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[RSTEIN]

Congrats, man.

And congrats to myself! I did back squats today, up to 405 X 5 and 425 X 3, with no knee pain and minimal clicking in the joint.

Congrats, your a machine: thats incredible; me and my freind are in awe. Im going to push my self farther next time I work-out.

Spoiler

I only wrote this to fire up your inner English teacher

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

Look into a product called ZMA. It is a mineral supp, and it will help you get into a deeper sleep pattern, as well as give you some very strange dreams.

So will that let me get more "bang for my buck" out of what little sleep I do get during the week?

 

[demon]

Look into a product called ZMA. It is a mineral supp, and it will help you get into a deeper sleep pattern, as well as give you some very strange dreams.

You can just buy b6, zinc and magnesium pills and I'll be a lot cheaper.

Also, I've read that the magnesium isn't really necessary. Don't know how much truth there is to that.

 

[Meier]

Glanton,

Can you weigh in on my question? You obviously know your shit!

Strawberry Nirvana from Jamba is flavored with Splenda..regular size is like 250 calories or so..fairly low in carbs.

 

[methos75]

I did good this cycle and added a good 25 pounds with about 5 pounds of it fat IMO, now time to cut up for a late july show.

 

[Uncooked]

The only problem is that albacore rocks and light tuna sucks.

Albacore is too dry. If you get Chunk light and only drain some of the water in the can, it goes down nice and easy.

 

[Captain Glanton]

Realistically, how much will doing crunches and push-ups daily do over a period of weeks/months? I walk about 4-5 miles daily.

Not much, really. If you aren't going to go to a gym, I would strongly encourage you to look for ways to work your back and legs rather than doing push-ups. Legs can be hit with combinations of jump squats, walking lunges, jumping stationary lunges, and whatnot. Back is more tricky.

I did good this cycle and added a good 25 pounds with about 5 pounds of it fat IMO, now time to cut up for a late july show.

Congrats on the gains.

But to speak frankly, I don't think that July gives you enough time to cut properly for a show. One friend of mine has earned his pro card, and iirc, he cut for 9 months before his pro qualifier show.

Let's see some wheel and back shots to gauge where you really stand.

Congrats, your a machine: thats incredible; me and my freind are in awe. Im going to push my self farther next time I work-out.

Spoiler

I only wrote this to fire up your inner English teacher

 

[Jirotrom]

Its actually not that bad. I've done it that way and I've taken it out of the can and mixed it with diced tomatoes (and eaten it that way). Great way to cut the bread out of your diet if your a Tuna fiend.

dont eat it out of the can... get the packaged ones... taste much much better.

 

[Jirotrom]

You can just buy b6, zinc and magnesium pills and I'll be a lot cheaper.

Also, I've read that the magnesium isn't really necessary. Don't know how much truth there is to that.

ZMA is relatively cheap as is.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HGI5TA/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[Spiritreaver]

Thanks! Doing this for myself was a long time coming. I've been overweight since 2nd grade, and I'm sick of it.

I don't really have a goal weight. I just want change my lifestyle. But I guess I'd love to be what I should be at my height, which is about 180. Looooong way to go!

I'm in your same boat buddy, congrats on the 50lbs!

Dunno if you saw my earlier post but I've been on a fat loss trend too. I weighed in today and came out to 216, which now brings me over halfway to my goal (190). So I'm glad to see I'm not the only who has something to celebrate. Keep it up!

 

[trilobyte]

I'm in your same boat buddy, congrats on the 50lbs!

Dunno if you saw my earlier post but I've been on a fat loss trend too. I weighed in today and came out to 216, which now brings me over halfway to my goal (190). So I'm glad to see I'm not the only who has something to celebrate. Keep it up!

thanks! grats to you too

 

[SuperAndroid17]

hey fellas

Does anyone else spoil themselves eating crap like breaded meat or fries once in a while? I felt like shit when I ate lunch today knowing I ate alot of unhealthy garbage. But I try to diet everyday and I workout every single day ( yeah this lifestyle has fucked my head , everytime I do this I regret it later ) .:lol :lol

I hope im not alone

 

[jacf29]

hey fellas

Does anyone else spoil themselves eating crap like breaded meat or fries once in a while? I felt like shit when I ate lunch today knowing I ate alot of unhealthy garbage. But I try to diet everyday and I workout every single day ( yeah this lifestyle has fucked my head , everytime I do this I regret it later ) .:lol :lol

I hope im not alone

I would think that if you ate like shit once in a while you could balance it out by hitting cardio hard that day, but I could be wrong on that one.

