# Advice please



## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

Hi

I wasafter some advice please, on how to tone up flabby legs!

Ive been going to the gym for 3 months now, and to be honest, im not seeing much in results??

Im very very new to the fitness world, so forgive me if at times i come across abit on the stupid side with my questions!

Im 5foot6inch, and weigh 9stone 9, and have horrible flabby legs. They have given me a programme at the gym, but it dont seem to be working???

Do i just need to be more patient, and the results will eventually start showing??

Im lost, can you tell lol x :der:

Any advice will be apprieciated. thanx


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2008)

a lot of it is diet mate, have you got one sorted?


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

Yeah my diet is really healthy, i dont eat anything bad or fatty.

It includes plenty of fruitr, veg and about 3 litres of water daily


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2008)

what about cardio?


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

what program have you been given?

if you feel your legs are flabby i would guess it would be down to 2 main reasons:

1 - too much fatty tissue and water on the legs

2 - not enough muscle tissue

so your plan should be addressing these 2 main points, obviously leg muscle shape comes into it as well but these would be the things you want to look at first.

let us know what program you have been given and we can see if we can help you out at all, also a rundown on what your average daily diet might be - cos eating healthy and eating to lose weight can be two separate things!


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

My gym programme is 10 mins on bike, 15 mins crosstrainer, 10 mins rower, 10 mins stairmaster, then there are some free weights, lunges, and squats too, yhis is done 4times a week.

The instructor at the gym has put me on a low resistence on the machines, because she said this will help my legs tone?? This confuses me, because its on a low resistence, i dont feel im getting a workout, if that makes sense????


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

Before i joined the gym 3months ago, to be honest i didnt eat very much, about 800cals aday, but there was no fat or carbs included in my diet either!

The day i joined the gym, i changed my diet, because i knew i had to make changes.

I now eat properly, a well balanced diet, and between 1200 and 1500 cals aday


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## FAT BOY (Dec 19, 2005)

rjw1973 said:


> My gym programme is 10 mins on bike, 15 mins crosstrainer, 10 mins rower, 10 mins stairmaster, then there are some free weights, lunges, and squats too, yhis is done 4times a week.
> 
> The instructor at the gym has put me on a low resistence on the machines, because she said this will help my legs tone?? This confuses me, because its on a low resistence, i dont feel im getting a workout, if that makes sense????


daft question are you female ?

i dont see how low resistance is goingto help you tone up you need to be training hard, with a good reistance for about 12 to 15 reps . do you train hamstrings and calfs ? you need to be training all areas .

do cardio most days if you can also you dont mention protien ?

it will come give it time


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

you will find that everyone has different ideas of how to achieve your goals... if yuor quite new to the gym yuor at im guessing the trainer will have put you on a basic "introduction to as much as possible" programme which isnt neccesarily a bad thing.

the low resistance will help burn fat... but in my opinion you need some resistance in there if you want to target your legs specifically. Maybe interval training which is 2 mins high intensity, 2 mins low, 2 mins high etc.. id also miss the bike and the rower out and do all your cardio on stairmaster and cross trainer. discuss this with yuor trainer.. but be persistant as many will try and push you into a "generalised routine" as a matter of course just explain that you really want to focus on these areas... dont go in and say.. "ive done what you said but now ive gone on the internet and listened to a load of people i dont know and am going to do what they say now" lol trust me that dont go down well!! 

with regard diet, what alot of people THINK is healthy and will make them lose weight really isnt.. its all about timing and ratios of carbs/proteins/fats - simply eating healthy wont cut it... so tell us a meal by meal breakdown of a regular day!


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

Hi

Thanks everyone for your replies so far, much appreciated.

Answer to the first question, yes i am a female, i do eat protein especially fish and chicken, but i dont eat any red meat.

The crosstrainer at our gym is a precor EFX 546 crossramp, and i honestly dont understand any of the machines very much?? would a crosscoutry setting with a higher resistence be better than the setting they have told me to at the gym which is interval on resistence one, which is far far to easy, and have been doing this for about 3months now?? Very frustrating, and because of my lack of understanding and knowledge, i tend to do as im told, because i dont know any different lol!

Here is what ive eaten today.

Breakfast: Lemon tea x2, porridge with semi skimmed milk mixed with fresh crannberries, and a yakult.

Lunch: Prawn ann mayo sandwich on seeded granary bread, lettuce tomoto no butter. 2 glasses of water, peach

Dinner: Chicken grilled, new potatoes, broccoli, carrots, babycorn and green beans. Apple 2 glasses of water

I aso had a bannana, and more water, generally, throughout the day, i drink between 2 to 3 litres of water.

