I workout but I'm not fit!

[confused25]

I'm the only person out of my circle of friends that workout regularly. I try to go at least 2 times a week for an hour doing kickboxing cardio class. Sometimes I'll switch things up and do a weight training class. I had a trainer for about a year but then I got rid of him after our contract was up, plus it was costing me a fortune. Anyways, I've been going to the gym regularly for about two years now, and all of my friends assume that I am really in shape and athletic. I am 5'4" and about 121 lbs, which is about average in my opinion. I don't think I am in shape at all! I don't have a lot of endurance, and I can't run a full mile without stopping a couple of times in between. I just have really bad cardio. Why is it that even though I workout regulary, I am still out of shape?? I felt like I am wasting my time at the gym!

[rocio]

Going to the gym is never a waste of time. The fact that you don't have alot of endurance is even more reason why it's absolutely necessary that you stay active. Keep up the good work.

 

btw, do you smoke?

[confused25]

I used to smoke but quit about 1.5 years ago. But my cardio is about the same before and after I quit.

[kittysaysmeow]

I workout quite a bit too but I don't think I'm super in shape either. You said you were going to kickboxing twice a week...I would suggest doing exercise at least 4-5 times a week (alternating between weight training and cardio).

 

I'm slowly but surely training for a marathon next year and I'm taking baby steps since running doesn't come naturally to me. Go on the bike or elliptical for 15 minutes and every week add a few minutes. Eventually try running on a treadmill.

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with your weight! Sounds normal to me.

[BellaDonna]

Maybe your diet is unbalanced and you are not getting the right combination of proteins, good carbs and good fats which would allow you to have more energy and build more lean muscle.

 

Also, if you are not getting enough calories for your level of physical activity, there is a chance your body could be in "starvation mode" and is storing fat and less apt to build muscle.

 

Try keeping a food journal for a couple of weeks and see if your gym has a nutritionist you can talk to. Exercise is really only half of the equation to being fit & healthy.

 

BellaDonna

[Day_Walker]

just going to the gym two times a week is not going to cut it if you want to be fit. If fitness is your goal then you need to go 4-5 times a week and incorporate cardio and weight training. If your goal is endurance then you need to up your cardio to atleast 45 mins of the bike, treadmill, eliptical or stairclimber.

[fnlyfrei]

Yep...weight training will sculpt and tone you along with the cardio and the clean diet....it is a combination of things. You can do it !

[Clementine orange]

All what the above posters said plus PATIENCE!

[RayKay]

Well, you have to train for what you want.

 

If you want to build endurance, you have to TRAIN to build endurance. This means building up the length of time you can run over time and increasing the time/distance for example.

 

A lot of sports or activities while they can accentuate your other activities, won't mean you can do anything else....kickboxing is great, but it won't automatically make you able to be a great runner, unless you work at becoming a better runner for example. The muscle movement, and cardio output is just different.

 

Honestly, if you really are aiming for fitness, twice a week probably is not enough, at least not if the rest of your days are fairly sedentary and you have a non physical job.

 

You really need to aim to move your body nearly everyday, and use a mixture of aerobic/cardio (ie running, cycling, swimming), weight training (to strengthen and build muscle and tone), flexibility and core (ie yoga, pilates, stretching). I currently do something almost daily for 1.5-2 hours (run, cycle, head to gym, I do yoga everyday) but that is also as I train for certain competitions and so on, and that is certainly not everyone's goal. I live a pretty healthy life and it works for me, I do make it a priority by getting up early to get it in to my busy days. Some people make fitness their entire life as that is their job which is not for me, others just want to put in their 30 minutes a day on an elliptical if they go at all, and then go home which is not for me either.

 

You have to figure out WHAT works for you, what YOUR goals are - and figure out how to do it and then do it.

 

And of course as Bella said, you have to make sure you are on top of your nutrition as well...as you won't get anything out of your working out if you don't also pay attention to eating healthy and well!

 

Your weight sounds fine to me....I am the same height, and same weight, but I have a lot of muscle tone so look smaller apparently to others. Anyway, don't go by weight alone, you need to go by how you feel, and how things fit, and all that.

[scarew]

Yes take RayKays advice.

 

Honestly, I didn't start looking or feeling fit until I changed my diet. I worked out TONS but still looked like I had a little warmer layer on my thighs. Don't go crazy with crash dieting, but if u COMBINE a healthy diet with your excersise you will see the best results.

 

Dont know about down there but the Canada food guide says to eat 5-10 (ten for like marathon runners) servings of grain/day. But 1 serving is 1 slice of bread or 1 cup of pasta, so imagine how quickly u can use up those servings.

 

Also only 2-3 servings of protein. 1 serving being the size of your palm (whoever heard of a 4 oz steak????) But thats the idea.

 

You also are supposed to have 3-4 of dairy, but the one MOST people struggle with is the 6-12 servings of fruit/veggies.

 

And stay away from any foods that fall into the "other" category: candy, fried snacks, etc.

 

Consult a dietician if you can!