Confused new gym member needs help!

Capricorn09

Hi,

I was wondering if somebody could offer advice. I joined a gym about two months ago in the hope of losing some weight! I am 5 foot 2, weigh around 60.2kg (female) and have a reasonable diet. It's not perfect but not awful either. I started doing the program given to me by the instructor which involved a lot of weights and maybe only about 10 minutes cardio. I have been doing the program religiously three times a week, and went back to the gym recently for a reassment. I was then told that I have 7 per cent more body fat that I did two months ago but my weight has not changed. My diet if anything has improved (but maybe only slightly) and I am sure it is definitely not worse than before. I've been told to cut out carbs more or less completely but I find this really hard and am at a loss most of the time what to cook for meals. This is really my first attempt ever to lose weight and I have never been an avid gym goer before this, so I am at a loss about what to eat, if a program with a lot of weights is a good idea for weight loss...any advice would be appreciated!! Thanks

cowzerp

2 things may have happened, 1 the trainer done the body fat test wrong, this can be done with calipers or a monitor if the wrong info was put in.

the other and worse 1 is that if you are eating very little protein you could have actually lost muscles and gained fat, if you gained 3.5% fat and lost the same amount of muscle you'd be up 7%

if that is the case up your protein intake, stick with weights and do a bit more cardio than 10 mins, maybe 20-30 mins..

tell us more and we can tell you more

Capricorn09

I eat some protein every day, either chicken, fish or steak for dinner and sometimes an egg in the morning. Maybe this is not enough...

To be honest apart from meat and eggs I am not sure what other food would be a good protein source.

Procasinator

Capricorn09 wrote: »

To be honest apart from meat and eggs I am not sure what other food would be a good protein source.

Their are loads: cottage cheese, tuna, tofu, cheese, milk. Even consider getting yourself some whey protein (protein shakes) for straight after your workout.

Google is your friend: http://www.google.ie/search?q=good+sources+of+protein&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t

Transform

how was the body fat tested?

TommyKnocker

Hi Capricorn09

Could you possibly post up your typical daily food & liquid intake (warts and all) and be as detailed as possible (time, food eaten) and also what the gym instructor reckons your bodyfat % is now.

Also if you could post up your current gym routine, again in as much detail as possible. Exercises performed, weight used, number of sets and reps and what type of cardio exercise you do.

And lastly what are your goals are, drop bodyfat, get stronger, get generally fitter, training for a specific sport etc

This might help pinpoint what needs to be tweaked to get you the results you are looking for.


Best Regards,

M

cowzerp

Transform wrote: »

how was the body fat tested?

i'd question the tester more than the device, if there used wrong then the results will be wrong-simple

same applies for all common devices, bia, calipers etc.. even measuring tapes can be used inaccurately.

Transform

a calipers would NEVER be out by 7% unless it was a different tester.

I suspect a hand held one

Yapamillias

Transform wrote: »

a calipers would NEVER be out by 7% unless it was a different tester.

I suspect a hand held one

Ive seen loads of these, 7% difference is easy with the ACUU Measure

Capricorn09

I will try to outline my diet as much as possible, it usually does not vary much from the below:

Breakfast at 8.30 is usually either cereal (like Rice Krispies) with low fat milk or boiled/scrambled egg with a cup of tea, or porridge and tea, all with low fat milk.

At around 11am I usually have a cup of tea with either a special K cereal bar or some mixed nuts or a yoghurt.

At 12.30 I have lunch which changes depending on how hungry I am! I either have some pasta in a tomato based sauce, or a sandwich (wholemeal bread) with ham and coleslaw or a wholemeal bagel with chicken or bacon, and mixed salad on the sandwich or bagel. I either have a glass of water or sometimes a glass of coke with my lunch.

Dinner in the evening depends on whether I've had a big lunch or not. If I've had a sandwich at lunch I have either chicken/salmon/steak or pork chop with vegetables or if I've had a big lunch I usually have a toasted sandwich (ham and cheese) or a boiled egg with toast, all wholemeal bread.

I drink about 1.5 liters of water throughout the day and evening, sometimes I might have tea and a biscuit in the evening, most days I don't. So this is my diet, I know it's not great but I am trying to make changes slowly, I just find it hard to stick to something if I try do it all at once.

As for the program at the gym the one I have been doing for the last two months is as follows: (I don't know all of the proper terms so I'll try describe in as much details as I can):

Squats with 5k weight in each hand, 4 reps of 12
Lat pulldown weight of 70 (lbs? I can't remember what it says on the machine) 4 reps of 12
Back extension 4 reps of 15
Incline chest press 4 reps of twelve (weight 30k or lbs, can't remember which measurment it is, I just know the number 30!)
Then 15 minutes of cardio, usually I use the treadmill or cross trainer

I have a new program now which includes lunges 12 reps x 3
Lat pulldown 15 reps x 3
Leg curls (weight 50) 12 reps x 3
Flat chest press 2 x 5kg weights, 12 reps x 3
Tricep dips 12 reps x 3
6-8 minutes of cardio at beginning and end.

I hope this is not too much info! I was told yesterday my body fat is 37 percent which seems like a huge amount, it was measured with a hand calipers (I think this is what they are called, handheld device that seems to pinch fat!).

celestial

Most likely the instructor is too tied to the readings, and these can be unreliable at the best of times.

The most obvious question no-one has asked yet is - how do you look? Do you look like you've lost fat when you look in the mirror? How do your clothes fit now?

Capricorn09

I forgot to mention, my goal is to lose weight (as in body fat) and get fitter for health (heart and lungs). I've never really ran before but I wanted to build up towards running the ladies mini marathon next year. It's a long term goal!!

Capricorn09

I had started to notice not losing weight but more definition in my arms and legs, just looking a bit more toned. I was happy enough with this because I was not expecting dramatic results quickly at all, but then I was just confused after the measurements from yesterday.

Yapamillias

Capricorn09 wrote: »

Breakfast at 8.30 is usually either cereal (like Rice Krispies) with low fat milk or boiled/scrambled egg with a cup of tea, or porridge and tea, all with low fat milk.

Rice Krispies is not a great breakfast, you would need to have a low GI cereal like porridge or wheatabix and green tea would cut out extra calories from the milk and maybe sugar.

Capricorn09 wrote: »

At around 11am I usually have a cup of tea with either a special K cereal bar or some mixed nuts or a yoghurt.

Special K cereal bars and/or other 'breakfast' bars are very high in sugars, the nuts and yoghurt are a better choice.

Capricorn09 wrote: »

At 12.30 I have lunch which changes depending on how hungry I am! I either have some pasta in a tomato based sauce, or a sandwich (wholemeal bread) with ham and coleslaw or a wholemeal bagel with chicken or bacon, and mixed salad on the sandwich or bagel. I either have a glass of water or sometimes a glass of coke with my lunch.

Lunch is up to yourself, it all depends on making healthy choices, like you said wholemeal bread etc...ditch the coke.

Capricorn09 wrote: »

Dinner in the evening depends on whether I've had a big lunch or not. If I've had a sandwich at lunch I have either chicken/salmon/steak or pork chop with vegetables or if I've had a big lunch I usually have a toasted sandwich (ham and cheese) or a boiled egg with toast, all wholemeal bread.

chicken/salmon/steak or pork chop with vegetables is perfect, toasted sandwich is lacking too much in quality protein...packaged sliced ham is not great

Capricorn09 wrote: »

I drink about 1.5 liters of water throughout the day and evening, sometimes I might have tea and a biscuit in the evening, most days I don't. So this is my diet, I know it's not great but I am trying to make changes slowly, I just find it hard to stick to something if I try do it all at once.

Your diet is not terrible, as you said, little changes throughout the day, get into a routine and just prepare your meals before hand so there are no excuses for picking up less healthy food :pac:

cojomo2

Capricorn09 wrote: »

I had started to notice not losing weight but more definition in my arms and legs, just looking a bit more toned. I was happy enough with this because I was not expecting dramatic results quickly at all, but then I was just confused after the measurements from yesterday.

