THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS: I am currently looking to lean up. After being in the nutritional world for several years, I left that corporate structure to work from home (Praise God!) Unfortunately, this has taken a toll on my figure. Don't get me wrong, I am a straight up Ectomorph. Female, 23 years old, 5'11" and 140lbs... But I have a small frame and have lost valuable muscle tone and strength. To put it bluntly, even though many people are envious of MY BODY - I feel soft, a tad dimply and definitely skinny-fat. I've lost the V-taper/hour-glass figure that I've so longed for and am feeling quite boyish. But enough wining...

I would like to slowly build up my lean muscle, as I know that will "cut" me quickly. I can lose weight/fat quickly and that is not the problem. I want definition, but not size. I used to have deltoids (lol...I tell my husband that I lost them in the war)

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I've been traveling a lot, so it's hard to give a really good idea of what a sample day would look like. And I know it's awful, so please - no YELLING IN CAPS AT MY AWFULNESS. LOL!

Meal #1 - Low-fat, no-sugar added yogurt + large apple

Meal #2 - 1-2 Scoops PP in water or a protein bar (occassionally I'll eat something naughty like chips and salsa)

Meal #3 - Half turkey or roast beef sandwich (usually on sprouted bread), mustard, lite mayo, pickles, lettuce, 1/2 slice of cheese. 1/2 Can of Soup; apple or diced peaches (no-sugar added) or crackers + hummus

Meal #4 - Sometimes I forget this meal as I am busy working (even though the kitchen is 10 feet away). Lead meat or imitation crab and crackers. Or yogurt.

Meal #5 - Chicken breast or lean turkey, rice or WW pasta, broccoli

Meal #6 - (Optional) 1-2 Scoops Protein Powder in water


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I feel as if my diet has pretty carb dominant and I really need to step it up in my protein sources.

Today so far:

Meal #1 - 1 egg + 4 whites, 1 packet no-sugar added Oatmeal (approx 150 cals), 1 yogurt

Meal #2 - 1 Scoop PP + water

Meal #3 - Turkey sandwich (2 slices lite WW bread, 2 slices turkey, .5 oz of pepperjack cheese, tsp mustard, Tbsp mayo), 1/2 large Fuji apple with 2 T natural PB

Meal #4 - Forgot! Oops. As usual.

Meal #5 - 1 1/2 chicken breasts (previously frozen), 1 serving rice with some parm and romano cheese, 1 C broccoli florets

I plan on having 1-2 scoops PP with water for Meal #6.

I am really serious about leaning up, and I know it'll be hard since I am already small.

Any workout or diet recommendations would be great. I bought some lean steak, turkey, and roast beef for protein sources as well at the grocery store tonight.

Here, I'm thinking it is going to be a combination of diet and training. I believe you should be lifting heavier.

Drop the breads and replace the carbs with whole grains or whole starches such as rice, oats or potatoes, including sweet potatoes.

I don't think you need to "lean" up, but "bulk" up. Lift heavier and harder.

Let me think a little more whether there should be a restructure on diet or as is with a tweak.

quote:

Meal #1 - 1 egg + 4 whites, 1 packet no-sugar added Oatmeal (approx 150 cals), 1 yogurt

Meal #2 - 1 Scoop PP + water

Meal #3 - Turkey sandwich (2 slices lite WW bread, 2 slices turkey, .5 oz of pepperjack cheese, tsp mustard, Tbsp mayo), 1/2 large Fuji apple with 2 T natural PB

Meal #4 - Forgot! Oops. As usual.

Meal #5 - 1 1/2 chicken breasts (previously frozen), 1 serving rice with some parm and romano cheese, 1 C broccoli florets

I plan on having 1-2 scoops PP with water for Meal #6.

My previous post states "whole grains", but what I'm really saying is to drop the wheat. Add fruits and flax oil to your shakes.

Too many people feel the fat, begin to drop fat first and end up getting smaller and smaller muscles. Tone up by building rather than shrinking. You feel better with 10lbs of extra muscle than with 10 lbs less fat.

This is what I was planning for the rest of the week: Any changes?

