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

[mattberam]

Blah Blah

[GetFit]

Is that last picture your boyfriend or a goal pic? Body for life is a great program one of the better basic programs out there that people should be doing before they do some trendy orange juice diet or soup diet. You don't need all those supplements though, thats a lot of money wasted.
And your eating a bunch of junk too; hot dogs, chips? I don't care if they are low in fat. Eat some quality food like pork, chicken, fish, lean meats. Your not going to get anywhere with hot dogs and chips and protein shakes. FOOD man, real food. Follow the Body for life plan.

[mattberam]

thanks bro...and no that is not my boyfriend! Lol--good one though. The body for life thing does recommend supplements. I hate cooking...

[roehrigs01]

dump the supplements.... you don't need them yet... 1500-2000 cals a day spread out... eat clean... low fat, low sugar... no junk food ever... and do cardio in the morning and night...

[mattberam]

Thanks everyone. Well I have already bought the supplements and started using them. The animal stak 2 is just herbs--its totally natural, then creatine and L-glutamine...Im going to finish them up and see what kind of results I get.

I have done the body for life program before which I had great success with.

My main concern is the cardio--I want to build lean muscle mass but also lose fat...I keep reading articles on how cardio can be a detriment to building muscle.

1500-2000 calories a day--is definitely not enough for me, if Im going to the gym six days a week and doing very intense workouts.

[Will100]

id say creatine is a no no for now...water bloat is a possibility...just a thought

[narcsarge]

Your question is just as common as "how to you add muscle to a skinny frame?". As has been stated, the drop the supplements, for now, keep the Whey Protein to keep your Protein intake high. Do try and drop the Hot Dogs and replace them with something like tuna, or chicken breasts, or steak, or fish. Add more vegetables as they are almost like free calories. Eating more vegetables is not a bad thing.

As far as cardio for you: Do about 20 minutes to warm up for your workout session. Gets the blood flowing, loosens things up too. Take it from me and others on this board that you can add muscle and loose fat while doing cardio and weight training. The more muscle you add, the more muscle you have to feed (read that as you burn more calories with more muscle). The cardio will just HELP to get your metabolism fired up. As you gain the muscle you will keep your metabolism running higher for longer, again, burning more calories.

I am proof (went from 198 to 160 in 3 years) that diet, a bit of cardio (I hate to run but I did it), and smart weight training can bring results. Good luck!

[Fantom2]

first of all you should watch your diet it should be motified. Get a copy of muscle and fitness the issue that just came out they have a great section spot on diet. You should set your protine at about 220grams with about 1500 calories. Also increase your cardio from 20min to 30-min the first 20-min you burn calories the last 10-you will burn fat vary your intensity but make sure your heart rate is at arobic levels. While you are gaining muscle your muscle willl need more calories if you create a defict in your calories it will take those additional calories from your fat layer so stay about 1500 calories/day. Its basic science 1lb is equal to 3500 calories. Once you loose 3500 calories you will loose a lb. So your BMR is about 2080 -1500 =580/day of deficit not counting activity levels 3500/580 = 6 days it will take to loose a pound. You will be able to shead it faster with your arobic activity but I would guess with your workout etc you will loose about 1lb every 3-4days. You could watch the scale but you will be building muscle at the same time which weighs more then fat so sometimes you might fluctuate so keep pictures and look in the mirror you will notice results. Make sure the diet you follow allows you to eat at least 6-times a day.

Good luck

[mattberam]

Originally Posted by Fantom2

first of all you should watch your diet it should be motified. Get a copy of muscle and fitness the issue that just came out they have a great section spot on diet. You should set your protine at about 220grams with about 1500 calories. Also increase your cardio from 20min to 30-min the first 20-min you burn calories the last 10-you will burn fat vary your intensity but make sure your heart rate is at arobic levels. While you are gaining muscle your muscle willl need more calories if you create a defict in your calories it will take those additional calories from your fat layer so stay about 1500 calories/day. Its basic science 1lb is equal to 3500 calories. Once you loose 3500 calories you will loose a lb. So your BMR is about 2080 -1500 =580/day of deficit not counting activity levels 3500/580 = 6 days it will take to loose a pound. You will be able to shead it faster with your arobic activity but I would guess with your workout etc you will loose about 1lb every 3-4days. You could watch the scale but you will be building muscle at the same time which weighs more then fat so sometimes you might fluctuate so keep pictures and look in the mirror you will notice results. Make sure the diet you follow allows you to eat at least 6-times a day.

Good luck

Thanks Fantom--this is really helpful, I appreciate it. I really wasn't clear what the BMR meant, but now I think I get it.

I just have a couple of questions--do you really think 1500 calories a day is enough food if Im working out 6 days week?

Also--what do you mean by keeping my heart rate at an "aerobic" level? What would an aerobic level be? How do I figure this out?

[Fantom2]

I was just about the same body type as you when I first started and 1500-calories is enough but small meals 6-times a day and try to hit a protein level of at least 200grams. A lot of fish and chicken and protein shakes. It's not going to happen over nights so just be persistent.

Your maximum heart beat 206.3 - (0.711 × Age) in your case it would be about 176 beats per min that would be your maximum heart rate. Now stay within 60-80% of your max. Between 105 and 164 beats per min. I had a wrist watch and a chest monitor that I checked. I don't do this anymore since I could tell when I’m in aerobic level now. But at first it was good that I could monitor things.

I like to run in intervals I will give you an example. My intervals are 5-min long. First 2-min are about 4.5mph then the 3rd min is 6.5mph and the 4th min 7mph the last min is at 8-8.5mph. Then I repeat this interval. This usually gives me about a 10-min mile. I do this 3 times for 30-min and this keeps my heart within my range. I do this 3-times a week. This has worked for me but everyone is different and has different preferences. I went from 235lbs to 195lbs and now I look good at the beach. It takes a while so don't give up.

[Bryce]

You need alot of cardio.
NO, 1500 calories a day is not enough, look at him! You need about 3000-5000 calories a day to sustain your self.(estimate) GO find a calorie calculator, and try it for a rough estimate. You do need to add vegetables, and stuff which is alot of water in them, very filling and low cals/carbs.
Exercise ( cardio) will eat your body, that is how you ave energy. But since your BF is high enough, it will eat that before anything.
I dare say I reccomend Methyl Ripped, but that is a big boost of energy, and heart rate. The idea is to keep your heart rate up, to burn fat.
You should start doing some basic AB exercises as well.

[ivoryce]

DO NOT do a LOT of cardio... You'll lose precious muscle doing that.

This is what you should be doing: For weight lifting use the harbinger hypertrophy plan found at Testosterone Nation - Total-Body Training

And for cardio, do HIIT (high intensity interval training). This allows you to get into a lipolytic state (fat burning state) without burning muscle for energy. My HIIT workout is 20 mins of intervals with 5 min warmup, and then 1 min full out running, uphill (5% incline) where my heart rate hits around 180ish, then I drop the incline and walk for a min or so, then repeat till I've done 8 high intensity runs. at this point my body is in a state of lipolysis and I'm increasing my VO2 max, heart stroke (better lifting in future), etc... I then drop down to slow steady cardio for approx. 20 mins to continue burning fat (HR around 130) without burning muscle.

I do lifting 3x a week, full-body as in that plan aforementioned, and cardio HIIT 3x a week, with a rest day at the end.

As for nutrition, you have to figure out your BMR. Once you do that you can drop your cals a bit (NOT by huge amounts or you'll go into starvation mode). To figure out your BMR if you know your lean body mass (which I recommend you find out through your gym): 370 + (21.6 x lean body mass in kg), and if you don't then use this formula: body weight in kg x 24. You also need to take physical activity into account. For that formula, check out this article: http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/ar...y-weight-1.htm

You should be eating 6 small meals a day to keep blood sugar levels stable thus reducing amount of body fat stored, and hunger cravings, your breakfast should be a complex carb like oatmeal, and you need to have carbs prior to workout to fuel the workout and preserve muscle tissue instead of it being burned for energy, you should try and break up your protein evenly throughout the day and be getting 1 - 1.5g protein for every lb of bodyweight. You should also get 30% of your calories from HEALTHY fats, such as flaxseed oil (which actually tastes good in whey isolate). You should also be having a simple sugar (like fruit or milk) with your whey isolate post-workout so that your insulin spikes temporarily to bring nutrients/protein quickly to your muscles. And you should be getting whey complex with fats and NO carbs right before bed as complex is digested much slower than isolate (immediately digested), and the fat slows it down even further. You want this because your muscles repair WHILE you sleep and you don't want to wake up feeling hungry (you OR your muscles!).

You also have to be drinking LOTs of WATER. 1 gallon min, especially if you're taking creatine which dehydrates you mega! Make sure you space out your water drinking throughout the day and not a lot all at once or you'll get hyponatremia and die. Also, if you're eating REALLY clean make sure you're getting in sodium somewhere (again, to avoid hyponatremia). Drinking lots of water not only fills you up but also brings important amino acids to your muscles. It also helps with fat loss. You really must drink a lot.

If you don't want to take creatine, try kre-alkalyn... I'm taking it. It's a buffered form of creatine, without the creatinine byproduct which is harmful to your body, plus you don't need loading phases and won't get bloat.

If you keep to your regime of eating you'll feel happier and more mentally stable which will help get you to your goals quicker!

Good luck!
Carla.

[ivoryce]

Oh yeah, DONT exercise on an empty stomach... I don't care what people say, you burn muscle before you burn fat... You need to have a good complex carb prior to your workout to FUEL your workout and preserve muscle.

PS. cut out the crap like chips etc... you're going to bring your blood sugar levels up, start storing fat when you eat, even if you're in a deficit of calories, and defeat everything you're doing. If you're gonna do it, do it right.

Carla.

[ivoryce]

One more thing, as for supplements...

Like I said above, you should be using whey isolate throughout day when you have your protein shakes, and whey complex at bedtime.

Get some kre-alkalyn, or other form of buffered creatine, some enzymes to help break down stuff better and give you more efficient nutritional uptake of food you eat, keep the l-glutamine, and add in some multivitamins.

Carla.

[mattberam]

Originally Posted by ivoryce

DO NOT do a LOT of cardio... You'll lose precious muscle doing that.

This is what you should be doing: For weight lifting use the harbinger hypertrophy plan found at Testosterone Nation - Total-Body Training

And for cardio, do HIIT (high intensity interval training). This allows you to get into a lipolytic state (fat burning state) without burning muscle for energy. My HIIT workout is 20 mins of intervals with 5 min warmup, and then 1 min full out running, uphill (5% incline) where my heart rate hits around 180ish, then I drop the incline and walk for a min or so, then repeat till I've done 8 high intensity runs. at this point my body is in a state of lipolysis and I'm increasing my VO2 max, heart stroke (better lifting in future), etc... I then drop down to slow steady cardio for approx. 20 mins to continue burning fat (HR around 130) without burning muscle.

I do lifting 3x a week, full-body as in that plan aforementioned, and cardio HIIT 3x a week, with a rest day at the end.

As for nutrition, you have to figure out your BMR. Once you do that you can drop your cals a bit (NOT by huge amounts or you'll go into starvation mode). To figure out your BMR if you know your lean body mass (which I recommend you find out through your gym): 370 + (21.6 x lean body mass in kg), and if you don't then use this formula: body weight in kg x 24. You also need to take physical activity into account. For that formula, check out this article: http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/ar...y-weight-1.htm

You should be eating 6 small meals a day to keep blood sugar levels stable thus reducing amount of body fat stored, and hunger cravings, your breakfast should be a complex carb like oatmeal, and you need to have carbs prior to workout to fuel the workout and preserve muscle tissue instead of it being burned for energy, you should try and break up your protein evenly throughout the day and be getting 1 - 1.5g protein for every lb of bodyweight. You should also get 30% of your calories from HEALTHY fats, such as flaxseed oil (which actually tastes good in whey isolate). You should also be having a simple sugar (like fruit or milk) with your whey isolate post-workout so that your insulin spikes temporarily to bring nutrients/protein quickly to your muscles. And you should be getting whey complex with fats and NO carbs right before bed as complex is digested much slower than isolate (immediately digested), and the fat slows it down even further. You want this because your muscles repair WHILE you sleep and you don't want to wake up feeling hungry (you OR your muscles!).

You also have to be drinking LOTs of WATER. 1 gallon min, especially if you're taking creatine which dehydrates you mega! Make sure you space out your water drinking throughout the day and not a lot all at once or you'll get hyponatremia and die. Also, if you're eating REALLY clean make sure you're getting in sodium somewhere (again, to avoid hyponatremia). Drinking lots of water not only fills you up but also brings important amino acids to your muscles. It also helps with fat loss. You really must drink a lot.

If you don't want to take creatine, try kre-alkalyn... I'm taking it. It's a buffered form of creatine, without the creatinine byproduct which is harmful to your body, plus you don't need loading phases and won't get bloat.

If you keep to your regime of eating you'll feel happier and more mentally stable which will help get you to your goals quicker!

Good luck!
Carla.

Hey Carla,

Thanks for the tips this is very helpful. Im actually following the body for life plan which also recommends 20 mins of interval training fo cardio so that is what I have been doing. Sprint Intervals--3 times a week and weight training 3 times a week. I'm also taking Creatine Ethel Ester which is similar to the Kre-Alklyn--Im going to try the Kre-Alklyn when Im finished with the CEE.

Today was actually one week and I have made some nice progress--I lost 2.5lbs, and .5% body fat. My BMR dropped to from 2085 to 2067.

I also agree on not working out on an empty stomach and I have not been. I feel terrible if I do. I usually eat about an hour before a workout.

[mattberam]

Hey All

[Bryce]

Cardio?
I suggest alot of it, just have the proper fuel.
I run every day, and my BF is so low I have to eat every 2 hours.. I do fuel properly tjhough.
I see the gut shrank a wee bit, nice.
Man, your triceps are gonna be huge, as well as chest. Your bench will be your highest I think, lookin good!

[mattberam]

Hi All,

[Sophie]

i see a difference too. going in the right direction!

[NPayette]

Can I ask why you are taking 5-HTP?

do you have serotonin problem?