please help me refine my fitness plan and improve my appearance and health!

[bunnybunny]

25 year old female
5 feet 8 inches tall
220 lbs!!!
people say I'm "curvy" and while that is kiiinda true, I feel flattered when people say that, when I should not. I have a tummy and I hate hate hate it. I'm also pretty tall for a girl, and my legs are muscular from walking/jogging so much for many years. But I have a tummy and love handles and a full face and fat arms and I feel like I really need to somehow cut down my body fat percentage. PLEASE HELP ME!!! I want to know what I am capable of...
I currently...
*walk 1 mile at LEAST 3 times a week
*power walk 3-5 miles at LEAST once every two weeks with 2.5 lbs weights strapped to my ankles
*tai chi classes every tuesday for 1 hour
*work out arms and shoulders with 5lb weights, many repetitions... but I have not formed a habit with this yet so I am not regular
*maintain a 1900 calorie diet (I have only recently started keeping track... I love phone apps )
I am lucky that I crave foods that are good for me. I love salmon, berries, spinach, carrots, many fruits and veggies. Have recently gotten into fiber one cereal and am interested in kashi. I dont like sodas and always opt for tea, water, or fruit juices instead. I have recently noticed that I take in alot of carbs. (like 100-200g) every day (mostly from fruits or cereals). There is alot that I dont know about nutrition or whats best for me... so if I sound like an idiot dont mind me!! lol!!

 

[Rosie Chee]

25 year old female
5 feet 8 inches tall
220 lbs!!!
people say I'm "curvy" and while that is kiiinda true, I feel flattered when people say that, when I should not. I have a tummy and I hate hate hate it. I'm also pretty tall for a girl, and my legs are muscular from walking/jogging so much for many years. But I have a tummy and love handles and a full face and fat arms and I feel like I really need to somehow cut down my body fat percentage. PLEASE HELP ME!!! I want to know what I am capable of...
I currently...
*walk 1 mile at LEAST 3 times a week
*power walk 3-5 miles at LEAST once every two weeks with 2.5 lbs weights strapped to my ankles
*tai chi classes every tuesday for 1 hour
*work out arms and shoulders with 5lb weights, many repetitions... but I have not formed a habit with this yet so I am not regular
*maintain a 1900 calorie diet (I have only recently started keeping track... I love phone apps )
I am lucky that I crave foods that are good for me. I love salmon, berries, spinach, carrots, many fruits and veggies. Have recently gotten into fiber one cereal and am interested in kashi. I dont like sodas and always opt for tea, water, or fruit juices instead. I have recently noticed that I take in alot of carbs. (like 100-200g) every day (mostly from fruits or cereals). There is alot that I dont know about nutrition or whats best for me... so if I sound like an idiot dont mind me!! lol!!

First, :welcome: to AM.

Now, down to business. I am going to make notes on what you have said, and then I am going to make recommendations - if you're serious about improving your appearance and health, you'll follow them.

What you are currently doing is far from conducive to being effective for fat loss - don't get me wrong, it's a START, but it's not good enough.
* You do a lot of cardio, but it's more long and slow, and you have little resistance training - you're missing out on the BEST mode of exercise for fat loss.
* With weights, you use 5-pound dumbbells to train your shoulders and arms - 5 pounds is not challenging or heavy enough (training with heavy weights is not going to take away your feminine figure, but make it better!, and you need to train more than your arms and shoulders for optimal results.
* You're consuming only 1,900 calories a day - you want to be sure that you're not eating too little.

There's nothing wrong with not knowing about training and nutrition, but you can always learn.

I recommend reading thoroughly The 3 Keys to Fat Loss - this article contains comprehensive advice and information on nutrition, supplementation, and training for effective and successful fat loss. Follow the principles in that article and you should see results - if you don't get results, you're not doing something right. Another article for training for fat loss is The Essential 8: Exercises To Get You Ripped!

Also review Transform Your Tummy With These 8 Tips! and http://anabolicminds.com/forum/female-fitness/122489-new-forum-need.html

I also recommend having a training programme (AND nutrition plan - can't forget your nutrition, since that's what is going to make or break your success with gaining muscle mass!) written specifically for YOU for your goals and needs. If you can't afford a professional trainer, then take some time out to research and look around, because there is a TON of information on what to do for fat loss (those articles linked above just a couple of sources)!

~Rosie~

 

[bunnybunny]

what a great answer thank you so much, I will read through all the links you suggested

 

[Rosie Chee]

what a great answer thank you so much, I will read through all the links you suggested

No worries - you're very welcome I just want to see you on the right track and doing the most effective things for results.

~Rosie~