Newbie--Fat, Outta Shape, Need Tips! Confused!!

[mattberam]

I actually started this thread 2 weeks ago in the newbie area, but I decided to copy and paste it to the journal area:

Hey All, Im a newbie--outta shape, overweight, and want to get ripped. God there is so much stuff on the internet. Here is my biggest question--how can I burn fat and build muscle at the same time? I can find alot of info if you are skinny and want to gain weight, but I dont want to gain weight. Most of the info I find, says you have to eat a ton of calories to put on muscle mass--I am afraid to do this. Also should I include cardio? I keep reading articles on how cardio can be a detriment to muscle growth! Confused! Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

I started my workout/fitness plan yesterday. I am going to keep a journal here of my progress.

Here are my current stats

Age: 31
Weight: 219lbs
Bodyfat: 23.2%
Muscle Mass: 38.2%
BMR: 2080

Here is my goal:

Weight: 180lbs
Bodyfat: 10%

Here is my plan (which I started yesterday)

Supplements: (I can not take anything like gaurana, ephedrine, N.O. explode or anything else they can cause a speed like effect--due to health reasons)

Animal Stak 2 (21 day cycle)
Pure Advantage Creatine Ethyl-Ester (Capsules--taking 2000 Mg 30 mins before workout)
Designer Whey Protein
L-Glutamine (Taking 5 grams after workout)
Max-Amino Caps (take first thing in the morning)
Omega 3 Fish Oil (Take First thing in the morning)
5-HTP (Take at night)
Theanine (100mg, 1 in the morning, 1 at bedtime)
Multi-Gland Caps (take first thing in the morning)
Vitamin B6 P5P
I also take Zoloft for OCD

My Workout: (I am planning on following the Body For Life Workout Program, which is upper body one day, then aerobic next day, then lower body next day, aerobic next day, upper body next day, then aerobic next day, then 1 day of rest.) You can go to Body-for-LIFE Exercise to see the full details.

Monday (Yesterday)

Dumbell Press
12 Reps 25 lbs each arm
10 Reps 30 lbs each arm
8 reps 40 lbs each arm
6 reps 45 lbs each arm
8 reps 40 lbs each arm

Dumbell Flys
10 Reps 25 lbs each arm

Shoulder Press
12 reps, 60lbs
10 reps, 40lbs
8 reps, 60lbs
4 reps, 100lbs
12 reps 60lbs

Lateral raises
12/ 15lbs per arm

Lat Pull down
12/95
10/110
8/125
6/155
12/170

Seated Row
12/120

Tricep extension
12/50
10/60
8/70
4/80
12/50

Dumbell Curls
12/20 per arm
10/22.5 per arm
7/22.5 per arm
6/22.5 per arm
8/17/5 per arm

Preacher Curl
12/30

Tuesday (Today)

20 mins of aerobic every minute increasing the intensity, at the fifth minute you go as hard as you can for a minute, and then drop back down to a low intensity, then repeat. (This is the body for life program--referred to as "the 20 minute aerobic solution").

Weds:
Lower Body

Thursday:
20 min Aerobic solution

Friday:
Repeat Monday

Saturday:
20 Min Aerobic solution

Sunday:
rest

What I ate yesterday:

8:30am
3 Hot Dogs (97% fat Free Hebrew National 1.5 grams fat each dog)
2 Pieces of Eziekel Bread (Sprouted Grain Bread)

11:30am
Roast Beef Sandwhich on eziekel bread

2:30
Protein Shake (36 grams of protein)

3:30--Worked Out

4:30
Protein Shake (36 grams of protein)

6:30
Large bag of beef jerky

8:30
4 egg whites, 1 hot dog, 2 pieces of ezeikiel bread

10:30
Fat Free Pringles Potato Chips (About 30 chips)

12am
Sugar Free, Fat Free Jello (20 Calories)

I have attached some current pictures of me and a picture of the body I would like to have (you will obviously be able to tell the difference!)

Anyway, I know this is long and I appreciate you guys/gals reading this. I am serious and committment so any tips is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[mattberam]

Hey All,

First, thanks all for your tips.

After one week, I have lost 2.5lbs, .5% bodyfat and my BMR has dropped from 2085 to 2067. Im happy with this.

My current stats

Weight 216.4 (Down from 219)
Bodyfat 22.8% (Down from 23.2)
BMR 2067 (Down from 2085)

My training this week was very intense, and I did change my diet significantly. I have been eating way more whole foods and veggies. As well as adding in some protein bars in between meals. I am eating 6 - 7 times a day. I have also cut out wheat, as my body does not agree with it.

I have been following the body for life plan strictly. One day upper body, next day sprint interval cardio for 20 mins, and the next day lower body and so on. I workout 6 days a week and rest on day 7.

The eating is tough--man am I tempted to go out and get a double chili cheese burger and fries. Last night I was driving around at 2 am and I was very close to breaking down, but I thought of my goals and got a protein bar instead.

One question I do have...should I workout in the mornings or evenings? I find that if I workout in the afternoon/evening I have much more energy and get a better workout, the problem is that sometimes I get wired and have trouble sleeping--any tips would be great.

The Creating Ester Ehtyl, has made a noticeable difference in how much weight I can lift. Its weird...I was kind of shocked the first day I took it.

