[bekko]

ohk chickies, I need your help! Weightloss is good, slow and steady BUT I need more muscle mass.. My poor legs and bum really look like they need a good workout.

This is going to be a broad question, but how???

I've been trying to tone them with lunges and squats for about a month now with no real change to the appearance. I'm starting to turn into a "skinny" fat person.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I want to look athletic! *flexflex*

I hear a lot about protein being important to building muscle.. but this is about the extent of my knowledge.. other than when I feel tired I then crave it.

Generally I do cardio during the week (average about 3x/wk) for 30-60 minutes. I've been doing lunges and squats with 5 lb weights nightly for about a month and half. (I'm just starting to use the machines at the gym, and am buying 30day shred).


For food, I count calories. I'm generally in the range of 1200-1800. I have a long history of eating fast food daily. Ive cut the fast food down to about 3x/week.. but honestly I'll have to track that could be a lot more :/

...

Yah...

Now that I think about, bump that up to 4. (edit: 5)

When I do cook at that house, its usually something with chicken, lots of veggies. I know I've had problems in the past with eating protein, I was vegetarian for a few years but didn't really know about nutrition. All I knew was that I would throw in beans, nuts, tofu.. so I wouldn't feel wore out.


Not sure what info in here is relevant, but if you have any suggestions/info on nutrition for muscle building, and what I can do to fit up, please let me know!


Thanks for reading

[PhotoChick]

Well protein is important if you want to build muscle, yeah. How much protein are you getting right now? What percentage of your calories are coming from protein? And what do you eat on average? Knowing that will help to give you better advice.

As far as the exercises, lunges, squats, stepups, deadlifts, all are good for the butt and thighs. Do you feel sore after you do your squats and lunges? Are you confident about your form? Also, there are a bunch of different variations of those things that you can do to increase intensity - walking lunges, static lunges, side and back lunges ... same with squats.

Also, doing lots of core exercises will help with your legs and glutes as well. The stronger your core is, the more it'll help you as you work your legs and glutes. IT really all is tied in together.

.

[sportmom]

Get out of the fast food trap, you need to go cold turkey. It's not real food - it's product. It's gross. 6 weeks away from the stuff will turn into 90 days, and then you won't be able to stand to smell the stuff. Seriously, it's an addiction and must be treated as such.

I would up the weights on your squats - 5 is nothing. Get up to 15, 20 lbs.

I have jiggly legs too and sometimes they will look worse before they look better. That's good tho - it's a sign you are dislodging all those fat cell networks underneath the dermis - the first step to getting it flushed out.

[bekko]

thank you for the input.. Its true about the fast food, I stopped eating it for years and years... met my current bf :x and we eat it quite often now. I need to stop, I've noticed my energy level dwindling.

I'll go ahead and up the weights, I'm already pretty shaky with the two 5 pounds but I can tell I'm getting better and am not getting sore.

I thought it was my imagination that it was getting worse.. didn't realize the science behind it. I'll google it in a bit here, didn't know the fat cells could get dislodged :x Just knew that I have really unhealthy looking legs, compared to the rest of my body.

Thanks again!

[fiberlover]

Jogging really started to change the shape of my thighs and hips, along with my strength training.
I have some loose skin on my inner thighs, but I really like how my quad muscles are taking definition now.

[Lydia227]

Originally Posted by sportmom

Get out of the fast food trap, you need to go cold turkey. It's not real food - it's product. It's gross.

So very true. Anyone have a grilled chicken breast from a McRestaurant after relying upon a real chicken breast for an extended periiod of time? Oh, the texture alone. It's like eating a wet sponge. Ewwww.

Consistently clean eats, lots of water, increase number of cardio sessions (more like five or six days a week if you can get it in) and heavier resistance with the leg exercises should help you continue with the results you are seeking. Good luck. Oh, and I just remembered another thing that I think helped. When doing treadmill work (cardio) set the incline as high as you can and still walk. Simulate walking up a very steep hill or mountain. Gives you a nice little stretch in those hips glutes and thighs too.

[WaterRat]

Anyone have a grilled chicken breast from a McRestaurant after relying upon a real chicken breast for an extended periiod of time? Oh, the texture alone. It's like eating a wet sponge. Ewwww.

Ewwww, indeed. Even one of my lunch time local places has started using chicken "product" on it's grilled chicken salads (a former staple for me). I now have the shrimp salad - on which I'm happy to find lots of yummy shrimp!