OK, I have been lurking for a while trying to soak up as much knowledge as possible. 21 days ago I started my new life journey of diet and lifting. I started after I saw my best friend from back in high schools before and after pictures. 9 months in and he has gone from dud to stud. I look at his pictures almost daily. My goal is to lose lots of fat and gain lots of muscle and then maintain this new body I will have. My starting point is...
35 year old male
6'0"
237lbs
37% bf electronic scale (almost all in my trunk, limbs are not carring much fat)

I bought a Smith machine but I am using it as a cage and doing free weights and dumbells to work out. Routine so far is a 4 day rotation and I have taken off 3 days so far in a 21 day period. My schedule is varied so the M/W/F routine doesn't work for me. Here is my rotation and routine order...

Back and shoulders
barbell rows
straight arm pullovers
military press
one arm dumbell rows
front raises
lateral raises
shrugs

Legs
barbell squats
dumbell lunges
leg curls
calf raises

Chest and Tricepts
flat bench
barbell troicept kickbacks
Incline bench
dumbell flys
one arm tricept extensions
incline flys
skullcrushers

Bicepts/forearms
standing EZ bar curls
dumbell curls
EZ bar preacher curls
forearm ext
forearm curls

My average daily diet is as follows...

8:30 Protein shake with 10-12 whole plain almonds, tbl of wheat germ, tbl of natural peanut butter and tbl of oats and/or ripe banana (banana is if I do it after work out), 1 cup skim milk, ice. MVI, fish oil, creatine EE caps, ECA
(buy a Magic Bullet) best purchase so far. This little thing ROCKS! I can't live without it. $60 well spent.
12:00 Turkey sandwich on whole wheat with 1/2 sliced roma/plum tomato and a 1/4 of a fresh Claussen dill pickle
3:30 Protein shake made with 1 cup skim milk, shaken and just pounded. ECA
7:00 varies but noramlly a chicken breast with 1/2 cup cooked plain brown rice and wild rice mixed together and 3 tbl of black beans
(sometimes this is 4-5 small 1in x 2in slices of pork tenderloin or 1/2-1 thin cut broiled pork chop with gailic on top or small bowl of ground turkey chili with kidney beans), Fish oil
10:30 Protein shake made with 1 cup of milk, shaken and just pounded.
(occationally substitute 3oz of beef jerkey)

Day 21 stats
231 lbs
34% bf (electronic scale)
pants loose and fallng off (fell off completely once when I was carring groceries in) but didn't measure.
strength and muscle coordination markedly improving daily (but I am still pretty weak in my opinion).

I have roped my wife into all of this and she is very happy and also improving. She is only 5'3" and 135 so much better baseline.
I am using ECA (I know, don't bother with that lecture) and it is keeping cravings away and so far zero cheats. I don't even know what my numerical goals should be so I haven't made any. I have taken before pictures from all angles and have been documenting everything except food diary.

Glaring weaknesses...

Cardio-- (Hate the gym, don't have cardio equipt at home, maybe HIIT outside and let the suburban neighbors look out their windows and laugh at me)

Abs--My next thing to start on

Better long acting protein at night--recommendations???

Anything else???

Any and all help is greatly appreciated. I read other newbies help requests and you all do us a great service. TIA

Jason

Looks pretty good from here... congratulations on your first few weeks.

Don't stress too much about the food log or the exact numbers... you are doing great already... if you hit a plateau at some point you can get deeper into the details.

1) Try cottage cheese for your last meal... casein proteins (like in dairy) take the longest to break down.

2) Don't worry about what the neighbors think... try running or riding a bike if you have one... I hear good things about jumping rope, although I'm too uncoordinated.

3) Definitely start on the abs... even though you can't see them yet, when you get there you'll be glad you did.

Cardio-- (Hate the gym, don't have cardio equipt at home, maybe HIIT outside and let the suburban neighbors look out their windows and laugh at me)
Put that thought right out of your mind. It is ridiculous. Nobody EVER laughs at a guy who's jogging and, unlike them, trying to IMPROVE his physical state. I know the feeling, but it is a completely unsubstantiated fear that undermines your plans to stop being fat. Just suck it up, you'll see that it's not quite as terrible as you expected, and above all, you will have the last laugh ;).

Thanks for your help. i bought a tub of cottage cheese and added a slice of fresh pinnapple and 2 strawberries but for me it is not palateable. i bought a jump rope after your recommendation and am gong to try cardio with this. It is a GoFit one and comes with a CD that is supposed to give you some routines. Promising! I am thinking of getting some Micellar Casein power and using this at night instead of whey or cottage cheese.

I coppied this post to the "cutting" section because I thought it might be a little more appropriate.

Again thanks everyone for your critiques and your advise.

Jason

How much water are you drinking?

It's look pretty good, but I would try to add some oatmeal in your plan. It will make a great addition to your diet.

Also does everyone think he needs to add more solid foods and less shakes?

I put about 1-1.5 tbl of oatmeal in my AM Shake. Should I do more and if so what meal should I add it? Will the oatmeal make it take longer or make it harder to get the fat off my body?

As far as water I drink about 2-3 liters a day (used to pee 3 times a day, now more like 7). I have eliminated all soda and alcohol. I will occationally have crystal light.

Boy, that cottage cheese is nasty no matter what I use with it or how many times I try it. I can't tolerate tuna or any fish for that matter so that is out as a protein. Phillydude, you mentioned Casin protein like cottage cheese and next week I am going to order some more Whey and saw Casin powder at All the whey and was thinking about getting that for last meal/shake. Good idea or bad?

Jason

OK, after lots of help these are the changes I have made. I stopped putting milk (water now), nat PB, almonds, and banana in my PWO shake. I increased my oatmeal in the PWO shake to 1/4-1/2 cup. I have bought Dex and will start adding this as well (still not quite sure how much but will feel this out I guess).

I am going to get casin powder for night time shake and add cottage cheese and nat PB and/or almonds.

Thanks again for everyones help and advice. If you think there is anything else I should or shouldn't be doing feel free to let me know. :tu:

Jason