Help with Workout Routine

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Amarantoskm

Actually, it has been proven that : Lifting very heavy weights will cause you to bulk up Lifting medium-to-light weights with high reps will help you tone. The key is to do more reps if you are lifting lighter weights, like 5 sets of 10 reps. But make sure whatever weight you are lifting FEELS challenging and uncomfortable (not painful, but difficult). Obviously if you are lifting 2 pounds it's not going to do much, unless you are extremely overweight. And it is possible to injure yourself if you overdo it. I have done it before. If you overdo it and consequently injure yourself, it's only going to set your weight loss goals back. So be careful and good luck!

You might want to check your sources. It's very difficult for women to bulk. Secondly, I didn't tell her not to do higher reps, per se. I told her not to do high reps with low weight. Higher reps do have their place. They tend to train muscle for endurance, but you still want to use a weight that causes muscle fatigue.
As for tone...I'll still say that light weights do not tone your muscles. What tone your muscles is causing muscle fatigue, so the muscle repairs itself, as well as diet. Those factors won't happen with light weights.
She's already doing cardio, so she's working on her muscle endurance right there. Heavier weight with low reps will affect her fast twitch muscles and make her stronger (not bulky). All of that together, will give her a toned up look.

[legaldiva]

I'd suggest the Couch to 5K ... I did this (I never ran more than a mile in pure suffering until this program and now I really LOVE running 4 miles or so ... less seems like a waste of time!).

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Also, I've been reading tons of nutrition books ... check some of them out. "Naturally Thin" by Bethenny Frankel is my favorite. I also liked "The Denim Diet" and "Skinny Bitch" ... knowing what I'm eating has gone a long way in helping me make better choices and be more accountable.

One thing you should consider is that without changing your diet, you probably will not lose weight no matter how much you work out. I read this yesterday:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/1...o-weight-loss/

[Charles]

That article is a bit misleading. It's basically saying, what I've been trying to say for a few years now, that steady, low-medium intensity cardio isn't very effective, unless you do a butt load...like 5 days a week for an hour. Instead, they article mentions that higher intensity cardio is what you should be doing. Shorter, more intense sessions. That sort of exercise does burn cals better than "traditional" cardio.

[legaldiva]

^ Thanks for clarifying ... but I'm still slightly confused as to what qualifies as "high intensity"?

Let's use the elliptical as an example ... trying to pedal faster, or at a higher resistance or both??? TIA!

About how long is a "shorter, more intense session"? Thanks!