Thanks again for your help x


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

to be honest, with the cardio, anything where you come off with your legs feeling like jelly and you slightly out of breth and sweating will be okay - main thing is to enjoy it as much as possible!! if its easy - make it harder!

your diet is healthy and looks like it must be fresh food too which is always best, it is a little carbohydrate dominant tho.. you should really increase your protein intake and try to incorporate protein into every meal.

what time of day would you normally workout?

do yuo have a holland and barrett or other good health food shop near you?


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

LeeB said:


> to be honest, with the cardio, anything where you come off with your legs feeling like jelly and you slightly out of breth and sweating will be okay - main thing is to enjoy it as much as possible!! if its easy - make it harder!
> 
> your diet is healthy and looks like it must be fresh food too which is always best, it is a little carbohydrate dominant tho.. you should really increase your protein intake and try to incorporate protein into every meal.
> 
> ...


Hi

Yes i do have a holland a barrett health shop near me.

Sometimes i workout in the morning, sometimes in the evening.

I get really confused with the diet thing, because you read that carbs are supposed to be included in all meals???

Moderator Lee, your aDdvice has been great, you obviously have alot of knowledge. :high5:


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

the diet thing can be totally confusing, theres that many different approaches and everyone will swear theirs is the best... at the end of the day fresh food and overall less calories than what the body needs combined with exercise is ALWAYS effective.

i think my diet comment about carbs wasnt obvious - basically, i didnt mean that the carbs you were having were a bad thing... just that the amount of carbs compared to the amount of protein in my opinion was a little too high (dominant lol)

the reason id suggest a higher protein intake is you want to tone up your legs (i.e. firm up the muscle tissue) so protein is needed for the muscle.

id suggest something like:

breakfast: pretty much same as what your having but maybe some cottage cheese if you can stomach it?

mid morning: piece of fruit or some fruit juice (or some cottage cheese)

lunch: not sure how much protein is in prawns? maybe swap for chicken/turkey/tuna in the sandwich to increase protein content.

mid afternoon: piece of fruit or some fruit juice (or some cottage cheese)

dinner: looks fine to me, again just ensure your getting your protein from the meat (try and have same amount size wise of meat as you are potatos)

try and see your diet as fuel. remember that for anything to happen inside your body (losing fat or building muscle) a chemical reaction must occur inside your body, if these chemicals/nutrients (i.e. food) arent present it doesnt matter how hard you train and diet you wont get what your looking for! so although you may think im suggesting eating more food (more calories) what im actually suggesting is giving your body more nutrients to burn fat and tone the muscle!

dont see the diet suggestions as gospel, you seem to understand what is healthy and what is not just try and remember that when eating you should eat small and often (more than 3 times a day) and you need protein/carbs/fat in each meal!

i mentioned before water retention could be an issue.. your local holland and barrett will sell something called dandelion root capsules.. these will help with water retention and are not harmful at all, id give them a try for a month taking 1 with breakfast, 1 with lunch and 1 before bed. they also sell something called optimum oil which is the same as "udos oil" (google it) this is really good for fat burning and also general health so if you want to spend a bit more give it a try taking a spoon same times as the dandelion root!

glad i can help, not sure about the alot of knowledge thing, theres plenty know alot more! but if i can steer you in the right direction its a start!


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

Thankyou again, and yes you do definatley know your stuff.

Well im of to the gym in abit, then straight afer will visit holland and barrett!

Why has it taken me all this time to get some good advice? God im glad i found this forum. I only wish now that you was my instructer at my gym, i think you would of had my legs toned up by now lol

My instructor is not good atall, i feel like banging my head against a brick wall :axe:


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

most instructors have done a basic course and in reality arent THAT experienced in helping people change their bodies in my opinion, but they are there to help people out and get them started (and keep them coming back to the gym) plus they have ALOT of people to deal with so people end up with very general advice rather than something specific to them..

im a great instructor me.. just ask scottswald hes my training partner.. "how many reps"... "25" (no matter how heavy it is) "should i go heavier?".. "yes" lol again no matter how heavy it is.. i think hes learning not to ask now tho haha

and anyways dont speak too soon it hasnt worked yet!! lol


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## skinnyman2160 (Jun 24, 2008)

id try and cut out the water a bit, my partner had the same problem, now she rides a bike everywhere, and her thighs and calfs are bigger and harder than mine lol.

i think she used that "adios" for water retention.


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

LeeB said:


> most instructors have done a basic course and in reality arent THAT experienced in helping people change their bodies in my opinion, but they are there to help people out and get them started (and keep them coming back to the gym) plus they have ALOT of people to deal with so people end up with very general advice rather than something specific to them..
> 
> im a great instructor me.. just ask scottswald hes my training partner.. "how many reps"... "25" (no matter how heavy it is) "should i go heavier?".. "yes" lol again no matter how heavy it is.. i think hes learning not to ask now tho haha
> 
> and anyways dont speak too soon it hasnt worked yet!! lol


See, thats what i need, a good kick up the backside from a training partner or trainer lol

Anyway, ive now just come back from the gym, and eating a sandwich with cottage cheese, and ive gotta say, ive never tasted anything quite so gross urghh!! But i will try it a few more times lol


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

skinnyman2160 said:


> id try and cut out the water a bit, my partner had the same problem, now she rides a bike everywhere, and her thighs and calfs are bigger and harder than mine lol.
> 
> i think she used that "adios" for water retention.


Hi,

It is frustrating, but im not gonna give up.

I tried Aquaban a couple of weeks ago, that definatley didnt work.

Lee(moderator) has given me a couple of names of things to try from holland and barrett, so im going to give them a try, afterall look how toned he is! lol


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

lol the longley farm cottage cheese (usually from morrisons) is the nicest! but yer its not great to be honest.... lol

im available for backside kicking 24/7 - free to all musclechat members!!

and.. ahem... that pic was back in may... im a "little" cough.. less conditioned now..


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

Yeah but i bet youre still fit as anything, and toned.

That picture must of taken ahell of alot of training and cottage cheese lol.


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

change the word fit to fat and the word anything to elephant... lol

unfortunately cottage cheese not allowed on the diets (which ive just started again this week)... its more a case of chicken, beef, protein shakes, sweet potato, rice cakes and almonds, oh and water and 1 glass of diet coke a day! no nice food at all! 

hopefully one day someone will genetically modify a chicken breast so that it tastes like pizza! lol and make cottage cheese taste like baileys... actually that would make a decent pudding... cottage cheese and some hagaan daz baileys ice cream.. with some actual baileys added for good measure! lol


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

Thats a really strange appetite you have lol

Anyway why is cottage cheese so good for you?


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

lol its not an appetite.. its a case of having to eat it if i want to be in the right condition! 

its not that cottage cheese is so good.. just that its a convenient source of protein for you - if you dont like it then feel free to substitue it for something else thats a good protein source!


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2008)

LeeB said:


> lol its not an appetite.. its a case of having to eat it if i want to be in the right condition!


i think that he was on about your cottage cheese and baileys pudding, lee :nod:


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

ahh good point!! some people just dont know good quality grub when they hear about it!!


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

scottswald said:


> i think that he was on about your cottage cheese and baileys pudding, lee :nod:


Im actually a SHE and not a HE lol

Abit on the thick side sometimes, but im definatley a she!


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

lol now are you sure?? we donrt get many women around ere lol


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2008)

LeeB said:


> lol now are you sure?? we donrt get many women around ere lol


yeah, that "LeeB" character usually scares them away, lol


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

aye - its a size/mass/muscle thing scott


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

Im definatley a woman, honest lol!!

Listen, i have been hunting for a forum with good advice, and i stumbled across this one, and im very very happy with advice so far, except nearly vomiting on cottage cheeese. Oh my god lol!!!

I am admittingly abit on the thick side, and i will be asking you some questions which you will wonder why i dont know the answers to already, but all this fitness thing is very new to me, so please bear with my lack of understanding with things.

And before you ask, no im not blonde, just very thick:der:


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## FAT BOY (Dec 19, 2005)

hi

your not thick .nobody starts somthing new with all the knowledge aleady instaled in there head ,we all have to learn, and in this game you never stop learning . so dont put yourself down or be scared to ask questions


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

spot on fat boy! (that dont sound right, sound like am calling you names, can we call you fatty or fatso for short? lol)

seriously tho, everyone starts somewhere and everyone on here is at a different level from everyone else and nobody is looked down upon (i hope)!

at the end of the day we all have the same goal - changing our bodies in some way!


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

Thanks for the positive replies, its just that on some forums, people just have no patience with people like me lol!

Its not surprising im confused! I join a gym 3months ago, starting weight about 9"5, my height is 5foot 6in, after acouple of weeks i weigh myself because my clothes were getting tight, i had a shock, i now weighed 9"13!!!! (after 2weeks!)

Anyway, i am 9"9 now, so its very very slowly coming back off, it dont bother really me that much about the weight gain, its my clothes getting tight! Im asize 10 and all my clothes are, and dont really fancy buying a whole new wardrobe. See why im confused.com cant ya lol!!!

