Just Starting Out

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

Ok so im just starting out. Right now im just trying to lose some weight. Im 5’6" 156 pounds. About a week ago i was 163 and 17% bf, so im guessing im around 15% now.

im following a restricted calorie diet. im using the 10x rule (eating 10 times your body weight in calories). and im following the workouts in the book “LL Cool J’s Platinum Workout”.

i suggest u pick up the book, its very insightful and helpful on many topics. im on week three in the book, next week i start lifting. if u have any advice for me it would be much appreciated.

id like to get in the shape i want by august when i go on vacation. i also want to get in shape becuase i am going to be going to school for athletic training, and eventually exercise physiology, fitness, and nutrition.

id like to do this all natural with out supplements, but i was wondering how much quicker i could build and get in shape if i used an NO product (would u recommend it).

i do about an hour of cardio a day, 30 in the am and 30 in the pm, i burn around 800-1000 just in cardio.

im attaching my starting pics, and every few weeks i will come back and add updated pics of my progress.

thanks
steve

week one:

2

Full body 3-4 times per week. About 12-15 total sets. Take no longer than 45 minutes each workout. Focus primarily on compound lift at first…Incline bench presses, dips, squats, deadlifts, pull ups/chin ups, rows, military presses, etc. Vary your rep range from 5 to 15 reps. For example, M 15 reps, W 10 reps, F 5 reps. Use good form to avoid injury.

Eat clean. Limit simple and sugar carbs. Prioritize protein, good fats and complex carbs.

Forget the NO crap.

3

Ok, to be honest you don’t need to be doing an hour of cardio a day. Focus on lifting and maybe do cardio 3x a week for 30 mins or so. Just stay focused on lifting weights.

Diet - I don’t suggest that you do a low calorie diet. I mean, what are you eating, 1500 calories? I learned the hard way that you will initially lose, but eventually you will slow down your metabolism and stop losing. Eat more food, lift heavy weights, get at least 200 grams of protein a day.

4

thanks for your info, i eat 1500 a day, but the days that im gonna lift im gonna eat 1800, to mess with my metabolism…

and next week i start liftin according to what i have in the book, ill cut down on the cardio then.

when i start building, how many calories should i take in?

5

It’s been said but it should be said again for emphasis: Forget the NO shit. It’s just that, and it’s useless.

And I’d check your definition of natural vs. supplements. Natural means not roids…

Supplements can mean anything from basic nutritional aids (protein powder, fish oil, flax meal, vitamins and minerals) to progress enhancers like creatine, HOT-ROX, and Alpha Male…The second group is a personal decision, but most people are healthier for using at least a few things from the first group.

Also I think you’ll find you’d be well-served by using interval training for your cardio per Alwyn Cosgrove’s specifications as opposed to a full half hour of steady state cardio.

6

Add 250-300 calories above maintenance when you want to start putting on weight. Stay there for 2 weeks and evaluate.

7

thanks again for your advice

i do do interval cardio at high resistance, i burn 600 cals in a half hour, and each time i do it i aim to go a further distance

as far as supplements, i use myoplex shakes, they are really good but pricey, is there anything compareable to them thats cheaper, and i take gnc mens sport vitamins, but they make me pee like a neon color, idk y, or if thats bad, what are other supplements i should use?

so i guess creatine is a no go for me
id like to make my gains myself, plus im diabetic, and all the creatine supplements ive found advice diabetics not to use them

8

[quote]xDIEabeticx wrote:
thanks again for your advice

i do do interval cardio at high resistance, i burn 600 cals in a half hour, and each time i do it i aim to go a further distance

as far as supplements, i use myoplex shakes, they are really good but pricey, is there anything compareable to them thats cheaper, and i take gnc mens sport vitamins, but they make me pee like a neon color, idk y, or if thats bad, what are other supplements i should use?

so i guess creatine is a no go for me
id like to make my gains myself, plus im diabetic, and all the creatine supplements ive found advice diabetics not to use them[/quote]

For your intervals, is “going further” the equivlent of upping the spring intensity? Basically I’m just trying to figure out whether going further translates into more time or more intensity.

Metabolic Drive is probably the best stuff around. However I’ve found that GNC’s Chocolate Caramel flavor is pretty good in a pinch. It mixes well, and tastes pretty good. 6lbs is under $30 with a gold card.

That neon green thing is vitamins leaving your body. When do you take them? For what it’s worth you might have better luck if you junk the instructions and take them about 45 minutes before bed.

As for other supplements, fish oil capsuls and a zinc and magnesium combo (like ZMA) are both very healthy. Fish oil is generally best taken with meals. Take your minerals with your vitamins.

You’re reason for not taking creatine is as noble a one I’ve heard, but your information is a little skewed (not that I’m trying to change your mind, just sharing the info). In the article “Creatine Update” which I think was by Dave Barr (I might be wrong) points to evidence that creatine may actually improve insulin sensitivety.

The reason that most of the supplements you’ve looked at are inavdisable for diabetics is because to increase the creatine’s absorbtion into muscle tissue they’ve been loaded up with sugar that is basically highly concentrated Kool Aid.

So just as highly concentrated Kool Aid would be bad for you (or anyone with any carb sensitivity for that matter), so are these supplements.

9

thanks

ill look into the Metabolic Drive stuff, im headin out to GNC this weekend and ill look at some other stuff, by going further i mean distance, each time i do it i end up going a tenth of a mile further, so im working harder each time,i usually take the vitamins in the morning with my breakfast, ill try taking them before bed, the supplements u listed like fish oils, what would that do for me?

edit:
i looked into the Metabolic Drive stuff and it seems good, and very popular…what flavor should i order. and when should i take it, i know pre and post work out, but what are other times i should, like before bed? cuz i was reading up on the ZMA and it seems to conflict with the night time shake

im gonna order some of the shake, ZMA, and the protien bars