How long will it take to get in amazing shape working out?

[Anonymous]

My sister and I are starting school in January so we'll have access to both our university's gyms. We plan on going 4x a week.

With that said, how long will it take for us to get fit and toned? We plan on doing an array of exercises. We want lean muscle and definition while still maintaining our natural curves.

I said at least a few months while my sister thinks a month at most...

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

It's gonna depend on your determination. Are you seriously going to go 4x a week, every week? Do you have a workout routine? Or are you just gonna quit working out whenever you feel tired?

Based on your profile picture, you look pretty healthy looking. So your sister could be right-- if you are determined to workout 4x a week (and never skip even one workout, and really work yourself in each work out) then you will most definitely be considerably more toned and fit in one months time.. But as soon as you make an excuse to skip one workout, you'll have a broken quitters mentality, and I assure you, it will slow down your progress significantly.

Things I'd recommend to make sure you're toned and more beautiful in 1 months time:

1.) Map out your workout schedule. When are you going to find time everyday? Is it going to be 5 in the morning? 8 at night? Make sure it's a time you'll always have free.

2.) Create a workout routine (if you want I can help you with this), so you know what you have to do, and how much you have to do each day (this helps prevents quitting too early in the workout).

3.) Make it your number 1 priority-- or otherwise you'll lose focus and slack. Remember that you can NOT do less and expect the same. And if you only end up working out once a week, don't even expect visible results within 3 months, let alone a month. And same goes for if you're barely doing a workout each time.

4.) Stay away from fast food-- and don't eat unhealthy salads (many dressings taste good but are 140 calories per 2 tablespoon servings with 110 calories of that being fat calories-- that is a worse ratio than McDonalds!)

5.) Step on a scale and/or take a picture on day 1. Don't do so again until day 30, 60 and 90. See how well you progress. But do not weigh yourself every day. Results are not that fast and you'll just end up discouraging yourself.

6.) Try to eat more meat products. It'll give you a significant boost in protein which helps your muscles heal, so you maintain your muscle while trimming fat. It also helps the soreness go away faster, after a good hard workout. Do NOT fall into the myth that protein is gonna make your biceps huge. As a girl, you won't get big muscles from working out unless you take steroids or other similarly unhealthy hormone supplements.

I wish you the best of luck on your steps to becoming more healthy! And if you have any questions or need any help with anything, just ask me.

Sincerely,

NotJustAnotherGuy

[Prof_Don]

I have pretty much nothing to add. This dude said pretty much everything.

To Enchanted_x3:

If you have any ?'s regarding what/how to eat well on a budget (you mentioned being in college), PM this dude or me. A solid diet will intensify your body's changes, as imo diet, as in WHAT you eat, matters a lot more than people may know.

Best of luck (I use that word loosely) to you. :)

[sedstar]

I was real athlet when I was young... (I'm 43 now, and past my prime, lol)

it depends on your NATURAL weight and height, and muscle and bons size and shape, and your metabolism... and WHAT you DO with it...

if lots of those cards are in your favor? You can pretty much eat what you want and just get used to long workouts and really enjoy it, and get quick impressive results...

BUT, if those cards are NOT in your favor, AND you don't watch what you eat and don't stick with working out long hours... well, your just going to end up with a big appetite and turn ito a COW when you quit working out in a few months...

this is a long term proposition... you have a natural size and muscularity to a person, and you can increase it a little or a lot, depending on your factors... and how much work you are willing to put in...

but, make NO mistake about it... when you suddenly get impressed with yourself and quit working out?

Your either going to lose it like the aier let out of a balloon, or, worse yet, blow up like a BALLOON...

NOW... you could just take up :

jogging, hiking with backpacks, rock/wall climbing, bicycling... and NEVER have to really "work out" if you enjoy those activities, and get toned up out the ying yang...

its a LIFESTYLE to be fit, not a 6 month hobby...

tech tip: learn to do stretching exercises while your still young and can DO IT... and when you eventually start t get older and quit working out, all you have to do is KEEP stretching out every morning and evening, to stay in "really good shape"... THEN you can get back into working out any time you want for the rest of your life.

about 75% of "getting older" is mainly losing flexibility, believe it or not...

