Dietary and Fitness Advice needed to get me in shape!

[msi1337]

Well, just like everyone who is overweight, I started eating the wrong kinds of foods and wound up at 252 lbs last year (Sept). I am 29, male, and 5'8"s tall. By cutting out some of the foods I was eating and exercising minimally I am now down to 227lbs.

I would like some information on the best exercise regimen and nutirition I can do to take me back to 165 (which is what I weighed in college). My main goals are to have less than 18% bodyfat when I am done and good definition. I am also very concerned with not losing weight too quickly, as to leave me with extra skin around my midsection once the fat is gone.

My current diet is mainly vegetables/baked skinless chicken/fruits/sometimes Lean Cuisine meals.

I will be working out mainly at home: I have the following exercise equipment there
BodyCraft Home Gym
Nodictrack Elliptical Trainer Just like this
Schwinn Recumbent Bike
and Yukon Fitness Hyper Extension

Needless to say I am sick of it going to waste, and am mainly interested in ideas on exercise routines. I know very little about exercise, so any help given will be appreciated. Especially interested in weight training, high reps low weight? Low reps High weight? You tell me!

Thanks,
Jason

 

[KoolDrew]

A basic routine should consist of legs, push, and pull. For example... squat, bench, deadlift or leg press, OH Press, rows. After that you can add some direct hamstring work (leg curls), a vertical pull, some arm work, and some ab work.

 

[msi1337]

no cardio?

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: msi1337
no cardio?

Definitely do some cardio, but start out light by maybe walking briskly for a few miles a couple of times per week, until you are in slightly better shape and can start jogging. Or even do a walk/run program to supplement your weight training.

I have seen many people wreck their knees by trying to just head out running, so definitely go easy on the impact when first starting out.

KT

 

[KoolDrew]

Originally posted by: msi1337
no cardio?

Yes, do cardio. I was just talking about the weight training aspect, but weight training, diet, and cardio are all important. Do as Keith said and start small though.

 

[msi1337]

bump for more responses

 

[spamsk8r]

If you're trying to lean out, there's no reason to do high weight/low reps (since you won't be building muscle, just preventing it from wasting away). I like the fact that you have a Glute-Ham Developer (the hyper-extension machine), you can do some brutal ab and back exercises with that thing. I really don't like to suggest machine-based workouts for weight loss (since their metabolic impact is pretty much nil compared to free weights and heavy compound exercises). If you have to use the machine, I would suggest an upper/lower split, done 4 times a week (1 day upper body, 1 day lower, repeat). For upper body you would do things like chest press, flys, lat pulldowns, pushups, situps, shoulder press, pullups (if you can do them). For legs you can do high-rep air-squats (just regular squats without added weight), leg extensions (although I personally think these are worthless), leg curls (also pretty worthless), jump rope (for cardio and leg strength, plus agility). If you're willing to buy a barbell and some weights, you can do squats and deadlifts (which are awesome), straight leg deadlifts (for the hamstrings), barbell rows, push press, olympic lifts, etc. I recommend a barbell, you're only limited by your space and the amount of weights you have.

To be honest, since you're mainly focusing on weight-loss and not gaining muscle, you can get by with mainly bodyweight exercises done at high intensity. If you want a decent full-body workout, try to do as many burpees as possible in 20 minutes, but add a 8" vertical jump to the standing up part. Do that and tell me bodyweight exercises aren't effective. Or do tabatas with bodyweight exercises. A tabata is 20 seconds of high intensity work, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Do 8 rounds of this (so 4 minutes total) with air-squats, pullups, pushups, situps, vertical jumps, jump rope, etc. Your cardio capacity will go through the roof.