Hey y'all! Ok I'm just going to jump right into this. I want to get ripped so badly, and I am dedicating 110% to doing it. I already lost 84 pounds and now I weight 173 with a height of 6'1. I am 19 years old and have all the time in the world to dedicate to doing this. I am kinda skinny but I use that term losely. I still have excess flab but nothing along the line of being fat. I have a Bowflex Ultimate and have been using that since January along with a pretty strict diet. I lost the weight but I haven't gained much muscle. Next week, I will have my Bowflex TreadClimber TC5000 and my Bowflex SelectTech 552 Freeweights. I would put down the exercises that you can do with the freeweights and the Ultimate, but I'm sure the experts on here already know.

My goal is to have this persons exact body size, right down to his legs (the one in the red trunks) here (http://www.webseth.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2666) . That means his broadness/size...heck like I said, EVERYTHING. However, I want to have this persons muscles (in proportion to the person in the first picture's size/broadness and everything else, of course) here (http://www.webseth.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2906) .

I have done the BMI test and it says I should be eating 3349.49 calories a day to maintain :d_eek: . To be able to have the body of the guy in the first picture, I was told to eat 500 calories above that for a total of 3849.49 calories per day :spaz: . Is that even normal?

Please please, would you guys help me out? With the Bowflex Ultimate, the TreadClimber, and the Freeweights...please tell me the routine I would need to do in order to look like that! Those machines cover cardio and weightlifting, so I think that I have all areas taken care of. Also, what kind of diet would I need to go on? Like, what foods will I need to eat and will all the recipies on this website work for me? How often should I work out a certain muscle group? Like I said, I will do whatever it takes to look like how I described above, and am willing to give it 110% :bb: :eat: :tu: ! I appreciate any help!

... I will do whatever it takes to look like how I described above, and am willing to give it 110% :bb: :eat: :tu: ! I appreciate any help!

Then take some initiative and go into the beginner's forums. Read the stickies at the top. Digest the information. Try to formulate a plan for yourself. Come back, post what you've concocted, and we'll critique it and help you learn. We will not spoon feed you a program. We are not personal trainers (well, most of us). We're a collective of self-sufficient, motivated fitness enthusiasts andif you want our help, we expect you to take some initiative for yourself. All of us have...

If you don't learn how to design a program for yourself, you can't maintain the results - and that goes to say that I doubt your ability to achieve the results you want yourself if you're not motivated enough to learn what it takes to design a program to "get you shredded", as you say. Learning and improving your body is part of the lifestyle you claim you want to choose. Therefore you must become self-sufficient and learn how to do this for yourself. It takes time, and can be frustrating and requires patience, time, effort, and faith in your ability to change yourself. For this reason, I believe it's occassionally good to purchase the services of a trainer to help you evaluate where you are, where you're going, and how best to get you there. 97% of what I do I've learned through time, persistence, learning, and application of that knowledge on my own - but a few times, I've consulted outside help. Consider that possibility, too. It's an important investment in maintaining your focus and progress if you ask me.

And if you don't want to be proactive, learn, and take the initiative on your own, perhaps hiring a trainer to guide you would be best. Swolecat from these forums provides a very comprehensive program at a reasonable price anyone can afford and it's guaranteed to get you ripped if you follow his advice to the letter. Many people need that kind of guidance and constant supervision to keep them motivated.

Otherwise, start studying and come back when you're ready to show us what you've learned. We'll help you get your program in line and get you on your way.

Welcome to JSF.... and good luck...

-R

Please please, would you guys help me out? With the Bowflex Ultimate, the TreadClimber, and the Freeweights...please tell me the routine I would need to do in order to look like that! Your best bet is to go through all the "stickies" at the top of each forum. Read those, plan out your goals, training and nutritional plans, then post them here for critiquing.

OR....if you have money to spare, you can look into hiring a personal trainer (such as SwoleCat; See JSF Sponsors list).

