[Jtking3000]

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show....php?t=2000017

>mfw even though I directly posted the sticky which answers all his questions, he still didn't bother to read it.

[Jakeeyy]

Eat sleep and eat.

Oh also stick to free weight compound movements, so squats, bench, deadlifts, chin ups, pull ups, dips and so forth.

[shuaib786]

(Original post by ch0c0h01ic)
Weight/Fat Loss

How do I lose fat/weight?

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The amount of calories you are consuming has to be fewer than those that you are burning through daily life and exercise, thereby creating a 'Calorie Deficit'. How do you achieve that?

• Eat less
• Eat better*
• Exercise more
• Exercise harder

*It is not necessary to eat a 'good' or 'healthy' in order to lose weight as the bulk of your progress is determined by the extent of your calorie deficit. However, eating better will improve the way you look and feel as well as your progress (slightly).

Every successful weight or fat loss diet utilises one or more of the factors listed above irrespective of whether that is something you are aware of or not.

See one TSR user's amazing weightloss story here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...1#post37970751

How much should I be eating?

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Everybody is slightly different with respect to sex, age, size, activity level, etc it is impossible to put an exact figure on how much you need to eat in order to lose weight. A much easier guide is that if you want to lose weight reduce your portion sizes until you begin to lose weight.

Now this does not have to be anything extreme or drastic (ie; no sub 1500 calorie diets and no obsessive calorie counting). You should be aiming for 1-2lbs of weight loss per week MAXIMUM (500-1000 calorie daily deficit), much more and you potentially reduce the amount of fat you lose (= bad). Most people will have few problems losing weight if they're eating properly, they've scaled back on their portion sizes slightly and they're getting plenty of exercise (something which will be covered later).

Useful Links:

FITDAY - Free Diet & Weight Loss Journal

Self NutritionData - know what you eat

How do I get a six-pack? Will doing lots of situps/crunches give me a six-pack?

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No.

To get a six pack you need to lose fat and/or develop some abdominal muscle size to make them more prominent (the most important factor for the majority of people is fat loss).

You cannot spot reduce fat, to lose fat from your abdominal region you have to lose fat across your whole body. If that wasn't enough situps, crunches and most abdominal exercises in general work a very small muscle group, which in itself will burn very few calories and contribute very little towards fat loss, and they have very little potential to develop any abdominal muscle size. In short they're a very slow and inefficient way of working towards getting a six pack.

So what is the answer? Clean up your diet first and foremost. As far as fat loss training goes you want to be working your larger muscle groups (ie; legs, back, chest, shoulders) and more intensely to contribute more towards fat loss. You should be weight training, paying particular attention to the big compound movements (eg; squat, deadlift, overhead press, row, etc) to develop core strength, maintain existing muscle mass and perhaps enhance fat loss. One or two quality supplementary exercises (eg; ab wheel, turkish getup) and some cardio (perhaps even HIIT) would round this off nicely.

Useful Links:

Figure Athlete: From Muffin Top to Six-Pack - A Guide to Getting the Abs Everybody Wants

How To Get Ripped – Mike Robertson

Month Long Bodyfat Blitz - Bishamon

Does eating fat make you fat?

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No.

A calorie excess (ie; consuming more calories than you are burning through exercise) is what causes fat gain and this will occur irrespective of what you eat (eg; fats, protein, carbohydrates).

Fat is an essential dietary requirement and it should be a part of everybody's diet.

Useful Links:

Junk Science: Low-Fat Diet Myth Busted

What about weight loss pills?

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Most weight loss products have little or no efficacy, they account for a couple of extra percent of weight loss (if that). For these products to be licensed and put on sale they simply have to demonstrate that they're safe, not that they actually work. If someone says that they lost 'x' amount of pounds using a weight loss aid it's almost certainly due to other changes they've made to their lifestyle (eg; eating less, eating better, exercising more, exercising harder) that they've simply neglected to mention.

These products are also not without their side effects. Caffeine is a common ingredient which can give you heart palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, etc. Ali, for example, inhibits fat absorption and should you consume fat it will give you very severe diarrhoea. Adios is little more than a laxative and/or diuretic to give you the illusion that you're losing fat. Ephedra based products have been linked to sudden death and are of questionable legality.

Sadly there aren't any shortcuts.

Useful Links:

Mayo Clinic: Over-the-counter weight-loss pills: Do they work?

I can't lose weight, I have a slow metabolism. What should I do?

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Are you consuming a 500 calorie deficit, getting at least 10,000 steps per day, resistance training 1-3 times per week and cardio training 1-3 days a week?

If you answered no you almost certainly don't have a 'slow metabolism' at all and the above is what you should be aiming to do.

If you answered yes you need to see your doctor. If you do genuinely have a 'slow metabolism' there isn't a magical supplement or exercise here that can help you.

What about 'Detox' diets/'The Master Cleanse'/'The Cabbage Soup Diet'?

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Your liver, kidneys and lungs are perfectly able to 'detoxify' your body if you eat healthily, get plenty of quality exercise, cut back on alcohol consumption and reduce the amount that you smoke. Following a radical diet such as one of those mentioned above, which are ultimately a mixture of malnourishment and starvation will actually hinder this process. The idea that a brief spell on a crash diet can compensate for life's excesses is sadly untrue. The only people that advocate such diets are delusional or dishonest (ie; they want to sell you 'detox' books and supplements).

Useful Links:

BBC: Scientists dismiss 'detox myth'

The Guardian: The detox myth

Does exercising before breakfast burn more fat?

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For most people it doesn't particularly matter as long as they're consistent and it gets done at some point. Some people find that they can exercise at a higher intensity and/or for longer in a fed state which could be more beneficial in the long run but it is down to personal preference.

Some people complain about feeling sick when exercising after eating however that is often due to what they eat before exercise, not the exercise itself. A way around this is to eat a small, easy to digest meal around an hour before exercise.

Useful Links:

Workout 911: Performing Cardio on an Empty Stomach?

T-Nation: The Fasted Cardio Roundtable Featuring Christian Thibaudeau, Lonnie Lowery, David Barr and John Berardi

Body Recomposition: Fasted Cardio and Fat Loss – Q&A

The New York Times: Really? The Claim - Exercising on an Empty Stomach Burns More Fat

What bodyfat percentage am I?

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People can look ver different, even at the same level of bodyfat. This is due to their body composition (i.e. ratio of fat:muscle).
Leigh Peele wrote a really good article on this here: http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-p...nd-percentages
Here are the pictures from the article for a quick guide:

General Training Questions

How do you perform [insert exercise name here]?

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Below is a list of the ‘core’ exercises that should feature in everybody’s routine (in some way), regardless of their goals (ie; fat loss, muscular hypertrophy, strength development, athleticism).

Deadlift

Deadlift – Mike Robertson

The Deadlift - How To Do It Properly - burningnun

Squat

Squatting 101 – Mike Robertson

Squats: How To Do It Properly - Misogynist

How to learn the squat - The Blind Monk

Row

Row Right: Get More Bang for Your Back - Mike Robertson

Deconstructing the Dumbbell Row - Dean Somerset

Pullup/Chinup

Things You Should Know How To Do #1: The Pull-Up - Nate Green

Bench Press

Step-by-Step Bench Pressing – Mike Robertson

Bench Press – Mike Robertson

Overhead Press

How to Master The Overhead Press - Mehdi

The Overhead Press: Bodybuilding's Forgotten Muscle Builder - Chris Colucci

Lunge

The Hardcore Lunge: Learn it, do it, Love it - Mike Robertson


Other more general guides on exercise technique are included below:

ExRx - Exercise & Muscle Directory

BodyBuilding.com - Exercise Guides

What routine should I follow?

