So I started lifting weights.... Advice

[88keys]

As of about 3 weeks ago (4 this Sunday).


Just a little background info on me.

I'm 31, 6'0" 230lbs 19% body fat (as of 3 weeks ago), and I've had problems with weight control issues in the past but I'm pretty sure that I've food a good diet that I can stick to to help keep weight off permanently.

I consume around 2500 calories per day. 800 calories for breakfast, 200-300 for brunch, 600-700 for lunch, 200-300 for a snack, and a small dinner to meet my 2500 calorie goal for the day.

I consume NONE of the following.
Candy, cakes, pies, doughnuts, ice cream, chocolate, pizza.

My daily sweet snacks consist of fruit, and certain kinds of yogurt and granola bars.

My drinks mostly consist of water and a couple of artificially sweetened drinks.

I've been doing this since November of 2013 and I've lost 157lbs from that time until May of last year and I feel like abstaining from sweets is the best thing that I've ever done because the temptations are almost nil for things that I used to have so much trouble with in the past. But the scent of Pizza still taunts me lol.

But I can handle it and I think it's to get my body in shape.

Now I have a fairly large frame as it is. My shoulders are very broad and my chest waist and arms 45", 38", 17" respectively and I've never done any kind of weightlifting what so ever. So I'm not trying to get huge. All I really want for the time being is to add a couple of inches to my chest and arms and lose a couple of inches in my waist and have less flabby shape to my upper body.

My lower body doesn't need much work as I've carried around alot of weight for alot of years and my calves are 18.5" and they don't need to be any bigger.

I've settled on a 3 day per week lifting routine of Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. I take it pretty easy on Wednesday and I just focus on getting my form better and reducing time between reps and stuff like that. Fridays I'll take it up a notch and do extra sets of every thing. Sunday I go at it with full force until I can do no more. It works well because I sleep really well for the 2 nights and I have two days to recover so once Wednesday comes back around I'm full of energy to start again.
I also do about 40 minutes of cardio (140-150bpm) before I start lifting weights on Wednesdays and Fridays, and a full hour on Sundays.



I'm on controlled weights for now, but I'll be moving toward free weights once I find a workout partner.


I'd just like to know about what kind of dietary changes I should focus on as I get further into this and whether I have a good plan for someone who is just starting out.

FWIW, I haven't weighed myself since I began this routine and I plan to do so every 4 weeks or so.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I'm 31, 6'0" 230lbs 19% body fat (as of 3 weeks ago)

...

I've been doing this since November of 2013 and I've lost 157lbs from that time until May of last year

I don't quite understand the "until May of last year". Normally, someone would just say "I've lost x lbs since November of 2013".

In any case, well done!

Personally, I think you should just get a feel for lifting for a couple more months, without worrying too much about making changes to what appears to be a healthy diet, and see how your body reacts. I have a feeling you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[z1ggy]

I'm on controlled weights for now, but I'll be moving toward free weights once I find a workout partner.


I'd just like to know about what kind of dietary changes I should focus on as I get further into this and whether I have a good plan for someone who is just starting out.

FWIW, I haven't weighed myself since I began this routine and I plan to do so every 4 weeks or so.

GJ on the weight loss thus far.

As far as your question goes... I'm not sure you really listed enough info about your diet for me to give you advice. Check out my "Lean Gains" thread to see what I eat on a daily basis for an idea of how you should structure your diet as well.

As far as weighing goes, I highly suggest you weigh yourself every single day for a minimum of 3 weeks. I am assuming because of the 19% fat, you want to lose weight right now. So... if you only weigh in every 4 weeks, you could only make adjustments to diet every 4 weeks, too. That's too long. Weigh in every day and make weekly or biweekly adjustments to calories.

Overall, your plan is good for a beginner weight lifter. Although, if you're not on free weight, it may be tough for you to develop good BB form on squat, DL and bench. I'm sort of lost as to what equipment you're actually using now that I think of it...

 

[88keys]

GJ on the weight loss thus far.

As far as your question goes... I'm not sure you really listed enough info about your diet for me to give you advice. Check out my "Lean Gains" thread to see what I eat on a daily basis for an idea of how you should structure your diet as well.

Well here is a rough sketch of my typical daily diet.

Breakfast:

Ham, scrambled eggs, potatoes, and small amount of cheddar cheese along with 2 packets of oatmeal. And occasionally a 16oz coffee 2 non dairy creams and 2 real sugars.

