Am I going too extreme for a beginner? My Nutrition and Supplement program

[snuppy]

I have been lurking here for a few months trying to soak up as much information as possible. What a great community! Thanks to everyone who is supportive and helpful in motivating people!

My story: I am a total beginner to working out and have only been doing it for 2 months now. I think I might be doing something wrong, or going overboard. I’m just tired of looking unhealthy.

Basically, since I was a teen I have been a total couch potato and have had a desk job forever, so I have skinny arms and legs but a big beer belly. Needless to say I stopped drinking beer when I started working out. I have never been in shape my entire life, and up until now never paid attention to what I ate.

I have been researching nutrition and exercise for the last month and this is the program that I have put together for myself nutrition wise:

First my stats:

Sex: Male
Age: 34
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 148lbs
Body fat: 20%

Basil Metabolic Rate: 1620 calories
Total daily energy expenditure: 2511

Since I have started exercising 2 months ago I have lost 10 pounds and 5% body fat, but I think I have hit a plateau, as the last month as I have not lost any weight or body fat %, and think I am doing something wrong nutrition wise.

I have been consuming 1500 to 1700 calories a day on a 40/40/20 nutrition plan.

I have been doing cardio at least 3 times a week for 30-45 minutes each time to get my heart rate over 70% that whole time.

I have been doing light to medium weights 3 times a week as well for at least an hour each time, each day targeting a different muscle group. I basically push myself to work out until I can’t move. Below is the exact plan I have been doing for the last month, then I do a few reps of whatever muscles I am targeting that day on an all in one home gym I have:

Monday: http://www.fit2fat2fit.com/Blog/Details/1086/day-45
Wednesday: http://www.fit2fat2fit.com/Blog/Details/1088/day-47
Friday: http://www.fit2fat2fit.com/Blog/Details/1090/day-49

..and HIIT cardio Tuesdays, Thurdays, and trying to do Saturdays and Sundays as well.

Here is the weekly meal plan I have created: http://www.freeimagehosting.net/ymz8e

Supplements I am taking (am I going overboard?)

Daily:

-protein shake [30g] with glutamine and BCAAs twice a day [one post workout, then one before bed]
-vitargo S2 carb drink post workout [70g carbs]
-veggie greens powder with my shake once a day
-L-carnitine 750mg
- glutamine 2-4 times a day [depending if I am doing weights or cardio that day]
-con-cret creatine pre-workout [1500mg] and 750mg off days
-5 grams omega-3
-1800mg glucosamine
-1 multivitamin
-5 grams fiber pills
-3000mcg vitamin a
-800IU vitamin e
-60mg CoQ10
-1000mg vitamin C
-calcium/d/magnesium complex: 666mg calcium, 320mg magnesium, 400IU vitamin D

…and I’m also taking a pre-workout powder [1 scoop] 3 times per week that contains:

Arginine AKG 3g
Beta Alanine 1g
Taurine 500mg
Creatine HCl 1500mg
Caffeine 300mg
Geranium 20mg

It makes me able to work out probably twice as hard, but I do feel pretty bad for a few hours after it starts to wear off [anxiety/sick feeling].

If anyone has any tips or suggestions I am all ears! I’m concerned that maybe I’m going overboard with the supplements or just expecting results too fast, or maybe not eating enough, or my nutrition plan is wrong?

[mastover]

Yes, you are putting too much emphasis on supplements and wasting your money at the same time, and your nutrition should be completely revamped to support gains in lean mass. Your workout routine also does not appear to be a progressive system where you are increasing poundages used every 2-3 weeks. This is important. It's known as "progressive resistance".

-Cut down/out the low intensity cardio if possible. It impairs strength &
hypertrophy and lowers metabolic rate. Exactly what you don't want happening at your current stats and impending goals.

Good luck!

[stallion16]

Originally Posted by mastover

Yes, you are putting too much emphasis on supplements and wasting your money at the same time, and your nutrition should be completely revamped to support gains in lean mass. Your workout routine also does not appear to be a progressive system where you are increasing poundages used every 2-3 weeks. This is important. It's known as "progressive resistance".

-Cut down/out the low intensity cardio if possible. It impairs strength &
hypertrophy and lowers metabolic rate. Exactly what you don't want happening at your current stats and impending goals.

Good luck!

I agree with most of this, but why increase poundages used every 2-3 weeks??? If you can increase every week or even every workout, why wouldn't you? If it's a plateau you're worried about, you can always deload later on.

[Jaer]

I figured it was an "at least every 2-3 weeks" -- like, you don't need to increase every week for it to be a progressive resistance workout, you you do need it going up with some regularity for it to be so.

Jaer
does prefer upping his weight weekly, even if only 5 lbs.

[user786]

Originally Posted by mastover

-Cut down/out the low intensity cardio if possible. It impairs strength &
hypertrophy and lowers metabolic rate.
Good luck!

intesting please could you explain, is there any science behind this ? or based on your experience?
the reason i ask is i cant understand how a low intensity exercises like brisk walking , could do this , (apart from decreasing calories when you are aldready in a deficit but surely this would be minimal ). . i would have thought it would be beneficial on non strength training days, i know programs like SGX which incorporated
45 mins LISS 6 days a week and worked well.

[user786]

Originally Posted by snuppy

I have been lurking here for a few months trying to soak up as much information as possible. What a great community! Thanks to everyone who is supportive and helpful in motivating people!

My story: I am a total beginner to working out and have only been doing it for 2 months now. I think I might be doing something wrong, or going overboard. I’m just tired of looking unhealthy.

Basically, since I was a teen I have been a total couch potato and have had a desk job forever, so I have skinny arms and legs but a big beer belly. Needless to say I stopped drinking beer when I started working out. I have never been in shape my entire life, and up until now never paid attention to what I ate.

I have been researching nutrition and exercise for the last month and this is the program that I have put together for myself nutrition wise:

First my stats:

Sex: Male
Age: 34
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 148lbs
Body fat: 20%

Basil Metabolic Rate: 1620 calories
Total daily energy expenditure: 2511

Since I have started exercising 2 months ago I have lost 10 pounds and 5% body fat, but I think I have hit a plateau, as the last month as I have not lost any weight or body fat %, and think I am doing something wrong nutrition wise.

I have been consuming 1500 to 1700 calories a day on a 40/40/20 nutrition plan.

I have been doing cardio at least 3 times a week for 30-45 minutes each time to get my heart rate over 70% that whole time.

I have been doing light to medium weights 3 times a week as well for at least an hour each time, each day targeting a different muscle group. I basically push myself to work out until I can’t move. Below is the exact plan I have been doing for the last month, then I do a few reps of whatever muscles I am targeting that day on an all in one home gym I have:

Monday: http://www.fit2fat2fit.com/Blog/Details/1086/day-45
Wednesday: http://www.fit2fat2fit.com/Blog/Details/1088/day-47
Friday: http://www.fit2fat2fit.com/Blog/Details/1090/day-49

..and HIIT cardio Tuesdays, Thurdays, and trying to do Saturdays and Sundays as well.

Here is the weekly meal plan I have created: http://www.freeimagehosting.net/ymz8e

Supplements I am taking (am I going overboard?)

Daily:

-protein shake [30g] with glutamine and BCAAs twice a day [one post workout, then one before bed]
-vitargo S2 carb drink post workout [70g carbs]
-veggie greens powder with my shake once a day
-L-carnitine 750mg
- glutamine 2-4 times a day [depending if I am doing weights or cardio that day]
-con-cret creatine pre-workout [1500mg] and 750mg off days
-5 grams omega-3
-1800mg glucosamine
-1 multivitamin
-5 grams fiber pills
-3000mcg vitamin a
-800IU vitamin e
-60mg CoQ10
-1000mg vitamin C
-calcium/d/magnesium complex: 666mg calcium, 320mg magnesium, 400IU vitamin D

…and I’m also taking a pre-workout powder [1 scoop] 3 times per week that contains:

Arginine AKG 3g
Beta Alanine 1g
Taurine 500mg
Creatine HCl 1500mg
Caffeine 300mg
Geranium 20mg

It makes me able to work out probably twice as hard, but I do feel pretty bad for a few hours after it starts to wear off [anxiety/sick feeling].

If anyone has any tips or suggestions I am all ears! I’m concerned that maybe I’m going overboard with the supplements or just expecting results too fast, or maybe not eating enough, or my nutrition plan is wrong?

Hi In my opinion You need to revamp a lot here , as Mastover said you are wasting your money with most them supplements Omega 3 Multivitamin and Glucosamine are the Main ones you need.

That preworkout drink is Not really healthy at all you are just stimulating your brain with cafeine /taurine mixtures , increasing you heart rate and blood pressure . Not good really. When you go to train you shoud be aldready mentally focused / and ready to destroy the weights , maybe once i a while you can use that if you feel tired but
defo not on a regular basis.

that workout scheme actually suck (in my opinion) it is too much exercises too much messing about jumping from one to another, you
would be better served with a program like
Starting strength ( google it ).

for the amount of activity you are doing you are eating too less,
to be honest you dont need to lose any more weight you
want to look at recomping your body.

I would eat around 2000 calories do weights three times a week with a good program like starting strength , and see how it goes dont overcomplicate issues.

[mastover]

Originally Posted by user786

intesting please could you explain, is there any science behind this ? or based on your experience?
the reason i ask is i cant understand how a low intensity exercises like brisk walking , could do this , (apart from decreasing calories when you are aldready in a deficit but surely this would be minimal ). . i would have thought it would be beneficial on non strength training days, i know programs like SGX which incorporated
45 mins LISS 6 days a week and worked well.

It depends upon a lot of variables, but body builders have been doing cardio for about 30+ years in all way shapes and forms. Everything will work. If your current training and diet can support LISS as you are trying to gain/lose... I'm, all for it. If using HIIT, I would treat it as a weight lifting session and do the optimal pre. during. post workout nutrition during the session.

From personal experience with clients, I've seen that focusing more on LISS impedes strength increases. However, this depends entirely on the person's diet, body type, training system, and goals. When someone comes to me requesting a diet and training program, my questionnaire is going to be key in determining what the individual needs with diet, cardio, and training.

For most, HIIT will prove beneficial when combined with a good diet plan. But I am not adverse to include LISS. Everyone is different, and it depends upon too many variables, especially with the training. For most, conventional cardio is something I shy away from if the diet and lifting routine is met in earnest....

[mastover]

To expand a bit on this idea, Dr. Wilson Jacobs did a large analysis that showed the lower the intensity of cardio, the more it impaired strength and muscle hypertrophy. Dr. Layne Norton also supports his view. I do as well. But I keep an open mind regarding cardio, depending on the individual, goals, training, etc. What I mentioned in my previous post.