Ok, so since September to today, I have since dropped 30lbs (starting out I weight 232lbs/32%bmi). I am now 203lbs and 26% BMI. I have done this simply by being more concious about what I consume, some strength training and some cardio training.
I would really like some opinions on what you guys think I should add/subtract/change. Or perhaps on the 1% chance, you may just think keep doing it exactly how I am doing it. So here is what I do specifically right now.
Fitness
2-3 days a week I hit the gym for a total body workout. Generally I incorporate complex moves like Bench press (majority with dumbbells, sometimes with the smith machine) and goblet squats. Then I usually do specific exercises for muscles that don't get worked from those, like shoulder presses, calf raises, tricept push downs, occasional bicep curls.
The plan is to stick to this for another 3 weeks, then I will try to go to split workouts. One day upper body, next day lower body, rest day, repeat. I try to stay away from machines in general, including the smith machine.
About 4-5 days a week, I will wake up at 4 am, and go for a jog/walk. I can only jog about 11-14 minutes before I am extremely winded. So I jog as long as I can, and then walk for another 20minutes. I plan to start doing sprints during this time, instead of jogging because of what I have read about HIIT. But as it stands right now, I can sprint for about 20 seconds (not one minute like most websites say), and then I gasping for air for a solid 2 minutes minimum. So I just feel it's not efficient until I lose some more of the weight. Maybe you disagree? I would definitely like to know your opinions on this one.
Nutrition
I pretty much eat what I want, except the caveat is that I am concious about it. For example, I have completely shunned fast food. I may have something once every 4-6 weeks, but it's never by choice. I am much better at eating well during the week (work and such) than I am on the weekends. For example, my friend wanted me to try a new pizza place in town on Sunday with them. So, in being concious about that, I had only a protein shake in the morning, and then went there. Then we went and had a few beers so I did not have dinner. That's typical weekend.
Typical work week, I have 3 meals a day.
Breakfast: If I can wake up at 4am (I do about 2-3 times a week during the work week) then I will have 1 egg, and half a cup of egg whites, and some kind of meat.
If I can't wake up at 4am, or I am in a hurry, I will have a protein shake. Seems to keep me full until lunch.
Lunch: is typically something like stirfried green vegetables with either fish or chicken breast and more fresh vegetables.
Dinner: something light like a tuna salad or maybe some fresh cheese of somekind of and dried sausage. Not a whole lot though.
The work week is when I typical do my best as far as losing. Weekends are usually hit or miss, but I am still losing 1-2lbs a week, so it seems to be working for me.
Supplements
So the following supplements are what I take on a daily bases.
Multi-vitamin
An herbal fat burner pill (only herbs, does not contain questionable stuff that you can't even pronounce)
Fish oil
Protein powder for shakes and stuff
A pre and post workout formula which I only use when weightlifting (contains low amounts of creatine, I think its 2g each so a total of 4 on exercise days)
Horney Goat weed Tea: I figured since you always hear about guys in the modern era being low on T, it would help to have a booster of some kind. This is a common herbal ingredient found in T boosters, but it comes in the form of Tea bags. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, but I feel this is a good compromise. I am EXTREMELY hesitant to take any kind of supplement, this is just a simple tea that the Chinese have been using for ages for this purpose.
I have been considering a zinc pill, but my multivitamin already contains 160% so not sure if thats a good idea or not.
My plan for the future.
My hard goal is to get down to 185lbs. I have heard that at my height I ought to weigh around 165-170lbs. However, if I ever get to 185, then I will start emphasizing more muscle building. I haven't weighed 200lbs since I was 12 (29 atm). So that is going to be a massive achievement for me.
Some things I am going to try introducing. I am going to buy a jump rope and a cheap mat to keep at home. I read a lot about jump rope being incredible cardio especially for people who are trying to get fit (because it's harder for them). Also with the mat it will be easier on my shins and I can do crunches at home after waking up. I figure exercising my abs 2-3 times a week is not enough. Most people I know with 6 packs workout their abs 6-7 days a week. So when I start getting close to 10% bmi sometime this year, they will be there.
Also, when I get down to 185, I figure I will be fit enough to start joining sport meetups, and doing other active stuff. Things like Boxing and MT for fitness, and indoor soccer club.
Also, I have never been able to do a pull-up/chin-up. So maybe, just maybe at 185, more body-weight exercises would be great, but right now I can't do it.
Also, I have been reading about pro-biotics. Seems like a good idea, and may aid with overall health, including fat burning and digesting nutrients. I used to live in eastern Europe so maybe I will start mixing a cup of low-fat kefir in my protein drinks. Also maybe introduce saurkraut to my diet.
So I would really like to know some things y'all think I can add to my daily regime. Most of this stuff I do now between fitness/nutrition/supplements were added on very slowly and over time. My goal is to build good habits in the long run. Taking vitamins just made sense, since I can sit them right in the middle of my table and take them before I leave for work. Waking up at 4 in the morning was great because I don't go to work feeling drowsy, and I don't worry about working out after work when I am exhausted.
I am always looking at new things to introduce, and I am subscribed to over 4 different fitness sites. So anytime I see something that is both easy to obtain, and fits into my regime, I usually try it.
