Help me create a total-body strength-training workout please!

Hi everyone! Ok so as many people on this site have pointed out to me and to others in a similar situation as me, I think I need to do strength training. I'm a girl, 19 years old, around 5'4" and 115 pounds but I'm not that happy with how I look. I feel like I look like my upper thighs are huge and also along the back of them, and my other big area is my sides of my stomach, which have always been there even at my lowest weight of 101 last year (totally accidental, was not trying to drop weight at all) I have a good feeling that I have a pretty high body fat % even with my low weight and I know I am very weak, especially in the upper body (due to a shoulder surgery and the cortisan shots that basically destroyed the muscle). My goal is to get some more lean muscle and drop my body fat, and hopefully drop around 5 pounds. I eat around 1500 calories a day, always with a salad or 9-veggie soup before my main meal and I eat basically vegetarian (some chicken occasionaly or sushi once a month). I would just like to tone and lean up, so that I would feel more comfortable in clothing and ug, the dreaded swimsuit which at this point I would not go out in, haha.

So I am assuming that strength training is probably what I need since I am already at a healthy and low weight and I walk about 2 or 3 hours a day at a normal pace.

My question is, does anyone have any good total body strength-training programs that I could do at home, and preferably without weights (I can't lift heavy on my arms because of the surgery anyways). I have seen so many and have looked on about.com, etc, but I can't figure out what one to do. Advice would be sooooooooooo helpful in helping me create a program, thanks in advanced!

Hi there!

I'm not sure I'm allowed to mention names here, but I use Jillian Michael's "30 day Shred" program and it has worked miracles on me. Actually, I didn't really lose serious weight (just started 2 weeks ago), but I have more muscle and I feel my body is generally much more toned than it was before. This might explain why I have been losing weight so slowly. Muscle is heavier than fat! :-D

All you have to do, is 30 minutes of the program everyday and as you go, you can advance to the second level and so on. It's pretty intense and you will most likely feel sore the next couple of days, but as you go, it gets easier.

Hope this helps!

I have bad shoulders too but do weight lifting and it helps because it builds the muscle and improves the mobility.  YOu may want to check with the dr and physical therapist for exercise suggestions but I'm sure some weights will be ok. 

I've been doing the New rules of Lifting for women and just not push the shoulder workouts as hard.  There is currently a workout called the Body Matirx that is awesome body weight leg workout.    Also its a good cardio

I just got a copy of the 30 day shred so I'll check it out tomorrow, and the body matrix website isn't loading for me all the way tonight but I'll try it again tomorrow.

What do people think about circuit training/boot camp type workout that would be done for 30-45 minutes? I read somewhere that pure strength training is more effective along with pure cardio, but I don't know if that is right and it seems like a good and efficient way to workout. I was thinking of doing one like this (not exactly this), I also saw a workout in fitnessmag , this is the link. What do people think of this or something similar? and with the circuit training? am I better off doing something more focused on just strength?

thanks in advanced for your time and help, all opinions are welcome!

I just checked those links you gave. I think you will definitely like the "30 Day Shred". It is pretty much like a "circuit fit" and it calls for dumbbells too. If you want something even more intense, you can try the  "Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism" DVD. I must admit I haven't been able to go beyond 40 minutes of the 60 minute exercise. It's hard!!!

Have a great day!

Yeah the 30 day shred seems really good, I just watched it and I'll try to find some cheap weights tomorrow. I'll take a look at her other dvd's as well, I like her tough style much more than say denise austin or someone similar. It seems like people have been getting results using that, but I figure I should probably do something more than just 20 minutes. Should I add in more strenght training with the 30 day shred or is it enough? I don't want to get like big at all ( I know I know, girls can't)...but I mean not like Jillian Michaels is what i mean, I want a longer look...so would the video suffice or should i add in something else in terms of strenght or cardio? thanks!

Umm... It takes A LOT to actually look bulked like that lady, so I don't think you should be worried about that for now. I say give it a couple of weeks and see how it feels and if it's doing anything weight-wise. :-)

Haha yeah that's what I thought..I just don't think I'm probably built to look like any of those 3 ladies in the video nor is that really my goal...alright I think I will start it tomorrow and see how it goes after a few weeks, hopefully I will finally be able to lose the weight in my upper thighs it makes me hate having to wear pants!! I have also been looking into p90x and am going to watch through it a bit, I know it is more intense and time consuming but people on this site seem to really like it and it can't hurt to look through it....just curious if that is a program that does lead to bulk or anything...I'm just trying to drop 5 pounds and slim down a bit...please any opinons are welcome, even telling me I'm flat out wrong on something, etc...haha....I just want to find the most effective thing so all opinions welcome (I'm a bit of an OCD perfectionist so I tend to over-research my exercise options like crazy and am always nervous I'm not doing the right thing!)

I just checked that p90x... and it might just be a liiiiitle bit over the top. For me at least. Having a flat tummy would be heaven... a 6 pack, ermm... I'm not sure I want to aim in that direction.

90 days and I can look like a 4'8 Schwarzenegger!

ROFLMAO!

Haha I understand what you mean, that's why I have been reading the zillions of posts on it on this webiste. My goal is not to get ripped or even look particular muscular at all, just to look leaner, so I don't know if p90x is for me or not...im so conufsed about all this strength training to get leaner or not debate that I don't really know what to think agggg....any advice from people on here who know what they are talking about as opposed to me haha...thanks!

Jillian is great!! If you want to get tone and add some muscle definition circuit training is the way to go, If it seams too easy just go up in weight a little bit you will notice the difference, but remember try to rest a little as possible between sets this will keep you heart rate up giving you a cardio and muscle work out at once, Good Luck

ciao

Franko