Two years ago, I used to weigh 235 at a height of 5 feet 6 inches, consistently gaining weight. Then I started weightlifting, swimming and water polo in high school. I changed my diet, exerting more control over when and what I ate.

For every season of swimming and waterpolo, I lost about 10 pounds( muscle or fat is unknown). Swim season for high school just ended and overall, I only lost 4ish pounds.( I weighed 165 at the end of swim season, now I'm back at 170) With a goal of 155-160lbs, with an increase of muscle to the upper back ( lats?), deltoids, triceps... the whole deal in order to increase my speed.

I just rejoined the gym yesterday and am beginning to wonder what the best route to this is. As of now, this is my routine. Please help me to modify as best as possible. Thanks!

Monday
School Judo 1 hr ( not intensive)
Chest and Triceps 1 hr
Swimming 1.5 hr

Tuesday
School Judo 1 hr ( not intensive)

Wednesday
School Judo 1 hr ( not intensive)
Back and biceps 1 hr
Swimming 1.5 hr

Thursday
Legs and Deltoids 1 hr
Swimming 1.5 hr

Friday zip

Saturday zip

Sunday zip

All days include five sets of 30 push ups, 50 sit ups and 5 pull ups.

Since I've just started, I'd like some advice as to diet. ( ratio of fat:carb:protein, etc...) as well as cardio tips (HIIT?)

Today being my first day, I think I've done an okay job of recording what I ate
Time Description Calories Fat Carbs Protein
7:00 AM Bread 110 1 23 4
7:00 AM Milk 2 cup 180 0 24 18
7:00 AM 1 egg 100 8 1 6.5
11:00 AM Stawberry 50 0 13 1
11:00 AM Banana 100 0.5 23.4 0.3
12:45 PM Pasta 200 1 42 7
12:45 PM Carrot 50 0.1 11.51 1.1
12:45 PM Tofu 186.6 4.6 13.3 24
12:45 PM Sauce 60 1 11 3
3:30PM Bread 110 1 23 4
3:30PM Tuna 120 2 0 26
3:30PM Avocado 50 4.9 2 0.6
7:30PM Vermicelli 270 0 60 1.5
7:30 AM 10 Fishballs 140 6 10 13
8:00 PM 1 cup milk 90 0 12 9


TOTALS 1816.6 30.1 269.21 119
TOTALS 14.91% 59.28% 26.20%

That looks like quite a fair bit of excersise going on there, so I hope you are getting a fair break between it all on the days when its lumped together. I would definately not do push ups, sit ups and pull ups every day. I know you are keen, but doing stuff every day like that is crazy talk in my opinion. I would incorporate your sit ups into your routine perhaps twice a week. If it were me personally I would knock push ups on the head all together, since if you get your chest routine right then there will be no need for these - unless you use them to pre-exhaust on chest days? As for pull ups, again I would perhaps incorporate these into your back day as pre-exhaustion excersises. Maybe do wide grip pull ups till failure, and then close grip pull ups till failure before your main workout.

If your doing nothing on Friday and Saturday then you could split your workout up a bit so that you are not doing so much on certain days. For instance, Monday and Wednesday looks like you could split them up a bit, and make use of days you are doing nothing. Going swimming after a leg workout may not be the best idea in the world either. You may find that having legs before swimming will prove detrimental to both, although you can try it and see if you can handle it. I play football every Tuesday, and because of that don't train legs on Sundays, Mondays or Tuesdays.

As for your diet, I think that may need a few mods to it. I am by no means an expert, but I think that you are lacking in protein throughout the day. I would not suggest relying on milk for your protein either, since as you know, it is a source of fat and sugar too. Between 7am and nearly 1pm you are going without any real protein for a long time. Try to get a good source of protein in at about 10am, such as fish, chicken etc. Or you could perhaps stick a whey shake in here if you can't cook. I would be tempted to swap some of your carbs for protein and even the ratios out a bit. A 40/40 split of protein and carbs seems to be the common way to go. What are your pre and post workout meals like?

Lower the carbs and center them around your workout. Carb choices need to be clean too, not pasta/bread/etc...that's all crap. Milk is crap.

Utilize healthy efa's with good protein sources and fibrous green veggies at all other times of the day.

~SC~

Lower the carbs and center them around your workout. Carb choices need to be clean too, not pasta/bread/etc...that's all crap. Milk is crap.
Utilize healthy efa's with good protein sources and fibrous green veggies at all other times of the day.


What are considered clean carbs and what are efa's?
Are there any sources which you would suggest I use to know more about this stuff? I started reading the sticky in the weight training sub forum. Is it enough?



Tempted

I eat the tuna and stuff before workout. I have nothing for after workout until dinner

Edit: What makes milk crap?

EFA's - Essential Fatty Acids. These are omega fish oils - 3, 6 and 9. Also, flax seed oil is a good source for some of these. Mixed raw nuts are also very good. I personally have a handful of nuts every day, as well as a dose of flax seed oil in my evening whey shake.