Meal #1 - 1 egg + 3 whites, 3 oz extra lean steak, 1/2 C. oatmeal

Meal #2 - 1 Scoop PP + 3 strawberries or 3 slices of grapefruit

Meal #3 - 3-4 oz Chicken Breast, rice, salad with EVOO dressing

Meal #4 - 1 no-sugar added Yogurt

Meal #5 - Chicken breast or ground turkey, couscous, broccoli

Meal #6 - 1-2 Scoops Protein Powder in water

The changes are listed in the quote

quote:

Meal #1 - 4 egg whites, 3 oz extra lean steak, 1/2 C. oatmeal

Meal #2 - 1 Scoop PP + 4 strawberries or 3 slices of grapefruit + 1/2 the yogurt that was to be used on #4

Meal #3 - 3-4 oz Chicken Breast, rice, salad with EVOO dressing

Meal #4 - 3 oz tuna or 5 oz talapia / small apple or 4 oz sweet or white potato (alternate each)

Meal #5 - Chicken breast or ground turkey, couscous, broccoli

Meal #6 - 1 Scoop Protein Powder in water add 1/2 the yogurt as in meal #2

Include cardio into your workout program. 30 min 4X per week. Your choice of either high intensity, low or moderate...or all.

I'm not a huge fan of fish during the day (or at all) unless it has breading. (=

So can I alternate tuna & cottage cheese?

I wish I could do more PP, but I dont want to overload it.


Right now I DONT have a workout program except for 25 minutes of rigorous walking outside in the heat with my 5 month old English Bulldog Chanel.

I'd like ANY recommendations. I can probably incorporate 3, maybe 4, days of working out, most likely in the late afternoon/early evening. (Between meal #4 and #5) or (#1 and #2)

I agree with Frank you need to lift to put on the muscle which will make you look more toned. I believe in higher reps and lots of supersets until failure for women thats just me. My gf looks close to show ready all year round and she never lifts heavy.

Jared,

I'd appreciate any suggestions in regards to weight lifting and workout programs.

ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FROM ANYONE is APPRECIATED.

Remember my stats: 5'11", 140lbs. My measurements are probably 35", 29", 36".

Here's a pic: http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/0e6fee06ed.jpg
I'm in the middle.

I look at women like Julie Lohre, Rachel Wade, and Jenny Lynn and I love their definition, especially in their arms!

quote:

...and she never lifts heavy.

It's all relative. Moving back and forth, from high reps moderate weight to low reps heavy weight, it is constant change and stress to the body, which makes it create more muscle.

You're not going to accomplish much if you're doing squats with 10 lbs. But if that person is doing rehab to a knee, you can bet there's stress on that muscle and joint.
25 minutes of rigorous walking outside in the heat with my 5 month old English Bulldog Chanel.

You can bet that is a little stress. LOL After a while, your muscles will handle that and it will not be much stress at all. So a lifting program is going to be needed for both upper and lower body. If you haven't worked out with weights for a while, I suggest 4X per week doing upper body/lower body 1 set of 20, 10 different exercises, 5 push, 5 pull, for three weeks until you start making it easier and get into the routine.
Fish:
Tilapia is a mild fish, not like a strong taste of tuna. I like to add fish because it seems to help "cut" up a bit better. Some say it sparks the thyroid. My fish of preference is salmon.

quote:

Originally posted by Frank:
You're not going to accomplish much if you're doing squats with 10 lbs. But if that person is doing rehab to a knee, you can bet there's stress on that muscle and joint.
25 minutes of rigorous walking outside in the heat with my 5 month old English Bulldog Chanel.

You can bet that is a little stress. LOL After a while, your muscles will handle that and it will not be much stress at all. So a lifting program is going to be needed for both upper and lower body. If you haven't worked out with weights for a while, I suggest 4X per week doing upper body/lower body 1 set of 20, 10 different exercises, 5 push, 5 pull, for three weeks until you start making it easier and get into the routine.
Fish:
Tilapia is a mild fish, not like a strong taste of tuna. I like to add fish because it seems to help "cut" up a bit better. Some say it sparks the thyroid. My fish of preference is salmon.

I know what Tilapia is - I just don't prefer it. I can eat some Tuna, mustard and Mrs. Dash and be happy.

I have a fairly fast metabolism, as you can probably see with my picture, so that's not the problem.

Okay, so you do you feel with that diet I posted that I would be able to slowing gain muscle while losing fat?

I'm not sure what you mean by push pull etc. Explain?

quote:

I know what Tilapia is - I just don't prefer it.

I figured because of your background, but I think tilapia is great as jerky...j/k...a little. I left it on the pan a little too long while multi-tasking.

As for a fast metabolism, you should be able to handle the carbs a little better than average.

You posted as I was posting. I didn't see your pic until now. I see what you're talking about, now. You are likely to burn fat, gain muscle once you start lifting.

