Fitness And Nutrition General

Out of curiosity, how are you measuring this?

A scale? And my eyes and my hands? And my smaller waist? I pay close attention to my progress especially in regards to my few remaining "trouble" areas.

Onorgul, I tend to agree with you, but as you and I both know, there are always exceptions to the rule. We are both speaking in the general sense based on what the "studies" show - but the reality is that those claims may or may not be targetting towards the same group of people.

Personally, I eat breakfast every morning and never miss it (eggs, sometimes egg whites, quick protein shakes etc, grapefruits), whereas a friend of mine does I-fasting. He has lost a crapload of weight, but he's not really lean, and he's not strong in the weight room either. He looks "in shape", but he's just lost the fat. I personally feel breakfast is really what jump starts your metabolism and energy for the day. Having the right balance can either make you really moody or really alert and at ease. This also depends on whatever multivitamins you may or may not be taking, but the concept applies the same. At the risk of sounding cliche, breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. I can personally attest to this.

And then theres the other side of the coin, people who do not eat breakfast who will swear by it as well and have the proof to back it up (my friend is a local case of this). I guess I'll just end by saying that my personal opinion or scientific claims can never tell you or anyone else what works for you and your body. Everyone is different, and blanket claims do not tend to tell the whole story.

I remember reading an article from Terry Crews about what he does from day to day. He mentioned that when he wakes up, he eats an apple only, hits the gym HARD AS EVER, and then finishes with a protein shake. Dude is jacked, has insane genes, and has a great routine and regimen. Then you have guys like Dwayne Johnson who do eat balanced breakfast (depending on role, but i recall his interviews saying he did eat well in the morning). (edit) Both are jacked freaks of nature, but they have a different eating and training programs.

My point is everyone is going to be different, and what works for one may or may not work for another. The key is to experiment with different techniques and routines and find what works for you and your body type, and then adjust accordingly. I don't think there is a definitive x = y rule when it comes to breakfast/fasting (edit) unless you are trying to accomplish something specific.

This is the important part of pretty much any discussion. What works anecdotally for some people can, usually, be tracked down to something along this line. I'm personally one of those freaks who still adds muscle while cutting, for instance, but I don't mince words and suggest that it's remotely normal.

If breakfast works for you, whether that's steak-and-eggs or Pop Rocks and Pepsi, go for it. For my money, my performance completely bottoms out with much of anything in my stomach, especially in the mornings. I tried to eat in the morning and seeing my cruising speed on my bike drop by a consistent 20% was proof enough for me.

Complete polar opposite here :D

I go to the gym on an empty stomach, I could die. I get more productive exercise when I eat before I go. Friend of mine is exactly like you. He won't go to the gym if he ate within the past hour or two. Says it makes him feel sluggish.

Back in high school, I ran track. If I had much more than an apple at lunch, I could expect to cramp and be miserable at track practice. That's probably what inadvertently caused me to end up on an intermittent fasting schedule before the term ever became well-known (or possibly before it was coined?). Dunno what it is, but my body has made it clear that food is for recovery, not preparation.

Depends on the workout you're doing and the foods your eating before you workout.

If I'm doing cardio, HIIT, or anyting that will keep my heart rate high then I will avoid food. Cardio + food = I want to puke sensation

If I'm doing strictly weights weights though I definitely eat a good meal with some good complex carbs about 1.5~ hour before my workout.

I try to do all my workouts fasted but if I'm running fossil park at night and working out in the day; I'll aim to have an empty stomach at the time I hit the obstacle course (which generally ends up being both workouts fasted as I like to aim my 18th hour of fast right at the time I'm finishing up Fossil Park)

also on day 4 of my first week of 6 days/week weights; so far so good. Did better on day 4 on the same lifts as I did on day 2 (weighted pulls ups I got 3 sets of 5 today with something I got 1 set of 5, 1 set of 4, and 1 set of 3 on Tuesday)

Yeah, even pure strength stuff like weight-lifting suffers if I've eaten recently. No threat of vomiting, though, just rapid exhaustion that seems way out of line with the energy my guts need to process food.

Related note: I habitually avoid weight-lifting, anyhow. If I'm going to lift up heavy things, it's because I'm unloading a truck or helping someone move or something. Just counting off how many times I lift something does not motivate me remotely like a visual marker. If I magically had a backyard and a bunch of cannonballs or something, I could see myself spending half an hour every day or two building them into a pyramid in one corner, then the other. I can lift 50 lbs. repeatedly for 4 hours and not even notice the time provided I'm doing something like loading a truck, but 2 minutes hoisting a 25 lb. dumbbell feels like a lifetime. Anyone else like this?

