Advice for mid 20's girl on gym workouts

leahyl

Hi everyone,

So I have been joined the gym for the last 2 weeks and I'm keeping it up - for now! I'm going 4 times a week - one of the days it's a spinning class and then 3 days gym.

I'm just wondering if I'm doing enough - I do an hour each of those days in the gym and the spinning class is 45 mins.

In the gym I tend to alter my workout depending on how I'm feeling so some days I might do 30 mins on the treadmill, 15 mins on the cross trainer and 15 with the free weights; another day I might do 20 mins cross trainer, 20 mins treadmill and 20 on free weights.

I'm basically just wondering is an hour really enough? I sweat a fair bit, I'm 5'6, weigh (according to my scales at home but I don't trust it tbh!) 10 stone 6 so I really want to lose 7-10lbs and tone up.

Would anybody suggest anything different to my workout or am I doing enough?

Thanks for your time:)

ambid

Hi OP.

I'd strongly suggest getting a programme from the staff in your gym or from a personal trainer. Whether you're investing enough time depends on your objectives, your diet, and the intensity with which you work out in my opinion. You said you vary your workouts, and that may not be ideal as a more structured programme would probably have more chance of helping you to achieve your objectives. A qualified instructor could give you a good comprehensive programme.

Good luck!

leggit

You're going enough for someone who's back in the gym. I always find the most important thing is to mix things up. Don't just stick with the cross trainer and threadmill, try the rower/bike or go swimming if your gym has a pool.

HIIT is also something I find excellent for shedding weight and increasing stamina. But I'd recommend doing this outside as it's quite dangerous on an indoor machine! You should try and do as much cardio outside as you can as it is much more testing than machine cardio imo.

Same thing can be said about free weights, don't just do the same lifts every time and try to concentrate on certain parts of your body in each session so they can get adequate rest between gym visits.

High intensity cardio and free weights are an excellent way to both lose weight and tone up imo.

leahyl

ambid wrote: »

Hi OP.

I'd strongly suggest getting a programme from the staff in your gym or from a personal trainer. Whether you're investing enough time depends on your objectives, your diet, and the intensity with which you work out in my opinion. You said you vary your workouts, and that may not be ideal as a more structured programme would probably have more chance of helping you to achieve your objectives. A qualified instructor could give you a good comprehensive programme.

Good luck!

Thanks - I actually have a programme but the instructor said that it was just a guide and that I should do what I feel I can - it's very basic guidance I'd say cos the gym itself is only 365 for the year so I don't think they have time to be looking after everybody! I'll have a look at my programme properly next time.

I eat fairly healthily during the week amd have a treat or two at the weekends then but trying to be as good as possible at the mo.

My workouts usually leave me fairly sweaty so it's intense enough for me

My main objectives would be to lose those few excess pounds and to tone up the bum and lower abdomen

ambid

Okay. I hope it works out for you.

About four weeks ago I started working with a personal trainer and he has structured a programme in a way I could never have imagined, and it's made a huge difference for me. My workouts are now much more focused and are producing much better results. There are lots of ways to get success though and I hope you are successful with your programme.

Good luck again!

Lola B

Hi OP,

I think you are doing way too much cardio! Women often avoid weights in the gym and stick to cardio, but this will not get you the results you're looking for. Intense cardio training will initially burn fat, because your body is in 'shock', but then your body adjusts to the work and you you stop seeing the results, this is one of the reasons why people give up at the gym.

Weight training on the other hand is the driving force behind your metabolism, the more muscle you have on your body the more fat you will burn. You should ask your gym to take your percentage body fat, if you manage to lower your % body fat you will see real results, otherwise you will not know if your are losing weight or simply retaining less water.

Btw I'm a woman and I've been weight training for the last three years and I promise you will not bulk up! Women can't get bulky because they don't have enough testosterone, women body builders take steroids.

leahyl

Lola B wrote: »

Hi OP,

I think you are doing way too much cardio! Women often avoid weights in the gym and stick to cardio, but this will not get you the results you're looking for. Intense cardio training will initially burn fat, because your body is in 'shock', but then your body adjusts to the work and you you stop seeing the results, this is one of the reasons why people give up at the gym.

