Health/Fitness Question

[Commander_N_Chief]

Ok so I've been on a diet since the near end of last year and have went from the close to 300 range down to a respectable 217; very much in part to the cardio I also put in. I began to see definition in my abdominal area and noticed a deep tightening all the way around. The problem however is I was at 207 and now that I have started lifting again have packed on ten pounds. I want to say this is muscle though I have begun to see a bit of the waist grow again.

I haven't changed my diet from the 1300 calorie diet I have had myself on, and since having started working out increased my cardio workout to the point of even adding an addition day devoted to cardio.

My cardio for upper or lower body workouts are:

5 mile jog

1 mile hike

5 sets of 40 yard sprints

5 sets of 4 count jumping jacks

30 minutes on the eliptical

My cardio workouts are:

2 mile runs

6.5 mile jog

2 mile hike

15 minute bleacher runs

5 sets of 30 second six inches holds

5 sets of 40 yard sprints

7 sets of 4 count jumping jacks

1hr on the eliptical

45 minute boxing routine(jump rope, speed bag, heavy bag, shadow boxing)

Is there a chance I've over worked the abdominal area? Should I switch my diet around from 1300 to a lower amount or a new routine? Any answers would be great.

Thanks for the help.

[Skinz4Life12]

i'm impressed with your cardio routine...and despite cardio being good for your core you should also throw in some exercises that specifically target the abdominal region as well. crunches, leg lifts, oblique crunches, 6 inches, bow's and toes, etc..

at the end of all my lifts i make sure i throw in anywhere from 6-12 sets of ab/oblique exercises. this has worked fantastic for me and have no problem maintining the definition in my core region.

[Commander_N_Chief]

Thank you. I do crunches as well; roughly 200 in the morning in 4 sets of fifty in between sets of pushups followed by the same routine at night after I get off work. Thank you for the other excersises I'll try to incorporate them more into my workouts!

[PleaseBlitz]

#1, congrats on the weight loss and especially doing it the right way.

#2, ab workouts = out. Core workouts = in. ESPECIALLY if you are running a lot. Trust me.

http://www.mensfitness.com/fitness/workout_routines/228?page=1

[#98QBKiller]

Good to hear about your success man.

But 1300 seems like an extremely low number of calories for all of your working out.

If you're taking in too little calories and protein, your body will start to burn muscle along with fat to keep it fueled. I'd check with your doctor or trainer and have them figure how many calories you need on a daily basis.

I'm between 175-180 and am very active with a very intense workout plan and I have to take in 2700 calories a day to maintain my weight.

[PleaseBlitz]

Good to hear about your success man.

But 1300 seems like an extremely low number of calories for all of your working out.

If you're taking in too little calories and protein, your body will start to burn muscle along with fat to keep it fueled. I'd check with your doctor or trainer and have them figure how many calories you need on a daily basis.

I'm between 175-180 and am very active with a very intense workout plan and I have to take in 2700 calories a day to maintain my weight.

Im at the same weight and also extremely active and i eat about 2100 a day.

On weekends i drink about 3000. :chug:

[Commander_N_Chief]

Thanks PB, it's funny that you mention that. I just picked up the recent issue of MF and have looked over their core workout insert. I'll have to deffinately have to make a go of it! At the very least it should throw the muscle groups into shock with a different regiment.

[#98QBKiller]

Im at the same weight and also extremely active and i eat about 2100 a day.

On weekends i drink about 3000. :chug:

OLS

During football season I try to reserve Sunday as my "cheat" day because I bet I take in about the same between beer and football food...and a lot of times Friday and Saturday nights are the same with all of the beer.

[Commander_N_Chief]

Good to hear about your success man.

But 1300 seems like an extremely low number of calories for all of your working out.

If you're taking in too little calories and protein, your body will start to burn muscle along with fat to keep it fueled. I'd check with your doctor or trainer and have them figure how many calories you need on a daily basis.

I'm between 175-180 and am very active with a very intense workout plan and I have to take in 2700 calories a day to maintain my weight.

I've often wondered about that personally. I've never consulted a docter or a trainer about my cal intake due to it working for me. Is it possible that I could have done damage to my system and items are no longer being burnt and processed properly now causing the sudden "bloating."

I used to be a heavy drinker and have since been clean of a drop since jan 2nd. Biggest contributer in my mind to my weight loss.

