# Looking for virtual exercise+diet partners



## Jeff (Jun 24, 2007)

Alright, so I am 31 years old, and in the last few years I've gone from about 170 to 195lb, at 5'7. This is the fattest I've ever been, and it's really disheartening. I need help with motivation, especially when it comes to exercise. My plan is the eat better (already doing that), but also to start running, which I absolutely despise. But I realize that it's really the only way to do it. I've tried everything else, and nothing seems to work like running does. 

So my idea is to get a few gentlemen here with similar goals, and to post what we ate each day and what quantity/quality of exercise we did, along with a weekly "weigh-in". 

While we can obviously lie a bit since it's over the internet, obviously we'd only be cheating ourselves. 

Anyone else think this is a good idea? 

Call it "Sevenstring.org Fit Club"!


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## tehk (Jun 24, 2007)

I think its a great idea. For my personal background, my heaviest was 240lbs at 16 years old. That's a lot of fat. Over 2 years, I've worked my way down to 155lbs. This year, since January, I've been bulking to put on lean muscle mass. I got up to a nice 185lbs, and I dropped down to 170lbs when I was cutting (trimming the fat, but keeping muscle mass). I just finished my cutting cycle, and I realized that I need more mass, so I'm back to bulking.

I'm relatively experienced in terms of diet, training, exercise, motivation, etc... the whole thing . I'd be more then happy to share my knowledge to help benefit any and all the members of this wonderful community. 

It would make sense for a 7 stringer shredder to look shredded, don'tcha think? 

So this was my basic weight timeline:
Heaviest - 240lbs
Lightest - 155lbs
Bulk 1 - 185lbs
Cut 1 - 170lbs
Bulk 2 - We'll see 

Edit:
From what I've seen so far, I thik Jason is another member with some good training experience.


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## Leon (Jun 24, 2007)

i'm in. i've gained about 15 lbs in the last few months, and it NEEDS to come off! i'm at about 190, want to get back to at least 175, but could stand to lose more. though really, it's not that i want to weight 135, i just want to tone up the fat into muscle.


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## tehk (Jun 24, 2007)

"i just want to tone up the fat into muscle."

Fat cannot become muscle, as how muscle cannot become fat  - as like oil and water. The concept of "toning" is simply adding additional muscle mass, meanwhile lowering your body fat percentage to make the muscle fibers more visible.


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## Leon (Jun 24, 2007)

i suppose you're not the first who's mistaken me for an idiot


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## Leon (Jun 24, 2007)

but anyways, i start my new job Thursday, so my first *real* week will be next week, which is when i think i'm going to jump back into my diet/exercise plan. the big thing that i've been going overboard with lately is portions . i've got to cut those back, then i should be able to get back in shape.

it'll essentially be this:
breakfast: grapenuts, oatmeal, with unsweetened soy milk.
lunch: PB&J (natural PB... it has no partially hydrogenated oils) on a wheat bread, or a turkey sandwich, or something similar.
dinner: anything sensible.

as far as exercise, i'm not sure if i'll be running before work or after, but it will be running, and will probably be on a MWF-ish schedule. i have some free weights for upper body toning, but i'd like to wait a while before i get back into those. the running will be easier to start, since i enjoy it. once i get myself into a good routine, i'll add the upper body THS.

i don't know when i'll get internet in my new place... so i may not be able to post things up each day, but i'll do what i can


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## tehk (Jun 24, 2007)

Rule of Thumb:
If you want to go on a "diet" either to improve your strength, size, and mass, or to lose fat, you MUST eat at least 6 times a day, spaced 2-3 hours apart. The reason behind this is that it keeps your metabolism high and stable throughout the entire day. Instead of the conventional 3 square meals a day, squeeze in 6. I don't mean you eat a salad, a sandwich, and some meat in every single meal. Traditionally, you would get your "3 square meals", and then some snacks in between.

"it'll essentially be this:
breakfast: grapenuts, oatmeal, with unsweetened soy milk.
lunch: PB&J (natural PB... it has no partially hydrogenated oils) on a wheat bread, or a turkey sandwich, or something similar.
dinner: anything sensible.
"

That basically be what the majority would consider a "diet", but, sorry to be blunt, it's no where near proper - especially if you want to lose weight, sorry, fat (I hate the "lose weight" term)

Things that I can spot right away:
- 3 meals only
- Little to no protein within your diet
- Jelly for lunch? 
Jelly is a compounded mixture of fruits and sugar (tastes awesome, but keep away if you wanna trim the fat). Any kind of carbohydrate will transform into glucose within your system regardless. The KIND of carbohydrate pre-determines the rate of which it is absorbed and stored. Sugar is a very basic form of glucose, therefore it is considered a "Simple Carbohydrate". This pretty much deals with the spike of your insulin, a hormone created by your pancreas that is responsible for carb/fat absorption and usage. The spiking of your insulin is generated by the "GI" (Glycemic Index) level of your foods - note all foods of GI levels. Research this stuff on your own. There's quite a bit of stuff, and I think you would benefit better from reading the articles yourself.

Back to "Dieting", . This might seem like a lot of work, but no one said dieting & exercise was going to be easy. There's 2 forms of dieting & exercise, the right way and the wrong way. The wrong way would probably be the "eat salads all day, run for 2 hours, do 1000 crunches a day" mentality. The right way would be to understand the concepts, know how your (own) body works/responses, sticks to a well thought out dieting plan and training regime. Which one sounds more effective? 

This is a diet I used when I trimming fat, however I will modify it to seem more "normal" (Cutting out the protein shakes & adding more carbs, etc..)

Breakfast: First meal of the day. Very important. As children, we were told that it "breaks the fast" we endure during the night.. that's about it. The reason why breakfast is important is because, yes it breaks the fast, but it kicks starts your metabolism (which quintessential for fat loss), and it brings our body out of a catabolic state (the state of breaking down, the direct opposite to "anabolic") - which is VITAL for anyone wanting to build muscle or, a.k.a., "tone".

4 Egg Whites (Add salt if desired, but it is recommended you eat it plain)
2 Whole Eggs
1/2 Cup - 1 Cup of Oatmeal (Cooked with water, and flavoured with Cinnamon)

Drink either water or milk (Skim or 1%).

You got a nice protein boost, some good fats, and a great slow digesting carb for long lasting energy.

