thecourtenayboy

Hi all, just wanted to get a few 2nd opinions on the routine that I've recently started. I can definately feel the difference already, hopefully it will be more visible within a few months, but let me know your thoughts/suggestions.

I started reading the 'Abs Diet' a while back, which gave me a good idea of what to eat and how much exercise I need to do in order to get a bit closer to getting some abs!...I'm also trying to build up my arms & pecs, not just the abs.

Anyway before I start, I'm about 5'9", 32" waist, 12st, 24 BMI, 20% body fat.

I'm not fat, but I do need to lose weight if I'm going to get these abs to show through. So the theory I'm following is that the more muscle I can build, the more calories my body will burn whilst it's trying to maintain that muscle, thus helping me to lose weight and tone up.

I've got a bench, with a straight barbell, dumbells and about 35kg in weights.

On Monday, Wednesday, Friday I spend around 20-40 minutes doing mostly a mixture of Squats, Bench Press, Upright Row, Calf raise, Military Press, Dumbell Curls + Speed skipping.

I generally do most of the above on each day, and I try to do 3 sets on each exercise aiming for 12 reps per set.

I'm trying to each more lean protein that I used to, and I have NRG protein shakes after workouts and for brekfast.

In the last few days I've also started using Xyience NOX-CG3.

Although I feel better for doing the weights, and the muscles feel like they're getting bigger, I'm not losing any weight. I eat pretty healthy, but I do drink at weekends, which I'm considering giving up for a while to help speed up results...Is it worth giving up beer?

I've been thinking that on Tuesday and Thursday I should probably go for a jog to help with the weight loss. But now that I've found this forum, I'm not 100% sure, as people seem to be doing certain weights on certain days and all sorts of other stuff!

Anyway, would be very gratefull if anyone could give me some feedback on the above.

Cheers

irwit

break down your days diet and lets see what "pretty healthy" is

thecourtenayboy

Hehe, ok...

Protein shake in the morning, 1 scoop NSX Berry + half a mug of oats + 300ml Semi-skimmed milk, sometimes with a banana. (this is a recent thing, I've gone from having no brekfast in the mornings, to having toast every morning, and in the last week or two I've been having this)

I take a sandwich/wrap, apple and pack of crisps with me to work for lunch, but I usually eat the sandwhich at 10.30/11am, and the rest is usually gone by 12.30/1pm. Also at work I'll have a few Ryvita's in the afternoon.

I always eat after a workout as I tend to feel a bit sick if I do it the other way round. Workout days I eat at about 7pm, other days about 6pm.

My main meal is pretty random to be honest, sometimes I have whatever my Mum's made, other times I'll make myself a Thai Green/Red curry with either chicken or Prawns and lots of different veg + rice. I know that Coconut milk isn't the best, so I rarely have that, it's more of a stir fry that an actual curry. I also have the occasional Pizza or maybe a Paella, Roast chicken with veg on a Sunday, etc. I've also started making my own veggie burgers, mostly with mixed bean salads and breadcrumbs, and brown bread rolls.

Sandwich's and Toast do often find their way into my stomach, but I never eat white bread. I always cook with Olive Oil, and also use Olive spread.

I drink coffee, but never any milk. And all the coffee I have at work I have without sugar.

I don't really drink water that much, but I do drink lots of Squash, always Sugar Free Robinsons, and it's always cold water from the fridge. Probably get through about 4-6 pints a day.

I try not to eat anything thats deep fried, I dont eat Sausage's, Beef burgers, or chips, I dont add Mayonaise to anything, no fizzy drinks like Coke, etc. However I can be a bit of a binge drinker, but it's not every weekend...and I never ever have a Kebab at the end of a night!


That's pretty much it really. There are occasions where biscuits and stuff go round the office, and I can't resist, but I'm getting better at that. Am thinking that I should take some healthier snacks into work with me each day to help...

thecourtenayboy

Am a bit worried to that now I might have to put the weights on hold for a while, as my shoulder is playing up. Am going to the doctors today after work, so will hopefully know what's up with it later....think it could be rotator cuff. Had a bad fall off my bike 2 months ago, and it hasn't been right since, improved a bit but not much. My right arm isn't coping as well as the left when I'm bench pressing, but the pain is bearable. But seeing as I'm looking to get into this seriously I figured I should probably get this looked at, as 2 months is quite long for it to still be this bad.

Sorry, off the topic a bit there!

lambert

Your diet is pretty poor to be honest mate. Have a browse through the forum and you'll find some diet guidelines.

thecourtenayboy

Ok, I will have to make some changes to the diet...what about the weights routine, does that seem good enough for now? Would you recommend jogging inbetween workout days? Or is it more important to give ur body rest?

Greekgoddess

You need to get your shoulder sorted first, while you are resting it, use the time to sort out your diet. It needs some serious attention if you want to build any decent sized muscle, never mind build and lose weight at the same time. Doing both is difficult but not impossible.

The coconut milk is actually very good for you. You need good fats like olive oil, fish oil, flax oil etc in your diet whether you want to lose weight or not.Look it up on other threads on this site. Cut out some of the bread and take in tons of protein, big chunks of real meat not fillings for wraps or butties.Water is the best drink, and tons of it. Binge drinking is not a good idea -one unit of alcohol stops the body burning fat for a full 24 hours!

irwit

It easier for everyone if you break down your diet as in

Meal 1: 7:00 50grams oats, 30 grams whey, 300ml skimmed milk,

Meal 2: etc

Anyway, from what i was reading your healthy eating is pretty poor at best. Have a read up in the diet sections at the stickies and such.

lambert

35kg isnt going to be enough, get yourself some plates and
I would go for a push/pull/legs 3 day split routine.

thecourtenayboy

Ok, cheers guys, lots of good info there. Looks like I'm going tee total from now on!

Will sort my diet out asap, coming up to the weekend, so plenty of time to get it right ahead of next week.

have been reading on the forum about Keto diets and stuff, but seems that I probably just need to regulate my calorie intake a bit more. Will post back with my diet plan within the next day or two.

I am planning to get more weights as I know it's not enough, but I can't bench much more than that with this dodgy shoulder, think I'm going to have to stick to leg work for a while, but I'll see what the doctor says.

sorry to sound really lame, but could you elaborate a tad on the 'push/pull/legs 3 day split routine'?

I'm guessing you mean 1 day push, 1 day pull, 1 day legs, with a day's break in-between?

If so, what exercise's can I do at home that would be considered Pull exercises?

A friend of mine recommended getting an EZ bar and a Tricep bar, both are going cheap in Argos...just thought I'd through that in there, considering I just asked about 'Pull' exercises.

Again, cheers guys, I really appreciate everyone's help = )

lambert

yes eg, monday-push , tuesday - rest/ , wednesday pull , thursday - rest, friday - legs.


Pull exercises are rows, deadlifts, curls. etc

thecourtenayboy

Doctor has refered me to a physio, so upper body weights are gonna have to stop for now. I might have to have surgery, but won't know until I see the physio, bloody hope not!

What do u guys think about the Maximuscle Promax diet? I bought a tub of it ages ago, but hated the taste of it. But seeing as I want to make some quick changes, I was considering giving it a proper go...anyway, will go and see what people are saying about it in the diet section.

thecourtenayboy

Have now got what I think is a half decent diet, have been on it since saturday.

Meal 1 = Porridge or 1x Raikey's Oat/Protein muffin

Meal 2 = Fruit, Omelet, or 1x Oat/Protein muffin

Meal 3 = Smoked Mackarel & Avocado Salad or Mixed bean + onion wrap

Meal 4 = Fruit

Meal 5 = Tuna steak, Salmon Fillet, Chicken Breast, Turkey breast or Smoked Mackarel with mixed frozen veg.

Meal 6 = Fruit

I havent started weighing my food yet, but i am having sensible portion sizes. Will eventually figure out my full calorie/protein/fat intake, but havent got round to that yet.

Saw the physio yesterday and I've got frozen shoulder, so I'm basically out for at least 3 weeks, possibly 2-3 months. Will I achieve much with this diet plan giving that I'm not doing any exercise? I can try and do some walking and stuff, but am not supposed to be doing any vigorous exercise.

I've stopped alcohol too, so hopefully I'll see some changes. One question tho, is vinegar allowed? Salad with just olive oil is pretty bland, so I usually add a dash of balsamic vinegar...but as this is similar to alcohol I wasn't sure if it would have any of the same bad effects as alcohol.

irwit

Another awful diet you've made there. 1/3 of your days food coming from "protein muffins" another 1/3 of your food coming from "fruit". Surely common sence can tell you its a **** diet ?

Example diet.

meal 1: 100 grams oats, 30 grams whey protein, 500ml skimmed milk, fish oil caps

meal 2: 5 large eggs scrambled

meal 3: meat vege and carbs

meal 4: skimmed milk, 30 grams whey, 2 oatabix, fish oil caps

meal 5: meat veges and carbs

meal 6: large tub of cottage cheese

2 pieces of fruit through the day, 4litres of water

Good fats, lots of protein and slow release carbs in EVERY meal. Lots of veges and fruit through the day. Im not saying this IS what yo should eat but you can see your sis way off a bodybuilding diet.

thecourtenayboy

ok, thanks for the input there. But whilst I'm not able to train due to a frozen shoulder, surely what I'm eating is pretty good? Maybe I've cut down on Carbs too much, but I think there's a bit of confusion over the fruit and muffin 'meals'. I'm having maybe 1 or 2 pieces of fruit, which isn't what I'd call a meal, but I don't feel hungry enough to eat much more.

Anyway, my main aim at the moment is to try and lose some body fat with a good diet whilst I'm not able to train...what would be the best approach? Surely 5 eggs for meal 2 is a bit extreme given that I'm trying to lose body fat and I'm not training?