[PleaseBlitz]

Thanks PB, it's funny that you mention that. I just picked up the recent issue of MF and have looked over their core workout insert. I'll have to deffinately have to make a go of it! At the very least it should throw the muscle groups into shock with a different regiment.

Yep. I still do a crapload of situps and medicine ball crunches, but i also do a ton of planks and side planks and all kinds of crazy stuff with stability balls and kettlebells. It has made a huge difference with my running especially since i have a bulging disk in my back.

You can find a ton of core workouts on youtube, though a lot of them are by meathead douchebags. Also, it gives you an excuse to look at Kim Strother.

:drool:

[#98QBKiller]

I've often wondered about that personally. I've never consulted a docter or a trainer about my cal intake due to it working for me. Is it possible that I could have done damage to my system and items are no longer being burnt and processed properly now causing the sudden "bloating."

I used to be a heavy drinker and have since been clean of a drop since jan 2nd. Biggest contributer in my mind to my weight loss.

I'd say that if you're training with that kind of frequency and intensity and still sticking to the 1300 calorie diet that your body has likely gone into "storage mode" which is when it slows down your metabolism to store body fat because of such a sharp decrease in fuel and increase in production.

You probably haven't done any permanent damage but you could also be in a state of overtraining and just need a break too.

Again, I'd check with a doctor or trainer but I suspect that a caloric boost would get your metabolism going again.

[PleaseBlitz]

I'd say that if you're training with that kind of frequency and intensity and still sticking to the 1300 calorie diet that your body has likely gone into "storage mode" which is when it slows down your metabolism to store body fat because of such a sharp decrease in fuel and increase in production.

You probably haven't done any permanent damage but you could also be in a state of overtraining and just need a break too.

Again, I'd check with a doctor or trainer but I suspect that a caloric boost would get your metabolism going again.

Im with QBK. Definitely see either a doctor or a nutritionist. Even if your diet IS pretty good, they'll make it better.

[Commander_N_Chief]

Haha, thanks for the link! I'll deffinately have to setup a core workout for myself.

And for the verdict so far we don't believe it's a health issue? Just a platue(Sad to say I believe I butchered the spelling) that I need to work through.

[PleaseBlitz]

Have you been doing essentially the same workout since you started last year?

[Commander_N_Chief]

I've changed it up a couple of times but most recently I just increased reps, times, miles, and things of that nature.

[#98QBKiller]

It sounds more like a plateau and calorie deficiency deal to me but only your doc knows for sure

[PleaseBlitz]

The best way to get through a plateau is to radically change your routine. Im not sold on the calorie deficiency as much as QBK is, but i would definitely talk to a professional about it. 1300 calories can go a LONG way if you are eating the right things.

Hell, when i was a wrestler i was in the best shape of my life, running miles of sprints every day along with hours of actual wrestling (which is probably the most intense cardio workout ever devised) and i was eating about half of what you are on the days that i did actually eat.

That was decidedly not healthy though.

[BigMike619]

I hit a plateau and stopped getting sore. so now i have dropped 20 pounds in my arm routine and doing 20 instead of 10 reps.

lets just say that im giving the head nod for hello instead of waving today..lol

[RyansRangers]

I have done the same thing in the past. Now I am a larger framed and while when I lose weight I start to get definition if you pack on muscle in your abs they will start to push out and pushing the remaining fat out as well.

Here is what you can do....

Stop doing crunches because they are working the upper part of your abs which can give push muscle and fat out from your stomach. Work on you Obliques (side muscles) and Lower abs only. The running and cardio will work your upper abs.. Working soley obliques and lower abs will continue core strength and you wont look as if your gaining weight

[PleaseBlitz]

I hit a plateau and stopped getting sore. so now i have dropped 20 pounds in my arm routine and doing 20 instead of 10 reps.

lets just say that im giving the head nod for hello instead of waving today..lol

Bust a plateau, increase cardiovascular endurance, and puke on the floor.......in 4 minutes.

The Tabata Method.

[BigMike619]

holy....****. that might just make me puke in 2

[#98QBKiller]

Bust a plateau, increase cardiovascular endurance, and puke on the floor.......in 4 minutes.

The Tabata Method.

That's intense man

[PleaseBlitz]

holy....****. that might just make me puke in 2

That's intense man

Its awesome. I highly recommend it.