Meal 2: Have this 2-3 hours after breakfast.
A Fruit (An apple, an orange, grapefruit, etc.. try to keep it low sugar)
A can of tuna (Eat it right out of the can if you can)
- Mixed with low fat mayo if desired
A green - Broccoli/Spinach is recommended

Meal 2: Option 2
A Fruit (Same as above)
A can of tuna mixed with low fat/non-fat cottage cheese (Flavoured with mustard: This tastes pretty good actually)
A green - Broccoli/Spinach is recommended

Lunch: 2-3 hours after meal 2
Turkey Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Some low fat/non-fat Yogurt

Meal 4:
Peanut Butter Sandwich on 1 slice of wheat bread (Natural or low-fat PB)
Milk (Skim or 1%)


Dinner
6-8oz. of Fish or Chicken
Mixed Greens or any kind of green

Before Bed: This is important, because it gives your body fuel for the 8 hour long catabolic state that you will be in. It will consume the food as oppose to the hard earned muscles you worked so hard for.

8oz. of Milk and/or Low/Non- Fat Cottage Cheese

Why diary?! Because, diary contains this special protein called "Casein" which absorbs slower into your system, perfect for that 8 hour resting period.

This is JUST a sample. You may tweak it which ever way you want. This is if you want to do it natural (like, REALLY naturally) without the aid/support of supplements whatsoever. Know how many calories you should consume a day, and tweak this diet to fit.
By the way, its basically:
Your Body Weight x 12, then subtract 200-500, give or take (play with this).

Training:
Time for the training! Cardio is almost always a part of a fat-loss plan. When is the best time to do cardio? In the morning, or right after a weight lifting session. Why? Because, at those two parts of the day, your glycogen levels (fat storage cells basically) are at the lowest, and it is optimal to do cardio. If you do choose to do it in the morning, have a cup of black coffee before you run for that extra energy boost (caffeine explained later). As for weight lifting, fine a good weight lifting program to suit your needs, I recommend Bodybuilding.com - The Future Of Bodybuilding! Huge Bodybuilding Site..

*Caffeine.. and Green Tea?!
Caffeine plays a neat little role in fat loss. It raises your heart rate, especially when you train, which boosts your metabolism, which raises your core body temperature, which burns fat, savvy? . For the coffee lovers, this is a real treat. BUT! Consume CONTROLLED portions, and have it BLACK (don't need the extra calories from cream, milk, and sugar now do we).

Green Tea is another great fat loss aid. It too raises your metabolism, and it also helps lower stress levels (which is great for weight loss).

Here's something interesting. Did you know that Green Tea and Caffeine are both key ingredients in weight loss pills/fat burners? Hydroxycut, Lipo 6, whatever, all contain these 2 ingredient. Granted they'll have more stuff injected into them, but if you're not planning to compete in a body building contest, I say to you. "Why spend $60 on Hydroxycut when you can get similar benefits from drinking green tea and coffee?".*

That's my million dollar tip for you, and anyone else on this board 

P.S. In additon to the minimal summarized information I gave you, please, PLEASE do research if you want optimal results within the shortest period of time. Knowing what you're doing will keep your motivated, and the results will come very shortly.

I'm really liking posting health info here . I really hope more people get involved in this thing, for I know everyone can benefit from it!

P.P.S. - Not bad for being only 18 years old, dontcha' think?


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## Jeff (Jun 24, 2007)

I plan on eating non-sweetened cereal, probably Grape Nuts, since it's high in fiber. I really get hungry when I eat breakfast (probably because by eating it triggers metabolism) so I plan to bring some fruit or veggies of some sort. Staying away from PB&J's is tough for me, but I think I can do it. 

I'm going to be switching to green tea from coffee, at least for awhile, since I can't really live with black coffee, whereas green tea I can handle straight. 

Have you heard about vitamin B12 increasing metabolism? I wonder if that's true and/or safe. 

I will be posting Monday morning weigh in's (though I doubt tomorrow will be much different, since I am just starting) along with daily exercise and diet. 

We'll see where we can take it, and whoever jumps in at any time, the more the merrier!

*EDIT* After reading the post above, I can do straight tuna (actually I quite like it) and can do the peanut butter sans jelly sandwich. Maybe that's what I'll do to spread things apart.


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## Rusty_cooley702 (Jun 24, 2007)

well idont know how much i weigh but i thnk im pretty fat but not like morbidly obese or anything.

I only eat 1 meal a day

is that a good way to lose weight???


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## tehk (Jun 24, 2007)

To Jeff:
Sounds like your beginning to start on the right path. By the way, Peanut Butter is very good for you. Although the calories are high, it provides a good source of protein and good fats. You can have it everyday! Just a controlled amount.



Rusty_cooley702 said:


> well idont know how much i weigh but i thnk im pretty fat but not like morbidly obese or anything.
> 
> I only eat 1 meal a day
> 
> is that a good way to lose weight???



HELL NO! Read my above post. Lose weight in the sense that you're starving yourself, and that your body is eating itself (muscle and all!), and that you're dying at a faster pace? Then yea, eating 1 meal a day will make you lose weight.


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## velocity (Jun 24, 2007)

this sounds like a good idea..


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## tehk (Jun 24, 2007)

The more the better! This can be the first community with shredded shredders XD.

Edit: The posts I made previously were quite long, very informative!, but long. Anyone actually read them? lol


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## Jeff (Jun 25, 2007)

tehk said:


> The more the better! This can be the first community with shredded shredders XD.
> 
> Edit: The posts I made previously were quite long, very informative!, but long. Anyone actually read them? lol



Yeah I did. A lot of it I already knew, but the green tea thing was new. Which is cool, because I dig green tea.


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## velocity (Jun 25, 2007)

i read them too..


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## Jeff (Jun 25, 2007)

Today's officially day one for me, so weight in is 196lbs (!). I'll document eating and exercise tomorrow morning by editing this post.


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## Jason (Jun 25, 2007)

Thanks Tehk.  Yeah I had gone from 230lbs. down to 192lbs. Im currently right around 200lbs. All I gotta say is for fat loss diet is 80% of it. You eat like shit and train you will lose very slowly or worse just maintain.


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## tehk (Jun 25, 2007)

Congrats on the loss Jason! . I'm sure in one months time, anyone who starts sticking to a diet/training routine will achieve tremendous improvements.


