Health & Exercise Thread! 2.0

[Sub-stance1]

I'd hate to interrupt the bickering, but the last time I posted my workout I got no comments (or none that I noticed), and I'd really appreciate some feedback. I'm really passionate about getting into shape and want to make sure I'm on the right track. I'm open to all criticism.

Workout A:

• Barbell bench press 3x5 - I've been experimenting with various weights. I'm still bench pressing minimal weight, but I can tell that progress is being made.
• Barbell bent-over row 3x8 - Same as with the bench press. Some progress is being made. I'm still having trouble with getting the correct form on this one. My knees seem to get in the way when I'm lifting.
• Row 3x8 - I've been increasing weight steadily. What used to be enormously difficult is now moderately easy.
• Camber Curls 3x8 - Increasing weight steadily.
• Incline bench press 3x8 - This one is difficult for me, but I've been progressing. (I actually just realized that I completely forgot to do this exercise the other day!)
• Pull-ups 3x8 - Definite progress being made here. I was able to do one unassisted pull-up yesterday, which for me is a sign of definite improvement. Still much progress to be made.
• Sit ups 3x8

Workout B:

• Squats 3x8 - I'm around 128-130 lbs. and have the squatting machine on 140 lbs., so I'm fairly happy with where I am there. These are certainly high intensity.
• Deadlifts 3x8 - Same as with the bent-over row. I seem to have trouble with my knees getting in the way of the bar when I lift. They're still very useful and I can definitely feel my body and back being worked, but I need to work on perfecting my form.
• Dumbell curls 3x8 - I do eight lifts with each hand, three times. Working on increasing the amount of weight I can do.
• Side dumbell lateral raises 2x8 - Getting easier. Still only doing this with very light weights, but I can feel my muscles being worked and I think they're paying off.
• Seated leg press 3x8
• Leg extensions 3x8
• Skullcrushers 3x8 - Tried to lift a bit too much weight with these today, so my form was a bit off. Next time, I plan to decrease the weight and re-focus on getting that perfect form.

So here's how my average week would go. I haven't implemented the running yet, but I'm considering it.

Day 1: Workout A
Day 2: Workout B
Day 3: Run / Jog
Day 4: Workout A
Day 5: Workout B
Day 6: Run / Jog
Day 7: Workout A

Rinse and repeat. Is this an effective workout? Will this help me in my quest for a lean body, and a thin, chiseled physique?

I won't criticize your workout because only you know what is right for you. Just try not to concentrate too much on the weight but instead on proper form. Especially when squatting and deadlifts because you could really injure yourself if you go too heavy and use improper form. Don't forget about nutrition because that is one key element in getting you lean. The other is the cardio. If you want to maintain more of your muscle mass, don't do really long cardio sessions but instead go for about 30 minutes but at high intensity. I would also reccomend switching to different workouts after about 5 to 6 weeks to keep your body/muscles guessing.


Remember to try and eat as healthy as you can and get some good sleep. Good sleep will give you that recovery that you need. Remember, muscles don't grow in the gym but they do once they have had a chance to recover. Good luck.

[Dave]

Right now I'm focusing on juice fasting two of my meals per day with a light dinner that includes a healthy piece of protein and minimal fiber...exercise wise, I'm going on 30 minute walks with my daughter and GF and will start to do swim laps in the pool each day once the pool is finally ready.

Nothing major really, just trying to drop a good chunk of water weight and to teach my taste buds to prefer fruits/vegetables over processed foods.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

I've been playing around with Intermittent Fasting and holy shit I'm leaning up fast. Has anyone else tried this? (IF is having all your food in a 6-8 (typically hour period and fasting for the other 16). I was skeptical at first, but I'm eating what I've always eaten but I'm shrinking like there's no tomorrow. I have my first meal at 12 and my last at around 6-6:30.

[spyrde]

I've been playing around with Intermittent Fasting and holy shit I'm leaning up fast. Has anyone else tried this? (IF is having all your food in a 6-8 (typically hour period and fasting for the other 16). I was skeptical at first, but I'm eating what I've always eaten but I'm shrinking like there's no tomorrow. I have my first meal at 12 and my last at around 6-6:30.

I would try it but I feel like crap if I skip breakfast.

To SchaffinOSX, the program looks pretty good but I'd do a little tweaking if I were you: First, you are working arms a bit too frequently. Move the camber curls to ''Workout 2'' so your arms get a little time to recover and grow (they get worked on ''Workout 1'' too along with the other moves). Also squats, leg press AND leg extensions is too much if you plan to do it 2-3 times a week, I would throw out the leg extensions if I were you.

