In a rut

[Norco]

Hey,

I'm liking this forum a lot. Lots of great info!

I'm 21 and I'm a junior in college, doing pre-med which means I have about 7.5 seconds a day to devote to fitness training... I've always been the type that would get a gym membership, go 3 or 4 days straight and then never go again and end up cancelling a few months later, having wasted 3 months of membership fees.
BUT, last September I got a membership and have been going about 5 - 6 days a week, every week since.
Now you're thinking, Nick, that's great, why could you possibly be here seeking advice? Well, with the exception of a bootcamp fitness class I take on Wednesdays, all I do is cardio. I usually run 6 miles on the treadmill (down to 43:10, btw). Sometimes I slow it down and go for 8 or 10 miles, sometimes I speed it up...

I just don't know what else to do - I realize I should be doing some muscle building as part of my routine, but I don't want to bulk up. I've never been a skinny guy, I have naturally large calve muscles and triceps and my goal was to slim down and tone a bit. The slimming down is happening, I'm losing about a pound a week; I was losing more when I started - which, over the course of the year has turned into about 20 pounds lost.

I guess my question is what should I do? I don't want to be that guy who spends two hours a day in the gym, and I really want to run the Urbanathlon this year, so if anything, I want to do more running, but I'd kind of like to turn some of the fat I have left into muscle without bulking...

[Boss Man]

Try this sort of thing for weights.

Squats, 2 sets 10 reps

Lunges, 2 sets 10 reps

Deadlifts, 2 sets 10 reps

Bench Press, 2 sets 10 reps

Bent Over Rows, 2 sets 10 reps

Shrugs, 2 sets 10 reps

Planks 30-60 seconds

Small muscles go for around 5lb dumbells, large ones 20lb barbells. In the case of lunges, 10lb db's in each hand.

This system, could be worked in at least 2x a week.

So do something possibly like this.

Day 1. Weights Morning, Cardio evening.

Day 2. Cardio evening.

Day 3. Weights morning, (optional weights), Cardio evening

Day 4. Day off

Day 5. Weights morning, Cardio evening.

Day 6. Cardio Evening.

Day 7. Day off

This might be a methodology to explore .

[Athene]

Holy crap you run a lot! Nice work on that 6 mile time.

Have you considered cross training at all? If you can put together a swimming workout, and a biking workout, and do a mix of 6 mile runs and HIIT runs, you will get stronger and work some supporting muscles. Plus you'll be all set to do a triathlon if you feel like it.... just saying ; )