EDIT: Yeah, what Bluestreak said. :tu: I guess we posted at the same time.

Mike

I'm sure if you had the discipline to lose 84 pounds, you can get ripped if you really want to. :tucool:

Take Bluestreak's advice - he knows what he's talking about!

What Bluestreak said! Oh, just a heads up. You CAN'T mold your body into the likeness of another unless you're genetically similar. Sorry.

Haha well I know you can't look exactly like somebody else. I was trying to implicate that I would like to have the same mass and size or at least as close as possible. I am working on writing my routine right now as I have read just about everything to the point of nail-biting agony, but I kept with the posts and I think I have caught on to something, so just keep your heads up for a little while as I am going to start writing my routine out as soon as I post this :tucool: !

Losing 84 pounds is a helluva thing, and I'm quite sure you'll be able to get just as ripped as the guy on the pictures if you keep it up.

...so just keep your heads up for a little while as I am going to start writing my routine out as soon as I post this :tucool: !

Rock on. :tucool: If you get hung up or have questions, post away... we'll be here waiting.

-R

Haha well I know you can't look exactly like somebody else. I was trying to implicate that I would like to have the same mass and size or at least as close as possible. I am working on writing my routine right now as I have read just about everything to the point of nail-biting agony, but I kept with the posts and I think I have caught on to something, so just keep your heads up for a little while as I am going to start writing my routine out as soon as I post this :tucool: !

You've got it! :tu:

Ok guys heres is my routine that I think I have down. Again, this is all from what I have understood with reading through the forums so please help me modify it in any way. I even called the YMCA and talked to one of the trainers down there. By the way...I DO NOT want to look like a WWF wrestler or any of that nonsense, but more along the lines of one of those Abercrombie models.


Phase I: Bulk

For 5 days a week, I will wake up and before I eat anything in the morning, I will do cardio for 20 minutes to get my body going. Around noon or so, I will use the freeweights to concentrate on one muscle group per day. In the evenings, I will be using the Ultimate to concentrate on the same muscle group that I worked when I used the freeweights. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I will be eating foods such as whole-grain/wheat cereals, whole-grain/wheat breads, lean cuts of steaks (filet mignon, porterhouse), sweat potatoes, fat free cottage cheese, salmon, tuna, brocolli etc. etc. According to the BMI test, I will need to eat 3349.49 calories a day to maintain, and 3849.49 calories to bulk. So, until I get the size/strength/mass gain that I want, I will be eating 3,849.49 calories per day. During the week (not the weekends) I will be taking Bowflex Muscle Maintenance (http://www.bowflex.com/which/WAcc_Supplements_Stack_Detail.asp?productID=70404&productName=Muscle+Maintenance+Program&linkID=) as directed by the package itself. On weekends, I was told I should rest my body and do only 40 minutes of cardio on Saturday and Sunday. Then, start the process again on Monday through Friday and keep this routine up until I get to where I want to be.

Phase II: Cut

The routine will baslically the stay the same except now in the mornings, I will do 40 minutes of cardio. Also, I will be cutting 500 calories off the 3,849.49 calories that I needed to gain size. I have a feeling though that once I get to the size I want, that number will change so I am just going to go ahead and say that I will cut 500 calories off whatever number I am given to maintain. I will still be taking the Muscle Maintenance supplements from Bowflex the same way I did during the bulk phase, and I will still be eating the same foods. Also, I will be using the freeweights and the Ultimate the same as I did during the bulk. If I understand correctly, this is when the "really ripped" part happens, as opposed to the "ripped" physique that I am supposed to get from the bulk stage.

So, that is what I've put together for myself. It is hard trying to talk to some stoned kid at the Y who is qualified to be a personal trainer and its even harder to model a routine off of some of the people on message boards because I do not totally know what their goal of looking like is. I think I have done a pretty good job of presenting you with an idea of how I want to look and I have spent a lot of time reading up on what I should do. So, please, any advice or help would be greatly appreciated :tu: !

