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Help! Not seeing results!!


hollyf1

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Hi ladies, I'm have been working really hard for about a month now but still barely seeing any results from my training and nutrition. I was wondering if I could get some opinions and advice of my current routine so I know whether I'm doing the right stuff.

I'm 20, 6foot tall and 67kg. I'm currently at 28% body fat(really high for my bmi) and would love to get this down to 18-20%.

I eat approx 1300 calories a day broken up into 5 small meats. I eat a meal every 3 hours. I gym 5 days a week. I usually do 30-45mins cardio and 1hpur floor/weight training. I take a multi vitamin, fish oil, pre workout, amino acids after workout and whey protein. Here is my typical day:

7.30am piece of vogels toast w 1/2 banana and 1 tbsp natural peanut butter

10.30am a yogurt with 1/2 cup raw rolled oats

1.30pm baked chicken/salmon, 1/2 cup brown rice, steamed Veges

3.30pm piece of vogels w 1tbsp cottage cheese

4.30 pre workout drink

5.30-7pm gym

7pm amino acid drink and protein shake

7.30 baked chicken/salmon w 1/2 cup brown rice and steamed Veges.

Should I be seeing results with this!? Please help losing faith! Xxx

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Hi! I know how frustrating it can be, but consistency will get you results :D .

Now I am definitely no expert, I have a trainer that helps with nutrition which is probably the best thing you could do. What are your goals?

But looking at your food (in my opinion only) I'd switch your vogels toast to rolled oats with egg whites or protein powder. (keep toast as a treat or only a couple of times a week). second meal maybe switch the yoghurt to lite cottage cheese for more protein. Third meal looks good - but I'd stick to only about 2 or 3 max salmon meals a week, and include more white fish as an alternative and definitely a steak once or twice a week. Fourth meal try organic corn thins instead of bread, and up the cottage cheese to 125g, and perhaps have 1/4 avo with it (on non salmon days). Final meal same with lunch ideas. And perhaps you need to have something more substansial before going to the gym? As there is between 3.30 and 7.30 no food, or have your 3.30 meal an hour later.

Just suggestions, and obviously what you eat and when/how will vary depending on what you want to achieve. But best advice is to seek a professional's advice - I wouldn't be without it!

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Hiya thanks so much for the advice. Ive gone out and done a blast of grocery shopping today and picked up better alternatives to what i was eating before eg. corn thins and cottage cheese etc.

With my preworkout i cant eat 2 hours before it so thats why i have a big gap between my last couple of meals =(

I guess my goals is to get a lower body fat so i look lean rather than carrying the weight i am atm. I have ab definition etc but look bulky as my fat is very high.

Thanks so much for your help =) Really appreciate it.

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Cool for the groceries - what pre-workout is that? Are you able to train without it?

I find it really hard to believe that at 6 foot weighing 67kg you look bulky? For instance I'm around 164cm and at the moment weigh around 63kg - and I'm not what I would class as bulky. Maybe being a bit hard on yourself :D Where are the areas you tend to store the most fat?

From my experience the only way to reduce body fat is long term and consistency (ALL the time even when you don't want to), so it may well take much longer than one month to really start seeing improvements. Another idea is to keep photos of yourself. Take them weekly or fortnightly - you don't need to study them each week, but ones that are a month or more apart if you are doing everything correctly you should see results - if not something has to change. And again this is where a trainer can be awfully handy good to get an outside opinion - even an online trainer if you are confident in the gym etc :D

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Nice advice, Fitasafiddle :)

I'm definitely with you on "ditch the toast for rolled oats" - even Vogels.... I noticed an immediate improvement when i reverted to oats, soaked in a protein shake, for breakfast.

HollyF, I'd also suggest you consider a "last thing at night" meal, there's a twelve-hour gap between dinner and breakfast. A serve of cottage cheese, a casein shake (slower-burn than whey) - both common suggestions.

Additionally, I'd check out the carbs in your shakes. Some whey shakes are choc-full-of-carbs, so it pays to study the label.

But, the most important thing I'd recommend is really evaluating your calorie needs. I use this calculator to work out basal metabolic rate, and then this one to work out your calorie needs. For you, that gives a basal metabolic need of 1530cals, and a maintenance calorie load (working out 5x week) of around 2300. What you THEN do is set a modest calorie deficit - around 500 cals/day is generally a good start, giving you a figure of 1800 calories.

Why would eating MORE work for you - because you're running a serious (1000 calorie/day deficit) your body will seize any opportunity to store energy, including mis-matches between when you eat and when you need the energy. But, if it's getting closer to what it actually needs, it will burn that and some bodyfat.

If eating 1300 calories isn't doing it for you, eating even less would be dangerous, so have a think and a read...

