20 times and not even break a sweat because I don't want to get big and ugly mentality. Trust me, you won't get big, just stronger and more firm. As you build more muscle you'll naturally burn more fat. This is a fact. Also, because I drink upwards of 4 to 5 of the things a day, don't think a protein shake is going to make you 'firm' or 'strong'. They won't. That's crazy talk. They are to help you supplement your protein intake. People will tell you to consume 1 gram of protein for every pound of your bodyweight. That's eating a lot of protein so the protein shake helps you hit that number. No protein shake is going to 'firm' you up all by itself with you doing nothing. Belonging to some CURVES type place with lame circuit training machines and blue haired women doing thigh master crap isn't going to solve your problems either.

Don't be afraid. Get in the gym and change your life. Push yourself. You'll see results. Be lazy and afraid to do cardio and lift and you'll just get discouraged and quit. Oh, and most importantly, change the way you eat. You have to eat more often, smaller portion sizes, and make sure the food you eat is 'clean'. Cut the sugar and lower the carbs. Eat good lean protein. Snack on almonds and veggies. Drink zero calorie/zero carb Arizona Green Tea instead of Coke or Diet Coke. Incorporate Fish oil pills (3 a day) and Flax oil (2 tablespoons a day). It's working for me.

I hope you find success. It feels good but it doesn't come without effort or in the form of some magic pill or drink.

[GetImpact]

I just wonder if you could suggest a protein shake to help me lose fat and tone up but not bulk up with big muscles? I like to look feminine, not hard. I have been working out about five months with no weight loss and not a bodybuilder.

A lot of women wrongly assume that weight training will turn them into manish beefcakes. This grave misunderstanding springs from some of the insanity coming from within the hardcore bodybuilding community.

I don't care how hard you train, you are not gonna look like a man unless your system is loaded with steroids and other body-altering drugs. You don't take steroids do you? Some women do, and it makes them look like men. YUCK!

Work out as hard and heavy as you want, because that will only bring about a really nice tone to you... since you are a woman... but it also brings STRENGTH and VITALITY. And everyone can use that.

So get crackin!

[GameDayDog]

The Alpha Male says - Welcome to the forum. You are now officially a member of these boards. The Alpha Male remained quiet because the Alpha Male knew that the others would offer you the advyce that I have alwayz given.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=487984

The Alpha Male will save you a second and repost the advyce here... I'll even edit specifically for you.

**********
Well, fyrst off.. welcome to the forums..

2nd off... Yuck.. Never ever ever ever ever ever use the word "tone" ....

Now... that we got that settled...

I'm a big advocate of lifting heavy... Of course, heavy is relative... what's heavy for me is lyght for others and what's heavy for others is lyght for me... you have to fynd what weights work for you... That being the case..

The fyrst thyng to do is get yourself a notebook to take to the gym and record your workouts... this will help you see the progress...

When it comes to protein shakes... each shake counts as a meal and can help you reach a goal of 5 - 6 meals a day... However, if you are going to lose weight... then 3 or 4 of your meals should not be a protein shake... I would suggest 1 protein shake after your workout... I do recommend Kre-Alkalyn 1500 by Sci-Fit. Two pills in the morning and 1 in the evening.

You cannot just lose weight in your stomach area... You lose weight over your entyre body... and to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume... Have you calculated your caloric intake yet?? I suggest you visit fitday.com ...

I won't make thys too long.. A lot of the thyngs I'm gonna tell you are already in the thread titled - "Some Tips For Beginners" ... then post here with any questions you may have...

To wrap it up...

1. Read the thread - Some Tips For Beginners.
2. Get a notebook and record the details of your workout
3. Lift Heavy, then do Cardio afterwards..
4. Never ever ever ever ever ever use the word - Tone.

Peace..~G
Y does the word - Tone - Just piss me off???

[GameDayDog]

The Alpha Male says - I will now offer you the reasons you should lift heavy weights...