Remember to take rest days too. Avoid useless cardio because you want to gain muscle and not lose it. Remember to eat at a good surplus because otherwise your lifts won't go up. Try to progress at a rate of 2,5% on your lifts. If you don't up the weights, reps or sets on every, or every other workout, you will not make good progress. Form is key though, and sacrificing weight over form is not good. If you are stalling, deload and try again.

[SchaffinOSX]

I won't criticize your workout because only you know what is right for you. Just try not to concentrate too much on the weight but instead on proper form. Especially when squatting and deadlifts because you could really injure yourself if you go too heavy and use improper form. Don't forget about nutrition because that is one key element in getting you lean. The other is the cardio. If you want to maintain more of your muscle mass, don't do really long cardio sessions but instead go for about 30 minutes but at high intensity. I would also reccomend switching to different workouts after about 5 to 6 weeks to keep your body/muscles guessing.


Remember to try and eat as healthy as you can and get some good sleep. Good sleep will give you that recovery that you need. Remember, muscles don't grow in the gym but they do once they have had a chance to recover. Good luck.

I would try it but I feel like crap if I skip breakfast.

To SchaffinOSX, the program looks pretty good but I'd do a little tweaking if I were you: First, you are working arms a bit too frequently. Move the camber curls to ''Workout 2'' so your arms get a little time to recover and grow (they get worked on ''Workout 1'' too along with the other moves). Also squats, leg press AND leg extensions is too much if you plan to do it 2-3 times a week, I would throw out the leg extensions if I were you.

Remember to take rest days too. Avoid useless cardio because you want to gain muscle and not lose it. Remember to eat at a good surplus because otherwise your lifts won't go up. Try to progress at a rate of 2,5% on your lifts. If you don't up the weights, reps or sets on every, or every other workout, you will not make good progress. Form is key though, and sacrificing weight over form is not good. If you are stalling, deload and try again.

Thanks for the feedback guys. I think I'll take your advice spyrde and adjust my workouts, and I'll start monitoring my progression more closely to make sure I'm headed in the right direction. Again, thanks a bunch!

[spyrde]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I think I'll take your advice spyrde and adjust my workouts, and I'll start monitoring my progression more closely to make sure I'm headed in the right direction. Again, thanks a bunch!

No probs. Remember to listen to your body too, so you can adjust the program if you are uncomfortable with something. For example I only do squats, deadlifts and calf raises for my lower body because my legs get worked a lot from my other hobbies. Your lower back might get a lot of strain too in the beginning so you might want to take it easy to prevent injuries.

[PeanutButterMunky]

L

lol...what do you mean real information? What I posted is real information and factual. You can keep saying "end of story" til you turn blue but I'm not wrong and you won't get me to change what I know to be facts. You really are lost if you think what people eat has nothing to do with weight gain. Weight loss will occur regardless of where your calories come from. You will ultimately lose weight if you accumulate a negative energy balance, or a state in which your body uses more calories through daily activity than you consume in your diet. However, your body still requires a balanced diet regardless of calorie intake. A person with a balanced diet is likely to lose weight faster and keep it off than a person who is just eating junk food. What are you accomplishing and learning by using unhealthy methods to lose weight?



This is what you don't seem to understand. When you have the desire to lose weight, its important to not just focus on the numbers on the scale or calories, but also to focus on your overall health, habits, and nutritional well-being. If you focus on the scale numbers and calorie intake without learning to eat in a healthy manner, you may have a hard time maintaining your weight loss for the long term.

Personal Trainers should always stress healthy eating first and foremost. What you eat does and always will matter in weight/fat loss.. I'm confident that i'm 100% correct in that statement. This is real information. I'm highly qualified and have been doing this for almost 2 decades and I stand by everything I say. I won't stoop to your level and call you ignorant but I will say that if you are telling people it doesn't matter what they eat, you are doing them more harm than good.

WTF? You're not comprehending my words. I said I agree with you completely in regards to healthy food choices/lifestyle. Of course that's priority #1. My only point was that weight gain or loss is a direct result of energy input/output, regardless of the nutritious quality of the food. But you were making it seem like you didn't get that, which you apparently do. I never tell anyone to eat whatever they want. That's stupid and irresponsible. That would be doing more harm than good, I agree. Our well-being is a direct result of how we eat, how active we are, and how well we take care of ourselves. But you kept repeating yourself saying that you're more likely to get fat by eating unhealthy regardless of calories and that is physiologically incorrect. I was merely speaking directly about weight loss. Not fat loss or protein sparing muscular conservation or various other goals that people have. I will say that our body composition during weight loss or gain is a direct result of the food we eat. And each person has their own unique needs and goals. What works for someone won't work for another. We both know that and that was never the point I was trying to make. So now that you've explained yourself I realize we are on the same page.