Brunch.

One apple and one fruit and nut granola bar. (Nature Valley band only because off brands contain 50% more sugar and don't taste as good).

Lunch:

Turkey Ham with Swiss or Provolone Cheese and brown mustard, and a small pasta and veggie type of dish. And one greek yogurt.

Snack: could be anything from a protien bar to raw brocolli and carrots to a small salad, to peanut butter crackers.

Dinner:


is typically something like baked chicken, fish, or ham (occasionally) and side of veggies and pasta.


On weekends I might deviate from this slightly but not too far. I usually treat myself to a Burger and Fries from Five Guys on Saturdays which I have been doing since the beginning of the diet.

As far as weighing goes, I highly suggest you weigh yourself every single day for a minimum of 3 weeks. I am assuming because of the 19% fat, you want to lose weight right now. So... if you only weigh in every 4 weeks, you could only make adjustments to diet every 4 weeks, too. That's too long. Weigh in every day and make weekly or biweekly adjustments to calories.

Overall, your plan is good for a beginner weight lifter. Although, if you're not on free weight, it may be tough for you to develop good BB form on squat, DL and bench. I'm sort of lost as to what equipment you're actually using now that I think of it...

Well I'm not trying to get discouraged if I see weight gain or loss for the time being and to be honest I'm not really sure what I should weight. According to a BMI, I'm obese, but if I lost 40lbs I'd be skin and bones probably. I could stand to lose more fat for sure, but I have a large frame and my legs have alot of muscle so that probably spikes my weight up a bit higher than normal.

I could probably stand to reduce some carbs and sugar but I know that I tend to lose weight pretty fast when I'm active and eating a healthy diet.
I have a friend of mine who is about my age and he has to eat like a bird and work his ass off to keep up with my weight loss.


I'll see where I'm at this weekend and I guess I can adjust my diet accordingly from there.

 

[JoshByB]

I think you re on the right path! Keep the lifting and make it heavier every 4 to 5 weeks and one important thing, keep changing your routine, don't overdo one that will make you bored after a while.
Diet is important it's true but what you're doing so far is good so I wouldn't worry too much about that!

Cheers,

Josh

 

[z1ggy]

88keys: I'll be honest.. I don't reeeeally care what you eat, as long as it's not junk food. What I mean by "diet info" are macros and calories, because that's what matters most. Sure you can get into glycemic index of foods, yadda yadda but at the end of the day the top 2 things you need to consider are calories and macro nutrients.

Me-
27yo, 185lb 5' 10''
Daily Cal needs to maintain weight :~2500-2600 under common conditions*
Macro levels: ~180g protein, 65-80g fat, the rest carbs (generally ~250g carb)

You need to weigh in every day though, like I said. This establishes a trend and pattern. It helps you tailor your diet as need be. Eating to lose 1lb/week but after 3 weeks only lost 1lb?? Then you need to eat less, or up activity more. Then... repeat the process until your intake gives you the expected outcome.

And like the person said above.. Progressive overload is key to building muscle. The every 4-5 week thing isn't really accurate IMO, though. I up the weight every single week if possible, as long as I hit my weights the previous week, ie simply put, if my goal was 3 sets of 12 reps at 135lb and I get all 3 sets for 12 reps, next week I will put on 140lb and try for 3x12 again. If I succeed... I move to 145lb, etc.

*normal conditions are lifting 3x per week and hockey/sport activity 2 times per week

 

[Carson Dyle]

Well I'm not trying to get discouraged if I see weight gain or loss for the time being and to be honest I'm not really sure what I should weigh. According to a BMI, I'm obese, but if I lost 40lbs I'd be skin and bones probably. I could stand to lose more fat for sure, but I have a large frame and my legs have alot of muscle so that probably spikes my weight up a bit higher than normal.

I also weigh myself daily. Get up, take a piss, get on the scale. Every single day. It's a good habit, IMO, instead of finding that you've had a bad week or a bad month, you can see when you need to put in more work or more closely watch what you're eating. Record your weight every day. Don't be alarmed or surprised if it goes up and down, or plateaus for days at a time. Watch the trend and the 7 or 14 day average rather than being concerned (or overly happy) that your weight appears to have gone up or down by a pound and a half since yesterday.

Not many non-athletes are going to be skin and bones at 6 ft, 190 lbs.

