Advice please!

[Sammie]

Hello everyone! I'm another newbie. My boyfriend is obsessed with this website and knows a lot about fitness and nutrition for men but suggested I set up an account on here because he's not sure if what he tells me is accurate for females as well. So here I am, eager and wanting to absorb all of the information that I can.

I am 22 years old, 5'2 and am currently plateauing at 145. I started out at 178 around Januaryish. My boyfriend had been seeking help from his bodybuilding buddy since he decided to whip himself into shape. He went from 364 to 220 in about 2 1/2 years. His bodybuilding friend suggested Paleo when my boyfriend had about 40 lbs that he just couldn't seem to shed. I began paleo with him. I have lost 33 lbs so far but am in a rut that I can't seem to get out of.

The first week in July of this year, I had to have melanoma removed right above my belly button. The incision was about 3-4 inches long. Given that I had received three layers of stitches, my doctor wouldn't allow me to exercise for 2 weeks. About a week into this no-gym kick, my car was rear-ended and I had neck/shoulder and lower back injuries. I had to take 6 weeks of physical therapy. During this time, the physical therapist wouldn't allow any form of exercise. I asked if I could do some light cardio or even yoga and he wouldn't allow it. So none the less, I was pretty miserable. I usually go to the gym 5 days a week for 1-2 hours. Thankfully, I have finished physical therapy. When I came back to the gym, I started with two weeks of cardio only and then began weight training with my boyfriend. While I was out of commission, I maintained 145 and ate clean with a cheat meal maybe 2-3 times total through that period. I have also switched birth control, which I understand can have an effect as well. I was on Depo but am back on the pill.

For the past few months I've been kind of down and out because my weight has been swinging from 145-150 and I can't seem to cut. I am, and have been taking the following since I began my journey: OxyElite Pro, CLA, BCAA (didn't take this when I couldn't go to the gym), fish oil, flaxseed oil, DIM, and two daily vitamins.

I don't really have a set weight that I want to maintain. I want to lower my body fat percentage and then tone up. I'm thinking 120-115 would be a good weight to start toning. I don't want to be skin and bones, my goal is healthy an toned. I am not looking to lose 30 lbs as fast as possible. I was happy losing 1 lb per week. It just get discouraging not seeing results.

Any tips on how to get out of this rut?

 

[Rosie Chee]

Hello everyone! I'm another newbie. My boyfriend is obsessed with this website and knows a lot about fitness and nutrition for men but suggested I set up an account on here because he's not sure if what he tells me is accurate for females as well. So here I am, eager and wanting to absorb all of the information that I can.

I am 22 years old, 5'2 and am currently plateauing at 145. I started out at 178 around Januaryish. My boyfriend had been seeking help from his bodybuilding buddy since he decided to whip himself into shape. He went from 364 to 220 in about 2 1/2 years. His bodybuilding friend suggested Paleo when my boyfriend had about 40 lbs that he just couldn't seem to shed. I began paleo with him. I have lost 33 lbs so far but am in a rut that I can't seem to get out of.

The first week in July of this year, I had to have melanoma removed right above my belly button. The incision was about 3-4 inches long. Given that I had received three layers of stitches, my doctor wouldn't allow me to exercise for 2 weeks. About a week into this no-gym kick, my car was rear-ended and I had neck/shoulder and lower back injuries. I had to take 6 weeks of physical therapy. During this time, the physical therapist wouldn't allow any form of exercise. I asked if I could do some light cardio or even yoga and he wouldn't allow it. So none the less, I was pretty miserable. I usually go to the gym 5 days a week for 1-2 hours. Thankfully, I have finished physical therapy. When I came back to the gym, I started with two weeks of cardio only and then began weight training with my boyfriend. While I was out of commission, I maintained 145 and ate clean with a cheat meal maybe 2-3 times total through that period. I have also switched birth control, which I understand can have an effect as well. I was on Depo but am back on the pill.

For the past few months I've been kind of down and out because my weight has been swinging from 145-150 and I can't seem to cut. I am, and have been taking the following since I began my journey: OxyElite Pro, CLA, BCAA (didn't take this when I couldn't go to the gym), fish oil, flaxseed oil, DIM, and two daily vitamins.

I don't really have a set weight that I want to maintain. I want to lower my body fat percentage and then tone up. I'm thinking 120-115 would be a good weight to start toning. I don't want to be skin and bones, my goal is healthy an toned. I am not looking to lose 30 lbs as fast as possible. I was happy losing 1 lb per week. It just get discouraging not seeing results.

Any tips on how to get out of this rut?

For a start, using all those supplements are not what you need to be doing - fat loss is in your NUTRITION and training (primarily nutrition!), not what supplements you're using.

It's good that you're not stuck on a set weight though, since weight is IRrelevant and it's your BODY COMPOSITION that matters!

Also make sure that you're eating ENOUGH! A lot of females mistakenly think that not eating a lot is the answer to fat loss - it's not, because if you don't eat enough, you're only being detrimental to yourself and going to get the OPPOSITE of what you want.

I suggest that you have a look around here and read through a few threads, since a lot of your issues are discussed here re fat loss, etc. As I mentioned in another thread here just now, I've written a few articles that you'd benefit from reading - instead of rewriting out all the information (as I have done over and over here on the boards), please just check out all the links here. If you only read one, I recommend that you read The 3 Keys to Fat Loss - it comprehensively covers nutrition, supplementation (only the basics required), and training (samples training programmes for beginners and more experienced trainees included) for effective and successful fat loss.

The best thing you can do though if you don't know what you're doing or where you;re going wrong, is get yourself a trainer who knows what they're doing and can and will individualize a training programme and nutrition plan specifically for you for YOUR goals and needs, who will work with you to achieve your goals, and teach you along the way about WHY they are getting you to do what they have you doing, so that you learn how to do it for yourself and understand everything.

~Rosie~

 

[Jentry07]

I totally understand what you mean! You start off so good, then hit this dead stop and it gets so frustrating. You should try HIIT, I'm sure you've heard of it High Intensity Interval Training. It's a great fat blasting workout!! It will really help you shed some weight. In case you haven't heard of it what you do is start with a 5 minute warm up, follow with alternating between 30 seconds at 10mph then 90 seconds at 5mph, repeat this 10 times. End with a 5 minute cool down. It's a really great workout that only takes 30 minutes. I do mine on my treadmill, try nordictrackcoupons.com if you are in need, they have really awesome cheap treadmills on there. But this workout can be done outdoors if you need, it was just harder for me to keep my speeds consistent at the end without something threatening to kick me off if I don't keep up! Good luck in your weight loss! Hope this helps!!

 

[EricAndrews]

Great post by Rosie. Nutrition is going to make or break you.

Don't neglect the weights either. In general, females should train in a similar way to guys to see optimal results.

 

[Wedgylx]

Hello!
I'm a personal trainer with numerous female clients, I can definitely help out but these other replies are all very helpful.

I think going paleo is too restrictive - just eat natural unprocessed foods and you will be fine. I start everyone off on a meal plan with certain criteria - I'd suggest opening an account with livestrong.com or another journaling system and aim for the following goals:

1200-1500 Calories
Under 50g Sugar
Under 130g Carbs
Over 115g Protein

Those are your major four - if you can complete just those four things you will get great results. Give yourself 2 cheat meals per week, you can have them at any time but ONLY twice per week - only drink alcohol once per week and it does count as a cheat meal whether you eat with it or not. You won't undo your hard work through the week with 2 cheat meals, and it makes the process more likely to stick.

I'd do 3-4 hard full body workouts with mostly compound motions and plenty of free weights. Do 2-3 hard bouts of cardio per week as well, it can be in the same visit after your workouts.