 

[Chichikov]

hey fellas

Does anyone else spoil themselves eating crap like breaded meat or fries once in a while? I felt like shit when I ate lunch today knowing I ate alot of unhealthy garbage. But I try to diet everyday and I workout every single day ( yeah this lifestyle has fucked my head , everytime I do this I regret it later ) .:lol :lol

I hope im not alone

Most people do, don't worry about it.

I would think that if you ate like shit once in a while you could balance it out by hitting cardio hard that day, but I could be wrong on that one.

I always hated this approach, your training regime should be built around your goals, and it should not be adjusted as "punishment" for eating unhealthy.

 

[Mr. Hyde]

Is it normal for under my knees to have a dull ache after a few days of running (not every day) on the elliptical? Do I just need to stick with it and get my legs stronger?

 

[demon]

ZMA is relatively cheap as is.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HGI5TA/?tag=neogaf0e-20

eh, I've only seen it at a few places in brick-and-mortar stores, and it's usually pretty expensive.

 

[Captain Glanton]

eh, I've only seen it at a few places in brick-and-mortar stores, and it's usually pretty expensive.

I would not recommend getting any supplements in b-and-m stores.

 

[yacobod]

zma is usually pretty cheap, think like 13-14 bucks

buy supplements online like at

dpsnutrition.com

much cheaper than at b/m stores

 

[RSTEIN]

hey fellas

Does anyone else spoil themselves eating crap like breaded meat or fries once in a while? I felt like shit when I ate lunch today knowing I ate alot of unhealthy garbage. But I try to diet everyday and I workout every single day ( yeah this lifestyle has fucked my head , everytime I do this I regret it later ) .:lol :lol

I hope im not alone

Everyone has cheat days. I've been reading up on it. Your brain craves sweets and other guilty pleasures when you're under stress, dealing with difficult situations, facing a problem solving situation, etc. When you eat junk the brain releases chemicals that makes you feel good.

You hit the nail on the head - you feel like garbage afterwards. This is the trick IMO. My personal feeling on the matter is you have to get your brain committed to the long road and get yourself in a position where eating healthy is actually what turns your brain on. That could be a totally messed up thing, but it goes along with the other stuff that's key to a successful lifestyle transition. Stuff like making diet plans, workout plans, workout journals, etc. You keep this stuff to motivate yourself, to see where you've come from and where you need to go. It keeps your mind committed and motivated. So if you can get your brain on side with eating properly, it's going to have a compounding effect. The healthier you eat the better your mind is. The better your mind, the more you can work your body.

 

[joeblackisback]

well, first day back in the gym was yesterday, and I've got tomorrow and tuesday off before I start having my days full again, so hopefully I can use these days to get into a mini routine. While I was freaking DYING while doing cardio, I was stronger than I expected to be from such a long layoff, so that was encouraging.

So, I stumbled across a site that has products containing ephedra, and I was wondering what everybody's take on those products was. I searched, but didn't find a whole lot. I know the shit without ephedra is pretty much useless, but is it worth buying if I can get some stuff with ephedra in it?

 

[BigGreenMat]

Glanton,

Can you weigh in on my question? You obviously know your shit!

Strawberry Nirvana from Jamba is flavored with Splenda..regular size is like 250 calories or so..fairly low in carbs.

What are you afraid of mostly? Too many calories? If that is the case then doing those Jamba 'lights' will probably achieve that and get you a reasonable facsimile to what you were getting before. I don't see any problem with Jamba Juice. People scoffing at 90g of sugar are puzzling to me because what the heck do you think a smoothie of fruit and milk product will have in it? Looking at their ingredients I don't see any problems with their fruit and yogurt smoothies. If they are true they aren't adding or substituting anything. So unless you think you can't handle the calorie load I wouldn't be concerned.

 

[Captain Glanton]

well, first day back in the gym was yesterday, and I've got tomorrow and tuesday off before I start having my days full again, so hopefully I can use these days to get into a mini routine. While I was freaking DYING while doing cardio, I was stronger than I expected to be from such a long layoff, so that was encouraging.

So, I stumbled across a site that has products containing ephedra, and I was wondering what everybody's take on those products was. I searched, but didn't find a whole lot. I know the shit without ephedra is pretty much useless, but is it worth buying if I can get some stuff with ephedra in it?

To me, the ephedra scare is about as credible as the "GTA causes murder" stuff. If you use it responsibly, you don't have anything to worry about.

But I thought all the reputable places had stopped using ephedra because it's banned. I would wonder about the quality, safety, etc of the company still using it more so than the ephedra itself.

Post or PM me the link and I can look at the site.

