Changing one's body

[MissMillie]

I've been at this work out stuff for almost 7 months now. I do think I can see some changes in my body, but I wonder if maybe I'm not doing the right kinds of things, because frankly, I think the changes are just barely noticeable and after 7 months I'm thinking I should see more progress.

Here is my routine:

5 days a week--cardio. This is either a 3.0 mile jog, 35 minutes on the elliptical, or 45 minutes in an indoor cycling (spinning) class.

Also 5 days a week--weight training. I alternate between two daily routines:

day 1: chest press, shoulder press, leg adductor, leg abductor, and my ab work (this includes 4-pt. work and leg lifts)

day 2: pec machine, tri-cep extender, rowing weights, and lat pulldown, and my knee work (includes squats (using a ball), roman deadlifts and the leg extension machine)

Typically, any work I do on a weight machine I do 3 sets of 10 reps. I use the highest weight I can to complete all 3 sets (meaning if I can't complete all 3 sets at one weight, then I think the weight is too high).

I take 2 days off every week (the weekend).

I do see a lot of improvement (firming-up) through my shoulders and some in my legs. I wish I would see more in my thighs (especially inner thighs), my triceps (this is actually pretty tough to achieve--I have a lot of lose skin from my weight loss), and in my abs and butt.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make the most of my workouts? At the one-year mark I'd really like to *look* like my workouts are making a difference (certainly I already *feel* like they do).

[soleft]

1. What are the body types like in your family

Are there women who don't have weight or eating issues - so you can surmise that they are at their natural weight. What do their bodies look like?

[MissMillie]

2. All of us are overweight

My mom was a tiny woman until she had kids 5 & 6... she now wears a size 16.

My oldest sister is very big. She pretty much always has been. I remember about 15 years back she went big into Weight Watchers and lost a lot of weight, but she was never "small"

Same w/the middle sister. She lost 70 lbs. on WW 2 or 3 years ago, and she now wears a size 12. She's very fit, but she's not small. She's smaller on top though, which was also true of the oldest sister when she lost a lot of weight. I've lost nearly 100 lbs, but still wear a D cup. I wear a 14 or 16 pants and skirts, but need an 18 or 20 for my top.

We all tend to be bottom-heavy. But I tend to be heavy all over. :) (But I'm smaller now than I have been in YEARS--since high school even.)

[soleft]

3. A friend of mine has been working with personal trainers

I'd say probably for about 7 months. She trains 7 days a week. Her body has changed a lot - I'd say she's gone from a size 22-24 to 16-18.

Even tho she's gotten very small and trim on top, and she is tall, maybe 5' 7'' - I was walking behind her the other day and I noted her legs are still very tree-trunky.

She's determined to keep going and believes in 6 months she'll have a very different body than the one she has now. So I'd say, just keep doing what you're doing.

Course, she's 42, and no matter how much weight she loses or how much her body changes she still may have tree-trunky legs. But they will be very strong and healthy little tree trunks.

[MissMillie]

5. My body hasn't really changed all that much in 7 months

maybe one size down on my lower body.

(I have to confess, I am not as careful about my diet as I could be.)

But still I look at the shape of my body, and wonder why I don't see more progress for the 7 months of effort I have put in.

I'm 41, and it's likely I'll always have a "ghetto booty" (so my son calls it). But I was hoping for more progress in my abs, and my thighs.

[seemunkee]

4. Look at what I wrote about muscle building

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=295x3553#3560

I would change the way you do your weight training. The idea of 3X10 was promoted by Weider back in the 70s and has become ingrained in the gym mentality. You don't want to put on bulky muscle. Also NEVER GO TO FAILURE. That is a bad way to work out. Always leave some gas in the tank. Find out what your 1 rep max is for a specific exercise and use 80% of that as your workout weight. Progressively add weight and retest every 6-8 weeks.

What is it that is most important? Losing weight? Building strength?

[wildeyed]

6. Have you thought about working with a professional trainer?

Sounds like you are putting in the effort. If you are not getting the return you would like, maybe a pro can help you get through the plateau.

