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2005/09/23, 08:00 AM
Help! I'm sooo lost!
I've been going to the gym for several years now, and yet I don't seem to see any major results. I've been given several conflicting programs/ideas over the years (change gyms whenever we move).I don't know who to believe anymore. I know I must be doing something dreadfully wrong by now.
I'm 130lbs, 5feet 4inches. My lower body is pretty muscular (a lot more than I'd like it to be unfortunately), and my upper body is just fine. I'm happy with my muscle mass now. I don't want to gain more than I already have, I'd just like to lose the fat.
My question is this: how many hours should I rest in between working out (the same body part) so it doesn't get any bigger (my legs look awful now)? And what kind of routine should I do?
I'm really confused. I've been given diffrent programs over the years, and people always have conflicting ideas/advice. I was told I should just rest one day in between so the muscle doesn't become as big but retains strength. Others say I shouldn't bother resting a day in between if I want to lose fat - that it's okay to do full-body routines every day. What's the real deal here?
Right now, I eat small meals every 3 hours. I do at least 30mins-1hour of cardio (either stationary bike/running/walking/soccer/swimming) and around 30mins-1 hour of weights Monday through Friday. I do at least one kind of exercise for each muscle group, 4 sets of 20-15-15-20 reps for each exercise. I wait 48hours before working out the same muscle group (weights). I split my weights routine this way:
day1: lower body
day2: back and obliques
day3: chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, abs
I get tired at the end of each day, but there's no soreness the next day. I have one day of complete rest (sunday). Saturdays are just for cardio .
Am I wrong? Should I go back to the full body exercises every day, or will that burn me out? What do I do to maintain my muscle mass now and still lose the fat? Should I just increase the reps and not add any more weight when an exercise starts to get easy?
My friends say I'm getting bulky, and I don't want that to happen since I just want to lose weight now. I even got heavier because apparently, I gained muscle.
Sigh.... help? please?
thanks! :)
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2005/09/23, 08:30 AM
oops...can't seem to update my profile. anyway... i'm a 22 year old gal... freelance graphics designer and filmmaker. Nice to meet you guys :) pardon the kinda stupid sounding newbie question :)
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2005/09/23, 04:11 PM
Eat less.
Its tough, but all the working out in the world will not make you lose weight unless you eat less calories than you burn.
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2005/09/23, 07:19 PM
I would say it's not only about eating less calories but also the right calories. Whole grain, lean meat and lots of vegetables and some fruit. Maybe up the intensity your cardio too.
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2005/09/23, 08:59 PM
Diet is the most important but diet isn't the end all. I've been going to gyms for more years than I care to admit :) and I've seen people doing exactly the same routine for months (or years) and never making any gains. I'm soaked with about 15 or 20 minutes but those folks leave the gym in their street clothes and didn't need a shower. Diet is the key but you have to make your workouts work.
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Mike
in Pensacola Now.
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2005/09/24, 05:39 AM
thanks! i'll do that. :)
but how about the workout? is it true that if i work out the same muscle groups every day, the muscles won't be as big compared to if I wait 48 hours before working em out again?
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