Losing weight/ Exercise/ Calorie intake..

Hello,

Firstly apologies for quite possibly the millionth thread on this sort of topic, but advice would be really appreciated.

My natural body frame is muscly, tall and broad. I've accepted that. However i have decided that i want to lose weight and tone up. I am currently working out 5 times a week for an hour at a time. Exercise is taking the form of an hours swimming (im a county swimmer so it's very tough swimming) or spending 45 minutes doing intense cardio in the gym with 15 minutes of weights. I have cut my calorie intake to 1200 calories and am eating sensibly. I was just wondering if this is even remotely helpful in reaching my goal? I don't want to really add to my muscle bulk, just want to be very toned and lean!

Reply 1

username47781

Well you still want to eat three meals a day, i got a feeling 1200 is too low actually.

Reply 2

NilDesperandum

Eblis should be here to save the day sometime soon.

45 minutes of cardio is far too much in my opinion, in order to build muscle and burn fat via a cardio work-out you need to do a lot of work in a short period of time (anaerobic > aerobic). I do 20 minutes of interval training, and after that I can hardly walk, and I'm in pain for a day or two after.

I usually just hop on the treadmill, or use a stationary bike. I do it in levels of difficulty/effort (1 being very easy, 10 being all-out insanity work), I start with 2 minutes of level 5 (steady walk), then in minute burst it goes; 6,7,8,9,6,7,8,9,6,7,8,9,6,7,8,9,10,5 (then a cool-down for about 5 minutes).

I find this is really cutting down my body-fat, while strengthening my muscles, and improving my cardiovascular ability.

On the other hand 15 minutes of weight-training is a tiny amount, but in fear of wasting my words I'll let Eblis tell you what you should be doing in that respect.

I have to say though, just use the search function when looking for training tips. Although training will have to be adjusted to your body-type, the basics are the same.

--Saul.

Reply 3

Eblis_O'_Shaughnessy

Carl1982

Well you still want to eat three meals a day, i got a feeling 1200 is too low actually.

Why have you got this obsession with 3 meals a day? Smaller, more frequent meals is better. 6 if possible.

And 1200 calories is too low. If you're muscular and doing an hour of intense exercise a day, the very lowest you want your calorie intake to be is 1700 (which is assuming you have a reasnonably low BMR).

You don't want a calorie deficit much greater than 1000 calories per day. That will mean you lose 2lbs per week.

NilDesperandum

On the other hand 15 minutes of weight-training is a tiny amount, but in fear of wasting my words I'll let Eblis tell you what you should be doing in that respect.

I'm not sure what he's doing in that 15 minutes. I really doubt he's doing as much as he should be, but in theory if he's doing it 5 times a week then he could be doing enough weights. If he was super-setting and doing 8 sets in that time, then he's proabably doing enough weights, considering his goals is to cut fat rather than add bulk.

Reply 4

Ariel4

If youre doing that much exercise, youre probably not eating enough. 5 or 6 small meals a day, or 3 good meals with 3 healthy snack is good. you should probably exercise about 3 times a week for 30 mins-1 hour each time. if you want to continue doing the same amount of exercise that you are already do, up you calorie intake a bit. make sure youre meals contain lots of fruit and veg, some carbs, and a small amount of "good" fat, such as oily fish like tuna, olive oil or avocados. stay away from fried foods, fast food, chocolate and fizzy drinks and try to limit your alcohol intake, as alcohol is really fattening. if you want to drink, have spirits, such a vodka, with fresh juice, or slimline tonic, but go easy on these! :smile:

Reply 5

Eblis_O'_Shaughnessy

Ariel4

make sure youre meals contain lots of fruit and veg, some carbs, and a small amount of "good" fat, such as oily fish like tuna, olive oil or avocados.

If you can't stomach any of that fat, then nuts are a great alternative.

Reply 6

Ariel4

Eblis_O'_Shaughnessy

If you can't stomach any of that fat, then nuts are a great alternative.

I love them in salads. or cashew nuts (plain, not salted!) in a veggie stir-fry are great.

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

I didnt mention i was female- sorry. In the 15 minutes of weight training i'm just doing lat pull downs and shoulder presses really (i'm a butterfly swimmer).

After my 45 minutes of cardio i am in pain, yes, and i continue to be in pain for the following days but i believed that was normal and a sign of a good workout?

Reply 8

Eblis_O'_Shaughnessy

Pain is not the sign of a good workout, no. It can be, but not necessarily. Plus the more your muscles get used to working, the more you should be able to work out without pain.

Also, it doesn't sound like a very balanced routine to me. Lat pulldowns and shoulder presses? What are you doing to work your chest and triceps? What are you doing to work your legs? Your back needs a little more than lat pulldowns also.

I'd add some bent over rows in there and some dumbbell and barbell bench pressing. And don't forget squats and deadlifts.

Reply 9

alibertine

For 3 weeks I've been doing an hours exercise (min) a day and only eating one meal a day and I think I've lost next to nothing. So I hope you'll have better luck than me!!

Reply 10

Ariel4

alibertine

For 3 weeks I've been doing an hours exercise (min) a day and only eating one meal a day and I think I've lost next to nothing. So I hope you'll have better luck than me!!

Thats not going to work! you will just make yourself ill. if you want to exercise a lot, you need to eat well. just cut all the bad things out of your diet. switch white bread, pasta and rice for brown, eat lots of fruit and veg, drink low calorie drinks, like green tea and water, but not diet fizzy drinks like diet coke, they are full of crap!

Reply 11

alibertine

I know it sounds stupid and it's probably very unhealthy, but I also eat my 5 portions of fruit and veg a day and drink 2 litres of water, and I'm not exactly starving so..