Newbie here! Any advice, however short would be appreciated..here's my story folks!

[DavCas]

I'm a 31 year old male. I'm 5'10, and weigh 169lbs. I'd say my body type would be fat/skinny. I've done the body fat/mass calculations but I don't feel they give an accurate representation of my body fat distribution, because I generally have a big frame.

I carry most of my fat on my chest area, waist (love handles, have virtually no belly), and buttocks. I have low muscle mass. This may be attributed to doing very little to no exercise throughout my life, and heavy drinking in the last 10 years, which became part and parcel to my lifestyle, running pubs/bars. Many facets of my life would I suppose be deemed successful. I've always been lucky enough to be popular with the ladies, I've earned good money etc. I'm an above average looking male, and with clothes on, look very normal - in no way would anyone say I was fat. It's a different story without clothes though. I've always detested my body, especially where the fat has been distributed. I have zero confidence in it. It's gradually got worse as I've got older, and with heavy drinking. I'm a vegetarian. I eat a low fat diet. Have often skipped breakfast, and even lunch. Some weekends I've gone without eating from Friday-Tuesday.

At the beginning of the year, I terminated my contract - and have moved out the bar industry. I haven't had an alcoholic drink since late November. It wasn't even a conscience effort to kick the drinking. I got to a point in my life where I decided I no longer wanted it to be a part of my life. I was surprised how I was never really addicted, how easy it was to cut it out, and was just drinking for the sake of it with customers because it was "part of the lifestyle". The gains in confidence, mentality, and happiness I've gained have been incredible. I am now more focused and driven than ever.

Now I want to trim and build a physique that I can finally be proud of. Having a body I'm ashamed of, has been the bane of my life for so long, I can't remember anything else!!! I don't want to be body builder big. I just want to be toned, fit, with above average muscle mass. Just your average Joe in the street, that has a good body and maintains it kind of physique.

I've read the guides, and while they're a invaluable tool - from which I've learned a lot - I'm a little perplexed with how me as an individual would incorporate the ideas and processes into my diet/exercise.

An average day diet for me is:-

Breakfast - Bran Flakes and banana with low fat milk/Eggs - poached, boiled, scrambled. Glass of Water or squeezed Apple or Grapefruit juice.

Lunch - Pasta and a processed sauce, Cheese and Tomato sandwich (wholemeal bread) X2, Jacket Potato with cheese and beans, Bowl of Salad. More Water or juices.

Dinner - Homemade vegetable lasagne with processed peas, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms fried in low fat spread. Quorn (meat substitute) home made meals which I prepare myself. Chilli Con Carne, Spaghetti Bolognaise, Pie with steamed vegetables and boiled potatoes, Currys etc. Your general "regular dinner". I very rarely eat junk food, I virtually never fry anything. But will occasionally snack on chips, or fast food a couple of times in a month.

Snacks include: Lots of cheese, nuts, apples, bananas, citrus fruits.

My diets always been like this really. It's pretty low fat. I've just cut out large chunks of it due to the drinking. I take vitamin supplements. These give me 100% recommended daily allowances of, amongst others - Vitamin A, D, E, C, Iron, Folic Acid, Zinc, Iodine.

My exercise plan has been up till now.....ZERO.

I'm planning on joining a gym, but I want to do some weeks preliminary training at home first....just do get a niche of what I can and can't do etc. I have such low muscle mass, I really think its the right way to go about it. I have limited but enough equipment at home for this stage. Exercise bike, free weights, and a stomach cruncher frame which I purchased years ago (I have no idea how useful these things are.) I have 250g of Creatine Monohydrate, and 1kg of Impact Whey Protein ready to use.

I want to lose the excess fat, but tone and build up. Any advice would be massively appreciated. Sorry if I've gone on a bit, I've read some newbie posts on here where people say "You didn't really tell us enough about yourself", so I thought I'd give you my lifestory (lol), and as much honest information as possible. I really want to turn my life around. Thank you in advance.

[Tom - PYNP]

first off, your not alone dude and the fact that you've made an effort to stop drinking and analysis yourself is a big step! welldone

With combinational of smart eating and smart training you will be able to achieve what up want and more!

your diet plan consists of many of the right things like fruit, nuts, eggs, whey, pasta, brown bread, water etc. so its good you enjoy these foods and have already put these into practice. But the best advice i could give to you concerning diet is read read read and find out what works for you. if you start training and you find you're not loosing fat cut down of the carbs, vis versa, if you feel you dont have enough energy and constantly feel lethargic then you up the carbs. but keep to complex carbs and mainly consume them pre and post workout. To building muscle you need adequate amounts of protein. for your weight you should be consuming around 180-200g of protein a day. distribute your protein evenly through the day. again, everyone is different and we respond differently to certain foods.

you said you have skipped breakfast or sometimes gone for long periods of time without food. this is TOTALLY counter productive. do not starve your body at any time, control your eating and supply your body with the macro and micro nutrients it needs. if you monitor your calories and do not over exceed you daily quota, then there is no need to starve yourself. When you start training properly, breakfast will be even more important!

you say you have gym equipment at home and it is possible to get a good start with the equipment you have but dont be afraid to step into a gym. everyone starts somewhere and even the strongest and most buff person in the gym will understand this. when it comes down to work out routines, again, read read read.

Consistency with your diet and training is the real answer. it doesnt come at once, but if you are consistent and motivated it WILL come. join fitness forums, fb pages and look on youtube for advise. there alot of information out there but make sure you research methods fully before putting them into practice.

Fitness is a lifestyle, and even the best in the game are constantly learning. keep going, keep learning, keep consistent, keep motivated and you WILL reach your goals.

GOOD LUCK!

[thepoliteone]

Hey DavCas,

Sounds like you have good motivation!

Think you would be best of starting with simple bodyweight exercises and building up the numbers to start off with maybe? Say 3 times a week and use the bike/go jogging the other two days.

You would need to start using the protein though, usual problem for vegetarians can be lack of protein so good choice there!

[ozwold]

Rather than joining a gym, consider local personal trainers and PT-led classes in your area. You may find working with a PT will give you better progress than a generic program written by less qualified staff at a gym. It'll cost more than a gym membership, but you should see the benefit.
Agree with other advice about reading loads- although it can be confusing for newbies.
I found a very good PT that I used for 6 months (1 session per week with additional home workouts and circuits classes) and then moved on to kettlebell training at classes and home (with other home gym stuff- suspension trainer, punchbag, chin-up bar and free-weights). I ditched over 2.5st (after a year of illness and recovery/enforced rest had piled on the weight!)and strengthened up loads. I am by no means a cover model, but toning, functional strength and body confidence has shot up. I'm still KB training, but have added in Stronglifts routines as the main weights work (iPhone app makes it simple!).
Finding the right diet for you may take some iterations, but a good PT will help you with that (although they usually have their own pet theories/systems that may work for most people).
Good luck with your diet and training. Making a start and asking for advice and support is the important first step!

[ozwold]

Meant to add...there are plenty of veggie/vegan diets out there that support strength training and provide sufficient protein. Look up Mike Mahler- a good example of what a vegan diet can help achieve!!

[pb75]

have your read spiderdans beginner stickie, would recommend reading this and then you can ask some more specific questions after..
good luck

[karryann]

Linky to spiderdans-beginners-guide

[DavCas]

Thanks for the replies and advice guys, is so much appreciated.

Well, just got through my four days of training!

Wednesday I did a full dumbbell workout 45 minutes, with 250 sit up crunches. Ive tried to work mainly the chest, arms, and stomach. I did 30 mins high impact cycling on the bike on Thurs (recovery day). On the Friday, I couldn't straighten my arms due to the tendons/ligaments being very stiff and sore. I read up on this, on the forums and heeded the advice that I shouldn't weight train until the stiffness and soreness stopped, so missed the weight training and did another 30 mins on the bike. They'd improved by Sat, and today are feeling like they will be fine (just in time for my Monday weight train). I plan to weight train MON-WED-FRI, with 30 mins cardio TUES-THURS-SAT. (Sunday is a complete day off)

I'll post a sample day of my DIET, for you to check out (please reply if you have any thoughts on it):-

FRIDAY

BREAKFAST
Large bowl of Oats, Semi Skimmed Milk, with Raspberries, Blackberries, and chopped banana in.
One multi vitamin and mineral tablet which covers 100% rda) most bases (Zinc, Iron, Magnesium etc)
A Protein Shake, MyProtein's Whey Impact Protein and a dose of Creatine Monohydrate.

Snacks: Peanuts and Sunflower Seeds, a babybel Cheese

LUNCH
4 Poached Eggs on a slice of Wholemeal toast and a Protein Shake.

Snacks: 2 packs of peanuts

PRE WORKOUT- Protein Shake and Creatine.
WORKOUT - Intense weight training

DINNER (Immediately after workout)

2x LindaMcCartney Sausages (10g protein each), 2x McCartney burgers (12g protein each), 10 mushrooms, a hefty portion of steamed Spinach and Broccolli covered in mature Cathedral City cheese, washed down with a Protein Shake.

EVENING SNACKS: Peanuts and Sunflower Seeds, 2 babybel cheeses.

I feel re-born, training and diet is the best thing I've ever done - and I owe a lot of the focus and determination from the people on this forum. Studied, read, and took in so much from the threads and posts on here. It's a goldmine of information, from people in the know. I wouldn't have known where to start!! Yep I read Spiderman's guide. Excellent, must read for any beginner. The other beginner guide stickys are great too.

Insanely, my biceps have already got tighter, slightly bigger, and rounder. Is that normal after one intense workout and a strict diet? I feel like the steady flow of protein on my recovery days, and 30 mins cardio has helped. I can't wait to hit the weights tomorrow. Hopefully my tendons will be more forgiving 2nd time around, though after 10 years without much exercise - I realise this is quite normal.

[DavCas]

I did a 45 minute weight train yesterday. Though it felt just as enduring as the other, I'm not sore at all today. Does that mean my body is getting better at recovering? Or is it a wasted session? As in, if you're not sore the next day......you're muscles haven't been worked enough? It felt just as strenuous in the last few reps as the other one. Do you have to be sore the next day to build muscle? Is that an absoulte must?

[chill9]

First of all ignore Tom, going for long periods without food is not counter productive. If you look at IF diets short term fasting can increase metabolism and burn fat. Your metabolism only starts to drop after approximately 72 hours of fasting and even then it's only an 8% drop.

If you get your macros right you'll be fine.

In terms of exercise, try compound moves (bench press, squats, lunges, bent over rows etc) and supersetting for weights. Look up fasted cardio for fat burning.