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Recommended Training Programs

Beginners

Starting Strength - Basic Barbell Training

"Starting Strength is a unique approach to coaching weight training, written by coaches and designed specifically for training beginners. Learn how to effectively and safely coach the basic core lifts and their programming in an easy to do, step-by-step process. Featuring the most heavily illustrated exercise chapters in print, Starting Strength shows the reader not only how to teach the lifts, but how to recognize and correct technique errors. The book features flip animations of each exercise performed correctly, along with practical interpretations of coaching theory, and the anatomical, physiological, and mechanical principles of training. It will help prepare coaches and personal trainers to be more effective strength and conditioning professionals."

Used by many people on this forum. It is highly recommended that you buy the book as most online versions are modified.

Westside For Skinny Bastards

"Many of my programs are based on the principles popularized by Louie Simmons and the Westside Barbell Club. Through my extensive research and experience, I’ve found that this system produces the best results. I’ve also found that, like any other system, you must manipulate it to suit your specific needs.

We’re all well aware that the Westside Barbell Club is the home to some of the strongest, most gifted powerlifters in the world. The results this system has produced speaks for itself. The problem is, I don’t train powerlifters. In fact, most of the younger athletes who come to me aren’t physically prepared to jump into such a demanding program.

My clientèle consists mainly of football players, wrestlers, baseball players, hockey players, basketball players, and track & field athletes. These athletes range from high school kids to professionals. Through my experience of working with these different athletes, I'm constantly manipulating the system so it better suits an athlete’s specific sport and his training level."

Another very popular program.

Stronglifts 5x5

"StrongLifts 5×5 is a foolproof training program guaranteed to pack on solid muscle and raw strength... while burning body fat... regardless of your age, genetics and bodytype... in only 3 workouts a week of 45 minutes each."

A good and popular program but beware the hype surrounding it.

The New Rules of Lifting

"A revolutionary method of weight lifting using today's science for maximum results. In The New Rules of Lifting, fitness guru Lou Schuler and strength-training expert Alwyn Cosgrove boil down the most recent findings on weight lifting and fitness to create a program of workouts that focuses on the movements at which the body naturally excels. These six "real-life" movements-squat, bend, lunge, push, pull, and twist-compose three complete programs for three distinct goals: fat loss, muscle gain, and strength improvement.At home or at the gym, these routines can be mixed and matched for a year's worth of workouts that will keep boredom at bay and lifters challenged long after most plans have called it quits. And while coordinated, useful muscles will always turn heads at the beach, they'll also help you live better and longer. Besides providing comprehensive workout programs, The New Rules of Lifting covers much-needed background on aspects of lifting that are often overlooked, like warming up, nutrition, and meal planning. Throughout, Schuler and Cosgrove debunk strength-training myths, troubleshoot dangerous pitfalls, and clearly illustrate moves with black-and-white photographs."

A beginner friendly book on training and nutrition in general. It but it does have a good novice routine but also more advanced fat loss, hypertrophy and strength routines.

Intermediate to Advanced

Bill Starr's 5x5

"Relatively easy program to understand. It nicely illustrates the importance of making systematic progression to drive gains and increase the core lifts."

Great program. You will make awesome progress with all your main lifts and pack on a lot of size provided you are eating properly. It has been around for a long time and remains very popular.

5/3/1

"Elite level lifters to absolute beginners have all used the 5/3/1 Method; the basic tenets of strength training have and will never change. Big exercises, constant progress, and personal records will never go out of style.

...

The 5/3/1 Method is truly for anyone that is looking to get stronger. This is not a fancy training program that requires special equipment or Master's degree - all is required is your dedication to moving more weight than you had ever dreamed."

It is a good routine and it will 'work' for beginners however their progress will be much slower than a basic linear progression program (eg; Starting Strength, StrongLifts).

Useful Links:

Routines, Routines, and more Routines - MuscleTalk

How many reps/sets should I do?

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That depends on your aims. Check out this image for an easy answer:

How should a beginner train? I cannot afford to go to the gym, what can I do?

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Before you start investing in expensive gym memberships or home gym equipment form a regular exercise habit.