Ok guys heres is my routine that I think I have down. Again, this is all from what I have understood with reading through the forums so please help me modify it in any way. I even called the YMCA and talked to one of the trainers down there. By the way...I DO NOT want to look like a WWF wrestler or any of that nonsense, but more along the lines of one of those Abercrombie models.


Phase I: Bulk

For 5 days a week, I will wake up and before I eat anything in the morning, I will do cardio for 20 minutes to get my body going. Around noon or so, I will use the freeweights to concentrate on one muscle group per day. In the evenings, I will be using the Ultimate to concentrate on the same muscle group that I worked when I used the freeweights. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I will be eating foods such as whole-grain/wheat cereals, whole-grain/wheat breads, lean cuts of steaks (filet mignon, porterhouse), sweat potatoes, fat free cottage cheese, salmon, tuna, brocolli etc. etc. According to the BMI test, I will need to eat 3349.49 calories a day to maintain, and 3849.49 calories to bulk. So, until I get the size/strength/mass gain that I want, I will be eating 3,849.49 calories per day. During the week (not the weekends) I will be taking Bowflex Muscle Maintenance (http://www.bowflex.com/which/WAcc_Supplements_Stack_Detail.asp?productID=70404&productName=Muscle+Maintenance+Program&linkID=) as directed by the package itself. On weekends, I was told I should rest my body and do only 40 minutes of cardio on Saturday and Sunday. Then, start the process again on Monday through Friday and keep this routine up until I get to where I want to be.

Phase II: Cut

The routine will baslically the stay the same except now in the mornings, I will do 40 minutes of cardio. Also, I will be cutting 500 calories off the 3,849.49 calories that I needed to gain size. I have a feeling though that once I get to the size I want, that number will change so I am just going to go ahead and say that I will cut 500 calories off whatever number I am given to maintain. I will still be taking the Muscle Maintenance supplements from Bowflex the same way I did during the bulk phase, and I will still be eating the same foods. Also, I will be using the freeweights and the Ultimate the same as I did during the bulk. If I understand correctly, this is when the "really ripped" part happens, as opposed to the "ripped" physique that I am supposed to get from the bulk stage.

So, that is what I've put together for myself. It is hard trying to talk to some stoned kid at the Y who is qualified to be a personal trainer and its even harder to model a routine off of some of the people on message boards because I do not totally know what their goal of looking like is. I think I have done a pretty good job of presenting you with an idea of how I want to look and I have spent a lot of time reading up on what I should do. So, please, any advice or help would be greatly appreciated :tu: !

#1 - NEVER work the same bodypart twice in the same day!!!!!!!

#2 - The foods you mentioned look decent. Make sure you keep your macros balanced.

I can't comment on the bulking phase as I know nothing about them. Never even attempted one nor do I have plans to do so in the near future.

Cutting, though...

I prefer cardio that is fasted, steady state to preserve muscle. 65%~75% max. heart rate range. Do not exceed the 75% heart rate range (do a search on heart rate and you'll find the formulas to calc this for yourself). Afterwards, make sure your first meal is right after cardio is protein and fat only. This encourages the body to seek stored fat for energy - any carbs you eat after cardio will be burned instead of fat, so avoid carbs for that first meal and for about two hours after cardio.

Weight training... higher reps, lower weight. You don't want to tear the muscle up when you're cutting; you only want to stress it to the point where your body maintains the muscle you already have.

Nutrition... eat five to six times per day, small meals. Center carbohydrates around workouts, before and after. The rest of the day, minimize carbs and utilize fat/protein combination meals. Try to avoid high-GI carbs before bed, but don't eliminate all carbs before bed. A little something won't kill you, and in fact... I think it's a good thing because it give the body something to use for energy that isn't muscle.

It really is that simple. Stick to it and you'll do fine.

-R

Alrighty about the not working the same muscle group in one day. Should I do a full body workout in the evening excluding the muscle group that I worked out earlier that day? Also, I'm not too gym-talk oriented, so can you tell me what exactly macros are haha? How does everything else look? Thanks!!

#1 - NEVER work the same bodypart twice in the same day!!!!!!!

#2 - The foods you mentioned look decent. Make sure you keep your macros balanced.

I agree. Why are you working the same muscle group two times in one day? Your muscles won't recover enough in one afternoon, and it's probably counter-productive. I really think one weight session per day is enough.

And why just one muscle group per day?

Regarding macros, go read the stickies in the beginner's forum. You'll see a bunch of stuff with slashes (40/40/20) and that's the section on macros.

Ok I think I understand more now. I need to have a 40/40/20 protein/carb/fat split. I need to use the freeweights and Ultimate one time a day to exercise one muscle group each day and never the same muscle group within a week. I should do 20 minutes of cardio in the morning to just get my bodys natural fat burning abilities going, but not too much. After 8 weeks, I should take a week off and not work out at all. I think the thing I was a little confused on was the 40/40/20 split. I see now that out of 3,849.49 calories, 40 percent has to come from protein, 40 percent has to come from carbs, and 20 percent has to come from (good) fats. If anybody would like me to post the list of exercises that I can do with the Bowflex Ultimate and the Bowflex SelectTech freeweights, I can so that if anybody would like to give me anymore insight of what kind of exercises I should be doing, they can. I appreciate all of this! :tu:

Wow, you're a fast read!

Ok I think I understand more now. I need to have a 40/40/20 protein/carb/fat split.

Experiment with this. It doesn't have to be 40/40/20. Some people use 50/30/20, others use 30/50/20. Experiment some and see what works best for you.


I need to use the freeweights and Ultimate one time a day to exercise one muscle group each day and never the same muscle group within a week.

Experiment with this, too! Everyone on this board uses a different workout split, some do full-body workouts three times a week, others only work each muscle group one time per week.

Mostly, though, experiment and find what works best with you. Come up with a pretty concrete plan that you can stick to and try it out for a few weeks. Then, tweak as necessary. Give it some time, though, so you can see if it is actually working for you before you go and change everything up.

I would say yes, post exactly what workouts you are doing on what days if you want more specific input from other forum posters.

Alright hey thanks a lot! I am leaving for a little while but when I get back this evening I will post what all exercises I can do on both machines. I haven't really picked any out that I particularly like yet, but maybe I can get some input from everyone as to which exercises they would think are the most effecient.

By the way, this is off topic but as I was going on my diet I think the reason I wasn't gaining muscle was do to the fact I was eating about 1100 calories a day and working off 200-250 of those...maybe more. :o

Wow, you're a fast read!



Experiment with this. It doesn't have to be 40/40/20. Some people use 50/30/20, others use 30/50/20. Experiment some and see what works best for you.




Experiment with this, too! Everyone on this board uses a different workout split, some do full-body workouts three times a week, others only work each muscle group one time per week.

Mostly, though, experiment and find what works best with you. Come up with a pretty concrete plan that you can stick to and try it out for a few weeks. Then, tweak as necessary. Give it some time, though, so you can see if it is actually working for you before you go and change everything up.

I would say yes, post exactly what workouts you are doing on what days if you want more specific input from other forum posters.

Damn, this girl knows what she's talkin' about! :tucool: :claplow:

Weight training... higher reps, lower weight. You don't want to tear the muscle up when you're cutting; you only want to stress it to the point where your body maintains the muscle you already have.


I never heard this before. Seems logical.

Ok guys here are the exercises I can do with the Bowflex Ultimate:

Abdominal Crunch, Ankle Eversion, Ankle Inversion, Barbell Bent Over Rows, Barbell Curls, Barbell Shoulder Shurg, Bench Press, Chest Fly, Cross Triceps Extension, Deadlift, Decline Bench Press, Flat Barbell Bench Press, French Press, Front Shoulder Press, Incline Bench Press, Leg Curl, Leg Extension, Leg Press, Low Back Extensions, Lying Biceps Curl, Lying Cable Crossover, Lying Front Shoulder Raise, Lying Lat Pulldowns, Lying Leg Extension, Lying Prone Leg Curl, Lying Shoulder Pullover, Lying Triceps Extension, Military Press, Narrow Pulldowns, Rear Deltoid Row, Resisted Punch, Resisted Reverse Crunch, Reverse Crunch, Reverse Curl, Reverse Fly, Reverse Grip Barbell Curls, Reverse Grip Pulldowns, Rope Pushdowns, Scapular Depression, Scapular Protraction, Scapular Retraction, Seated Hip Abduction, Seated Hip Adduction, Seated Lat Rows, Seated Lateral Shoulder Raise, Seated Leg Curl, Seated Resisted Crunch, Seated Resisted Oblique Crunch, Seated Shoulder Press, Seated Straight Leg Calf Raise, Seated Triceps Extension, Shoulder Extension, Shoulder External Rotation, Shoulder Internal Rotation, Shoulder Shurg, Single Arm Pushdown, Standing Biceps Curl, Standing Hip Abduction, Standing Hip Extension, Standing Hip Flexion, Standing Lateral Raise, Standing Leg Kickback, Stiff Arm Pulldown, Stiff Leg Deadlift, The Squat, Triceps Kickback, Triceps Pushdown, Trunk Rotation, Wide Pulldowns.


On the Bowflex SelectTech Freeweights:

Leg Exercises: Wide Squats, Calf Raises, Stationary Lunges, Stiff-leg Dead Lift, Reverse Lunge, Side Lunge

Chest Exercises: Flat Chest Press, Incline Chest Press, Flat Fly, Incline Fly, Decline Chest Press

Arm Exercises: Standing Curls, Concentration Curls, Incline Bench Curls, Scott Curls, Overhead Triceps Extension, Triceps Kickback, Lying Triceps Extension, Hammer Curls

Back Exercises: Alternating Rows, Wide Row, Dead Lift

Andominal Exercises: Ab Crunch, Reverse Crunch, Lying Trunk Rotation, Twisting Side Crunch, Lying Leg Raise

Shoulder Exercises: Standing Shoulder Press, Lateral Raise, Seated Overhead Press, Front Raise, Rear Delt Row, Shrugs


Alright guys that covers all of them! Which ones would you all think are the best to do? I know I need to experiment and see for myself, but I thought that I would check on here and see which ones, if any, may be better than others. Also, how many reps would you all reccomend? Should I do, on both bulk and cut, more reps with less weight? Or should I only do that for my cut or bulk?

I think I have the food plan down pretty well...sweet potatoes, brown rice, lean steaks etc. etc. along with the the recipies on here. So, any guidance from you guys on here would be more than appreciated! :bb:

Weight training... higher reps, lower weight. You don't want to tear the muscle up when you're cutting; you only want to stress it to the point where your body maintains the muscle you already have.
-R

If this is the case, why do so many people say that it's possible for a beginner to both add muscle and lose weight simaltaneously?

If this is the case, why do so many people say that it's possible for a beginner to both add muscle and lose weight simaltaneously?

Because it is possible. I believe ANYONE can accomplish this much sought after goal simply by using the correct balance of nutrition and excecise. And that's the clincher! It takes alot of trial and error before you get to know your body well enough to swing this. You might wanna take Blue's advise unless you're willing to put some time and effort in to experiment.

Yes, I really do NOT want to get fat (again) by eating these foods along with my exercise routine. As long as I keep up my routine (that I hope you guys critique me on!!), will I put on more fat than I can burn off? Or, as long as I keep up my routine and eating plan, will everything stay the course? :eat: :bb:

Because it is possible. I believe ANYONE can accomplish this much sought after goal simply by using the correct balance of nutrition and excecise. And that's the clincher! It takes alot of trial and error before you get to know your body well enough to swing this. You might wanna take Blue's advise unless you're willing to put some time and effort in to experiment.

