Stu's Struggle

[HiDnGoD]

Calorieking.comn is a good place for fast food macros.
I track all my daily calories & macros with an excel spreadsheet. Once it's set up, it works well. The main benefit is it keeps you aware of the value of what you are eating & helps you plan to get the correct macros. Some people use online resources, like fitday(I think), to help with that.
Anyways, good luck. Every journey begins with the first step, & you've taken it. Now take back your life!

 

[here2help]

Well I was only supposed to cheat 1 day this weekend but ended up eating some unhealthy stuff both days. I gained back 2 of the 4.5lbs that I had lost and feel like shit. I'll definately be more strict next weekend and not get peer-pressured into unhealthy stuff.

Despite what I have lost, my BF% has stayed the same. I think I really need to up my protein intake as right now I'm at about 60-70% carbs. I did work out this morning and feel good from that. I'm going to make a trip to the health food store tonight and get some soy protein isolate as well as some low carb tortillas to substitute from bread in the sandwiches I make myself for lunch at work.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

1st off congratz on deciding to better your life for yourself!!

2ndly... you need to incorporate weight training to "maintain" LBM... but you'll most likely increase LBM (becuase you haven't lifted for a long time).

If I were you... I'd change that 60-70% carb intake right now (lol... bad, bad) ... focus on more like a 40/30/30 or so... and making sure you eat protein with every meal.

Soy has conflicting reports... regarding estrogenic like properties. I don't use any soy products consistantly, and if i have something with soy in it... oh well, won't kill me...

Look into Bill Starr 5x5 ... and google madcow as well... or just start reading over in the training forum.

At that body weight you are prime for gaining ALOT of lean mass... and the more LBM the more calories you'll burn at rest... that would be my focus, and not doing cardio until you become "skinny fat" and then take much longer than it probably would be to gain muscle now.

Chicken, veggies, olive oil, sea salt... that comprised the majority of my meals when cutting down. Plain, plain food... and drink at least 1 gallon of water a day... for your weight probably 2 gallons... ease into it though. you'll notice an initial big drop in weight too (from water weight loss) which is good...

Order of importance for changing one's body:
1. Diet
2. Weight Training
3. Cardio
4. Supplements (just a multi is great for now... in a few months I'd throw in Gluc-R and Seasapure from the AF store if you can swing the $$... amazing products)


i think i hit all the points i wanted to for now! Best wishes bro!! You can do it!

 

[Maffiosa]

1st off congratz on deciding to better your life for yourself!!

2ndly... you need to incorporate weight training to "maintain" LBM... but you'll most likely increase LBM (becuase you haven't lifted for a long time).

If I were you... I'd change that 60-70% carb intake right now (lol... bad, bad) ... focus on more like a 40/30/30 or so... and making sure you eat protein with every meal.

Soy has conflicting reports... regarding estrogenic like properties. I don't use any soy products consistantly, and if i have something with soy in it... oh well, won't kill me...

Look into Bill Starr 5x5 ... and google madcow as well... or just start reading over in the training forum.

At that body weight you are prime for gaining ALOT of lean mass... and the more LBM the more calories you'll burn at rest... that would be my focus, and not doing cardio until you become "skinny fat" and then take much longer than it probably would be to gain muscle now.

Chicken, veggies, olive oil, sea salt... that comprised the majority of my meals when cutting down. Plain, plain food... and drink at least 1 gallon of water a day... for your weight probably 2 gallons... ease into it though. you'll notice an initial big drop in weight too (from water weight loss) which is good...

Order of importance for changing one's body:
1. Diet
2. Weight Training
3. Cardio
4. Supplements (just a multi is great for now... in a few months I'd throw in Gluc-R and Seasapure from the AF store if you can swing the $$... amazing products)


i think i hit all the points i wanted to for now! Best wishes bro!! You can do it!

Um yeah, what sarge said lol! Thats good info right there bro, he knows his shit.

Guys our size should be taking in around 400g of protien a day! Look for some low fat, carb, high protien whey shakes to help you out. I get my protien from lean steak, chicken, tuna, and egg whites. With those and x2 shakes a day i can get my protien up there. Try 40/30/30 like sarge said, i shoot for 60/20/20 and it works well for me. You will have to test the waters to see what your body responds to best, from there it gets better

 

[here2help]

Thanks for the great advice and encouragement guys. This last week has definately proven to me that I DO need to track everything that I consume and be stronger on the weekends. Unfortunately I'm stuck with needing soy products instead of whey. I became lactose intolerant 3 years ago.

Since I feel extra motivated this week. Would you guys recommend sticking with my 30min cardio in the morning and also lifting 3 nights a week in addition? I can easily fit it in my scheduel.

One thing to note is that I do not have a gym membership and am using the fitness center at my apt complex. Their equipment is only 1 year old, but it does limit some of my options. I also have free weights in my apt that I can use. I probably won't look into a gym membership until I get down to a healthier body fat % and then decide what my goals will be from there.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

I'm lactose intolerant too

I drink "Lactaid" brand whole milk... and my whey protein; i don't worry about it...as long as I don't take in an excessive amount of milk products I won't be making excessive trips to the Ivory throne, lol.

morning cardio...yeah deffinetly... if you miss that... 30 minutes of cardio after lifting is perfectly fine.

If you have extra time on the weekend, going for walks and light cardio like that wouldn't hurt either as long as it doesn't interfer with your weight training. that needs to be #1 (more important than cardio).

How are you lifting...what's your training like? (i know it's limited without a proper gym facility)

 

[here2help]

How are you lifting...what's your training like? (i know it's limited without a proper gym facility)

They have about 4-5 weight machines that I can use to hit pretty much every muscle group and I can do modifications on them to vary the type of exercise for the group. (example: I can use the tricep pull-down rope to do hammer curls for my biceps instead of regular curls)

Right now I was thinking about 30mins cardio in the morning 3x per week and then on the other 2 days I would stick to lifting in the morning. I'd split it up to legs, back, biceps on one day and chest, shoulders, triceps on the other. I can just as easily stick with my 30mins cardio 5x a week in the mornings and walk down to the exercise room twice/3x a week though at night after work and do that on top of the cardio though if that would be better. What do you think?

 

[Maffiosa]

They have about 4-5 weight machines that I can use to hit pretty much every muscle group and I can do modifications on them to vary the type of exercise for the group. (example: I can use the tricep pull-down rope to do hammer curls for my biceps instead of regular curls)

Right now I was thinking about 30mins cardio in the morning 3x per week and then on the other 2 days I would stick to lifting in the morning. I'd split it up to legs, back, biceps on one day and chest, shoulders, triceps on the other. I can just as easily stick with my 30mins cardio 5x a week in the mornings and walk down to the exercise room twice/3x a week though at night after work and do that on top of the cardio though if that would be better. What do you think?

Once you raise your stamina try and get a 45min cardio going. On a staitonary bike or treadmill it typically takes 30 mins just to get your heart rate going, the additonal 15mins is buring cals and fat. Do your cardio on a empty tank if you are not already.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

They have about 4-5 weight machines that I can use to hit pretty much every muscle group and I can do modifications on them to vary the type of exercise for the group. (example: I can use the tricep pull-down rope to do hammer curls for my biceps instead of regular curls)

Right now I was thinking about 30mins cardio in the morning 3x per week and then on the other 2 days I would stick to lifting in the morning. I'd split it up to legs, back, biceps on one day and chest, shoulders, triceps on the other. I can just as easily stick with my 30mins cardio 5x a week in the mornings and walk down to the exercise room twice/3x a week though at night after work and do that on top of the cardio though if that would be better. What do you think?

Something is better than nothing... Keep the weights high... 2 warm up sets and 3-4 working sets (EXCLUDING bis and tris... small muscle group... 2-3 sets) but when cutting for the extra calorie burning a few times a week wouldn't kill ya since you're not going for heavy compounds right now anyway (but I would reccomend once you find a gym). 30 mins of cardio 5x a week is fine... i don't think it'd be too intense yet... once you get used to it.

HIIT would change things up greatly... I swear by HIIT cardio, it's not boring and it gets you cut up with proper diet.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

Once you raise your stamina try and get a 45min cardio going. On a staitonary bike or treadmill it typically takes 30 mins just to get your heart rate going, the additonal 15mins is buring cals and fat. Do your cardio on a empty tank if you are not already.

I don't beleive in that micromanaging... unless your < 10% BF and trying to get rid of the last/hardest few percentials.

Big picture:

Create a daily caloric deficiet and you WILL loose weight.

Eat quality foods, often..

Train with weights to help maintain muscle.

If you haven't found them already...use the michael and kendra elias calculator and www.fitday.com to track your cals.