 

[88keys]

88keys: I'll be honest.. I don't reeeeally care what you eat, as long as it's not junk food. What I mean by "diet info" are macros and calories, because that's what matters most. Sure you can get into glycemic index of foods, yadda yadda but at the end of the day the top 2 things you need to consider are calories and macro nutrients.

Me-
27yo, 185lb 5' 10''
Daily Cal needs to maintain weight :~2500-2600 under common conditions*
Macro levels: ~180g protein, 65-80g fat, the rest carbs (generally ~250g carb)

You need to weigh in every day though, like I said. This establishes a trend and pattern. It helps you tailor your diet as need be. Eating to lose 1lb/week but after 3 weeks only lost 1lb?? Then you need to eat less, or up activity more. Then... repeat the process until your intake gives you the expected outcome.

And like the person said above.. Progressive overload is key to building muscle. The every 4-5 week thing isn't really accurate IMO, though. I up the weight every single week if possible, as long as I hit my weights the previous week, ie simply put, if my goal was 3 sets of 12 reps at 135lb and I get all 3 sets for 12 reps, next week I will put on 140lb and try for 3x12 again. If I succeed... I move to 145lb, etc.

*normal conditions are lifting 3x per week and hockey/sport activity 2 times per week

I also weigh myself daily. Get up, take a piss, get on the scale. Every single day. It's a good habit, IMO, instead of finding that you've had a bad week or a bad month, you can see when you need to put in more work or more closely watch what you're eating. Record your weight every day. Don't be alarmed or surprised if it goes up and down, or plateaus for days at a time. Watch the trend and the 7 or 14 day average rather than being concerned (or overly happy) that your weight appears to have gone up or down by a pound and a half since yesterday.

I used to do that and the thing is that being that I can lose weight so fast, I'm really accustomed to seeing that "instant gratification" of seeing a pound lost every day and I know that weight lifting isn't gonna be like that. The process will take longer and I'll have to be patient. I know that weight can fluctuate by as much as 10 lbs in a single day (though 5 is much more typical).


Not many non-athletes are going to be skin and bones at 6 ft, 190 lbs.[/QUOTE]

Probably not, but that depends on build, but nobody every gusses that I weigh as much as I do.

This pic was taken 6 months ago so I'm pretty much the same weight as I am now.

Not to say that I couldn't stand to lose up to 20 more lbs, but not much more than that. I was 215lbs as an adult and my ribcage was beginning to show. That's my build having never lifted weights in my entire life.


But according to a BMI, I'm obese, not overweight. Obese.


I'll step on the scale tomorrow morning and post back.

 

[88keys]

223lbs this morning.

 

[HitAnyKey]

Good job. Keep it up. You will get there.

 

[jaysen]

Follow this to the "T" and you will get stronger, quicker, and ultimately to the level you wanna be to bulk up.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=712752

Now, this routine alone will not "bulk" you in a matter of days/months however it will force you to focus on form and gradual gains. Stick to this for 4-5 months, or until you plateau. Hopefully by then you should have some more knowledge as to what lifts do/dont work. Form is vital over anything else. I cannot stress this enough. take a look around bodybuilding.com however I encourage you to really start with a rippetoe workout before trying to "jump in" to a crazy routine.

As a plus, this fits right into the 3-day gym goal you've already set out with.

 

[z1ggy]

So what is your goal 88keys? I mean, the BMI thing Iis kind of a farce in my opinion as it doesn't take bf % into account. Shit, 80% of the NFL would be considered obese or greater. Are you going to be happy with just being "in shape" ie, which for an average desk jocky guy is simply no gut. Or are you looking to have abs/veins, etc etc?

I can't see the pics you have linked here at work, but at 6' 223, I doubt you're 18-19% fat, no offense. You're only about 1-1.5'' taller than I am, yet weight 40lb more. I'm 15-16% fat right now @185lb... You do the math.

This of course with out seeing your pics, so maybe I'll have to amend this statement later once I see them. You've done a really good job thus far, but it seems like maybe you've hit a (temporary) wall. You need to change something.

Edit: Okay see the pic. Honestly, I can't tell your bf % when you have a shirt on.. Even shorts too. Some people genetically partition fat differently than others. But if you are actually 223lb and 18-19% fat, you should be looking a bit more muscular.. That would put you at ~183lb muscle, which I'm not totally sold on. Anyway, just keep on the grind man.. It's slow but if you stick with it , you'll achieve the body you want.

