I've been doing the Body-for-Life workout routine since about March and have seen great results. I started working out in later December and have lost 51 pounds and have lost almost six inches around my waist.

Should I switch to another split for my workout routine? I seem to be hovering at the 220 pound mark (I started at 270 -- I'm 6-foot-1). Here's what my split looks like now:

Monday
Upper body (chest, back, shoulders, triceps, biceps)
Tuesday
Cardio (45 minutes @ about 75% HR)
Wednesday
Lower body (quads, hamstrings, calves)
Abs
Thursday
Cardio
Friday
Upper body
Saturday
Cardio
Sunday
Off

If I should try something else, can you guys recommend a routine?

My $0.02...

Just add daily cardio, and make sure your weight routine is spaced 8+ hours from your cardio.

What is your diet like, thats probably the key factor here IMO since your routine looks fine to me...

My diet is pretty basic. I try to eat six small meals a day, which includes a pre- and post-workout protein shake. I don't eat carbs except for the meal after my workout. I don't keep track of everything, but I am pretty strict. I do allow a cheat day per week -- it's usually Sunday. Here's a typical day...

9 a.m.
Three eggs
1 cup cottage cheese (or 1 packet plain oatmeal on lifting days)
1/2 tomato

10 a.m.
Protein shake

noon (post-workout)
banana
Protein shake

1 p.m.
Turkey sandwich on whole wheat, tomato, lettuce, mustard, etc.
celery and peanut butter

5 p.m.
Large chicken breast
1 cup broccoli
cottage cheese

8 p.m.
Chicken breast
Salad w/ vinagrette

I also started taking a thermogenic during a plateau I already demolished at 230 pounds. I used a product called Take Off, but am now using Hot Rox. They work really well.

Any tweaking in order?

P.S. On non-lifting days, I don't drink any protein shakes

9 a.m.
Three eggs
1 cup cottage cheese (or 1 packet plain oatmeal on lifting days)
1/2 tomato

10 a.m.
Protein shake

noon (post-workout)
banana
Protein shake

1 p.m.
Turkey sandwich on whole wheat, tomato, lettuce, mustard, etc.
celery and peanut butter

5 p.m.
Large chicken breast
1 cup broccoli
cottage cheese

8 p.m.
Chicken breast
Salad w/ vinagrette

I also started taking a thermogenic during a plateau I already demolished at 230 pounds. I used a product called Take Off, but am now using Hot Rox. They work really well.

Any tweaking in order?

P.S. On non-lifting days, I don't drink any protein shakes

Heres what I recommend for a tweak.

1)See what you can do to get the same macros w/out cottage cheese. I believe Jeremy would agree with me about this...dairy isn't good for everyone who is cutting. Thats not to say its 100% bad and forbidden..not by any means..but its important to find out how your body personally works. I ate dairy including 1cup of skim milk and 1.5cups of cottage cheese for a long time while cutting and was still successful, but when I cut them both out I found that my success was even greater. So thats my first suggestion.

2)My next suggestion is to drink your protein even on days you don't lift (although you might want t ohave one less of them or something like that). Protien has 24 hour rollover, so what you have today effects whats in your system tomorrow.

3) Check your spacing. I think your having too much too soon in the day and that could be a problem. The foods are good for the times your'e eating them (pre and post workout), but your preWO is very close to your breakfast meal, and your PWO is very close to your lunch-type meal. I think you're better off (totally just my opinion) skipping the 10am shake and just having a piece of fruit or something light, then have your PWO and wait about 2 hours for the next meal. Perhaps you could lift a little earlier, and that might help the spacing some.

4) Check out your carbs. I don't know if you write down your macros, but if you could let me know what type of split you're after that would help me sort things out a bit. Your carbs are coming from the following sources: tomato, banana, whole wheat bread, broccoli, and a tiny bit from the PB and from the salad. Tomatos are high GI, so are bananas. I don't mind the banana for PWO, thats fine, but you might want t osee if you can fit the tomato in to another part of yoru day or find a substitute that is a more complex carb. Broccoli is your main source of fiber, but I don't think its enough fiber for your whole diet. I don't mind bread so much, bu tyou have to be REALLY careful because most "wheat breads" are either A) enriched wheat flour or B) have High Fructose Corn Syrup in the ingredients which downgrades thier potential to be better in yoru diet. Try lower GI carbs (complex) such as: oats, brown rice, yams (i think yams are icky, but you might like them), and even to some degree your whole wheat bread (assuming it meets the criteria above). I think your carbs might be one of the main issues here. Also, I recommend trying not to mix fats and carbs. Its been hotly debated on these boards, so I'm sure you'll find others have varying opinions, but my opinion is that while mixing fats and carbs isn't exactly "bad" there are just simply BETTER options (fats and protiens, proteins and carbs).

5-- Finally, FATS. I posted quickly on the dairy topic (which also falls under high-GI carbs..they're sugar) and your primary fat sources are coming from cottage cheese. This isn't good. Your diet should contain some essential fatty acids. Peanut butter is great (esp. if its natural PB) so certainly keep that in yoru diet. How about nuts? Almonds, Walnuts, and even peanuts can go a long way toward helping you get enough fats in your diet. Personally I also use flax oil and I eat salmon in order to get my essential fatty acids, so those are two things i highly suggest as options as well.

