Looking for a new plan

[Carter13]

Hello Everyone,
This is my first post on this forum. I have been on a few others which honestly have left me feeling lost.

I am 45 and have always been active. I would like to lose about 10-15 pounds. 2 years ago I did great and lost about 8 pounds and have kept it off. Back then I was counting everything and working out with 3 days of full body workout and 2-3 cardio ( usually jogging) Working out is the easy part of my plan.

Right now I am at 164, I am 5'9". I am currently eating 1700-1900 calories per day and yes I count everything. I am guilty of have 2-4 drinks on the weekend, but other than that I keep things in under control.

I have been trying to lose some more weight for about 2 months now and I haven't had any luck. I am doing the same as 2 years ago, but it doesn't work.

I have been having some women issue and was just put on progesterone. But I would like some ideas if possible.
Workout
3 sets lunges-8
decline bench press with db 3-8
squats-3-8
dead lifts -3X8
step ups 3X8
lat pull down 3X8
leg press 3X8
push ups 3X10
some core exercises.

Any suggestions?

[Carter13]

Here is my daily eating plan. I usually eat this or something simular everyday.

Monday, February 8, 2010
Breakfast
Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein
Pumpkin, canned, without salt, 0.26 cup 22 0 5 1
Mrs. Butterworth's Sugar Free Syrup, 0.08 cup 11 0 4 0
Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread with Flax Oil, 0.33 tbsp 15 2 0 0
Dymatize Whey Protein, 0.66 serving 77 1 1 16
Kretschmer Wheat Germ, 3.63 grams 13 0 2 1
Banana, fresh, 0.33 small (6" to 6-7/8" long) 31 0 8 0
Old Fashioned Quaker Oatmeal- Plain (1/2 cup dry), 0.66 serving 99 2 18 3
Flax Seed Meal, 0.5 tbsp 15 1 1 1
Kirkland Egg Starts, 0.38 cup 46 0 2 9
Nature's Way Flax Oil, 0.5 tbsp 65 7 0 0
393 13 40 31
Lunch
Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein
Apples, fresh, 1 medium (2-3/4" dia) (approx 3 per lb) 81 0 21 0
Cottage Cheese, 2% Milkfat, 0.66 cup (not packed) 134 3 5 20
Chicken Breast, no skin, 4 ounces 125 1 0 26
340 5 26 47
Dinner
Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein
Mini Babybel-Light, 1 serving 50 3 1 6
Orowheat Sandwich Thins 100% Whole Wheat, 1 serving 100 1 21 5
Mozzarella Cheese, part skim milk, 1 oz 72 5 1 7
Tuna, Starkist Chunk White Albacore in Water, 2.5 serving 175 5 0 33
397 14 23 50
Snack
Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein
Blue Diamond Whole Natural Almonds (28 almonds), 1 serving 160 14 6 6
Wasa Light Rye Bread 2 slices, 1 serving 60 0 14 2
Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Original Cheese (Serving = 1 wedge), 1 serving 35 2 1 3
Rader Farms Frozen Three Berry Mix, 1 cup 70 0 17 1
Dymatize Whey Protein, 1 serving 117 2 2 24
Kirkland Organic Peanut Butter, 1 tbsp 100 8 3 4
542 26 43 40
1,673 57 133 168

[Erik]

Right now I am at 164, I am 5'9". I am currently eating 1700-1900 calories per day and yes I count everything. I am guilty of have 2-4 drinks on the weekend, but other than that I keep things in under control.

Have you tried dropping the drinks for even a month to see if that makes a difference for you? So the rest of the weekend's diet is to plan except for the additional drinks?



I have been trying to lose some more weight for about 2 months now and I haven't had any luck. I am doing the same as 2 years ago, but it doesn't work.

So three full body workouts and three jogging workouts?



I have been having some women issue and was just put on progesterone. But I would like some ideas if possible.
Workout
3 sets lunges-8
decline bench press with db 3-8
squats-3-8
dead lifts -3X8
step ups 3X8
lat pull down 3X8
leg press 3X8
push ups 3X10
some core exercises.

Any suggestions?

Do you do that three times per week?

[Carter13]

Thanks for the reply Erik. No, I honestly haven't tried not drinking for more than 10 days. The only thing that I have found lately that helps is to drop my calories to 1500. But I find this difficult to do. The above daily food plan works for me, I can stay pretty consistent with that. I do admit that on the weekends I don't get as much protein but I do keep my calories under 1900.

Yes, I do that work out 3 times per week. I do change it some every month and try to add more weight when my body tells me too.

I know I just have to tighten up my diet some more but I wanted to make sure my work outs were ok.

[smuggie]

3 sets lunges-8
decline bench press with db 3-8
squats-3-8
dead lifts -3X8
step ups 3X8
lat pull down 3X8
leg press 3X8
push ups 3X10
some core exercises.

Any suggestions?

Your workouts are far from optimal.

First, this is way too much volume for one workout. And you're doing it three times a week to boot.

Second, you have four quad-dominant exercises, but only one hip-extension exercise in there. That needs to be balanced out.

