3 months done

[19ninety]

Well, a little background...
After many years of being ugly when undressed and all the other ill effects of being a fat *******, that and some changes in my personal life (mainly splitting up with the ex missus) that turned to motivations, I started trying to get fit!
Started out at close to 250lbs, dropped to approx 238 now. 6' 2", 30 years old.
That was three months ago, I picked up a couple of dvds called Power 90, I'm sure someone else will have heard of it, and cracked on (pretty much circuit training, cardio one day, muscle the next) They mentioned to some length suppliments, so I got myself some multi vitamins, a tub of instant whey and carried on. After reading the forums for a bit (and having seen my before and after pics last week) and wanting to really make a push for a bigger body, I put in a order for some supps from MyProtein. My work is pretty unforgiving when it comes to eating as I'm always mega busy... Have listed below my current 'diet' plan as of this week - ideas and comment welcome - I'm here to learn

Diet wise, I generally have:
Brekki - Whey Protein + ultra fine oats + cheerios n semi skimmed milk - tastes awesome!! + Alpha Men & BCAA+ (one of each as dont feel 'think' I need full doses until get a bit more serious )
Mid morning - Fruit bar/kellogs nutrigrain/Apple/Banana (have been eating meat n veg pies lately as get really hungry (not at all healthy)
Lunch - Half a homemade chicken salad sandwich (white or brown bread, Chicken, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrot, thin wipe of extra low fat mayo and cracked black pepper for taste) or Chicken/turkey & cheese with tomato. Fruit bar/nutrigrain/healthy potato bites/fruit
Mid afternoon - other half of sandwich, fruit/fruit bar/nutrigrain
Tea Time 20:00 +/- - Anywhere between 20:00 and 21:00 - Meal (chicken/mince/pasta/rice/vegetables/oven cooked chips/pizza/fish) Protien shake with micro oats & creatine. I always put a handful of frozen fruit in my shake as well (morning and evening) and mix with hand blender)

/ / denotes a combination of, but not all at the same time, that'd be a whole bunch of food otherwise!

Some changes I'm making currently are making my evening protein shake before I workout, drinking half and taking a multivit and BCAA+ with it, then working out, drink the rest, then eating about a hour after that. Also eating a nutrigrain bar and drinking lucozadesport or isotonic on way home from work - aprox a hour commute)

Looking at trying Thermopure to help shift some of that fat once I am working out a bit heavier.

Not sure if its just a placebo effect but since taking the BCAA theres is much much less burn at the end of sets, which is nice as feel like I can actually push myself harder again.

I'm probably going to continue with the Power 90 routine of weights till the end of the month (dropping the power 90 cardio in favour of a hour+ cycling on weds on the trainer (uphill), then hope to move over to something a bit more specific to my desires, ie building muscle - any ideas for a good routine for a beginner?

This the the routine I've been following so far 8-15 reps using 18lbs and 11lbs weights when needed (not exactly big time I know but looking to get some heavier dumbells and perhaps a york ez-curl next payday? ), quite fast, no real time between sets, one rep of each. total about 40mins inc warm up n down:

Decline Push-Ups *
Heavy Pants (need more weight)
Military Press
Standard Bicep Curls (easy, need more weight)
Back Scratchers (6x18, then 9x11lbs - no burn or pain, muscle just wont do anymore reps with 18lbs, fine on 11lbs)
Lunges (5 reps 2 lunges each way nice and deep)

Fly Push-Ups (feels good in the back)
Back Flys (defo need some more back work, not enough strength)
Swimmer's Press (like these, feels good in arms n shoulders)
Wide Open Curls (need more weight soon)
Two-Arm Kick-Backs (11lbs, now feeling a nice pinch at the top, need more weight soon)
Lunge/Squats Combo (5 reps, 2 each way with 5 squats midway (used to burn like hell - gets me gasping though)

7-7-7 Push-Ups (wide, close (elbows in hands under chest, std - usually end up doing stds from knees as by tri's my arms start to give - see note below about extra arm work)
Lawnmowers (need heavier weight here, way to easy)
Shoulder Flys
Bicep 21's (7 low, 7 high, 7 full)
Chair Dips (can now do proper dips, feels sexy in my shoulders!!)
Three Part Squats (12 std, 12 wider, 12 really wide - these hurt)

Upright Rows (nice)
Calf-Raises (doing 15x18lbs in toes forward, toes in and then toes out then toes forward again, feels very good)
Top Wrist Curl (11lbs for these)
Bottom Wrist Curl (as above)
Lower Back Extensions **
Max Push-Ups
Max Squats ***


* - Still struggle with these, and push ups and pull ups in general, have been putting in some extra time after workout on pull ups, schrugs, pushups and doing 15 push & (assisted - feet on top chair) pull ups in the mornings. Also been doing a little extra work on my forearms (forearm curls? palm down, lift from elbows) as it feels like one of the areas thats struggles with the above. Also been trying to focus on form a little more, hands a little further back 90 degrees on elbows etc, getting there slowly now.

** - Seems with the shape of my back and the size of my fat ar$e that crunchs and situps wreck my spine, I get a horrible pain in the middle of my lower back, like a strain, not nice at all, have had to stop them all together, seeing if it feels better this week (yep, carried on doing gentle crunchs low reps to see if needed to build muscle up, wasnt the answer) as has been sore (achy) for a weekish now. Seems ok if I do scissors, leg raises and bicyles).

*** - Is it normal to hear like ... err ... noise coming from your knees/quads when doing squats? Not a clicking or cracking noice, more like a when you put a tow rope between two cars, that kinda tension noise as its tightens Doesnt hurt, after or anything, guess its just alot of strain on my upper legs with my weight (more audible when doing weighted squats).

Well, I guess that about sums up where I am now. Heres some pics of progress so far:



As I mentioned, any critisism is welcome, be it blunt or polite


Cheers,

19

[energy]

Nice - Your diet and routine need a lot of work
Blunt - Your diet and routine are *******

For a simple but effective workout try this
http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5...ining-program/

More to come

[stronglikewood]

You've made really great changes so far mate; you've put on a decent ammount of muscle and lost a lot of fat. I'd say now all that could hold you back is your diet. These things in particular:

cheerios
nutrigrain bars/fruit bars
chips + pizza (obviously it's clear you don't eat these all the time because of the other foods you listed)
Oats (nothing wrong with them in the morning for breakfast but you don't need them in that last shake at night)

alternatives
muesli/oats (for breakfast)
fruit or nuts instead of those bars
keep the pizza and chips to once a week (make sure your pasta and rice portions aren't gigantic either)
Drop the oats in the evening and just have fruit and whey. (Maybe drop both and have cheese or yoghurt instead for variety from time to time?)

The training is working. Keep going with it for the time being. I think little changes to your diet will have a big impact.

[aBhorsen]

I find Longley Farm Natural Yoghurts a great little addition for me. They satisfy a craving for something sweet, and provide a nice little source of protein.

[comanight2]

Quote

I find Longley Farm Natural Yoghurts a great little addition for me. They satisfy a craving for something sweet, and provide a nice little source of protein.

I just destroyed one a few minutes ago

Looking good man, keep it up!

You can make many improvements, but your on the ladder so just keep climbing

[19ninety]

Cheers guys!

Quote

Nice - Your diet and routine need a lot of work
Blunt - Your diet and routine are *******

For a simple but effective workout try this
[snip]

More to come

Thanks energy, looking forward to it. Will have a proper read of 5x5 in a bit, just downloaded it! Not finished reading it just yet, sounds similar to something I read about the Colorado Experiment ages ago...

stronglikewood - I always heard cheerios were ment to be good (not the honey nut ones or whatever they are)?
Are the big mixed fruit n nut bags ok that supermarkets do?
Pizza is liek once a week, chips maybe a couple. Have actually been trying to have fish with veg n a drop of gravy or rice sweetcorn n peas n a drizzle of soyasauce in place of the oven ready chickencrap n chips I used to live on.
Pasta I find fills me up really fast, same with spagbol, I generally dont have huge portions of anything anymore as hate the sick/bloated full feeling in my guts, unless really really hungry.
I think someone said, eat until your not hungry, not until your full, and its worked well so far, little n often aids this too.

Also I used to get really fatigued half way through a workout, thats why I started having a snack and drink on my way home in the evening, has helped a lot!

[19ninety]

oh, where sells Longley Farm Natural Yoghurts? I havent had yoghurts for ...... errr, many many years lol

[Ben_S]

Well done mate! Take the constructive criticism you got above and keep going!

[stronglikewood]

Quote

stronglikewood - I always heard cheerios were ment to be good (not the honey nut ones or whatever they are)?
Are the big mixed fruit n nut bags ok that supermarkets do?
Pizza is liek once a week, chips maybe a couple. Have actually been trying to have fish with veg n a drop of gravy or rice sweetcorn n peas n a drizzle of soyasauce in place of the oven ready chickencrap n chips I used to live on.
Pasta I find fills me up really fast, same with spagbol, I generally dont have huge portions of anything anymore as hate the sick/bloated full feeling in my guts, unless really really hungry.
I think someone said, eat until your not hungry, not until your full, and its worked well so far, little n often aids this too.

I'd be weary of any processed breakfast cereal no matter how the manufacturers advertise it. If something has been man made, it's processed and not a good choice. From time to time, no problem though.

Mixed fruit and nuts are fine. A palmful of fruit and nuts would be a better alternative to fruit/nutrigrain bars which are also man made.

As I said, you're doing well. If you make a few more tweeks you'll carry on making more progress.

[suj]

well done mate! looking good, improve your diet like people have said, and you will be looking even leaner