Question:
I would like some assistance
Hi,
I don't mind putting up some pictures of me as I currently look.
I am male, aged 37, 195lbs, 36 inch waist and 6ft 1.
I would love to have a decent chest and see my abs so I am looking to see who can help me. I am not looking for fantastic abs in 2 weeks although next summer would be nice. I do not want to take any steroids.
I play soccer twice a week and run on the treadmill 3-5 miles twice a week.
For the last 3 weeks I have been using a small home gym and have started arm work, leg work, bench press, butterfly and leg extensions every other day for about an hour.
I have no muscle definition at all and obviously a bit of a gut.
I don't eat hardly any trans fat foods, no junk foods, plenty of yoghurt, tuna, fresh fruit, vegetables, water and fat free phili cheese spread, no bread.
I have read the forum on losing fat and I am pretty close to the mark in terms of foods and portions.
I would like some advice from the serious guys and girls who have the fantastic bodies. I am certainly prepared to listen and learn.
Regards
Keep working out, don't expect any visible improvements for at least 7 weeks(4 weeks now since you started 3 weeks ago), and Learn By Doing.
Come here and ask questions about specific things, and don't ever think in this over 35 forum that people will think your question is stupid.
Eat clean and workout hard...be sure to work your muscles to exhaustion - I achieved the best and quickest results (from a mass building perspective) from a 5x5 program I found on this site...
I also love the book "New Rules of Lifting" by Lou Schuler (Men's Health mag) - the latest research and it's written for men. And includes a year's worth of workouts including routines for fat loss, muscle building and strength building. There is a good "rule of thumb" nutrition section and it's actually an enjoyable read.
Good luck with your goals!
Cheers!
Eat clean and workout hard...be sure to work your muscles to exhaustion X2.
Hit the cardio after lifting (for 12-20 minutes) you'll burn more fat that way.
There are three main areas that you have to master in order to achieve lasting results. They are: 1) Diet, 2) Workout 3) Rest.
Lets talk diet. Specifically calories. You need to get a handle on your daily caloric intake. Then break it down into protein, carb, and fat. That means keep a record of what you eat and how much. Get a PDA/comp program that will help you keep track. Start off with a 40%/40%/20% split. Tailor it to what works for you. For me I used to go with 10% fat. But that was for contest prep. Set a caloric intake that will get you to lose several pounds a week. Go with a 12-15 week diet and exercise program. Eat 5-6 small meals a day (boosts your metabolic rate). Portions of carbs and protein should be the size of your fist if you can't weigh it. Don't forget fiber as well. Stop eating 3 hours before you sleep. Once you lose the fat and are building muscle you will need to increase your caloric intake to maintain muscle mass.
Once you get your diet under control you need a workout routine.
There are many on this site, pick one. You will get the most out of a free weight routine. I usually give legs their own day. I also recommend building your body from the ground up. If you want your chest to look great, make sure your legs are there first. Your abs will fall in line once your major muscles are in shape.
BTW, if you are not sweating buckets at the end of your workout you are waisting time. Intensity during your training can make all the difference in the results. Couple your workout with high intensity(targeted heart rate) cardio 20-30 minutes,3-4 times a week.
Now you are ready to rest.
Over training can inhibit your gains. Your muscles rebuild when you rest.
So if you pound out 4 sets of squats/hacksquats/frontsquats/lunges hamstrings and calf work, do yourself a favor and rest the next day.
I usually go with a 2 days on 1 day off, 3days on one day off.
Finally, be consistent. Don't miss a workout.
newb questions
Thanks for all the advice.
I have tried to keep relatively fit for soccer but I have never crossed the line from trying to keep fit to wanting my body to look fit - if you know what I mean.
Things came to a head when my daughter (14) watched the latest James Bond film and asked why I didn't have a body like Daniel Craig and he was older than me!
It was like a lightning bolt from the heavens and a realization that my daughter worried about how I looked.
So, here I am, 3 weeks into trying!
A couple of questions:
Weights one day and cardio work the next day would not work?
It seems quite a few people are saying to do 20 mins cardio work after weights.
Is every other day for weights good or not enough?
For the last three weeks I have taken the day after weights as a rest day, although I have been running on the treadmill.
I think the first order of the day is to burn fat.
I try to do as many reps as possible until I cannot lift anymore in batches of 10 or 15.
By this I mean that I do 15 of one exercise until I cannot lift anymore then move to something else and come back to the original exercise 10 minutes later and try and do more- rinse and repeat. Is this the correct method?
Is this too light a weight?
Should I be lifting a heavier weight so I can only manage 6 or 7?
Should I concentrate on losing the fat first and just doing core exercises/ weights for the first 12 weeks?
I really appreciate the help and advice. I am hoping it is not too late
(age wise) to see some pleasing results down the line.
BFL is a good program for you to start with.
Just don't get into all the supplements they are trying to sell.
If you want to try the challenge it may help you stay motivated although it isn't necessary and will require you to buy their products.
The attached link has a good beginner all around workout guide
You can also download the workout sheets.
The nutrition section is also beneficial.
http://www.bodyforlife.com/exercise/weighttraining.asp
When I was competing I never did cardio on the same day as my workout.
But you only have so much time in a day. I currently try to combine my cardio after a workout but keep it low impact.
I find walking on a treadmill at 4 mph at increasing elevation helps burn fat while still preserving muscle mass. I do that 20-30 min after workouts.
Although after a heavy leg workout it's almost impossible for me.
Hi,
I don't mind putting up some pictures of me as I currently look.
I am male, aged 37, 195lbs, 36 inch waist and 6ft 1.
I would love to have a decent chest and see my abs so I am looking to see who can help me. I am not looking for fantastic abs in 2 weeks although next summer would be nice. I do not want to take any steroids.
I play soccer twice a week and run on the treadmill 3-5 miles twice a week.
For the last 3 weeks I have been using a small home gym and have started arm work, leg work, bench press, butterfly and leg extensions every other day for about an hour.
I have no muscle definition at all and obviously a bit of a gut.
I don't eat hardly any trans fat foods, no junk foods, plenty of yoghurt, tuna, fresh fruit, vegetables, water and fat free phili cheese spread, no bread.
I have read the forum on losing fat and I am pretty close to the mark in terms of foods and portions.
I would like some advice from the serious guys and girls who have the fantastic bodies. I am certainly prepared to listen and learn.
Regards
Answer:
Keep working out, don't expect any visible improvements for at least 7 weeks(4 weeks now since you started 3 weeks ago), and Learn By Doing.
Come here and ask questions about specific things, and don't ever think in this over 35 forum that people will think your question is stupid.
Answer:
Eat clean and workout hard...be sure to work your muscles to exhaustion - I achieved the best and quickest results (from a mass building perspective) from a 5x5 program I found on this site...
I also love the book "New Rules of Lifting" by Lou Schuler (Men's Health mag) - the latest research and it's written for men. And includes a year's worth of workouts including routines for fat loss, muscle building and strength building. There is a good "rule of thumb" nutrition section and it's actually an enjoyable read.
Good luck with your goals!
Cheers!
Answer:
Eat clean and workout hard...be sure to work your muscles to exhaustion X2.
Hit the cardio after lifting (for 12-20 minutes) you'll burn more fat that way.
Answer:
There are three main areas that you have to master in order to achieve lasting results. They are: 1) Diet, 2) Workout 3) Rest.
Lets talk diet. Specifically calories. You need to get a handle on your daily caloric intake. Then break it down into protein, carb, and fat. That means keep a record of what you eat and how much. Get a PDA/comp program that will help you keep track. Start off with a 40%/40%/20% split. Tailor it to what works for you. For me I used to go with 10% fat. But that was for contest prep. Set a caloric intake that will get you to lose several pounds a week. Go with a 12-15 week diet and exercise program. Eat 5-6 small meals a day (boosts your metabolic rate). Portions of carbs and protein should be the size of your fist if you can't weigh it. Don't forget fiber as well. Stop eating 3 hours before you sleep. Once you lose the fat and are building muscle you will need to increase your caloric intake to maintain muscle mass.
Once you get your diet under control you need a workout routine.
There are many on this site, pick one. You will get the most out of a free weight routine. I usually give legs their own day. I also recommend building your body from the ground up. If you want your chest to look great, make sure your legs are there first. Your abs will fall in line once your major muscles are in shape.
BTW, if you are not sweating buckets at the end of your workout you are waisting time. Intensity during your training can make all the difference in the results. Couple your workout with high intensity(targeted heart rate) cardio 20-30 minutes,3-4 times a week.
Now you are ready to rest.
Over training can inhibit your gains. Your muscles rebuild when you rest.
So if you pound out 4 sets of squats/hacksquats/frontsquats/lunges hamstrings and calf work, do yourself a favor and rest the next day.
I usually go with a 2 days on 1 day off, 3days on one day off.
Finally, be consistent. Don't miss a workout.
Answer:
newb questions
Thanks for all the advice.
I have tried to keep relatively fit for soccer but I have never crossed the line from trying to keep fit to wanting my body to look fit - if you know what I mean.
Things came to a head when my daughter (14) watched the latest James Bond film and asked why I didn't have a body like Daniel Craig and he was older than me!
It was like a lightning bolt from the heavens and a realization that my daughter worried about how I looked.
So, here I am, 3 weeks into trying!
A couple of questions:
Weights one day and cardio work the next day would not work?
It seems quite a few people are saying to do 20 mins cardio work after weights.
Is every other day for weights good or not enough?
For the last three weeks I have taken the day after weights as a rest day, although I have been running on the treadmill.
I think the first order of the day is to burn fat.
I try to do as many reps as possible until I cannot lift anymore in batches of 10 or 15.
By this I mean that I do 15 of one exercise until I cannot lift anymore then move to something else and come back to the original exercise 10 minutes later and try and do more- rinse and repeat. Is this the correct method?
Is this too light a weight?
Should I be lifting a heavier weight so I can only manage 6 or 7?
Should I concentrate on losing the fat first and just doing core exercises/ weights for the first 12 weeks?
I really appreciate the help and advice. I am hoping it is not too late
(age wise) to see some pleasing results down the line.
Answer:
BFL is a good program for you to start with.
Just don't get into all the supplements they are trying to sell.
If you want to try the challenge it may help you stay motivated although it isn't necessary and will require you to buy their products.
The attached link has a good beginner all around workout guide
You can also download the workout sheets.
The nutrition section is also beneficial.
http://www.bodyforlife.com/exercise/weighttraining.asp
When I was competing I never did cardio on the same day as my workout.
But you only have so much time in a day. I currently try to combine my cardio after a workout but keep it low impact.
I find walking on a treadmill at 4 mph at increasing elevation helps burn fat while still preserving muscle mass. I do that 20-30 min after workouts.
Although after a heavy leg workout it's almost impossible for me.