[YetAnotherMember]

So, I know there has been a lot of threads such as this one, but anyway

I have always been ok weight-wise, my BMI is normal, have been exercising for quite some years now, but recently I've decided I really want to push myself to get the best body that I can (not overly muscular but lean)

So I am trying to eat healthily and excercise right. I will post my daily diet and exercise plan and I'm asking for your advice on how to improve it and tell me what mistakes I'm making (I am mainly foccusing on fat loss/building muscle)

What I eat normally:

Spoiler:

Show

Breakfast: plain oat porridge, a small piece of bread with salmon (or cottage cheese or avocado), orange (or greipfruit, kiwi etc) with some coffee (with 1/2 ts of sugar, 100ml skimmed milk). Now I must say in the mornings I am always quite hungry, so I do have quite a solid breakfast.

Snack before lunch: Banana (or apple etc)

Lunch: Anything with chicken breast, then either some rice/pasta/potatoes (in small amounts) with vegs and some youghurt

Before dinner: Plate of salad (which I make from salad leaves, olives, tomatoes, paprika, chilli, some rosted peanuts and feta cheese (the last two in small amounts)

Dinner: low fat curd with cinamon, some youghurt, oats, half a banana (or any other fruit)

One other thing I have to mention is that I really don't feel hungry in the evenings (6pm onwards), so my last meal is always around that time. I go to sleep around 12pm, but only drink water till then (as I do during the day, but I guess I don't need to mention that)

As for exercise, I do it 5 times a week each session 30-45mins of intense cardio. The way I do it is I do various exercises as intensely as I can for 30s, then rest 15, then other exercise for 30s, rest 15s and so on until I get to about 30mins, by when my heart rate is racing and it's hard to breathe. I also do some weights, but currently can't afford to get heavier ones. I've decided to try Insanity and started it yesterday and think I'm gonna be going with it

I also go for a jog 4-5 times a week and recently started to kind of change it into a HIIT session, which would obviously be better for fat loss

so anyway, any suggestions on how to change/improve it?

p.s. forgot to mention I am 5 7'' and 137lbs

[cowsforsale]

You go for a jog 4-5 times a week as well as "intense cardio" 5 times a week?

[sil3nt_cha0s]

Too much cardio, not enough lifting.

[YetAnotherMember]

(Original post by cowsforsale)
You go for a jog 4-5 times a week as well as "intense cardio" 5 times a week?

yes, I do the jogging in the afternoon, cardio in the evening

[Dark Horse]

Sounds like your addicted to cardio.

[YetAnotherMember]

(Original post by Dark Horse)
Sounds like your addicted to cardio.

lol, is it because of the frequency or? well, as I said, I've been exercising for some time and I enjoy it a lot. cardio's supposed to be good anyway?

[Dark Horse]

(Original post by YetAnotherMember)
lol, is it because of the frequency or? well, as I said, I've been exercising for some time and I enjoy it a lot. cardio's supposed to be good anyway?

Well let me put it this way. There comes a point at which you have to ask yourself if you're really doing all this cardio as a form of training or if you're just addicted to the endorphines and the "runner's high".

If you want to be lean you need some muscle mass. The lean and tight kind of physique I'm guessing that you want is actually a combination of muscle mass and low body fat percentage. Doing that amount of cardio will make it extremely difficult to gain muscle mass and will only up the amount of kcal you would require daily.

[olipal]

(Original post by YetAnotherMember)
I have always been ok weight-wise, my BMI is normal, have been exercising for quite some years now, but recently I've decided I really want to push myself to get the best body that I can (not overly muscular but lean)

You wont.

Read this: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=887324

[YetAnotherMember]

(Original post by olipal)
You wont.

Read this: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=887324

I knew when I wrote this, somebody would point it out... I have read it, but thanks anyway

[HFerguson]

You want to get a "toned", lean body and you're not doing high resistance exercise?

[HFerguson]

(Original post by YetAnotherMember)
cardio's supposed to be good anyway?

Just because soemthing's good doesn't mean it's the best. Things can also be good in others way.
tl;dr lift heavy weights

[YetAnotherMember]

(Original post by HFerguson)
Just because soemthing's good doesn't mean it's the best. Things can also be good in others way.
tl;dr lift heavy weights

ahh, I know it's not the best but cardio is fun and I enjoy it! I don't mind lifting, just that I can't afford to get proper weights/go to the gym right now, DAMN it lol

[sil3nt_cha0s]

(Original post by YetAnotherMember)
ahh, I know it's not the best but cardio is fun and I enjoy it! I don't mind lifting, just that I can't afford to get proper weights/go to the gym right now, DAMN it lol

Make savings elsewhere.

[YetAnotherMember]

(Original post by sil3nt_cha0s)
Make savings elsewhere.

ok, so I found out I could borrow this dumbbell bar from a friend... thing is, I can either choose 16kg or 24kg, which I think is quite heavy (having in mind I've never lifted seriously before). Is it worth it? Will I be able to lift properly?

[sawce]

(Original post by YetAnotherMember)
ok, so I found out I could borrow this dumbbell bar from a friend... thing is, I can either choose 16kg or 24kg, which I think is quite heavy (having in mind I've never lifted seriously before). Is it worth it? Will I be able to lift properly?

is that 16kg total or 16 per dumbbell?

[YetAnotherMember]

(Original post by sawce)
is that 16kg total or 16 per dumbbell?

total

[Daviant]

(Original post by sil3nt_cha0s)
Too much cardio, not enough lifting.

(Original post by sil3nt_cha0s)
Make savings elsewhere.

It is not necessary to lift weights from the start. It can be better to build up a cardio base while getting used to the idea of exercising and pushing yourself, and then invest in expensive equipment later on. There is a big difference between a 40 quid pair of shoes and a 400 quid gym membership/ 1500 quid home gym.

[sawce]

(Original post by YetAnotherMember)
total

8kg is more than enough for a girl. not meant to sound harsh btw, just a fact

[YetAnotherMember]

(Original post by sawce)
8kg is more than enough for a girl. not meant to sound harsh btw, just a fact

no, it's fine. I just really have no idea what I should start with, so 16kg says nothing to me haha. I will give it a go then

[Daviant]

(Original post by YetAnotherMember)
total

Not enough weight for any of the heavy exercises. If you're a girl, you'll need a 20kg bar and 80kg of weights to last you the first year of training.