 

[88keys]

So what is your goal 88keys? I mean, the BMI thing Iis kind of a farce in my opinion as it doesn't take bf % into account. Shit, 80% of the NFL would be considered obese or greater. Are you going to be happy with just being "in shape" ie, which for an average desk jocky guy is simply no gut. Or are you looking to have abs/veins, etc etc?

But in a vague sense, I'd probably go with 210-215 with around 10% body fat which would be a nice athletic build with some minor definition which I have almost none of. Even the muscle in my legs which are huge show almost now definition. (though I'm just starting to see some now even though I haven't been working them)
I have been to 215 as an adult very briefly and I know that is the point where I lose my double chin and I can begin to see the outline of my ribs so I'm not too sure if I want to go less than that. The muscle building is what will take the most time and my current diet and exercise plan still has me losing weight and I'm not in any hurry to lose the 10-15lbs so I don't really care if it takes 4 weeks, 4 months or a year. As long as it eventually comes.
The small changes that I'm focusing on now is increasing protein while reducing sugar. I know that protein and fat tend to go hand in hand and I know that I need more of it so I'll probably have to cut out some sugar to make up for the extra fat that I'll be taking in. Given my body type and my history, it's really hard to determine where I exactly need to be to achieve the body I want in my head so I'll just take this one step at a time. I'm beginning to see progress and though I haven't seen a size increase, I am however noticing a difference in form and clothes are beginning to fit much better. Shirts that were a little tight last month now fit rather nicely.

Edit: Okay see the pic. Honestly, I can't tell your bf % when you have a shirt on.. Even shorts too. Some people genetically partition fat differently than others. But if you are actually 223lb and 18-19% fat, you should be looking a bit more muscular.. That would put you at ~183lb muscle, which I'm not totally sold on. Anyway, just keep on the grind man.. It's slow but if you stick with it , you'll achieve the body you want.

I had my body fat measured twice by a two different trainers. Gold's gym trainer got 19.5%, the YMCA got 18.5% so I'm averaging to 19%. Calipers were used in both tests and they were taken within a few or so weeks of each other.

But a few things to keep in mind.

* Having lost 157lbs, I do have some excess skin which is mainly in my lower abdomen which slightly fattier appearance in some areas and it could even throw my body fat measurements off. For example the skin on my abdomen pulls down on the skin on my chest which makes it a little tighter than what it would be had I never gotten so heavy. So I could be conceivably higher. Who knows?

* Having been 380+ lbs and having a job where I am on my feet and walking for long periods of time has resulted in some VERY muscular legs. I personally don't know any other person who was that size who can be on their feet and walk for long periods of time without needing to take a break. The whole reason I decided to start losing weight (again) was because I was beginning to feel joint pain and fatigue for the first time after walking around a car show all day.

* Fat seems to distribute on my body very evenly and I don't put it all in my gut like most guys do. Even at my highest adult weight I didn't have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes yet people my age weighing 100 lbs less than I do are having all sorts of weight related issues.

* I have a very obviously have a large build. I have big hands, big feet, long torso, and a 45" chest and I've never done any kind of weight. training in my life.


To be more clear I've been up and down the scale with my weight and I've finally found something that works in the long term. I understand that it's about permanent lifestyle changes so when you make a change, it's important to ask yourself whether it is something you can live with indefinitely. There is alot of dubious science and studies contradicting each other saying that this may work but this doesn't work and I've learned to take all that with a grain of salt. I've read many times that skipping breakfast eating late has no effect on weight loss and I've lost enough weight in my time to know that is bullshit. The fact is that everybody is different and what works great for one person may not work so well for another. I think anyone losing weight should take an honest look at their diet and activities and focus on individual small changes at a time. Find out what works through trial and error. If it works, ask yourself if you can live with this change. If the answer is yes, move on to the next thing. At the end of the day it's about the results and if you found something that works and is safe than fuck everything else.
In the end I just want to be healthy and happy with myself and my appearance so I'll probably take a good look and get checked every so often to see where I'm at and where I want to go from there.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Without going point by point, I think you touch on several things that highlight how dangerous (psychologically) it is for someone young and very heavy, who was moderately functional. So much of the weight control problem is mental, that it's a good idea to avoid falling into mental traps.

You were very large and were moderately active and you could walk a lot. When you're young your body adapts very quickly to work loads, even when you're grossly obese. You didn't have diabetes or high blood pressure. Type 2 diabetes typically doesn't hit people when they're young; it take some years of obesity (and/or sedentary lifestyle) before your body becomes insulin resistant. Don't get the idea that you're bullet proof.

Play it by ear. You don't have to decide today what your ideal weight is. Shoot for 215 lbs if that's what you're feeling. Then stay there, work out, see how your body reacts. Who knows? Maybe you become a body-builder and go to 250 lbs at 6% body fat. Or, maybe you find that you really like how your knees and your ankles feel, and being able to run up stairs and you go down to 170 lbs. You're on the right path, start enjoying the journey.

 

[z1ggy]

Alright 88, so if you've been measured with calipers and whatnot I suppose the 19% is close enough, with all things considered.

I'd continue cutting until you're getting measured around 13% body fat. You should kind of approach your overall fitness and physique change in stages. Cut down to 13%... then bulk. Your bf % will go up, say to 16%. Then, cut down to 10%.. Bulk back to 13%... Cut down to 8-9% bulk...cut... etc, until you're at your goal.

So once you get a hold of diet and start seeing some change in weight again, you'll need to start honing your lifting skills. Once you can find a work out partner, I'd get on the big compound heavy lifting ASAP.

 

[rga]

But in a vague sense, I'd probably go with 210-215 with around 10% body fat which would be a nice athletic build with some minor definition which I have almost none of. Even the muscle in my legs which are huge show almost now definition. (though I'm just starting to see some now even though I haven't been working them)
I have been to 215 as an adult very briefly and I know that is the point where I lose my double chin and I can begin to see the outline of my ribs so I'm not too sure if I want to go less than that. The muscle building is what will take the most time and my current diet and exercise plan still has me losing weight and I'm not in any hurry to lose the 10-15lbs so I don't really care if it takes 4 weeks, 4 months or a year. As long as it eventually comes.
The small changes that I'm focusing on now is increasing protein while reducing sugar. I know that protein and fat tend to go hand in hand and I know that I need more of it so I'll probably have to cut out some sugar to make up for the extra fat that I'll be taking in. Given my body type and my history, it's really hard to determine where I exactly need to be to achieve the body I want in my head so I'll just take this one step at a time. I'm beginning to see progress and though I haven't seen a size increase, I am however noticing a difference in form and clothes are beginning to fit much better. Shirts that were a little tight last month now fit rather nicely.

I had my body fat measured twice by a two different trainers. Gold's gym trainer got 19.5%, the YMCA got 18.5% so I'm averaging to 19%. Calipers were used in both tests and they were taken within a few or so weeks of each other.

But a few things to keep in mind.

* Having lost 157lbs, I do have some excess skin which is mainly in my lower abdomen which slightly fattier appearance in some areas and it could even throw my body fat measurements off. For example the skin on my abdomen pulls down on the skin on my chest which makes it a little tighter than what it would be had I never gotten so heavy. So I could be conceivably higher. Who knows?

* Having been 380+ lbs and having a job where I am on my feet and walking for long periods of time has resulted in some VERY muscular legs. I personally don't know any other person who was that size who can be on their feet and walk for long periods of time without needing to take a break. The whole reason I decided to start losing weight (again) was because I was beginning to feel joint pain and fatigue for the first time after walking around a car show all day.

* Fat seems to distribute on my body very evenly and I don't put it all in my gut like most guys do. Even at my highest adult weight I didn't have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes yet people my age weighing 100 lbs less than I do are having all sorts of weight related issues.

* I have a very obviously have a large build. I have big hands, big feet, long torso, and a 45" chest and I've never done any kind of weight. training in my life.


To be more clear I've been up and down the scale with my weight and I've finally found something that works in the long term. I understand that it's about permanent lifestyle changes so when you make a change, it's important to ask yourself whether it is something you can live with indefinitely. There is alot of dubious science and studies contradicting each other saying that this may work but this doesn't work and I've learned to take all that with a grain of salt. I've read many times that skipping breakfast eating late has no effect on weight loss and I've lost enough weight in my time to know that is bullshit. The fact is that everybody is different and what works great for one person may not work so well for another. I think anyone losing weight should take an honest look at their diet and activities and focus on individual small changes at a time. Find out what works through trial and error. If it works, ask yourself if you can live with this change. If the answer is yes, move on to the next thing. At the end of the day it's about the results and if you found something that works and is safe than fuck everything else.
In the end I just want to be healthy and happy with myself and my appearance so I'll probably take a good look and get checked every so often to see where I'm at and where I want to go from there.