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## Jeff (Jun 26, 2007)

Ah, Shit. 

So day one:

Breakfast: Special K
Snack: Banana
Lunch: Peanut butter sandwich, Dole Pineapple, Baked Lays
Dinner: Special K, slices of skim milk cheese (not together, obviously)

Exercise 20 minutes on the elliptical, 50 crunches.


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## tehk (Jun 26, 2007)

Jeff:
Not bad for a start, but I strongly suggest you add some protein and some greens into your diet.

And don't eat Special K for dinner, lol. You'll need something more fulfilling (since you're not planning to eat before bed) to keep your stomach/system happy for the duration between dinner and breakfast.

I suggest any kind of meat (6-8oz. portions), however, fish/chicken/turkey is recommended for weight loss.

Followed by some nice complex carbohydrates, (go easy on these guys though!!!) such as Sweet potatoes, whole wheat bread, brown rice, the healthy stuff.

And for the greens, go for some hearty stuff like broccoli, zucchini, or asparagus. Greens filled with great vitamins, fibers, and nutrients that have properties of making you feel full longer .

Have some protein for breakfast as well; eggs would be a perfect option (use mostly/all whites if you can)

Add another meal/snack between lunch/dinner so you don't feel too hungry (and your metabolism won't drop).

Good luck!

P.S. Ditch the chips


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## god9 (Jun 26, 2007)

If you want a tasty PB&J sandwich, buy some all natural unsweetened jam from the store. I'm not sure about where you guys live, but they sell the stuff locally at the farmer's market. Just mashed up berries I think. Quite good, and they sell it in blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, grape, and a couple others.


For my progress, I'm just out of school now, so no more phys. ed class, so I'll definately have to get off my ass some more this summer.

Since February I'm down about 16 pounds from 211 to 195. I'm about 5' 11". I have absolutely no idea what to eat really to achieve my weight goals (around 170) and how to exercise to get there. 25 pounds seems like so far to go.

tehk, if you're willing to help me write out some meal plans and maybe advise me what to do for exercise, that would be cool. I'm still young (17 almost 18) so I'm not sure if the diet should vary among different age groups.

For exercising my preference honestly is cycling. We've also got an old York weight macine in the basement aswell as an elliptical, maybe I could do those a couple times a week aswell.

Also, I don't drink or smoke. Thanks

-Dave


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## Jeff (Jun 26, 2007)

tehk said:


> Jeff:
> Not bad for a start, but I strongly suggest you add some protein and some greens into your diet.
> 
> And don't eat Special K for dinner, lol. You'll need something more fulfilling (since you're not planning to eat before bed) to keep your stomach/system happy for the duration between dinner and breakfast.
> ...



I don't know about the greens dude. I've got collitus, and veggies give me a rough time. Literally.


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## jufob (Jun 26, 2007)

My wife and I went on a "fat-free" type diet, read all the labels on pkgs, bought products labeled "fat-free, and didn't have anything fried. It kicked in with me in less than 2 mos. and I had to buy all smaller clothes, decreased 3 waist sizes down to 34w. It didn't work for her because we found that fat-free products are high in sugar and females metabolize it differently. My diet is a more liberal version of that and works for me.


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## tehk (Jun 26, 2007)

Jeff: Oh, bummer, lol. Well in that case, I guess perhaps you can invest in some multi-vitamins to get some nutrients that you'd be missing from the veggies.

god9: Bodybuilding.com - Topic Of The Week - What Is The Best 8-Week Diet Plan For A Summer Ready Body?
A great article about the basics of nutrition that includes a diet plan. It also provides some calculators so that you can calculate your calorie/protein intake to match your needs.

As for training, you mentioned you had access to various cardio-machines. That's great! But are you willing to do weight training as well? If so, then I personally recommend a push/pull 4 day split program (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday). I find that it works great because it has good isolation exercises for "toning" with a good mixture/balance of compound exercises for strength and mass.


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## Jeff (Jun 27, 2007)

tehk said:


> Jeff: Oh, bummer, lol. Well in that case, I guess perhaps you can invest in some multi-vitamins to get some nutrients that you'd be missing from the veggies.
> 
> god9: Bodybuilding.com - Topic Of The Week - What Is The Best 8-Week Diet Plan For A Summer Ready Body?
> A great article about the basics of nutrition that includes a diet plan. It also provides some calculators so that you can calculate your calorie/protein intake to match your needs.
> ...




Yeah dude, it sucks. I actually do better eating a big steak than I do a big salad. Makes no sense, but it's how the colon digests food. 

BTW, ran a mile yesterday. Yikes, that's why all runners are skinny. It kicks your ass!


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## tehk (Jun 27, 2007)

Oh yea, running is hardcore, especially if you're out of shape.

I personally hate doing cardio - I'm sure the majority of the people out there share the same feelings. Thinking about doing it is discouraging. BUT!!!!! Seeing the results it can yield, even the following day!, is mind blowing.

I swear, the next day after I did my first cardio session (30 minutes HIT on the Elliptical), I looked at myself in the mirror in the morning, and my obliques never looked so good.

I use that as motivation.

Edit: That was however, during my cut cycle. I'm back on my bulk cycle, so I need not worry about cardio anytime soon . I'm planning to do it maybe twice a week, but no where near as intense as during my cut cycle.


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## B Lopez (Jun 27, 2007)

I  cardio.

Half of it is that if I dont do it, I feel groggy and bogged down.


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## tehk (Jun 27, 2007)

Lucky you


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## Jeff (Jun 28, 2007)

tehk said:


> Oh yea, running is hardcore, especially if you're out of shape.
> 
> I personally hate doing cardio - I'm sure the majority of the people out there share the same feelings. Thinking about doing it is discouraging. BUT!!!!! Seeing the results it can yield, even the following day!, is mind blowing.
> 
> ...



Nothing does it like running, and I actually feel better already. I have my paths mapped out so I can go to longer distances as I get more into this, and I live in farm land so it's easy to run along the road with relative safety. 

I continue to eat pretty much teh same so far, avoiding fatty foods and too much sugar.


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## tehk (Jun 28, 2007)

Good stuff, keep it up! Stay motivated. Continue to research and improve on your dietary/training methods to suit your needs to optimize your results.


