Hi, I've been browsing through the forums and I've finally decided to post.

Here's my story (its pretty long)...

2 and a half years ago, I was 265lbs at 5' 8" -- yeah, I know... very obese. Anyways, I was so depressed and got the courage to change and do something about my unhealthy lifestyle.

I did 3-4 hours of cardio everyday (in the treadmill at most)! Split sessions 2 hours in the morning (sometimes fasted), 2 hours mid afternoon and 1 hr at night (some days) -- . Also, I did a bit of weight lifting every other day... a year later I was at 185lbs! That's 80lbs lost in a year... I'm like, "wow!", I haven't been in that weight in quite a while. Unfortunately, I was mostly flab and loose skin.

It didn't last long and 6-8 months afterwards I got back up to 235lbs! (Now today, I'm 225lbs) Because I became lazy and ate like a damn horse. However, I was lifting a lot more beforehand (3-4x a week) and TRIED HIIT, BUT with poor nutrition.

I learned a lot browsing through here and bb.com and got my nutrition in order (10x the body weight, and eating 5-6x a day now) --which got me down to 225 from 235 after 3.5 weeks.

This was my previous workout:
Monday: 8/9am Weights (arms and back) 5X5
7/8pm Cardio for 1hr (at ~75%) 1hr after dinner

Tuesday: 8/9am Cardio for 1hr (at ~75%) Fasted
7/8pm Cardio for 1hr (at ~75%) 1hr after dinner

Wednesday: 8/9am Weights (legs and abs) 5X5
7/8pm Cardio for 1hr (at ~75%) 1hr after dinner

Thursday: 8/9am Cardio for 1hr (at ~75%) Fasted
7/8pm Cardio for 1hr (at ~75%) 1hr after dinner

Friday: 8/9am Weights (lats and back) 5X5
7/8pm Cardio for 1hr (at ~75%) 1hr after dinner

Saturday: 8/9am Cardio for 45min (at ~75%) FASTED

Sunday - OFF

Lost ~10lbs in 3.5 weeks doing the above routine.

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My current workout goes like this (which all occur in the morning 8/9am) after taking in advice that I did too much and too long cardio:

Monday: Weights (back/arms) 7x5 1hr after breakfast

Tuesday: Cardio 45min (~75%) 2hrs after breakfast

Wednesday: Weights (legs/back) 7X5 1hr after breakfast

Thursday: Cardio 45min (~75%) 2hrs after breakfast

Friday: Weights (lats and back) 7X5 1hr after breakfast

Saturday: Cardio 45min (~75%) 2hrs after breakfast

Sunday: OFF (should I add 45min cardio?)

Would this routine be better for me? My goal is to lose ~40+lbs in 6 months... Is it possible? Would my previous routine work best? If I stick to my current workout, it just doesn't seem right -- I don't really feel weak afterwords (i'm actually pumped up).

Thanks for reading!

EDIT: Also, I drink ~1.5gal of water a day.

Not to start up another debate, but is there a reason why you are not able to do cardio before breakfast?

jason

Not to start up another debate, but is there a reason why you are not able to do cardio before breakfast?

jason


Nope, but as I said before -- its a current plan I have. I haven't really started doing it yet (which is why I'm askin' for more input).

I see what you're sayin' though.

Thanks for the reply! :tu:

Moderation in all things, my friend -- even fitness. I would guess the second program will work much better for you. Here's why.

Your body will have negative affects if you work it too much or too little. If you work it too little (sit on the couch all day, eat chips and soda) it can only do one thing with all those extra calories -- store them as fat, which is a cycle -- your metabolism goes down, which causes you to store even more fat than before. You know about that.

If you work it too much (excercise all day, every day, low calorie intake, etc.), there's big problems, too. Your body will think you are in an age of famine, or in a time when you have lots of emergency physical exertion that you have no choice about. When your body sends messages that say, we need a rest -- and you keep going -- not enough rest, you're sending a message back to your body saying, we're in crisis mode here. In crisis mode, your body will respond by getting rid of muscle, your metabolism goes down (even though you're excercising!).

Another way to think of it is this way -- the calories you burn during excercise are very few compared to the calories you burn outside excercise. Your goal in excercise is not to burn calories -- it is to condition your body so that it will burn more calories when you are not excercising -- does this make sense? You want to condition your body so that it is happy to burn calories -- in order to make this happen, you have to rest adequately so that your body does not think you are in a crisis.

I say -- go with the second program over the first. Moderation in all things is a good guide, I think.

Keep us posted on your progress -- what is your goal now? 185?

Just wondered.. how did you keep yourself busy during all those endless hours of cardio?

Just wondered.. how did you keep yourself busy during all those endless hours of cardio?


I know you weren't asking me... but... I read books (hold them in front of me) or magazines (prop them up on the machine)... when I don't feel like reading I watch the TV's at the gym... these things keep your mind busy and you don't notice the time go by ;-)

Williamso: Yes, thanks for the feedback -- moderation is sound advice. As for my goal, I hope to get to 185lbs after 6-7 months.

Just wondered.. how did you keep yourself busy during all those endless hours of cardio?

I have an mp3 player w/hundreds of songs that really pushes me... I get into a trance and then before I realize it its been 30min already -- pretty weird.

I know you weren't asking me... but... I read books (hold them in front of me) or magazines (prop them up on the machine)... when I don't feel like reading I watch the TV's at the gym... these things keep your mind busy and you don't notice the time go by ;-)

Man, I could not do that... Its like reading a book while travelling -- I get dizzy and my eyes tend to hurt.


Thank you all for the replies! I'll probably use this same thread to post my progress.