I personally found myself plateauing on a lot of exercises without eating a good meal prior to weights. :/

On a side note

Nope! I'm so "in the zone" on my pre-work with my playlist full blast. The only thing I hate is cardio! Just so I get my cardio in I've started bicycling to the gym 2-3x a week.

Neg; I enjoy it, so time flies

You guys are brutal! I need some carbs or I am not pushing big weight.

I'm revising my workout regimen and wanted to get some suggestions. I want to focus on my biceps and traps, at the same time not ignoring my other muscle groups.

Monday- Back/shoulders
Tuesday- Legs
Wednesday Chest/Triceps
Thursday-Biceps
Friday-Legs
Saturday-Chest/Biceps
Sunday-off

I'd put just a little extra bicep work into your Day 1 back workout and then just rest on Thursday. My back workout only consists of doing a massive amount of pullups followed by 3-4 sets of bent over rows with a straight bar. After back workout, I keep it light weight but very high reps with perfect form for biceps. I don't do anything more complicated than a simple bicep curl with the EZ Curl bar. For the last couple months until two weeks ago I was working out on a five day schedule.

Day 1 - Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
Day 2 - Legs/Calves
Day 3 - Back/Biceps

then rest 2 days and repeat. I was very pleased with my results.

Working your back works the hell out of your biceps. I think you will benefit a lot more from the extra rest than having a day for just biceps. I don't think they need it. Your shoulders can also really use the extra rest. They are involved in practically everything you do in the weight room.

Monday- Back/shoulders/biceps
Tuesday- Legs/Calves
Wednesday Chest/Triceps
Thursday-off
Friday-Legs/Calves
Saturday-Chest/Biceps
Sunday-off

So something like this? I'm trying to focus on my traps so that's why I was doing back/shoulders together focusing on shrug exercises.

Up right rows and shrugs Bacon!

No wonder my workouts have gone to ***. Just tried to give blood today (first time in a while); tested 10.0g/dl for my iron (lowest I've ever personally tested).

Couple that with my recent insomnia (been getting 5-6 hours of sleep a night, but in sets of 2ish hours at a time. Wake up after 2-3 hours and takes about an hour to fall back asleep).

Well that sucks; but makes sense. Bike rides I was able to do with relative ease have become a taxing task

Everyone lifts differently, but I just wanted to share a perspective with lifting push/pull workouts.

Most people decide to combine Chest with Shoulders/Triceps, Back with Bis, Hams with legs, etc. I even have been doing this for a while (since i started many years ago), until one of the bodybuilding guys at my gym advised against doing this, claiming that you generally wont be able to get a good tricep workout (or shoulders) if you do it on the same day as your chest, since indirectly, you're working those muscles anyways (push workouts). The same applies to biceps/rows/back workouts, or Hamstrings/Quads.

I didn't really believe him, but I can see his logic. Plus, he's jacked, so I'm humble enough to try it out for a while.

I just recently started doing opposing movement workouts so that by the time I get to the smaller muscles, im not completely worn out (i tend to go really heavy on back and chest, so my biceps and triceps are DONE by the time im ready to hit them).

Like I've always said, try what works for you. I'll let you all know in a few workouts if I think they have been more productive doing them push/pull as opposed to pull/pull & push/push. But I was just sharing a different way of hitting the muscle groups and passing along information that may be useful to your lifts.

Happy lifting!

Ok, well, I've delayed and debated posting here for a long time trying to get feedback on my current workout, but given I've more or less plateaued on weight loss, I'll throw in here.

I generally workout 4-6 days a week, depending on my schedule. I tend to cram a lot of things into my day, so exercises vary a bit.

I generally avoid freeweights as I'm not trying to bulk up, but rather lose weight. But at the same time, I know more muscle mass can help burn calories better. To that end I generally go with weight machines + cardio (also, weight machines are harder to screw up).

General day at the gym takes me right around an hour, a little north or south depending on how crowded it is, and I generally try to follow this routine:

1. 5-10 minute brisk walk on treadmill to warm up a bit (~3.5 MPH).

2. Varies depending on day/time. Alternate between A/B, generally get in 1 day of C per week, though I try for 2 if I have time:

a. lateral arm lift, bicep curl, rowing, chest press, "twisting machine" (I forget if it has a better technical name), leg press

b. Ab cruch machine, shoulder press, lateral/pectoral fly, tricep press, leg extension, leg curl

c. all of the above

3. 20-30 minutes interval training on stationary bike depending on A/B vs. C

4. 5-10 minute cooldown on the treadmill at at slower speed (2.5-3 mph) starting at a higher incline and decreasing to flat by the end.

