Weight Machines - Slim,Tone/lose fat

[werhardt]

I am a 33 year old female, I have been going back and forth in my head with using free weights vs. machines. I have always used the machines and I Really like it. As I am going through a lot of forums I am finding out little bit and pieces everywhere. One is that it is a waste of time to use the inner/outer thigh machines, but I don’t know why.
What I am trying to do is tone and loss body fat. Before I workout, I use the treadmill for 3 min, but now I am hearing that I don’t need to use the treadmill if I am strength training. I go to the YMCA about 2 times a week, but I am trying to go 3. I just want a all over body working out that I can do with the machines. Can anyone help me? This is what I am doing as of right now.
Treadmill
Leg press:
Leg ext
Leg curl
Over head press
Chest press
Bicep curls
Tricep ext
Ab machine

The parts I want to improve on is the flab under my arms and I want to slim down and firm up and also my legs. I also have a little bit of cellulite on the back of my legs that I would like to get rid of too.
I am open for some suggestion on what type of workout program I can do or the machines that do a whole body workout for me.

Thanks!

[RWF]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Your weight training workout does look good. I am thinking you migth have to increase the cardio to shed that extra fat.

Do you do any other cardio besides the treadmill?

Also, you should do cardio after your weight training workout (not before as some people do) because weight training depletes glycogen from the muscles. Glycogen is a fuel source, and if it's not available the body is more likely to burn actual fat from fat cells

[werhardt]

Thank you for the feedback. I only do the Treadmill for about 30 min. I use to do a lot of cardio before, but my schedule is pretty busy and I don't have the time. I saw at my gym they have a machine that works your arms. Instead of the pedals on your feet, you use them with your hands. I thought maybe this would be good for my flabby arms.

[RWF]

Yep, that would help.

The best way to get rid of flabby arms is..

#1 - cardio. You have to lose the fat from that area. This takes a whole body approach because you can't choose where your body loses fat first.

#2 - arm exercises. Tricep exercises, bicep exercises...even exercises like pull ups and bench press will help because they use your arms quite a lot.

Check out the articles in the womens arm exercises category for more info and post up any questions you have.

Good luck!

[teekz]

Hey Werhardt

You are on the right track.
I always recommend free weights for anyone looking to strength train, they teach the brain how to work with the body better than sitting in a fixed machines does.

In terms of your program could you be more specific as to what exactly you do? reps, sets and how long you rest inbetween movements for? A great strategy for losing weight though strength training is to perform circuits where you alternate movements for the upper body and lower body, with about a minutes rest inbetween each.

Also are you on birth control, there is evidence that women who hold more fat around their triceps and hip/thighs tend to have more estrogen in their system. Birtch control directly affects how much estrogen the body produces.

I hope this clears some things up for you

Teekz