Looking to lose body fat, add muscle...

[ecmoney]

Hey Everyone,
Ok here is my story. Growing up I was a skinny kid until I hit about 16 years old, then I gained a bit of fat and have always been a bit on the pudgy side but not big. I am now 27 and finally began to do something about it. I started working out a few weeks ago and do 30 minutes of cardio 5 days a week and work out with weights (home gym) every other day. I hit all the major body parts (Chest/Triceps, Biceps/Back, Shoulders/Legs, Abs). I want to get into shape, I don't want to be a body builder but I do want to get into the best shape that I can and look good. I have attached a few pictures of what I look like currently with my shirt off, yes I am a bit fat but what can I say I have not done anything about it for years. I finally want to change and you guys/girls at this website will help me along the way and build the better body that I always wanted. Questions I have to ask you all is diet, supplements, and training. First off, my diet was horrible but I after reading alot from this website I have learned a few things. I have been cutting out the carbs, I dont eat as much bread/pasta/rice. I do not eat late at night either before going to bed. I usually drink a slimfast shake for a lunch or dinner about two/three times a week as a meal replacement. I am currently not taking any supplements but would like to take a fat burner if you guys think it is worth while. I am eating heathier lately, salads and healthy foods. Trying to eat more protein and less carbs. As for supplements, is it worth it to take a fat burner. I want to lose body fat and also gain muscle. That is my goal.
Take a look at my pics, my current stats are 5'9" (or 5'10") and about 185lbs. I currently wear a size 36" pants. I want to bring that down to a size 32" if I can and the weight I dont mind. I dont even care if I get up to 200lbs, just as long as I look better and feel better. I know adding muscle will add weight. Any help would be much appreciated. The cardio I currently do is 30 minutes on the treadmill or 30 minutes on an exercise bike (recumbent exercise bike). Should I increase the cardio times to 40 minutes? I usually burn about 200 calories on the treadmill in 30 minutes (thats what my treadmill reads on the display). Any help would be much appreciated. Sorry for the long post!

[decadecadeca]

Congrats on getting on track.

Study up on your nutrition and training routines, read here and check out some general fitness and nutriton books. I say skip the supplements for now, you don't need them at this point.

-Eat 6 small meals a day
-Keep them balanced, but slighty higher in protein
-Take in small amounts of good fats like nuts, olives, flax oil
-Drink at least a gallon of water throughout the day
-Set goals in small increments, don't cheat at all until you at least reach your first goal
-Lift at least three days a week, start slow and learn good form
-Cardio sessions of at least 30 mins three times a week
-8 hours sleep a nite


It's a simple matter of dedication and resolve, if you want this badly enough you'll stick to it. Tough it out, train religiously and eat cleanly. Do not falter, do not cheat, do not give into cravings. Push yourself, be consistent and you will see results.

Start here:
http://www.superiormuscle.com/vbulle...=&threadid=411

Read this thread and use it. Start a daily nutrition log and keep track of what you're eating. Log calories, fat, protein and carbs. You'll see where you need to make adjustments.



Good Luck!

[Juka865]

cant do it any better / simpler then that. That's basically what I did. Only i did cardio 5-6 days a week with 1 hour sessions. Mainly cause i had time to kill and after awhile i got to like it. Loosing a 100 pounds i gurantee if you do what deca says both the diet and excercise you will loose greatly. And tighten as you loose. See i didnt hit the gym up untill after i was comming off of my diet. which was a poor choice

[ecmoney]

Thanks Guys,
I have been following the basics and will continue to.

I am trying to eat small meals, 4 or 5 times a day. I drink alot of water throughout the day, and do work out with weights 3 times a week (basically every other day). I also do cardio for 30 minutes a day 5 times a week atleast.

So you think I should skip the supplements?
I was thinking about taking a fat burner or I was thinking about taking Creatine. Do you not suggest either for me?
I want to add muscle (hence the creatine) but I also want to lose fat (hence fat burner).

[Taylor]

if your choosing between a fat burner and creatine, i'd go with a fat burner....I was taking fat ignite while i was trying to lose weight, its one of the best buys....You get 180 capsules for $40 at gnc...prior to that I forgot which fat burner i took but it had ephedra in it, and it was a more popular name, but it had like 60 pills for the same price

creatine, i took when i was in the 9th grade, and it made me gain weight, cause i didn't do any cardio, i just occasionally lifted weights (i was in the 9th grade i didn't know anything)...I assumed I'd take it and look like hulk hogan in a few weeks, lol.....it may help you get bigger but you will need to work out religiously and make sure you eat right, I'd definetly recommend the fat ignite pills first tho

[ecmoney]

what if I took a fat burner and creatine at the same time, is that ok or will that be completely useless and cancel eachother out?

[Taleigh21]

How about NO SUPPLEMENTS? You need to get on a basic eating program and workout schedule first, before you start thinking about supplements. If you dont stay on track with eating and working out no amount of supps. will help you, Deca's advice was bang on.

When I bounded into the gym and decided to get fit, I purchased a copy of Bill Phillips book --BODY FOR LIFE. I know that some people may think its corny or whatver, but it outlined a solid eating and workout program that has helped lots of people.

In my opinion, skip the supplements for now.

[YellowJacket]

Taleigh- I was 100% with you until the Body For Life recommendation :)


If one were to get a book on nutrition, it doesnt get any better than Lyle McDonald's Ulitmate Diet 2.0.

Deca said it well (except he forgot to tell you to avoid nuts with a coating, its all carbs :) ) but get your diet down 1st and foremost, we'd be happy to help you with that.
Once you've done that, get your training and cardio down. Waht does your cardio routine look like? There are certain methods that burn more calories than others.......

As for choosing a supplement (creatine vs. fat burner), the dog who chases two rabbits catches nothing. This meaning, you must prioritize.
1. Nutrition
2. Weight training cardio
3. Supplementation

#3 is 100% useless without #1 & #2. If you choose a fat burner, I wouldnt get realy fancy with it. I would almost go with simply green tea and caffeine and a good diet. Not a lot of stimulants, so your CNS is stressed as youre trying to get dieting down.

Finally, dont concentrate on soley losing fat even if you cant take creatine right away. Any muscle you add helps. Muscle burns much more calories (fat stores) than anything else. So not only bust your ass on the cardio aspect, but bust your ass in the weight room as well......

YJ

[Stonecold54]

Originally posted by YellowJacket
the dog who chases two rabbits catches nothing. YJ

what if both the rabbits are running in the same direction?? :D

[YellowJacket]

Originally posted by stonecold54
what if both the rabbits are running in the same direction?? :D

Good question.....I would assume the dog would catch one and not have room in his mouth for the other maybe?? haha....

[Taleigh21]

Yellow..

It was just the first thing that I ever read that gave me inspiration and motivation to get my ass into the gym! It is an eating plan if you have no plan, and same goes for the workout part. It really helped me on my way, but of course, I have learned more and BFL is not a part of my regime anymore.

However, I have taken HIIT principals introduced in BFL and worked with those throughout cardio all the time. I just liked the no-nonsense approach and the inspiration the book gave a dummy like myself. It was a step in the right direction.

Just my two cents.

[YellowJacket]

Fair enough....

[ecmoney]

Hey Guys,
Ok I have decided to skip the supplements for now and just concentrate on the cardio and weight training until I feel more comfortable. I do want to eventually take some supplements to increase my results but I will wait another month or so.

In the meantime, help me out with some foods that I can snack on. Name me a few things that are good for me to eat so I can create a list and stick to those items when shopping for food.

This is what I have so far:

whole wheat bread
almonds
fruits
vegetables
nuts (assorted)
tuna
eggs
turkey

what else can I eat that is healthy for me for lunch, dinner, and snacks? Thanks again everyone!

[Juka865]

Knock out the fruits.... You dont need all that sugar. Turkey should be bought and cooked by yourself. No cold cuts too much sodium. Try low carb whole wheat bread that's nice. Eggs id use the egg whites in your case, you still get the protein but not the fat =) Hmmm what else uhhhh, Brown rice is awesome. Not white just the brown it has great nutrients in it. chicken chicken chicken. Skinless boiled or grilled, pan fryed/ steamed. Peanut butter has good fats in it. A bannana a day wont hurt you either. its nice for carbs and is a quick meal on the go... That's all i got for now later.

[Sev408]

hey man, im about 5'7 5'8 and i just started lifting about 2 weeks ago. i also weigh 180lbs.









Guys if you can recommend any thing to build up my pecs. Im declining/benching/inclining everytime I go to the gym. Anything else I should do?