Im trying to lose wieght

Ferrigno · Wed, January 25th, 2006, 09:05 PM

Im 15, 185 lbs, 5' 10'' I have been working out for 2 yrs now on and off (on in winter, off in summer) and i have weight 185 for those last two years. I haven't been running or dieting just relying on weightlifting to slowly lose wieght. Over those two years my muscles have been getting bigger and firmer so i must be losing fat and gaining muscle remaining at 185, but most of the fat is now around my stomach area and crunches aren't doin much on the outside. Now my question is will getting the proper nutrients and weightlifting alone make me lose that weight? If not what should i do for cardio?

TheLemonSong · Wed, January 25th, 2006, 09:49 PM

A) You can't spot reduce...all the crunches in the world won't get rid of your belly if you dont' reduce your BF%: Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.
B) You say you haven't been dieting but then you ask if getting the proper nutrients will help...I don't follow you here..once again, Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.
C) Cardio isn't gonna hurt you...why not do it? If your answer is "I don't like cardio.." then my response is that you don't really want to change your body that much. You get what you give. If you just want to lift and leave it at that, you can't expect any more than you're getting...

vatechguy · Wed, January 25th, 2006, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferrigno

Now my question is will getting the proper nutrients and weightlifting alone make me lose that weight? If not what should i do for cardio?

To give you a direct answer (and possibly not such a gruff one as lemonsong)

1. Proper nutrients are a big factor - but in the end it really boils down to calories in versus calories burned. Write down what your eating on an average day (heck - post it here) and see what the calorie makeup and macro breakdown is. It sounds like a pain in the butt I know - but do it a few times and it becomes instinct after a while.

2. Cardio, hate it or not, is a big yes. Brisk uphill walking for 40-60 minutes 3-4 times a week is probably a great place to start. And don't knock walking - people can hammer on all they want about sprints and spinning and elypticals - but people didn't get anywhere near as fat as we all do today when they walked everywhere.

TheLemonSong · Wed, January 25th, 2006, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vatechguy

To give you a direct answer (and possibly not such a gruff one as lemonsong)

Sorry about that...I re-read it and it sounded more gruff than it did in my head. I was going for a matter-of-fact tone, and so if I came across diff, I apologize.

I'm def. here to help! ...it's been a long day.

ToddB · Thu, January 26th, 2006, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLemonSong

Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.

I like that. Mind if I quote that one... of course I'll give you credit for saying it.

Ferrigno · Thu, January 26th, 2006, 04:58 PM

TheLemonSong its not that i dont like to do cardio its just that i have low endurance so i never really tryed to do cardio that much. So i guess i will try and do what vatechguy said and do a brisk uphill walk for 40-60 min 3-4 days a week.

Vatechguy-Meals

Breakfast
Kashi Golean Cereal

Lunch
4 eggs, 3 pieces of toast

Dinner
Chicken, Mix Vegetables, Rice

philph · Thu, January 26th, 2006, 05:36 PM

MY most rapid weight-loss (and FAT-loss) has occurred when my only cardio was walking. (And that was at my natural pace on a pretty flat street.)

Ferrigno · Sat, January 28th, 2006, 06:37 PM

thanks for the info guys.

TheLemonSong · Sat, January 28th, 2006, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferrigno

TheLemonSong its not that i dont like to do cardio its just that i have low endurance so i never really tryed to do cardio that much. So i guess i will try and do what vatechguy said and do a brisk uphill walk for 40-60 min 3-4 days a week.

Vatechguy-Meals

Breakfast
Kashi Golean Cereal

Lunch
4 eggs, 3 pieces of toast

Dinner
Chicken, Mix Vegetables, Rice

Walking is fine. If you don't have endurance that is because endurance is *built* not given. Sure, you dont' have it now...but give it a montha nd sthen see...

Meanwhile, your diet needs a LOT!!! of work. The total calories there have got to be about 1500 (if that), not to mention you have no fat sources whatsoever aside from 4 egg yolks (which is a cholesterol disaster waiting to happen!)...not to mention you're eating 3 meals when you should probably aim for 6-8. Take a look around the site and also check the sticky posts to help you formulate a better diet...

toolsdesk · Sat, January 28th, 2006, 08:51 PM

You need to up your protein, and I agree eat, 6-8 small meals per day.

Now don't get put off, thinking meals mean a full course dinner, a meal could simply be a couple of chiken breasts and a sweet potato.

