Fat Guy's Head is Swimming

Training Beginners
1

Hi:

I’ve been reading articles and discussion posts as I’m trying to figure out how to get into shape.

Last year I lost 50 pounds through a low carb diet and walks and went from 330 to 270. AT 6"1 I am still very overweight and hope to start a new stage in losing fat. For the past two weeks I have been reading lots of articles on here and trying to get my head around some of the ideas here-- some of them are very new to me. I purchased a set of dumbbells and a bench and have started to lift at home and incorporate cardio,

Anyway, there are so many smart people here and I am amazed at the support given to members. I was hoping to post my diet and workouts so somebody could take a look. This type of eating and working out is so new and I have so much to learn that I wanted some more experienced members to take a look at what I’m doing. Basically, I am following John Berardi’s principles for diet and the type of exercise Christian Thibaudeau talks about in his “Refined Physique Transformation.”

Here is my food log for today: It is pretty typical-- I have been eating about 1900 to 2100 calories a day the past week

1940 cals + 9 Fish oil capsules 1200mg

Total Protein: 250.7 g
Total Carbs: 48.8 g
Total Fat: 79.6 g
Total Fiber: 13.6 g
Breakfast

Protein Carbs Fat Fiber (cals)
1 slice, Cheese Sharp Cheddar, 5.0 0.0 6.0 0.0 80
1 cup Spinach, raw, edible portion 0.9 1.1 0.1 0.7 7
2 egg Extra Large, Grade AA 14.0 2.0 10.0 - 160
1 serving, 1/4 cup AllWhites 6.5 1.1 0.0 0.0 33

Breakfast snacks

3 oz Strawberries, 0.6 6.5 0.3 1.7 27
2 tablespoons Flaxseed Meal 3.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 70
2 scoop Grow! Whey 44.0 4.0 4.0 0.0 240

Lunch

0.5 tablespoon (0.5 oz) of Oils: Sunflower 0.0 0.0 6.8 0.0 60
1 tablespoon (0.5 oz) of Oils: Olive 0.0 0.0 13.5 0.0 119
2 serving, 1/2 cup, Cucumber 0.7 3.8 0.1 0.5 16
4 oz Chicken: Breast, Boneless, Skinless 26.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 107

Afternoon snacks

3 medium, Strawberries, raw, 0.2 2.8 0.1 0.7 12
2 scoop w.: Grow! Premium Quality Whey, 44.0 4.0 4.0 0.0 240

Dinner

1 teaspoon (0.2 oz) of Oils: Olive 0.0 0.0 4.5 0.0 40
Mixed vegetable tossed 1.3 3.3 0.1 - 17
(3 oz) of Chicken: Breast, roasted 26.7 0.0 3.1 0.0 142
(3 oz) of Top Sirloin, Lean Only, broiled 26.0 0.0 4.9 0.0 156

Evening snacks

1 tablespoon Peanut Butter, chunk style, 3.8 3.5 8.0 1.3 94
2 scoop Grow! Premium Quality Whey, 44.0 4.0 4.0 0.0 240
2 tablespoons Flaxseed Meal 3.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 70

Exercise
30 minutes walking on park trails in am

PM Worked on legs with DB at 35 pounds with 10 reps a set

A1 Lunges
A2 Squats

Rest 2 minutes

B1 Reverse Lunges
B2 Romanian Deadlift

Rest 2 minutes and Repeat 3x

Anyway, let me know what you think. I am especially interested in hearing about the diet— Am I eating enough— too little, too much? Not really sure but I’m glad I’ve started moving toward my goals and found this place.

2

The diet looks spot on, but that’s to be expected if you’re following Berardi’s guidelines. Big points for doing your homework before posting. As far as calories, it probably wouldn’t hurt you to add a larger calorie day every two weeks. I’d change up the workout if I were you, and go with rippetoe’s starting strength. You’re at a point where you’ll lose fat no matter what type of workout you do, and while CT definately knows his stuff, rippetoe’s is a great program for getting the basics down on all the major exorcises.

I go through that before picking up one of CT’s programs if you haven’t lifted before. But like I said, you’ll see results no matter what you do if you’ve just started lifting, so if you like the program you’re on, keep at it. Good luck.