Agreed. Actually, some two years later, I still experience this ability from time to time. And I also believe that low-weight/high-rep training programs do cause hypertrophy, just not as effectively as heavier lifting will create for you. When my program is spot-on, my nutrition is in place and I'm following it to the letter, I'm getting my cardio done properly and I'm lifting and taking my supps as I should, I experience fat loss and muscle growth. I've seen a great deal of this phenomenon over the past 8 months coming off my shoulder injury.

I think it's very possible to build muscle as you lose fat and continue to do so later in your lifting program. It will slow down. And it requires you believe in your ability to do it. You've got to be able to envision yourself doing something before you can actually achieve the goal...

-R

It is good to see that you are taking initiative to meet your goals, we are glad to come along for the ride to keep you on track, but only you can design a program that you will eventually realize works for you. Good job so far.

In terms of lifting, you certainly do not want to work the same bodypart 2x a day (to echo the comments of others). You will not have time to recover and for that muscle to build itself back up.

Hey guys sorry I haven't been back for a while, I've been on a little vacation. I've read and reread what you all have typed and I would just like to say thanks! I do have a couple questions though...

I plan on going upstairs and testing out what exercises I like the best for each muscle group. I've seen a lot of people post their workout routine on here and other message boards, and people tell them what they should do differently such as more/fewer reps with higher/lower weight. I just wanted to see if I post later this evening what exercises I plan on doing, would any of you mind giving me your suggestions?

I was going to ask about an eating plan, but I know my caloric intake to go on a bulk is 3,835.49 and my caloric intake to go on a cut is 3,335.49. I know that once I get to the size I want to be, that cut number will change. I just wanted to ask if I understand this right...as long as I get my required caloric intake, I can eat any of the foods that are good for me, right? I'm talking about the lean steaks, the salmon, fat free cottage cheese, sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole-grains/wheat etc. etc.

Hey, like I said, I appreciate all of this so much...I really wanna give all my buddies a hell of a shock when we all come back home from college and they have their beer/taco bell/mcdonalds/KFC guts and I am on the track to looking like an Abercrombie model. This week I am having to relax my diet that I've susteined for months now (~1200 calories a day...the doctor thought I was crazy when I told him that being a 6'1 19 year old weighing at 173 pounds) due to family coming in and grandmas and great aunts bringing all kinds of Italian food. I figure though while I wait for the new machines to get here, I will have a little over a week to work everything off :flex: Thank ya all so much!

Anybody still out there lol? I am starting the, what I like to call, "pain cut" Monday. For that week, I will eat 3/4 bowl of whole-grain Cheerios with 1/4 cup of milk and a bottle of water for breakfast. For lunch, it will be one slice of Heiners 35 whole-wheat break with the crust cut off, 2 slices of turkey breast, and 1 tablespoon Miracle Whip and a bottle of water. For dinner, it will be 1 Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice and a bottle of water, with lot of water in between those meals. I get around 900-1000 calories a day. When next Monday comes around though, the machines will be here and thats when I start Phase 1 - - the bulk :flex:

Anybody still out there lol? I am starting the, what I like to call, "pain cut" Monday. For that week, I will eat 3/4 bowl of whole-grain Cheerios with 1/4 cup of milk and a bottle of water for breakfast. For lunch, it will be one slice of Heiners 35 whole-wheat break with the crust cut off, 2 slices of turkey breast, and 1 tablespoon Miracle Whip and a bottle of water. For dinner, it will be 1 Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice and a bottle of water, with lot of water in between those meals. I get around 900-1000 calories a day. When next Monday comes around though, the machines will be here and thats when I start Phase 1 - - the bulk :flex:

That's not nearly enough calories - even for a week, I'm concerned you're going to make yourself sick. Actually, if you try that for a couple of days, you'll probably change your mind yourself and decide to eat more food. Starving is no fun!