[Anonymous]

im in bad shape myself now but I have lost weight successfully before...the thing is you have to be super committed and not back out...and you need 2 things simultaneously: eat right and exercise, can't lose weight without one only...

i think during one summer once, maybe from late june to end of august I lost about 20 lbs by eating raw foods only like fruits veggies homemade stuff may be some brown rice whole grain bread or pasta, nothing processed absolutely NO JUNK FOOD or anything artificial or preservatives... and I ate a lot of tuna and chicken and drank 3 large smart water bottles a day

with going to the gym like at least an hr a day 3-4x a week

[italykam]

I think if you do it on a regular basis as ya say the 4x a week, it can show pretty quickly depending on what kind of exercise you do. For me...arm definition shows instantly. Just an idea for you, I was doing belly dancing for a long time, and that was an incredible workout and you can get really toned that way!

[Anonymous]

well the "Best Answer" is probably more specific than my words but whatever.

Lift weights 3-4 times a week with a day of rest in between each workout if possible(its OK if you have 2 days of lifting in a row).. each day should have different lifts than the other days. You can do full body exercises each day or split up body parts.. example of a 3-day split:

Monday: arms & chest Wednesday: All Lower Body Friday: Back & shoulders

I do want to add that you should definitely find a day to do weighted back squats.. they are good for your core, lower body.. and basically you're entire body.

Then the other days you could devote to cardio exercises.. or just make 1 day a week as a total rest day.

A GREAT website you could check out is www.bodybuilding.com I'm very surprised how many people don't know about it.. but you can get any and all information you need there.. whether in the thousands of articles or on the forums where you can directly ask your question. Obviously the stuff I said above is very basic.. but I've learned so much from this website regarding nutrition, weight lifting programs, muscle gain, fat loss, etc. Definitely check it out when you have time!

Oh and a direct answer to your question: It depends on your current physical state, what type of program you choose, you're committment, your diet, and most importantly the amount of effort you put in at the gym.

[nelsonrunner92]

People have a ton to say on matters like this and some of the other people have posted some great stuff.

Some quick advice is to make sure you are getting plenty of cardio its the best way to burn fat and get healthy and will make getting toned and getting those curves possible.

You can imagine having really defined muscles and curves means nothing if its covered in fat and you can't see them. (like how everyone technically has abs but you can't see 90% of anybodies haha)

I don't know what kind of shape your in but the number 1 thing you can do is keep yourself skinny and healthy and just do some of the exercises and tone those muscles.

P.S. Stay very dedicated do not miss a day once it becomes okay to miss once every time after that its even easier hold each other accountable

[Anonymous]

Don't put a time limit on it in my opinion. If I put a time limit on myself, I'd of never stuck to it and I'd not be where I am today. I've lost 30 pounds over 3 months? which I know.. that's sad, but If I'd of tried to do that in 4 weeks.. I'd of not made half of that. Because after four weeks I'd of been like.. well I'm never going to be able to do this. *continues life as a fattie* Since I don't have a limit.. I just work out when I can and feel like it.. I haven't gained weight although holidays have kinda.. been hard to not gain it.. lol I'm being careful. But this way I hope to keep it in my life.

[JCUcupcake]

If you jump into it hard core you will probably see results within a month. It really just depends on how committed you are and the length of time you spend working out. Over the summer I workout hard core, like 6-7 days a week, so I notice results in a few weeks. But that is not the norm and its hard to get to the gym that often.

[peace-love-couture]

A minimum of 1 month,although it depends on how long it generally takes you to see results.For me personally,it's generally a month and a half or so before I notice inches gone or weight loss,but some notice it instantly.

[dreadheadMJW]

I work out 3x a week and ate really good. I lost 25 lbs in two months.

[somecoolname]

cut out packaged foods . eat a raw foods diet plus lean meats.. do functional strength training at high intensity .

[dtaijo174]

I wish more people were like you and your sister :)

Feel free to shoot me a message if you want some help. I'm a gym nut...

[TheCheshireCat]

Honestly, you look like you are already in great shape

[Raksha]

work out 4 times a week for 1 hour with a good diet. You will probably be in good shape in a few weeks but that all depends on how much you weigh and all that good stuff.