Help - 4 week workout

willy wonka

I have a foreign wedding to go to in 4 weeks and I need to tone up some wobbly bits and lose a few pounds and I need your help!

I am a girl, 5'7" weigh between 8.5 and 8.9 stone. I am what you would call skinny-fat, as in I look thin but have wobbly bits, namely my tummy and arms. My legs, thighs, bum is fine.

My diet is healthy and the last few weeks I am consuming about 1200-1500 calories a day. I eat lots of fruit, veg, replaced dairy with soya and try not to eat much bread and chocolate. Actually I rarely eat chocolate any more, maybe once or twice a week. I eat eggs and pulses but am a vegetarian.

I am fairly fit, run a bit. Unfortunately I have been run down lately and have been listening to my body when it comes to exercise but I have worked up to 3 20minute runs a week. I also have dodgy knees so try not to overdo the running. I have been doing sit ups and some arm exercises.

What would you recommend I do to lose a couple of pounds and really work my problem areas? Thank you

willy wonka

I should add that I've not lost much weight since cutting back, maybe 1 pound, 2 pounds at most. Am I consuming too little?

Jimmy Bottlehead

willy wonka wrote: »

I have a foreign wedding to go to in 4 weeks and I need to tone up some wobbly bits and lose a few pounds and I need your help!

I am a girl, 5'7" weigh between 8.5 and 8.9 stone. I am what you would call skinny-fat, as in I look thin but have wobbly bits, namely my tummy and arms. My legs, thighs, bum is fine.

My diet is healthy and the last couple of weeks I am consuming about 1200-1500 calories a day. I eat lots of fruit, veg, replaced dairy with soya and try not to eat much bread and chocolate. Actually I rarely eat chocolate any more, maybe once or twice a week. I eat eggs and pulses but am a vegetarian.

I am fairly fit, run a bit. Unfortunately I have been run down lately and have been listening to my body when it comes to exercise but I have worked up to 3 20minute runs a week. I also have dodgy knees so try not to overdo the running. I have been doing sit ups and some arm exercises.

What would you recommend I do to lose a couple of pounds and really work my problem areas? Thank you

Check the stickies at the top of the forum for more info, but in a nutshell:

* Hit the heavy weights - Starting Strength is a good program

* Get your protein intake up, your carb and fat intake to moderate levels. Get around 25g of protein per meal, and keep your body ticking over with (good) food all day.

* Work your t1ts off in the gym, and eat well and you WILL firm up.


This is tried and tested advice, the rest is up to you. Final thing - don't just look at it as a 4 week Get Out Of Jail card... make this a lifestyle change!
Why look awesome every few years when you can look awesome all the time?

willy wonka

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

This is tried and tested advice, the rest is up to you. Final thing - don't just look at it as a 4 week Get Out Of Jail card... make this a lifestyle change!
Why look awesome every few years when you can look awesome all the time?

Believe me I have been active for years, but I always end up getting really sick the more exercise I do, even when I take rest days. Is is a major pain in the bum!

Jimmy Bottlehead

willy wonka wrote: »

Believe me I have been active for years, but I always end up getting really sick the more exercise I do, even when I take rest days. Is is a major pain in the bum!

Ah good to hear you're not another of those (being honest, mainly female) posters who ignore their bodies til a month or two before a big event, then panic and come on here

I'd say go with a good multivitamin then so, with minerals in it too. Glutamine also boosts immune system I believe, so if you're worried give that a rattle.

willy wonka

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Ah good to hear you're not another of those (being honest, mainly female) posters who ignore their bodies til a month or two before a big event, then panic and come on here

I'd say go with a good multivitamin then so, with minerals in it too. Glutamine also boosts immune system I believe, so if you're worried give that a rattle.

LOL! Must look into the Glutamine. I was taking Berocca for a couple of months when I had my finals in college and it was a life-saver. Never got ill after all-nighters. Would Berocca be a good supplement to take?

Thanks for all the advice

Jimmy Bottlehead

willy wonka wrote: »

LOL! Must look into the Glutamine. I was taking Berocca for a couple of months when I had my finals in college and it was a life-saver. Never got ill after all-nighters. Would Berocca be a good supplement to take?