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## Jason (Jun 28, 2007)

Keep it up guys..Yes cardio sucks BUT helps ALOT!


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## Leon (Jun 29, 2007)

tehk, if that method of dieting doesn't work, than why has it worked for me?

twice?


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## Leon (Jun 29, 2007)

so anyway, my diet is going pretty well so far. i'm feeling better, that's for sure! whether or not i've lost any weight, i don't know, as i don't have a scale, but then day-to-day weight measurements aren't really useful. on Monday of this week (6-25-07) i weighed in at 188 (nude). this weekend i'll check myself again, though i don't expect much of a loss, since i only started running again Wednesday (through Toledo's Botanical Garden's no less, as it's a stone's throw from my new place).


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## oompa (Jun 29, 2007)

how you eat is more important than what you eat. routine is everything, and it is for a reason. the body functions the way you want it to much better if it expects whats happening. eating less than normal meals doesnt make you lose weight at all, infact if it does - its temporarily and either way its not healthy in the long run.

by regularly i mean i dont care if its an apple. no chewing gum, no mints, nothing that -fools your tummy that its gonna get something and starts processing-. eat something like breakfast, early lunch, early dinner and one meal again a good while before going to sleep, all but breakfast home cooked food. food dont add weight nomatter what. you must make your tummy adapt to only getting food at regular intervals.

dont bother with all these charts about this and that. your body can recover from being shot outside of any vital part, it could withstand you getting lost in a winter for days with no food etc etc. it can easily manage to maintain weight without you counting milligrams of carbos or vitamins.

think like this: proteines, carbos, and vegetables. 
proteins being mainly meat. we are meat eaters, beans/other prot's once in a while. carbos being rice, pasta and potatoes. these three mainly. something else once in a while. a plate of one third meat, one third pasta/rice/potatoes and one third salad of any kind is an enough level of detail in what you eat.
fruit is ok, but hard drawn its just water and "sugar". the reason its not so good isnt that it contains anything bad, but it will screw your routine you try to get going with meat, carbos and vegs.

the second part is the exercise. once your tummy is beginning to expect food at regular intervals and is bitching less about sugar and fat, it will pick up all the nourishments and lose excess carbohydrates and fat -MUCH more effective-. much more. this makes such a big difference. to lose weight healthy is about exercising. i swear that when i was doin military service, i could have been drinking olive oil and chew butter for meals and still wouldnt gain a pound. (tho it wouldnt be healthy lol).

its just as important with exercise as with food to do it regularly. your body will take some time to adapt at first, just like your tummy. after that you will loose weight much more effectively but it requires that you are eating right. to eat right and exercise right requires what is often hardest to find: motivation. 

its kinda hard to go on a 45 minute jog if you just worked an extra shift and have a headache. do it anyway, just dont push it. activate your body for the same period of time but maybe take a walk instead. this routine is as decisive as the eating one. slowly try to find a good workout schedual. slightly to tough, you will wear out. it will take more or less time but it will happen. to easy and its not efficient.

walking/running/jogging is by far the best way to lose weight. weight lifting builds muscles and makes you sweat = you lose water. thats roughly about it. running means you tell your body to move fast. not only will you lose weight all over but as a bonus the body will eventually respond to this by losing weight even more efficient in order to make you faster. its a good trick.

another good thing is to run before you eat. the body picks up all the good stuff in food more efficient if you just had a workout, and you chill down afterwards. this is cus for hundreds of thousands of years, the body was developed for hunting, wich meant running, catching, eating, resting. its still in the genes.

as a last thing: since motivation is the hardest part, care for it in any way possible. its no biggie if you wait an extra five minutes before taking that long jog, or taking a minute in the middle. as long as it doesnt lead to bigger breaks in the routine, its more important than losing the will to do it in the end.

to maintain the motivation is so important that most people fail to maintain it cus they are to strict wich makes it a mental burden. it shouldnt be. care for the motivation, while maintaining the eating and exorcising routine.


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## DelfinoPie (Jun 29, 2007)

I love this thread...tehk's advice is awesome an e-rep heading your way after this post.

I was going to make a post about trying to lose weight but seeing as this one is already up and running I'll jump onboard this train of thought.

Yeah so I've been meaning to lose weight for some time, I am a procrastinator but since I started working I've become a lot more motivated. And seeing as a large part of my jobs is physically demanding I thought it could help as well as eating the right food and at the correct intervals.

What pushed me over the edge to do it today was when my parents were talking about my next door neighbour who is one year older than me and how she has put on weight. In my opinion she was hot but yes, she has put on a few lbs over the last few years. As have I. Then my Dad randomly said that I was 'turning into him' and that I was getting chubby cheeks. Not good when diabetes runs in your family lol.

So yeah, great thread...words of advice will be heeded.


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## tehk (Jun 29, 2007)

> how you eat is more important than what you eat. routine is everything



Very well put. I can lose 5 pounds a day if I wanted, I think anyone can. Just don't drink anything or eat anything, weigh yourself in the morning and whooop! 5lbs magically disappear. But, once you drink/eat something, your weight will go up again.

The whole "extreme food deprivation" dieting method is totally flawed, and I do NOTTT recommend it to ANYONE. Consuming less calories will equal fat loss, that is a given. However, you must do it correctly and intelligently! Research ways you can calculate it for yourself.

I keep mentioning research. I think I've done that in about 80% of my posts, however, I think I'm going to say it in every single response from now on, just to get in your heads .

I know my stuff, a lot more then what an average person would know regarding diet/training. Hell, I know a lot more then my peers regarding muscular functions and food, and they're majoring in the medical fields. Even so, I continuously research everyday - yes, I really do. I use the "Wikipedia" method of doing my research; example, I know what protein is, but what is protein synthesis?.. K, Protein synthesis, got it, but how do Branched Chain Amino Acids help produce it? etc...........

This is a great tip for ANYONE wanting to gain/lose weight, and I use this method everyday:

To monitor your progress, use the MIRROR, NOT the scale.

Edit:
There's a lot of mentioning of protein within this thread. I'm sure the first thing that pops into people's minds are, "Excess protein equals muscles. Therefore, I should only do so if I want mass." Wrong. First of all, its is very, VERYYYYYYYYYYY hard to put on pure muscle mass. 1-4 lbs a month on average, taking in consideration of your genetics, if you've trained HARD ENOUGH.

