20 replies to this topic

[Vitalis]

I've gained some pounds over the last two or three years and I've never really been too serious about burning it off until now. Now I know what the differences between cardio and resistance training are but I was wondering if anyone could supply some tips or workout routines for either of them. I've gotten quite a few different answers on how long each workout session should last (be it cardio or resistance training) so I was wondering if anybody could help clarify on that. I'm pretty sure I've got a decent grasp on all of the nutritional stuff, how to eat and what to eat and all of that good stuff but any additional comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Alex]

Here's the simple diet which made me lose weight:
-No soda, or any commercial drinks. Just juice, water, tea, milk.
-No white bread, donuts, bagels, cream cheese.
-no snacks, chocolate, candies

Smaller meals but like 5 meals a day; not 3 large ones.

If you want a snack grab some fruit, or some carrots or something.

If you don't like cardio, just elevate your treadmill as high as possible and fast walk.

Edited by Alex, 04 November 2008 - 07:09 PM.

[Seaner]

If you don't like cardio, just elevate your treadmill as high as possible and fast walk.

This works like a charm and after a few weeks of this running is much much easier to do.

[gamingao]

This works like a charm and after a few weeks of this running is much much easier to do.

This is also actually a very effective way of focusing on the fat in your body, without burning muscle. Sprinting and jogging target both muscle and fat as sources of energy, while walking at a brisk pace uphill burns similar amounts of calories while really depleting your fat as its major source of energy. Besides these, try-

'Updowns' - You start standing sraight up, then dive to the floor into a pushup stance, complete the pushup and jump back to your feet and then lunge ino the air with your arms extended toward the sky. Gets your heartrate up GREAT, builds some lean muscle and burns tons of calories. Really gets you pumped too.

Also, if you were willing to take on some sort of training membership, something like kickboxing or MMA training are availiable for all ages and here workouts can burn up to 1000 caloies an hour. Very effecive method.

Eat 5 portioned meals a day. Try and balance out your fats, protein and carbs with each meal but do not overeat and do not try to eat just one type of food.

[Vitalis]

I don't have a treadmill but I live on a pretty big hill so I'm assuming that it should produce the same results. Thanks for all of the suggestions.

I have a question though, you burn muscle when you do cardio? If that's true wouldn't resistance training be kind of a waste?

[The Dirty Filipino]

Small Meals
High Protein
No Carbs
Cardio
Lots of water.

You'll drop weight like mad.

[Sida]

T3(Cytomel) + Clenbuterol.

[nox]

Small Meals
High Protein
No Carbs
Cardio
Lots of water.

You'll drop weight like mad.

other good advice in this thread but ^ said it best

[zigzag]

Here's what I use (the write-up is my own, a few people have asked me for tips):

The enclosed documents are incorporations of the rigorous PRRS (Power, Rep-Range, Shock) workout cycle. What PRRS basically does is it splits your workout into a three-week cycle:

Week One: Power
This week consists of several exercises, 2-3 sets, 4-6 reps. This would be fairly standard high intensity training.

Week Two: Rep-Range
This week consists of several exercises, 1-3 sets with reps going from 6-8 to 10-12. This is fairly standard recovery and endurance training.

Week Three: Shock
This week consists purely of super-sets (running from one exercise to another without rest) and dropsets (doing an exercise, finishing the reps, dropping weight a few pounds, more reps, repeat 2-3 times).

The goal of PRRS training is that it gives your body a mad amount of variety. You see, when you go to the gym and do high-intensity weight training, this rips muscle tissue because your muscles aren't accustomed to the weight you're straining that particular muscle with, and so it becomes stressed. However, after doing the same routine, even with higher weights, same reps, same sets, and even same diet, your body will find it much much more difficult to be stressed and little progress is made at this point. This is called the 'plateau effect'. With PRRS' variety in exercises, sets, repetitions, it makes the plateau a lot more difficult to achieve.

So for the beginners let's go over the diet, which is just as important as working out. I personally recommend purchasing the following multivitamins and diet tips, for all:

- Centrum Complete
- Zinc vitamins (assists in tissue formation, and boosts natural testosterone)
- Vitamin E (to better absorb the zinc)
- Protein supplement (read below for which specifically according to bodytype)

For ectomorphs (long limbs, fast metabolism, skinny, seeking to add mass):

- Calorie supplement (weight gainer)
- Omega 3 vitamins
- Protein supplement
- It is important to eat, eat, eat, eat. Six meals a day, ideally
- Load up on high carbohydrate foods. This means lots of starchy foods: potatoes, whole-wheat foods, turnips, etc. When you workout, the first thing that burns is carbs, once that's depleted your fat and protein are burned – both of which are needed when working out (a balance of 40% protein, 30% carb, 30% fat in your diet).
- Olive oil, put it on your food.
- Ideally a 3,000+ calorie diet
- EAT EAT EAT EAT FUCKING EAT!! Eat until you feel like puking, stop, eat more!
- Don't focus on cardio work (jogging, cycling), you need calories to turn to muscle!
- Look at the nutrition labels on everything before eating. Aim for carbs, calories and fat
- Creatine can also be recommended if you want immediate visual gains. Requires lots of water!

For endomorphs (chubby, high fat storage, seeking to lose weight/fat):

- Low carb/calorie protein supplement
- Hydroxycut or Rapidcut to ensure you're under your maintenance calorie level (<2,000 cals). Works in conjunction with your workout to suppress appetite and burn fat more effectively
- Low carb diet. Don't eat fast food, but if you end up indulging, remove the bread/bun
- Cardio, try 20mins of biking, and try it after your workout (3x more effective fat loss). >130 beats per minute (over) is cardio (many bikes have a metal handlebar that'll read your BPM).
- If you fill yourself a smaller plate, you're more likely to eat just that. If you give yourself a larger plate, you're more likely to eat just that as well. Load smaller plates, fill up more on veggies.
- Try not to snack, especially after 9pm. If you have to snack, grab a fruit. Celery also has negative calories (takes more effort to digest it than it contains).
- Read the nutrition label on everything before eating, aim for low fat, low carbs, low calories.
- Don't drink calories. Drink water!!

A standard routine in a week would be as such: Mon:Arms, Tues:Rest, Wed:Legs, Thur:Chest, Fri:Rest, Sat:Back, Sun:Delts

So that's about five days a week of working out, and when going from power to rep-range, rep-range to shock, it's probably essential to have a rest day as well. The workouts usually last 45mins - 90mins. Work out abs around 3-4 times week, cardio almost everyday, both should be after your weight training workout:

Back
POWER: week 1
- Rack deadlift...3 x 3-6
- Bent row...3 x 4-6
- Weighted chin...2-3 x 4-6
- CG seated row...2-3 x 4-6
REP RANGE: week 2
- CG weighted chin...2 x 6-8
- WG T-Bar row...2 x 8-10
- Dumbell row...2 x 10-12
- Pullover...2 x 12-15
SHOCK: week 3
- Pullover/WG pulldown superset...1-2 x 8-10 each
- Stiff arm pulldown/reverse grip bent row...1-2 x 8-10 each
- CG seated pully row dropset...1 x 6-8, drop, 6-8, drop, 6-8

Biceps/Triceps
POWER: week 1
- Barbell curl...2 x 4-6
- Preacher curl...2 x 4-6
- Hammer curl...1-2 x 4-6
- CG bench press...3 x 4-6
- Skull crush...2 x 4-6
- Single arm dumbell extension...1-2 x 4-6
REP RANGE: week 2
- Alternating dumbell curl...2 x 6-8
- Cable curl...2 x 8-10
- Concentration curl...1-2 x 10-12
- Weighted dip...3 x 6-8
- Pushdown...2 x 8-10
- Kickback...1-2 x 10-12
SHOCK: week 3
- EZ bar curl/CG chin superset...1 x 6-10 each
- Preacher curl/reverse curl superset...1 x 6-10 each
- Dropset cable single arm curl...1 x 6-10, drop 6-10
- Pushdown/CG bench press superset...1-2 x 6-10 each
- Reverse grip pushdown/incline overhead extension superset...1-2 x 6-10 each
- Dropset weighted bench dip...1 x 8-10, drop 8-10

Chest
POWER: week 1
- Dumbell bench press...3 x 4-6
- Incline press...3 x 4-6
- Weighted dips...2 x 4-6
REP RANGE: week 2
- Incline dumbell press...3 x 6-8
- Bench press...3 x 8-10
- Flye...2 x 10-12
SHOCK: week 3
- Superset...cable crossover/incline smith press...1-2 x 8-10 reps each
- Superset...incline flye/dips...1 x 8-10 reps each
- Dropset...machine bench press...1 x 8-10, drop 6-8, drop 6-8 optional

Deltoids
POWER: week 1
- Ups 2-3 x 4-6
- Military press...2-3 x 4-6
- Upright row...2-3 x 4-6
- "Cheat" lateral...2 x 4-6
REP RANGE: week 2
- Single arm dumbell press...2 x 6-8
- Bent lateral...2-3 x 8-10
- Cable side lateral...2 x 10-12
SHOCK: week 3
- Seated side lateral/hammer machine press superset...1-2 x 8-10
- Severse pec deck/WG upright row superset...1-2 x 8-10
- Cable front raise dropset...1 x 6-8, drop 6-8, drop 6-8 optional

Legs
POWER: week 1
- Squats...3 x 4-6
- Adduction Machine...3 x 4-6
- Single leg extension...2 x 4-6
- Lying leg curl...3 x 4-6
- Stiff deadlift...2-3 x 4-6
REP RANGE: week 2
- Leg extension...2 x 8-10
- Hack squat...3 x 10-12
- Cable Hip Adduction...3 x 12-15
- Lying leg curl...2 x 6-8
- Stiff deadlift...2 x 8-10
- Single leg curl or seated leg curl...1-2 x 10-12
SHOCK: week 3
- Superset: leg extension/front squat...1-2 x 8-10 each
- Superset: leg extension/sissy squat or leg press...1-2 x 8-10 each
- Dropset: lunge...1 x 8-10, drop, 8-10
- Superset: leg curl seated or lying/toes pointed hyperextension...1-2 x 8-10 each
- Dropset: single leg curl...1-2 x 8-10, drop, 8-10

Incorporate these, have fun. If you eat under your maintenance level in calories, you'll be burning fat. My goal is to add mass, so I've nearly double or tripled my diet over the last few weeks, especially in fat intake. I've gained 10lbs in the last three weeks as a result (realized a huge problem with my diet was I wasn't getting nearly enough fat in my diet, since then I've been getting mad gains).

Edited by kill the white capitalist, 05 November 2008 - 07:15 AM.

[Mr. Hobo]

My weight training sessions last 45 minutes-1 hour. I work out 4 times a week and each day I alternate between a different muscle group. I take whey protein mixed with milk to give me a nice boost in my protein/calory/fat consumption/vitamin d (if you mix it with skim milk you just get vitamin d/protein). And whey protein has a long list of benefits.

You do not burn muscle when you do cardio unless you've already burned through all your fat storage methinks. Also I'd definantly cut back on carbs but not eliminate them either, remove simple carbs from your diet and eat lcomplex carbs (whole grain products).

http://www.weightlos...imple-carbs.htm
http://www.weightlos...mplex-carbs.htm

[hungryhippo]

Simple: burn off more calories than what you take in during the day

[Ives]

T3(Cytomel) + Clenbuterol.

Doesn't work really well without a healthy diet. I prefer allbuterol, really.

text

I think you emphasize too much on somatypes and too little on dieting. You don't want to have a ton of carbs if you're an ectomorph unless you plan on becoming an expert swimmer. Carbs do the same thing to 'endomorphs' and 'ectomorphs', just one gets fatter and one loses too much weight because all they are being fed is pure energy as the priority. Ectomorphs should eat very few carbs if you ask me, about 100 grams is plenty.

Edited by Athean, 05 November 2008 - 11:32 AM.

[zigzag]

Hm, but a lot of (complex) carbs is ideal for ectomorphs, as when you workout, the first thing burned is carbs (complex ones longer), following is fat and protein. 40/30/30 protein, carbs, fat imo is ideal therefore to reserve the protein for muscle building, non?

Anyway, sorry I don't have much on dieting curious brotha (OP), this was a quick writeup I did for a buddy. Diet is just as, possibly more important than working out itself. I spend much more time eating/focusing on my diet daily than working out. I'm not an endo but those are some general tips I've observed from my recent endo workout partner (my cousin). Definitely look it up futher, check out some sick resources like Calorie Counter website.

Edited by kill the white capitalist, 05 November 2008 - 11:43 AM.

[Vitalis]

Simple: burn off more calories than what you take in during the day

Easier said than done.

Thanks so much for the advice everybody. Especially the post with the workout routines, I'll definitely be looking into more of this stuff.

[Frizzle]

Stop fucking eating?

[Vitalis]

Stop fucking eating?

Looks like Cyo has some competition.

[redlion]

Looks like Cyo has some competition.

Really, he just said stop eating with an emphasis. But I understand your point.

Lee, shutup.

[sonic]

Help me lose some weight.

Don't eat for like 2 weeks.
Either die or loose a shitload of weight.

[Vitalis]

Don't eat for like 2 weeks.
Either die or loose a shitload of weight.

I'd more or less prefer the latter.

[Ives]

Hm, but a lot of (complex) carbs is ideal for ectomorphs, as when you workout, the first thing burned is carbs (complex ones longer), following is fat and protein. 40/30/30 protein, carbs, fat imo is ideal therefore to reserve the protein for muscle building, non?

Anyway, sorry I don't have much on dieting curious brotha (OP), this was a quick writeup I did for a buddy. Diet is just as, possibly more important than working out itself. I spend much more time eating/focusing on my diet daily than working out. I'm not an endo but those are some general tips I've observed from my recent endo workout partner (my cousin). Definitely look it up futher, check out some sick resources like Calorie Counter website.

Complex carbohydrates are good to have, but carbohydrates shouldn't remain too high in intake. Your body in an ectomorphic state burns carbs faster as is, complex or simple doesnt matter if you have too many.

[Grizzly]

1) Avoid sugar at all costs (no soda or candy)
2) Lower simple carb intake
3) Increase protein.. by a lot
4) Stay in constant motion (walk, stretch, and move around when you get the chance.. sitting still behind a computer for 5 hours straight will not help)
5) Jogging is fine, but swimming is much more effective.

Those arn't too difficult of changes to make in your life.. and the changes will be pretty dramatic. Lifting weights won't help you lose weight. I suggest you lose weight and then focus on gaining muscle mass.