I found this site today (thanks Men's Health Forums). I'm really glad it found it. I've been jumping around this website like a kid in a candystore. Now I need to focus and need your help.

Here's my challenge:

190 lbs 5'4" at worst (no exercise) 7 yrs ago
190 lbs 5'4 but now:
strentgh training 3-4 days a week
running 3-4 days a week 12-16 miles
kickboxing 3 days a week



I think I eat better than the average American male (present company excluded if you're reading this). No fast food (ever), fruits and veggies and sensitive to protein intake. I drink water regularly.

I don't know how much of my weight which hasn't changed is lean muscle and how much is excess fat.

Many of you have found this site to be a gift that motivates you everyday.

Where did yo begin? How did you know what would work for you given all the different body types here?

I am so motivated right now, but don't know where to begin. There is a wealth of information here, but where do I begin?

How did you start?

Thanks.

Marc

I found this site today (thanks Men's Health Forums). I'm really glad it found it. I've been jumping around this website like a kid in a candystore. Now I need to focus and need your help.

Here's my challenge:

190 lbs 5'4" at worst (no exercise) 7 yrs ago
190 lbs 5'4 but now:
strentgh training 3-4 days a week
running 3-4 days a week 12-16 miles
kickboxing 3 days a week



I think I eat better than the average American male (present company excluded if you're reading this). No fast food (ever), fruits and veggies and sensitive to protein intake. I drink water regularly.

I don't know how much of my weight which hasn't changed is lean muscle and how much is excess fat.

Many of you have found this site to be a gift that motivates you everyday.

Where did yo begin? How did you know what would work for you given all the different body types here?

I am so motivated right now, but don't know where to begin. There is a wealth of information here, but where do I begin?

How did you start?

Thanks.

Marc

So are you asking us for tips on losing weight, or what? I think thats want you mean. Anyhow, you just gotta start out with something that has worked for someone else, and see how it helps you. That's what I did. I would suggest going to www.fitday.com and making a profile. If you're trying to lose weight, keep your ratios around 40/40/20 (carb,prot,fat), and take your weight x 10 to see how many calories you need to stay under in a day. In your case it would be 1900. That has worked for me real well so far. I hope thats what you wanted to know, if not, sorry.



D

So are you asking us for tips on losing weight, or what? I think thats want you mean. Anyhow, you just gotta start out with something that has worked for someone else, and see how it helps you. That's what I did. I would suggest going to www.fitday.com and making a profile. If you're trying to lose weight, keep your ratios around 40/40/20 (carb,prot,fat), and take your weight x 10 to see how many calories you need to stay under in a day. In your case it would be 1900. That has worked for me real well so far. I hope thats what you wanted to know, if not, sorry.



D

Thanks for the tips. I do need to loose weight. It's helpful to see what others have done to start their plan of action (towards losing weight).

Welcome to the forum! I started last October at 247 lbs and God only knows what body fat%. I'm currently at 192 lbs and 15% body fat. If anyone qualifies as a successful beginner, it would be me.

I started out by watching my diet. A month later I added cardio to the routine and a month after that I added weight training. It took me two months to get to the point you are now, so I'd say that you are off to a good start!

I'll tell you what I consider to be my biggest mistake and let you take it from there. All I did was weigh myself for the first three months. There's so much more to this than simply reading the scales. I strongly suggest that you document your progress. If you haven't already done so, take pictures of yourself right now and then take more pictures at least monthly. They will help you monitor your progress. When you think you've hit a plateau, the pictures will tell you a different story.

Also, take your body measurements. At least measure your chest, abdomen and hips. About two months ago I started measuring myself. Again, the measurements really help when you think you've hit a plateau. Although the weight may not move for a couple of weeks, I can always see some progress in the measurements. It sure helps keep up the motivation! Next, go to mybodycomp and calculate your fat%. That's another good thing to keep track of.

After you do all of that, concentrate on the diet. Cardio and weight training are important but nothing works well if you don't have the proper diet.

Find a program, stick with it a couple of weeks, then study your results. If the results are there, stay with the program. If you're not getting the results you want, try something else. I know that all the conflicting advice can be confusing so just pick something and see if it works for you. There's very little, if any, bad advice on these boards. Everything works, it's just that some things will work better for you than others. Really, there's no rocket science here. All it takes is a little hard work and dedication. You're off to a great start!

Welcome to the forum! I started last October at 247 lbs and God only knows what body fat%. I'm currently at 192 lbs and 15% body fat. If anyone qualifies as a successful beginner, it would be me.

I started out by watching my diet. A month later I added cardio to the routine and a month after that I added weight training. It took me two months to get to the point you are now, so I'd say that you are off to a good start!

I'll tell you what I consider to be my biggest mistake and let you take it from there. All I did was weigh myself for the first three months. There's so much more to this than simply reading the scales. I strongly suggest that you document your progress. If you haven't already done so, take pictures of yourself right now and then take more pictures at least monthly. They will help you monitor your progress. When you think you've hit a plateau, the pictures will tell you a different story.

Also, take your body measurements. At least measure your chest, abdomen and hips. About two months ago I started measuring myself. Again, the measurements really help when you think you've hit a plateau. Although the weight may not move for a couple of weeks, I can always see some progress in the measurements. It sure helps keep up the motivation! Next, go to mybodycomp and calculate your fat%. That's another good thing to keep track of.

After you do all of that, concentrate on the diet. Cardio and weight training are important but nothing works well if you don't have the proper diet.

Find a program, stick with it a couple of weeks, then study your results. If the results are there, stay with the program. If you're not getting the results you want, try something else. I know that all the conflicting advice can be confusing so just pick something and see if it works for you. There's very little, if any, bad advice on these boards. Everything works, it's just that some things will work better for you than others. Really, there's no rocket science here. All it takes is a little hard work and dedication. You're off to a great start!

"Old Guy" summed it up very well. The most important thing I think you can do for yourself is take a picture and start logging your measurements. I use mybodycomp.com too, because it's easy to use and keeps all of the records for you. You'd be amazed at the psychological boost you get from writing down your stats and tracking them, add in some goals and you'll be predetermined to succeed.

I'll share an area that I struggled with for a while, too, take it for what it's worth. In the first couple of months, I was really focusing on body fat %. While this is an important measurement, the only thing you should be concerned with is the progress you are making after each measurement, not the measurement itself. To sum it up, pick a measurement technique and stick with it, applying it consistently. Don't get hung up on "the perfect way" to measure your bodyfat, because there is no perfect method. The key is how you reduce that percentage over time. OK, I'll get off of my soap box now.

Sounds like you have the right things in place, couple the right diet with what you're already doing, start logging your personal stats, and you'll achieve your goals without question.