Much appreciated expertise!

[sexgotyourattention]

Hey guys, I just need some of your guys expertise. I used to be on this site back when I used to train harder and I forgot my username. I made another one to become more anonymous as well, because my other name had my last name in it. hope you guys understand! anyways


I'm 5'11, 194 pounds, just turned 20. I got lots of fat on my chest (however doctor says gynecomastia thats because i'm about 13lbs overweight and it should solve itself if i diet, however I would like to somehow stress weightloss to that area.) I got extra fat on my stomach too. I used to go to the gym hard for 3 years and im generally still pretty strong, I can preacher curl 45's and can benchpress 175 lbs. (just to give you guys an idea)


I have just been slacking for the past year and its starting to show on my body. Basically lots more sag, which is starting to become visible when I'm wearing clothes.

No one would call me fat but its becoming evident that im getting out of shape..


I just got my drivers license back after having it revoked. I got my gym membership and I need your guys expertise and help.

I have a $400 a month budget and would like to become more lean, and bigger, and get rid of excess

I need to know the following things

1) What type of supplements should I get? I have NOX-CG3 but havent used it yet BTW.


2) I was thinking about getting a hydroxycut hardcore or something but would like opinions on it first, or if theres something different.

3) I would like to know what exercised would be best for me to do at the gym

4) I am able to go everyday, but I would like to know how many times a week I should go?

5) I would like to know what types of food I should be eating (and what to try to avoid on saturday nights when my buddies and I go to restaurants and drink beers and stuff..which we do a lot) BTW beer is something I enjoy and my friends and I love to go out on weekends, but I can cut down and drink lower carb beer if necessary.




All your suggestions are MUCH appreciated and I didn't want to go to any other site because I was told by a friend that the most knowledgable people are here! Cheers

 

[Tatyana]

1) What type of supplements should I get? I have NOX-CG3 but havent used it yet BTW. I am not sure what that supplement is, however, I think that if you are starting out again, the most useful supplements are a good naturally sourced multi-vitamin and mineral, whey protein, essential fatty acids and creatine. If this is a pre-workout drink, like NO-Explode, if you really think you need that extra.........go for it

2) I was thinking about getting a hydroxycut hardcore or something but would like opinions on it first, or if theres something different.

I have tried a number of OTC fatburners, and IMHO
A. They don't really do much unless your bodyfat is already quite low
B. The stimulatory fat burners are a bit of a double edged sword as caffeine can trigger excess cortisol release, which releases glucose from glycogen, and fatty acids from fat, which in turn releases insulin. This hormonal combination (unless you use up all the extra glucose and fatty acids released), can result in fat deposit, usually in the belly area.

Caffeine is also a beta-2 agonist. An an agonist is a substance that binds to a specific receptor and triggers a response in the cell. It mimics the action of an endogenous ligand (such as hormone or neurotransmitter) that binds to the same receptor.

While this sounds good, beta 2 receptors attenuate/adapt FAST. A first you may get good results, but later on, you will have to take more to get the same effect, with more of the cortisol release.

Now a few things happen. The beta 2's are having to be slammed with LOTS more caffeine to get anywhere near the initial effect.

This will also cause the thyroid levels to drop. . Within a week or so, thyroid levels can be very low. You either have to increase the amount of the stim, cycle the stim or take time off.

But as the thyroid is not working as well as it should, you rebound (gain weight again) when you come off.


Here is another little bit about stims from one really smart scientist I know Trouble:
It´s really simple : stimulants basically flood your NA/DA receptors with neurotransmittors and cause them to downregulate, meanwhile causing depletion of these neurotransmittors. After a while this manifests itself as depression, lack of mtivation, inability to focus.

Emotional and physical stress compounds the problem and since people are in fact bodybuilding they probably got a least one of these factors to deal with."

The same poster replied later on, to a theory on cause and effect of diminished return on use of these stimulants and the neurochemical dysfunction they catalyze.

Perhaps a plausible chain of events (that lead to this need for stimulants).

1.Stress
2. Poor sleep
3. High cortisol
4. Stimulants to stay awake and for motivation
5. Worse sleep due to residual levels of stims (ex : the half-life of caffeine is 4-6 hours)
6. Higher cortisol
7. Even more stimulants (tolerance)
8 . Taking anti-anxiety drugs to promote sleep - causing GABA depletion, GABA downregulation
9. Improved sleep initially but stimulant cravings and anxiety, rebound effect.
10. After some time both stims and anxiolytics (anxiety meds) lose effect and the depletion of neurotransmittors and downreg of their receptors while manifest themselves as severe anxiety, depression and loss of focus.
================================================== ====

I put in my two cents worth.

Habitual stims users have got predisposing factors (habituation to chronic stress load, without much attempt to actively remedy it) that set them up for Glutamate/GABA/NMDA and brain glutathione regulatory hell over time, when they further stress induced brain chemistry perturbations with stimulants.

You can find ways to chemically get around this GABA shortfall issue, but its always back to the same sorry ass condition of NE sensitivity causing an every increasing load on adrenals to keep pumping out coritosl, and that leads to thyroid issues down the road some. These users are also feeding the same dopamine receptors, hoping to keep that feel good buzz going.

Enough of this mentality that its all or nothing, that you can't do a little physical fixing of that stress load every day to help mitigate immediate effects of neurochemical imbalances or that you can't remedy long term chronic stress issues in brain, liver, thyoird, and adrenals - and gut, lets forget gut. It gets worked over real good in this scenario, in later stages.

I think the mental aspect of active stress management has gotten real short shrift here and in most other forums, because most are fixated on the cheap fast chemical workarounds.


3) I would like to know what exercised would be best for me to do at the gym

Starting out again...........

Go back to basics, old school bodybuilding, all of the compound (multi-joint exercises) like bench press, military press, leg press, squats, dead lifts and add in a few isolation exercises if you are doing a bodysplit.

There are a lot of different workout plans, you could do a split where you work the major bodyparts on different days for example

Monday Chest and abs
Tues Legs and calves
Wed Off or arms
Thurs Back and abs
Friday/Sat Shoulders and calves

Some people like to work arms in with back or with chest, for example chest and tris and back and bis, or the reverse.............

You could also do a basic all over body workout two or three times a week, I think this is great for beginners, but if you are keen to train a lot, a split may be better. I would recommend you do a bit more reading and come back with some ideas for routines and have peeps have a look at them if you are not sure, read the stickies on this site

4) I am able to go everyday, but I would like to know how many times a week I should go?

Training everyday is not necessarily a good thing, you need to rest as well to put on muscle and recover. Overtraining is stressful to the body, and the stress does that cortisol thing. Cortisol can eat away at your muscles besides the belly fat thing. I wouldn't recommend anything more than 5 x a week



5) I would like to know what types of food I should be eating (and what to try to avoid on saturday nights when my buddies and I go to restaurants and drink beers and stuff..which we do a lot) BTW beer is something I enjoy and my friends and I love to go out on weekends, but I can cut down and drink lower carb beer if necessary.

This is a HUGE area in building the perfect beast, would you post a typical day's diet?

Alcohol is not a friend to a fantastic physique. It stops fat from being processed/utilised by the body, so any fat you eat with alcohol in your system, you had might as well slap it on your chest.

Food choices are also worse when drinking, and alcohol has almost the same number of kcals per gram as fat (7, while fat has 9).

An occasional drink is fine, but as you are 20 and going out with your mates............................


All your suggestions are MUCH appreciated and I didn't want to go to any other site because I was told by a friend that the most knowledgable people are here! Cheers

The paypal thing was a bit odd hun....................

No need for that.

 

[Tatyana]

You also want to incorporate a bit of cardio into your training routine as well, just not on leg day.

 

[sexgotyourattention]

Sorry, the reason for the paypal thing was because in another forum someone said hell answer it only for money! Nice to know theres nice people here!

 

[Nelson Montana]

For non stim fat loss and thyroid support, this is perfect for you : http://proteinfactory.com/shop/product.php?productid=108&cat=0&page=1

 

[sexgotyourattention]

Is there any way to get rid of excess breast fat. I talked to two doctors, one is not a very good doctor as he said he would schedule a gynocomestia surgery and everytime said it would be a little while, and he said he put me on the list, however no calls... the other said that people gain weight in different places and i should get back to proper weight and then assess the problem. But the thing is even when I was really in shape, I couldnt take my shirt off because of excess sagging around the breast. Should I consult the doctor again and say I want it removed? because he said theres not really any drugs that could help with this as it is a pretty large amount of stored fat.



Also should I be taking any protein supplements? or Creatine?


what types of foods should i eat daily? and how many calories should I consume

 

[Tatyana]

I could work things out for you, but that would really not do you any favours.

If I just told you how many calories to eat and what to eat, then you wouldn't learn what is best for you, and more importantly, how to sort out your own diet.

There is a a huge amount of variation in what works for different people.

I am still learning more about manipulating my diet, and I have been working on this a long time.

Please post up either

1. A typical day's diet for you right now

OR

2. What you think would be a healthy diet for you for a day.

There is a huge amount of information on the internet, and on this site.

I would recommend you use the Katch McArdle forumula for basal metabolic rate, and also use a food data website like fitday, calorieking........

I will also see if I can find a few links for you on this site.

 

[Tatyana]

There is a lot of information on this thread............

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/steroids-discussion-forum/help-sort-out-your-diet-565562.html