i joined the fourm a while long while ago, but never posted anything because a week or so later my doctor and caroprator(sp) told me not to do anything phyical for a while. I had a compressed vertabra and a twisted lower lumbar from a car accident.

well approx 3 weeks ago they signed me off to go back to the gym. Over the 3 weeks i have been to the gym approx an avaerage of 3 times a week for approx an hour to an hour and a half.

usally 30 mins in the cardo room, on the bikes and stepper machines. then into the wait room and spent the rest of the time in there.

now when i started going to the gym i got weight and i was 275 lbs of flab and now 3 weeks later i am 280 lbs of fab.

and i am at a loss to why i have gone up after i have worked my ass off.

do you think i am being to egar and should wait a while longer?

i have also noticed that i am a lot more hungry now than i was before i went to the gym, is this normal?

and if i may ask a third question, how much fuild do you guys take in, it may should silly but now i have started going to the gym i am drinking between 7 to 8 litres of water a day.


can any one recomend any routies for me to use in th gym, at present i am just going between the machines that are free, in no perticualr order, they only way i seperate body parts is, one day i will work on legs the other i work on upper body.

First of all, congrats on starting up, I am glad for you that your injury has healed.

You did not mention anything about changing your nutrition. I would direct you to read the stickies in the nutrition topic, and concentrate on that first. Without the proper nutrition, excersize is of limited value for weight loss.

Also, you have to come up with your own routine, some pointers are:

I have found personally that cardio first thing in the morning is great. I started by walking for 30 mins each morning before breakfast, then I started rollerblading during the summer, and more recently I bought an elliptical for the winter time. I am now doing 45 mins of either rollerblades, or elliptical depending on weather each weekday. I also lift 4 nights a week, on a split, for about 45 mins to an hour. This for me has shown the best results. I track my progress using:

scale w/ bf% reading. I take a reading first thing AM, and last thing PM. I find my weight varies between 4 and 7 lbs between readings.
bf% calipers
tape measure (for body measurements in mybodycomp.com).
weekly pictures, this is my favorite!
spreadsheet of all meals
spreadsheet of all workouts, recording time spent, weight lifted failure etc.

This for me allows me to make adjustments, and in as little as a week or two, I know if I am helping or hurting my progress. I have tried things that have done both :-). Basically, you have to figure out what works for you, and starting is the hard part, my other piece of advice is to record as much data as you can. If you are like me, then analyzing that data is fun, and can provide you with great feedback. I write software for a living so this is second nature to me...

I have lost 33 lbs so far, which is not that much, but I feel much, much better, and I know I can easily reach my goal by keeping up what I have been doing. The records of my progress and nutrition help to keep me motivated, and also allow me see historic progress vs. practice.

As far as water goes, I read you should drink bodyweight * 0.66 ounces of water per day. So, for me @ 223, I should drink 1.15 gals per day. I do this consistantly. I have water bottles at home and at work, I also drink tea, and crystal light (counts as water).

thanks for the quick reply matey i was drawing up a few spread sheets are you replyed.

its an absloute mind field out there of what not to do and what you shouldn't do.

the blokes at the gym said i should be taking some sort of protien drink (whey protien) or similar but i am not sure where ir not they just want to make a sale or they want to help me.

Also weight can change during the day. if you consume water, and food then it will make you heavier. Up to 5 pounds IMO. Measure in the mornings after a trip to the lav if your not already. Best time to measure yourself.

Ideally, you should post your dietary plans of attack for:

1) Days you weight train
2) Days you do not weight train

It's impossible to identify errors w/out knowing what you are doing. Surely the way in which you eat differs when your activity does.

~SC~

i have just made up a spread sheet(log) and i will note down everything that i have eaten and done in the gym and will post it in the next few days.

on the days when i am weight training should i take some sort of proten supliment?

on the days when i am weight training should i take some sort of proten supliment?

Bro, protein of ANY KIND, should be a staple of your diet on days you train AND days you don't train. If you wish to mold/shape/change your body, protein is VERY key in all of this. It's the macronutrient that is MOST responsible for change.

I have no doubts that your diet is the reason you are having a hard time, judging by this question you just posed. Not a flame at all, but I see your diet (even before "seeing it") as the major downfall. Good thing you are here to fix that.

Best of luck to you!

~SC~

Yup like swole says, diet is KEY, it's the basis.

I'd say 60% is diet and rest, the rest is done in the gym.

Lifting without a good diet is energy wasted.