Push/pull. Using machines or free weights, pushing motions and pulling motions. Lat pulldown, curls, rowing would be pull, bench press, any "press", is push. 1st week would be 1 set, 10 exercises, 2 week the same 10 exercises but 2 sets and 3rd week the same thing but adding more weight and then you're off to dividing up "split" routines where you'll do exercises concentrating only on main body parts such as "chest" day.

Do you know of any where on the Beverly website where it would have that kind of a workout?

I found this in Volume 5 on this site:

Tuesday and Friday Exercise Sets Reps
Crunches 3 20-30
Leg Raises 3 20-30
Oblique Crunches 3 20-25
Incline DB Presses 4 8-10
Incline Flyes 3 10-12
Pec Deck 3 10-12
Shoulder Presses 3 8-10
DB Laterals 3 10-12
DB Presses 3 8-10
Triceps Extensions 3 10-12
Triceps Pushdowns 3 10-12

Wednesday and Saturday Exercise Sets Reps
Crunches 3 20-30
Leg Raises 3 20-30
Oblique Crunches 3 20-30
Squats 4 10-15
Leg Presses 3 10-15
Leg Extensions 4 10-15
Leg Curls 4 10-15
Seated Calf Raises 3 10-15
Calf Raises 3 15-20

quote:

Do you know of any where on the Beverly website where it would have that kind of a workout?

The one you found can be utilized as my recommendation. All mine is (not found anywhere) is a slow progression to prevent injury and being overly sore. I use this for beginners or someone that has not lifted for over six months. The entire lifting workout can be done in less than 15 minutes the first day by doing 10 different exercises, 1 set, 20 reps. You'll also get an idea if it is heavy enough and set the basis for the right weight to start off.

If you can do those lifts you posted from Vol 5, then by all means, use that program.

Can I used that program and start at a lower weight so I am not sore?

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Can I used that program and start at a lower weight so I am not sore?

I would. It's a good start. Being "sore" is not a bad thing, it is just that I keep people from overdoing it so as to be extremely painfully sore.

I have some other Glutamine+BCAA powder mixture, two jugs actually - so I'm going to use that up before buying the BI products.

Do you recommend I take it before or after the W/O or both? What about at night?

I'm about to go get some MP and Lean Out.

quote:

Do you recommend I take it before or after the W/O or both? What about at night?

If you're negative on calories or keeping status quo, I would say before workout, during and after. I'm not sure what brand or kind you have so go with this:

1/2 serving 30 min before.
Full serving, sip while working out, including cardio.
1/2 immediately after.

As for night, it will depend how you're feeling. Exhausted, yes.

I'll let some of the others chime in on this one because I'm not a big glutamine user.

quote:

It's all relative. Moving back and forth, from high reps moderate weight to low reps heavy weight, it is constant change and stress to the body, which makes it create more muscle.

Yeah I did forget to mention that my gf does eat perfect all year as well, but i see what your saying. I shouldn't have said she never goes heavy but the majority of the time she don't. Mixing it up is good though.

Right now our supplement regimen is this:
(for both me and my husband)

Morning:
Multivitamin (TwinLab Daily One - Iron Free)
Antioxidant Blend (C, ALA, etc. - 1 cap)
EFA Gold (BI - 2 caps)
Lean Out (BI - 2 caps)

Dinner:
Vitamin C + Bioflavonoids (TwinLab - 1 cap)
Grapeseed Ext (Solaray - 1 cap)
Vitamin E (NBTY Mixed Tocopherols - 1 cap)
EFA Gold (BI - 2 caps)
Lean Out (BI - 2 caps)

Nighttime:
CLA (Tonalin - 4 caps)
Calcium blend (Jarrow - 3 caps)...just for me

Pre-WO & Post-WO:
1/2 tsp Glutamine + BCAA's

Protein Powders:
Muscle Provider Chocolate
I also have Muscle Milk Mocha Joe & Jay Robb Vanilla - both great in smoothies

Question & Notes:

Is there anything that I am/we are missing...remember I am Arginine sensitive.
I have some BSN Nitrix, almost a full HUGE bottle that was AWESOME for my "pumps" in filling out my muscles during my work outs, but they almost always gave my canker sores. I also have pure pharmicuetical grade BCAA powder. It's about 5,000mg per TSP.

I am thinking about trying out the Super Pak for a few weeks, but I have problems swallowing tablets. Almost everything I buy is powder or capsule/softgel.