kaoticone

Hi everyone, I'm a big guy (6 ft tall, 270lbs), but I have much more fat than I'd like, I don't want to be built like arnold, and I don't wanna be a stick either. I started working out a year ago or so, and havent plateaued like most, I have been able to lose some fat and gain a lot of muscle through a variety of exercises and consistency while varying work out routines. Since my main goal i simply to lose fat, I have stopped all such exercise and now jog for 30 minutes 4 days a week. As far as my diet, I have greatly improved it, I mostly just drink water, no soda, and lots of water, I rarely eat out, I try to avoid sweets but am not as successful as I'd like, I'm working on it. I also have a number of health issues, but no diabetes or heart diseases or conditions. I'm basically just looking for any help anyone with experience can offer. I need to buy a treadmill since I hate jogging outside in this humidity in the mornings. Also, I used to weigh much less, but the muscle has shot my weight up, the doctor says to ignore the scale because it looks like its just muscle. Also, I've done protein shakes, etc to no avail, I'm looking at trying vitamin d supplement.

rahaas

Sounds like your doctor has given you some good advise regarding the scale.

Read this first: http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/ne...1-newbies.html (*** READ ME FIRST - Homework #1 for Newbies ***)

If it were me I'd be doing less cardio and incorporate some weight training but the most important is fixing your diet.

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kaoticone

Thanks, I'll look at that. i've been doing what I consider a form of weight training with my total gym all this time, and have had incredible results, I have gone from a pant size 44 to a 38, and that is a loose 38. The hardest area sees to be losing my belly fat. I've also gotten a lot stronger through working out on my total gym, I also use dumbbells for some exercises.

rahaas

Congrat's on your progress so far!
I'd also recommend reading up on Lyle McDonalds stuff. He's a weight loss while retaining as much muscle mass as possible guru.

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DocHoliday

Forget the scale - measure your percent of bodyfat! Your doctor is right - muscle is good - fat bad! You need to get back to lifting ASAP! The more muscle, the higher your resting metabolism - ie: you burn more calories 24 hours/day. Jogging alone will just get you fatter. Figure out your maintenance calorie level and deduct 700. That's a good place to start. Cut your fat to 20% max of daily calories.

kaoticone

Thanks, 700 calories sounds like a lot, but I'll try.
PS, I stopped jogging this morning and got back on my total gym.

kaoticone

A friend who is a nutritionist and a trainer recommend that I use a bicycle, even one of those stationary ones for a good cardio workout to burn fat. what do you all suggest on that? I really need to burn fat.

juggernaut

You might want to also look into PSMF (you'd be a category 3 dieter). It enables you to have to 2 free meals a week and is well designed.

kaoticone

Please expound on this PSMF. Also, I'm more disciplined than most, so I don't really need 2 'free' meals a week. most of my fat, probably all actually, has to do with medical related conditions.

m11

What are the conditions? Thyroid related?

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m11

Protein sparing modified fast (PSMF) is essentially a 'diet' that is intended to be run between 11 days to 6 weeks, depending on body composition. It is created specifically to be used for those short periods of time. Frequently, it is used in order to 'jump start' a cutting cycle, or just to accelerate fat loss in a short window. It is generally recommended that you already have the skills in order to regulate your long term fat loss/gain before going on this diet.

The basics is that it restricts carbohydrates and fat to 200 total calories each day and has you eating between 1-1.5g/protein each day. A refeed and free meal is incorporated each week and the frequency of both is dependent on your body composition.

It is also recommended to include two short training sessions each week.

The book, The Rapid Fat Loss Handbook by Lyle McDonald, explains the diet.

The Rapid Fat Loss Handbook by Lyle McDonald | BodyRecomposition - The Home of Lyle McDonald

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kaoticone

if only it were so simple. I'm a very rare case. The short version is that I have no pituitary gland, and I do take thyroid and other replacement medications for stuff my body does not produce on its own. A big issue as of late has been an extreme lack and/or drop of energy. Though I do get up at 5:30 everyday, get on my total gym til 6, shower, eat oatmeal for breakfast, get dressed, go to work, and so on.

T_man

Do you work out on an empty stomach?

Cheat on your girlfriend, not on your meal.

kaoticone

I do in the morning, then I eat a banana before I shower.

T_man

No PWO nutrition?

Cheat on your girlfriend, not on your meal.

kaoticone

not that early, I hardly have time to workout, let alone eat breakfast. I literally hop out of bed, put on my socks and shoes, stretch, pull out the total gym and workout.

kaoticone

that's a no. should I? I hardly have time to work out, and wouldn't that make me sick? so does anyone agree on the bicycling or an elliptical or something? My friend says he burns 1600 calories a day 3 days a week on his bicycle. it seems I was mistaken, I don't mean an elliptical, I mean like a stationary bike or some indoor static bicycling equivalent.

Also, I have been looking at the homework for newbies, I would love to do those 7 exercises, but I only have a total gym, this is because I have no room for all the free weights. the other ting is when trying to squat, it is very difficult, some squats require you to stay on your heels, I find this to be impossible at the moment. and as far as short and long term goals, short: lose additional body fat, mostly upper body. Long: I'd like to be cut, not muscular, but I don't know that I'll ever get there. would posting a pic of myself now help? I could also post a pic of my short term and long term goal if I can find it online. The odd thing is that I'm strong, and have lots of discipline, the problem for me is fat loss. I try not to eat out, but sometimes I have lunch or dinner meetings.

kaoticone

I think it would help to give you my current basic diet:
weekdays:
breakfast - oatmeal 2 packets, 200 calories + lactose free 2% milk
lunch - turkey and swiss sandwich x 2 homemade on wheat bread
or tuna (1 can/2 sandwiches) on wheat bread
dinner - whatever, usually something quick like a 6 inch turkey breast on wheat from subway with veggies. or sometimes something simple like a taco.
I think dinner is an issue, and I eat sorta late, like 7pm, and I wake up very hungry, then workout.
I workout empty cause I read somewhere that working out in the morning burns calories and fat already in you, while working out after work will burn calories and fats eaten during the day.

rahaas

Check out this thread. I think you'll find it useful:
http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/tr...-question.html (Metabolism kick-start Question....)

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kaoticone

I just talked to my friend (the nutritionist/trainer), he says I need to do cardio after working out for best results, so to do that, I'd have to workout after work, then jog right after that. does that sound ok? I'll check out that thread.
Upon quickly reading the thread, lots of great info, but I'd like to eat then do cardio, that's hard to do after work, but I'd also like to eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day, I just don't know what to eat.

rahaas

I've had great results doing HIIT cardio for only 10 minutes after weight training. It's really a very efficient way of doing cardio.

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kaoticone

what is HIIT? and is that what you all think would be best following my workout in the afternoons after work? and what should I eat pre workout? and where can I find good info on what to eat for small meals throughout the day?

rahaas

HIIT is high intensity interval training. Good reading---> Got Built? » How to do Cardio if you MUST!

Allot of reading but a good start for meals:
http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/di...intenance.html (Guide to Cutting, Bulking & Maintenance)

Good discussion on preworkout stuff:
http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/su...rkout-mix.html (Homebrew pre-workout mix)
I don't have the time or patience for elaborate stuff so mine consist of a 1/2 pint of milk with 3 scoops of BCAA added about 1/2 hour before workout followed by sips of water pre and during workout.

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kaoticone

I'll start reading. I don't know about post or pre workout nutrition, seems like it would be a bad idea.

rahaas

Just keep asking specific questions you'll get lots of help here from the mods.

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T_man

Looks like the English sarcastic sense of humour isn't shared all over the world.

I must look like such a freak to you guys. I may as well be welsh.

Cheat on your girlfriend, not on your meal.

kaoticone

LOL, a welsh. that is sorta funny, would probably be funnier if I were english.
sorry for the off topic.

kaoticone

I've been reading about HIIT, I cant wait to start. I will start at 4 minute interval, I will run outside my apartment complex on the street after working out in the afternoons. I just happen to be seeing my doc tomorrow, so we'll see what he thinks. Does everyone here agree that I need to track it? and do i really need a heart rate monitor or something? I don't think I'm at a level of unfitness where I'd have a heart attack. Can anyone suggest a good pre workout nutrition? protein shake maybe? would a protein shake count as one of my 6 meals a day? I'm so excited to do this after a year of working out!!!!!!!

m11

Why 6 meals a day?

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kaoticone

well, 5-6 small meals a day, but I think that doing that will be much more difficult than hiit will be.