The basics...

1) Walking. Ensure that you're getting your 10,000 steps per day (3-5 miles) as an absolute MINIMUM. Walk to school/work/uni if possible, go for a walk in your lunch hour, take the stairs instead of the lift, etc. If you're still struggling to meet this take a 30 minute walk in the morning before breakfast and another 30 minute walk in the evening after dinner. Once you're getting your 10,000 steps then you can think about supplementing this with further cardio and strength training.

2) Cardio. Start the Couch to 5k running routine. It is cheap/free and it works. Run outside because it is a better workout than using a dreadmill and more enjoyable.

3) Strength. Pick one lower body movement (ie; squats, deadlifts, lunges, stepups, etc), one upper body pull (ie; pullups, chinups, dumbbell row, bent over row, etc) and one upper body push (ie; pushups, dips, overhead press, etc). Perform 3-6 sets of 6-12 reps with 60-180 seconds rest 1-3 times per week. If you find an exercise too difficult substitute it for an easier one (eg; negative pullups from a jump instead of pullups) and vice versa (eg; full pushups instead of 'girl'/kneeling pushups). Simplefit is a good site to check out.

Useful Links:

NHS Choices: The 10,000 steps challenge

BBC: 10,000 Steps to Health - Myth or Magic?

Couch to 5K

HIIT - Beginner

HIIT - Intermediate

HIIT - Advanced Part 1

HIIT - Advanced Part 2

Mark Young Training Systems: Metabolic Workouts for Fat loss - A Waste of Time?

Which martial art should I do? Which martial art is best?

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Bear in mind that if self defence is one of the driving motivations behind this decision most fight outcomes are determined by size and strength. Irrespective of which martial art you choose it takes a significant amount of time (easily several years) to become proficient and re-address this balance. The single most effective thing you can do is avoid confrontation - avoid people or places that are known for trouble, know when to walk away, know when to shut your mouth/apologise/buy-someone-a-drink and be streetwise.

If self defence isn't that important to you pick something that you enjoy. Many places provide cheap, or even free, 'taster' sessions so that you can try out a wide range of clubs or classes to see which best suits you. If you intend to take the sport very seriously and compete you are best looking for a club that has a successful fighting team rather than the more informal classes held by the large gym providers.

Useful Links:

Street Safety - Suzy Lamplugh Trust

UK Directory of Martial Arts Clubs

The 'Which martial art should I take up?' Thread

Why do you train? What do you train for?

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The 'Why do you train?' Thread

What is your height and weight?

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Height & Weight Thread

What music do you listen to when you workout? What is your favourite workout music?

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Workout Music Thread

General Nutrition Questions

What should I be eating and in what proportions? How do you eat healthily?

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Get a plate/bowl:

• 1/4 should be a good source of protein
• 1/4 should be a good source of carbohydrates
• 1/2 should be fruit and/or vegetables

A separate category isn't included for fats however many of the foods mentioned below do contain fats. Provided you eat a good and varied diet including foods such as oily fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, animal products, etc you should have few, if any problems meeting your daily fat requirement.

Good Sources of Protein:

Meat - Poultry (eg; Chicken, Turkey, Duck), Red Meat (eg; Beef, Pork, Lamb)
Fish - Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Mackerel, Prawns, Trout
Dairy Products - Cheese, Milk, Yoghurt, Whey Protein
Eggs
Nuts - Almonds, Brazil, Walnut
Seeds - Pumpkin, Sunflower, Linseed, Flax
Pulses - Beans (eg; Haricot, Garbanzo, Butter, Aduki), Lentils (eg; Red, Green)
Other - Fermented soy products (eg; Tofu, Tempeh), Mycoprotein (eg; Quorn)

Good Sources of Carbohydrates:

Grains - Whole Wheat Pasta, Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Brown Bread, Oats
Pulses - Beans (eg; Haricot, Garbanzo, Butter, Aduki), Lentils (eg; Red, Green)
Fruit and Vegetables - Sweet Potato, Potato, Fruit and Vegetables in general
Other - Quinoa, Amaranth

Fruit and Vegetables:

Aim for 10 portions of fruit and veg daily, ideally consume 10 different types and colours. However, this is a problem area for many and 10 portions of frozen mixed vegetables, if that is only what you can afford or stomach, is better than none at all.

Avoid fruit juices, they are relatively high in sugars and calories, raw fruit is a better alternative.

Avoid:

Processed food (eg; sausages, cheap burgers, takeaways, ready meals, fast food, pre-packaged foods, sweets, cakes, biscuits, fizzy drinks, etc)
Adding sugar to food or drinks
Adding salt to food or drinks
Artificial sweeteners (eg; Aspartame)
Highly refined carbohydrates (eg; caster sugar, white flour, white bread, 'white' pasta)

Useful Links:

The PERFECT Meal: What to Eat to Lose Fat & Build Muscle - Nick Tumminello

What do fitness professionals eat? - Michael Gray

What if I cannot afford to eat healthily?

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It does not have to be expensive to eat healthily.

Check out your local greengrocer, sometimes they are cheaper than your local supermarket. If you can't afford fresh fruit and vegetables frozen veg is a cheaper and quicker alternative.

Dried beans and lentils can be bought in large bags for a matter of pence. Soaked overnight and cooked properly they can potentially make 10s of meals. Similarly things like brown rice can be bought very cheaply.

As for meats and fish go for cheaper cuts (eg; chicken legs and thighs as opposed to breast, braising steak as opposed to rib eye). You may have to cook them for slightly longer but often you'll get more flavour. It is also a good idea to browse supermarkets in the evening when the staff are beginning to reduce stock which is nearing it's sell by date.

Useful Links:

Goodness Direct - Sells cheap Organic nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and other groceries.

HotUKDeals: Groceries - Latest deals and vouchers on groceries.

mySupermarket - Compare supermarket prices and save money on your groceries.

Where can I buy good supplements? Where can I buy cheap supplements?

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Highstreet (Expensive)

Holland and Barrett - Stock their own range of supplements on-line & in-store.

Tesco - Stock Maximuscle, Sci-MX Nutrition and SIS on-line & in-store.

Snow + Rock - Stock SIS, Powerbar, Clif Bar on-line & in-store.

Many other highstreet retailers (eg; Argos, Boots, etc) and health food shops (eg; GNC, etc) stock supplements however generally they are a very expensive way of buying your supplements.

On-line (Expensive)

Optimum Nutrition - Product Catalogue and Nutritional Info/Product Info

PhD Nutrition

Maximuscle - Very expensive.

Met-Rx

BSN - Product Catalogue and Nutritional Info/Product Info

Science in Sport - Available in many specialist running shops as well as on-line.

On-line (Cheap/Bulk Suppliers)

BodybuildingWarehouse

BulkPowders

BulkSupplementsDirect

IronScience

Monster Supplements

My Protein

Many of the bulk suppliers offer a 5% discount to new customers using referral codes. Please check out the link below for discount codes for MyProtein and BulkSupplementsDirect:

The Ultimate Supplement Discount Code Thread

Many of these sites also have 'price beaters' where further savings can be made. A brief guide is shown below:

1) Go to MyProtein

2) On the left hand side click on their Price Beater

3) Type in http://www.bodybuildingwarehouse.co.uk/, http://www.bulkpowders.co.uk/, http://www.bulksupplementsdirect.co.uk/ or www.ironscience.co.uk - This should knock at least 5% off of MyProtein's normal price

4) Go for their Impact Whey Protein

5) At checkout, use one of these Discount Codes (if you are a new customer) and/or a NUS code (if you have one) for a further discount

Contributors

Bishamon

burningnun

commandant

cowsforsale

Lady Venom

Misogynist

The Blind Monk

xoxAngel_Kxox

Shawshank

Becca

Nice!

