The Past Is Past, the Future Is Now!

Training Beginners
1

OK, here’s my story. I’m 29 years old, 6’1" and 250 lbs. I haven’t trained in any real capacity in the past 5 years. When I last trained I wasn’t in great shape(didn’t really know what I was doing), but I was in much better shape than I am now. I have gained about 50 lbs. in the past 2 years, I was able to stay around 200lbs. fairly easy until 2 years ago, since then my diet and level of activity have gone to shit and I have turned into a fat bastard.

My immediate goal is fat loss. Ideally I would like to gain some strength as well but I understand that this might not be all that feasible while trying to lose fat. I have a Tanita body-fat scale that says I’m sitting at 32.5 percent body fat. If thats correct then I figure I should be able to hit ~10% body fat at around 180-190 lbs. This is my first goal. I want to, for the first time in my adult life, be below 10% body fat.

Once I achieve this goal, then I would like to increase my weight to around 215-225 while staying sub 10% body fat. This is a long term goal.

Along with this I would like to really increase my strength. When I lifted in the past I never really felt strong, probably due to the poor workouts that I was doing. I want to learn to lift properly and heavy.

With all that said I submit to you for your approval my workout and diet plan, all hopefully following in line with the info I’ve gleaned from this site.

Diet(sample day, but most days will likely be very similar).
Pretty much taken from The T-Dawg Diet ver. 2.0
Breakfast
4 whole eggs scrambled, 1 cup Spinach, 1 tablespoon evoo, 1/2 cup oatmeal.

Pre/post work out
1 scoop 0 carb protein powder, small apple pre-workout
1 scoop 0 carb protein powder, 1 orange post-workout.
On off days this will be 1 scoop snack and one fruit(apple or orange)

Lunch
5-6 oz chicken breast, 1 cup broccoli, 1 tablespoon evoo

Snack
1 6.5oz can of tuna, small apple

Dinner
5-6oz. Sirloin steak, 1cup of either broccoli or spinach, 1tablespoon evoo

Snack
1 scoop 0 carb protein

Workout
Basically the Beginner’s Blast Off Program from Shugart’s Dawg School
http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=body_130dawg
Modified for 3 day a week Full body

M-W-F
2 sets each exercise, 10-12 reps, 60-90 seconds rest between sets.

Squats

Pull ups or pull downs(I prefer to do pull-ups but dont know if I can do them for reps at my current level of fitness).

Straight Leg Deadlift

DB Bench press

Bicep Curls

DB Overhead Press

Ab exercise

Lying Skull Crusher

30 minutes walking on treadmill after workout.
30 more minutes walking on road at night.(these walks will be done on off days as well)

Questions

  1. Do I need the oatmeal at breakfast, I seem a little low on daily carbs without it. Best as I can figure I’m clocking in at about 2000-2200 calories a day with this diet depending on whether I’m eating the fruit on lifting days or not eating it on off days…

  2. Would adding 30 minutes of high rep kettlebell swings and/or snatches in place of one 30 minute off-day walk be too much? Would it harm my recovery?

  3. This workout plan includes some isolation exercises. I read on this site in a few places that these exercises aren’t really necessary in a fat loss plan since the possibility to add mass was pretty slim. Would I be better off substituting more complex lifts?

Well, thats my plan, the diet started today and the lifting will start Wednesday. Any advice any of you are willing to give me would be much appreciated. I’m a noob but I’m motivated and open to suggestion.

Pictures to come as soon as I can find the cable for my camera.

Ridge

2

I think you are undereating. I’ve found that these numbers may be a little high, but start at 2800 calories. Gradually reduce your intake every week as you continue to lose weight.

These results will help you to know how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, and the number of calories needed per day to achieve your goal weight in a healthy, steady manner.

You need 3194.1 calories per day to maintain your current weight without exercise.

You need 2941 calories per day to reach your goal weight slowly and maintain that weight without exercise.

If you reduce your current caloric intake to 2694.1 calories per day you will lose one pound per week without exercise.

If you increase your current caloric intake to 3694.1 calories per day, you will gain one pound per week.

Exercise and Calorie Needs

If you exercise for 30 minutes each day, you may increase your caloric intake to 3503 calories per day and still maintain your current weight.

If you exercise for 60 minutes each day, you may increase your caloric intake to 3896.2 calories per day to maintain your current weight.

If you exercise for 30 minutes each day, you will be able to reach your goal weight with 3222.1 calories per day.

If you exercise for 60 minutes each day, you will be able to reach your goal weight with 3579.8 calories per day.

3

Your workout will be fine for 2-4 weeks to get used to the notion of training. After that, I highly recommend trying this
Rippetoe’s Starting Strength

or

Stronglifts 5x5

I just finished 8 weeks of Rippetoe last week with good results. My log is in the Beginner section. Go to the end to see the final numbers.

4

Oh, and welcome.

5

Do that for a month and report back. Also, bust your ass and make it mean something. Consistency is key.

6

1)You’re going to have to find out how you react to carbs. The nice thing about having a strict diet is that you can take things out or add things in and see the results. It just takes time. And listen to TheDude, you want to decrease your calories gradually, not all at once.

2)I’d stick with the walking. Also, try and increase your non-exercise physical activity.

3)Replace the bicep curls and skull crushers with bent over/inverted rows (you have no upper back exercises) and close grip pushups/presses.

7

Thanks for the replies and the welcome.

Thedudeabides, I was just looking over your Rippetoe log and must say I’m very impressed. I think I may start with something similar to what you are doing. How is the Stronglift5x5 beginners program

I ask because it starts with very little weight and progresses quickly, I have no idea about what weights I should be lifting, so this seems like a good way to get started.

As far as the diet goes, I feel pretty good, but you are right, I may be cutting to many calories to begin with, making it harder to stick to. I just need to find a way to add in the calories.

Zagman, thanks for the advice, I intend to stick with it and be as consistent as possible.

Cthrupants, thanks for the response. I’ve never responded well to carbs. I think I may be somewhat insulin resistant and have always been more successful losing weight when i cut down on the carbs. I do need to find something to replace them with though.

According to fitday.com with the oatmeal i’m at:
2155 calories
259g protien
78g carbs
88g fat

8

[quote]Ridge wrote:

Cthrupants, thanks for the response. I’ve never responded well to carbs. I think I may be somewhat insulin resistant and have always been more successful losing weight when i cut down on the carbs. I do need to find something to replace them with though.

According to fitday.com with the oatmeal i’m at:
2155 calories
259g protien
78g carbs
88g fat

[/quote]

Go with nuts, either whole or in natural butters.

To increase your overall calories just bump up the portions of your main food items (ie, 5-6 eggs and 7-8 oz of chicken/beef) and the portions of your green veggies.

Overall, you’ve got a great plan to start from and I think you’re going to do really well with it. Can’t wait to hear about your progress.

9

[quote]
Go with nuts, either whole or in natural butters.

To increase your overall calories just bump up the portions of your main food items (ie, 5-6 eggs and 7-8 oz of chicken/beef) and the portions of your green veggies.

Overall, you’ve got a great plan to start from and I think you’re going to do really well with it. Can’t wait to hear about your progress.[/quote]

Awesome, Thanks.
I’m strongly considering starting with either the novice Rippetoe program or the stronglift5x5, any advice on these would be appreciated.

10

[quote]Ridge wrote:

Awesome, Thanks.
I’m strongly considering starting with either the novice Rippetoe program or the stronglift5x5, any advice on these would be appreciated.

[/quote]

I think either one would be a pretty safe bet for you at this point. Go with what you feel comfortable with.

11

Honestly (not that I would lie to you) either program is good. What’s the ‘big’ difference. Two more sets. They are exactly the same program except Stronglifts adds two sets. You can progress with the same weight and start with the same weight.

If you really aren’t sure of a starting weight, I believe each program suggests starting with the bar (typically 45 lbs) for a set. Too easy? Add more weight. Do this until a 5 rep set starts to get difficult. This becomes your starting weight. Do this for each lift.

Don’t be concerned that you’re not lifting ‘enough.’ You have to start somewhere! Then you’ll be gaining in no time.

12

[quote]Ridge wrote:

Go with nuts, either whole or in natural butters.

To increase your overall calories just bump up the portions of your main food items (ie, 5-6 eggs and 7-8 oz of chicken/beef) and the portions of your green veggies.

Overall, you’ve got a great plan to start from and I think you’re going to do really well with it. Can’t wait to hear about your progress.

Awesome, Thanks.
I’m strongly considering starting with either the novice Rippetoe program or the stronglift5x5, any advice on these would be appreciated.

[/quote]

either or.

I have your avatar as my computer backround, it’s a sweet picture.

13

I agree with the increases in fats. I recently leaned up a bit, and was eating about 30/10/60 macronutrient breakdown (P/C/F)

I was getting about 150g fat, 300g protein, and all of my carbs were from veggies, 1 piece of fruit at brekfast, and Surge PWO (total of less than 100 per day). Totals: about 2900 calories.

Increase cardio (for me it was 3 HIIT sessions + 2 or 3 - 30 minutes steady state sessions), IMO better to increase activity than to cut more calories.

Increase NEPA (non exercise physical activity, cleaning, yard work, shoveling (if snowy), going for walks)

hope that helps.