Hi! I'm new to this site/forum. My husband was the one who pointed me to this website. A little background on me. I'm a 31yrs old & have a 3.5 year old daughter. I gained quite a bit of weight in my pregnancy (like, 65lbs :whistle:) and after 3 years I have managed to get back to my pre-preg weight. My focus now is to get lean.

I'm you're typical pear shape. My workouts in the past have consisted of mostly cardio but now I am starting to use weights more and cut the cardio back. I've also started back up with pilates.

I'm only able to workout in the evenings after my daughter goes to bed so that's usually around the 8:30 mark. So usually I eat dinner and then do my workouts and don't eat afterwards. My cardio consists of running and I do this 3 days a week, weights 3 days a week as well. Diet wise I think I'm doing okay, I eat 6 meals a day but usually don't exceed 1700 calories and I try to make sure I eat the 40/40/20 split although I will admit that usually I eat more protein than carbs so the split is more like 50/30/20.

I guess my questions are do you have to eat something like a protein shake after a workout? Is 1700 calories too little for me (I'm 5'2)? If I use heavier weights on my squats and lunges will it make my legs bigger? I don't really want to bulk my lower half, just tone more. Curently I use 15lbs DB's when I do those excercises.

Any feedback is appreciated and sorry for the long post. :)

I'm only able to workout in the evenings after my daughter goes to bed so that's usually around the 8:30 mark. So usually I eat dinner and then do my workouts and don't eat afterwards. My cardio consists of running and I do this 3 days a week, weights 3 days a week as well. Diet wise I think I'm doing okay, I eat 6 meals a day but usually don't exceed 1700 calories and I try to make sure I eat the 40/40/20 split although I will admit that usually I eat more protein than carbs so the split is more like 50/30/20.

I guess my questions are do you have to eat something like a protein shake after a workout? Is 1700 calories too little for me (I'm 5'2)?

i think ideally you should save one of ur 6 meals for after the workout. but like everything its not absolutely necessary.

at 5'2" and 118 lbs i think 1700 calories is fine. are you seeing progress at that level??

If I use heavier weights on my squats and lunges will it make my legs bigger? I don't really want to bulk my lower half, just tone more. Curently I use 15lbs DB's when I do those excercises.

Any feedback is appreciated and sorry for the long post. :)

definitely use heavier dumbbells. you won't "bulk up" i promise. :tucool:

Welcome!

As above, lifting progressivly heavier weights while eating below maintenance calories won't make you bigger. Your body has a choice to make - in a calorie deficit it can either burn muscle or fat for fuel. If you don't exercise your muscles properly, your body will tend towards burning muscle and keep the fat. Thank millions of year of evolution. :) By lifting hard and heavy, your body will realize it needs the muscle, and tend toward burning fat for fuel. This is a big generalization, but hope it makes some sense. :)

Thanks for the replies. :)

I was thinking of saving a meal for after a workout but was worried about eating and then going to sleep. I'm usually done workouts around 9:30ish and am in bed by 11:30. I remember reading somewhere that you shouldn't eat 3 hours before going to sleep? If I do eat something post workout it should be more protein right?

At 1700 calories I am seeing a difference. I measured myself in January when I started and my measurements were 36" 29" 37.5". I measured myself last night and I am at 34" 27.5" 34.5. Thighs are down as well although I didn't measure those when I started but I know they are smaller because of how my pants fit now. I've also upped the ab work to get the old stomach more defined.

I'll def try the heavier weights! I usually do 15 reps in a set 3 times per exercise. Is this okay? Also, on a lifting day should I be attempting to up my carb intake? Like I said before, I def eat more protein than carbs...........

Thanks for the replies. :)

I was thinking of saving a meal for after a workout but was worried about eating and then going to sleep. I'm usually done workouts around 9:30ish and am in bed by 11:30. I remember reading somewhere that you shouldn't eat 3 hours before going to sleep? If I do eat something post workout it should be more protein right?

forget the don't eat before bed thing. if you're working out in the evening ur body will immediately use those post workout calories.

a meal with some carbs and protein would be perfect.

At 1700 calories I am seeing a difference. I measured myself in January when I started and my measurements were 36" 29" 37.5". I measured myself last night and I am at 34" 27.5" 34.5. Thighs are down as well although I didn't measure those when I started but I know they are smaller because of how my pants fit now. I've also upped the ab work to get the old stomach more defined.

sounds great. if you've lost weight you might have to adjust calories down a bit since ur body will need less. as long as ur seeing progress i'd stick with the 1700 ish.

