Arkk's Weight Loss Thread

[Zindan]

Originally Posted by Fungul

What exactly is the product from GNC? You definitely need to up the diet. Tell me your diet for a typical day.

Gaining mass might be a good thing for you to lose body fat. Also have you heard of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)? It's one of the best ways to lose body fat. Here are some good links.

Are you really doing HIIT training? | Brinkzone Blog

Tabata Protocol

A training program I would suggest is Westside for Skinny Bastards.

http://www.elitefts.com/ws4sb/WS4SB.pdf

Again, don't be afraid to add mass because it WILL help you with your goal. Your diet is going to determine how big or small you're going to get. It's not entirely revolving around your exercise routine.

Ok, so here is what I had to eat today, though it is not fairly typical (had a lunch date I couldn't refuse, and was invited over to my sisters for dinner). No workout on the weekends either:

Breakfast - Toast with one slice of cheese (whole wheat bread); Smoothie made of 12oz 2% milk, 1 banana, 1 egg and Wheybolic Extreme 60 by GNC.

Snack #1: Nothing today

Lunch: McDonalds, 1/2 double cheeseburger, some frys (not all of them), and a couple bites of a chicken snack roll (spent a lot of the time just talking, haha).

Snack #2: Bottle of water, half a pack of cookies from a vending machine.

Dinner: Big chunk of lasagna, more water and a salad.

[Fungul]

Originally Posted by Zindan

Ok, so here is what I had to eat today, though it is not fairly typical (had a lunch date I couldn't refuse, and was invited over to my sisters for dinner). No workout on the weekends either:

Breakfast - Toast with one slice of cheese (whole wheat bread); Smoothie made of 12oz 2% milk, 1 banana, 1 egg and Wheybolic Extreme 60 by GNC.

Where are the veggies? Add another egg, tomatoes, spinach, another slice of bread and make a sandwich. From what I read the GNC product is ok. I personally use Optimum Nutrition Whey from Vitamine Shoppe.

Snack #1: Nothing today

How about an apple and peanut butter with yogurt?

Lunch: McDonalds, 1/2 double cheeseburger, some frys (not all of them), and a couple bites of a chicken snack roll (spent a lot of the time just talking, haha).

I need not comment.

Snack #2: Bottle of water, half a pack of cookies from a vending machine.

Cookies should be a reward!

Dinner: Big chunk of lasagna, more water and a salad.

What's on the salad? If you eat something like this just make sure it fits into your daily calorie intake

Overall you're eating a sub 2000 calorie diet. You need more veggies! Also more protein. For snack #2 how about a protein smoothie? Also you should be drinking water all day. If you're goal is to lose body fat then you need to be eating consistantly. Can't stop won't stop it's bad boy baby.

[PerritoBites]

Avoid cheese if you can. Only eat cheeses that are low on fat... Then add a lot of veggies... they will fill you up a lot and they are low on calories and high on the good stuff. You can't expect to loose weight eating at McDonnalds either :/ If you do have to go to McDonnalds, go for the healthy-er stuff : McDonald's USA - McDonald's Nutrition Facts

You should buy onions, mushrooms and peppers. You can do anything with those... add em to everything you cook... stir fry, add to an omelette, make fajitas!

Protein is easy to add. Tuna, eggs, beans, etc...

I don't like protein shakes :P But I do add oatmeal to my banana shakes. It tastes pretty good

[Speedteeth_DRo]

Bro how do you do that ? This will be a dumb question after you answer it but are you just putting the oatmeal in dry and blending the shit out of it or cooking it first or what ? If its dry is the texture just chunky thick insane ? You doing milk banana oatmeal ice with any whey ? I want to try this ( I too love oatmeal ) but I can't help but picture something concrete-like in my poor kmart blender.

[PerritoBites]

I don't cook it, just eat it raw. Just don't add a lot of oatmeal and you should be fine. I use the oatmeal ground oatmeal, not the whole oat one.... It does thicken the shake a lot, but I like thick shakes... so I have no problem with that. I usually do bananas, milk/chock milk (depending on the time of the day and the ripeness of the banana), ice, vanilla + cinamon, oatmeal (around 1 cup) then whatever else you want. My roommate adds protein powder, olive oil and almonds as well... (and makes a 750 calories shake)

[Burkex]

Originally Posted by Brad2770

Well, I really thought I was taking in too much food.

So, it looks like my diet will be:

Apple/orange/banana for breakfast (2 of the 3- About 160 calories)

Steamed Veggies and Chicken breast (thats about 250 calories)

Another 2 of the 3 Fruit (160 calories)

Another round of Chicken and Veggies (250 Calories)

Fruit again with a protein shake (about 300 calories)

Fruit again.

That doesn't seem like a lot to me...too much fruit. Especially for breakfast. For breakfast don't you want to have some protein an a little carbs to start off the day. Since I work out often I like to have more protein in my diet. I am 6 foot 3 210 so my typical day might be something like:

9:00 8 scrambeled egg whites with an english muffin with some low calorie strawberry jam on it a bananna and a bottle of water

12:00 a protein bar a handful of almonds or lowfat yogurt and a bottle of water

3:00 I have a chicken breast or a can of tuna and an apple or bananna and a bottle of water

6:00 I have a protein Shake with skim milk or a protein bar if I am on the run

8:30-9 I have a chicken breast or steak cooked on the grill with some brocoli, spinich, or green beans (some green type of veggie steamed) a salad with lotta veggies and low cal dressing and a bottle of water


For working out I usually do on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sunday 6 sets of 50 full situps, 300 pushups, a few sets of dips, 5 sets of pullups as many as I can, and a I run anywhere from an 10:30-11 min 1.5 mile run to a 50 min 5 mile run outdoors--the distance is mesured by my car.

On Tues I'll go to the gym and lift arms (bicepts and tricepts), Thursday will be a full day of rest, and Saturday I'll lift shoulders and back do 250 situps and run a few 300 meter sprints.

I used to lift chest once per week too but I am trying to increase my pushup total so I have just stuck to doing various types of pushup workouts. Eventually I'll get back to the bench.

[ChewieTobbacca]

I eat regular ass quaker oatmeal raw just fine. Blend it in and it tastes good.

Usually my morning, if I'm in a rush, I'll have a cup of raw oatmeal, some fruits (berries are good fiber and flavoring), skim milk, and whey protein blended. Around 400-500 calories right there with a good amount of good carbs and protein.

Otherwise if I have time its usually eggs (mostly whites with a whole egg thrown in for flavor) cooked in some way (hardboiled is easy and quick) with a bowl of oatmeal flavored in whatever way (some extra whey protein is good too).

Before sleep, I mix it up a lot between casein protein, cottage cheese, etc. to go along with milk, all natural peanut butter (or almonds), etc.

And yeah, ignore all the bullshit taglines on dieting. Honestly, diets can taste good too - and be creative. For instance, I had a hard time stomaching cottage cheese alone, so I mixed my peanut butter in with it and it tastes delicious.

I didn't believe it at first, but after even a month of sticking to a INTENSE lifting routine (only 3 times a week, too), eating healthy and a lot, I noticed definite increases in mass and strength (granted, small gains, but measurable ones) and feel leaner even though I ate more than before.

Also, make sure that you have a good PRE workout nutrition meal or shake before your workouts and then have a good one after as well.

[cdyhybrid]

Torrent the book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.

[Fungul]

I'm not a big fan of oatmeal smoothies, but I've tried this recipe from mens health and it isn't half bad.

3/4cup instant oatmeal, nuked in water or fat-free milk
3/4cup fat-free milk
3/4cup mixed frozen blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
2 teaspoons whey-protein powder
3 ice cubes, crushed

My typical oatmeal is McCanns Steel Cut Oats with 1 tbsp of peanut butter, 1 scoop of whey, 1/2 cup of 1% milk, raisins, cinnamon, and honey. Basically everything you need in a breakfast. I also enjoy Quaker Old Fashion Oats.

[Fungul]

Originally Posted by ChewieTobbacca

Also, make sure that you have a good PRE workout nutrition meal or shake before your workouts and then have a good one after as well.

This is important. Your body needs carbs and protein before and after your workout with a 2:1 ratio. Lots of people do different things. Preworkout I have 1 scoop of whey, 3/4 scoop of powdered gatorade, banana, and water. Postworkout is 1 cup of frozen berries, 1 cup of 1% milk, 1 scoop of whey. Some people will simply do chocolate milk before and after.

[Kasi]

Originally Posted by PerritoBites

Anybody has any experience with weigh loss or muscle building programs? I am looking for something balanced, but I don't know what to trust when I do a Google search. I have almost no experience doing weight lifting other than the basics so instructional videos would be good (even if it is just through the webpage). I have a gym in my building that has the basic weight lifting stuff.

I am looking for a program that helps you set goals, tell you what to eat, and give you workout routines. Is it safe to go online and find something or am I better off going to a gym with professional trainers (something I want to avoid since I already have a gym and I don't want to pay for a membership).

Surprised no one has mentioned this so far in this thread. (actually oops cdyhybrid did, good rec by him, I'm seconding it here)

Try Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength program.

Writeup for Rippetoe's program - Bodybuilding.com Forums

My wife and I have been using this for about a year. It's nice and simple in that each day of weights is just 3 exercises. You alternate day A and day B and go from there.

(The following sets don't include warmup set numbers)

Day A:
3x5 Squats
3x5 Bench Press
1x5 Deadlift

Day B:
3x5 Squats
3x5 Standing Military Press
3x5 Rows (or power cleans if your gym has the equipment for it, ours doesn't)

This is a very simple basic program that has done wonders for our strength and conditioning, while losing a lot of weight. If your choice is lots of smaller isolation moves or a few bigger moves that use your whole kinetic chain, do the later. It's better for you that you learn how to do squats and deadlifts than doing barbell or dumbbell curls and leg presses.

I was actually referred to this program from a conditioning/strength building article I read on EJ. cb's fitness The link has a lot of good info and links about training and what you need to do to start off. I would suggest either watching a lot of online videos (plus doing some reading) or go and get a personal trainer for a couple sessions to work on form. Either should work. You have to be diligent though, because in the case of squats and deadlifts correct form is very important. They're great exercises, but there is a lot of muscle movement to keep track of.

[Elurin]

Mark me as another one who did Starting Strength for about 4 months. Just switched to a new routine this week, in fact.

[Shutup]

Figured this is the best place to ask for advice...

I started lifting again after a year layoff about a month ago.
I'm currently 155, 5'10", <10%bf with a metabolism that never takes a break, which in turn has always made it extremely difficult for me to put any type of weight on.

I'm currently doing a workout I found in men's health and was wondering if I should adjust it for what I'm striving for (bulk up as much as possible) or keep with what it's telling me to do. It consist of:

Day 1: pullups, dumbbell bench press, front squat, barbell lying triceps extensioins @ 6 reps/4 sets

Day 2: one arm rows, dumbbell shoulder press, barbell reverse lunges, and standing calf raises @ 10 reps/4 sets

Day 3: standing face pulls, pushups, romanian deadlifts, and standing hammer curls @ 17 reps/ 3 sets

I'm no workout guru, but it seems like rep count ramps up too high for what i'm trying to accomplish and from what I hear is that I should increase the weight and lower the rep count. Also, should I include any other lifts to this plan?

[Fuya]

Starting Strength is a must for anyone beginning their bulking up. Learning to do the correct form when working out your major muscles will go along way.

For a snake I like to sometimes make a peanut butter sandwhich on wheat bread with slided bananas. Easy to make, taste good and a good source of calories (up to 300 calories). Don't be shy with the peanut butter though, you need to cake that shit on. Just pretend is a gallon of milk and it expires tomorrow.

[Fungul]

Originally Posted by Shutup

Figured this is the best place to ask for advice...

I started lifting again after a year layoff about a month ago.
I'm currently 155, 5'10", <10%bf with a metabolism that never takes a break, which in turn has always made it extremely difficult for me to put any type of weight on.

I'm currently doing a workout I found in men's health and was wondering if I should adjust it for what I'm striving for (bulk up as much as possible) or keep with what it's telling me to do. It consist of:

Day 1: pullups, dumbbell bench press, front squat, barbell lying triceps extensioins @ 6 reps/4 sets

Day 2: one arm rows, dumbbell shoulder press, barbell reverse lunges, and standing calf raises @ 10 reps/4 sets

Day 3: standing face pulls, pushups, romanian deadlifts, and standing hammer curls @ 17 reps/ 3 sets

I'm no workout guru, but it seems like rep count ramps up too high for what i'm trying to accomplish and from what I hear is that I should increase the weight and lower the rep count. Also, should I include any other lifts to this plan?

Try Westside for Skinny Bastards. Also what's in your diet?