Those are 5 "tweaks" that can go a LONG way for you. I would suggest that you begin to write down or use a spreadsheet to track your macronutrients and calories. Try a 40/40/20 split. 40% of your diet from protien and carbs, 20% from fats. Thtas a good starting point and after a month or so you can see if you need to adjust from there...(this worked wonders for me..I decided to keep track for just 1 month as my primary goal and even tho it was a big pain in the ass to write everything down I saw better gains that month than my FIRST month!! 2.5% drop in BF!!!!) Keep posting an dlet me know if you have nay questions or anything and we can work from there.

-Andrew

if you get stuck and dont seem to get more result, variation is all that might be needed.
i'd say, make some changes to sets/reps/exercises and see if the results start coming again

I reccomend you try Vince Gironda's 8x8 solution for a 4-6 week cycle. I have seen amazing results even while cutting. You also get some cardiovascular benefit if you follow it strictly. Over time you should vary your workout anyway. You may still see results, but your body will come to expect your workout and your gains can diminish. Here is some good reading.

Vince Gironda 8x8 (http://www.fitren.com/res3artp.cfm?artid=90)

I can only vouch for myself and a few others I have recommended this too. It worked for all, but you have to be willing to work. Not only that, b/c the workout is intense it doesn't leave a lot of time for standing around and screwing off. Get in, get it on, and get out. If you are in the gym for hours then you are screwing around or your just a badass who lives to overtrain. 45 min is all you need to be totally spent and extrememly sore the next day. If nothing else try it for yourself, but learn to switch up your routine. :db: :gl:

Correction for Lemon Song:

5-- Finally, FATS. I posted quickly on the dairy topic (which also falls under high-GI carbs..they're sugar) and your primary fat sources are coming from cottage cheese.....



From what I understand, dairy is fairly low GI b/c the sugar is lactose. milk is around 30, yogurt around 15 and cottage cheese is less than yogurt (I think). Sugars and high GI fruits are >60. Not all sugars are high GI by the way. Fructose is 22. For reference, Wheat is around 70 and Brown rice is 50. I think Jeremy has said this in the past that dairy is low GI b/c it is lactose sugar, but I could be wrong. Also, Jeremy isn't big on dairy while cutting, but he seemed to like Cottage Cheese a little more b/c some of it dairy features have been broken down through the process of it's creation. It is also great overnight b/c of the slow release proteins. Just trying to help so everyone is on the same page. Please let me know if I have stated the above in error.

Thanks guys. I guess I really need to start keeping track of everything. I've been putting it off.

The diet I showed was only an example, not an everyday thing. I do eat a lot of fish and peanut butter/nuts too.

The only thing I can't get used to is the extra carbs. I started using the South Beach Diet, which after the first two weeks is pretty much 40/40/20. I am still having a hard time eating potatoes and stuff, I guess I should probably get over that soon.

BTW, I eat Nature's Own Heathline Wheat 'n Fiber bread. It's got seven carbs with no added sugar and even some protein. You should check it out.

I'm going to add cardio sessions to my upperbody weightlifting days, but I really don't think I'll be able to on lower body days. I usually can't walk afterwards!

Correction for Lemon Song:

5-- Finally, FATS. I posted quickly on the dairy topic (which also falls under high-GI carbs..they're sugar) and your primary fat sources are coming from cottage cheese.....



From what I understand, dairy is fairly low GI b/c the sugar is lactose. milk is around 30, yogurt around 15 and cottage cheese is less than yogurt (I think). Sugars and high GI fruits are >60. Not all sugars are high GI by the way. Fructose is 22. For reference, Wheat is around 70 and Brown rice is 50. I think Jeremy has said this in the past that dairy is low GI b/c it is lactose sugar, but I could be wrong. Also, Jeremy isn't big on dairy while cutting, but he seemed to like Cottage Cheese a little more b/c some of it dairy features have been broken down through the process of it's creation. It is also great overnight b/c of the slow release proteins. Just trying to help so everyone is on the same page. Please let me know if I have stated the above in error.


You're right about the lowGI/lactose thing...my bad...but its still all sugar.

You're right about the lowGI/lactose thing...my bad...but its still all sugar.
Right, but all sugar is not bad. The obesity problem these days is in large due to refined sugars. Think about all the things we get Supersized. Potatoes and Soft Drinks. Why because potatoes are cheap and refined sugar is cheap. Sugar can help when you need a quick boost, but not good for weight management if you overdue it or abuse it at the wrong times. I know that was your initial point.

Thanks guys. I guess I really need to start keeping track of everything. I've been putting it off.

The diet I showed was only an example, not an everyday thing. I do eat a lot of fish and peanut butter/nuts too.

The only thing I can't get used to is the extra carbs. I started using the South Beach Diet, which after the first two weeks is pretty much 40/40/20. I am still having a hard time eating potatoes and stuff, I guess I should probably get over that soon.

BTW, I eat Nature's Own Heathline Wheat 'n Fiber bread. It's got seven carbs with no added sugar and even some protein. You should check it out.

I'm going to add cardio sessions to my upperbody weightlifting days, but I really don't think I'll be able to on lower body days. I usually can't walk afterwards!
I have been eating Healthline Wheat 'n Fiber for a few months. I have come to like it, although I have nothing but good memories of white bread (taste). I haven't had any in months. :eat: