Health & Exercise Thread! 2.0

[PeanutButterMunky]

Hey guys. Been weight training for almost two months now. I'm cutting right now and my calories are seemingly in check and so is my weight loss thus far

I was just wondering if jumping on the treadmill is a worthwhile substitute for leg day? Since I've been back in the gym I've only trained with weights and it's been going alright, but seeing as I'm looking to drop weight I decided to incorporate the treadmill/cardio this week on Monday, after I hit my back and triceps. I probably spent about 25 mins on it and it felt pretty good after - refreshing

The reason I'm asking if it's a worthwhile substitute for leg day (which is today [Wednesday]), is because at the gym today I noticed I was just unable to leg press or squat as much as I usually do. At that point I just lowered the weight and tried to hit it with higher reps but that kinda left me dizzy more than usual, and out of breath..I was running on empty

So yeah, does incorporating treadmill into my plan make sense if it's taking away from my performance on Wednesdays? Or is it unrelated? Only reason I would consider cardio is of course because I'm cutting so burning more calories help but I wanted to improve my general health and stamina also

Something else I thought of was that I may be feeling more tired at the gym than usual not because I ran, but because I didn't adjust my calories/carb intake accordingly now that I'm doing cardio. I should be eating a bit more, right?

A treadmill is never a substitute for squats. There isn't an exercise that replaces squats... and leg press certainly isn't one of them.

If you're feeling a complete lack of energy when you're doing your legs, you should consider eating a LOT more carbs pre- and post-workout. You need to make sure your glycogen stores are in check (glycogen is stored in your muscles and liver and are your muscles' primary source of energy).

Also, you need to separate your strength training days and your cardio days. If you want to do cardio, that's great, but do legs one day and cardio the next on a day when you're not doing strength training. It's okay to warm up or cool down for 5 minutes on the treadmill, but never do a straight up cardio routine before or after your strength training. You don't want to deplete your energy beforehand and your glycogen stores will be kaput afterwards which will only serve to cannibalize your muscle while you're running on the treadmill... not a good thing.

You're on a caloric deficit right now and you need to conserve as much energy as possible when you're working out. Don't go crazy, keep it simple. You don't need to increase your calories, you're on a deficit for a reason. You just need to rearrange your diet so that most of your carbs for the day come right before and right after your workouts. After that, your remaining carbs should be complex carbs.

Also, if you're feeling completely burnt out no matter what you're trying to do... take a week off... then when you come back, drop the weight down 10-20 pounds and start your way back up again. You're not really trying to "build muscle" when you're dieting. You're trying to preserve your existing muscle while cutting the fat. Keeping your protein intake relatively high and lifting weights helps to preserve lean body mass and "lean you out". You're not breaking strength records here, just trying to lean out and stay healthy.


Can you list your entire routine for the week here? Exercises, sets/reps, duration, etc...

[Sub-stance1]

A treadmill is never a substitute for squats. There isn't an exercise that replaces squats... and leg press certainly isn't one of them.

If you're feeling a complete lack of energy when you're doing your legs, you should consider eating a LOT more carbs pre- and post-workout. You need to make sure your glycogen stores are in check (glycogen is stored in your muscles and liver and are your muscles' primary source of energy).

Also, you need to separate your strength training days and your cardio days. If you want to do cardio, that's great, but do legs one day and cardio the next on a day when you're not doing strength training. It's okay to warm up or cool down for 5 minutes on the treadmill, but never do a straight up cardio routine before or after your strength training. You don't want to deplete your energy beforehand and your glycogen stores will be kaput afterwards which will only serve to cannibalize your muscle while you're running on the treadmill... not a good thing.

You're on a caloric deficit right now and you need to conserve as much energy as possible when you're working out. Don't go crazy, keep it simple. You don't need to increase your calories, you're on a deficit for a reason. You just need to rearrange your diet so that most of your carbs for the day come right before and right after your workouts. After that, your remaining carbs should be complex carbs.

Also, if you're feeling completely burnt out no matter what you're trying to do... take a week off... then when you come back, drop the weight down 10-20 pounds and start your way back up again. You're not really trying to "build muscle" when you're dieting. You're trying to preserve your existing muscle while cutting the fat. Keeping your protein intake relatively high and lifting weights helps to preserve lean body mass and "lean you out". You're not breaking strength records here, just trying to lean out and stay healthy.


Can you list your entire routine for the week here? Exercises, sets/reps, duration, etc...

I would also recommend getting some glutamine for recovery and to restore glycogen levels.

[Nitey]

A treadmill is never a substitute for squats. There isn't an exercise that replaces squats... and leg press certainly isn't one of them.

If you're feeling a complete lack of energy when you're doing your legs, you should consider eating a LOT more carbs pre- and post-workout. You need to make sure your glycogen stores are in check (glycogen is stored in your muscles and liver and are your muscles' primary source of energy).

Also, you need to separate your strength training days and your cardio days. If you want to do cardio, that's great, but do legs one day and cardio the next on a day when you're not doing strength training. It's okay to warm up or cool down for 5 minutes on the treadmill, but never do a straight up cardio routine before or after your strength training. You don't want to deplete your energy beforehand and your glycogen stores will be kaput afterwards which will only serve to cannibalize your muscle while you're running on the treadmill... not a good thing.

You're on a caloric deficit right now and you need to conserve as much energy as possible when you're working out. Don't go crazy, keep it simple. You don't need to increase your calories, you're on a deficit for a reason. You just need to rearrange your diet so that most of your carbs for the day come right before and right after your workouts. After that, your remaining carbs should be complex carbs.

Also, if you're feeling completely burnt out no matter what you're trying to do... take a week off... then when you come back, drop the weight down 10-20 pounds and start your way back up again. You're not really trying to "build muscle" when you're dieting. You're trying to preserve your existing muscle while cutting the fat. Keeping your protein intake relatively high and lifting weights helps to preserve lean body mass and "lean you out". You're not breaking strength records here, just trying to lean out and stay healthy.


Can you list your entire routine for the week here? Exercises, sets/reps, duration, etc...

First off, thanks for the reply

Right, I didn't think cardio would be a worthwhile replacement - felt pretty stupid after I submitted that post . After reading what you wrote I'd say that lack of carbs is the culrprit. I usually go to gym on an empty stomach but I don't ever feel drained, although I did this past week. If I do have breakfast it would just be 2 weetabix (complex carbs?) with semiskimmed milk. Post-workout meal is usually a sandwich or wrap with tuna or salmon, so I'm assuming I get enough carbs after working out

The other culprit would be not splitting my cardio and strength training. I never really thought it would be an issue to do them both on the same day so long as I rested the next day, but I understand what you're saying. It probably lead me to over-train which, along with the lack of carbs, made me feel even more lathargic on my leg day

Cheers for the educated insight. I'll consume my carbs at the appropriate times and split my cardio/weight training days accordingly and see if it helps with my energy levels.

For the past couple months Ive been doing:

Monday -

Back:
3x One arm dumbell rows
3x Cable pulldowns (w/vbar)
2x Bent over barbell row (or chest supported row)

Triceps:
3x Tricep kickbacks
3x Cable pushdowns

Traps:
2x Dumbell shrugs

Wednesday -

Legs:
3x Leg press
3x Squats
2x Rotary calf machine

Shoulders:
3x DB shoulder press
3x Seated rear DB lateral raises

Friday -

Chest:
3x Flat bench BB press
3x Incline DB press
2x Cable chest flys

Biceps:
3x Standing BB curls
2x Cable curls

I do crunches at home few times a week for my abs

--

On all days I do a couple very light sets of face pulls and one arm cable extensions on rear deltoids before going on with the rest of my workout, cos my shoulders are pretty weak so I give them a nice warmup beforehand - not sure how effective that may be, but I do it anyway

My rep range is about 8-12 on everything except legs which I like to go about 15-20, I usually do one last set on all exercises to failure (my brother spots me ). I take about 1-2 minute rest between sets, sometimes more if I'm out of it. I'm in and out of the gym in an hour, most of the time

--

Think I might have gone in to way too much detail . Thanks again man

[PeanutButterMunky]

You only workout Mondays and Wednesdays?

I also don't see reps there. I need as much information as possible.

Also, what are your goals? Also, no offense... just a question... you male or female? I seem to be guessing that wrong lately.

[Nitey]

Nah Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Rep range is 8-12 on upper body exercises and 15-20 on legs
Goal is to lose weight and then maintain a cut medium build, once I've dropped the weight. I'm male :P

[PeanutButterMunky]

First of all... when you're in a caloric deficit with strength training, you should keep your reps no more than between 6-8 reps. You need to keep your sets short and sweet. Your workouts should also last no longer than an hour. There's no reason upper body should have a higher rep range than lower body.


Secondly, for the love of god, stop doing 15-20 reps of squats. If you're doing them properly (parallel or ATF [ass to floor] or as low as you can go without sacrificing form and control of the weight), you should only be able to do between 5-8 reps. Please stop doing 15-20 reps. I'm going to attribute your 15-20 rep squats/leg press to your dizziness on top of your empty stomach workouts. Don't do that. And if you're doing a proper squatting regimen, you shouldn't have to do leg press. Also, the problem with leg press is it's completely unnatural. It forces your joints into a plane of motion set by the machine and you are not bending down according to your body's natural biomechanical movement. I'd avoid machines where free weights can be done instead. You can make progress using machines, of course, but you'll thank your body later if you stick with perfect form free weights.


Another thing, please don't ever go to "failure". That word means so many different things to different people. If your rep range is 6-8 reps, choose a weight that allows you to only do between 6-8 reps... with PERFECT FORM. Never sacrifice form for a higher weight. If you cannot perform the required rep range with perfect form, the weight is too heavy and you need to drop the weight.


I would remove tricep kickbacks from your workout entirely. They're useless. Replace them with Skull Crushers or Close-Grip Bench Press. I'd also remove Leg Press from your workout and focus on doing proper squats with proper weight and proper form. You don't necessarily need to do flat bench and incline bench as they work the same exact muscles. Think of the chest muscles as a rubber band. If you are pulling on it at any length of the rubber band, the entire rubber band is affected in some way. The same applies to trying to hit the chest at different angles. You don't need to. I would toss out Flies entirely because they don't work out any new muscles, but more importantly, they put your rotator cuffs in a very compromising position and you said you have weak shoulders… so put two and two together. And you certainly don't need 3 exercises for chest. Less is more in this case. Overtraining shouldn't be a part of your routine.


I would replace one of your back exercises with Chin Ups/Pull Ups. They not only hit your back, they also hit your biceps as well. They'll also give you that lovely V-Taper over time.


I would replace Dumbbell Shrugs with Deadlifts… but only after you're done with your diet. They are very taxing and I'll also need to send you a video along with some information on how to do them with perfect form. Most people do not have perfect form with Deads and are putting their spine at risk because they are morons or misinformed or misinformed morons. A normal healthy male should, at the very least, be able to Deadlift their own weight.


One more time about failure… please stop that. Seriously. If you need a spotter in fear that you won't be able to get your last rep up, you are doing too much weight. You shouldn't need a spotter (don't get me wrong, it's always nice to have a spotter, but it shouldn't be required because you're always doing so much weight you lose control at the end of your set). You don't need to make your body scream to see progress. Also, you shouldn't be going crazy like that anyway while in a caloric deficit. Save that craziness for when you're trying to put on muscle. You're trying to preserve lean body mass, not break strength records. It's extremely difficult to gain any sort of significant muscle while in a caloric deficit, so it shouldn't be your focus. I just woke up 3 seconds ago so I don't know how coherent my post is, but feel free to ask questions if you have them.

[Nitey]

First of all... when you're in a caloric deficit with strength training, you should keep your reps no more than between 6-8 reps. You need to keep your sets short and sweet. Your workouts should also last no longer than an hour. There's no reason upper body should have a higher rep range than lower body.


Secondly, for the love of god, stop doing 15-20 reps of squats. If you're doing them properly (parallel or ATF [ass to floor] or as low as you can go without sacrificing form and control of the weight), you should only be able to do between 5-8 reps. Please stop doing 15-20 reps. I'm going to attribute your 15-20 rep squats/leg press to your dizziness on top of your empty stomach workouts. Don't do that. And if you're doing a proper squatting regimen, you shouldn't have to do leg press. Also, the problem with leg press is it's completely unnatural. It forces your joints into a plane of motion set by the machine and you are not bending down according to your body's natural biomechanical movement. I'd avoid machines where free weights can be done instead. You can make progress using machines, of course, but you'll thank your body later if you stick with perfect form free weights.


Another thing, please don't ever go to "failure". That word means so many different things to different people. If your rep range is 6-8 reps, choose a weight that allows you to only do between 6-8 reps... with PERFECT FORM. Never sacrifice form for a higher weight. If you cannot perform the required rep range with perfect form, the weight is too heavy and you need to drop the weight.


I would remove tricep kickbacks from your workout entirely. They're useless. Replace them with Skull Crushers or Close-Grip Bench Press. I'd also remove Leg Press from your workout and focus on doing proper squats with proper weight and proper form. You don't necessarily need to do flat bench and incline bench as they work the same exact muscles. Think of the chest muscles as a rubber band. If you are pulling on it at any length of the rubber band, the entire rubber band is affected in some way. The same applies to trying to hit the chest at different angles. You don't need to. I would toss out Flies entirely because they don't work out any new muscles, but more importantly, they put your rotator cuffs in a very compromising position and you said you have weak shoulders… so put two and two together. And you certainly don't need 3 exercises for chest. Less is more in this case. Overtraining shouldn't be a part of your routine.


I would replace one of your back exercises with Chin Ups/Pull Ups. They not only hit your back, they also hit your biceps as well. They'll also give you that lovely V-Taper over time.


I would replace Dumbbell Shrugs with Deadlifts… but only after you're done with your diet. They are very taxing and I'll also need to send you a video along with some information on how to do them with perfect form. Most people do not have perfect form with Deads and are putting their spine at risk because they are morons or misinformed or misinformed morons. A normal healthy male should, at the very least, be able to Deadlift their own weight.


One more time about failure… please stop that. Seriously. If you need a spotter in fear that you won't be able to get your last rep up, you are doing too much weight. You shouldn't need a spotter (don't get me wrong, it's always nice to have a spotter, but it shouldn't be required because you're always doing so much weight you lose control at the end of your set). You don't need to make your body scream to see progress. Also, you shouldn't be going crazy like that anyway while in a caloric deficit. Save that craziness for when you're trying to put on muscle. You're trying to preserve lean body mass, not break strength records. It's extremely difficult to gain any sort of significant muscle while in a caloric deficit, so it shouldn't be your focus. I just woke up 3 seconds ago so I don't know how coherent my post is, but feel free to ask questions if you have them.

Cheers for all the information mate. I got lots to learn it seems
I'll adjust my workout routine to how you suggest and calm it down a bit at the gym. I'll definitely be doing myself a huge favour in that regard 'cos I got my diet on lock

Again, much appreciated for taking time out to give me a heads up. I workout with my brother so your guidance will be helping two people

[SchaffinOSX]

I've been running about 4 miles everyday after school, and am feeling great. Slowly working more weight training into my regime, and I'm trying to add more healthy fats into my diet to curb my seemingly endless weight loss (at about 35 pounds lost now).

[PeanutButterMunky]

I've been running about 4 miles everyday after school, and am feeling great. Slowly working more weight training into my regime, and I'm trying to add more healthy fats into my diet to curb my seemingly endless weight loss (at about 35 pounds lost now).

Adding weight training into your routine is certainly not going to curb your weight loss. You simply need to eat more in general if you're trying to stop your weight loss.

[x6Teen]

Nitey, maybe you should do more compounds like squat, deadlifts, pull-up, clean and press etc. and lose the isolations since your cutting.

that's just my preference though and what i've done when on a cut and i'm not entirely sure on the scientific facts so maybe someone here can confirm??

[PeanutButterMunky]

Nitey, maybe you should do more compounds like squat, deadlifts, pull-up, clean and press etc. and lose the isolations since your cutting.

that's just my preference though and what i've done when on a cut and i'm not entirely sure on the scientific facts so maybe someone here can confirm??

You can work out essentially the same whether bulking or cutting, with a few modifications. The only big difference is calories. Compounds are great regardless... if the form is spot on. The new hipster term for compound lifts has been coined "functional training", so that it doesn't scare off normal people.

[Nitey]

I tried pull ups but I can't really do them properly :s I think once I've shed a bit more weight whilst maintaining my strength it will be manageable with good form, and I'l start deadlifting once I'm down some more too, like PBM suggested in an earlier post. Had to google clean and press, it looks interesting :P

[SchaffinOSX]

Adding weight training into your routine is certainly not going to curb your weight loss. You simply need to eat more in general if you're trying to stop your weight loss.

My biggest concern is getting rid of the rest of my belly fat. I have substantially less than I used to, but I still am a bit displeased with how I look around the waist; my belly and lower back areas still look... meh. How effective is running towards getting rid of lower-back / belly fat? (I trust you guys more than Google)

[PeanutButterMunky]

My biggest concern is getting rid of the rest of my belly fat. I have substantially less than I used to, but I still am a bit displeased with how I look around the waist; my belly and lower back areas still look... meh. How effective is running towards getting rid of lower-back / belly fat? (I trust you guys more than Google)

Unfortunately, belly fat is usually the last place to go in men (hips for women), so you just need to keep doing what you're doing. You can't target areas of your body when losing fat, so it doesn't matter whether you're running or lifting weights.