[Sub-stance1]

L

WTF? You're not comprehending my words. I said I agree with you completely in regards to healthy food choices/lifestyle. Of course that's priority #1. My only point was that weight gain or loss is a direct result of energy input/output, regardless of the nutritious quality of the food. But you were making it seem like you didn't get that, which you apparently do. I never tell anyone to eat whatever they want. That's stupid and irresponsible. That would be doing more harm than good, I agree. Our well-being is a direct result of how we eat, how active we are, and how well we take care of ourselves. But you kept repeating yourself saying that you're more likely to get fat by eating unhealthy regardless of calories and that is physiologically incorrect. I was merely speaking directly about weight loss. Not fat loss or protein sparing muscular conservation or various other goals that people have. I will say that our body composition during weight loss or gain is a direct result of the food we eat. And each person has their own unique needs and goals. What works for someone won't work for another. We both know that and that was never the point I was trying to make. So now that you've explained yourself I realize we are on the same page.

Well my response was to your "spewing crap" comment. I know what i'm saying is factual because I've put it to the test many times. Yes, calories matter but there is more to consider when trying to lose weight/fat through calorie deficit that brings us to the final variable.

[PeanutButterMunky]

Well my response was to your "spewing crap" comment. I know what i'm saying is factual because I've put it to the test many times. Yes, calories matter but there is more to consider when trying to lose weight/fat through calorie deficit that brings us to the final variable.

I agree completely.

[SchaffinOSX]

Okay, guys, I need you to weigh in:

Tomorrow I'll be headed to Wisconsin with my girlfriend and her family. Needless to say I'm very excited, and looking forward to seeing how my partner and I do spending 24/7 with one another for six days straight. It'll certainly be a test of how strong our relationship actually is when put to the test. However, there is one big concern: staying healthy.

My girlfriend's family doesn't always have the healthiest diet. It's ironic, granted all of them are in fantastic shape: her mother is a fitness instructor, her father is always working on laborious home improvements, her brother is active in several sports and lives an active lifestyle, and my girlfriend is a cheerleader and lacrosse player. That said, they frequently go out to eat and eat fast food, and I know that throughout the next few days I'll be stripped of my fruits, veggies, and lean meats and thrown into McDonald's, Burger Kings and other fattening restaurants.

I don't want this trip to destroy my healthy routine. I accept that my diet is going to take a bit of a hit over the next six days. Frankly, my only hope is to ensure I keep my portion sizes relatively small. My main focus here is exercise. If I can stay active, the fast food won't have a detrimental effect on my body, and I won't pack on the pounds. But I won't have access to a gym or any workout equipment while I'm there. I'll be in a cabin in the woods.

So, I'm looking for some advice. Is there any other way I can tackle the diet issue that I haven't thought of short of packing a weeks worth of fruits and veggies? And what are the best exercises I can perform that don't require any equipment that will still keep me working hard and active? I should be able to run while I'm there, so that'll help ensure I don't gain weight, but any other exercise suggestions would be fantastic.

[x6Teen]

you're not gonna gain weight by eating unhealthy bro.

if you and whoever you're with plan to have fast-food and you're worried, just eat less before and the rest of the day and have a jog or something in the morning to balance your calories out to avoid weight gain.

[SchaffinOSX]

you're not gonna gain weight by eating unhealthy bro.

if you and whoever you're with plan to have fast-food and you're worried, just eat less before and the rest of the day and have a jog or something in the morning to balance your calories out to avoid weight gain.

Thanks man. Makes me feel a lot better.

[DreDayDetox]

I have a workout and meal plan.

I'm gonna continue eating normally, except I'll try to adapt to one big meal per day, and nothing else. If I get hungry again, I'll have some fruits instead, and water, I drink lots of already.

For the gym, I'd say 5 days a week for starters. I usually go about 10-15 minutes on the treadmill, but a high elevation and walking fast. I'll run once I lose some weight. Then after that it's weights. Chest, biceps, thighs, legs.

This is how I feel I'm gonna lose weight, cause my goal is lose fat first, and then build form or muscle.

I have a feeling I'm doing it wrong, but I really don't want to take any whey protein powders, I tried and I couldn't get used to them, even protein bars are hard getting used to. And by big meal, I mean something that would fill almost a full day, but still not enough, except that would be recuperated by eating fruits. And I don't wake up in the morning. Always around 12-1 PM. I won't change that part of my lifestyle unless I get a job or when I go back to college this fall.

Any other helpful tips would be useful though. Just remember, high intensity workout for an overweight guy like me doesn't go well with my stomach. I almost puked in the gym once because of that. I had to sit down for a couple of minutes.

[SchaffinOSX]

I have a workout and meal plan.

I'm gonna continue eating normally, except I'll try to adapt to one big meal per day, and nothing else. If I get hungry again, I'll have some fruits instead, and water, I drink lots of already.

For the gym, I'd say 5 days a week for starters. I usually go about 10-15 minutes on the treadmill, but a high elevation and walking fast. I'll run once I lose some weight. Then after that it's weights. Chest, biceps, thighs, legs.

This is how I feel I'm gonna lose weight, cause my goal is lose fat first, and then build form or muscle.

I have a feeling I'm doing it wrong, but I really don't want to take any whey protein powders, I tried and I couldn't get used to them, even protein bars are hard getting used to. And by big meal, I mean something that would fill almost a full day, but still not enough, except that would be recuperated by eating fruits. And I don't wake up in the morning. Always around 12-1 PM. I won't change that part of my lifestyle unless I get a job or when I go back to college this fall.

Any other helpful tips would be useful though. Just remember, high intensity workout for an overweight guy like me doesn't go well with my stomach. I almost puked in the gym once because of that. I had to sit down for a couple of minutes.

It's great to see you've made some plans. A lot of people try to jump right in, and while that might be beneficial at first, something like this really requires a routine and dedication to it. I don't have much time right now, but I just want to touch on your meal plan:

Instead of going for one big meal each day, try to go for 5-6 smaller meals each day. By eating more frequently you'll be helping your metabolism, which will assist you in your weight loss. Moreover, it'll ensure you're consistently being refueled, meaning you should have more energy throughout the day.

If I've made any fallacies here I'm sure someone will touch on them before the day is out. And if I have time I'll give you some feedback on the rest of your plan, too.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

Good to see you working on change Dre. If losing weight is your first goal, I would recommend intermittent fasting. Basically you choose a 6-8 hour period in your day and only feed yourself in this time. I'm generally eating from 12-6pm, the other 18 hours im fasting. I used to advocate the 5-6 small meals a day thing for metabolism, until I saw the power of IF in myself and others. If you are fasting then your body is burning stored body fat. If you are eating 5 small meals then your body is processing that food when it could be burning fat instead. I would also suggest 2-3 meals if you take the IF route.

[spyrde]

Just got off creatine, all my lifts have dropped with like 5kgs (10lbs). Feelsbadman. I don't have anything useful to say so I'm just gonna share my plan for the rest of the year lol.

So bulking is what I'm gonna do right now. Gonna try and gain a good 15-20lbs on me till the end of the year while keeping track on my lifts with every workout. I've been doing a basic upper/lower split for a while, but I'm gonna change it once the summer is over so I won't have too much trips and disruptions to ruin my progress. Right now I can't train or eat properly due to summer being so damn fun

I'm gonna start lifting 5-6 times a week, dropping all cardio except soccer practice which will be 2 times a week (I will up cardio before I have to enlist, need to be in good shape there). I'll stop my muay thai training and focus solely on lifting. I'll have a 3-day split consisting of back/bis, chest/tris and legs/shoulders. I'll have a rest day after each 3 days of training. This way I will train everything with good volume as well as good frequency.

I'm gonna start each session with a power move, so I'll start off with a compound for 3x5. Then I'll do an assisted move for 3x8 and maybe finish off the muscle with some higher reps on a machine. Abs I'll train when I'm bothered lol.

With food, well I'll eat everything in sight I'm not too worried with fat gains as they naturally come with bulking. I'll keep track of my weight though and if it goes out of control then I'll do something about it. I'll try and fulfill my daily protein needs each day and try and keep my calories over 3000 every day.

[SchaffinOSX]

Sounds like a good plan spyrde. I should probably begin bulking sometime in the near future, but I really can't get myself to do that. Losing 30 pounds (and therefore a ton of fat) was a massive achievement for me, and to start trying to gain it back just scares the shit out of me. I realize that it's an important aspect of gaining muscle, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet.

[Nitey]

Wow SchaffinOSX. Losing 30 pounds is no joke - late congrats . I'm currently cutting, and will be doing so till September, lost about 20pounds so far. At first my dieting was really good but I was lacking in the gym, now I've got my workouts sorted my dieting seems to have gone off the rails >:/. Hope to fix that of course

[SchaffinOSX]

Wow SchaffinOSX. Losing 30 pounds is no joke - late congrats . I'm currently cutting, and will be doing so till September, lost about 20pounds so far. At first my dieting was really good but I was lacking in the gym, now I've got my workouts sorted my dieting seems to have gone off the rails >:/. Hope to fix that of course

Thanks man. For the most part, I'm fairly happy with my appearance, but I'm looking to get a somewhat chiseled look and get a more V-shaped body. It's just somewhat frightening being told to start gaining weight after having lost 30 pounds.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

I don't think I'm ever going to bulk. I hate the idea and really, big muscles is not my goal. I'm already a bit weary of the size i have put on already in my shoulders and arms and it's only 2.5 months of consistent training. I just wanna be one sleek and slender mudderfucker without looking all Johnny Bravo haha.

[[DT]]

Thanks man. For the most part, I'm fairly happy with my appearance, but I'm looking to get a somewhat chiseled look and get a more V-shaped body. It's just somewhat frightening being told to start gaining weight after having lost 30 pounds.

That’s outstanding, great job. I don’t think from semi-keeping up with this thread, that I realized you were trying to lose that much weight.

[SchaffinOSX]

That’s outstanding, great job. I don’t think from semi-keeping up with this thread, that I realized you were trying to lose that much weight.

Thanks man. It's actually kind of funny. I wasn't really trying to lose that much weight. Rather, my goal was simply to lose weight. When I weighed myself a few months later I realized I'd gone from 160 pounds to 140 pounds, and the continuation of those good habits shed another 10 pounds. And now that I'm at a good weight and am closer to my ideal body, I'm trying to reduce my fat and replace it with muscle wherever possible, and without gaining a substantial amount of weight in the process (in the form of fat, at least).

[Dave]

For the last ten days I've done a semi-juice fast with a solid meal for supper only (needed iron for my anemia). In those ten days I've also mixed in a thirty minute walk and some swimming.

Thus far I've dropped a couple of inches off my waist alone. I'm blown away by how effective the juice fast has been. It has caused a strong fatigue where I sleep more than I usually do, but apparently that is a common effect due to the lowered amount of total calories. With that in mind, I think I'm going to continue my goal of 60 days juice fasting with one meal and see how well the weight continues to drop.

[x6Teen]

Just got off creatine, all my lifts have dropped with like 5kgs (10lbs). Feelsbadman. I don't have anything useful to say so I'm just gonna share my plan for the rest of the year lol.

So bulking is what I'm gonna do right now. Gonna try and gain a good 15-20lbs on me till the end of the year while keeping track on my lifts with every workout. I've been doing a basic upper/lower split for a while, but I'm gonna change it once the summer is over so I won't have too much trips and disruptions to ruin my progress. Right now I can't train or eat properly due to summer being so damn fun

I'm gonna start lifting 5-6 times a week, dropping all cardio except soccer practice which will be 2 times a week (I will up cardio before I have to enlist, need to be in good shape there). I'll stop my muay thai training and focus solely on lifting. I'll have a 3-day split consisting of back/bis, chest/tris and legs/shoulders. I'll have a rest day after each 3 days of training. This way I will train everything with good volume as well as good frequency.

I'm gonna start each session with a power move, so I'll start off with a compound for 3x5. Then I'll do an assisted move for 3x8 and maybe finish off the muscle with some higher reps on a machine. Abs I'll train when I'm bothered lol.

With food, well I'll eat everything in sight I'm not too worried with fat gains as they naturally come with bulking. I'll keep track of my weight though and if it goes out of control then I'll do something about it. I'll try and fulfill my daily protein needs each day and try and keep my calories over 3000 every day.

sounds like you got everything planned out bro

and your split looks very similar to mine haha except i train shoulders on chest/tris day

btw i passed the 16" arm mark few days ago and still have a respectable bf% feelsveryfuckinggoodman

[Ghost-Rhayne]

sounds like you got everything planned out bro

and your split looks very similar to mine haha except i train shoulders on chest/tris day

btw i passed the 16" arm mark few days ago and still have a respectable bf% feelsveryfuckinggoodman

Nice work! Hows the course going? or is that over now?