8 Weeks of Strength/Cardio no weight loss

[Boss Man]

Excess calories could result in Fat storage. The point then becomes.

A: are you eating enough calories to build muscle, or at least maintain it? If so good.

B: Are you eating more than you need to build muscle, at the present time? If so, then a mild cut might help to reduce excess calorie to Fat conversion, that could eat into Fat losses.

[njoette]

Boss Man:

I'm not sure how to tell how much muscle I'm building -- we've been checking my fat % once per week and seem to be going down at least 1% per week now. I began at 32.6 and have gone down to 26.6% in 8 weeks.

My trainer has asked me to cut down my caloric intake by another 200 bringing me to 1450 calories per day. For some reason it seems difficult to do -- I'm feeling hungrier than I had eating 1650 calories.

He also has me drinking up to 300 calories per day in Whey Protein in the am before doing the treadmill, and then before and after a workout. I've gone down to 168 on the scale now which is a 4 pound loss in 8 weeks this being week 9 for me.

My sister says I'm building to much muscle and need to do more reps less weight. But I'm now beginning to fit into my clothing better. I'm going to keep at it one more month so as not to quit something before that I know is good for me.

I am also taking L-Argenine powder in the am with the protein and before a strength training workout.

Thanks to all for your responses. This is something I want to do for myself and my family to keep healthy and fit but want to make sure my efforts are not in vain. My husband says you can't deny the 6% fat loss which is true and obviously I've been building muscle which is why I haven't lost that much weight either. Just wish it would go quicker I guess.

[Boss Man]

No, lower weight less reps is not the way. Building muscle is fine. You can't build too much muscle on a Women anyway.

If a Woman was using serious amounts of Anabolics, then yes Women can get for example a 17" arm measurement, with probably less than 20% bf. I've seen pics of a Romanian woman, claimed to have such a measurement, though the way she portrays herself image wise, doesn't appeal to me, though I must respect the hard work put into such a body.

That would be an upper limit for female muscle building.

The reality is, unless you were on about 200g Protein a day, then for you to get "Natural" Arm measurements, of around the 13" mark, which is perfectly doable, would be nigh on impossible, because a Womens ability to build like men, is greatly hindered by their significantly lower Testosterone levels.

Muscle building has good benefits, which you will be greatful for when you're old, especially after the age of 50, when muscle and Bone density decline, can be a really strong factor, and if you're someone built like a Marathon runner, and also training with low weight high rep strategies from the get go, by the time you're 70, you could be little stronger, and little physically improved, over that of Ectomorphic women, with sub 1,500 calorie diets, and a sedentary history.

If you want to see what a good strong body looks like, you could check out the site for a Canadian athlete called "Allison Ethier", who just competed again, and won again last month.

Her site has links to recent contest pics.

Also Bodytrimmer A.K.A Bridgette Rhea, who contributed occasionally on my site, can be found by putting her name in Google in quotes, and finding pics of her on the Google image finder.

Both are totally natural, both have competed, and probably compete with about 11.5"-12" cut Biceps.

I'm not saying you should necessarily compete, or go totally for that look, but such excellent female physiques, highlight the benefits of lean, strong and healthy femininity, with lasting results, because the right approach is used, so they almost certainly WILL, still be very healthy and physically conditioned people by their 70's .

Both are very good looking, and to my mind rolemodel material for other females, including under 21's, hence why I chose those two names in particular.

I'm not totally convinced about the 1,450 calorie level, but I do believe the schedule you're being given will make a difference, and is doing so, so you should perhaps stick with it, and see what happens.

You should still be very proud of what you've done, as good advice makes good results feasible, but hard work makes them happen, and you put in the effort, and get out what you put in, so you deserve to be proud of that .

[swanso5]

1 - if you're losing body weight but not losing bodyfat than you're losing muscle (bad)
2 - if your losing bodyfat and body weight than you're only losing fat and maybe some muscle (alright but not desirable long term)
3 - if you're losing bodyfat and maintaining bodyweight than you're losing fat and gaining some muscle (pretty good)
4 - if you're increasing bodyweight but bodyfat is decreasing then you're losing fat and gaining muscle (excellent)

you seem to be doing at least option 3

- as soon as you're feeling hungry, it's all over...i'm about to unleash on youe trainer...cutting calories will not sustain wt loss...your metabolism will slow down so you'll lose muscle no matter what you do...1600 is already to low and 1400 is fuckin ridiculous, ecspecially as you're probably training harder than you were on more cal's
- drinking cal's is also ridiculous...as soon as you go back eating, just watch the fat come back
- you can never have too much muscle...what would your sister know (without being rude)?
- arginine is useless...why are you taking this?
- your husband is correct
- as i said, as long as bodyfat is decreasing, you're on the right track

[njoette]

Boss Man:

I lost another pound which is helpful to my mental state. I will continue on this program as I know in the long run it will provide big benefits. Thank you so much for your guidance and encouragement. My poor husband listens to my concerns and says the same things over and over, what a patient man he is, I'm so very blessed.