Last piece of advice: I'm with FitasaFiddle again - ditch the scales. One thing I recommend is "the magic test pants" or top or whatever... pick your favorite jeans/ shirt/ whatever, and (at the same time of day/ same day of the week) try it on for size. You might gain lean mass, scales go up, but girths go down.

Good luck

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Very good advice- 1300 calories is very low for anyone, even more for you if your 6 feet tall. A modest calorie deficit will give you better results as your body will not be shocked into lowering your metabolic rate because it thinks you are starving

Also dont be discouraged by the lack of results after 1 month! Most people would not notice huge changes in body composition if you only started training 4 weeks ago. Set a mid term goal as well as your monthly ones

Good luck

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Serious change requires more time than one month.

You also don't ingest a decent quantity of protein till 1:30! A smear of peanut butter ain't worth shite. Have a small tin of salmon or tuna with cottage cheese first thing instead.

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Thanks everyone for your help. I have come to realize that a month is very unrealistic to be seeing significant changes. However i am definitely getting a lot more definition.

And no i wasn't High when i took my body fat reading...haha i am 67kg, 6foot and the bodyfat scales at my gym read 28%. Haha why do u ask if i was high....

Have adjusted my diet as per everyones suggestions so thankyou so much for the help =) Will do another weigh in next weekend and see whats happening =)

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Haha, I don't think SUAS was suggesting you were high, Holly. He was saying that if you're 6' tall and only weigh 67kg, then whoever measured you at 28% body fat must have been high. At that weight and height, it would be unlikely that your BF% is that much.

However, since you've just said you measured it on scales, all is explained. Those scales can be notoriously unreliable!

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Hi HollyF1, I am a kiwi, Personal Trainer in the USA I have a coach and if he is not seeing change every week then he is doing something wrong first of all identify what your goal is, muscle mass, muscle tone, weight loss???? Plan your workout sessions, weight, reps, sets,cardio, what body parts you are working on that day. No bread, yogurt or peanutbutter you have enough carbs and fats, no alcohol, lots of water at least 4 litres per/day. Have 2 cheat meals per week anything you like pm e.g wed and sat. Measure and weigh everything be very specific at this point, document, break it down into protein, carbs, fats, fiber, calories, read your labels. Change your routines every week, even the time in which you workout as the muscles begin to remember, confuse them, add variety to your workout, selectorize machine, free weight, cable. Hope this helps, good luck. Weighing in is not going to show fat loss, using caliphers in strategic places on the body will and measures in mm, tris, bis, subscap, illiac, you can even go as far as quads, chest, mid axiliary, your gym should be able to provide this for you. Alot of my clients lose fat before weight, a combination of changing their eating habits, lots of cardio at varying resistances and machines no less than 45mins 5xp/wk, weights light very high reps helps to increase metabolism maintain "fat burn" zone.

cheers Sonja

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Hi Holly,

As a tall lady I know how you feel about looking bulky, and I too prefer to be very lean.

Have you had a look at where you are holding the weight you want to loose. It may be hormonal - if you are on some forrm of hormonal contraceptive this can effect the amount of water your body holds - leaving you looking bigger than you are. This is especially true if the weight is in your hips thighs and breasts.

I have found this a big one for me.

The other thing is if you are constantly eating such low calories when you do have a treat your body could be grabbing on to it and really holding on to those extra calories.

Also pick up a measuring tape and ditch the scale. And I agree with the photos - it can be really hard to remember where you came from.

I take photos from front back and side every three weeks or so in the same room, same clothes - and being able to directly compare the photos, although I thought I wasnt seeing any results if I look at march photos to nows photos there is an obvious difference - even if I may not feel it all the time.

and comparing that measurments you can track the small changes over time.

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Change your routines every week, even the time in which you workout as the muscles begin to remember, confuse them

What? Strong broscience here. Your muscles have a clock and can remember the time of day you workout? If your going to give wack advice at least have some evidence to back it up?

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I also find it hard to believe that your BF% is 28...

Does your gym have a BIA? If so, jump on one and get a reading. I'm not sure what 'body fat scales' your gym has but they sound a wee bit unreliable.

I'm 5'7, 67kg and my BF% is only 24 (according to a BIA) and I'm a bit of a chunky monkey at the moment! lol.

Good luck :)

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Have a look at dangerouslyhardcore.com or google carb nite or carb backloading....a really good way to drop body fat while maintaining muscle. Probably if you have a higher BF % carb nite would be the better option.

My husband did it and lost 23kgs in about 20 weeks. Just my 2 c worth :grin: Hope it helps.

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weights light very high reps helps to increase metabolism maintain "fat burn" zone.

:shock:

Holly:

Lift heavy, eat good food, be fucking awesome :grin:

Note the lift heavy bit, and burn it into your brain.

Yeah what icecream said.

And before that whole "I don't want to get bulky" nonsense

Ladies and Lifting: How Serious Strength Can Build a Sexy Physique

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