I've been considering this my goal. My diet is definitely a weak point, as most diets just make me angry and you can't stick with something you hate reliably. I engage in pretty good portion control, however, for the most part. Any given day my caloric intake is somewhere between 1800-2300 calories. Probably pushing 2500 on weekends w/ some alcohol thrown in. I do work a sedentary job. I am also on an SSRI, which probably isn't helping in the weight department, but is necessary otherwise.

Reccomendations for change beyond "more"? To be honest trying to stick to this schedule is already brutal on my time management though I've been trying my damndest because I really do want to lose some weight. I started at 297 around the beginning of November. I'm hovering around 283-286 for the past six weeks or so. Just doesn't seem to want to budge lower. (If it helps give you a frame of reference at all, I was around 270 when I started the SSRI about two years ago. My BMI is not entirely indicative of my overall fitness/etc., as my frame is a bit odd and I've got some pretty good muscle mass going in my legs.)

Calories in vs calories out, really. Gotta eat big to get big. You're not going to get bulky without a decent increase in your calories. I wouldn't avoid free weights. They're better for weight loss, too, than machines

Free weights will work more muscle groups, which in turn will burn more calories. While you will add more mass than machines, it's not going to make you bulky in any sense of the word.

Free weight squats during your workout, followed up by cardio is great for burning calories for example.

Aside from that, will definitely take work on the diet portion; and possibly increasing the intensity of your cardio

Unless you have hypothyroidism, I'd have to say that your calorie counts must be off. At your weight, even laying in bed 24 hours a day, you should be losing fat if you are really eating 1800 calories. The fact that you're doing dedicated cardiovascular exercise multiple days a week moves it into the realm of impossibility.

Have you had a physician check you out? I remember reading about one of the Biggest Loser contestants who has had to work like a machine just to stay at a reasonable weight and it turned out to be hypothyroid that was the culprit.

The fact that you're on an SSRI really confuses me, too. Many people with a tendency to overeat tend to have low serotonin. There's a complicated reason for this, but suffice that if your SSRI is helping with the problem you need it for, it should also reduce overeating. That's not to say that serotonin is a miracle lose-weight chemical, by the way.

I dunno, based on what you've said, it's either a metabolic problem or you're eating more than you realize. 1800-2300 should be plenty to prevent you slipping into starvation mode but should be enough that you lose weight. Something definitely sounds janky.

Not hypothyroid. My TSH gets checked yearly and has never been out of whack. None of my other bloodwork is off either. In fact, it's about as close to perfect as you're going to get in most people. I've also had several cardio studies done due to family history and all have been fine.

Though it's funny, because my wife is hypothyroid and has commented several times that I've got symptoms as such. As far as the SSRI...well, it's helping what it was prescribed to help. That's not to say it's fixing everything.

It's possible the calorie count is off. But shouldn't be by drastic amounts. I did say "between" 1800-2300. It's closer to the high end most days, but I do have 1-2 days a week where I keep things minimal.

Everything he says here is on point.

Free weights are not your enemy, they are Frenemies :)

They take a little more stabilizing and balance/coordination to use, but the payoff is great. You will be able to burn more fat the more muscle mass you have. Also, I think adding some time to your cardio and some excitement to that area would definitely help. For instance, something like box jumps, burpees, or jumping jacks will do wonders for your fitness. Calisthenics is really a great avenue to turn to for fat loss.

If you still don't like free weights, body-weight exercises can assist (though may be a bit more difficult to get accustomed to).


Either his calories are off, or he's eating 1800 calories worth of complete junk. Calories in/out doesn't always tell the whole story, especially without knowing this individual's metabolism. If he's eating junk like pork, loads of bread/cards etc but burning at least that amount, he'll likely lose nothing. but you're right, there is something else going on here that we're/you're probably know aware of or telling.

Hmm. Can give free weights a go. I don't know. That side of the gym is always super-imposing with the amount of people over there and me not knowing a whole lot about it.

A significant portion of my calories do come from carbs. That's true. Minimal pork intake; once in a great while. Meat wise I eat chicken breast. Beef is nearly always sirloin or ground sirloin. I'm not trying to hide that my diet is at least partially out of whack, though. I enjoy some foods too much and the alternatives not enough. (Pasta, potatoes of all stripes (yes including fried),). But as I said, I keep portions in pretty good check. And I'm not eating those things exclusively by any means.

eh screw them; anything you don't know, look up.

This site is a great resource. Breaks down exercises by body part/region; has a .gif of the exercise being done, and fully explains them.

Between this and youtube, you should be good to go (and if you still need help, shoot me a PM)

http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBFullSquat.html

Sounds like you're afraid of dietary fat, Ramyrez. Don't be. You want to limit it just because it provides double the calories-per-gram you'd get from carbohydrate or protein, but it is not only healthy, it is essential.

But that still shouldn't have an effect. Although it would be stupid to do so, 1800 calories' worth of pure sugar should still result in weight loss at your weight and any activity level. You should try rebalancing to add in a bit more protein and try to reduce carbs, especially the more refined stuff like pasta.

If you're really certain about your calories, maybe try being a little more strict and staying closer to 1800 than 2300. 500 calories is a typical amount by which people reduce (it equates to a pound a week on paper), so it might just be that you're floating in a bad spot.

I really do think something else is in play, though. 2300 should be below your basal metabolic rate at your weight (unless you're 7' tall and 15 years old, anyhow), so with you going to the gym and working a full-time job, you ought to be losing weight, even if just slowly.

Ramyrez, I implore you, please do not ever feel like that. If you are in any gym not named Planet Fitness, most guys who appear to be the biggest meatheads and jerks would be glad to coach you and assist you if you have any questions or issues. I used to feel the same way with people when I first started, but now im on the opposite end. Whenever I see people who are lifting wrong or who don't appear to know what they are doing, I'll help them out a little without being invasive.

Most people would rather help you lift and train properly than watch and laugh at you. Of course there are always some, but give it a shot.

Like Tiger said, reading, youtube, or simply watching someone else train can help you in your form and otherwise. Or you could just ask someone behind the counter that you are kind of new to free weights and want someone who can assist you for a moments while you learn the ropes.

Or bring someone along with you. Or ask someone nearby if they can give you a hand with this or that. People in the gym aren't as intimidating and a-hole-ish as planet fitness commercials tend to make people think.

You can also consider making some slight changes to your meals. If you want to see a little improvement, replace foods with healthier alternatives. For instance, instead of cereal in the morning, do oatmeal. You can replace white rice with whole grain. Or rice with baked potatoes. Eliminate pork from your diet if you can, and eat more fish and chicken as alternatices. You can also eliminate processed foods and sugar completely from your diet, if only for one week. So thinks like soda, sweetened iced tea, anything besides water, don't drink. Use lemon crystals or juice to supplement taste. Eat fruits instead of drinking sweetened beverages. Completely stay away from any sugar alternatives and anything with aspertame in it (my opinion). Even things like mayo, replace with something like mustard, or nothing at all. Small changes add up to the bigger picture.

Try that for 7 DAYS max. If you feel like dying completely, then you can adjust accordingly. but I would recommend making some minor changes in your meals to see if that helps. Take baby steps with this, because eating clean and exercising correctly is a process.

Well, I've been meaning to schedule a doctor's appointment for a few weeks here for a couple things, this being one of them. So we'll see I guess.

I'm familiar with the various types of fats, but when you say "dietary fat", to what specifically are you referring?

I generally eat a handful of almonds or greek yogurt daily. I use butter sparingly (things like toast). I'm not big on fish. I hate salmon. Which is a problem, because damn near every "healthy" diet plan you look up throws a salmon dish at you once a week at least.

If I were to pick apart my own diet, I'd say areas that could use to be further cut are carbs (bread, pasta), alcohol and bad fats.

Ideally I'd like to cut fried food out entirely from a nutrional standpoint. But there's also the psychological standpoint of the brain that will kill a man for a chicken wing if it goes long enough without it. Normally friend food from a restaurant is a once a week thing, though I will do potatoes tossed in a little olive or canola oil in the oven as well.

For a while the regular, slow weight loss was happening just fine, at about 1-2 lbs a week, which was what I was told to expect with reasonable adherance to the describe regimine. But it's just fallen off.

Alcohol is considered "naked calories". They do nothing nutritionally for you, they exhaust your calories, and end up making you hungry. This is especially true of Beer. Try to wean yourself off of it for a few weeks if you can, or just limit yourself to one per week or so.

Cut bread, bagels, pasta, rice... any of these carbs: limit them or remove them completely. They are helpful in some very limited ways, but not for you during weight loss (unless you're eating good carbs after an intense workout, then by all means).

Fried foods are also something to try to tame. Grill your food if you can. Cooking your own food will in more ways help you, as opposed to buying and eating out. Junk food (bad fats) - again, naked calories. they make you hungrier and add nothing of use to what you are trying to achieve.

1-2 lbs a week may seem like a change, but generally that could just be water weight. Or I could be wrong. Some people have lost very little weight, but have successfully converted 20lbs of fat into muscle, so they look leaner.

ask yourself: are you trying to lose weight (as in sheer numbers) or are you trying to lose fat, improve muscle and physique/tone? Because depending on what you're trying to do, there is a difference.