The best my butt and thighs ever look is when I am doing a serious amount of yoga. Something about it slims and lifts. I get the same effect in my upper body, but it is more noticeable in my lower body. I don't carry much extra fat, but I do get bulky muscles (at least by female standards) so the slimming effect is nice. If you take power yoga, you will do tons of push-ups, and work your tris hard, too. Just my .02.

[we can do it]

7. I have a couple ideas for you to try.

1. Try doing some intervals hills or sprints in your aerobics. An example would be sprint (a fast pace for YOU) a block, jog two blocks - repeat; or alternate really fast and regular pace minutes on the elliptical (I LOVE the ellipticals).

2. Change your exercises - or the order you do them in. Also you might want to try varying the amount of weight i.e.- 1 day heavy (6-8 reps), 2nd light (10-12), 3rd medium (your usual 10). Make sure to always maintain good form and don't let weights "swing" down.

3. Try to get a walk in everyday, especially your off days. Its good for you mentally, too. The autumn colors are a bonus.

Consistency is key - YOU CAN DO IT!
I have been at it for almost 24 years - Maintaining size10 (down from size 16)



:hi:

[flvegan]

8. What's your diet like?

Your cardio looks right (I'm assuming that the intensity is there).

As for seeing results in your abs, don't wait for it. I hate to say this, but I say it to folks a lot...abs will not show until the bodyfat is in the basement.

Are you eating 3 big meals a day? Dump that. 5-6 smaller ones, spaced out through the day is the ticket. Snacking? Eating crap...eating very late...all bad ideas.

[MissMillie]

9. I'm a WLS patient

I had gastric bypass surgery last September, so I really can't eat big meals. I typically eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. I try to concentrate on protein, and when I eat carbs, I try to make them whole grains or veggies. I have to admit though, that I am not perfect. I most certainly could cut back on the sweet stuff and the salty snacks.

My other downfall is that I usually drink when I eat (drink meaning ANY beverage, not just alcohol) and that is a big no-no for WLS patients. I just find it really hard to eat a meal w/o having a beverage with it.

[flvegan]

10. Way outta my league here, but my thoughts...

I'm going to assume that when you had your wls in September (just over a year ago) you experienced the usual and expected drastic loss in weight. Now, exercising quite a bit, you're seeing tone (natural response to growth stimulus) and some definition, as well as endurance benefits (you just ran a 5k, right?) but little loss of bodyfat.

I'd suggest that your body is in a metabolic shock right now. Your metabolism is probably working at a snail's pace right now, wondering what in the world happened.

Used to be, that when I spoke with someone that experienced a rapid loss in weight, that hit a sticking metabolic point, I'd suggest (if all other things were in check...heart, etc) a short burst of a less-than-normally potent ECA (ephedra, caffeine, aspirin) supplementation to ramp it up a notch. In your case, though, where this is surgically related, I'd talk to your wls doctor about it. I'm sure he or she has had experience with this in the past.

I've really been no help, whatsoever. Sorry!

[H3Dakota]

11. Change up your routine more!

Have you been doing pretty much the same routine for the 7 months? If so, do something completely different. Our bodies adjust to doing the same thing, so I generally try to shake up my routine every month or so.

Cardio - been running/elliptical/spinning? Try jumping rope, kickboxing, Tae-Bo, Firm tapes, rowing... mix it up, just it's something new that you haven't done before - or something you haven't done for over a month.

On the weight training - if you've been using machines all this time, scrap 'em! Switch to free weights for awhile. Add in body weight exercises like pushups & pullups. Or, stick with the machines, but change the routine all around. Personally? I'd definitely go for the free weights over the machines.

[GOPisEvil]

12. Have you considered flipping your workout around?

If I'm doing weights, then I spend 5 minutes warming up on the bike, hit my weights and then do 30 minutes of cardio. You seem to do cardio first, then weights. Maybe you could turn that around. My old trainer recommended that to me to assist with burning fat.