Help with diet/fitness!

*Lees*

Hey everyone!
I'm trying to get myself into shape at the moment!! I totally let myself go when I met my boyfriend and have basically being eating take aways 24/7 for the last 3 years, drinking loads and sitting on my ass all day long!! So, I decided a few weeks ago to sort myself out, I've joined a gym and have been going about 4 times per week. I have also changed my diet but I would like to make sure I'm doing everything right with you guys because you all seem to know what your talking about!!
Im 5'3" and I weigh 9 stone 6 pounds!! I had an assessment at my gym last week and I had my body fat % measured and it was ok suprisingly enough!! My stomach doesn't seem to hold any fat, it's like it's all gone to my bum and thighs and the backs of my arms!!! So... here it goes!

My Diet!

Breakfast 9.30: Bowl of Allbran with normal milk/boiled or scrambled eggs/ mc cambridges bread and a little butter

Snack 11:30am: apple/banana/yoghurt/cuppa soup!

Lunch 1pm: 2 slices of brown bread or Mc Cambridges bread. Chicken breast with salad and a little mayo or tuna and sweetcorn.

Snack: 3:30pm: apple or a few pistachio nuts (roasted and salted)

Dinner 6pm: varies a lot.. usually some type of meat (chicken, steak, pork, ham) Potatoes (mashed or roasted!) and veg (carrots, parsnips, brocolli, cabbage)


This is what I am doing in the gym 3 or 4 days per week!

15 mins walking quickly on threadmill (it's set to go uphill and get more difficult... also i havent started jogging on it yet, im very clumsy and im afraid incase i fall!!!:o)
15 mins on the Xtrainer with the difficulty changing all the time
1500 meters on the rower

I don't know all the names of the machines but ill try:

2 x 12 reps on chest press with 15kg
2 x 12 reps on shoulder press with 15kg
3 x 12 reps on adductor (40kgs i think)
3 x 12 reps on abductor (also 40kgs i think)
2 x 12 reps on machine where you seated and have your legs right up to your chest and push your legs and the seat moves in and out (30 kgs i think?)

I then use dumbells weighing 3kg and do 2 x 12 bicep curls
2 x 12 sitting on edge of bench and lowering myself up and down! (sorry i dont have the correct terminology for this!)
2 x 12 crunches holding last ones for as long as possible
2 x 12 crunches with my legs in the air!
Do 'The Plank' a few times before stretching.

I train mostly in the mornings at 7am! I do 1 or two classes per week also, usually spinning for 40 mins or Abs training class for 40 mins. I am going to a body ball class later so hopefully that will help too!!
I go for a swim most of the time after the gym too!!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated on my diet or workout!

Colm_OReilly

Quick tips on diet

- Drop the potatoes
- Limit the bread
- Eat more nuts if you're feeling lethargic

The bread and potatoes will be a killer for fat loss, so look to reduce these. I'm also pretty anti dairy so I'd advise against the yoghurt, but others would disagree. Best thing is to try it and see.

Now, ditch the machines! Learn the following movements:
Squat
Deadlift
Shoulder Press
Bench

You can find plenty of videos on these movements here and here

Also, if your gym has an assisted pull up/dip machine, use these of bicep curls.

Obviously your very motivated and you will see results, particularly as you've been inactive for so long. Now we want to make your time in the gym as productive as possible.

Because you're so motivated, you'll have a tendency to do too much (run, x-trainer, rower, weights, abs, swim all in one session). Better to have an intense session (one that you can't keep going afterwards) that's shorter and delivers a better hit.

Let us knwo if you need any more advice.

Colm