Getting back into strength training - need diet/cardio advice

[Igraine]

I'm 30, 5'2", and currently weigh about 126 lbs after losing 40 lbs. about 4 years ago via exercise and diet. I still eat well (get great bloodwork results at my doctor's!) but not quite as strictly as I could. Last fall, I quit my gym and just stuck to my home bike and ellipitical.

THAT has turned out to be the worst idea ever. My weight hasn't changed, but all my muscle has turned to fat, so I have a lot more inches. About 10 days ago, I joined a new gym and have started an aggressive regiment. I do 40 minutes of cardio (jogging, ellipitical, stairs, etc.) and at least 30 minutes of strength training (alternating groups on different days: upper body, lower body, abs).

I haven't taken a day off yet and find myself getting a lot more tired than I was when I started. It's hard to finish my routines now. My question is: What's going on? Is this normal? Or am I not letting my body rest enough--should I take a day off? Or could it be that I'm not eating enough calories to fuel this? I haven't counted numbers, but my food today was: whole-wheat toast for breakfast, turkey burger for lunch, turkey burger with a salad and 2 hard boiled eggs for dinner. That's pretty typical.

It's so frustrating to see how quickly my body changed when I lost strength training at the gym. I'm anxious to get back in shape and want to know the fastest and most efficient way to do it. I know the weights are key to getting the muscles back, but if there are complimentary things with food/cardio I can do to burn the fat that much faster, I'd be grateful for any advice. Thanks!

 

[(Silent)]

I'm 30, 5'2", and currently weigh about 126 lbs after losing 40 lbs. about 4 years ago via exercise and diet. I still eat well (get great bloodwork results at my doctor's!) but not quite as strictly as I could.

Last fall, I quit my gym and just stuck to my home bike and ellipitical.

THAT has turned out to be the worst idea ever. My weight hasn't changed, but all my muscle has turned to fat
Physically impossible for fat to turn to muscle or muscle to turn to fat.
You have lossed muscle mass due to lack of reistance training. and gained fat over that which you have left.
, so I have a lot more inches. About 10 days ago, I joined a new gym and have started an aggressive regiment. I do 40 minutes of cardio (jogging, ellipitical, stairs, etc.) and at least 30 minutes of strength training (alternating groups on different days: upper body, lower body, abs).
Stick with a full body routine consisting of ALL compound, multi joint movements. This should take about 45 minutes to an hour.Keep the cardio under 30 minutes. Any more then that and your likely going at a pace that is to slow and conservative. You want high intensity through most of that 20-30 minutes.

I haven't taken a day off yet and find myself getting a lot more tired than I was when I started. It's hard to finish my routines now. My question is: What's going on? Is this normal?
With age and allowing yourself to become possibly out of shape this is fairly normal. Get back into the rythem with proper diet,water, and exercise and you will be fine soon enough.
Or am I not letting my body rest enough--should I take a day off?
Always hit the weights on non concecutive days. Keep "cardio" work to no more then 5-6days a week
Or could it be that I'm not eating enough calories to fuel this?
That is highly dependent apon your size and many other factors. I haven't counted numbers, but my food today was: whole-wheat toast for breakfast, turkey burger for lunch, turkey burger with a salad and 2 hard boiled eggs for dinner. That's pretty typical.
Sounds like a somewhat low amount of food. There are almost no veggies to speak of. Dinner is far to low in protein. Breakfest should be more calorie dense and a complex carb for lunch would be good.

It's so frustrating to see how quickly my body changed when I lost strength training at the gym. The body will rid itself of muscle mass that is not routinely challenged through some form of resistance. I'm anxious to get back in shape and want to know the fastest and most efficient way to do it. I know the weights are key to getting the muscles back, but if there are complimentary things with food/cardio I can do to burn the fat that much faster,
You can not "build" muscle and "loose" fat at the same time. Pick with one or the other and make that your single goal.
I'd be grateful for any advice. Thanks!

Read bold...
start entering your food into Fitday.com. Come back after a couple of days and post those two days of what you ate with complete macro break down(fitday will do this for you). Try to eat foods that you would normally eat on the average day.
Then find out your BMR
Once this is done we can modify your calorie needs according to your goal.

Oh and quick tip. Cut out ALL sodas from your diet.
Good day to you