[Smack]

(Original post by Super Cicero)
When doing weights at the gym, is it best to do 1 set of say the bench press, rest, then 1 set of squats, and so on; or is it better to do 1 set of bench press, rest, then another set of the bench press, and do all sets for the bench press before moving on to next thing?

Depends on the exercise and how important it is to you. For a main lift, one that's progress is important to me, I like to have a proper rest between sets. So for squats I do one set, have a rest, another set etc. until finished. The same for bench.

But for something like curls, back extensions, face pulls etc. you can do a set, then go to the next exercise and do a set, etc. This is called circuit training, and it helps save time on the "fluff" exercises so to speak.

[bambamty]

What sort of work outs did everyone start on? In terms of, exercises, mass and reps?


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[major_mishap]

Eat, Lift, Sleep.

[bambamty]

(Original post by major_mishap)
Eat, Lift, Sleep.

If you don't mind me asking, what is a good routine to start on in terms of weights, lifts and masses?, I Intend to go the gym 3 times per week, and swimming (then rugby when I get back to uni)


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[gingerandice]

Want to achieve a shape like this:

im a pretty skinny, tall etc...but i want to gain some weight, in a healthy way.ESPCIALLY on my arms because they are very skinny and not slender with a bit of 'flesh'.I also want a little weight on my tummy? I just want to gain more weight, but the right way. Im female btw

would LOVE a tummy like : mine's pretty flat, but want the curvy love handles??


PLEASE HELP! X0X0X

[Ryan_94]

Before I start, when I say "body-building" I don't mean I wanna look like Brock Lesnar or Jay Cutler! I just wanna shred my excess fat and get a nice body, but still look good in normal clothes, etc.

In the past when I tried going to the gym (when I was 16 to nearly 18) I didn't really gain any muscle mass as I over trained things I liked doing, and completely neglected things I didn't care for (abs, lats, etc). Now I wanna get back into with more dedication and maturity but doing it all at home with my own bench and weights, etc.

In the past I used to just go every day and do the same weights and hope to get big... this never really happen. So my question is, is this a good way of approaching getting "big"?

My plan is to just focus on increasing the weights I lift. Surely if I just forget about size and measurements and just focus on adding more lbs. every week (or month, etc.) the size will follow?

What do you all think? I'm willing to eat a good diet but I don't wanna base my life around it... I want my body to be a compromise of good living and hard work! :')

[crocker710]

(Original post by Ryan_94)
Before I start, when I say "body-building" I don't mean I wanna look like Brock Lesnar or Jay Cutler! I just wanna shred my excess fat and get a nice body, but still look good in normal clothes, etc.

In the past when I tried going to the gym (when I was 16 to nearly 18) I didn't really gain any muscle mass as I over trained things I liked doing, and completely neglected things I didn't care for (abs, lats, etc). Now I wanna get back into with more dedication and maturity but doing it all at home with my own bench and weights, etc.

In the past I used to just go every day and do the same weights and hope to get big... this never really happen. So my question is, is this a good way of approaching getting "big"?

My plan is to just focus on increasing the weights I lift. Surely if I just forget about size and measurements and just focus on adding more lbs. every week (or month, etc.) the size will follow?

What do you all think? I'm willing to eat a good diet but I don't wanna base my life around it... I want my body to be a compromise of good living and hard work! :')

It'll be more helpful if you posted your planned routine and diet to give you more accurate guidance.

If the question is - If I do the same exercise for the same muscle groups day in, day out will I get big? then no, no you wont, and you'll look really out of proportion.

[Ryan_94]

Thanks for the reply. What I mean is, if my main focus is to increase the weight I'm lifting (regardless of routine) and not consider size gains, is this more effective?

[crocker710]

(Original post by Ryan_94)
Thanks for the reply. What I mean is, if my main focus is to increase the weight I'm lifting (regardless of routine) and not consider size gains, is this more effective?

If you're looking for strength gains I presume you're going to be eating at a calorific surplus? to allow the muscles to grow. If you're eating at a calorific surplus then you'll be also gaining a small amount of fat in proportion to how clean your bulk is. If your goal is to 'shred excess fat and get a nice body' then you're not going to shred the fat if this is your plan.