Well here are my pics after week one...Any comments on them? I dont notice much but its only been a week--I want instant gratification man!!!! I want it now!! haha! I do notice a little difference

[mattberam]

Hi All,

Ok so after 2 weeks--Im throwing out my scale--because its discouraging and I clearly see differences in my pictures. I am using one of those body fat scales--its pissing me off. Im just going to go by my pictures and perhaps weigh myself once a week at the gym--they have a doctors scale.

My diet this week wasn't the greatest. I cheated a few times. I've been so freaking hungry though because I have been working out hard. Last week I did a hard core leg workout--barbell sqauts, and my legs were hurting for like 4 days.

I have still been following the Body For Life program. here is what it looked like last week.

Monday

Dumbell Squats
12 Reps/50lbs each arm 1 min rest
10 reps/65 lbs each arm 1 min rest
6 reps/65 lbs each arm 1 min rest
12 reps/50 lbs each arm No rest
immediately go to Leg extenstions 8 reps/45 lbs (very intense burn)
Rest 2 mins

Lying Leg Curls
12/65 1 min rest
10/80 1 min rest
8/90 1 min rest
5/110 no rest
immediatly did lunges 5 with 20 lbs--almost fell over my legs were so wobbly

Rest 2 mins

Standing Calf Raises

12/180 1 min
10/195 1 min
8/210 1 min
6/225 1 min

(Find my calfs hard to work, because I cannot seem to get a burn--I can put up almost the entire stack of weights on the machine--maybe Im doing something wrong or maybe I just have strong Calfs)

Ab Crunch (Machine)

12 reps- no weight 1 min rest
10/10--1 min
8/15--1 min
6/20--1 min
7/ no weight no rest
immediately did 3 reverse crunches (intense burn)

Done

Tuesday

20 Mins intense sprint intervals

Weds

Chest Press (Machine)
12/80--1 min rest
10/90--1 min rest
8/100--1 min rest
6/110--1 min rest
12/80--
Should have immediately gone to flys with no rest, but the damn was soooo busy I couldn't get a bench or machine

2 mins rest

Shoulder Press (Machine)
12/50-1 min
10/65-1min
8/80- 1min
6/95-1 min
12/50 no rest
immediately did 12 lat raises with 17.5lb dumbell

Rest 2 mins

Lat Pulldown (Machine)
12/95 1 min
10/125 1 min
8/140 1 min
6/170 1 min
12/170 no rest
immediately did seated row 12/100

2 min rest

Tricep Extension (Machine)

12/50 1 min
10/60 1 min
5/70 1 min
6/60 1min
12/50 no rest
immediately did Dips on that Pullup machine 12/185 resistance

2 mins rest

Camber Curls (machine)

12/40 1min
8/40 1 min
6/40 done

Had to leave gum cuz of time constraints

Thursday

20 mins cardio sprint intervals high intensity

Friday

Barbell Squats (Had a spotter this day)

12/95 1 min
10/115 1 min
8/1351 min
6/150 1 min
12/95 no rest (almost fell over because my legs were so wobbly)
immediately did leg extensions 12/45 lbs (intense burn)

Lying leg curls
12/65 1 min
10/80 1 min
8/95 1 min
6/110 1 min
12/65 no rest
immediatly did lunges 12 with 30 lbs of weight (nice increase from Monday)

2 mins rest

Standing Calf Raises

12/180 1 min
10/195 1 min
8/210 1 min
6/225 1 min
12/225 no rest
12/225

2 mins rest

Reverse Crunches
8-1 min
6-1min
4-1min
3-1min
3-no rest

Ab Crunch

3/10 (intense) Abs are still sore today

Done

Saturday

20 mins cardio sprint intervals (intense)

I have a couple questions:

Should I be sticking to the same exercises/same machines for awhile? Sometimes I will do a similar exercise on a different machine and my results will be different

Also, what should I do if I can't get a burn on a particular muscle? Like, I have a really difficult time getting my chest sore. Its good to be sore the next day right? I have a hard time REALLY burning my chest. Any tips? I do not have a spotter most of the time

And lastly, my doctor prescribed Androgel to me (Testosterone cream) he tested my testosterone levels and they were very low. I started taking it 3 days ago. I have noticed a difference in libido and energy. The other thing I noticed, was after my leg workout on Friday, My legs are not very sore, even though I burned them pretty good--will the testosterone cause you to have better recovery and not be as sore?

I have posted my pics after 2 weeks--any comments are appreciated!

Thanks everyone for reading this and i really do appreciate your help.

Matt

[hrpiii]

first thing. throw the bodyfat scales out the window, not worth a dime. Let's not worry too much about "building muscle". Let's focus on a proper diet, which in turn will help you lose the unwanted weigth, and build some good muscle/strength. Muscle weight more than fat, so as you build muscle and lose fat, looking at the scales may give the wrong impressions. So, weigh once a week or something. I would go by measurements.

Throw that diet out here, list your normal daily intake. Tweaking a diet could help you a lot in getting where you want to go.

[HammerTech]

Trying to not be critical here, so take it for what it's worth:

Is there a reason for the hot dogs and pringles remaining in your diet? Hot dogs generally are loaded with sodium and fats that aren't good...and I just don't think potato chips are good for anything.

[mattberam]

Originally Posted by HammerTech

Trying to not be critical here, so take it for what it's worth:

Is there a reason for the hot dogs and pringles remaining in your diet? Hot dogs generally are loaded with sodium and fats that aren't good...and I just don't think potato chips are good for anything.

Thanks Hammertech...yeah I have cut al the **** out of my diet after teh first week.