I'll def try the heavier weights! I usually do 15 reps in a set 3 times per exercise. Is this okay? Also, on a lifting day should I be attempting to up my carb intake? Like I said before, I def eat more protein than carbs...........

try using heavier weights and lower reps and see how you like it. 3 sets of 8 or 5 sets of 5 would be a good place to start.

just make sure you get some carbs post workout.... it doesn't really matter if you up them for the whole day or not.

have you read the stickies in the beginner's forum?? TONS of helpful advice there. :tucool:

Good job on getting in shape!

I think, eating after workout is necessary.

"sounds great. if you've lost weight you might have to adjust calories down a bit since ur body will need less. as long as ur seeing progress i'd stick with the 1700 ish. "

I should add that my starting weight in January was 131lbs so I'm down 13 lbs from that.


"try using heavier weights and lower reps and see how you like it. 3 sets of 8 or 5 sets of 5 would be a good place to start. "


Thanks for the tip, I'll give this a go tomorrow since it's going to be my "lifting" day. I haven't read the stickies in the beginners forum so I'll check them out. Thanks again! :D

Yeah, don't do 3 sets of 15. 5x5 or 3 x 8-10 is more like it. You want to lift heavier than what you can do at 15 reps. Don't worry, you won't turn into Bev Francis. (Google her if you must)

Okay, so I did the heavier weights (well heavier for me) and do I ever hurt. Ow. How long do you rest if you're REALLY hurting 2 days later? Do I give my body one more day to rest or hit it tonight regardless of the soreness?

Okay, so I did the heavier weights (well heavier for me) and do I ever hurt. Ow. How long do you rest if you're REALLY hurting 2 days later? Do I give my body one more day to rest or hit it tonight regardless of the soreness?

As long as it's just plain old muscle soreness, that's a good sign meaning you've worked hard. Learn to love it! Anyway, after a while you won't feel DOMS so badly. Make sure you have protein, sodium and potassium to help prevent it. Ibuprofen if you really need it.

Personally I would just stick to the scheduled workout unless you get 'weird' pains, in which case STOP. You know when your body is in trouble versus just being taxed.

Thanks for all of the advice on the muscle soreness. I've started saving a meal for post workout, usually half a banana and some protein with skim milk and I find it helps.

So I weighed in yesterday, I'm at 24.6% BF (according to the scale) however I am also down 3lbs? My weight stands at 115lbs. Should I be eating more? Cutting back on cardio and upping the weight lifting? Routine now is I run 4-5 days a week, lift 3 days. Some days I combine lifting and cardio. Should I not be doing that?

I've started using the transformation log from this site so I am more accurately tracking my food consumption. I am pretty good at maintaining the 20/40/40 percentage but my caloric intake seems lower than I had thought. I'm at 1500-1550 calories a day. Is it too low for what I'm doing and is that why I am dropping weight? Again, I am only 5'2...............

Thanks!

well if i have understood properly you want to do a body recomp so yes i would up your cals to the planned 1700 per day and see how that goes ;)

So I weighed in yesterday, I'm at 24.6% BF (according to the scale) however I am also down 3lbs?


Are these some kind of electonic measuring scale? If so then I'm afraid they're often pretty useless at giving a decent measurement of BF%. Calipers are a much more accurate way of measuring it (and usually cheaper :tu:).

Best to go with a mirror, I always think. Backed up with a diary of measurements and a photo log.:gl:

Are these some kind of electonic measuring scale? If so then I'm afraid they're often pretty useless at giving a decent measurement of BF%. Calipers are a much more accurate way of measuring it (and usually cheaper :tu:).

Best to go with a mirror, I always think. Backed up with a diary of measurements and a photo log.:gl:


Yup, it is the electronic scale but I also have been tracking my measurements. Maybe I'll just get the darn calipers and start the photo log. I actually wish I had done a photo log when I started back in January cause I've come a long way. I guess at the time I just didn't want "fat" pictures of me around. :rolleyes: Are the calipers hard to use? Where can you buy them?

Yup, it is the electronic scale but I also have been tracking my measurements. Maybe I'll just get the darn calipers and start the photo log. I actually wish I had done a photo log when I started back in January cause I've come a long way. I guess at the time I just didn't want "fat" pictures of me around. :rolleyes: Are the calipers hard to use? Where can you buy them?

I took some photos of myself, but I wish I had more as well as measurements etc. Kind of kicking myself there. :doh:

Calipers are easy to use, but the more sites on the body you measure the more accurate the reading will be - although you can get somethig of an accurate measure from measuring one site which is just above your pelvis bone at navel level. You might need help of you want to measure all locations, since if I remember correctly some are on your back or other hard to reach places.

I personally got mine off eBay. They're pretty cheap.

I personally got mine off eBay. They're pretty cheap.

Or you can get them through the JSF Amazon mall. :)

Great, thanks for the info!