As for after your workout, I would suggest dextrose and whey immediately after training to aid with muscle recovery. Dextrose is just sugar but is much more effective than standard table sugar and can be found in health shops, its very inexpensive. A protein source is essential after you train in order to get protein to the muscles that you have just used. A whey shake here would obviously be best since it can be absorbed very quickly.

Do you know where a person without a credit card can get some whey? I think the local gym sells it, but at an inflated price. Any ideas?

Judging from your terminology in your posts I have deduced that you are from the U.S? I'm from the UK, so don't have any good sites that will appeal to you. I would just do a google search for what you want and see what it comes up with. Either that or is there a health shop near where you live?

www.1fast400.com takes money orders, and they carry dextrose as well

www.bodybuilding.com also takes checks or money orders or paypal. Also Walmart sells Whey protein.

Sorry for bringing up this really old topic again. I was frustrated when I weighed myself again today and came in at 175. When I lost those 64 pounds, I hadn't followed any plan whatsoever and the weight came off fast. I figured that with a plan, it would continue. I followed a 1900-2100 calorie plan and nothing happened. . I really want to get down to the 155-160 range due to martial arts competition.

I decided to look back at the old topics I'd started and this one had surprised me.

Lower the carbs and center them around your workout

When I read this, I realized that I simply had no idea when to eat. I don't even have a grasp of what that meant or why.

I'm trying to revamp my entire plan. I have until late February before swim season takes over all my plans.

This is the food log for the past months ( they lack the right time stamp and date stamp :o ) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Food Log and schedule log. ( http://rapidshare.de/files-en/273979/BMR.xls.html)

Try upping calorie to 2400-2500 for a week see if anything happens..

Swolecat said "milk is crap" earlier in this thread...Whats wrong with milk?

The carbs? What if you aren't low-carbing?

-Allen

I think SC doesn't like milk since the carbs are all sugar.

Swolecat said "milk is crap" earlier in this thread...Whats wrong with milk?

The carbs? What if you aren't low-carbing?

The carbs from milk become sugar (insulin spike!). Dairy products also cause subcutaneous water retention. Neither are good for fat loss.

-R

Swolecat said "milk is crap" earlier in this thread...Whats wrong with milk?

-Allen

Even though it is low GI, it will spike your insulin. Some people get ripped drinking a lot of milk, but for most of us, especially while cutting, it hinders progress.

Cottage cheese is a much better option for cassein and before bed.

Milk in oats around your workout would be appropriate.

Try upping calorie to 2400-2500 for a week see if anything happens..

I'm definitely open to the idea. But what would is this supposed to accomplish?

I put my body weight and stuff into the calculator and it gave me 1786 as my BMR. How do I decide which multiplier to use?

I put my body weight and stuff into the calculator and it gave me 1786 as my BMR. How do I decide which multiplier to use?

By the amount of exercise you perform:

If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2

If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375

If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55

If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725

If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

If you are unsure use 1.375.

Two years ago, I used to weigh 235 at a height of 5 feet 6 inches, consistently gaining weight. Then I started weightlifting, swimming and water polo in high school. I changed my diet, exerting more control over when and what I ate.

For every season of swimming and waterpolo, I lost about 10 pounds( muscle or fat is unknown). Swim season for high school just ended and overall, I only lost 4ish pounds.( I weighed 165 at the end of swim season, now I'm back at 170) With a goal of 155-160lbs, with an increase of muscle to the upper back ( lats?), deltoids, triceps... the whole deal in order to increase my speed.

I just rejoined the gym yesterday and am beginning to wonder what the best route to this is. As of now, this is my routine. Please help me to modify as best as possible. Thanks!

Monday
School Judo 1 hr ( not intensive)
Chest and Triceps 1 hr
Swimming 1.5 hr

Tuesday
School Judo 1 hr ( not intensive)

Wednesday
School Judo 1 hr ( not intensive)
Back and biceps 1 hr
Swimming 1.5 hr

Thursday
Legs and Deltoids 1 hr
Swimming 1.5 hr

Friday zip

Saturday zip

Sunday zip

All days include five sets of 30 push ups, 50 sit ups and 5 pull ups.

Since I've just started, I'd like some advice as to diet. ( ratio of fat:carb:protein, etc...) as well as cardio tips (HIIT?)

Today being my first day, I think I've done an okay job of recording what I ate
Time Description Calories Fat Carbs Protein
7:00 AM Bread 110 1 23 4
7:00 AM Milk 2 cup 180 0 24 18
7:00 AM 1 egg 100 8 1 6.5
11:00 AM Stawberry 50 0 13 1
11:00 AM Banana 100 0.5 23.4 0.3
12:45 PM Pasta 200 1 42 7
12:45 PM Carrot 50 0.1 11.51 1.1
12:45 PM Tofu 186.6 4.6 13.3 24
12:45 PM Sauce 60 1 11 3
3:30PM Bread 110 1 23 4
3:30PM Tuna 120 2 0 26
3:30PM Avocado 50 4.9 2 0.6
7:30PM Vermicelli 270 0 60 1.5
7:30 AM 10 Fishballs 140 6 10 13
8:00 PM 1 cup milk 90 0 12 9


TOTALS 1816.6 30.1 269.21 119
TOTALS 14.91% 59.28% 26.20%




Not nearly enough Cals. Timing is poor. Need more veggies. Replace some unnecessary carbs with healthy fats like flax/fish oil.

So I should be aiming for 2300-2400 as one of the posters mentioned?

So I should be aiming for 2300-2400 as one of the posters mentioned?
Try it out and see if it works, if not you can always go up or down with the K's.

replace carbs with veggies/fat. up calories. sure fire way to get things roaring again! :tu:

Im sorry, but a blanket statement like "bread is crap" is just wrong - sure wonderbread is crap, a nutritional lightweight probably not in the best interests of one concerned about their health, but there are plenty of healthy bread options out there. Just for an example, Clarence Bass eats plenty of whole wheat bread as part of a high natural carb, low fat diet, and the man is ripped to shreds. To say that a person has to drop bread and whole grain pasta, brown rice, or carbs in general in order to lose weight is ridiculous.

BTW, Bass has a website too, www.cbass.com

So for the past two weeks, I've upped the calories from 1900 to 2300/2400ish and there has been no significant change in the scale. It still wobbles from 175 at night after dinner to 170 in the morning. I've begun eating a lot more vegetables. The meals go something like this

breakfast
4 oz chicken
egg
A slice of bread

snack

some chicken
tortilla

Lunch

10-12 oz mustard greens
5 oz chicken
300 Kcals worth of rice

Post swimming /Post Workout ( around 4-late 5 ish)
Chicken

Dinner (6:00-6:30)
This is the meal that is most subject to change. My mom is really sensitive about not eating her food.
It is generally rice with some meat dish and stir fried veggies.
Snack (9:00ish)
Peanuts

So for the past two weeks, I've upped the calories from 1900 to 2300/2400ish and there has been no significant change in the scale.


This is a good sign. You could even make some better changes by eating veggies at lunch instead of rice and perhaps some fruit and/or good fats to make up tha kcal.

What I would do from here is really try to clean up the diet as much as possible. Apart from Dinner and pre-post workout, really try hard to reduce starchy carbs - rice bread pasta (yes these are OK in general, but if you are trying to break a plateau they can hinder you IMO). Keep the calories the same.

How much cardio are you doing? If it is only 3-4 times/week, slowly up that to 5-6 times/week for a good 45 minutes. Again keep the calories around 2400.

After a couple of weeks, keep up with the cardio and drop the extra (not all) carbs and fats that you padded your clean diet with.

I don't know if this is THE best way to go, but it sure works for me. When I have done it, it has been to break through to a BF% that I have never been at before and I have to get rid of the breads and sugars (except dinner, I have similar issues with my wife, but I reduce portions and have a snack and then a meal before bed so she thinks I am eating enough).

Once you get though the plateau and you body gets used to the new BF, you can start upping the calories and re-introducing some of the breads, rice etc...

The abouve is just someting that has worked for me. Actually I'm in the throws of doing it now to break below 9%BF. 4 days into the calorie reduction stage and things are moving. - BTW I do refeed 1-2 times/week around workouts so that my calories are upped from say 1800-2000 to 2500.

I think I understand the reasoning behind reducing the starchy carbs and put greens in its place. However, I'm not sure what to change it to. I already eat a whole half bag of mustard greens for lunch and frankly, it's starting to get boring. I have bok choi and spinach as alternatives, but I do not like their taste as much.

Through some reading, I've heard that sweet potatoes are a decent carb. Would it be a good idea to replace the rice with sweet potato instead?

Cardio wise- I try to get in morning cardio for about 30 mins a week
3 swim practices that range from 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs
1 water polo session for 2 hrs (about 1.5 hours worth of scrimmage)
2 judo classes for an hour ( maybe 10-15 mins of intense workout during sparring)

Lifting wise-
Chest and Tri on Tuesdays
Legs on Fridays
I removed back mainly because I got too sore to swim and swimming is my focus right now.

A sweet potato is a good source for carbs, but your just replacing one startchy carb for another.

For vegetables you could eat fresh green beans, asparagus, salad w mixed greens, or brocoli

Well, swim season has started and I have made no weight losses. Strangely enough, I added 20 pounds to a four rep bench press.


Thankfully, this year, I have an hour after school before swimming in order to get some food in. Any suggestions for pre and post swimming snacks? Currently, I have a banana an hour before and a scoop of protein after.