Also, what kind of workouts are you doing?

Full body workouts, or are you just working the arms and chest area.

Last point I don't know if you look at the bodybuilding mags, but don't worry about any of those expensive supplements, a good multi vitamin wouldn't hurt though. Just good hard training and some cardio, and you will reach your goals.

Keep at it.

Ferrigno · Sat, January 28th, 2006, 09:53 PM

Toolsdesk I have a thread up in weight/strength training and bulking called workout routine if you want to look. At the end it says the routine i will be following.

Thelemonsong i never thought

of it that way "endurance is *built* not given". All this time i thought it was because of my father smoking or me overweight when i was younger. Also i have spent a few hours looking on this site for better meals than mine. Compared to mine those are 5 star meals.

TheLemonSong · Sat, January 28th, 2006, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferrigno

Thelemonsong i never thought

of it that way "endurance is *built* not given". All this time i thought it was because of my father smoking or me overweight when i was younger. Also i have spent a few hours looking on this site for better meals than mine. Compared to mine those are 5 star meals.

If you were overweight when you were younger (like I was) it was because either you or your parents didn't care about diet/exercise (no blame being placed, just a statement)..that has nothing to do with endurance. As for your *father* smoking, that might have some impact but doing cardio will only *help* your lungs to become stronger so it won't matter as much.

Think about it like this...why do athletes train in the offseason? They train to build up the endurance! Endurance is a measure of how much you can *endure*..the more you work, the more your body adapts, the more it adapts, the more you have to throw new stuff at it.....it endures more...

As far as the meals on this site...keep in mind that they were *built up* too! I have a great diet now (40/40/20, 1800-2000cals)...I eat and drink things I never thought I would (flax oil, whey protien, no dairy, no bread, etc.) but I *feel* better now...it took a long time to build up to this point. It wasn't an overnight type of thing. You have to just think "Ok, what can I do to make *today* better than yesterday?" For me, today I picked up flaxseed oil...that was the next "step" for me.

My advice to you now is to figure out what foods you like and list them in this thread. I mean to say that you should eat what you like. Nearly everything you would like to eat has a substitute or a calorie-cutting way to eat it...this doesn't work for everything...but if you start eating so little that you're hungry or you're eating foods you really hate you'll quit before you ever get far enough to make progress! Then after you make the substitutes to your favorite foods or figure out how to make them work *for* you rather than *against* you, you move on to the next issue you need to address...keep on posting man, I want to see you succeed!

Ferrigno · Sun, January 29th, 2006, 04:42 PM

I dont know how many calories a day i should take in, any thoughts or is that up to me? And what is a good split to do for protein, carbs, fat?
Also with the foods i like, i think it would be easier if you told me what kinds of food to stay away from (if you dont mind) then i can tell you what kinds of food i like in those good categories.

tedpod · Sun, January 29th, 2006, 05:17 PM

get a pen, a piece of paper, a calculator.. go to the sticky from marcus in this forum...figure it all out..its all right there for ya...come up with a diet...post it ..then we will critique it...

Ferrigno · Sun, January 29th, 2006, 08:35 PM

Thank you very much

for that thread very very useful, everything i was looking for in one thread. Saved alot of typing back and forth too.

TheLemonSong · Sun, January 29th, 2006, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferrigno

Thank you very much

for that thread very very useful, everything i was looking for in one thread. Saved alot of typing back and forth too.

Thats the point, although unfortunately most people tend to neglect them and instead post questions that could easily be answered with one quick read...

Glad it was useful to you

philph · Sun, January 29th, 2006, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferrigno

Also with the foods i like, i think it would be easier if you told me what kinds of food to stay away from (if you dont mind) then i can tell you what kinds of food i like in those good categories.

Ok, this is my personal opinion:

stuff to avoid
1. Avoid trans fats completely.
2. Avoid high fructose corn syrup.
3. Avoid sucrose.
4. Avoid alcohol.

stuff to keep to a low quantity
1. Saturated fat.
2. Omega 6 fats (e.g. vegetable oil).
3. Fruit juices.
4. Refined carbs.

Ferrigno · Sun, January 29th, 2006, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Thats the point, although unfortunately most people tend to neglect them and instead post questions that could easily be answered with one quick read... Glad it was useful to you

Sorry for being one of those people and thanks for helping me anyways. From now on i will look there first!!!