If you start losing your double chin around 215, you're going to have to deal with your ribs showing if you'd like to eventually be the same weight at 10% body fat. I think people really underestimate how much weight they need to lose (or how much lean mass they need to gain) in order to be their desired weight at 10% or less body fat. I droppped 80 pounds about three years ago, as I went from about 250 to around 163. I've bulked back up to 200 since, and now I'm back down to 189 with my ultimate goal to be back down to the 165 mark. The first places I notice fat loss are my neck/chin, arms, and around my rib cage. I only mention this because at 163, I could see my abs, my rib cage showed and my arms were defined, but I still had love handles on my back. I only mention all this because I don't think the point at which your ribs start showing should be your cue to stop losing weight. After losing 200+ pounds, you're going to see a lot of things on your body that you've not seen before or for as long as you've been as heavy as you were, and you're just going to have to get used to it.

 

[88keys]

If you start losing your double chin around 215, you're going to have to deal with your ribs showing if you'd like to eventually be the same weight at 10% body fat. I think people really underestimate how much weight they need to lose (or how much lean mass they need to gain) in order to be their desired weight at 10% or less body fat. I droppped 80 pounds about three years ago, as I went from about 250 to around 163. I've bulked back up to 200 since, and now I'm back down to 189 with my ultimate goal to be back down to the 165 mark. The first places I notice fat loss are my neck/chin, arms, and around my rib cage. I only mention this because at 163, I could see my abs, my rib cage showed and my arms were defined, but I still had love handles on my back. I only mention all this because I don't think the point at which your ribs start showing should be your cue to stop losing weight. After losing 200+ pounds, you're going to see a lot of things on your body that you've not seen before or for as long as you've been as heavy as you were, and you're just going to have to get used to it.

The figures that I had mentioned are just ballpark figures because I honestly don't know what my weight/body fat/measurements will be exactly when I get the body that I want.

It's just one step at a time for right now.

I may have to go down to 205 or perhaps even 195. Granted the 215 that I saw was a very non muscular 215 (in regards to upper body) so when I reach 215 while lifting like I am may look different.

Ill check my weight tomorrow morning. I'll probably be at about 221 or so because it seems that I'm losing about 2lbs per week which is a pretty good rate especially considering that I'm not doing much cardio.

 

[z1ggy]

What is your lifting routine like? I know you said it's 3x a week. That's what I do right now (cutting). Goes:

Day 1-
Dead Lift 3x5
Pull ups 3x5 (weighted)
Bent over Rows 3x5

Day 2-
Bench press 3x5
Incline Bench press 3x5
Close Grip Bench, on a decline 3x5

Day 3-
Squat 3x5
Leg press 3x5
Hamstring curls 3x5

At the end of each lift, I do abs. Generally just wood choppers or reverse crunch. I also found a great new ab exercise on youtube. It's on Athlean-X channel, it's called 3-D abs. It's really good, I recommend it. In a nutshell, it's doing a side plank, while u bring one leg up like a reverse crunch, while holding a resistance band taught that's tied around something fixed to the ground. It works all 3 functions of the core at once (twisting, flexion and torsion).

 

[Scarpozzi]

Lifting is good for fitness because it increases your metabolism, but don't forget to add cardio...even if it's just walking for a sustained period of time. Improving circulation is crucial to your health. You'll find that your 30s are rougher on your body than your 20s...metabolism can start to slow down.

 

[88keys]

221lbs this morning.

What is your lifting routine like? I know you said it's 3x a week. That's what I do right now (cutting). Goes:

Day 1-
Dead Lift 3x5
Pull ups 3x5 (weighted)
Bent over Rows 3x5

Day 2-
Bench press 3x5
Incline Bench press 3x5
Close Grip Bench, on a decline 3x5

Day 3-
Squat 3x5
Leg press 3x5
Hamstring curls 3x5

As of right now:

On Wednesdays I start with 30 mins of cardio (30mins on treadmill 10 incline @ 3 MPH) and then I move to 3 sets of 12 on each weight machine.

Fly (Chest/Shoulder)
Bicep Curl
Row Deltoid (Upper Back)
Tricep Press

Friday it's 30 mins of cardio (30mins on treadmill 10 incline @ 3 MPH) and then it's 3 sets of 12 if I moved up a weight, but if I didn't I'll just do more reps (trying for 4 sets of 12)


Fly (Chest/Shoulder)
Bicep Curl
Row Deltoid (Upper Back)
Tricep Press
Chest Press
Pulldown (upper back)
Seated Leg Press (just to keep the leg muscle that I have).

Sunday it's an hour of cardio and however many reps I can do on the following exercises.

Fly (Chest/Shoulder)
Bicep Curl
Row Deltoid (Upper Back)
Tricep Press
Assisted Pullup
(break, then 10 mins on elliptical to get heart rate back up and then I move on to these machines)
Chest Press
Pulldown (upper back)
Seated Leg Press
Abdominal Crunch
Calf Extension.


This is all going to change pretty soon because I'm going to start on free weights this coming Wednesday.

I've seen nice progress on pretty much everything except for Biceps so far. It took me 4 weeks to finally move up one weight increment when I've moved up about 2-3 weight increments on everything else.

 

[88keys]

At the end of each lift, I do abs. Generally just wood choppers or reverse crunch. I also found a great new ab exercise on youtube. It's on Athlean-X channel, it's called 3-D abs. It's really good, I recommend it. In a nutshell, it's doing a side plank, while u bring one leg up like a reverse crunch, while holding a resistance band taught that's tied around something fixed to the ground. It works all 3 functions of the core at once (twisting, flexion and torsion).

I know I need to work on my abdomen ALOT more than what I do, but I sing for a local band and I once made the mistake of doing exercises on a Friday when I had a show the next day and my diaphragm was sore and I couldn't push out high notes so I have to keep my ab workouts on Sundays only to give me a few days to recover. But as far as abs goes I know that it will be a very LONG time before I get those in shape and I'll probably need surgery if I want a full six pack. Perhaps when the band takes a break over the winter I'll probably go at them a little harder. But I know this is going to be the long haul of my whole endeavor and it could very well be over 5 years before I get those completely in shape. So I really don't want to go hardcore and then lose my motivation due to lack of progress.

I still want to work out my abs though because the little bit of ab exercize that I do has noticeably improved my endurance and stamina while singing. I just have to be careful to not wear them out like i do with my other muscles.

The thing is that I'm at least fortunate enough that I don't have a gut like alot of guys do when they're a little pudgy.

 

[z1ggy]

221lbs this morning.



As of right now:

On Wednesdays I start with 30 mins of cardio (30mins on treadmill 10 incline @ 3 MPH) and then I move to 3 sets of 12 on each weight machine.

Fly (Chest/Shoulder)
Bicep Curl
Row Deltoid (Upper Back)
Tricep Press

Friday it's 30 mins of cardio (30mins on treadmill 10 incline @ 3 MPH) and then it's 3 sets of 12 if I moved up a weight, but if I didn't I'll just do more reps (trying for 4 sets of 12)


Fly (Chest/Shoulder)
Bicep Curl
Row Deltoid (Upper Back)
Tricep Press
Chest Press
Pulldown (upper back)
Seated Leg Press (just to keep the leg muscle that I have).

Sunday it's an hour of cardio and however many reps I can do on the following exercises.

Fly (Chest/Shoulder)
Bicep Curl
Row Deltoid (Upper Back)
Tricep Press
Assisted Pullup
(break, then 10 mins on elliptical to get heart rate back up and then I move on to these machines)
Chest Press
Pulldown (upper back)
Seated Leg Press
Abdominal Crunch
Calf Extension.


This is all going to change pretty soon because I'm going to start on free weights this coming Wednesday.

I've seen nice progress on pretty much everything except for Biceps so far. It took me 4 weeks to finally move up one weight increment when I've moved up about 2-3 weight increments on everything else.

Hmmm, not that I'm an expert at fitness, my initial thought is you're potentially doing too much frequency. You're training the same muscles 3x per week, but then again seems like you're going pretty light, and the volume isn't too high.

