Generic subject I know, but I need some help with something. I’ve been training for about 3 years and only really gotten serious in the past year. I’ve had some decent gains, gaining over 25 lbs in a year (was 155 now 180). My problem is that I’ve gained some fat, but judging by this crowd I shouldn’t be cutting just yet.
Anyway, I think the reason why I’ve gained fat is because I slacked off during finals. I am a college student with a very intense workload (computer engineering), and I have to say that finals scare the shit of out me so I pretty much stop what I’m doing any I’m embarassed to say the following:
i don’t eat. when i do, it’s morning and night, and it’s not good.
i don’t workout. no time
i don’t sleep. also, no time
if you think it’s me just being lazy, I spent over 72 consecutive hours on my takehome computer science final, sleeping about 5 hours total in those three days. when i did have time to eat, my mentality was that, well i’m not working out, and i am 19, so pizza is no big deal.
my grades weren’t as good as I would have liked that semester and i’m determined to follow better time management rules. so now i am asking you guys for help about working out in a time like that. i know when finals come in december I’m going to start preparing like i always do, two weeks in advance.
that’s when i stop working out. for two weeks i don’t workout and then the problem is that vacation comes or i’m packing for home, and i end up not working out for another week or two.
QUESTION: what quick workout can i do that i can feel good about keeping in my schedule without compromising my academics taht will maintain what i’ve worked so hard to achieve (and lost, unfortunately). i understand that quick workouts won’t help me gain anything, but i don’t want to run into this again where i lose all the progress i’ve made…
You don’t lose a years worth of gains by not working out for one, two, even 4 weeks. Yes, you take a step or 2 back, but that will come back very quickly.
When you are not working out, you really need to focus on your diet. That will help minimize the ‘damage’ and get you back on track quicker.
That said, you’re young and will recover quickly if you just go to shit for a short time because of life. Life aint always going to be 9-5 and perfect routine. You need to be able to adjust accordingly.
If you got nothing else–push ups and burpees for 45 minutes–3-15’s or even 5-10’s-- to break up your day and get the blood flowing. Sit ups and side bridges for 15 minutes will get you going. A quick 10 minut walk 3 times a day keeps the heart ticking.
You just got to want it. Well-do ya…do ya want it. Then make the time for it.
acelement -
I’ve been there. Graduated last year in Electrical Engineering.I thought junior year was bad and senior would be a coast session. But I swear I spent more time in the lab than anywhere else combined. I still managed to hit the gym twice per week, But all I ate was pizza, burgers, and beer.
I put on 20 lbs of fat that first semester. Ouch. I got my shit together over Januray break and got rid of it, but I learned a few things over my last semester.
1.) Eat clean every 3 hours. Inlcude 3 MRP’s if you have to, but if you actually total the time taken away by shopping and preparing food, it’s negligible.
2.) You want a fast workout, what’s faster than 45 min per day (average lifting 1 hour with cardio 30 min)? It’s so little time. It’s the agonizing over it that makes it seem too much.
3.) Here’s the clincher. You do better at everything else if you eat and exercise right. Go into it with the mindset that if you don’t eat clean and exercise you’ll fail. Not only will you actually do better because eating and exercising are so good for you, but the placebo effect will be great. And you won’t miss a session or a meal if you’ll think you’ll fail otherwise.
In many cases it’s not the actual time you have to put in that makes you big and ripped, rather it’s the constant application of effort and intelligent planning.
You can do it, just make it a part of your usual routine.