However, running will not preserve lean body mass like weight training will, so if holding onto muscle is a concern, pure running may not be the best option.

If simply losing your gut is your primary concern, like it was for me when I got depressed and turned into a chub monster, then keep doing what you're doing.

Whatever you choose, try and keep your protein intake relatively high and drink plenty of water.

[SchaffinOSX]

Unfortunately, belly fat is usually the last place to go in men (hips for women), so you just need to keep doing what you're doing. You can't target areas of your body when losing fat, so it doesn't matter whether you're running or lifting weights.

However, running will not preserve lean body mass like weight training will, so if holding onto muscle is a concern, pure running may not be the best option.

If simply losing your gut is your primary concern, like it was for me when I got depressed and turned into a chub monster, then keep doing what you're doing.

Whatever you choose, try and keep your protein intake relatively high and drink plenty of water.

My over-arching plan has always been in the mindset of losing my belly fat, then focusing on building muscle. I'm fairly new to the fitness world (I was the chubby kid) so I'm not sure how good of a plan that is. When it comes to weight-lifting, like I've said to some of the others in here, I just don't have the equipment to do any serious weight-lifting. I have some classic dumbells, but that's about it.

I did have a gym membership for awhile, but I just don't find the time to go enough. For now I'm probably going to stick with running and my dumbells, but I would like to add more resistance training and weight-lifting into my regime one of these days. Just not quite sure where to go with any of it.

[PeanutButterMunky]

My over-arching plan has always been in the mindset of losing my belly fat, then focusing on building muscle. I'm fairly new to the fitness world (I was the chubby kid) so I'm not sure how good of a plan that is. When it comes to weight-lifting, like I've said to some of the others in here, I just don't have the equipment to do any serious weight-lifting. I have some classic dumbells, but that's about it.

I did have a gym membership for awhile, but I just don't find the time to go enough. For now I'm probably going to stick with running and my dumbells, but I would like to add more resistance training and weight-lifting into my regime one of these days. Just not quite sure where to go with any of it.

Lose the fat first. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Certain exercises are also a thousand times easier when you're not overweight, i.e. pull ups, push ups, etc. Hell, running gets easier when you get lighter.

Dumbbells are extremely limiting and you'll grow out of them quick, so when the time comes, I'd recommend finding a gym with the appropriate equipment. If you have a big enough garage, you can also get a nice free weight set up for 700-1000 dollars ordering through www.newyorkbarbells.com.

Or you could try a calisthenics-based boot camp routine, such as Insanity Deluxe, which I highly recommend.

As for things you can do right now, I would advocate adding at least 15 minutes a day of stretching... maybe even yoga type stuff... very beneficial for overall health.

[SchaffinOSX]

Lose the fat first. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Certain exercises are also a thousand times easier when you're not overweight, i.e. pull ups, push ups, etc. Hell, running gets easier when you get lighter.

Dumbbells are extremely limiting and you'll grow out of them quick, so when the time comes, I'd recommend finding a gym with the appropriate equipment. If you have a big enough garage, you can also get a nice free weight set up for 700-1000 dollars ordering through www.newyorkbarbells.com.

Or you could try a calisthenics-based boot camp routine, such as Insanity Deluxe, which I highly recommend.

As for things you can do right now, I would advocate adding at least 15 minutes a day of stretching... maybe even yoga type stuff... very beneficial for overall health.

Thanks man. I've neglected stretching recently, and really need to get into the habit of doing so. Will probably do some stretches and go out for a run later should the weather permit.

[[DT]]

You can't target areas of your body when losing fat, so it doesn't matter whether you're running or lifting weights.

Conflicting (and painfully incorrect) information inbound in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

(i.e., the above quote is totally correct.)

However, running will not preserve lean body mass like weight training will, so if holding onto muscle is a concern, pure running may not be the best option.

[Yet another] great point from PBM. Especially long distance, paced running, is not good for maintaing (and certainly not building) lean muscle mass - you’re much better off with short distance, HIIT styled running (mixed speeds, intensity, full stops mixed with some burpees, etc.), unless you’re actually training towards long distance type results.

If you have a big enough garage, you can also get a nice free weight set up for 700-1000 dollars ordering through www.newyorkbarbells.com.

I’ve mentioned this before, but quite a few people hop into lifting, bail and sell/trade their equipment into one of those used sports gear shops. Around here we have ‘Play it Again Sports’ and there’s a constant supply of very lightly used weight sets for about 40-60% less than retail.

As for things you can do right now, I would advocate adding at least 15 minutes a day of stretching... maybe even yoga type stuff... very beneficial for overall health.

Yoga has been fantastic for us. I’m way more limber, my joints and skeletal system feels 1000% better, it’s improved my other training, and it’s great for clearing the mind and gaining a little focus


***

Side note: people have talked about weight/weighing and much has been said about the pretty substantial variation due to water retention, hydration, etc. For fun today before yoga (keep in mind this is Bikram, so it’s 90 minutes in a 105+ degree room), I did a before vs. after weigh in, no clothes (behave...), and I had a ~4.4 lb change, and that was being reasonably hydrated up front and pounding a coupe of 16oz waters during practice.

[SchaffinOSX]

Just out of curiosity...

Right now I do a pretty sustained pace 4 mile jog every day (or every other day). How would the results vary from if I did HIIT running (where I did a 1 minute jog, and then a sprint for as long as possible, and repeat for 20 minutes or so) or if I kept my current routine? Also, would this be more beneficial towards my goal of an overall lean physique (with a primary concern of the waist / lower back / belly section)?

[PeanutButterMunky]

Conflicting (and painfully incorrect) information inbound in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

(i.e., the above quote is totally correct.)

LOL...

Just out of curiosity...

Right now I do a pretty sustained pace 4 mile jog every day (or every other day). How would the results vary from if I did HIIT running (where I did a 1 minute jog, and then a sprint for as long as possible, and repeat for 20 minutes or so) or if I kept my current routine? Also, would this be more beneficial towards my goal of an overall lean physique (with a primary concern of the waist / lower back / belly section)?

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a better option if you're looking to preserve lean body mass and is still beneficial for improving your cardiovascular health. It all depends on your goals, though.

"Getting lean" is still above all else a function of lowering your body fat percentage. The less layering of fat there is covering your muscles, the more defined they will appear and the more you will appear lean overall... or that horrible word "tone" if you will. Tone refers to the hardness of your muscles, not their appearance, just fyi.

In regards to your [waist/lowerback/belly section] ... just keep losing weight and you'll eventually lose fat in those annoying areas. You can be almost completely lean and still have a little belly fat, tempting you to want to throw a bag of kittens into the sun in a fit of rage, but just keep your persistance and you'll get there.

If you really want to lean out, I would recommend weight training every other day... say Monday, Wednesday, and Friday... and on your "off days" (non strength training days) do HIIT (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)... and give yourself Sunday off. Keep your workouts short and sweet on strength training days [6-8 reps] and remember to keep your protein intake relatively high (every day, not just days you use weights... you grow out of the gym, not while you're in it)... let's say roughly 1 pound of protein per pound of LBM... or at least 100 grams of protein a day. Not only is higher protein going to allow you to preserve LBM, but you'll also burn more calories ingesting protein as protein requires more energy to digest than either carbs or fat, and protein can make you feel more satiated. Gnawing hunger is not exactly fun on a diet.

For macronutrients, you should be getting at least .5 grams of fat per pound of LBM, with 60-70% of your fat intake coming from unsaturated fat sources. Saturated fat is very important and shouldn't be neglected as it's a precursor to testosterone production and the endocrine system in general and has many important functions in the body... it's also the heart's primary source of energy. Too much saturated fat is a bad thing though, obviously.

The rest of your calories can come from protein, fat, or carbs based on your comfort levels. I would fit in 90% of your simple carbs before and after your workouts with the rest of your carbs for the day consisting of complex carbs like whole wheat or starchy food such as potatoes, etc.

Drink plenty of water a day. This is very important... at least 8 glasses a day is recommended, though I'd try to aim for 12. Most people are under-hydrated. You'll know if you're under-hydrated if your urine is closer to bronze than clear. The closer to clear your urine color is, the better hydrated you are.

[SchaffinOSX]

LOL...





High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a better option if you're looking to preserve lean body mass and is still beneficial for improving your cardiovascular health. It all depends on your goals, though.

"Getting lean" is still above all else a function of lowering your body fat percentage. The less layering of fat there is covering your muscles, the more defined they will appear and the more you will appear lean overall... or that horrible word "tone" if you will. Tone refers to the hardness of your muscles, not their appearance, just fyi.

In regards to your [waist/lowerback/belly section] ... just keep losing weight and you'll eventually lose fat in those annoying areas. You can be almost completely lean and still have a little belly fat, tempting you to want to throw a bag of kittens into the sun in a fit of rage, but just keep your persistance and you'll get there.

If you really want to lean out, I would recommend weight training every other day... say Monday, Wednesday, and Friday... and on your "off days" (non strength training days) do HIIT (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)... and give yourself Sunday off. Keep your workouts short and sweet on strength training days [6-8 reps] and remember to keep your protein intake relatively high (every day, not just days you use weights... you grow out of the gym, not while you're in it)... let's say roughly 1 pound of protein per pound of LBM... or at least 100 grams of protein a day. Not only is higher protein going to allow you to preserve LBM, but you'll also burn more calories ingesting protein as protein requires more energy to digest than either carbs or fat, and protein can make you feel more satiated. Gnawing hunger is not exactly fun on a diet.

For macronutrients, you should be getting at least .5 grams of fat per pound of LBM, with 60-70% of your fat intake coming from unsaturated fat sources. Saturated fat is very important and shouldn't be neglected as it's a precursor to testosterone production and the endocrine system in general and has many important functions in the body... it's also the heart's primary source of energy. Too much saturated fat is a bad thing though, obviously.

The rest of your calories can come from protein, fat, or carbs based on your comfort levels. I would fit in 90% of your simple carbs before and after your workouts with the rest of your carbs for the day consisting of complex carbs like whole wheat or starchy food such as potatoes, etc.

Drink plenty of water a day. This is very important... at least 8 glasses a day is recommended, though I'd try to aim for 12. Most people are under-hydrated. You'll know if you're under-hydrated if your urine is closer to bronze than clear. The closer to clear your urine color is, the better hydrated you are.

Can't thank you enough. Just got done with my first HIIT run; did 30 seconds of jogging, followed by 30 seconds of running for 30 minutes without stopping and man can I feel it. I'll probably do that every other day, as you suggested. Feels great.

The biggest issue with my diet... I've been eating a lot less than I used to, and as I try to implement more into my diet again, I'm finding myself stumped as to what to put into it. Obviously a lot of this will have to come from my own research and food preferences, but quite frankly I'm clueless when it comes to getting the right amount of nutrients. I've brought all of these things up before, I know, but due to my lack of good cooking skills I find it very difficult to get the right diet.

[PeanutButterMunky]

Can't thank you enough. Just got done with my first HIIT run; did 30 seconds of jogging, followed by 30 seconds of running for 30 minutes without stopping and man can I feel it. I'll probably do that every other day, as you suggested. Feels great.

The biggest issue with my diet... I've been eating a lot less than I used to, and as I try to implement more into my diet again, I'm finding myself stumped as to what to put into it. Obviously a lot of this will have to come from my own research and food preferences, but quite frankly I'm clueless when it comes to getting the right amount of nutrients. I've brought all of these things up before, I know, but due to my lack of good cooking skills I find it very difficult to get the right diet.

Here's a list of healthy foods: http://whfoods.org/foodstoc.php

There's an endless plethora of recipes here: http://www.food.com/

Honestly... nobody sucks at cooking. You just need to practice... over and over again... until you are comfortable with your skills. Nobody was born knowing how to cook or how to play an instrument. Some people are just innately talented and good for them, but we're not talking about them. You may not turn into Gordon Ramsay, but you'll certainly become a decent enough cook to where it won't bother you anymore. Take a lookie here for some basics:

http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/technic.htm
http://allrecipes.com/howto/campus-c...ginners-guide/


I know finding what to eat can be a pain in the arse, but once you get into the swing of things, it WILL become easier.

Good luck!

[PeanutButterMunky]

Health is wealth...
I think exercise is best for health....Also its benefited for fitness...

???

That's rather redundant, but yes.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

A few clicks away from getting this off amazon. I love back extensions. When I used to go to the gym I was lifting 40kg on this exercise and the sensation in my back afterwards was reason enough to do it. It's my favorite lower back exercise (not that keen on dead lifts). Anyone else like it the exercise?

[DayWalker]

Not sure if I posted this already but:

August 15, 2011: 212 lbs
April 21, 2012: 189 lbs

woot