Calories are divided up into Proteins, Carbs, and Fats. Think of it this way.
Your calorie intake is 100%. Carbs and Fats should be cut down when you want to lose fat. Simple enough, everyone should know this.
Therefore, you should divide your calorie intake like so:

60% Protein
20% Carbs
20% Fats

Savvy? 

Oh yea, if you plan to consume more protein, drink more water.


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## Marko (Jul 1, 2007)

Wow, I rarely visit these non-music sections, so I was quite suprised to find a thread like this - and a very informative one I must say 

My exams are coming to an end, and I'll finally have some time for myself... I had a cool routine - running every 2 out of 3 evenings with a warm up i did at home (basically, just a ton of pushups and situps) and a nice relaxing bath afterwards  But since then I had a 2-week break and I've lost the edge...

I'll try to start it all over in a few days... maybe even start going to the gym...

This diet thing is where I'm absolutely clueless... I skipped the biology classes when I was a kid and now it's catching up. All I know is that I drink lots of green tea(I hate coffe but i need a stimulant of some sort) and obscene amounts of water. I'll sure try to follow TEHK's advide - as much as the circumstances allow


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## tehk (Jul 1, 2007)

> I'll sure try to follow TEHK's advide - as much as the circumstances allow



Why thank you . 

The best way to discovering a diet plan that works best for you is to try out sample ones provided by professional/legitimate sources. On the way, tweak them to suit your personal lifestyle and to optimize your results. However, before you begin ANYTHING, make sure you have a good idea of what you're going to be undergoing. *Your body and your mental/physical well being is an investment.* Loads of time, money, and energy will be utilized to reach your goals. Therefore, try not to waste any of your precious resources.

That's one of the few reasons why I'm pushing the research thing. I'll provide 2 of the most useful websites in terms of all things dieting and exercising.

Bodybuilding.com's Main Page - The Largest And Most Complete Bodybuilding Site Online! Bodybuilding Info.
Yes, kinda obvious. But, it is one (if not) the best website for this kind of stuff. Plus, they have a neat little store where you can order stuff 

Bodybuilding.com Forums - Bodybuilding And Fitness Board
Personally, I believe this is more informative then the previous link. And, being a member of a seven string board, I'm sure you'll share my opinion for the praise of forum information. I find motivation in many sections of the forum; member's photos, member's lift stats, new routine ideas, etc.. It makes me say to myself, "I wanna lift that much", or "That sounds like a great idea. I'm gonna try that!". With that motivation, I can't wait to get to the gym. Simply awesome.


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## thedownside (Jul 2, 2007)

thanks for this thread guys. i've been wanting to get back into beter shape, and this might almost be enough motivation to do it. 

i used to be super active, 2 hockey teams at once, football, track, kickboxing, but then i blew out my knee kickboxing and basically havent done anything since (many years). i've always been thick, but not like i am not, atleast some of the gut has to go.

but it's hard to motivate me to do anything about it, which has been one of my biggest hurdles. that and the diet part. i used to eat anything, and everything i could (mainly bad for you stuff). my matabolism is high already, if it wasnt, i'd be sooo big, cause i live off of grease and meat. so what to eat is the biggest issue for me really. i know i can work out as much as i want, and how i eat is gonna stop so many gains. 

but maybe i'll give it a shot in the next week or so (my gf is out of town for the next month starting next week, i'd like to even loose a little and surprise her when i see her again). but i have my bands first show this week, so nothing will be happening this week, enough on my plate as it is


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## Jeff (Jul 2, 2007)

I'm doing better on the meal thing; although I wouldn't call them all meals, I've been eating 5 times a day instead of the standard 3. Haven't missed a beat with working out either, though yesterday was rough. 3 miles on rollerblades, and the streets are kinda rough here. So my ankles hurt!


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## tehk (Jul 2, 2007)

> 3 miles on rollerblades, and the streets are kinda rough here. So my ankles hurt!



Hahaha, I hope you recover soon then


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## oompa (Jul 2, 2007)

Jeff said:


> I'm doing better on the meal thing; although I wouldn't call them all meals, I've been eating 5 times a day instead of the standard 3. Haven't missed a beat with working out either, though yesterday was rough. 3 miles on rollerblades, and the streets are kinda rough here. So my ankles hurt!



haha good  remember, no snacks in between, a chewing gum is as bad as a pizza. nothing between the meals! *raises the ruler* haha


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## tehk (Jul 2, 2007)

> a chewing gum is as bad as a pizza.



?!?!


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## Jason (Jul 2, 2007)

oompa said:


> remember, no snacks in between, a chewing gum is as bad as a pizza.



UH..No.. DO you know what your talking about?


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## Papa Shank (Jul 3, 2007)

Chewing gum...that is really splitting hairs, while we're at it let's break down micronutrient intake and pick out certain meats for specific proteins

...kidding. Just remember that you don't want sugar (other than dextrose post workout), you don't want salt and you don't want saturated fats. You don't want to spend more than 45 minutes weight lifting nor do you want to workout for more than 90 minutes without some protein supplementation (EAA or BCAA would be good instead of whey).


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## Jeff (Jul 3, 2007)

As noted in the other thread, I am looking to get a bike very soon. The running and rollerblading may have a more immediate impact, but as far as sticking with something that I enjoy, biking is the way to go. 
Back in high school (15 years ago) we'd spend every day of our summer riding 20-30 miles a day, at about that speed (20mph). 
I miss it dearly, and would even like to compete someday in roadracing. Obviously that's a long ways off, but it's a goal.


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## tehk (Jul 3, 2007)

20-30 miles a day? Wow, that must have been something. I enjoy biking myself, so that definitely sounds like fun.


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## tehk (Jul 11, 2007)

Huh, did everyone give up?


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## thedownside (Jul 12, 2007)

nope, i'm full on now... careful dieting and daily rollerblading


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## tehk (Jul 12, 2007)

Awesome, keep it up!


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## Drew (Jul 12, 2007)

Count me in, too, as this was one of my new year's resolutions. I'm in the same boat as Jeff, just at an even 6'0 - I used to be a consistant 165-175, yet as of christmas between getting no excersize and drinking about a bottle of wine a day for our cork wall, I was up to 190. 

Caveats - 

1.) I eat a relatively balanced diet, but I'm not making drastic changes in the interest of losing weight. Tehk, I'm sure you know what you're talking about, but I'm not having four egg whites and two egg yolks for breakfast because simply I enjoy food and am not about to sacrifice that. Rather, I'll make changes in the quantity of food I eat (I'm sure I eat more than I need to), I'll focus on having healthy snacks, and I'll focus on getting more excersize (I too love biking and am in the market for a road bike). 

2.) I have mono, so no excersize above walking for at least another three weeks. 

3.) #2 is probably going to lose me a few pounds, however - I think I've lost a bit of weight in the week I was off work. 

4.) I don't own a scale, and I think my female roommates would kill me if I brought one into the house.


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## Jason (Jul 12, 2007)

I have clamped down on my eating as of this week.

Breakfast and dinner are my 2 best meals. Breakfast egg whites and oatmeal Dinner chicken breast with steamed veggies


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## tehk (Jul 12, 2007)

No worries Drew, I too am a lover of food (in terms of tastes). I actually work at a restaurant and am currently apprenticing to going into a culinary career. Fortunately, my taste buds haven't disappeared because of this thing .

After I reach my strength/size goals, I'm going to eat normally once again (5-6 meals still, but normal wholesome foods). I'm simply temporarily sacrificing taste to achieve my goals much faster (say 1 year or less), rather then 2+ years.

In a weird way, I really enjoy it. Not necessarily the taste, but the experience of it all. I'm always open to trying new things, and this was one of the newer things that stuck with me .

P.S. I'm getting really, REALLY sick of tuna and cottage cheese. Oats will be next on the list! Ironically, I had tuna and cottage cheese for lunch earlier today, lol.


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## thedownside (Jul 15, 2007)

so this week i finally weighed myself to get my starting point, 220 on the dot. and this was my first week of trying to really watch what i eat and when. still trying to figure out the best times for me to eat, and get used to eating that often (i used to go 2-3 big meals a day, with allot of pop, and snacks). i'm at around 4-5 meals a day now, the past few have actually been good, around 15% fat, 15% carbs and the rest as protien. still working on getting some fruits and veggies on the go... smoothies have been good for some of it.

my body has been kicking my ass though. i'm used to alllllllllot of sugar and cafine (no coffee, but energy drinks) daily, and now that it isnt getting that, headaches are coming on later in the day. i found Green Jolt though (i love the blue stuff) lotsa caffine, but no sugar or calories, so thats been my fix the past couple of days.

how can i figure out how many calories i should be eating though? my calorie count has been pretty low (i've many times eaten a greco party pizza in one sitting, i can consume massive calories) it's been around 1500-2000 a day, which to me is pretty low. but i've not been able to finish meals sometimes cause i'm too full!!! something isnt adding up for me, lol.


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## tehk (Jul 16, 2007)

Check out Chris's sticky on Calorie intake and General Nutrition
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/lifestyle-health-fitness-food/


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## Drew (Jul 17, 2007)

thedownside said:


> my body has been kicking my ass though. i'm used to alllllllllot of sugar and cafine (no coffee, but energy drinks) daily, and now that it isnt getting that, headaches are coming on later in the day. i found Green Jolt though (i love the blue stuff) lotsa caffine, but no sugar or calories, so thats been my fix the past couple of days.



Try black coffee. I THINK coffee with nothing added is calorie free, and unlike Green Jolt, which I'm sure is loaded with all sorts of preservatives and chemicals, it's actually not bad for you.


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## thedownside (Jul 17, 2007)

Drew said:


> Try black coffee. I THINK coffee with nothing added is calorie free, and unlike Green Jolt, which I'm sure is loaded with all sorts of preservatives and chemicals, it's actually not bad for you.



i hate hate hate coffee  I'll stick to the green jolt for now... the little bit of bad stuff in Jolt is nothing compared to the amount i'm used to consuming


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## Drew (Jul 18, 2007)

thedownside said:


> i hate hate hate coffee  I'll stick to the green jolt for now... the little bit of bad stuff in Jolt is nothing compared to the amount i'm used to consuming



I don't trust people who don't drink coffee.


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## thedownside (Jul 18, 2007)

Drew said:


> I don't trust people who don't drink coffee.



i wouldnt trust me either... mwahahahahaha


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## DelfinoPie (Jul 18, 2007)

Drew said:


> I don't trust people who don't drink coffee.



lmao, I drink coffee occasionally...like the night before I have an assignment due in and I want to go overboard with finishing touches, I don't sleep.

I've also started drinking it before I work out


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## Jason (Jul 18, 2007)

thedownside said:


> i hate hate hate coffee  I'll stick to the green jolt for now... the little bit of bad stuff in Jolt is nothing compared to the amount i'm used to consuming



Aspartame


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## thedownside (Jul 20, 2007)

woohoo, my first update. it's been about 9 solid days of work now, with a couple of cheats, and no excerise (started rollerblading, but not enough to get a workout, just getting the feel for it again). So after 9 day i bought a scale and jumped on it today... 11.2lbs gone  i was 221.5, now i'm down to 210.3... and very happy  next goal... 200


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## B Lopez (Jul 21, 2007)

Im gaining weight  Up a few pounds, in a good way.


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## tehk (Jul 21, 2007)

Congrats! . My weight has gone up a little as well, again in the good way. My strength however, has gone way up! Woo, lol.


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## DelfinoPie (Jul 21, 2007)

I've started a steady loss of 4lbs over the course of 2 weeks which is the kind of thing I've been aiming for.

I've started excercising more and paying attention to what I eat and, just as importantly, if not more, when I eat.

2lbs a week is about right (or so I've read...and trust me, I've spent a lot of time reading around the subject after going through this thread a fortnight ago) for my weightloss goal.

I know the recommended daily amount of steps you should take is 10,000...well, this week I've worked over 51 hours and walked upto 40,000 steps a day doing 10,000 steps in one go if it is particularly busy at work.

Just goes to show how much a lil motivation from your online buddies really goes


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## tehk (Jul 22, 2007)

> Just goes to show how much a lil motivation from your online buddies really goes



I guess so . It's really good that you've been doing your research, and congrats on your progress so far.