If you have suggestions on things like that, definitely chime in.
I would really like some opinions on what you guys think I should add/subtract/change. Or perhaps on the 1% chance, you may just think keep doing it exactly how I am doing it. So here is what I do specifically right now.
Fitness
2-3 days a week I hit the gym for a total body workout. Generally I incorporate complex moves like Bench press (majority with dumbbells, sometimes with the smith machine) and goblet squats. Then I usually do specific exercises for muscles that don't get worked from those, like shoulder presses, calf raises, tricept push downs, occasional bicep curls.
The plan is to stick to this for another 3 weeks, then I will try to go to split workouts. One day upper body, next day lower body, rest day, repeat. I try to stay away from machines in general, including the smith machine.
About 4-5 days a week, I will wake up at 4 am, and go for a jog/walk. I can only jog about 11-14 minutes before I am extremely winded. So I jog as long as I can, and then walk for another 20minutes. I plan to start doing sprints during this time, instead of jogging because of what I have read about HIIT. But as it stands right now, I can sprint for about 20 seconds (not one minute like most websites say), and then I gasping for air for a solid 2 minutes minimum. So I just feel it's not efficient until I lose some more of the weight. Maybe you disagree? I would definitely like to know your opinions on this one.
Nutrition
I pretty much eat what I want, except the caveat is that I am concious about it. For example, I have completely shunned fast food. I may have something once every 4-6 weeks, but it's never by choice. I am much better at eating well during the week (work and such) than I am on the weekends. For example, my friend wanted me to try a new pizza place in town on Sunday with them. So, in being concious about that, I had only a protein shake in the morning, and then went there. Then we went and had a few beers so I did not have dinner. That's typical weekend.
Typical work week, I have 3 meals a day.
Breakfast: If I can wake up at 4am (I do about 2-3 times a week during the work week) then I will have 1 egg, and half a cup of egg whites, and some kind of meat.
If I can't wake up at 4am, or I am in a hurry, I will have a protein shake. Seems to keep me full until lunch.
Lunch: is typically something like stirfried green vegetables with either fish or chicken breast and more fresh vegetables.
Dinner: something light like a tuna salad or maybe some fresh cheese of somekind of and dried sausage. Not a whole lot though.
The work week is when I typical do my best as far as losing. Weekends are usually hit or miss, but I am still losing 1-2lbs a week, so it seems to be working for me.
Supplements
So the following supplements are what I take on a daily bases.
Multi-vitamin
An herbal fat burner pill (only herbs, does not contain questionable stuff that you can't even pronounce)
Fish oil
Protein powder for shakes and stuff
A pre and post workout formula which I only use when weightlifting (contains low amounts of creatine, I think its 2g each so a total of 4 on exercise days)
Horney Goat weed Tea: I figured since you always hear about guys in the modern era being low on T, it would help to have a booster of some kind. This is a common herbal ingredient found in T boosters, but it comes in the form of Tea bags. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, but I feel this is a good compromise. I am EXTREMELY hesitant to take any kind of supplement, this is just a simple tea that the Chinese have been using for ages for this purpose.
I have been considering a zinc pill, but my multivitamin already contains 160% so not sure if thats a good idea or not.
My plan for the future.
My hard goal is to get down to 185lbs. I have heard that at my height I ought to weigh around 165-170lbs. However, if I ever get to 185, then I will start emphasizing more muscle building. I haven't weighed 200lbs since I was 12 (29 atm). So that is going to be a massive achievement for me.
Some things I am going to try introducing. I am going to buy a jump rope and a cheap mat to keep at home. I read a lot about jump rope being incredible cardio especially for people who are trying to get fit (because it's harder for them). Also with the mat it will be easier on my shins and I can do crunches at home after waking up. I figure exercising my abs 2-3 times a week is not enough. Most people I know with 6 packs workout their abs 6-7 days a week. So when I start getting close to 10% bmi sometime this year, they will be there.
Also, when I get down to 185, I figure I will be fit enough to start joining sport meetups, and doing other active stuff. Things like Boxing and MT for fitness, and indoor soccer club.
Also, I have never been able to do a pull-up/chin-up. So maybe, just maybe at 185, more body-weight exercises would be great, but right now I can't do it.
Also, I have been reading about pro-biotics. Seems like a good idea, and may aid with overall health, including fat burning and digesting nutrients. I used to live in eastern Europe so maybe I will start mixing a cup of low-fat kefir in my protein drinks. Also maybe introduce saurkraut to my diet.
So I would really like to know some things y'all think I can add to my daily regime. Most of this stuff I do now between fitness/nutrition/supplements were added on very slowly and over time. My goal is to build good habits in the long run. Taking vitamins just made sense, since I can sit them right in the middle of my table and take them before I leave for work. Waking up at 4 in the morning was great because I don't go to work feeling drowsy, and I don't worry about working out after work when I am exhausted.
I am always looking at new things to introduce, and I am subscribed to over 4 different fitness sites. So anytime I see something that is both easy to obtain, and fits into my regime, I usually try it.
If you have suggestions on things like that, definitely chime in.