Weight training on the other hand is the driving force behind your metabolism, the more muscle you have on your body the more fat you will burn. You should ask your gym to take your percentage body fat, if you manage to lower your % body fat you will see real results, otherwise you will not know if your are losing weight or simply retaining less water.

Btw I'm a woman and I've been weight training for the last three years and I promise you will not bulk up! Women can't get bulky because they don't have enough testosterone, women body builders take steroids.

How long do you reckon I should spend doing free weights so? I don't want to feel like I have done nothing either - want to sweat a bit but I want to tone up big time also so should I spend less time on cardio?

Lola B

You shouldn't do very long weight training sessions, 40 mins is enough. But don't be afraid of heavier weights, because if you body can handle the weight, it has no reason to improve.

The aim is to break down muscle so that it grows back stronger, this in turn burns the layer of fat above the muscle and you tone up.

Also it is important that you don't eat carbs before a weight training workout, so no pasta, rice, bread etc If you eat carbs before a workout your body will burn that rather than burning fat!

I don't want to completely tell you to avoid cardio, but I know myself that weight training is what gets the results. If you want to get the best out of your cardio do what one of the other posters said above: HIIT training.

leahyl

Lola B wrote: »

You shouldn't do very long weight training sessions, 40 mins is enough. But don't be afraid of heavier weights, because if you body can handle the weight, it has no reason to improve.

The aim is to break down muscle so that it grows back stronger, this in turn burns the layer of fat above the muscle and you tone up.

Also it is important that you don't eat carbs before a weight training workout, so no pasta, rice, bread etc If you eat carbs before a workout your body will burn that rather than burning fat!

I don't want to completely tell you to avoid cardio, but I know myself that weight training is what gets the results. If you want to get the best out of your cardio do what one of the other posters said above: HIIT training.

Thanks but I don't lift weights at all - what do you mean by this exactly? Do you mean the weights that bodybuilders use? I do the other weights - what are the called? You know the ones where you work your legs or abs etc?

ambid

Free weights (dumbells and barbells) are very good, but it's very important to use the correct form when using them. Instructors can show you how to use them properly for best results.

Lola B

Oh yea you use the machines, I use them too, but I also use free weights. At my gym they give weight training work out plans, here's an example of what I do:

Legs:
Squats - with a barbell
Lunges - with dumbbells
Step-ups - with dumbbells

(The minute you mention barbells and dumbbell most women immediately think of bodybuilders and get scared, also if you google any of these exercises you are going to see male bodybuilders explaining how to do them!!)

Chest:
Knee raises
Knee tucks - they're really good for toning your lower stomach!
Sit ups

Arms:
barbell curls
Hammer curls
Dips
Bench press

Shoulders:
Dumbbell press
Upright rows
side raises

I know your probably reading this and thinking I'm a crazy body building women who's really muscly.. but I'm really not! I don't want to sound big headed but I am toned and happy with my figure, my percentage body fat is 19% and it's because of this type of weight training.

leahyl

Lola B wrote: »

Oh yea you use the machines, I use them too, but I also use free weights. At my gym they give weight training work out plans, here's an example of what I do:

Legs:
Squats - with a barbell
Lunges - with dumbbells
Step-ups - with dumbbells

(The minute you mention barbells and dumbbell most women immediately think of bodybuilders and get scared, also if you google any of these exercises you are going to see male bodybuilders explaining how to do them!!)

Chest:
Knee raises
Knee tucks - they're really good for toning your lower stomach!
Sit ups

Arms:
barbell curls
Hammer curls
Dips
Bench press

Shoulders:
Dumbbell press
Upright rows
side raises

I know your probably reading this and thinking I'm a crazy body building women who's really muscly.. but I'm really not! I don't want to sound big headed but I am toned and happy with my figure, my percentage body fat is 19% and it's because of this type of weight training.

Wow that sounds intense! Lol! Thanks - the girl that showed me the equipment in the gym never brought me near the free weights so I never even considered them! Would a kettle bell class be similar to doing free weights for a woman?