I suggest you have one goal in mind. Either you want to bulk, gain mass and strength. or you want to cut, attempting to maintain your current lifts whilst losing some body fat. I'd say it's very difficult to mix the two and having a clear goal in mind will allow you to plan what you want to do more effectively.

[HFerguson]

>I wanna do it at home
>doesn't mention a squat rack

... you gonna be squatting OP? Squats and big legs are key to a great aesthetic physique, otherwise you're not body-buidling, you're bro-dy building

progressive tension overload, i.e. increasing the weight, is a good way to go about progressing.

[Classical Liberal]

Eat. Lift 6-12 reps. 2-3 sets. 60-90 seconds rest.

[Chewyy]

This summer I basically don't exercise but I've been eating well. I would obviously like to have a healthier body because I'm currently the epitome of skinny(ish) fat. I'm a size 10 and look good with my clothes on and I'm happy with the weight I am generally, but I just want to get a bit more toned. My BMI is 20 and I've wanted to figure out my body fat but all the websites i've tried give me incredibly varied results. No pictures but I've included some of the measurements they ask:

Weight: 61kg
Height: 5 7
Waist: 27
Hips: 36
Bust: 32
Neck: 14
Forearm: 9
Wrist: 6

I was wondering if someone could help me figure out my body fat percentage and just give me very general tips for what I could do to tone myself. I don't have the motivation to go to the gym or do weights, so I was hoping for an option that may not have as good results, but hopefully some minor ones just to make me look slightly better. I was going to take up pilates, pole dancing and tango next year at uni, would that do anything?

[jesstonto]

I lost 7lbs a few weeks back eating roughly 1200/day for a period of time. I lost it slowly so figured I wouldn't put it back on so easily.. However I went on holiday and put it all back on plus more!

My current measurements are 34-28-38 and I hate my size... I weigh 139lbs.
Ideally I would like to lose 2-3inches and 14lbs.

I eat very healthily and go to the gym 4-5 times a week.

Ideas?

[HFerguson]

I can't imagine pilates "toning" you, nor tango. Pole Dancing does require strength though.

Honestly though, all I'm reading are excuses - you want to look better but aren't willing to put in the effort. Truth be told, the best thing that will improve your physique, being skinny-fat, is lifting weights. By increasing your muscle mass, you proportionally decrease your bodyfat %, which increases muscle definition. Or, you could lift weights to retain what little muscle mass you have (or even improve it) and lose bodyfat. I can't think of anything that works nearly as well as high-resistance training.

[xoxAngel_Kxox]

If you've only just come back off holiday, you should find that a lot of it will come back off as soon as you start being healthy again. It's so easy to eat and drink more than you planned on holiday, and I wouldn't worry about it too much. Give it a few weeks and you should be back to normal.

[cturner883]

They say the most important part of losing weight is your diet (70% diet and 30% gym/exercise). If you don’t mind me asking what does your general daily diet consist of? As for the Gym it sounds like you are putting the days in but your problem might lie with your routine...you should change your gym routine about once every 6 - 8 weeks to keep your body from adjusting.

[jesstonto]

(Original post by cturner883)
They say the most important part of losing weight is your diet (70% diet and 30% gym/exercise). If you don’t mind me asking what does your general daily diet consist of? As for the Gym it sounds like you are putting the days in but your problem might lie with your routine...you should change your gym routine about once every 6 - 8 weeks to keep your body from adjusting.

I do lots of the classes. For example I did aerobics and yoga yesterday for 2.5hours. I usually have weetabix, toast, or eggs for breakfast, salad and cous cous for lunch and then various things for dinner... I am vegetarian. My downfall is that I eat when I'm at work..I work as a waitress and there are always things in the kitchen :/ I find it SO hard not to have a bit of icecream when I'm making one and I guess it all adds up. A stone is a lot of weight to lose though and I have no idea how