For weight loss, exercise is only second to proper dieting, however, fat loss would not work if you lacked either one. Depending on your body fat%, 2lbs a week is a text-book number, very good . Of course, say if you had 40% body fat, you would loose a lot more then 2lbs a week, but for an average person, 2lbs a week is good.

When I was cutting, I lost about 1-2lbs a week, which is good for my body type. After 1 month, I had dropped from about 185lbs to about 172-175lbs, which was a nightmare!!!!!! I was afraid that all of my muscle mass that I had worked so hard to put on during the last 4-5 months were vanishing. But, after a few seconds of critical thinking, I realized that most of the weight was water weight - due to the water retention side effects of creatine monohydrate. By the end of my cut cycle, about 2 months, in terms of body fat, I looked great! But! I was too small in my opinion. Various muscle groups weren't as large as I thought they would be. So, that's why I'm bulking again .

It turns out, I didn't lose any of my strength, which is good. That's my little story .

Anywhoo, my little extra advise would be, if you see a good idea with solid evidence/facts behind it, put it to the test. Who knows, it might work well for you. I don't think any of us are competing, so a little experimentation won't hurt - as long as you do it safely and you have a good idea of what you're doing. For me, I'm going to cut within the next few weeks or so for 2-3 weeks. I read that this helps with metabolism levels in general and helps stabilize your triglycerides for your next bulk phase. Not too shabby .


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## Drew (Jul 31, 2007)

Well, I was at my parents' place over the weekend, so I got to weight myself. I've dropped (thanks to both excersize at the beginning of the summer, and my highly effective mono-induced diet of lying on the couch and drinking milkshakes) down from the low 190's to 183 as of this weekend. 

Obviously, I still have my work ahead of me (I want to be visually thinner than I am, and end up somewhere in the low 170's), but I visibly look better than I did (it was starting to show in my face, looking back at vacation pics), and I weigh about ten pounds less, so cool.


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## JJ Rodriguez (Jul 31, 2007)

I ate 8 hotdogs the other day, but thanks to smoking again I'm actually losing weight. We should all start the JJ Rodriguez diet, gorge on shitty "food" and smoke your brains out


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## Drew (Jul 31, 2007)

JJ Rodriguez said:


> I ate 8 hotdogs the other day, but thanks to smoking again I'm actually losing weight. We should all start the JJ Rodriguez diet, gorge on shitty "food" and smoke your brains out



Excuse me while I pass.  

I just bought a scale, so I can provide slightly more accurate progress reports now.


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## thedownside (Jul 31, 2007)

i'm down to 204.2 now


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## Jason (Aug 15, 2007)

Updates?


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## thedownside (Aug 15, 2007)

i went up a couple for a week, but now i'm down to 202.2.... hopefully it'll soon be sub-200


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## Drew (Aug 16, 2007)

Holding steady at 180, but I haven't had time to do jack shit lately. :/


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## thedownside (Aug 16, 2007)

i havent done anything either, just watched what i ate allot. in the next month or so i'll be back in the gym. it's been too hot to even rollerblade lately, so band practice is my only excersie right now, haha


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## tehk (Aug 17, 2007)

6th day into my second cutting phase. 1 more week to go . I just wanted to shed off some fat that I have gained from my bulk (quite minimal). Plus, I've read that it helps with the bulking phase because it'll "shock" your body, and encourage it to adapt (One of the many philosophies of the "300" Spartan training regime, lol).

This way, I'll be able to stay relatively lean all year round, without jeopardizing my results, but rather to encourage my size/strength gains .

Its kinda like.. repeatedly experiencing newbie gains allll over again (Which is awesome)

Here are some results I've had so far:
End of Cut 1: 1 Rep Max 
Squat: 275lbs
Deadlift: 315lbs
Bench Press: 225lbs
Bent Over Row: 185lbs

End of Bulk 2 (2 months approx): 1 Rep Max
Squat: 315lbs (+40lbs!!!!)
Deadlift: 365lbs (+50lbs!!!!!!)
Bench Press: 240lbs (+15lbs)
Bent Over Row: 275lbs (+90lbs!!!!! I was reaaaaally shocked here)


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## B Lopez (Aug 17, 2007)

Good gains.

Prepare to stall on bench gains for the next year though


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## Jeff (Aug 17, 2007)

Jason said:


> Updates?



I haven't done shit. 

I've been so incredibly exhausted that working out has been the last thing on my mind. 

Newborns are a pain in the ass! 

Don't get me wrong, I love my daughter, but getting up at 12am, 2am, and 4am kills me.


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## Jason (Aug 21, 2007)

Jeff said:


> I haven't done shit.
> 
> I've been so incredibly exhausted that working out has been the last thing on my mind.
> 
> ...



Diet is at 70% plus  Hang in there


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## DelfinoPie (Aug 23, 2007)

It's going well for me...

I've lost 13lbs so far through eating the proper food and at the correct intervals...that and started going to the gym  I still want to lose another 8lbs before I get back to University in little over a month, I think I can manage it.


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## tehk (Aug 24, 2007)

Well judging from your progress so far, 8lbs or so doesn't sound too difficult. Just hang in there, and all your hard work will pay off .


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## Jason (Sep 4, 2007)




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## Drew (Sep 5, 2007)

Jeff said:


> Don't get me wrong, I love my daughter, but getting up at 12am, 2am, and 4am kills me.



Try this - do like 5 push-ups or 5 sit-ups whenever you have to get up in the middle of the night for her. Over time, it'll add up. 

After spending the last couple weeks away from home at weddings eating badly (because almost nothing at airports is healthy) and drowning myself with booze, I'm back up into the 183-185 range, up from 180 (but still down from 190-195). I'm mono free, however, and my arms have almost stopped aching from the last round of vaccinations, so I'm hoping to get back out on my bike again and start doing pushups again.


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## neon_black88 (Sep 9, 2007)

Hey everybody I'm in a slightly different boat to some of you guys, im mainly getting fit and doing some strength training to get fit enough for the army. Most of the shit I do doesn't involve weights, because the way I see it, if I need to be able to do pushups, I train for it by doing pushups, same with situps, chin-ups ect. Anyway this is my weekly plan.

------------------------------
Monday
------------------------------

Pushups - Chest, Trycepts (2 Sets)
Sit-Ups - Upper Abs (To Max)
Leg-Ups - Lower Abs (To Max)
Chin-Ups - Bycepts, Back ( 2 Sets)
Overheads - Trycepts
Beep Test - Cardio

------------------------------
Tuesday
------------------------------

Sit-Ups - Upper Abs (3 Sets)
Leg-Ups - Lower Abs (3 Sets)
Beep Test - Cardio

------------------------------
Wednesday
------------------------------

Pushups - Chest, Trycepts (To Max)
Chin-Ups - Bycepts, Back (To Max)
Overheads - Trycepts
Bycept Curls - Bycepts

-----------------------------
Thursday
-----------------------------

Situps - Upper Abs (To Max)
Leg Ups - Lower Abs (To Max)
Beep Test - Cardio

----------------------------
Friday
----------------------------

Beep Test - Cardio
Chin Ups - Bycepts (2 Sets)

----------------------------
Saturday
----------------------------

Pushups - Chest, Trycepts (2 Sets)
Sit Ups - Upper Abs (3 Sets) 
Leg Ups - Lower Abs (3 Sets)

---------------------------
Sunday
---------------------------

Rest


Any comments from anyone who knows there stuff? My diets kinda hard for me to control, but I try to make sure theres always a can of tuna handy. And I go for water or milk instead of soft drink. Im not really trying to loose wieght, although I wouldnt mind cutting down on my body fat. Also any comments on training to the beep test? Basically I try and improve or maintain my score everytime. Its a really short duration, but high intensity cardio, so probably not the best way to burn fat, but effective for what im trying to achieve hopefully. Its just really motivating to have an exact number to try and beat every day.

By the way. Im on about 25 pushups, which isn't great. I wana get that up to 50. Military style situps about 30-40, which is REALLY suprising because I used to be able to do sit-ups till the cows come home. Im gana test my max to the army test tommorow though. Thats gota get to 80. Beep test score is 8.0, ill let you guys know If I beat that tommorow.

Basically im alreaddy on the minimum for recruitment to the army, but I wana be outstanding haha, enough for special forces selection. 

Also, is it right that you can do your abdominals every day? Same with cardio?

Hope all you guys are going good! I can feel the progress alreaddy and I havent even fully goten into it yet!

Next day update:

I increased my beep test score to 8.5, whoooo. Also I tested my max aussie millitary situps to there audio tape thing and I made it to 45, which is the minimum. So now I've got all the minimums its time to break some records. I killed myself doing pushups and negative rep chin ups aswell.


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## neon_black88 (Sep 14, 2007)

I kill threads! Anyway I've increased my score to 9.0


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## neon_black88 (Sep 18, 2007)

9.5


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## Rev2010 (Sep 18, 2007)

Jeff, I'm coming into this thread many months late obviously but man, your situation read very much like mine. I'm 33 now and when I started my job 7 years ago I came in weighing about 160lbs. Now, I was also told I was waaay too skinny during those years being I'm 6' 2" but I never thought anything of it. I went from a job standing on my feet all day, doing some stocking here and there and the "occasional cleaning your section" - was a computer software section in a store. Anyhow, since then my job has been and currently is as a desktop support technician. So as you're well aware there's a lot of sitting at computers. We used to move around big ass CRT monitors and heavy towers but today's gear is much smaller and much lighter being flatpanels and micro-tower PC's. With that our own cafeteria doesn't help.

So anyway, to get to the point I shot up to 205lbs and said that's it, I gotta do something about this. I want to get back on my skateboard again like I was 2 years ago (weighed 195 or so then). So I bought an exercise bike and everyday I come home and do 45-60 minutes on it while watching DVD's episodes of Star Trek or whatever to pass the time. Also, if I plan on watching a movie or something I will most of the time get on the bike rather than lounge out on the couch. I burn on average 325-350 calories in that time. On some occasions I will do two workouts to burn 700 for the day. On top of that I cut down on the quantity of my meals and also eat much healthier selections. I've also switched over to primarily drinking zero calorie beverages during those meals. Also, I picked up a bunch of weight watcher type microwaveable meals. They don't taste so great but are usually only around 300 calories with some being even less. So far in the past week or so I've dropped three pounds. I'm trying to get to 185lbs or so.

My big problem is that I drink a LOT of beer, annd I don't want to stop. I love beer. But being I exercise first now when I get home it's actually reduced my beer intake as I would usually have one or two in that time span. I don't know how things have progressed for you as I haven't read all 9 pages yet but I hope things have gone well 


Rev.


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## Jeff (Sep 23, 2007)

Well, new update. I went on the Nutrisystem plan, just this past week (tomorrow will be one week). 

I've also been walking 2.5 miles a day at lunch time, and it's going pretty well. It's pretty easy to see why people lose weight on this.....they don't let you over eat! I don't really feel hungry though, which is good. 

I have to stay on it for 3 months, so we'll see what happens by Dec. 17th.


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## Jeff (Sep 28, 2007)

Update: nearly two weeks, and I've lost 7 pounds. Not too bad! It's really encouraging to see progress.


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## Papa Shank (Oct 9, 2007)

I've finally had to get off my ass and start running again for the first time in 5 years and fuck me it's tough. I'm doing a 0.5 mile warmup jog into a 1.5 mile run, the aim is to do the 1.5 miles in 9 minutes, I started running last Saturday...

Saturday time- DNF
Sunday time- 12:47
Monday time- 11:20

So, I'm quietly confident I can knock more time off tonight. Infact I might just go out for a run now (odd how I can go without it for ages then can't stop...).

I've also got to get back into deadlifts, power cleans, pushups, pullups, situps and I'll start to do 3+ mile runs to help lower my 1.5 mile time.


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## rontaviv (Jun 4, 2011)

Still looking for someone to be in a dieting group with you? I am interested.



Jeff said:


> Alright, so I am 31 years old, and in the last few years I've gone from about 170 to 195lb, at 5'7. This is the fattest I've ever been, and it's really disheartening. I need help with motivation, especially when it comes to exercise. My plan is the eat better (already doing that), but also to start running, which I absolutely despise. But I realize that it's really the only way to do it. I've tried everything else, and nothing seems to work like running does.
> 
> So my idea is to get a few gentlemen here with similar goals, and to post what we ate each day and what quantity/quality of exercise we did, along with a weekly "weigh-in".
> 
> ...


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## kung_fu (Jun 4, 2011)

Quite a bump, but i think we should get a thread like this going again.


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