Zack, General Septem... I need advice!

[yee-haw]

I need advice on which way to go on my exercise and diet.
I'm 6 ft. 228lbs right now, I've lost a few pounds since i began my diet but...

Now that i no longer smoke i've been walking every day, Plan to start running by mid summer.
I've been eating strictly tuna fish out of the can for lunch at work.

No breakfast and a peanut butter sandwich for supper.
I'm not really looking to bulk up muscle wise but only to trim down.
I'd like to get around 200lbs and maintain in between that and 190.

I'd appriciate any help or advice, Thanks.

[Baron Somebody]

I need advice on which way to go on my exercise and diet.
I'm 6 ft. 228lbs right now, I've lost a few pounds since i began my diet but...

Now that i no longer smoke i've been walking every day, Plan to start running by mid summer.
I've been eating strictly tuna fish out of the can for lunch at work.

No breakfast and a peanut butter sandwich for supper.
I'm not really looking to bulk up muscle wise but only to trim down.
I'd like to get around 200lbs and maintain in between that and 190.

I'd appriciate any help or advice, Thanks.

Eat breakfast...I generally eat pasta and some fruits as well with a glass of milk...it is a great balance to give you energy and such

[yee-haw]

I just need help, Never in my life have i done this.

[MrJim]

I know nobody asked me, but on week three of the South Beach I've lost 20 pounds on with 2-3 trips to the gym a week (if I feel lke it).

[England Expects]

Follow this guy's example and you'll be fine.

Dont ban me though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZZfahhbXu4

[yee-haw]

Follow this guy's example and you'll be fine.

Dont ban me though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZZfahhbXu4

You're a fucking moron!

[LedZap]

That guy whacked off a lot of weight :D

[Rise Up]

Follow this guy's example and you'll be fine.

Dont ban me though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZZfahhbXu4

Damn it King George!! Get back here!!

[aslan]

My dad goes to the gym every morning and runs on the tread mill about 45 mins and uses the stair stepper about 15 mins. He is also on a low carb diet. I beleive he was somewhere around 220 when he started in january and is somewhere around 185 now (he announces it to the family) but that seems to work well.

[yee-haw]

My dad goes to the gym every morning and runs on the tread mill about 45 mins and uses the stair stepper about 15 mins. He is also on a low carb diet. I beleive he was somewhere around 220 when he started in january and is somewhere around 185 now (he announces it to the family) but that seems to work well.

Low carb, Like what?
Any idea what he eats?

[Hammerhead]

Low carb, Like what?
Any idea what he eats?

lite beer:D

[yee-haw]

lite beer:D

That will always be some part of my diet, Love me beer!

[General Septem]

First of all, eat breakfast. And eat lunch. We are designed to eat six times a day and you should do the same. Just don't eat a ton each meal.

For your daily calorie intake, follow the chart in the middle of this page:
http://scoobysworkshop.com/6packabs.htm

At your current weight, you should be taking in 2800 calories per day, or 460 calories per meal six times a day.

If you starve yourself, your body will just horde calories and your blood sugar will spike when you do eat, which will give you diabetes and make you not lose weight. In addition to not taking in the calories you need, you will also be depriving yourself of vitamins and minerals which you need to survive. Furthermore, when you starve yourself, you're not really changing the lifestyle that led to your weight gain because it's a "temporary" change you're making just to lose the pounds. So eat frequently, eat better, and eat a LITTLE less. And BURN THE CALORIES YOU EAT! I will talk about cardio later on.

Eat plenty of vegetables so that you feel fuller when you eat. Cut down on consumption of grass (wheat, corn, etc), legumes, and potatoes. They are toxic, the protein they contain is worthless, and they are empty calories. I would say cut them out of your diet completely, but if you think that is a bit drastic, at least cut out any processed foods and eat less of them and more meat and vegetables.

Don't snack on stuff. Every time you eat, treat it as a meal. But a reasonable meal, and not a big steak dinner like you may be used to. There's nothing wrong with a big steak, but cut it up and have a few smaller steaks throughout the day.



Do cardio. At least 20 minutes to an hour per day. If you're not looking to gain muscle or strength, you don't need to lift weights, but you should do some form of cardio that exercises your upper body muscles to keep the blood flowing through them. A good example is swimming. If you can, try to incorporate several different types of cardio. Do swimming one day and then elliptical or bike the next. I don't like running, too high impact - but you can also do that if your joints can handle it.

[yee-haw]

If you starve yourself, your body will just horde calories and your blood sugar will spike

This i did'nt know, Thanks for the help and the link.
I think now i'm on the right track, I was doing every thing wrong.

[Hammerhead]

Hey G.S.

I have actually started to do these things, that you and zack have mentioned

I'm not a real big steak eater but i love eggs do i get the same nutritional value
from the eggs as i would from a steak

[MrJim]

If you starve yourself, your body will just horde calories and your blood sugar will spike when you do eat, which will give you diabetes and make you not lose weight. In addition to not taking in the calories you need, you will also be depriving yourself of vitamins and minerals which you need to survive.

Please elaborate - I agree with the general concept - but what is the link to diabetes? :confused: Doesn't that have more to do with too many ingested sugars than it does to starvation -- I have noticed that it is best to take in foods that provide a larger fiber:sugar ratio, because increasing good carbs causes weight loss, at least, that is my experience with South Beach, and it has worked enormously when compared to other diets.

[ballzack]

Zacks rules of lean and mean

1. Only Whole Grain Quality Carbs. No Sugar. EVER. Honey once in a while, like on Grapefruit in the morning. Oatmeal (plain) is GREAT. Kashi bars rock.
REAL fruit. Strawberries, Blueberries, Bananas (only 1 per day - they are very high in carbs), and grapefruit are your best source of quality carbs and no fat. Plus you need the vitamins and minerals.

2. Lots of protein. Whey Powder. Mixed with SKIM milk or water. Two scoops a day minimum. Buy Vanilla. You can mix it with anything. Put a scoop in your oatmeal in the morning. Supplement with AMINO ACIDS. This is essentially pre-digested protein. It goes right to muscle building.

3. Eggs (especially EGG WHITES or Egg Beaters) are your friend. So is NON-FAT cottage cheese and light yogurt.

4. tuna and green beans. let me repeat that... TUNA and GREEN BEANS. Followed by a cup of NON FAT cottage cheese. 'nuff said

5. 20 minutes of cardio, 20 minutes of weight training FIVE DAYS A WEEK minimum. This MAINTAINS you. Want to LOOSE WEIGHT, go 30 minutes of each five times a week, and stick to eating 1-4 above.

I'm 6'1" and I weigh 189 lbs and have a 32 inch waist and a 44 inch chest, and 17" biceps. I look leaner than 189 since muscle weighs more than fat. Think this regime does not work? :D

Good luck!

[MrJim]

Zacks rules of lean and mean

1. Only Whole Grain Quality Carbs. No Sugar. EVER. Honey once in a while, like on Grapefruit in the morning. Oatmeal (plain) is GREAT. Kashi bars rock.
REAL fruit. Strawberries, Blueberries, Bananas (only 1 per day - they are very high in carbs), and grapefruit are your best source of quality carbs and no fat. Plus you need the vitamins and minerals.

2. Lots of protein. Whey Powder. Mixed with SKIM milk or water. Two scoops a day minimum. Buy Vanilla. You can mix it with anything. Put a scoop in your oatmeal in the morning. Supplement with AMINO ACIDS. This is essentially pre-digested protein. It goes right to muscle building.

3. Eggs (especially EGG WHITES or Egg Beaters) are your friend. So is NON-FAT cottage cheese and light yogurt.

4. tuna and green beans. let me repeat that... TUNA and GREEN BEANS. Followed by a cup of NON FAT cottage cheese. 'nuff said

5. 20 minutes of cardio, 20 minutes of weight training FIVE DAYS A WEEK minimum. This MAINTAINS you. Want to LOOSE WEIGHT, go 30 minutes of each five times a week, and stick to eating 1-4 above.

I'm 6'1" and I weigh 189 lbs and have a 32 inch waist and a 44 inch chest, and 17" biceps. I look leaner than 189 since muscle weighs more than fat. Think this regime does not work? :D

Good luck!

Ballzack, no offense, but do you REALLY think that your example is a cure-all for someone trying to lose weight? The way you act about certain foods is an almost-guarantee that someone who COULD lose weight with motivation will not act because you give so much restriction.

[England Expects]

You're a fucking moron!


And you have no sense of humour.

I agree with everyting the General says about diet, but not about exercise.

I wouldn't do more than 20 mins cardio at a time. Much longer than that, and your body will catabolise your muscle mass, which will hinder your weight loss.

Muscle will burn calories, even at rest so you need to do some resistance training too. Zack's exercise plan is much better, but I'd limit the cardio to 20 minutes per session. Even better would be to research an interval cardio session, whereby you do short bursts of intense activity, interspersed with rest or low intensity.

[ballzack]

Jimbo,

This diet is for shredding and weight-loss. It works, but it's not for everyone.
This issue is MOST lose motivation IF THEY DON'T SEE RESULTS IN A TIMELY FASHION.

This gives fairly quick results.

As for exercise, as I stated, this is a MAINTENANCE regime or for someone that needs to START exercise from NO exercise. It's the MINIMUM. It will maintain or start you up.

Personally, as an endurance athlete, I go the the other extreme. My cardio is a 1 mile swim, a 25 mile bike, and a 2 mile run (five days a week). That's 3 to 4 hours of cardio, but I certainly don't expect a non-athlete to perform up to this standard.

In my competition WEIGHT is everything. Muscle weight is just as bad (actually worse) than fat. It demands oxygen and glycogen during exercise. So I am constantly battling muscle mass to stripping, as I train.

Think this is restrictive? Try and get your abs to show! :D For THAT trick, you basically have to lean out to an extreme standpoint. I'm talking less than 5 percent body fat. Not healthy, but your abs will look good! ;)

Muscle itself is your friend, however. It burns calories even when you are sitting and watching television.

As the General will tell you, weight training tears muscle down, and rebuilding it takes huge calories. The hunger you experience during the re-build is worse than any marathon or Ironman Triathlon you will ever do.

Once you get to the weight you want, you can add any food groups you wish and watch HOW YOUR CLOTHES FIT. That's the key. Not the scale, as muscle weighs more than fat.

FOOD is key in adults. More so than exercise.

[Baron Somebody]

I also need suggestions...like to strengthen my arms and such

[ballzack]

Implants
:p

At your age, it's not advisable to tear down too much muscle for growth as your body in general is still growing.

But it's your decision.

I'd personally do LOW weight, High Rep to build lean muscle, not bulk.

[Baron Somebody]

My maximum is probably 90 pounds lol :o

[Hammerhead]

My maximum is probably 90 pounds lol :o

unless you have grown up on a farm slinking haybales
that isn't a bad weight for your age remember your still growing

[Rise Up]

I've gotten stronger with my current routine. AND I have some extra class periods now that exams are over. So, I can now lift 150. Though I look like a blown up neon red balloon. :D

[MrJim]

Jimbo,

This diet is for shredding and weight-loss. It works, but it's not for everyone.
This issue is MOST lose motivation IF THEY DON'T SEE RESULTS IN A TIMELY FASHION.

This gives fairly quick results.

As for exercise, as I stated, this is a MAINTENANCE regime or for someone that needs to START exercise from NO exercise. It's the MINIMUM. It will maintain or start you up.

Personally, as an endurance athlete, I go the the other extreme. My cardio is a 1 mile swim, a 25 mile bike, and a 2 mile run (five days a week). That's 3 to 4 hours of cardio, but I certainly don't expect a non-athlete to perform up to this standard.

In my competition WEIGHT is everything. Muscle weight is just as bad (actually worse) than fat. It demands oxygen and glycogen during exercise. So I am constantly battling muscle mass to stripping, as I train.

Think this is restrictive? Try and get your abs to show! :D For THAT trick, you basically have to lean out to an extreme standpoint. I'm talking less than 5 percent body fat. Not healthy, but your abs will look good! ;)

Muscle itself is your friend, however. It burns calories even when you are sitting and watching television.

As the General will tell you, weight training tears muscle down, and rebuilding it takes huge calories. The hunger you experience during the re-build is worse than any marathon or Ironman Triathlon you will ever do.

Once you get to the weight you want, you can add any food groups you wish and watch HOW YOUR CLOTHES FIT. That's the key. Not the scale, as muscle weighs more than fat.

FOOD is key in adults. More so than exercise.

I get what you're saying. It's just that most people trying to lose weight aren't hoping to get a spot alongside Chuck Norris selling a bowflex machine. They just want to get rid of enough weight that their doctor doesn't go "Tssk, tssk...." every time they walk in the door; for which I think a "fad diet" could help a lot. I've lost 20 pounds on South Beach in less than a month (I lost 45 total last time) and I'm comfortable with the criteria, especially given the enormous increase in fiber and protein it provides. Your diet routine may work out great and I admire your dedication to it, but an obese person probably won't be persuaded well with cottage cheese and grapefruit... (BTW I love cottage cheese!)

[ballzack]

Non Fat Cottage Cheese is a staple of most serious weight lifters.
Lots of protein, no fat (obviously), and a great way to shred.

The Abs Diet is rich in tuna fish, non-fat cottage cheese, and a few whole grains.

I supplement my diet (when I'm actively competing and burning a lot of calories) with:

Barilla Plus Pasta (fortified with Protein)
Roasted Chicken
Brown Rice

Another staple for me is Broccoli

Love it. Miracle food.

I had a trainer that told me Eggs are the perfect food. He at a ton of eggs (mostly whites)

Funny thing, after not eating red meat for five years, I now longer like it. I much prefer Salmon and Chicken.

I could give up chicken no problem. Not sure I could give up fish.

[aslan]

I lift weights about every other day at the gym since January and about a week ago, I decided to go every day and started drinking the whey protein shakes. My diet isnt really different although i try to avoid fattening foods now and eat eggs often. It works for me, i have visible biceps now about 3/4 inch lump which is alot better when I began because i was a weakling with nothing. And my pecs are filling out my genetic slight man boobs nicley (one can see why i started going) so im making progress

[freakazoid]

That will always be some part of my diet, Love me beer!
You must never never ever give up beer! :D No matter where you are...

http://sorryigotdrunk.com/images/boozedrip.jpg

[General Septem]

And you have no sense of humour.

I agree with everyting the General says about diet, but not about exercise.

I wouldn't do more than 20 mins cardio at a time. Much longer than that, and your body will catabolise your muscle mass, which will hinder your weight loss.

Muscle will burn calories, even at rest so you need to do some resistance training too. Zack's exercise plan is much better, but I'd limit the cardio to 20 minutes per session. Even better would be to research an interval cardio session, whereby you do short bursts of intense activity, interspersed with rest or low intensity.

Absolutely, for someone trying to put on muscle mass, 20 minutes of cardio after an intense workout (preferably while ingesting some form of after-workout PROTEIN) is perfect. But Haw mentioned not wanting to put on too much muscle mass, so I recommended more. For general heart health, more cardio is better.

Good point about muscle burning calories too. That is why resistance training is good for everyone.


Please elaborate - I agree with the general concept - but what is the link to diabetes? :confused: Doesn't that have more to do with too many ingested sugars than it does to starvation -- I have noticed that it is best to take in foods that provide a larger fiber:sugar ratio, because increasing good carbs causes weight loss, at least, that is my experience with South Beach, and it has worked enormously when compared to other diets.

Carbs don't put on any more fat than eating fat does. It's all about how many calories you take in and how many calories you burn. You could literally eat only one Quarter Pounder with Cheese every day and lose weight, but you would also have zero energy and quickly develop heart problems - which in turn isn't good for your weight or anything else.

The diabetes link is this. You want your BG and insulin levels relatively steady throughout the day. You do this by eating small portions several times a day. When you just eat once a day, your BG and insulin go waaaay down until you finally do eat, at which point your body processes all of it at once and your BG and insulin spike way up. Your insulin spikes even more than it ordinarily would because your body gets used to having low blood sugar. Those harsh ups and downs can very quickly lead to insulin resistance, which is a cause of diabetes.


Hey G.S.

I have actually started to do these things, that you and zack have mentioned

I'm not a real big steak eater but i love eggs do i get the same nutritional value
from the eggs as i would from a steak

Eggs are nature's perfect food. The protein you get in eggs is just about the best natural source of protein there is. If you're worried about cholesterol, eat half as many egg yolks as you do whites, or less. But if your cholesterol is in check, go for the yolks as well. They contain almost half of the entire egg's protein.

[Baron Somebody]

The diabetes link is this. You want your BG and insulin levels relatively steady throughout the day. You do this by eating small portions several times a day. When you just eat once a day, your BG and insulin go waaaay down until you finally do eat, at which point your body processes all of it at once and your BG and insulin spike way up. Your insulin spikes even more than it ordinarily would because your body gets used to having low blood sugar. Those harsh ups and downs can very quickly lead to insulin resistance, which is a cause of diabetes.

Sometimes I will eat something in the morning and then not be hungry the whole day until like 7 or 8 pm...and sometimes I won't eat anything at all...so am I at risk for diabeetis?

[General Septem]

Sometimes I will eat something in the morning and then not be hungry the whole day until like 7 or 8 pm...and sometimes I won't eat anything at all...so am I at risk for diabeetis?

That depends on what your blood sugar levels do throughout the day. If you're not feeling hungry, that would tend to suggest that your blood sugar isn't going down enough to worry about, but I don't know. I would try to force something down about every three hours if you can, even just a little bit.

[MrJim]

That depends on what your blood sugar levels do throughout the day. If you're not feeling hungry, that would tend to suggest that your blood sugar isn't going down enough to worry about, but I don't know. I would try to force something down about every three hours if you can, even just a little bit.

I'm confused. I always thought that the feeling of hunger was the elimination of calories.

[General Septem]

I'm confused. I always thought that the feeling of hunger was the elimination of calories.

From the infallible Wikipedia:
"The fluctuation of leptin and ghrelin hormone levels results in the motivation of an organism to consume food. When an organism eats, adipocytes trigger the release of leptin into the body. Increasing levels of leptin results in a reduction of one's motivation to eat.[4] After hours of non-consumption, leptin levels drop significantly. These low levels of leptin cause the release of secondary hormone, ghrelin, which in turn reinitiates the feeling of hunger."

So I think you're right, it's not blood sugar. Although I believe blood sugar levels can have an effect.

Not eating all day is still pretty unhealthy though.