 

[cbox]

Started biking, around 175lbs and trying to get rid of some excess body fat. Started at 16km, now i'm on to 30 after 4 sessions.

Anyone know how many calories would be burned by going 20km/h for about an hour?

 

[Slo]

I don't see any problem with Jamba Juice. People scoffing at 90g of sugar are puzzling to me because what the heck do you think a smoothie of fruit and milk product will have in it? Looking at their ingredients I don't see any problems with their fruit and yogurt smoothies. If they are true they aren't adding or substituting anything. So unless you think you can't handle the calorie load I wouldn't be concerned.

You alluded to it, but the shakes are just empty calories. If you're not worried about empty calories, then sure, sugar up baby. A cheat meal won't hurt you every once in a while.

Saying "whaddya expect from milk and yogurt" is sort of funny though. I could do the same with pizza and cheeseburgers. I mean, whaddya expect from a ground beef and dairy product?

 

[BigGreenMat]

You alluded to it, but the shakes are just empty calories. If you're not worried about empty calories, then sure, sugar up baby. A cheat meal won't hurt you every once in a while.

Saying "whaddya expect from milk and yogurt" is sort of funny though. I could do the same with pizza and cheeseburgers. I mean, whaddya expect from a ground beef and dairy product?

Since when is fruit and yogurt empty calories?

 

[Chiggs]

Yay, back from my 6 month workout hiatus (strained ab muscle, arthoscopic surgery on my knee). Hit the gym Saturday and Sunday. Deadlifts, squats, rows, oh my!

Feels good to be back at it...now, gotta start getting my size back.

 

[Slo]

Since when is fruit and yogurt empty calories?

I'd definitely categorize fruit as a treat when dieting. It is all sugar, after all. Most of the time I use it to sweeten up oats or something equally nasty. Yogurt, eh, I'll give you that.

But whatever, this isn't really worth arguing about. I'm not a dieting guru.

 

[Bulla564]

This is the first time I'll pursue a routine+diet (just broke up w/ 3yr gf so I need to get back in the game).

I'm 23,
5'8
200 lbs

I don't look obese, but I am bulky, have a double chin, and I am VERY self-conscious about my man boobs. I just signed up at LA Fitness, and plan to go 3 days out of the week, with cardio days in between (1hr cardio workouts in the morning, and later HIT).

Goals:

-I want to reduce my body fat % to about 13-14%.
- Grow muscle, especially chest (get rid of man boobs), shoulders, back, and arms (but not get ripped)

Questions:

- I this doable with weight training 3 days, and cardio 2 days AND a sensible diet? Is there anything I should focus on more?

- I don't have skinny legs. If I am just worried about defining my upper body, are squats and lower body workouts all that really necessary?

- Should I consider paying $30 per session for a personal trainer? Maybe I need the focus and guide to achieve my goals in 6 months.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Captain Glanton]

This is the first time I'll pursue a routine+diet (just broke up w/ 3yr gf so I need to get back in the game).

I'm 23,
5'8
200 lbs

I don't look obese, but I am bulky, have a double chin, and I am VERY self-conscious about my man boobs. I just signed up at LA Fitness, and plan to go 3 days out of the week, with cardio days in between (1hr cardio workouts in the morning, and later HIT).

Goals:

-I want to reduce my body fat % to about 13-14%.
- Grow muscle, especially chest (get rid of man boobs), shoulders, back, and arms (but not get ripped)

Questions:

- I this doable with weight training 3 days, and cardio 2 days AND a sensible diet? Is there anything I should focus on more?

- I don't have skinny legs. If I am just worried about defining my upper body, are squats and lower body workouts all that really necessary?

- Should I consider paying $30 per session for a personal trainer? Maybe I need the focus and guide to achieve my goals in 6 months.

Thanks for the input.

Okay, first, congrats on deciding to make some changes in your life. I was a fatty at that age, too. But:

--Your exercises should focus most of your work on legs and back. I guarantee you that your legs need to get a lot stronger. Doing this will best improve your overall fitness.

--I would lift 4 days, and do 2 days of cardio. If you do that and eat right for many months, you will get fit.

--Don't pay a personal trainer. Most are fucking idiots. All of them will gear the instruction to keep you happy and paying them money. The things that we talk about here are the opposite of happy/fun, but they work.

--I'm not quite sure what LA Fitness is, but walk away from it as fast as economically possible. Best case scenario, you want the gym with the primitive equipment and the surly owner. If you have to stay at LAF, then stick to the free weights, stay away from the area where the depressed former yuppies gather to pretend to exercise, and be as surly as possible.

--I'm glad you're setting an optimistic bodyfat goal, but you should know that 13% is probably what most people mistake for "cut" and "ripped." It's very lean.

Let us know how your progress goes.

 

[Boogie]

--I'm glad you're setting an optimistic bodyfat goal, but you should know that 13% is probably what most people mistake for "cut" and "ripped." It's very lean.

Yeah, it's hard to get an idea of what actual bodyfat values are.

At the end of Mountie training, our fitness instructor did a caliper test which put me at 8.4%.

In the pics I posted a few pages back, I'm probably at around 10-11%, I'd guess.

Anything under 15% is pretty lean, I'd say.

 

[Bulla564]

Thanks for the advice. I kind of had decided I would not pay for the personal trainer, since I can just read this thread, along with t-nation.

Now I just have to square off my diet. I'll post my progress.

 

[Deleted member 12837]

Just hit the gym yesterday for the first time in about 18 months. I've been playing a lot of basketball and doing some jump training to increase my vertical the past 2-3 months, but before that I wasn't really doing anything. I injured myself in September of 2006, had back surgery for it after months of waiting and trying physical therapy in May of 2007 and was cleared to go back to the gym again in September but had a really intense year of school and couldn't find time to establish a routine until about now.

I took the time off to come up with a different routine than the one I had been using. Not that the old one wasn't effective, but I wanted to start fresh. It felt great to be in there again, although I'm pretty sore today, but I do love that feeling. Can't wait to start getting some definition and tone back, I was at around 187 before my injury and now I'm down to 170ish, although I've also dieted better and have less fat than I did.

I also noticed that after only 1-2 back exercises I had a lot of blood flowing through my arms and my biceps in particularly started swelling (ok I know it sounds ridiculous, sorry, but that's the only way I can describe it) a bit and got pretty stiff. It made it a bit difficult to do some exercises just because of the reduced flexibility. Do I need to stretch more before I start, or is this just the result of starting up again after a long hiatus?

Oh, and definitely felt a bit lightheaded at the end of my workout and it turned into a headache for a bit. More water, or better food beforehand? Is there a good preworkout drink I can try (preferably not loaded with caffeine)?

 

[BlueTsunami]

Now that I'm doing heavier squats, I've noticed that I've been getting real dizzy spells and weakness when I'm completely done with the legs. Anyone get this? I'm thinking I'm not taking in the right amount of water and food or something. Its a real damper because I literally feel weak when I try to work out the back but then I feel completely fine about Half an Hour or so which is around the point where I start working on my biceps...

 

[BlazingDarkness]

hey guys, its probably a dumb question but im not into fitness at all
im pretty slim, but im 19 and i still feel like i have a kids body (theres no definition to it at all)
you guys got any simple ways i can tone up a bit, in particular my torso, anything i can do at home rather than committing myself to a gym regime?
weight wise, im ten and a half stone, 147 pounds(ish) and im just over 6 foot.

 

[Mikazuki]

I get dizzy, start to throw up, see stars, etc. all the time. If you were taking care of yourself previously, that means you're having a good workout. But it doesn't mean you need to have that happen to have a good workout.

Today I woke up, ate, then tried seeing how much chin-ups I could do at once. I made it to 8! After that I let go of the bar I fell to hte ground. :lol

 

[Community Forum]

Update time!

I've been continuing what I started on March 2, and this morning's weigh in was 169.6, down from over 206. This is the best I have ever looked and felt... even in high school many moons ago I was always 180-190. My goal is to lose my gut, and I still have work to do, but I can safely say my lifestyle of eating as much as I want every day is a thing of the past. I am confident my goal will be reached over the next couple months. Beer belly be gone!

It's really awesome to have people at work and friends asking if I am losing weight. I am very happy to tell them yes!

 

[Chichikov]

Now that I'm doing heavier squats, I've noticed that I've been getting real dizzy spells and weakness when I'm completely done with the legs. Anyone get this? I'm thinking I'm not taking in the right amount of water and food or something. Its a real damper because I literally feel weak when I try to work out the back but then I feel completely fine about Half an Hour or so which is around the point where I start working on my biceps...

I usually get it in deadlifts and cleans more often than squats, but yeah, it's not uncommon.
As long as dizziness and blackouts are short lived and are not accompanied by other heart attack symptoms, you most likely have nothing to worry about.
But if your weakness does not pass soon enough and is hampering the rest of your workout you may want to try to get some high energy food before you go to the gym.
An apple goes a long way for me.

 

[RSTEIN]

Update time!

I've been continuing what I started on March 2, and this morning's weigh in was 169.6, down from over 206. This is the best I have ever looked and felt... even in high school many moons ago I was always 180-190. My goal is to lose my gut, and I still have work to do, but I can safely say my lifestyle of eating as much as I want every day is a thing of the past. I am confident my goal will be reached over the next couple months. Beer belly be gone!

It's really awesome to have people at work and friends asking if I am losing weight. I am very happy to tell them yes!

Awesome, congrats!

 

[JzeroT1437]

Thanks! Doing this for myself was a long time coming. I've been overweight since 2nd grade, and I'm sick of it.

I don't really have a goal weight. I just want change my lifestyle. But I guess I'd love to be what I should be at my height, which is about 180. Looooong way to go!

You'll find that working out makes you feel a lot better. I'm not overweight in any sense of the word, but I run 3 miles, do situps, and lift weights every day. It eats up a good 2-2.5 hours of my day, but I feel great, and have experienced noticeable muscle toning in my legs and arms, and a little in my midsection after doing this for only a little over 3 months.

Most people don't have to dedicate themselves all nazi-like to calorie counting and graduated regiments to just feel and look better. That's reserved for body-building and such.

 

[Jirotrom]

Thanks for the advice. I kind of had decided I would not pay for the personal trainer, since I can just read this thread, along with t-nation.

Now I just have to square off my diet. I'll post my progress.

hey... where are you located?

 

[RSTEIN]

Most people don't have to dedicate themselves all nazi-like to calorie counting and graduated regiments to just feel and look better. That's reserved for body-building and such.

I agree 100%. Nobody, except as you say, body builders and other elite athletes should be counting calories. I cringe everytime I see 'dieters' whip out their calorie journal or whatever. It makes me so mad.

 

[yacobod]

i dont know how you can cut from 200 to 170 and still have a gut

unless your skat

 

[Slo]

I agree 100%. Nobody, except as you say, body builders and other elite athletes should be counting calories. I cringe everytime I see 'dieters' whip out their calorie journal or whatever. It makes me so mad.

I count calories because I find it very difficult to eat all the time, but not eat very much. When you're eating 6 times a day, if you're off by 50-100 calories per meal it makes a big difference by the end of the day.

 

[yacobod]

do you count protein shakes as a meal?

i guess if i counted my shakes i would eat 6 times a day

 

[RSTEIN]

I count calories because I find it very difficult to eat all the time, but not eat very much. When you're eating 6 times a day, if you're off by 50-100 calories per meal it makes a big difference by the end of the day.

Sure, I hear you. You work out and you're active. I'm talking about out the typical out of shape guy/gal that gets on a program and starts their little food journal. What happens is, like Atkins, or whatever, you end up missing vital stuff like complex carbs, protein, etc. Most people just count calories/carbs and say "hey, this is awesome!" rather than develop a well-rounded, fitness & food lifestyle change.

There are so many diets out there it's just ridiculous. People go to McDonalds and stuff their face or have a big cesar salad for lunch. HMM! I wonder why you're chubby!? I have an idea: DON'T EAT THAT SHIT AND GET OFF YOUR ASS AND WORK OUT.

 

[Captain Glanton]

do you count protein shakes as a meal?

Yes.

 

[Jirotrom]

i dont know how you can cut from 200 to 170 and still have a gut

unless your skat

in all honesty probably being over critical.

 

[Jirotrom]

Sure, I hear you. You work out and you're active. I'm talking about out the typical out of shape guy/gal that gets on a program and starts their little food journal. What happens is, like Atkins, or whatever, you end up missing vital stuff like complex carbs, protein, etc. Most people just count calories/carbs and say "hey, this is awesome!" rather than develop a well-rounded, fitness & food lifestyle change.

There are so many diets out there it's just ridiculous. People go to McDonalds and stuff their face or have a big cesar salad for lunch. HMM! I wonder why you're chubby!? I have an idea: DON'T EAT THAT SHIT AND GET OFF YOUR ASS AND WORK OUT.

shit...its all about using the fuel you take in...I know various people who are in great athletic shape and eat out all the time, lol. Personally I can't do that, I have to watch what I eat, I fuckin blasted myself yesterday to set my head straight after a break up... my body hurts like a bitch but I'm still on a workout high:lol

 

[RSTEIN]

shit...its all about using the fuel you take in...I know various people who are in great athletic shape and eat out all the time, lol.

On the inside they're not so athletic.

 

[Jirotrom]

On the inside they're not so athletic.

I don't know man, shit just passes through them, I'm not talking about skinny folks who don't need to workout... I'm talking about my friends that workout and do cardio everyday.