Third, you have no rowing movement in there whatsoever.

Fourth, there's no low-rep work in your setup.

As far as cardio goes, have you considered doing interval work instead of, or in addition to, steady-state cardio? Interval cardio will give you a lot more bang for your fat-loss buck.

Before I make more specific suggestions as to how to improve your training plan I'd like to know if three days a week is all you have for your weight lifting workouts.

Also, if any of the terminology I've used makes you feel lost don't hesitate to ask questions. :wink:

[Carter13]

Your workouts are far from optimal.

First, this is way too much volume for one workout. And you're doing it three times a week to boot.

Second, you have four quad-dominant exercises, but only one hip-extension exercise in there. That needs to be balanced out.

Third, you have no rowing movement in there whatsoever.

Fourth, there's no low-rep work in your setup.

As far as cardio goes, have you considered doing interval work instead of, or in addition to, steady-state cardio? Interval cardio will give you a lot more bang for your fat-loss buck.

Before I make more specific suggestions as to how to improve your training plan I'd like to know if three days a week is all you have for your weight lifting workouts.

Also, if any of the terminology I've used makes you feel lost don't hesitate to ask questions. :wink:

Thanks for your reply. The above weight plan is what I am doing right now. I have also done lat pull down and row on our machine. I also will mix up the cardio with HITT on our Eliptical. This work out takes me about 30 mins. I have a bench, powerblocks, a Precor weight machine, eliptical and treadmill. My husband and I alternate workout days, but I could possibly do more per week around his schedule.

[smuggie]

Thanks for your reply. The above weight plan is what I am doing right now. I have also done lat pull down and row on our machine. I also will mix up the cardio with HITT on our Eliptical. This work out takes me about 30 mins. I have a bench, powerblocks, a Precor weight machine, eliptical and treadmill. My husband and I alternate workout days, but I could possibly do more per week around his schedule.

It only takes you 30 minutes to do that workout? You must be lifting really light then, because that workout would take me hours, if I wasn't supersetting the exercises. Are you doing that?

[Carter13]

It only takes you 30 minutes to do that workout? You must be lifting really light then, because that workout would take me hours, if I wasn't supersetting the exercises. Are you doing that?

I usually superset the squats, dead lifts and step ups. But everything else I will rest for 60 seconds or I will jump to a arm exercise after a leg exercise without resting. I am lifting as heavy as I can on each exercise.:dumbbells:

[Cathie]

I usually superset the squats, dead lifts and step ups. But everything else I will rest for 60 seconds or I will jump to a arm exercise after a leg exercise without resting. I am lifting as heavy as I can on each exercise.:dumbbells:
Honestly, you can't be lifting as heavy as you can and superset squats, DLs and step ups. You would be able to lift much more if you did not super set them and used the proper rest time between the squats and DLs.

I would never be able to get through that workout in 30 minutes either.

Did you consider changing your workout to a upper body/lower body/full body split? Or you can upper/lower/upper then the next week lower/upper/lower etc.

[Erik]

Honestly, you can't be lifting as heavy as you can and superset squats, DLs and step ups.

Agreed. That would be deathly impossible. :faint: (with anything but the lightest weights)

[smuggie]

Your workouts definitely need to be overhauled.

If you want to stick with three days a week, either one of Cathie's suggestions would work. Here's an example of an upper, lower, full-body split:

Day 1-upper body

Bench presses, 3x6-8
Bentover rows, 3x6-8
Lat pulldowns, 2-3x10-12

Day 2-lower body

Squats, 3x6-8
Leg presses, 2-3x8
Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, 2-3x10-12

Day 3-full body

Deadlifts, 3x6-8
Step-ups, 2-3x10-12
DB shoulder presses, 3x6-8
Seated cable rows, 2-3x10-12

I've indicated mostly free weight exercises here, because I'm not sure of what you can do with a Precor weight machine, and I'm not crazy about machines at any rate.

[Carter13]

Thank you for all your suggestions. I am using powerblocks right now and they only go up to 50lbs each, and that is what I am using on the squats, deadlifts and step ups. The rest of the workout, I am trying to go as heavy as I can and still do 8 reps.

How long is the workout you suggested Smuggie supposed to take? That workout doesn't seem like it would take very long either.

Is it ok to do a leg exercise and then move right into a arm exercise without rest? That is what I do.

Again, the workout can take anywhere from 35-45 mins depending on how many of the exercises I am doing.

[smuggie]

How long is the workout you suggested Smuggie supposed to take? That workout doesn't seem like it would take very long either.
The amount of time the workouts I suggested take depends on how much rest time you take in between sets. When I work in the 5-6 reps range I take a minimum of two minutes between sets. When I work in the 8 reps range I take anywhere from 60-90 seconds, depending on how heavy I'm going.

Is it ok to do a leg exercise and then move right into a arm exercise without rest? That is what I do.
You can superset in this way if you want to, although you might find it tires your arms too much, considering you're using dumbbells, and you'll be using heavier weights now. :wink: