I am taking a break from my firsts. I’ll post one tonight but for now I am actually going to talk about my health and what I have been up to in regard to body upkeep. I need some advice and will be doing a little research this afternoon but in the meantime if anyone has any tips or suggestions they are most welcome.
I have been doing a lot of cardio lately. I am currently taking in about 1600 – 1800 calories daily. I go for one three mile run and one walk each day. I have been doing so for about six weeks now. All of the cardio has resulted in some significant weight loss and although I haven’t weighed myself in a while it would be safe to say I weigh around 130 pounds. I look thin. I have lost a lot of definition and it just makes me look skinny. I need some definition and to get some mass back.
I want to gain muscle weight so for about three weeks now I have started toning for 30 to forty minutes every day before my run. Most of my toning is focused of my thighs, hips, glutes and core. My legs are very strong but thin. I don’t have runners’ legs. I have no mass in my hips and regardless of how much I run I they just get thinner. Because I have no hips I am starting to lose any indication that I have a waist. I alternate core workouts to firm my core so I look like I have a waist again with lower body toning so I can build more muscle in my hips and thighs and maybe get something that looks like a butt.
I have been doing some chair exercises for my hips and thighs along with variations of lunges and some moderate plank exercises and crunches to help with my core and glutes. I’ll take so pictures when I get a little more mass to show you what I have been working on. Right now if I posted pictures I would just get some concerned emails about my weight because I look so thin.
So my questions are:
Why am I not getting more muscle in my legs from running?
Are there any other exercises I can do to target my glutes? (I have absolutely no butt.)
If anybody can point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it.
Marisa
/ June 17, 2011Try adding hill work to your runs. Cardio alone will make you lose weight but to add definition to your legs and butt you need more resistance work. A lot of it is just genetics but with dedication and lots of reps you should be able to add some bulk in the way of lean muscle. Hill runs, squats, lunges, stair climbs. Do this until you are so sore it hurts to sit down, then take a day off and do it all over again. Also try adding some more protein to your diet. Keep up the good work!
trjensen
/ June 17, 2011I have hills out here. I have been trying to avoid running on the street but I guess I’ll start. I do lunges but think I need to add some weights and the stairs are a great suggestion. I have been sore for about twoweeks straight so I know I am getting there. Thanks Marisa!
reelkate
/ June 17, 2011I like combining High Intensity Intervals for 30 minutes and then do some whole body toning routines. I did some freelance work for a place called Tone It Up, though we totally disagreed about a lot of work stuff and I no longer freelance there – they do have great toning routines (check them out at toneitup.com). On days I run – I run to a park with an resistance band and then do some squats/curls and burpies and things like that. Last weekend a family was in the park and they started coping everything I was doing – they said I was their personal trainer – ha!
trjensen
/ June 17, 2011Thanks Kate! This is very helpful. You can be my long distance/pen pal trainer.
reelkate
/ June 17, 2011Oh and btw- 130 – wow! Way to go!!!!
Keith Thomas
/ June 17, 2011To add mass, cut down on the running and focus more on resistance training. For mass, keep the reps in the 8-12 range. You can also add mass by going for sheer strength. I am doing a routine called 5×1 where I do 5 sets of 1 single rep, but am lifting as much as I can. That can add size as well.
Squats are great, as are lunges. Also, ground based deadlifts. I recommend buying a book called “The New Rules of Lifting for Women”, by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove and Casandra Forsythe. I use the companion book “The New Rules of Lifting” and absolutely love it.
Marisa is right on about the protein. Use 1 gram per pound of body weight.
Keep up the good work.
trjensen
/ June 17, 2011Keith you know I am afraid of weights. I am buying some dumbells to work on my arms and shoulders though. I will look for the book. I haven’t tried to lift weights in forever. My upper body needs some work. I still look broader across the top because I have a chest, which is good but I do want to work on my arms, too.
trjensen
/ June 17, 2011Just out of curiousity if you don’t mind answering, how many calories are you taking in each day?