FabSwingers.com forum: Gym people

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

So I have been doing free weights for about 6 months now, I'm toning up and my strength increases are good.

I just don't like getting on the scales and not seeing much loss. I know muscle is heavier than fat etc but I need to feel slimmer, not musclier.

Should I try cardio only for a while or is there a good workout with minimal weight training and more cardio?

Only serious answers please.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Stick to just cardio for a while. Your still using the muscles, just not putting as much "strain" on them. Make sure the cardio isn't just treadmilling and crosstraining. You might do well with burpees, squat-thrusts etc. You don't need gym equipment to keep fit and even gain muscle tone, your body has it's own mass, and that should be enough.

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By *adybee77Woman
over a year ago

MAMOBA, miles and miles of bugger all (Aberdeenshire)

for best results a mixture of cardio and weights works best.

Low weights and high reps is the way to go.

I find classes work best for me - and do a mixture of les mills - bodypump, bodycombat and bodybalance, as well as gym sessions, spinning and metafit (high intensity circuits class) too.

A good mix of cardio and strength training makes the biggest difference - I've gone from a size 24/26 down to a 10/12 in 3 years!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Getting on the scales checking body mass and Toning up are 2 different things.

Choose one or the other.

If you looking to lose body mass use the scales.

If your looking to tone up use a mirror and your camera for before, during and after pics.

Depending on your goal, your exercise regime can then be tailored to fit the goal.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"So I have been doing free weights for about 6 months now, I'm toning up and my strength increases are good.

I just don't like getting on the scales and not seeing much loss. I know muscle is heavier than fat etc but I need to feel slimmer, not musclier.

Should I try cardio only for a while or is there a good workout with minimal weight training and more cardio?

Only serious answers please.

I do cardio workout, gym classes and very few free weights.

Though if your not keen on the scales, why not take your measurements then take them again every 8 weeks and see the difference.

Body shape to me is more important than any number on a scale.

Also see if your gym can do a body fat measurements etc scan and work with that.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Spinning and running will help with cardio and weight loss but still do small amount of weights to keep toned

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I keep my weights low and do plenty of cardio work

I'm more concerned about my body shape than my weight - for me a gauge of how fit I am is how well my clothes fit

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By *inky BunnyMan
over a year ago

Cardiff

" I need to feel slimmer, not musclier.Only serious answers please.

Yoga fitness - fast-paced yoga inter-changes with some tai chi & kempo moves thrown in.

Most gyms offer this class now under various names, e.g Body Balance etc

The Stag does it & is lean, powerful & skips upon the mountain tops

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Great feedback thanks guys and gals. I'm going to stick to lighters weights, more reps for sure. Will continue squatting with weights too as I feel the benefit in my ass.

More cardio for sure, I really appreciate the input

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By *illywizz1000000Man
over a year ago

north west

"Great feedback thanks guys and gals. I'm going to stick to lighters weights, more reps for sure. Will continue squatting with weights too as I feel the benefit in my ass.

More cardio for sure, I really appreciate the input

Thays a good approach.. low weight high reps increase your time and squats are essential for a tight ass.. if your looking to lose fat then you may need to use the cardio machines at a fat burning level. Slightly slower and /our use interval training as it Burns calories longer. End of the day is what works best for you but good effort anyway x x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Run. Just run more. It's the best cardio there is. Run outside and up hills. Run laps of something (pushing yourself for each lap then pausing to recover). Just run.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Keep squating and I want a pic of that firm ass

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

There is a mix of good advice and bad advice here.

Running, why not walk quickly instead, 5 times your body weight goes through your knees when you put your foot down & can lead to all manner of problems later in life. Walking achieves just as much benefit.

Build muscle. Cardio workouts is the least efficient way to loose fat, because you only burn calories during the workout. Build muscle with higher weights because muscle burns fat 24/7 long after your training session has finished. The best muscle to build are the thighs as they are the biggest group. You can build this muscle lots before anyone notices.

Don't worry about what the scales say, one day it might be more because of water retention etc. So just look in the mirror instead.

Read the Abs diet by David Zinczenko-a brilliant book that not only gave me a six pack at 38, but also cured my sciatica for ever.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"There is a mix of good advice and bad advice here.

Don't worry about what the scales say, one day it might be more because of water retention etc. So just look in the mirror instead.

Read the Abs diet by David Zinczenko-a brilliant book that not only gave me a six pack at 38, but also cured my sciatica for ever. "

Oh dear. My other half tells me exactly what you just said. Maybe I should listen to him more, I thought he just liked having me as a gym buddy.

Hope he doesn't see this and says "I told you so'.

Thankyou x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I would suggest using body-weight exercises during an increasing duration circuit. High intensity, thirty minutes maximum.

The results are excellent.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Do as much weights as you like, hi reps.

Being female you will never look muscley, like a guy will (unless you have some random issue with testosterone in you system) and lift heavy with low sets..

If you look at some images of female fitness trainers (not bodybuilders on testosterone) you'll see how sleek and defined you can be doing weights.

If you do cardio, do HIIT training on say a cross-trainer or other cadio machine that helps your joints. It's more beneficial than pounding away running, especially if you are carrying more weight that you should.

If you do use a running machine, go at a fast paced walk on an incline.

Correct diet (and a negative calorie intake) is your main exercise you need to accomplish, if your looking to lose fat (ie. tone up).

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

It sounds like your other half knows plenty! I've done the gym for over 30 years & I've trained at Karate for the last 6 years, so I know lots. Also I would advise to keep your workouts for no more than 45 minutes. Too many people throw themselves into doing to much & then lose the motivation. Also having to set aside over 2 hours every time you workout can be problematic fitting it into everyday life. If you have a gym buddy though it will take more time, so try and fit the session into an hour.

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By *MOOTH AND ROUGHCouple
over a year ago

tamworth

I go the gym every morn mon to Fri do 40/50 mins on three machine cross trainer bike and treadmill and lost 2 and half stone in about 8 weeks aswell as eating sensible and feels loads happier

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

And treat yourself to a cake now and again. Don't turn into a health Nazi.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"And treat yourself to a cake now and again. Don't turn into a health Nazi."

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

I can do without cake.

Cheese and wine in the other hand....

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By *3viantMan
over a year ago

charge

Someone once recommended three 10 second bursts a day of sprinting on the spot. It's very easy to maintain and it's surprisingly tiring.

Personally for me, stretching is the crucial ingredient to facilitate movement in the body. Ligaments, tendons and fascia are elastic elements that give your body amazing strength, if you choose to train and develop their capacity.

If you're drawn to engage in cardio then surely a passionate and energetic session would conquer two birds with one stone.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Great feedback thanks guys and gals. I'm going to stick to lighters weights, more reps for sure. Will continue squatting with weights too as I feel the benefit in my ass.

More cardio for sure, I really appreciate the input

You could try doing DTP (check youtube) but basically you will start at a light weight do 40 reps raise the weight a little do 30 reps and repeat until you get to 5 reps then reverse the process back up to 40 reps.

Another great way to burn fat is to do HIIT training (youtube again) as sometime its not always easy to fit a 30 - 45 min jog in each day so you can do intensity training for 20mins and receive greater benefits.

When it comes to diet make sure you meals are balanced as you need 1.5 grams of protein per lbs of weight and around 3 grams of carbs and between 50 - 100gm of good fats per day.

I tend to eat 5 - 6 smaller meals per day so my metabolic rate is always on the go but that's not for everyone.

If you want to chat about anything else with this feel free to message me and i will help where I can and good luck x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

2 grams of carbs sorry typo

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Muscle weighs the same as fat

Just keep at it.you know what they said about Rome.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Fat loss essentially comes down to calories in vs calories out, and personally I've always found cardio is nowehere near as effective for losing weight as simply reducing your calories.

As for the weights, keep at them - muscle tone looks very sexy on a woman, and increased muscle mass will increase your metabolism.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Agree with brain.

Diet is more important than cardio.

Bodybuilders get the lowest bf of any athletes and that is via diet more than cardio,drugs also by that's another subject.

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By *ensualtouch15Man
over a year ago

ashby de la zouch

Little concerned , some good advice towards the general health and fat loss point however I am a little concerned about your comment regarding your weight ? A person of a particular hight and athletic build should also have a minimum weight for good health .reducing your weight beyond this can have detrimental effects , reduced bone density for one

As mentioned above the mirror is your friend .

I would advocate , all Hitt advice , maintain weight training , as said above don't worry about putting too much muscle on, as honestly, unless you are genetically gifted or taking the right cocktail of supplements with the right nutrition you won't become heavily muscular

A healthy person who trains will improve their bone density which you don't want to reduce these super light people have thin light brittle bones

I would always advocate bike or rowing over running although intermittent sprinting should be included

Dare we ask your weight and why it concerns you.. your increased muscle strength and fitness should mean you feel lighter and more agile

All that said I also commend body weight exercises as these pretty much balance the body perfectly , trx straps are almost perfect for almost every perceivable exercise and improve core stability too

Final note, many have suggested light weight high reps , however high weight low reps have a similar effect of vastly increasing strength, bone density and raising metabolic rate but not volumising muscle

aim for no more than 3 sets of 3 reps , it improves the neural connection to the muscle and increases muscle fiber recruitment

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I think you look perfect just the way you are but if you do want more cardio you should just have a few more meets

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Against thanks for all the input. I've taken everyone's comments on board. Just got back from the gym and feeling positive (and sweaty). I'm definitely sticking with weight training as its changed my arms, legs and butt for sure. Adding more cardio in and going to stop missimg meals etc.

Why Thankyou Filthybiguy, nice to know I look good already and exercise is the obvious answer x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"There is a mix of good advice and bad advice here.

There's quite a few myths about running and knees. Build slowly, be sensible, wear good trainers and you'll be fine. Keeping your joints active is important and good for you. If you're predisposed to arthritis then it may not be a good idea. But overall, telling someone to go for a run is okay advice.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"There's quite a few myths about running and knees. Build slowly, be sensible, wear good trainers and you'll be fine. "

And run on the grass, its far more comfortable than concrete.

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