I am 35 years old and have a lot of body fat. I am trying to lose and have lost 30 lbs in 3 years. I am 5'6" and fluctuate between 165 and 170 lbs. I know that I can not spot reduce, so I do 30 to 45 min of cardio four times a week, and weights twice a week. I am trying to get into a size 9. Instead of a weight, I chose a size. I am now a 12/14. Now to get to the point. I have a lot of fat on my body. Really flabby fat. I do not see any difference from when I was 203 lbs to now. I wear a smaller size but I just jiggle way too much. I guess what I'd like to know is: will this ever firm up? Will the fat go away? I see before and after pictures on websites and the befores are never giant flabby bodies. Just bigger versions of firm bodies. I just started to eat vegetarian for health reasons, and eat very balanced meals. My idea of a vegetable is not a french fry. I eat 1200-1400 calories per day. And do not have a physically demanding job. So I guess I would like to know if I am working out enough? Eating enough? Any advice appreciated.

Thanx, Rebecca

Posting your workout and diet in detail would help to answer your question.

Breakfast: Multi grain oatmeal with soymilk and brown sugar 175 cal
1/2 banana 52 cal
regular coffee with 2 tsp sugar and soymilk 45 cal

snack: 1/8 cup roasted salted almonds 120 cal
1 cup strawberries 46 cal

Lunch: 2 cups baby spinach 7 cal
1 cup mixed baby spring greens 7 cal
cherry tomatoes 18 cal
cucumber slices 9 cal
red kidney beans 55 cal
julienned beets 15 cal
2 tbsp fat free italian dressing 21 cal

Dinner 1 cup cooked broccoli 55 cal
1/2 cup brown rice 109 cal
splash soy sauce 10 cal
1 slice whole grain bread 119 cal
1 tsp margarine 33 cal

Dessert 6 oz yogurt 90 cal


total calories in at 1258 typically.

workout: Treadmill 30-45 minutes at 3.2 mph

weight: 2 sets of 25 reps shoulder press 10 lbs (cant lift more w/out pain)
2 sets of 25 reps chest press 15 lbs
2 sets 30 reps tricep extensions 12 lbs
2 sets 30 reps bicep curls 12 lbs
2 sets 60 reps thigh adduction 50 lbs
2 sets 60 reps thigh abduction 30 lbs
crunches 20 - 25 abs suffered after 4 kids but I'm working on it.
squats (just bodyweight) 2 sets 50 reps



and informally I go roller skating, jump on the trampoline, swim in the lake.

This took a long time to write, I hope someone can help!!!

That's good thinking aiming for a particular size rather than weight.

For your diet - 1200-1400 is not enough. At your age/ht/wt and activity level, you should be consuming in the 1600 kcal range for wt loss. (eating too little can mess up your efforts)

Nutritionally, you need more protein. Make sure each time you eat you are getting a quality protein source, which I know will be more challenging w/out meat - but make sure you get more protein in.

The reps are way way too high. Aim more for the 8-12 rep range, maybe up to 15. As for exercises, aim more for compound movements that work several muscles at once, rather than so many isolations.

Make sure when you lower the reps, you up the weight. Obviously, if you can lift 10 lbs 25 times in a row, then if you are only going to lift 12 times, you would need more weight in order to work the muscle within those 12 reps.

Also, please drop the glorified thigh master machines. The hip abduction/adductions are in gyms b/c women are convinced that they are going to melt their thighs away and get them all "toned" on those machines....but they won't. The larger compound movements, like squats, will go a LOT farther in making nicely shaped legs.