My suggestion for moving forward on free weight, is up the weight used, lower the reps, lower the frequency. Though, that's only if you feel comfortable lifting free weight on your own. I'd seriously consider just starting with basics. Not sure if you have only dumbbells, barbell or what... But in your case you really only need a few basic movements. If you do have access to barbell, I'd really only bother with squats, dead lifts, bench press and pull ups, maybe bent over row. When going for weight loss, doing little things like tricep press and biceps curls aren't going to have much effect. You're largely catabolic (loosing muscle) when you are loosing fat, too... So doing "body building" style routines aka, 3 sets of 10-12, high frequency, etc is honestly a waste of time IMO. One is better off doing the "best bang for buck" heavy compound lifts, ie squat, dead lift, bench, pull ups/dips, etc.

I'm not saying you need to mimic my lift schedule, because it's what works for me. You need to find what works for you. However, I really do feel that lifting heavy with low volume and low reps is the way to go while cutting.

 

[88keys]

Hmmm, not that I'm an expert at fitness, my initial thought is you're potentially doing too much frequency. You're training the same muscles 3x per week, but then again seems like you're going pretty light, and the volume isn't too high.

Well I'm not lifting super heavy weights for upper body ATM. Most of my upper body exercises around 120lbs right now and I've increased my lifting by 30% on most things since I started about 5 week ago.. Bicep curl has been the slowest and I just recently moved up to 100lbs When I started at 80lbs.

My lower body exercises are pretty heavy. I do 270lbs for calf extention and 300lbs for seated leg press. This is near the limit for both of these machines but this is only once per week to maintain the muscle that I have.

I have noticed that I seem to be bouncing back quicker. It used to take me 2 full days to recover after Sunday and I was actually feeling quite energetic after one day.

My suggestion for moving forward on free weight, is up the weight used, lower the reps, lower the frequency. Though, that's only if you feel comfortable lifting free weight on your own. I'd seriously consider just starting with basics. Not sure if you have only dumbbells, barbell or what... But in your case you really only need a few basic movements. If you do have access to barbell, I'd really only bother with squats, dead lifts, bench press and pull ups, maybe bent over row. When going for weight loss, doing little things like tricep press and biceps curls aren't going to have much effect. You're largely catabolic (loosing muscle) when you are loosing fat, too... So doing "body building" style routines aka, 3 sets of 10-12, high frequency, etc is honestly a waste of time IMO. One is better off doing the "best bang for buck" heavy compound lifts, ie squat, dead lift, bench, pull ups/dips, etc.

Well Planet Fatness has dumbells and freeweights and I'm getting ready to start on them today with a friend. I know there are numerous different ways to exercise the same muscles and stuff. But if I am to understand what you're saying. Would it be better to do say 5x3 of 75lbs as opposed to 3x12 of 50lbs?

I'll probably have to change up my entire routine once I've completely switched over to free weights and I probably only end up doing half of what I was on the weight machines to start.

Once I get the form and breathing patterns right, I'll switch to fewer heavier reps and see how that works.

Also do you think that 2lbs per week is losing weight to fast?

Another question about protein intake. I've ready varying estimates, but the lowest estimates Ive seen for building muscle is said to be 0.7 grams per pound of body weight. Which based on my goal weight I need about 150 grams. My diet originally had a little over 100 grams on average.

I am now meeting that by switching over to a protein bar instead of my granola bar and eating a couple of turkey or chicken breasts for dinner.
But it's taken a surprising toll on my appetite. I eat that protien bar in at 930am and I barely have an appetite for my lunch at 1230.

This is the protein bar I eat now. It seems to have the best protien to fat/sugar ratio that I can find among the others I have looked at.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Another question about protein intake. I've ready varying estimates, but the lowest estimates Ive seen for building muscle is said to be 0.7 grams per pound of body weight. Which based on my goal weight I need about 150 grams. My diet originally had a little over 100 grams on average.

That sounds a little low to me. I've been doing 2g of protein per kg of bodyweight. At my starting weight of 183 lbs = 83 kg -> 83 * 2 = 166 g of protein.

 

[Carson Dyle]

My lower body exercises are pretty heavy. I do 270lbs for calf extention and 300lbs for seated leg press. This is near the limit for both of these machines but this is only once per week to maintain the muscle that I have.

It might be a good idea to lay off the heavy weights for your lower body if you feel that's why you weigh so much and that the muscles were overdeveloped to compensate for your previous body weight. It will take a long time, probably years, for your lower body to normalize, but it certainly won't if you're hitting it with max weight.

Also do you think that 2lbs per week is losing weight to fast?

No, but you've said you think you're within 10-15 lbs of your target weight, so what's the rush?