Frustrated with lack of progress with exercise. Help?

Question

I've been going to the gym 4-5 times per week for about six weeks now. I am a 25 year old female. I am a normal weight but I want to shape up and lose fat on my hips.

I have been doing regular toning exercises for my muscles and doing all the major muscle groups. Then I spend 30-40 minutes on an eliptical type cross trainer.

I also try to manage my diet by eating every 3 hours and sticking to lower calorie foods. I eat lots of whole grain, low fat dairy and protein. Of course I eat things I'm not supposed to occasionally, but I try to stick to the good stuff.

My problem is that my pants still feel tight around my waist and I feel like I've lost hardly any fat around my waist. When should I expect more significant results with fat loss? I've noticed that I feel firmer muscle wise, but not much fat loss has happened. How long do I have to wait for that and am I doing things right?

Answer 1

#1 - there is no such thing as a toning exercise, you have been feed some bad information. exercise does not have a localized effect on fat loss. your genetics determines where and when fat will be stored and your genetics determines from what places it will released from, there is nothing that can change that.

#2 - monitor your body fat. this is the only way to effectively determine the process of a body fat reducing diet and training regimen

#3 - keep a training log and use it. they key to making progress in the gym is to keep pushing yourself. if you ran 3 miles on the treadmill today in 15 minutes in a month you should be able to run 3.5 in the same time. the same goes for lifting weights. periodically you should be either performing more reps with the same weight or increasing the weight and doing more reps. you want to be able to perform more "work" in the same amount of time. this is what causes the body to adapt and change. if you do the same workout using the same distances, weights, etc. the body has no reason to adapt, so no more results are seen.

Answer 2

Perhaps you are not doing enough cardio work. My elliptical just seemed to be working on muscle and toning is great but you still need your cardio/aerobics most days of the week. I would look into cutting the toning down to 3 days a week perhaps and picking up from cardio from a class at the gym or a great dvd. I just got into Turbo Jam and they have a great Cardio Party DVD that is 45 minutes and it burns calories big time. I burn more calories in 45 minutes of that and sweat a lot more than I did with 60 minutes on my elliptical.

Answer 3

what hit me when i first read this is...1) YOU ARE EATING TOO MUCH and 2) GET OUT OF THE GYM AND HIT THE PAVEMENT!

I am a male, 6-3 was 272, now 224...almost 50 lbs in about 7 months. Don't believe all of the eat alot of small meals bs. you are eating too much. once you start cutting WAY back on intake, your body will get used to it. Skip some meals. Work out in the evening, come home and go right to bed. no dinner. you need to play some tricks like that. no bread, no diet soda, veggie burgers only...no real meat. chicken, fish ok. eat dry cereal for snacks. drink coffee instead of snacking. just sip on it.
ok, as for exercising, get out of the gym and go old school on the streets. start jogging. work up to 2 miles and after a few months, double it (like i just did). for variety, run 1 mile and the 2nd mile do 3/4 sprints every 2 blocks...then walk about 50 yds and do another until you reach 2 miles. Get some sun and sweat going...you will feel better than a gym workout. i did not start dropping until i quit lifting and gave up my membership. I was living a lie riding the exercise bike and treadmill. nowhere near the total body workout that running is. good luck. remember, cut WAY back on food. sorry, but there has to be some pain on your part to get where you want.

Answer 4

Read this articles first :
- Diet tips that you never heard, the link : http://www.anti-aging-corner.com/the-5-diet-tips-youve-never-heard.php
- http://www.anti-aging-corner.com/diet-tips-for-a-beautiful-female-figure.php
- cut the cheese lose 15 pounds : http://www.anti-aging-corner.com/cut-the-cheese-lose-15-pounds.php
- http://www.anti-aging-corner.com/nibbles-bursts-of-exercise-boost-weight-loss.php
- http://www.anti-aging-corner.com/use-your-mind-to-lose-weight.php

Hope this help.