Thanks for all the advice

Well i think that is aimed at hangovers - just pick up some one a day Vit/min tabs in Boots. Cheap as chips and there's always a 3 for 2 offer.

corkcomp

hi OP, others may disagree but I think 20 minutes * 3 per week is not going to be very useful if you want to loose weight, that level of cardio is maintenance at best ... Lift weights if you can ... either way id recommend you up the cardio to 45 minutes - 1 hr * 5 per week ... that doesnt mean pounding the pavement for that much time . you can mix it up and alternatey between different low impact equipment like cross trainer or stationary bike etc ...

Mhmm...weetabix

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Well i think that is aimed at hangovers - just pick up some one a day Vit/min tabs in Boots. Cheap as chips and there's always a 3 for 2 offer.

+1
Also if you start to feel yourself getting sick up the dose to twice daily until you feel better, it works a treat for keeping symptoms at a minimum til your better. It's taken me a couple of years but I've gotten my family and am slowly convincing my friends to do this and none of them have regretted it yet

Colm_OReilly

Do you have to be a vegetarian? Serious question, but can you eat meet but choose not to? Might be worth considering given you feel sick often.

Secondly, learn to squat. I'm willing to bet you've never seriously considering your running technique and just ran. This is probably causing your knees no end of grieve. Look up the post method - though last time I checked the site - www.posetech.com, was very disorganized. Maybe youtube has some good videos on it.

On the squat, it will strengthen you up and build muscle (don't worry, you won't lose your feminity (sp?) by lifting heavy weights, but your muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so this aids in fat loss.

Mhmm...weetabix

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

Do you have to be a vegetarian?

+1
Didn't even see the vegetarian part , have to re read posts more often! Also on the knee problem have you tried Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements? My knee's are like new since I started taking them, also again take Colm's advice (again) and learn to squat

Reyman

5'7" and 8.5 stone. Why are you trying to lose weight ??
It sounds like you're pretty light for your height already. I'm reckoning most 5'7" women would be coming in at 9.5-10.0 stone but I'm no expert on this.

willy wonka

Thanks for all the replies.

Well for me I am usually 8.5 stone and don't have much wobbly bits. At the mo I am about 2-3 pounds heavier than this and just want to lose that, although I am kind of torn 'cos the extra bit of weight has given me curves which I like and I would like to keep them, but just lose the tummy and arm weight. I know this can't be done.

I've been a veggie for 20 years and it's a moral decision. I usually take iron supplements but lately everything seems to me disagreeing with me.

About the squats, my legs are the one thing I'm happy with. I've done kickboxing for years and we did a lot of squats and my leg muscles are toned.
But you're right, my running technique is probably terrible.
I'll look into taking glucosamine. My Mum takes this for her arthritis and it never occured to me to take it for my joints. I have a feeling with the way I'm going my knees are going to be crocks when I'm older!

Colm_OReilly

Have you moral objections to fish oil? This stuff would probably help your knees and health to an amazing degree.

willy wonka

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

Have you moral objections to fish oil? This stuff would probably help your knees and health to an amazing degree.

Unfortunately yes. I could take Udo's Oil again and it's veggie friendly. Thanks for the suggestion though. Have to take something - did a 35 minute workout yestersday and feel like I'm coming down with the flu today :rolleyes:

Mhmm...weetabix

willy wonka wrote: »

Unfortunately yes. I could take Udo's Oil again and it's veggie friendly. Thanks for the suggestion though. Have to take something - did a 35 minute workout yestersday and feel like I'm coming down with the flu today :rolleyes:

Udo's choice is great stuff. You should defo get back on it. I cant stomach fish oil, it's the only stuff that gives me indigestion, damn fishy burps.
Have you started taking multivitamins like suggested before? if so try doubling your vitamin intake for a few days if you feel your coming down with something, it might help (I'm convinced it will)!

Transform

Girl you really need to post up your diet in full detail here.

Being a veggie does expose you to deficiencies that will require specific supplementation or you will keep having the same problems.

hooplah

Transform wrote: »

Girl you really need to post up your diet in full detail here.

Being a veggie does expose you to deficiencies that will require specific supplementation or you will keep having the same problems.

What kind of deficiencies? I'm veggie and have recently started taking whey to up my protein levels. Iron has never been an issue whenever i've had a blood test- anything else you'd reccomend looking at?