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2009/02/02, 10:51 PM
Hi,
I am about to embark on a new fitness program and I am not exactly sure in which direction to go because I have various concerns that I wish to address with this program.
About 5 years ago, I lost about 100 pounds over the course of a year through diet and cardiovascular exercise--no pills, no crazy crash diet. I just learned how to eat and how to move. I learned that for me to be in moderately good shape, I need to avoid sugar and white flour and this has more or less worked for me since. I have since gained some weight back but I am certainly far away from the unhealthy state I was in.
I have tried several times to begin lifting weights but various programs I have tried did not work for me. I did not see many results from my first attempts and in subsequent attempts, I was troubled by the fact that I would very quickly put on a great deal of mass from lifting. And this mass accrual occurred without the use of any kind of supplements. I became worried that I was becoming fat again, my waistline was expanding, and my clothes were not fitting properly anymore.
This time, I want to bring more patience, intensity, and work ethic to the gym but I want to do it the smart way. I also want to learn to love lifting weights in the same way that I love running and swimming and rowing.
So I hope that some of you can give me good food for thought on how to approach my problems. Bear in mind that I am willing to take the time to do this the right way. I am living in a situation where I am more easily able to control my diet. I find when I live alone, it is far easier to control my diet and I do not find myself feeling hungry or frustrated with healthy options.My diet is presently quite good with limited meat intake, a lot of beans, lowfat yogurt, oatmeal and brown rice.
Problem # 1: Saggy chest
I have a fair amount of fat and some skin on my chest. I really would like to improve the aestehtic appearance of my chest although I am not expecting any miracles. I would say that I would need to expand the size of my pectorals considerably to fill out the skin and get rid of the fat. Any advice on how to do this? I know that spot reduction is not a possibility. But interval cardio training, rowing, pushups plus what kind of weight training program would help me reach this goal?
Problem # 2 Mass
I would say that I am by nature, a large-framed individual. I will never be thin and super-cut but I have the potential to look good, strong, and powerful. I could probably stand to lose 20-30 pounds. Since I have this extra weight, does it mean I should not be embarking on a mass building program? But don't I need to build mass to solve problem#1? And since I am a large man, does that mean I should avoid taking supplements ala whey protein or glutamine?
Problem # 3 Supplements
Are there any supplements that would help me in reaching these specific goals? I do not have a lot of money after paying for a gym membership and other monthly expenses but I will invest the money if it will help me see the kind of results I want.
I am hoping that some of the posters here can help me move in the right direction. If anyone has any follow-up questions they would like to ask (if I forgot to include important information), I would be happy to do so.
I am set to meet with a personal trainer tomorrow and so along with your advice, I hope I can address my concerns.
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2009/02/03, 05:25 PM
Well first off, you need to decide what goals you are lifting for. Is it gonna be tone or mass? There's not really any natural way to get big gains in both areas at the same time. If it's tone you are looking for, then your diet is gonna have to be really clean and your over-all daily intake of calories will have to be less than you burn throughout the day. If it's mass you want, then you will need to take in more calories(try starting around 500)than you burn throughout the day. A clean diet is still preferable.
As for lifts, your best bet is compound movements for either goal for, over all improvement. Start with a compound movement, then add isolation movements as desired.
Don't get too wrapped up with supplements. Definitely have a good multi-vitamin for either goal. When cutting weight, maybe a pure whey protein shake post workout. When bulking, creatine and a good weight gainer shake post workout. But I suggest seeing what you can do before trying any supplements.
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2009/02/03, 11:42 PM
Thanks for the advice.
I met with the trainer today and the workout we did was interesting. We mostly worked with a medicine ball doing modified push-ups, throws, crunches, etc. I felt good from it and my chest was torn up by the workout (in a good way!)
He recommended that I concentrate on losing some weight with 4-5 cardio sessions a week and no more than 3 strength training sessions.
I am inclined to agree with with him. I do feel I need to drop this extra weight (again) before I think about putting on lean mass.
What do you think of his assessment?
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2009/02/04, 12:30 PM
I think that if you're going to drop the weight first, then he's got you on the right path. Make sure to ask a lot of questions, and learn as much as you can. If he's worth his salt as a trainer, he'll be educating you along the way, and working himself out of a job.
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2009/03/18, 09:59 AM
Hi,I have recently stopped smoking. I'm 41 years, 6ft tall and went from 140 lbs to 160 lbs. I don't want to lose any weight, I just want to get rid of the rolls that I have and tone my abs, bottom, legs and arms. I'm not sure what would be best for me to accomlish my goal.
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