Check In After 5 Months of Lifting

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

I’m not sure where to start. I recently started a new desk job 8-5. This little skinny guy came up to me and asked what I was drinking. I told him that it was a protein shake because I work out.  He replied to me," yeah, but if you sit around drinking protein shakes at work you’re going to get fat." Â

Truth is, I busted my ass on the weights the night before. Although it was the same guy that was bragging about how he ate grilled cheese sandwiches and spaghetti o’s for lunch, I still felt the need that I should get what I am doing looked at a bit.

I’m 29 years old, 5’11" and 220. I’ve been working out since February. For the monh of February, I was just running 1.0-1.5 miles 3-4 times a week. March I started weight training. I was 245 lbs in March.  I’ve lost 4 inches on my chest and waist, 2 inches on each thigh.  I feel and look much better. I’ve been averaging 8 workouts a month. I do a lot of physical work in the yard like carrying wood, push mowing steep hills, and cutting brush with a machete.Â

I’ll give u an example if an off and on day and you tell me what I need to change as I am used to working out in the morning and planning my day accordingly. Now I have to workout in the pm.

My weights might be low, but I started out a lot lower…skinny fat guy

Leg day: aka bad ass day
Squats
120x5/140x5/180x5 three sets

Deadlifts
140x5/170x5/200x5 three sets

Standing calf raises- I do these with a raised 2x4 under my toes. I go all the way up ad then hold the tension in the bottom for ten seconds. Always have tension in these
80x12 three sets

Bottom feeder squats- these I do for my vm. Two thick weights under my heels. All the way down, 5 second pause at 70 degrees and all the way up for one rep
130x5 four sets

Leg curls- each leg separately
25x5/35x5/40x5 three setsÂ

I do antagonist sets for bf squats and leg curls. I one set of one and then switch to the other workout.Â

Seated calf raises- I do these sitting on my bench with the raised 2x4 under my toes. I try for as many as possible with good form in one minute
80x30 three sets

I’m rocked after this workout!!! I even wrote hell yeah in my log
Book because this felt so good that day. I can see a change it seems every time u do this.  I’ve only been doing this specific workout once a week. Can I do it more?Â

Eats- the protein powder is what I have for now. It’s not bad though. Will switch to Biotest later
The day I did that workout:

7:00am
Coconut oil and smart balance peanut butter in nature’s own wheat bread. Glass of milk and 1 scoop of Syntha 6 protein powder.

8:30 am
Took my GNC mega men multi vitamin and two Flameout pills

10:00 am
1 scoop protein with water

11:45 am
1/4 lb roast beef, pepper jack on wheat bread, two ounces jack link beef jerky

2:30 pm
1 scoop protein

5:00 pm 
1 scoop protein and 1 scoop Biotest creatine then workout at 530-545

7:15 pm
1 scoop protein and 1 scoop Biotest creatine

7:45 pm
Spaghetti with 4 boiled eggs and 1 hotdog

9:00 pm
Another multivitamin and two flameouts

I don’t ever eat  hotdogs, but that day my mom happened to put some hotdogs in that spaghetti. I try not to eat a lot of spaghetti either, but we do eat it about once a week. We raise chickens so I  eat a lot of eggs and boiled eggs. We have about 100 in the fridge at all times. I’ve been eating a lot of hamburger meat. Â

Looking at my off day, I pretty much ate the same thing. Should I be taking that much protein powder in a day? What about my off days?

I’ve been getting 190-230 grams of protein a day. Was 230 the day I did my legs.Â

As for the guy making fun of me, he is 22 and just got married.  In about 3 years he will realize how those grilled cheese, spaghetti o’s, and nights of binging on spaghetti will get him.

2

Don’t let the other guy get to you. You know why you’re eating that way, and you know why you’re lifting, so just keep at it.

I would work on getting my protein from whole food sources: eggs, dairy, and meat rather than relying on protein powder/shakes. Just glancing at the diet you posted, it looks like you need a whole lot more meat. You had 1/4lb of roast beef and a hot dog. I’m not even sure the hot dog or beef jerky count.

If meat is a concern from a price standpoint, I’d eat a lot of eggs. Meat and eggs have traditionally been considered the best whole food protein sources. Cottage cheese and milk/cream/half&half are also good options from a protein standpoint. Not sure about fat/carbs though.

Likewise, you should try to get your vitamins from whole foods: fruits and vegetables.

I think protein powder and supplements have their place, but I don’t think you should use them as an excuse not to eat “real” food. I think it’s ok to do what you’re doing, since you’ve found a way to get your protein and your lifting in… but I think you should look at this as only a temporary solution. Use this time to transition your diet to something better than what you’ve been eating.

I myself am working on going from a “bad” diet to a “better” diet. I have a pretty good idea where you’re coming from, and it’s good that you’re asking here.

EDIT: I somehow missed the “I eat a lot of eggs and hamburger meat.” That’s good. Keep doing that.

3

[quote]aslynsdaddy wrote:

I don’t ever eat Ã? hotdogs, but that day my mom happened to put some hotdogs in that spaghetti.[/quote]

I laughed at this.

On a side note, EAT SOME VEGETABLES.

4

the metabolism goes to hell at 25, or at least it did for me :frowning: It’ll catch up to him.

5

I forgot to post that the reason for the powder is that at my desk job, they won’t let me bring snacks. I can’t keep them at my desk because we have a new building and they are serious about no messes.

I eat a lot of veggies too. Sorry I’m posting from my phone. I eat all veggies and no pickles in my sandwich. Extra onions on everything. I eat potatoes with dinner. The spaghetti night was a bad example. Eat salads too. Will try harder at veggies though

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[quote]aslynsdaddy wrote:
I forgot to post that the reason for the powder is that at my desk job, they won’t let me bring snacks. I can’t keep them at my desk because we have a new building and they are serious about no messes.

I eat a lot of veggies too. Sorry I’m posting from my phone. I eat all veggies and no pickles in my sandwich. Extra onions on everything. I eat potatoes with dinner. The spaghetti night was a bad example. Eat salads too. Will try harder at veggies though [/quote]

Ok, I see about the protein powder. Do you get to use the fridge for drinks? You might be able to find/make some shakes and bring them in. I don’t have any specific recipes, but I’ve seen plenty of milk/cream + protein powder + egg + banana type of shakes around here. They’re shakes made primarily from whole foods.

As far as veggies, try and get more leafy greens in. I don’t mean stuff like lettuce, but rather spinach, watercress, kale, turnip greens. You can chop up some garlic and sautee the garlic and spinach in some olive oil until it’s shrunk but still bright green; it’s pretty good that way. Getting some green/red/yellow/orange peppers is a good idea too. Those also can be sauteed with some garlic and olive oil. Throw in some chopped onions and it’s a pretty good side dish. Add salt and pepper as needed.

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Sounds good. I actually eat kale too. I love it.

Yeah, I actually spilled some of the powder the other day at my desk. Can’t let that happen again. The lady in the desk in front of mine said, “why does it smell like cake in here?”. Lol

I will probably have to break down and do two 15 minute breaks and a 30 lunch instead of the hour. They’ll let me do that. I like eating:
1 can tuna starkist in water
2 boiled eggs cut up
Mustard and black pepper
Hit sauce sometimes
Chopped tomato, onion, and lettuce extra onion!
mix in bowl and eat!!!

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Just keep focusing on the basics. Eat healthy and the right amount, get your macros (protein, carbs, fat) in the right amounts. Get enough sleep. Make sure your intensity is there at the gym. Sounds like you’re making progress so keep it up, keep working.

“Whether you believe you can or you can’t, you’re probably right.”

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What about the fasting during the night. I’m done working out around 7 or 8 pm. Get a good solid meal with lots of calories, then hit the sack. Do I need to wake up in the middle of the night and eat something or will I be good until morning?

I’m not used to Lifting in the pm

10

Sounds like you’re making solid progress keep it up

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[quote]paulwhite959 wrote:
the metabolism goes to hell at 25, or at least it did for me :frowning: It’ll catch up to him.[/quote]

This site doesn’t have room for idiotic statements like this.

In other news, squats are bad for your knees!!

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why is saying that my metabolism going to hell at 25, and eating bad food, will catch up to the OP’s coworker, a dumb statement? I’m puzzled.

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[quote]paulwhite959 wrote:
why is saying that my metabolism going to hell at 25, and eating bad food, will catch up to the OP’s coworker, a dumb statement? I’m puzzled.[/quote]

Because your metabolism doesn’t “go to hell” at 25…you sound like an uninformed typical American in that statement making an arbitrary claim based on correlation not causation.

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[quote]paulwhite959 wrote:
why is saying that my metabolism going to hell at 25, and eating bad food, will catch up to the OP’s coworker, a dumb statement? I’m puzzled.[/quote]

Because doctors say that your metabolism actually stays pretty stable throughout your adult life, which most people don’t realize.

I’m not sure why he had to be a jackass about it though lol.

15

Thanks csulli, at least now I understand why it was wrong.
Jskrabac, sorry I don’t know terribly much about metabolism, but next time you feel inclined to jump on me, at least please explain WHY I’m wrong while you’re doing so?

16

that skinny dude at your work sounds like a punk ass bitch. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, at work is exactly when you should be drinking a protein shake… in between meals. Eat vegetables dude it will help your metabolism, if you don’t know where to start, buy the packs of premade salads at the grocery store.

You got a job, you can afford it. I just throw some italian dressing on it but you may opt for something lighter. Either way, your 225 (i’m like 210) and I could easily eat a bag of them a day. the more vegetbaels the better. vegetbales and protein and then down the road you’ll be able to up your carbs. I’m no scientist but this makes sense… keep up the hard work!

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and I see that your trying to eat vegetables, but LoRez was right about the leafy greens. You gotta pick the nutrient rich ones like spinach and romaine is even good. Your postin about onions in this thread. wtf lol thats for flavor, thats not a vegetable in anyones book. And potatoes are mostly just tubular starches or whatever. How about some broccoli. I know its hard because you feel like too many vegetables will cut into your other macros, but you gotta do it. It will make you leaner and possibly more importantly, healthier, which will help everything.

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Everyone that has used protein powder at work has heard comments like this. All of the women that I used to work with would turn up their noses and in a whiny voice ask me what I was drinking. The same women were also the ones that would ask me what I did to look the way that I do. lol Oh the irony. Yes, please tell me that protein powder isn’t good for me and then go scarf down your Doritos and Coke.

You do use a lot of protein powder but if that’s what you have access to for now, so what? Keep on trucking. If that’s what you have to work with for now and it’s working…It’s better than making excuses about not being able to lift right now because you can’t eat A, B or C.

Tell your mom to quit putting hot dogs in the spaghetti though, jeez. lol

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[quote]paulwhite959 wrote:
Jskrabac, sorry I don’t know terribly much about metabolism[/quote]

THEN WHY MAKE A POST ABOUT IT??? Like I said in my original post, your comment is analogous to someone sweeping into the BB forum and saying squats are bad for your knees. If it’s a comment you’d hear your mom make over thanksgiving dinner, it probably is not quite the type of comment you should be posting in a BBing forum.

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Oh, I’m fine with you telling me I’m wrong, or that my statement is stupid, I’d just like to know how/why it’s wrong is all.
Which, of course, another poster already did.

I was trying to be supportive of the OP, because I know what it’s like getting flak at work (I do on a daily basis); I apologize for any misinformation I inadvertently spread.