What Am I Doing Wrong?

[time2tone]

I'm new to the message boards and working out so hopefully somebody may be able to offer some advice.

I'm 30 years old, 5'3, 139 pounds, and I just gave birth to my second child in May. I am now in the process of trying to get my body back! I started taking Phentermine (yes, I know) at the same time I started to hit the gym. I was told the Phentermine would help kick start my metabolism and give me more energy for my workouts. I do 15 minutes cardio on a bike and then lift weights. I've basically been concentrating on my lower body since that's the 'problem' areas. I do leg curls, leg extensions, lunges, and squats. I then finish up with my ab workout. I can feel that my abs are tight...the problem is they're covered with about 2 inches of fat. I am trying to find some exercises that will work out the saddlebags that tend to plague many women. My total workout takes about an hour every morning before I head off to work.

I also changed my eating habits. At first I tried eliminating carbs, cutting back on portion size, and skipping dinner. Then I was told I needed to eat MORE in order to lose weight. So now I have fiber for breakfast, an apple for snack, salad and protein shake for lunch, yogurt for snack, and then a sensible dinner.

I have NOT lost ANY weight! I have been doing this routing now for about 6 weeks. I've been told that when you start working out you will gain weight before you lose it. Is this true? Is there something I'm doing wrong?

Any advice you can give would be much appreciated.

[pinkfairy]

First off, you still need to get your diet right. Secondly, you can't "spot reduce", so you'll need to work the whole body.

Regarding diet, there are some excellent thread about with some really sound advice regarding food intake, but try for 5 to 6 meals a day, spaced 2 1/2 to 3 hours apart, with plenty of good quality meat, poultry, fruit, veg, wholemeal and wholegrain foods and don't forget the dairy too!

For the workouts, maybe try about forty minutes weights, 20 minutes cardio three times a week, so you do different parts each day, then on the other days do 30 mins core work, 30 mins cardio, so it looks like this:

Day 1: 40 mins chest, shoulders, biceps, 20 mins bike (or whatever)
Day 2: 30 mins cardio, 30 mins yoga
Day 3: 40 mins legs, 20 mins cardio
Day 4: 30 mins cardio, 30 mins yoga
Day 5: 40 mins back, triceps, abs, 20 mins cardio
Day 6: 30 mins cardio, 30 mins yoga.
Day 7: rest.

This way, you'll get relaxation, cardio and weights in. Don't be afraid to lift heavy either - you won't turn into an Arnie lookalike overnight!

Hope that helps to start with, but let me know if there's anything else you want to know!

[Laurie]

Adding to this.

The purpose is to burn more calories than taking in. You cant go too low with your caloric intake or else your body will think it's in starvation mode and hold onto the fat. By following the advice given above, your body's metabolism is raised to keep burning the fat after the exercise.

The body takes fat from all over to use a fuel...not just from one spot. Why you may have noticed fat reduction in some areas but not yet in others. For most women, the stomach and legs are the problem spots where the body deposits the fat first. It will take a while to lose it as the body creates more blood vessels to carry away the fat as energy while you exercise and eat a proper diet. Be aware, it is not just two inches of fat padding covering your abs as if wearing a heavy coat. You are also losing the excess fat within your body cavity that is surrounding your organs too.

A healthy body needs some of this though. Just not as much.

Right now, your body is still going through an adjustment after pregnancy where it would have held onto it anyway. Making it harder to lose. This will pass.

Dont use the scales. It can be misleading and builds frustration. Muscle is denser than fat for it's size. Use your wardrobe as a better indicator. The inches lost rather than scale weight. There is a difference and the scales cannot tell you what is fat loss and muscle gained.

Keep a journal of your progress with diet and routine as it is easy to get lost after awhile. Best to give yourself, at least, three to four months instead of just a few weeks....especially at first. It takes time for your body to adjust to all this new stuff. You may not have seen any results during your "six weeks". But others may have as the changes may be too subtle for you to spot. We are so used to seeing ourselves one way.

Best to lift before cardio. Use cardio as a "cool down" or on the lifting "offdays". Building muscle burns fat and dont be afraid to lift heavy. You need to build upper body strength but you will not look like a female "arnold". We do not produce enough testosterone for that and women bodybuilders have to work extremely hard to get that "look".

But you will build needed strength to go running after those kids later...if not after your first one now. We mothers know having muscle is a plus.

[Be-Be]

Everything they said. Plus...

You really want to work your upper body because by doing whole body workouts, you get an overall shapely, toned physique. Even if you have a little extra on the hips, rear and stomach (as many of us do), having a shapely upper body will balance the siloutte and give you the apprearance of having a smaller bottom half.

[time2tone]

Thank you all so much for your advice. I will try to keep in mind that results don't happen as quickly as we'd like...and that my body will just need some time to adjust.

I will definitely change my workout routine to incorporate an all-over transformation rather than just targeting my problem areas.

Everything you've said makes sense.