3

You should pick up a 300 pound olympic set. It will run you about 150ish dollars. Bar and weights. With that and some dumbells you will make some real progress. Check out:

This is the best beginner’s program, we the peoples of the nation can give you. Good ones are madcows, and stronglifts 5x5 which revolve around the same principles. do starting strength for a few months, then start an upper/lower split. use the search function to find TheDudeAbides rippetoe log. He did an extremely good job on that program. You can too. Feel free to post other questions in this thread. Others, and myself will be happy to help!

4

I think the major determining factor besides my will power and dedication has been reducing the margin of error. Volume measurements such as “a cup, a scoop, a tablespoon” etc, can be way off. I highly reccomend Investing in a digital scale, and a food tracking program. I myself use fitday.

As far as what you’re eating it looks good. I like to stick to the eating only what walks, swims, flys, or green vegetable that comes from the ground myself. With the occasional exception of course.

5

I’ll second ninjaboy and thank you for doing your homework before posting.

I’ll second Zephead and recommend purchasing a 300lb Olympic set. This will allow you to do squats and deadlifts, which are very important exercises for building strength and muscle. $150 may seem like a lot, and while you may be able to reduce the cost a little bit by looking on craigslist, you’re probably not going to get it too much lower. However, it is well worth the investment if you lift at home and can’t go to a normal gym.

Good job doing good exercises with what you have, BTW. Many newbies don’t train their legs- you do. Much kudos to you.

As awesome as it is that you’re posting the macronutrient profile of all the food that you eat, it’s usually enough to list the type of food, the calories, and the protein contained. The rest will just double the length it takes to write each post.

As awesome as rippetoe’s ‘starting strength’ is (it’s the link Zephead posted), you’ll make progress with just about any program you do with good intensity. I say this not to undercut Zep’s contribution, but instead to caution you that, should you choose to continue doing the training CT recommends in the article you mentioned, you won’t be harming your gains at all. Choose a program and stick with it.

Add one or two more tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to dinner. CT recommends a 50/50 split in calories between protein and fats to prevent using protein as fuel. To attain this ratio, you need some more fat, EVOO is a great fat, and the extra calories won’t hurt your gains at all.

Good work so far, and welcome to the Nation.

6

Just stopping in to say good job so far! The other posters have said what I could say and more, so I’ll just offer you up some motivation!! Find a program you like and stick with it!

Good luck on your continued transformation!!

7

Wow… thanks for all the quick responses and encouragement. It really is great.

Just a couple of thoughts of my own:

I am really interested in getting a barbell set for home, but I live in a pretty small apartment in New York and I just don’t think it will fit, especially because I plan on moving to another place when my lease is up. I thought the dumbbells would be a good compromise. I do belong to a gym and go there to do sprints on the bike and then cardio on the bike. I have to admit the weight room has always been a bit intimidating— and crowded-- but I will check it out if it will help me so much. Like i said, I really am a beginner and this is very new to me.

As far as the program goes, I have read a lot of great stuff about Starting Strength. But I really don’t have any experience using barbells. And I know this sounds really lame, but I feel more comfortable using the dumbells at home as I build up strength. I guess I’ll just have to suck up at some point and get myself into the weight room.

For now, I think I’ll continue with the program I’m using as I learn more about proper diet and weights. It pretty much follows from the CT article I mentioned in my the first post

MON: Chest and Back, heavy
Tues: Legs, heavy
Wed: Bike riding
Thurs: Circuits with light weights and then 30 min cardio
Friday: OFF
Sat: Circuits w/ light weights and 30 min cardio
Sun: Biking

I’ll post the specific exercises and weights on the days I do them.

Thanks again for all your help

8

Congrats on the progress so far and the continued desire to improve yourself. You could still do Ripp, but start off with just the bar until your coordination improves. Continuously add weight. You will only get so far using dumbbells at home … you won’t progress much more than you already can do without added weight.

9

Ok… I’ve taken another look at the Ripp program and have decided to do it. If so many of you guys say this is the way to go, then I will go that way.

Thanks for the suggestion TheDudeAbides (Big Lebowski is one of my all time favorite movies) of just using the bar at first until I get the movements down. I guess that was one of my concerns-- using the barbells and falling over.

Also, thats a good tip DeterminedAZGuy about the accuracy of portions. I picked up an electronic scale today and it is awaiting my ground turkey.

Ok… So tomorrow I will head to the gym and start Ripp. Tonight I am going to go for a bike ride, pretty cool day out. Thanks again. I will post my food log later today

10

Just remember, no one at the gym will give a crap that you’re there. And those that might give you crap, aren’t worth your time. Go to the gym, be serious about your routine, and people will pretty much ignore you.

If your gym is cool, you’ll start having people talk to you and give you advice. I go to a gym on a Naval base, and the people there at the time I go are pretty cool and helpful.

You’ll pretty much lose your intimidation after the first week, and really start enjoying yourself at the gym.

11

Thanks darwin… I’ll keep that in my mind when I head in. I have a half day tomorrow so I can go in the early afternoon.

12

Tomorrow I hit the barbell. I’ve been looking at threads recommended so I can get a better idea of how to approach these exercise for the Ripp program. I am sure I will be back tomorrow with a bunch of questions. Getting pumped that I’m headed down a good path with lots of great advice to be found here. Below is today’s diet log. I tried to add more fat to the diet today and added almonds to a couple of salads. Time to grade some papers now

2083 cals

Total Protein: 215.2 g
Total Carbs: 55.1 g
Total Fat: 112.1 g
Total Fiber: 21.6 g
Breakfast
Protein and Calories
AllWhites 6.5 33
2 egg 14.0 160
1 cup ( Spinach, 0.9 7
total 21. 200

Breakfast snacks
3 oz Mixed Berries 0.0 43
2 tablespoons Flaxseed Meal 3.0 70
2 scoop Whey, 44.0 240
total 47.0 353

Lunch

6 oz of Turkey: Ground, 29. 253
4 oz of Peppers, bell , green, 5.3 23
1 tablespoon Olive oil 0.0 119
1 1/4 cup Roma Tomatoes 0.0 10
(3 oz) romaine, raw, 1.0 14
2 tablespoons Salsas: 0.5 9
total 32.2 12.1 28.1 5.2 429

Afternoon snacks
(3 oz) romaine, raw, 1.0 14
1 tablespoon Olive oil 0.0 119
1 oz Almonds, 6.3 169
(4 oz) of Turkey: 19.9 170
total 26.2 5.5 37.9 3.3 458

Dinner

1 cup Spinach, 0.9 7
(1 oz) of Nuts: Almonds, 6.3 169
5 oz Chicken: Breast, Boneless, Skinless 33. 134
total 40. 310

Evening snacks
)
1 tablespoon ( Peanut Butter, 3.8 94
2 scoop Grow! Whey 44.0 240

13

Fellow educator? What do you teach?

14

English. I’m teaching seniors this year, which is new for me-- I’ve only had freshmen and sophomores in the past. As I’m sure you know, this time of year can be rough going. What do you teach?

15

[quote]TheDudeAbides wrote:
Time to grade some papers now

Fellow educator? What do you teach?[/quote]

Teachers are real people?

I find this disturbing…

16

So do my kids… I tell them I sleep at night in my classroom and most of them believe me. It’s always funny if I see a student at the movies or shopping-- they can’t believe I’m not chained to my desk at school.

17

[quote]darwin420 wrote:
Just remember, no one at the gym will give a crap that you’re there. And those that might give you crap, aren’t worth your time. Go to the gym, be serious about your routine, and people will pretty much ignore you.

If your gym is cool, you’ll start having people talk to you and give you advice. I go to a gym on a Naval base, and the people there at the time I go are pretty cool and helpful.

You’ll pretty much lose your intimidation after the first week, and really start enjoying yourself at the gym.[/quote]

true so true
everyone there after all is there for the same reason you are in the end.

most will stick to themselves but they pay to go there also and make it a pleasant experience for the most part I found

18

[quote]atom00 wrote:
English. I’m teaching seniors this year, which is new for me-- I’ve only had freshmen and sophomores in the past. As I’m sure you know, this time of year can be rough going. What do you teach?[/quote]

Teaching English is rough going ANY time of year. :slight_smile:

19

[quote]atom00 wrote:
English. I’m teaching seniors this year, which is new for me-- I’ve only had freshmen and sophomores in the past. As I’m sure you know, this time of year can be rough going. What do you teach?[/quote]

Computers. I’m also the network administrator and webmaster.

20

[quote]atom00 wrote:
Thanks darwin… I’ll keep that in my mind when I head in. I have a half day tomorrow so I can go in the early afternoon.[/quote]

No problem. I’m easily the smallest and weakest guy in my gym at the Naval base, but I’m determined and focused. People either ignore me, or greet me (then ignore me). I’ve had some conversations with some of the guys, and it’s always been a positive experience.

It made me wonder why I ever hesitated going to the gym in the first place. You’ll get used to it, and probably wonder the same thing!