I'm on L-Arginine powder because I smoke and I'm sure my trainer thought maybe I wasn't losing weight because my blood vessels weren't working correctly. I only take 1 ts. in the am because it tastes so bad.

I suppose once we get to our ideal fat content and weight then we can go on a shaping routine...

As for my diet, my trainer says because I'm still losing fat not storing it somewhere I'm taking in enough calories. There are days when I go over and I just move on.

The one thing I've failed to mention is he allows us one day per week to "party" so on Friday night we usually have a few alcoholic drinks which I've read isn't good when you are trying to lose weight. But considering we went from drinking 3-4 days per week to 1 has been a challenge but I know and realize it's way better for us.

Enough for now, thanks again for all the advice.

[Boss Man]

Well the obvious thing is you need to give up the habit don't you. If you're on Arginine to counteract possible Vasoconstriction from Tabacco inhalation, then stop the habit.

That way you save more money, from the canning the habit, and then potentially not having the Arginine as well.

I you want good habits, you have to stop things like that that can seriously work against your progress.

[njoette]

I know and realize smoking and drinking are both bad habits but I'm not ready to quit yet.

I've been smoking since i was 13 thus it will be a difficult thing to quit. Someday though:) As for the drinking once per week, what are the consequences of that?

[Christopheel]

... Test down, too much carbs, bad effects on nervous system.

Smoking is for BS that's what we say here in QC, BS mean Bien être social those who are living on the government help only and does absolutely nothing.

If you're not ready to stop smoking and drinking then your not ready to gain mass/loose fat ...

[swanso5]

- it does like piss you're right but i doubt whenether it will clear your blood vessells, not until you stop smoking anyway...you're basically wasting time, money and tastebuds on having the supp than smoking
- you should be reshaping now....there'sno such thing as a shaping program, your either building muscle or you're losing muscle, simple as that
- i booze it up most weekends so it's just a matter of being excellent diet wise the other 6 days of the week but that being said you need to "earn' the right to drink, eat carbs etc...if you're not lean or where you want to be then you shouldn;t have them...do they get you closer to your goal?
- not "ready" to quit yet? not ready to "live"? i don't like that attitude really...
- yes it will be difficult but so is childbirth and people do it everyday
- chris's last comment was a doozy

[njoette]

Well quite obviously drinking is only hindering our progress thus until we are in the shape we want to be it's out.

As for the comments from Chris, I know and realize that smoking and exercise seem to oppose one another but if that's my only addiction left (and believe me I've had many without being on the government's tit thank you very much) then Im doing a lot of things right and will get there someday when I'M READY!

It seems I'm losing like .5 pounds per week but my body fat percentage continues to decline thus I am at 24.6% as of this week. My weight however seems to flexuate massively. I was 166 on Sunday and now I'm at 168 today. The only reasonable explanation is drinking on Saturday.

I'm sorry you don't like my attitude about quitting smoking -- but I am me and when I'm ready I will quit, if I try before I am mentally there I will fail as I have many times before with many different addictions.

Thanks again to all for your support. I will get the results I'm looking for in time. I just have to keep on keepin on. )

[Boss Man]

Well from my point of view, and this isn't meant to sound personal, but to be ready takes some form of urgency.

Procrastination makes the end result harder in a situation like this. If you need to achieve this aim, which for health reasons there can be no doubt, then to begin in ernest, needs to happen straight away, as delaying can stifle impetus, and lead to difficulty in starting.

Wanting it badly enough can make it happen, but waiting for that moment to "feel ready", is a moment you can't predict, and may possibly never happen.

I'm not going to lecture you about this, it's not the point, but if you start solidly, and get some kind of help and support, you can do it now, not much later, when any damage may take longer to reverse, or possibly be irreversible.

[woodshedder]

It seems I'm losing like .5 pounds per week but my body fat percentage continues to decline thus I am at 24.6% as of this week. My weight however seems to flexuate massively. I was 166 on Sunday and now I'm at 168 today. The only reasonable explanation is drinking on Saturday.

I think you are focused too much on your weight. Muscle is a dense tissue, so when you add muscle to your body, you add a relatively large amount of weight. I started doing strength training again almost a year ago after a 3 year layoff, mostly in an effort to control my body fat. I have gained 5 pounds during my training, but my belly (my largest reservoir of fat) has shrunk, so I'm happy with the results.

Your "massive" fluctuation in weight is most likely due to factors other than your fat or muscle content at weighing time. It is more likely due to factors like whether you are retaining water at the time (influenced by "time of the month", diet, etc), and whether your bladder and bowels are full, etc. I'd suggest weighing like once a week, and at the same time of the day each time. And if you don't lose weight yet do lose body fat, you are doing just fine.

[njoette]

Yes my husband is telling me the same thing. If I've lost fat % and not weight I'm gaining muscle which is going to cause my body to be more efficient in the long run. I must be patient -- but summer is almost here and we have a pool...