Lyfting heavy and having a high protein diet builds muscle... Muscle gives your body an athletic & sexy shape... Having muscle also increases your metabolism which helps you burn fat and also increases your strength... Taking in a low amount of calories and building muscle helps to reduce levels of bodyfat faster... the best way to do thys is to lyft heavy.. followed by 30 minutes or more of cardio... (don't kill yourself tho, as u're just starting out..) ... As your bodyfat levels decreases, you'll be able to see more of the muscles which were previously not visible under your layer of bodyfat... the more muscles you can see... your body will have that athletic and firm shape you so desyre...

And don't thynk that by lifting heavy weights you'll look lyke female bodybuilders... You'll never get that big... Women don't have enough testosterone for that... On the other hand... If you only use those little pink & blue dumbbells that weigh less than a 1 liter water container.. you will never ever ever see results...

I'm sure, your fyrst tyme with a trainer, those are the weights you used... however, they give you those so you can concentrate on the movement and proper form... once they let you go on your own... go heavy...

Follow my suggestions for 3 months... You came here for advyce... I gave it... now it's tyme for you to use it...

Peace..~G
I styll hate the word tone!
I have self-pics in the GameDayDawg thread...
__________________

[GameDayDog]

The Alpha Male says - the little thyngs make big differences...

A workout journal is essential... Do not go to the gym and be one of those idiots that roam around the gym, they do ten reps on one machine, then swing their arms in circles, then flex in the mirror whyle walking aimlessly around the gym starting conversations, they'll get some water... then they fynd another machine and do a few more reps and repeat... Those people will never see results... Having a journal is the same as a road map to a better you... Since you've been in the gym five months, I'm sure you have a some idea of the machines and exercyses you lyke to perform... so create a routine... Group back & biceps... then chest & triceps, then legs... it's a basic routine... You can do ab crunches before or after each workout... and then do cardio for a minimum of 30 minutes... If you want results on the cardio machine, do not use the arm rests... Having a journal lets you know which machine to use next and how much weight to use it will save you a lot of time.

Get yourself a tymer... It is essential not to rest too long in between your sets... Thys is the same as being one of those wandering gym idiots that I mentioned earlier... I take 2 minutes between my exercyses and 2 minutes between my sets... sometymes I'll take 1:30 or 1:00 depending on the exercyse... See examples in my thread - GameDayDawg... I've had guys approach me in the gym, "Excuse me Mr. Alpha Male Sir? What's that gadget?" "It's a tymer... so I don't take too long between sets." "Wow, you take working out pretty seriously." "Of course, I don't want to be a pussy lyke you... You are dismissed."

Don't socialize... The Alpha Male laughs at thys... Everyone in the gym knows me but I've insured they acknowledge my prescense with a nod or a salute... Very rarely am I spoken too... However, I always see male trainers conversating with the female clients... Thys is detrimental to your workout... Get in & out of the gym, it is not a 2 hour event or a nyght club... Even worse, do not use your cellphone in the gym... it is a distraction and will hinder your progress.

Making progress... I generally use the 3 sets of 8 routine... for my very fyrst exercyse, I'll do a few warm-up reps, then go heavy... When I get 3 sets of 8 reps, then the next tyme I perform that exercyse I'll increase the weight...

If you need help putting together a routine, reply here. The Alpha Male or one of his many minions will help you... and I'll verify if you should use it or not.

I should've replied earlier but I saw the word tone in your fyrst post and was too upset to reply... The Alpha Male has spoken... Now find your doctor, grab those diet pills and PIITB...

Peace..~G

[kimsquit]

GDD: Shouldn't you be spelling it "cardyo"?

[GameDayDog]

Hahahaha.. When I fyrst got here... there were months before I would even say the words cardio or cutting ... I styll wince when I type it... but personal sacrifices must be made in order to assist those new to the forum and looking for useful information...

Peace..~G
The Alpha Male Has Spoken...