Too many carbs from refined sources, very little protien. Where are the veggies?

There's tons of sodium in those Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice meals. I'd suggest scrapping them and eating some real food.

You wrote earlier in this thread about understanding the macros. :confused: I say put that knowledge to good use and come up with a week's worth of meal plans!

Think tuna, chicken breast, lean meat, eggs, fresh vegetables, oats, natural peanut butter, etc. Search around the forums and look at others' meal plans.

Good luck! ;)

...I really wanna give all my buddies a hell of a shock when we all come back home from college and they have their beer/taco bell/mcdonalds/KFC guts and I am on the track to looking like an Abercrombie model.

kracker,

Remember this quote. To stick with your program and accomplish your goals you'll need to always know WHY you are doing what you are doing. Is this the only reason? Do you have others?

This is longer term work but it is absolutly necessary to maintaining your motivation AND accomplishing your goals over the long term.

Hey guys sorry I haven't been back lately, a little labor day vacation weekend came up. I read all the new posts and thank you all for responding! Like I said, anytime you have any suggestions please please let me know! I just want to say a few things about a few things:

I figured that I wasn't getting enough calories haha. Actually I knew I wasn't. I am definately going to use the recipies on this website, and if anybody can point me in the direction of any websites with recipies they think are really good please do so! I thought that was a little too much salt in those Lean Cuisine/Healthy Choice dinners. One question though...is diet green tea ok to drink? As in one bottle a day. I know it has 140mg of sodium in it, but I always drink my 6-8 bottles of water a day as well. I also stretch the one bottle of diet green tea out for the whole day, so I'm not drinking it all in one setting. Oh yeah, should I be eating egg whites or the whole egg?

As far as my new diet is concerned...the BMI test still says I need 3,835.49 to bulk up, and I still very much want to have the size and shape that I described in my first post. As long as I eat the right foods and keep up with the exercise routine, I won't turn pudgey (again :d_frown: ) will I? I want to gain size and strength, not fat haha! After I get to the size and strength and mass gain that I want, I will go on my cut...but I'll save that post for another day!

And yes, I have far more reasons than just wanting my college buddies to kick themselves after we all come home. I really want to stay healthy for one! I also really want to be in shape and enjoy a lot more activities that I felt like I was held back from doing when I weighed a lot more. I have motivation for myself coming out of my ears, and that will never change! After seeing the results I have now and looking at clothes that look like sheets now (I went from an XL to a Medium), I will never, ever go back to that!

Oh and as for the routine:

Bulk:
eat 3,835 calories a day 5 days a week (unless instructed otherwise)
20 minutes of cardio in the morning
work out 1 muscle group per day for an hour 5 days a week
on weekends, do 40 minutes of cardio but no lifting

Cut:
eat whatever number of calories the BMI test says to eat after I get my desired size and subtract 500 calories from that (again, unless told otherwise)
40 minutes of cardio in the morning
work out 1 muscle group per day for an hour 5 days a week
on weekends, 40 minutes of cardio but no lifting

Heres another question...what is the best time of the day to work out? I've heard working out during the day is best and I've heard working out at night is best. Is there a difference?


I'll be searching around the forums for a while looking people's eating habbits so I'll be back before too long. Now I just gotta run to foodland and buy me some salmon and eggs.... :tucool:



Oh, and by the way. I'm 19 (basically 20) year-old male that is 6'1. Is 173 pounds too much to weigh to go on a bulk? I'm not fat, just a little "thick" with some extra flab here and there. I have a 31 inch waist and, like I said, I wear mediums in shirts...but from what I've heard, the more muscle I gain, the more the muscle burns that excess fat off. The last thing I want to do is look like a WWF wrestler or Mr. Olympia or anything like that. But if anybody wants to know what I want to look like, just read my first post...nothing too major :tu: