Hi there,

I'm on my second month of a 12-week fitness challenge, I came from being a complete couch potato to a fitness lover :)

- Weights: train 4 X week using a 2 day split routine.
- Cardio: 2 X 60 min SSC and 3 X HIIT
- I eat clean combining carbs and protein with every meal.

Current body fat = 22.78%

I have posted photos of my before and current shots as well as my 'ideal body'. I would like to gain a leaner and longer physique which is clearly defined.

Does anyone have any advice on how to achieve this? How long will it take to achieve this look? What BF% should I aim for?

thanks :)
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This will be one of my less informational comments, as I admit to knowing very little about female fitness. But I have to say that if you want to meet your goals, you are clearly well on your way and should keep at what you are doing now. Just keep going, you looked good before you started, you look great now, and at this rate, you'll have everyone looking like this soon enough :eek:

Excellent work. Just stick with it!

Gym Bunny, I think you already have a lean and defined physique! What exactly about that goal picture do you like that you don't see in yourself? It looks like something out of a magazine thats been airbrushed. Even the model likely doesn't look like that in real life.

You may want to consider finding a picture of someone that can inspire without airbrushing. My motivation comes from this posting:

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=10333

She's a real person free of airbrushing and she writes how she accomlished her goals. Hope it inspires you as well!

Good luck!
Sue

Gym_bunny, you are doing a great job. By comparing the 2 pictures I notice some outstanding changes.

The first is your thighs. They are much smaller in the second pic.
The second is the waist area, directly across from you navel. A great difference. Good work.

I understand that you would like to be alot leaner like the fitness model in the third pic and there is no reason why you cannot obtain this look. Just stay the course with whatever it is you are doing now because it is working well.

Keep focused on your goal and stay the course and it will work. Remember that this is not a race but a lifestyle. You might come to a point where you need some guidance from us and that is when we can help. In the mean time, enjoy the journey, when you look back on it that is really what you will remember.

You are doing a great job. Keep it up. Best of luck.

Hi Gym_bunny :)

Well as others have said, and I agree, you already look great and it looks like you've been working hard. :tucool:

I like your general outline of 4x/week weights and the 3 HIIT cardio sessions per week, and I like that you're eating clean carbs and keeping the protein up.

On one hand it looks like you've got a handle on it and the answer might be simply "keep going!" Have you stalled at all recently? If so and if you want to kick it up to the next level, can you give us more detail on your training (exercises uses, sets, reps, some notes on the intensity involved, etc.) and diet (exactly what you're eating, how much, times of day, etc.)? If we can see more detail then we might be able to point out some places that you could tweak and experiment with to try and make the gains come in a bit faster.

Let us know, we'd be glad to help. :)

Good Work!

but.. i don't think it is possible to change your physic.
we all born different, with different body compositions and types,
though you can get leaner, i don't think you can get "longer" physic.

keep up with the good work.

In response to 1FastGTX's post here is the new weight training program my trainer set me to start next week. Following is my typical day's diet. Any feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Gym_bunny :D

Cardio
- 4 X week HIIT on treadmill with 5 min warmup followed by 20min HIIT and 10min cooldown

- 1 X week 60min at 80-85%HR

Weight training
Warm up set is the 12 rep set followed by the 10 rep set at a slightly heavier weight. Each set increase the weight so that your sets of 8 and 6 x 2 are your “work” sets, as is the drop set following.
Chest/Biceps


BB Bench press 12, 10, 8, 6, followed by a drop set at the weight you did for your 2nd set – drop set is to failure, until you can’t push another rep out

DB Incline Bench Press 4 x 8-10
Incline DB Fly 4 x 10-12
Push ups 2 sets to failure

Seated (against steep incline bench) DB Curls - 12, 10, 8, 6, followed by a drop set at the weight you did for your 2nd or 3rd set – drop set is to failure, until you can’t push another rep out

Preacher Curl 4 x 8-12
Hammer Curl 4 x 8-12

Quads/Triceps/Abs (light)


BB or Smith Machine Squat 12, 10, 8, 6, followed by a drop set at the weight you did for your 2nd set – drop set is to failure, until you can’t push another rep out

Leg Press (sled) 3 x 10-12

Leg Extension 3 x 6-8

Close Grip Tricep Press 12, 10, 8, 6, followed by a drop set at the weight you did for your 2nd set – drop set is to failure, until you can’t push another rep out

Tricep Pushdown 4 x 8-12
Bench Dips 2 sets to failure

Decline Crunch 4 x 50
Broomstick Twists 4 x 50

Back/Shoulders


Lat Pulldown to Front - 12, 10, 8, 6, followed by a drop set at the weight you did for your 2nd set – drop set is to failure, until you can’t push another rep out

Wide Grip Cable Row or T Bar Row – 4 x 8-10
Close Grip Seated Row 4 x 8-10
Assisted Pull up – 2 sets to failure


Seated DB Shoulder Press - 12, 10, 8, 6, followed by a drop set at the weight you did for your 2nd set – drop set is to failure, until you can’t push another rep out

DB Side Raise – 4 x 10-12
DB Rear Fly – 4 x 10-12


Hamstrings/Calves/Abs (heavy)


Straight Leg Deadlift 4 x 8-10

Lying Leg Curl/Standing or seated leg curl (alternate each workout) – 4 x 8-10

Alternate Lunge 4 x 10-12

Standing Calf Raise 3 x 15-20
Seated Calf Raise 3 x 15-20

Hanging Knee Raise 2 x 15
Swiss Ball Crunch 3 x 15-20
Decline Oblique Crunch 3 x 20

DIET

Meal 1 - Protein shake with water mixed with 1/2 cup gluten free muesli

Meal 2 - 3 Rice cakes with 1/2 cup cottage cheese

Meal 3 - Wholewheat wrap with 120g turkey and salad

Meal 4 - Protein shake with water

Meal 5 - 150g Grilled chicken/fish with 2/3 cups vegetables (broccoli, beans)

Meal 6 - 1 Protein bar

hey Gym_bunny :wave: you look like you have a great base to work from, you're already fairly lean, just keep hitting those weights hard... your routine looks like a mix of the Body-for-Life style and a few others... I think it looks good.. just make sure you're pushing yourself and lifting as heavy as you can... at this point you want to build those muslces... that last picture you posted is of a very lean, well muscled woman.. that is what you will look like if you lift heavy and keep your diet clean :nod:... of course you won't look EXACTLY like her... because you're a different person... but hte look is very achievable... but it'll take work and dedication, which it looks like you have... personally, I'd like to see a macro break down of your diet (protien/carbs/fat) because it looks like you're not getting very much good fat in your diet, but I could be wrong because I don't know what's in your protien bar or your salad... you might look at adding some almonds, natural PB and/or flax seed oil.. the biggest mistake I made when I leaned down for a competition four years ago was not having enough good fat in my diet... you NEED good fats if you want to lose fat, and especially if you want to cut cravings down to zero :nod: I generally get more good fat in my diet than carbs... although I do still eat some carbs.. veggies, oatmeal, etc... good luck :gl: