New to fitness training

SCamaroSS2000 · 05-25-2004, 02:22 PM

Hi, I just wanted to make sure I am still on par with my training goals.

I am 6'4", 250#. I have tried to determine my fat %, but its pretty hard to do accurately. I bought a hand held device and it says I started at 257, 29% fat. My waist was approx 42-43" so it seems to be in line with what the charts say. Anyways, I have been training now for 5 weeks. I do weights, 3 times a week. Upper body, all in one day then lower body all in one day. I alternate between upper and lower body, on Mon., Wed., Fri. On Teus, Thurs. Sat. I follow the body for life weight training program and will move on to other things when I am farther into my training. I do cardio, only 20 minutes but at increasing and decreasing intensity intervals. I am now eating a minimum of 4 times a day, typically 5, sometimes 6. My diet is pretty good. I would say I falter here and there, but nothing like I was eating. I eat protein at every meal and am consuming approximately 2500-3000 Calories a day (45% Carb, 30% Protein, 25% Fat). Always over 2500, occasionally maybe 3200 if I snuck in some candy. According to my research thats good to keep me at about 230 with light to moderate exercise/weight training. I work out hard for the time I am training but am not a long distance runner or major sports player, so I assume I am a light to moderate workout guy.

Anyways, heres the deal. Since I can't get a truly accurate fat% reading, I am going off more a visual and will start doing more measurements. If I keep up with this routine and focuse a little more on diet, do you think I can get to 230 while keeping as much muscle on as possible. Since I am a beginner, I should be burning fat and building muscle. How long will this last for one thing? A few months?

I currently use a hand held fat tester, but it varies at one time of day you do it and how hydrated you are and I am not going to spend more money on fat measurers, so its kind of hard to judge my gains. I am increasing in the weights I am lifting and have increased endurance and exercise focus the last five weeks, thats for sure. I am now more like 248-250 and always in the 65-69 lb fat range according to the device (Its varies due to time of day and hydration). So every week, I should just keep going down in fat ranges, like 62-65, then 59-62 and so on. My goal is being fit, not a bodybuilder.

Thanks.

atherjen · 05-25-2004, 03:50 PM

ughhh ditch the hand held fat tester. Calipers are by far better having it done by an experienced individuel.

so are you currently loosing on your diet?
how many days a week are you doing cardio now?

animalmachine · 05-25-2004, 04:28 PM

http://www.johnstonefitness.com/

Check out this guy's site and what he's done. There is some great information here, especially for someone not trying to be a bodybuilder.

SCamaroSS2000 · 05-25-2004, 09:27 PM

I do cardio three times a week.

From the people I talk to, calipers have up to 5-10% error and take a few minutes to do. If done right electrolysis is only a little worse, 10-15% error. I am mainly looking for a trend anyways.

I am losing weight, but actually have hit a plateau. I guess I am putting on muscle, because I have added a little fat the last 10 days or so.

animalmachine · 05-26-2004, 12:08 AM

muscle is much more dense than fat, so you could very well be losing fat and gaining muscle. this is also very good because muscle uses up more calories.

to speed up things, you could modify your diet to be higher in protein, limit your fats to EFAs (fish oil), make sure all carbs have are complex, or have a low GI index (http://www.glycemicindex.com/), and try to eat a small balanced meal every 3 hours.

SCamaroSS2000 · 05-26-2004, 09:10 AM

I will slowly modify my diet, but I want this to happen slowly. I am eating much better than before. I would like to keep my current size but be muscular. I figure a cut 230 at 6'4" would be a very good size with my body frame. I want to be low in fat, somewhere around 10%, but am going to take my time to get there. Since I am new to this and already have the fat necessary to build muscle, I should get cut while burning plenty of fat ( dropping 1 pound a week, 2 tops) Visually, I see a little difference already, its just going to take many more months to truly see the difference.

animalmachine · 05-26-2004, 09:30 AM

sounds like you have a pretty good handle on what your goals are and how to get there, just keep it up!

05-25-2004, 02:22 PM	#1
SCamaroSS2000 Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: California Posts: 4	New to fitness training Hi, I just wanted to make sure I am still on par with my training goals. I am 6'4", 250#. I have tried to determine my fat %, but its pretty hard to do accurately. I bought a hand held device and it says I started at 257, 29% fat. My waist was approx 42-43" so it seems to be in line with what the charts say. Anyways, I have been training now for 5 weeks. I do weights, 3 times a week. Upper body, all in one day then lower body all in one day. I alternate between upper and lower body, on Mon., Wed., Fri. On Teus, Thurs. Sat. I follow the body for life weight training program and will move on to other things when I am farther into my training. I do cardio, only 20 minutes but at increasing and decreasing intensity intervals. I am now eating a minimum of 4 times a day, typically 5, sometimes 6. My diet is pretty good. I would say I falter here and there, but nothing like I was eating. I eat protein at every meal and am consuming approximately 2500-3000 Calories a day (45% Carb, 30% Protein, 25% Fat). Always over 2500, occasionally maybe 3200 if I snuck in some candy. According to my research thats good to keep me at about 230 with light to moderate exercise/weight training. I work out hard for the time I am training but am not a long distance runner or major sports player, so I assume I am a light to moderate workout guy. Anyways, heres the deal. Since I can't get a truly accurate fat% reading, I am going off more a visual and will start doing more measurements. If I keep up with this routine and focuse a little more on diet, do you think I can get to 230 while keeping as much muscle on as possible. Since I am a beginner, I should be burning fat and building muscle. How long will this last for one thing? A few months? I currently use a hand held fat tester, but it varies at one time of day you do it and how hydrated you are and I am not going to spend more money on fat measurers, so its kind of hard to judge my gains. I am increasing in the weights I am lifting and have increased endurance and exercise focus the last five weeks, thats for sure. I am now more like 248-250 and always in the 65-69 lb fat range according to the device (Its varies due to time of day and hydration). So every week, I should just keep going down in fat ranges, like 62-65, then 59-62 and so on. My goal is being fit, not a bodybuilder. Thanks.

05-25-2004, 03:50 PM	#2
atherjen DS Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: MS Posts: 5,757	ughhh ditch the hand held fat tester. Calipers are by far better having it done by an experienced individuel. so are you currently loosing on your diet? how many days a week are you doing cardio now?
	" To dream anything you want to dream: That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do: That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits: that is the courage to succeed." NPC Southern Classic, June 3rd NPC Cajun Classic, June 10th NPC Mississippi State July 22nd

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05-25-2004, 04:28 PM	#3
animalmachine Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 206 Photos: 4	http://www.johnstonefitness.com/ Check out this guy's site and what he's done. There is some great information here, especially for someone not trying to be a bodybuilder.

05-25-2004, 09:27 PM	#4
SCamaroSS2000 Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: California Posts: 4	I do cardio three times a week. From the people I talk to, calipers have up to 5-10% error and take a few minutes to do. If done right electrolysis is only a little worse, 10-15% error. I am mainly looking for a trend anyways. I am losing weight, but actually have hit a plateau. I guess I am putting on muscle, because I have added a little fat the last 10 days or so.

05-26-2004, 12:08 AM	#5
animalmachine Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 206 Photos: 4	muscle is much more dense than fat, so you could very well be losing fat and gaining muscle. this is also very good because muscle uses up more calories. to speed up things, you could modify your diet to be higher in protein, limit your fats to EFAs (fish oil), make sure all carbs have are complex, or have a low GI index (http://www.glycemicindex.com/), and try to eat a small balanced meal every 3 hours.

05-26-2004, 09:10 AM	#6
SCamaroSS2000 Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: California Posts: 4	I will slowly modify my diet, but I want this to happen slowly. I am eating much better than before. I would like to keep my current size but be muscular. I figure a cut 230 at 6'4" would be a very good size with my body frame. I want to be low in fat, somewhere around 10%, but am going to take my time to get there. Since I am new to this and already have the fat necessary to build muscle, I should get cut while burning plenty of fat ( dropping 1 pound a week, 2 tops) Visually, I see a little difference already, its just going to take many more months to truly see the difference.

05-26-2004, 09:30 AM	#7
animalmachine Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 206 Photos: 4	sounds like you have a pretty good handle on what your goals are and how to get there, just keep it up!