Help with burning body fat and toning please

javagal

Hi all,
I know your probably sick of these threads so I'm very sorry to ask but,
I could do with some help working out the best way to tone my body.

I'm 25, 5ft 8 and 11stone 7, I know I'm overweight but not badly, I would like to lose a stone and tone up for june.
My diet isn't too bad I don't think, I'm on weight watchers and have shifted 2 stone of baby weight late last year .

I just bought a cross trainer so plan on doing 30 mins a day of high intensity bursts along with some crunches and weighted squats.
Is this enough to help me tone? I'm not looking for abs but just to rid of my muffin top and tighten my thighs.

My diet is controlled with weight watchers and I cook everything from scratch,no premade food.

My average day would be:
Breakfast:
3 eggs scrambled
Strawberries with Greek yoghurt

Lunch:
Homemade soup with 2 slices of bread or,
A wrap with chicken,peppers,lettuce,onion or,

Dinner:
Roasted chicken breast with roasted veg and salad potatoes or,
Spag bol, from scratch or,
Chicken curry,from scratch or,
Stir fry or,
Some kind of cassorole

Snacks would be the odd jaffa cake, a yoghurt or some velvet crunch crisps
And about 3 litres of water a day

Any help appreciated. I must add I'm a full time student and have a toddler so I don't have time or money to be going to the gym so it has to be things I can do at home with either my cross trainer, exercise mat and hand weights.

Thanks again.

thegreatiam

Did you read any other similar threads? Will be the same advice in there. Have a quick search. Read the stickies and if you still have questions post them here

cmyk

javagal wrote: »

Hi all,
I know your probably sick of these threads so I'm very sorry to ask but,
I could do with some help working out the best way to tone my body.

No problem, when you say tone, what that actually means in truth is simply fat loss, while holding on to your current muscle.

javagal wrote: »

I'm 25, 5ft 8 and 11stone 7, I know I'm overweight but not badly, I would like to lose a stone and tone up for june. My diet isn't too bad I don't think, I'm on weight watchers and have shifted 2 stone of baby weight late last year.

That sounds like a good plan, I don't know much about weight watchers to be honest, but if it keeps you on track with your food quantity keep it going.

javagal wrote: »

I just bought a cross trainer so plan on doing 30 mins a day of high intensity bursts along with some crunches and weighted squats. Is this enough to help me tone? I'm not looking for abs but just to rid of my muffin top and tighten my thighs.

Everyone holds their weight in different places so be patient and stick with your plan. Crosstrainer is great if you enjoy it, and you're on the right track with your squats, you can always add in some other bodyweight exercises, pushups, single arm rows etc. There are about a billion different beginner circuits on youtube if you do a search.

javagal wrote: »

My diet is controlled with weight watchers and I cook everything from scratch,no premade food.

Excellent, you won't go far wrong with that approach at all, so from there it's simple, just tweak portion sizes if your weight and/or body composition isn't changing, but I'm guessing your weight watchers points will take care of that.

Make sure and build each meal around a protein source (which you seem to do)and maybe get some more vegetables and/or fruits in there too.

javagal wrote: »

Any help appreciated. I must add I'm a full time student and have a toddler so I don't have time or money to be going to the gym so it has to be things I can do at home with either my cross trainer, exercise mat and hand weights.

As I said above search for bodyweight circuits, and try to improve them week by week in some way. i.e. 1 extra rep in an exercise, or slightly heavier, or a harder progression. If you're stuck on this though let us know.

You're on the right track, just have some patience and if it isn't working the answer is usually simple if you ask yourself the honest questions.

javagal

cmyk wrote: »

No problem, when you say tone, what that actually means in truth is simply fat loss, while holding on to your current muscle.



That sounds like a good plan, I don't know much about weight watchers to be honest, but if it keeps you on track with your food quantity keep it going.



Everyone holds their weight in different places so be patient and stick with your plan. Crosstrainer is great if you enjoy it, and you're on the right track with your squats, you can always add in some other bodyweight exercises, pushups, single arm rows etc. There are about a billion different beginner circuits on youtube if you do a search.



Excellent, you won't go far wrong with that approach at all, so from there it's simple, just tweak portion sizes if your weight and/or body composition isn't changing, but I'm guessing your weight watchers points will take care of that.

Make sure and build each meal around a protein source (which you seem to do)and maybe get some more vegetables and/or fruits in there too.



As I said above search for bodyweight circuits, and try to improve them week by week in some way. i.e. 1 extra rep in an exercise, or slightly heavier, or a harder progression. If you're stuck on this though let us know.

You're on the right track, just have some patience and if it isn't working the answer is usually simple if you ask yourself the honest questions.

Brilliant,thanks for the reply, I just wanted to be sure I wasn't going about it the wrong way.
So ill stick at it and be patient! Hopefully this time 2 months I'll start noticing some changes!

cmyk

Yep, taking some measurements along with your weight will help track your progress. Take your upper arm, stomach, hips and maybe thighs. Take photos in the same lighting, position and underwear every week or two aswell.

Losing body fat is like watching paint dry and no-one loses it as quickly as they'd like so photo progress can help.

Bub34

Ur on the right track an been realistic knowin its going to take time cause it does... eventually when u do start seeing the difference an feeling better in yourself you'll enjoy the working out part, just give it time. My advice on the diet would be low carbs eggs for breakfast stay away from cereal there full of sugar, porridge can be good it does have carbs but good slow released carbs. Dinners try swap the spuds for basmati rice with roasted veg an sum form of lean meets steak, chicken , turkey mince stay away from the sauses if you can or make your own if you cant. Take as much protein in as you can cause your body needs it
For the excerise full body movement are good such as squats an try deadlifts also an lunges pressup the bigger the muscle you work the more caloires your going to burn change your work out around, so they don't get to easy an stop burning the caloires. Always push urself.. hope this helps

ASTRACLUB

Just run outside 3 times a week
2 miles, 3 miles and 4 miles for first 6 weeks
increase 1 mile each week after 6 weeks
in 16 weeks, you will be perfect
(i lost my weight this way)

runawaybishop

ASTRACLUB wrote: »

Just run outside 3 times a week
2 miles, 3 miles and 4 miles for first 6 weeks
increase 1 mile each week after 6 weeks
in 16 weeks, you will be perfect
(i lost my weight this way)

That wont help with "toning" though. Toning means building muscle.

OP, read 'new rules of lifting for women' and consider doing more strength work. You can do bodyweight exercises if you don't want to spend cash on home equipment (weights aren't that expensive though, especially second hand. You could also try something like jillian michaels 30 day shred to start you off. Its not as good as a proper strength workout but many people find it less intimidating.

Transform

ASTRACLUB wrote: »

Just run outside 3 times a week
2 miles, 3 miles and 4 miles for first 6 weeks
increase 1 mile each week after 6 weeks
in 16 weeks, you will be perfect
(i lost my weight this way)

dont do the above

focus on body weight exercises and get a kettlebell

ditch the wheat and sugar from your nutrition