SpiderDans Beginners Guide

[rash797]

Paul, use something like myfitnesspall or fatsecret.com. You can input food to check your macros. Play around with it til you get it right! It takes a while to design a diet that suits you.

[Pauliepops]

Thank you! Appreciate the advice. I'll give them a go!

[iambunn]

Really glad I read this! Somethin I will be coming back to to refresh my mind, as there has been alot to take in over the last few days. I love the way you have written it too, straight and to the point. Your attitude in my beginners post now makes sense!

Thanks again.

[PandaDeer]

This is a great guide, cannot say enough how much this has helped.

If I can ask though, as I am at an impass. I'm stuck on my BMR x lifestyle level.

I go back and forth between completely sedentary for a few months, to doing stronglifts for a few months, bit of cardio, before getting frustrated and quitting. Having been hitting the high calories nor doing enough mobility stuff for my hamstring which is knackered.

Anyway, the Harris Benedict Equation, do I calculate it based purely on my job, which is sitting at a desk all day so I would do; My BMR x 1.2.

Or, do I calculate it on where its going to be once I start Stronglifts again and look to bulk up, whcich I would say should then be; My BMR x 1.55/1.725. for moderate to hard exercise once I start the programme again.

I'm skinny fat FYI.

Also, i have worked out my cals & macro nutrient requirements based on some loose calculations for today until i weigh myself and get an answer to the above etc. and its telling me i need;

3300 cals
150g protein
112g fat
400+ g carbs

is that right? 400 odd grams of carbs?

Thanks

Sorry, just another one, do I need to calculate my body fat and just use my lean body weight for the equations or does it not matter and it's just my total body weight?

[SpiderDan]

Quote

This is a great guide, cannot say enough how much this has helped.

If I can ask though, as I am at an impass. I'm stuck on my BMR x lifestyle level.

I go back and forth between completely sedentary for a few months, to doing stronglifts for a few months, bit of cardio, before getting frustrated and quitting. Having been hitting the high calories nor doing enough mobility stuff for my hamstring which is knackered.

Anyway, the Harris Benedict Equation, do I calculate it based purely on my job, which is sitting at a desk all day so I would do; My BMR x 1.2.

Or, do I calculate it on where its going to be once I start Stronglifts again and look to bulk up, whcich I would say should then be; My BMR x 1.55/1.725. for moderate to hard exercise once I start the programme again.

I'm skinny fat FYI.

That's just one question I have and then i'm sorted really.

Thanks

Sufficiently stimulating training will naturally increase your appetite as the body will ask for nutrients to support new tissue growth and an increased metabolism.

Start on the lower end (probably not sedentry though) keep it going for a couple of weeks and monitor how you respond and up it if necessary. Calorie counting is a really fluid concept and your BMR will fluctate all the time.

The whole idea behind the giving a calorie count is so people can formulate a diet and eat good food with some consistency, once thats achieved you will have to play about with it.

I dont count calories anymore but I know when Im hungry, I can monitor how im performing and know approximately how im feeling so I adjust food intake to suit.

My advice: dont sweat it, just be consistent for a while.

[PandaDeer]

great, thanks.

What about the 400g worth of carbs issue, take it thats fine?

[ScottishLad]

I have a general question about Supplements.

I'm a beginner so up till now have been relying on Protein Powder only. Can I achieve decent results (lean, muscle, definition) using only Whey Protein or should I be using something extra. There's the Lean Gains Bundle etc on the site at the moment with various other supplements. Not sure if they're necessary or not!

Edit: I should mention I'm not jumping straight in here looking for the quick fix. I'm improving my diet, cooking in bulk, preparing 5-6 meals a day etc and of course hitting the gym. However, the huge amount of supplements is throwing me off a bit hence my rather general question i.e. will Protein Powder alone do the job or should I be adding Creatine etc etc to the mix?

Ta.

[blackstone]

there is no need for any Supplements at all. if you get all the protien you need from food then dont supplement on protein. you need to work out if you are lacking in anything before knowing if you need supps.

i would advise a multi vitamin and fish oils but this is for general health and not to "achieve decent results"

[SpiderDan]

Quote

I have a general question about Supplements.

I'm a beginner so up till now have been relying on Protein Powder only. Can I achieve decent results (lean, muscle, definition) using only Whey Protein or should I be using something extra. There's the Lean Gains Bundle etc on the site at the moment with various other supplements. Not sure if they're necessary or not!

Edit: I should mention I'm not jumping straight in here looking for the quick fix. I'm improving my diet, cooking in bulk, preparing 5-6 meals a day etc and of course hitting the gym. However, the huge amount of supplements is throwing me off a bit hence my rather general question i.e. will Protein Powder alone do the job or should I be adding Creatine etc etc to the mix?

Ta.

There werent any supplements (of any merit anyway) before 1940s-1950s and there were plenty strong and lean dudes before then. If you can afford something try it, it might help but by no means is it necessary.

[SpiderDan]

Quote

great, thanks.

What about the 400g worth of carbs issue, take it thats fine?

unless you're pretty lean and jacked 400 might be too much.

consider halving that. make up the difference with a little more fat and/or protein.

Im not sure what you used as your multiplier but you might want to consider total calories again though. Stronglifts isnt a hard and calorie intensive program, if you had a physical job and was doing hard conditioning for a couple of times per week on top of stronglifts that would probably use a 1.6-1.7 mulitplier. A sedentry job and 3 lifting sessions you might be looking at 1.3.

BEAR IN MIND - be conservative in the first few weeks, you arent going to be challenged in the early stages recovery wise and so you arent likely to need a huge amount on top of you BMR. Add food when you need it.