If you ask me, this is the most important thing- what you see when you look in the mirror. Going by the scales is not always accurate.

I think your trainer is correct in focusing on weights, if you can add some muscle to your frame this will assist greatly in burning fat, even when your just sitting on your ass watching tv. And ofcourse you can gradually increase the cardio to keep you fit and healthy.

You may want to consider upping the weighs when doing your resistance training. When you say you do ''4 reps of 14'' i think you mean 4 sets of 14 reps. If you are able to maintain 14 reps on every set, then its a bit too easy. Pick a weight you can manage 14 reps on set 1, and maybe 2, and then by set 3 and 4 , it should be a struggle to hit 14 reps, and you will be only able for maybe 10 or 12.

Capricorn09

Thanks for the diet and fitness advice. I will try my new program for a while and hopefully next time I get a reassment the results will be better!

corkcomp

Capricorn09 wrote: »

I will try to outline my diet as much as possible, it usually does not vary much from the below:

Breakfast at 8.30 is usually either cereal (like Rice Krispies) with low fat milk or boiled/scrambled egg with a cup of tea, or porridge and tea, all with low fat milk.

At around 11am I usually have a cup of tea with either a special K cereal bar or some mixed nuts or a yoghurt.

At 12.30 I have lunch which changes depending on how hungry I am! I either have some pasta in a tomato based sauce, or a sandwich (wholemeal bread) with ham and coleslaw or a wholemeal bagel with chicken or bacon, and mixed salad on the sandwich or bagel. I either have a glass of water or sometimes a glass of coke with my lunch.

Dinner in the evening depends on whether I've had a big lunch or not. If I've had a sandwich at lunch I have either chicken/salmon/steak or pork chop with vegetables or if I've had a big lunch I usually have a toasted sandwich (ham and cheese) or a boiled egg with toast, all wholemeal bread.

I drink about 1.5 liters of water throughout the day and evening, sometimes I might have tea and a biscuit in the evening, most days I don't. So this is my diet, I know it's not great but I am trying to make changes slowly, I just find it hard to stick to something if I try do it all at once.

As for the program at the gym the one I have been doing for the last two months is as follows: (I don't know all of the proper terms so I'll try describe in as much details as I can):

Squats with 5k weight in each hand, 4 reps of 12
Lat pulldown weight of 70 (lbs? I can't remember what it says on the machine) 4 reps of 12
Back extension 4 reps of 15
Incline chest press 4 reps of twelve (weight 30k or lbs, can't remember which measurment it is, I just know the number 30!)
Then 15 minutes of cardio, usually I use the treadmill or cross trainer

I have a new program now which includes lunges 12 reps x 3
Lat pulldown 15 reps x 3
Leg curls (weight 50) 12 reps x 3
Flat chest press 2 x 5kg weights, 12 reps x 3
Tricep dips 12 reps x 3
6-8 minutes of cardio at beginning and end.

I hope this is not too much info! I was told yesterday my body fat is 37 percent which seems like a huge amount, it was measured with a hand calipers (I think this is what they are called, handheld device that seems to pinch fat!).

you need to read the diet + nutrition stickies, your diet is poor TBH ..

Transform

no offence but your diet is realllly letting you down - you can train all you like but your committing carbacide every day otherwise.

Also your training program looks like it would take 25min to do its so short and not at all balanced. Please just get the basic exercises going first (i did a youtube clip on this recently look it up).

You can ask around and others will tell you your doing great and keep at it but honestly its going to take forever to get when you want to be unless you change direction with diet and doing a proper program

Capricorn09

I understand the diet is far from ideal and I am working on it just slowly because I don't want to implement loads of changes at the same time that will be too much for me and I won't stick to. The program (both old and new) are the ones given to me by the trainers in the gym I joined, when you say they are unbalanced what do you mean? I would do my own program at the gym if I knew what it should involve, like half cardio half weights (for example)?