Anyway, you know all about that already. Well i went the gym saturday morning, and they have done me a new programme, so will have to see if i start seeing ang results.

Have Patience Patience Patience i keep being told lol


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

surprised no-ones suggested you start doing a basic fullbody workout to start building some muscle.

combine that with lots of walking to bring down bodyfat.

might be a good idea to buy a protein powder as its hard to get enuff (or stomach) much protein for breakfast(other than milk)


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

I walk an hour 5 days aweek aswell as going the gym 4 times aweek, the results are coming slow still lol

I am eating as much protein as i can, but i dont eat any red meat, i cant stand it, but i do eat plenty of chicken and fish, perhaps the protein powder might be worth cosidering???

Its all confusing though, ive also been advised to eat carbs with my meals, to makesure my diet is nutritionally balanced, as my diet used to be so poor, my body lacked in alot of nutrition, especially carbs, as i didnt eat any atall 3montHs ago! I was scared of getting fat

If you read through all of this thread, it will explain my old eating habits more.

Thanks for the reply


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

good on you for walking!!

you do need to eat carbs but just enuff for energy.

i find breakky a tricky time to get enuff protein cos i usually just have3 shredded wheat and a nana(cant face anything else)but i always have a can of tuna as soon as i can after.

which is easier said than done lol

so yeah a powder would help you.


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

btw i do think with all that walking that you dont need to focus on legs in the way that you have at the gym.

might i suggest

squats maybe alternating with lunges

bench press

pulldowns for back

shoulder press

bicep curls

triceps pushdowns

maybe abs too.

i just qualified as a gym instructor  but so did alot of other peeps on my course and i wouldnt trust their advice at all lol! (and mine was a good course)


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

Ido squats and lunges, but for some reason my legs still look flabby.

I am such a strange shape lol! Im a size 10 with a tiny waist, but big horrible legs, i hate them so much, i basically just keep them covered up all the time.

I dunno whats going on, lee(moderator) suggested water rention, and has very kindly advised me on something to buy from holland and barrett, which im going to get tomorrow

Anythings worth a go


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

the squats and lunges will help tone and shape the muscle but were all limited by genetics. we all hold fat and water in different places, yours is obviously your legs, as is most women but soem are more pronounced than others and its more a case of a soft watery jelly look than massive amuonts of fat in my experience!

basically (in my opinion) your "problem" is fixable but its a case of time rather than a quick fix... to be honest i disagree with crazycal with regard protein shakes (and thats not to say that advice is wrong - just not the option id choose) as i dont think your main goal is msucle building, yes protein is needed in your diet and yuo need to get more of it in - but i dont think you shuold be as regimented as us lads.... the main goal for you in my opinion is working hard week in week out to balance your physique (upper and lower body) out and toning up the area your lest happy with!


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## FAT BOY (Dec 19, 2005)

LeeB said:


> spot on fat boy! (that dont sound right, sound like am calling you names, can we call you fatty or fatso for short? lol)
> 
> lol you can if you want to m8 hopfully i wont be a fat boy much longer
> 
> ...


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## rjw1973 (Jun 24, 2008)

I think im going fo invest in some sweatpants, great idea lol!!

I had a re-programme at the gym saturday, i will post it on here later, and you can tell if you think, to wether its a good one or a complete waste of time.

I know it all boils down to having alot of patience, and keep putting in the hard work.

I think because my body was in starvation mode for many years, prior to me starting my new health and fitness regine 3 months ago, i think its gonna take time to recover


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

you can get some great clothing (especially the ladies gym stuff as its stuff you cant really find in many other places) from:

Bodybuilding Clothes, Body Building Supplements, Protein, Gym Clothing and Sports Nutrition

or

Better Bodies UK - Fitness Clothes - Sports Supplements : Whey Protein - Nutritional Supplements

i thought we all wore sweat pants cos we were just lazy???? lol


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## chrissy1466867950 (Nov 15, 2008)

i think running will get your legs looking great - worked for me


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## Pikey1466867920 (Apr 24, 2004)

Hi, As I've just posted somewhere else on here, my wife is a marathon runner, her body shape is such that she carry's weight on her bum and thighs, even after running 3 marathons she wasn't happy with her legs. She's getting happier with them now now but is including a weights programme in her training and what has made a big impact is cutting bread out of her diet, bread has a load of salt which encourages water retention.

I'd drop the bread and get your carbs from other sources and make sure the cardio is at an intensity sufficent to get a good sweat on and to make you put of breath and the weights at a level that you are getting a "burn" in the muscle you are training


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