Hi my name is Mike and i am from the uk, i am 18 years of age.

I have never been in a bad shape but never in a shape were i feel really proud of my body. I have decided i want to change my body for the better and try to achieve a body i am happy of.

I am 5'11, 170lbs not sure of my body fat percentage but i would estimate anything between 13% and and 15%. I had been doing about 2 months of weight training 3 months ago but had to stop due to not being able to get to the gym.

My aim is to loose body fat, increase fitness levels hopefully get the sort after six pack and just feel better about my body.

I understand the most important part of loosing weight and body fat is diet.

My diet will consist of.

Chicken
steak
tuna
sweet potato
peas
broccoli
carrots
wholemeal bread
wholemeal pasta
low fat bio yoghurt
apples and bananas


any suggestions of any changes that need to be made are appreciated

I do not have access to a gym but i do have some free weights at home which i will use, i will also aim to use good old fashioned exercises like press ups and pull ups into my training.

My cardio will consist of, skipping, soccer training 3 times a week and evening jogging maybe 2 times a week.

I will aim to do weights 3 times a week and do ab exercises 2 times a week.

I believe the hardest part will be the diet, as being used to eating whatever i want this will be a difficult change.

Any tips for how to deal with cravings?


So the journey starts here, it will be hard one but i believe i can stick to it, if i make it as simple as possible i think i can achieve a better body.

I will post pictures soon of my current body shape.

As i am new to this, any advice and tips on how to stick at it and anything i need to look out for.

Wish me luck :tu: All the best Michael

Welcome to the forums and good luck :tu:

My only suggestion with your cravings might be not to be an all or nothing person when starting out. Make changes to your diet quite slowly so you can stick at it.

If your craving something sweet have some fruit.
If you do have junkfood try and limit how much you have, and if you are counting calories try and factor it in.
And if you are starting out maybe allow yourself a cheat meal once a week.

As for when to eat I think it is ussually suggested that you make sure you eat roughly every 3 to 4 hrs. You dont need to eat at the exact same time everyday though depending on when you wake up and stuff.

You should take what I say with a grain of salt though, because my diet is nowhere near in order. :)

Anyway sorry I can't be of more help,
but :gl: all the same.

Arch

Thank you for your help and support.


I think once i get over my body craving what i am so used to having i believe i will be able to go through the day without needing the food i used to eat.

Keeping motivated will be hard but i guess when i see results the motivation will be right in front of me.

I have heard alot about grams of protein fat and carbs for each day, training days and not training days but i think i wont do that as i want to keep it as simple as possible.

keeping it simple i believe will keep me able to stick at it and still achieve good results.

So my journey starts tomorrow, thought i would post my starting photo to hopefully see improvement.

It is not a great picture as it is off my phone but will do the job for now.

Once again any comments and help is greatly appreciated

First day down and went ok.


Woke up at 8.00 and made myself a Protein shake, Vanilla Isolate about 24g of protein and actually tastes nice so always good.

Was in college for 9.10 and and sat out sports lesson due to a saw calf.

11.40 Second meal of the day was a tuna, lettuce and some mayo was ok but became bland towards to the end.

1.30 Driving home my friends exhaust backbox fell of his car so we had to stop and wait for the aa to come and fix it, During this time I was hungry so I went to the local spa and bought a chicken tomato and basil pasta salad, not the greatest but not the worst for nutrition value.

4.30 Roast chicken Breast with tabsco sauce put on the chicken during the cooking with some carrots and some low fat margerine on the carrots.

8.00 Tuna steak with garden peas.


Cardio. I did resistance training today.

20 reps of pressups followed by 20 body squats.

Rest for 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more times.

20 reps of situps Followed by 20 lunges

Rest for 1 minute. then repeat 2 more times.

20 reps of burpees followed by 30 seconds of body plank.

Rest for 1 minute then repeat 2 more times.



Having No rest between the reps and only between the sets is a killer expecially in the burpees and the pressups.

Tomorrow will be my Hiit Interval training.


Is there anything durings todays menu which you could see is a problem?

HI :wave:

sounds like you're off to a pretty decent start... however... the one thing I haven't seen in your diet is a source of GOOD fats... your body needs fat, many of your internal organs run on fat and if you don't have any good fat in your diet your body will hoard all of the fat you have AND it (your body) will make you crave anything and everything fatty.... good fats include: peanuts, natural peanut butter, almonds, nat. almond butter, olive oil, flax seeds, flax seed oil... instead of eating that icky low fat margarine... use some olive oil... sometimes I mix some brown mustard (although spicy mustard would work too) in with my tuna, it's a much healthier option.. mayo is NOT a good fat... although, if it's all you'll use, then try to use the low fat or fat free versions ;)

you look pretty darn lean to me.... if you hit the weights good and hard there isn't too much reason (especially since you're an 18 year old guy) for you to limit your intake too much.... you're still growing at this point in your life, and your testosterone levels should be pretty high too.... so try to keep your food pretty clean and lift heavy... but make sure to get some carbs in after you lift, it'll help... it'd probably be good to have some clean carbs before you lift too... some oatmeal or an apple would be good :tucool:

Ok cheers for your help.

I will try to get some good fats in my diet, I do use low fat mayo, but i will try the mustard and oil on my vegtables instead of the low fat margerine.


As i dont like nuts, peanut butter etc eating these will be difficult but its food value before taste.


As i go to the gym, lifiting heavy weights will be difficult but i do have some free weights and will try to do these at least 2 times a week.

Thanks again for the help. Will post week 1 pictures next monday. My aim is a 16 week programme and to achieve about a 5% to 6% bf decrease and Some weight loss.

Ok cheers for your help.

I will try to get some good fats in my diet, I do use low fat mayo, but i will try the mustard and oil on my vegtables instead of the low fat margerine.


As i dont like nuts, peanut butter etc eating these will be difficult but its food value before taste.


As i go to the gym, lifiting heavy weights will be difficult but i do have some free weights and will try to do these at least 2 times a week.

Thanks again for the help. Will post week 1 pictures next monday. My aim is a 16 week programme and to achieve about a 5% to 6% bf decrease and Some weight loss.

hey again ;) if you don't like nuts... don't eat 'em... you won't stick to a diet if you don't like the foods you eat... try finding some flaxseed oil, it mixes pretty well with protien powders and is hardly noticable, you can also eat center cut bacon... some saturated fat isn't bad for you, I have three slices of center cut bacon in my first meal almost every day, and sometimes again in my third meal :D :drool: center cut bacon has more meat than the regular bacon... it is a bit more pricey, but it's worth it :nod: oh... and a little bit of low fat margarine won't kill you, I was just trying to stear you towards healthier alternatives ;)

oh... and you can build a decent amount of muscle with the excercises you've been doing.... lifting heavier will get you results faster, but you'll still get results with what you're doing... you just won't get very big... if big muscles are something you'd like, I'd suggest looking into buying a few more free weights :tucool:

Day 2.


Woke up at 8.00, got a shower got ready and made myself a protein shake.

Had a driving lesson at 8.45, i have my test tomorrow so perfecting everything at the moment.


12. 40 Made myself a tuna, wheat pasta salad with some salad cream ( not the best but i like it and the salad tastes great with it)


3.00 Cardio Hiit training, starting slow and building up as the 16 weeks go by.

30 to 40 seconds fast skipping (jump rope) then 30 seconds rest.

Followed the same pattern for 8 to 10 minutes.

Did some free weights.

Bicep curls x 3 reps on 17 to 20 kgs.

Tricep Curls x 3 reps on 17 to 20 kgs.

Had to end early due to girlfriend coming round.

4.00 1 1/2 bannana with some low fat bio yoghurt. Tastes great and gives my sweet tooth some seeing too.

Slept from about 5.00 to 7.00, woke up and made some tea.

8.00 2 small steaks cooked in a drizzle of red wine with some garden peas.

I am currently drinking about 2 to 3 litres of water a day, is this enough or do you think i should drink more?

Tomorrow will be my driving test :eek: wish me luck!

I am currently drinking about 2 to 3 litres of water a day, is this enough or do you think i should drink more?

drink more... try to get up to six.... but don't try to do it all at once or you won't leave the bathroom very much :lol: just build it up gradually ;)



Tomorrow will be my driving test :eek: wish me luck!


:gl:

6 litres wow that is alot lol, ok i will try to get at leat 6 litres a day, its hard when water is not really the greatest taste.


Is drinking one or 2 glasses of fresh apple juice a day a bad thing ( i dont do it now) Just i really like apple juice and wondered if this would be acceptable.

6 litres wow that is alot lol, ok i will try to get at leat 6 litres a day, its hard when water is not really the greatest taste.


Is drinking one or 2 glasses of fresh apple juice a day a bad thing ( i dont do it now) Just i really like apple juice and wondered if this would be acceptable.

I wouldn't drink apple juice... it'd be better for you if you just ate an apple... most juices have added sugars in them, AND you won't get the fiber that eating an apple would give you :tucool:

you'll be supprised (in a few months) how good water tastes to you once you get used to drinking it instead of sugary crap :nod: I had a flavored water yesterday, bought it at a gas station, and MAN did it have TOO much flavor... I wanted to water it down some :nod:... and it didn't even have sugar in it.... it was sweetened with Splenda, which I like, but it was just too much... but to be honest... a few years ago when I didn't drink enough water, I would have thought it didn't have enough flavor :nod:

but like I said... build up to the six liters... your bladder will thank you for taking it slow.... otherwise you'll be in the bathroom a whole lot the first week or so :p.. although, it wouldn't HURT you to bump it up that fast... it's just easier to ease into it :tu: