Exercise Program Without Using Legs?

Training Beginners
1

Hello everyone,

I have been on this forum about a year ago asking around about different programs and diets etc. I was 130kg when I started this last year and lost 20kg of fat in about 4 months. It was a huge leap for me but I suddenly started to pick the weight up again. At Christmas time I was 110KG and now im back up to 124kg, all fat gained no muscle. Terribly sad to see all that effort wasted. I believe this weight increase happened due to the start of my school again, and managing to eat many meals a day and correct ones is terribly difficult during school.

I recently hurt my knee quite seriously in a Rugby accident and had an operation on it. They cut away a piece of my meniscus. For my own concern and health I find its time to seriously reduce my weight and get into normal shape otherwise in the future my knee is going to be under too much pressure.

After I quit my diet and exercising in December I started eating all kinds of junk, nutella, chips, lost of chocolate. Yesterday when I looked at the scale and saw I was 124 KG I was shocked. I told myself I am NOT going back up to 130, this is ridiculous!

Today I started my new diet, which is basically the same diet I used to go around last year when I made my successful weight loss. The chicken I mention in my plan is sliced chicken which comes in packets (originally ment for sandwiches and stuff) but they are conservative free.

Meal Plan:
Breakfast - 320g of sliced chicken (70g protein) protein shake (24g protein). Handful of mixed nuts, 4x BURNOUT Fish Oil Capsules, GNC MegaMen vitamins, Green tea. From tomorrow I will start adding egg whites.

Meal 2 - 160g of sliced chicken with vegetables. Green Tea (extra strong, 2 bags.)

Meal 3 - 160g of sliced chicken with vegetables. Green Tea (extra strong, 2 bags.)

Meal 4 - Whatever my mother makes, usually fish with vegetables or chicken or meat.

For the exercise, I have not started yet. I was thinking of an intensive upper body exercise. I have a swimming pool and found swimming with only arms to be very good. I am open to any suggestions without using the legs, as I need to keep off mine until September.

Also, I am curious if HOT-ROX Extreme is dangerous for me at my age? I am 16 years old, but fully grown. I haven’t taken it yet but it seems interesting and beneficial. What damage could it do to my body if I took it at this age?

Thank you T-Nation, I really hope I can make another comeback and keep my weight down.

(P.S, any suggestions to my diet and how to keep weight off after loosing it is highly welcome)

2

You cannot use HRX if you are under 18. Someone your age shouldn’t even be messing with a fat burner though. You really need to focus on getting your diet correct and recovering from your knee surgery.

Also, most here will recommend that you eat 5-6 smaller meals per day, rather than only 4. There are many great diet articles here on this site, I’d suggest searching around and reading up on them.

Actually I’d give you same advice regardless of your age. HRX is for once you’ve already gotten your diet and training dialed in.

3

Thanks for the advice AngryVader, I’ll stay away from the HRX. So you advise to just focus on diet and do no routine until my knee heals? I am going to step up to higher meals a day tomorrow, just didnt want to change my diet so hugely in one day. Yesterday I was eating 2 meals a day and now im at 4.

Do you think Biotest Superfood will help me on my journey to a slimmer body?

4

Well, I think you should train around your knee as much as you can. I’m sure you’ve been given some rehab exercises to do, and you should do those. Also, I’m sure they’ve given you some guidelines on what types of activities you can do (walking, stationary biking, etc.). I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t train your upper body though.

Superfood is a great supplement, and it’s entirely up to you if you want to include it, but again, you need to make sure you are following a good diet first. Here’s a good place to start:

http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=459493

I’d recommend reading more of Berardi’s articles and there are many more on this site by other authors that would be of use to you.

5

[quote]Ryp wrote:
Thanks for the advice AngryVader, I’ll stay away from the HRX. So you advise to just focus on diet and do no routine until my knee heals? I am going to step up to higher meals a day tomorrow, just didnt want to change my diet so hugely in one day. Yesterday I was eating 2 meals a day and now im at 4.

Do you think Biotest Superfood will help me on my journey to a slimmer body? [/quote]

Superfood is a great supplement if you aren’t eating enough fruits and veggies. However, if you are eating clean and changing your diet you should try to incorporate enough fruits and veggies so that Superfood wouldn’t be needed. Actually, the only supplement I would advise is Flameout.

Also, you can still lift with a bum knee. Try doing and upper body push/pull routine. You are pretty young so I would say that the most important thing is forming good habits. If you are able to make clean eating and consistent gym attendance the norm you’ll be ahead of the game and tweaking things (supplements, workouts) will become much more necassary and beneficial.

6

Contact local gyms and see if any of them have a trainer who specializes in working around injuries. Also ask about cardio equipment made for people with leg disabilities, there are machines like recumbent bikes that you operate with the arms.