a little advice please!

[ginegine]

My goal is to lean out and get sculpted. I'm about 5'7 150lbs and I want to be around 130lbs. I recently started doing my cardio in the mornings on a empty stomache for 1hour 5 days per week. I weight train about 3 days per week, alternating body parts. My workouts are always changing as I do not like to let my body adapt. As for my diet I was doing a calorie cycle of 1000, 1100, 1200 but lately I have been keeping it steady between 1050 and 1100 consisting of mostly egg whites, lean meats, fruits and veggies. I keep my protein between 130 and 150. I'm not sure what I am doing wrong but the weight just doesn't seem to want to come off. Any advice would be great. Thank you in advance.

[pipgarden]

I think you should increase your calories, spread over 5 or 6 meals a day (every 2-3 hours). That way your body doesn't think it's starving and it will speed up your metabolism.

[ChocoChick]

That is way too much cardio and way too few calories. I'd recommend doing some weight training 3x per week and dropping the cardio to 3x or 4x max (cardio on a different day from weights or at least after them, not before).

You might want to search the forums for information on the types of cardio -- a lot has been written about the benefits (or not) of prolonged sessions on an empty stomach as well as the best approach for fat loss.

You also need to up your calories. Check out www.fitday.com or even the Body for Life web site to get an idea of how much you should be consuming. With as little as you are eating, your body no doubt thinks it is being starved and is doing everything possible to hang on to what little it has.

Bump to 6 small meals per day. Check out some of the journals here for an idea of what a good, clean diet looks like.

[sillygirl]

I agree 100% with what dbflgirl has said. You're essentially starving yourself by eating that amount of calories and doing that much cardio, which in turn is making your body cling onto all the bodyfat it can, as it thinks it's in "famine" mode.

You need to be eating more- aim for 1600-1800 calories a day.

And you need to be cut WAY back on the cardio. 30-45 minutes 4-5 times a week is plenty.

Until you increase your calories and drop the cardio, your body is just going to keep holding onto your extra weight...

[ginegine]

Thanks Ladies,
But I am still a little confused. I actually just started doing the hour of cardio about a week ago. I did some research on what some of the fitness models workouts were like and a lot of them do about an hour a day on a empty stomache. Seems like a lot! It's to my understanding that you have to burn more then your taking in. Although I am eating low calorie, I am eating 5xs a day every 2-3 hours. Wouldn't that avoid starvation mode?

[bscrusher]

never believe the b.s. that is written in those articles that supposedly detail how to look like a fitness model. if you want to become lean you should never have an empty stomach, so obviously you should never excercise on an empty stomach.

HOW MUCH you are eating, what you are eating, and how you time your meals with regards to your workouts and your carb intake, are just as important as how often you are eating. consider eating 7 or 8 times a day.

[ChocoChick]

consider eating 7 or 8 times a day.

This is what I do pretty much.

At 1050-1100 calories per day, you are eating way too little. I eat about 1600-1800 calories per day and I'm 5'7" and 125 pounds. I weight train 3x per week and do cardio (HIIT) 2x week.

Look at the journals here of real women and let that be your guide.

[ginegine]

Sorry to be so annoying I just really want to get this right. I am going to have some pictures taken for my portfolio next month and I am desperatley trying get leaner so I can look my best. I have lost about 15lbs over the past 6 months. It has been a very slow process.But I seem to have hit a plateau Here is what my diet has consisted of for the past several months. Tell me what you think I should change.

3 egg whites
1/2 cup of oatmeal

Train

protein shake/ bananna

1/4 cup rice
6 oz tuna

6 oz chicken
4 cups letuce/light dressing

protein shake

[missmuscle]

I agree! Also, you don't ever want to make weight your ultimate goal- go for body fat % . I am 5'4 and 148 off season and 130-135 at competition with as little as 8% bf. Most people are amazed that I weigh so much, but muscle weighs more than fat and looks a hell of a lot better! I also recommend building muscle with weights which heightens metabolism and also makes you look tighter. Please increase those calories too! You should be eating at least 1600-1800 calories of clean food even if you are trying to lean down a bit
Good Luck