Lola B

Yes kettle bell classes are very good, I actually just saw theres a thread on this forum called women and weights, check that one out:)

I have a bit of a conspiracy theory that a lot of gyms encourage cardio because there's less chance they will get sued by people who don't lift the weights properly, my gym is a family business and the people there are genuinely interested in your progress.

You might feel a bit self conscious lifting weights at the start but you wont care once you start seeing results.

Here's a good article about percentage body fat best of luck!

http://www.answerfitness.com/82/fat-calculate-body-fat-percentage-answer-fitness/

Lola B

By the way I don't do all of those exercises in one session! I just spend 40 - 45 minutes doing as much as I can fit in.

leahyl

Lola B wrote: »

Yes kettle bell classes are very good, I actually just saw theres a thread on this forum called women and weights, check that one out:)

I have a bit of a conspiracy theory that a lot of gyms encourage cardio because there's less chance they will get sued by people who don't lift the weights properly, my gym is a family business and the people there are genuinely interested in your progress.

You might feel a bit self conscious lifting weights at the start but you wont care once you start seeing results.

Here's a good article about percentage body fat best of luck!

http://www.answerfitness.com/82/fat-calculate-body-fat-percentage-answer-fitness/

Thanks a million for all your advice!!

Lola B

No problem hope it helps:)

nice_guy80

familiarise yourself with a routine in the gym.

then stick to that for 5/6 weeks.
slowly progressing up the weights, if you are able.

A mini circuit is a good way to get through weights exercises in short space of time - choose three exercises and do them in sequence, with little or no break between each. 3 circuits
aim to do one push exercise, one core exercise and one pull exercise per circuit.

good luck with it

Brian?

leahyl wrote: »

Hi everyone,

So I have been joined the gym for the last 2 weeks and I'm keeping it up - for now! I'm going 4 times a week - one of the days it's a spinning class and then 3 days gym.

I'm just wondering if I'm doing enough - I do an hour each of those days in the gym and the spinning class is 45 mins.

In the gym I tend to alter my workout depending on how I'm feeling so some days I might do 30 mins on the treadmill, 15 mins on the cross trainer and 15 with the free weights; another day I might do 20 mins cross trainer, 20 mins treadmill and 20 on free weights.

I'm basically just wondering is an hour really enough? I sweat a fair bit, I'm 5'6, weigh (according to my scales at home but I don't trust it tbh!) 10 stone 6 so I really want to lose 7-10lbs and tone up.

Would anybody suggest anything different to my workout or am I doing enough?

Thanks for your time:)

Have you had a look through this thread?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056232328

gymfreak

leahyl wrote: »

Hi everyone,

So I have been joined the gym for the last 2 weeks and I'm keeping it up - for now! I'm going 4 times a week - one of the days it's a spinning class and then 3 days gym.

I'm just wondering if I'm doing enough - I do an hour each of those days in the gym and the spinning class is 45 mins.

In the gym I tend to alter my workout depending on how I'm feeling so some days I might do 30 mins on the treadmill, 15 mins on the cross trainer and 15 with the free weights; another day I might do 20 mins cross trainer, 20 mins treadmill and 20 on free weights.

I'm basically just wondering is an hour really enough? I sweat a fair bit, I'm 5'6, weigh (according to my scales at home but I don't trust it tbh!) 10 stone 6 so I really want to lose 7-10lbs and tone up.

Would anybody suggest anything different to my workout or am I doing enough?

Thanks for your time:)

Hey,
I'd recommend getting a few sessions with a PT so that they can write you out a structured programme...but do bare in mind that a lot of PTs (although they have good intentions) are completely misformed:( So before you sign up to one, ask around for recommendations.

I'm glad you read the 'women and weights' thread..as they definitely are the way to go. I'm also in my mid 20s and spent years and years of doing hours of cardio a day and it wasnt until I started doing weights that I noticed major differences!!! I still do a bit of cardio but I definitely LOVE weights.

So, my advice-go to a PT for a few sessions, have them help you to be comfortable in using weights and get them to write you a programme for when your finished with them.

Good luck! Any more questions, just ask:)