Muscles, strength and other common health stuff....

[NedofRock]

Right, im nothing but totally inspired by this thread.

Ive recently started playing again after a 3 year lay off that happened for various reasons. In those 3 years, ive lost a lot of my sharpness and fitness. So im trying to get some kind of work out going that will increase my stamina and give me felxibility and strength. Im not looking to bulk up, im looking to slim down, tone up and increase strength.

Ive also gone about 1/2 stone overweight as well..Im 5'10'' and weigh 12 1/2 stone..I think thats about 80kg/180lbs?

So basically, im trying to get down to 12 stone of lean muscle. Then maybe put more muscle on.

However, im on a budget, being a student. So i was thinking (after reading through all this) about a diet along these lines..

Breakfast: Porridge, Orange juice/Water

Snack: Smoothie (something along the lines of the monster mix)

Lunch: Tuna salad sandwich on brown bread, water

Snack: Apple/Orange etc.. , water

Dinner: Chicken/Steak/Fish with steamed veg and brown rice, any pasta would be brown as well, water

Snack: Cottage cheese (though im yet to try this!)

Is whey protein appropriate if im trying to slim down? That might be a daft question but for the fact i cant afford to join the gym, so would i need it?

Speaking about the excercise...

I have a rowing machine, some free weights, a powerball, a mountain bike and push up stands.
Is there anyway of looking somewhere and forming a training regime of some kind i can run paralell with the diet? Would the diet need to be adjusted?

I apologise if everythnig has been covered already, i did read through but there is a lot to take in and im just getting a bit confused.

Thanks in advance for any help

Neil.

[dylanh]

Mont, as a new member/longtime lurker, I first wanna say thanks for your contribution to the BB. 5 years ago, I was 5'9" 236 lbs...out of shape, fat, ate like crap. Thorugh a change in diet alone, I am down to 196 lbs (still 5'9" and my only exercise has been my weekly hockey game.

I am now ready to take my fitness to the next level. I've joined a gym recently so hopefully the strength/cardio part will be solved. My real trouble is diet. I am a pilot..a corporate/charter pilot to make matters worse...which means I have nothing resembling a normal schedule. I may leave thinking I'm going on the road for a quick overnite and wind up being on the road for 15 days. It's the norm.

For you lucky guys that wake up in the morning and go to bed at night, and have more-or-less 9-5 jobs, the diet switch, although hard, is managable.

My question is: For a guy like me, who spends alot of the month on the road, at ALL hours of the day, and has no regular schedule; what do you reccomend? There are sometimes when fast-food is the ONLY option if I want to eat that day.

Nutrition/bars?
Subway?

What is a good option? I'm at a loss here.

Thanks in advance

Dylan

[foodsample]

I kinda skipped most of the thread, but I think the reason I get away with eating what ever I want is because my mother only buys healthy food. So it kinda forces me to either eat healthy or starve ... However considering what they serve at school, I'd say that would be the exception to my usual food consumed.

[ariesgroove]

just wanted to add my two cents on this thread...if anyone is still reading it.

First, building a proper meal plan can be very tricky. Most people try and restrict carbs, fat and/or calories. If you are very active, cutting calories or carbs can have a negative affect. You need them for energy and to help the body replenish all the nutrients that are used during exercise.
Second, the more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories your body burns...therefore if you restrict calories and/or carbs your body will not maintain lean muslce mass.
Third, you should eat every 3 hours to keep the metabolism working...don't think 5-6 meals a day. if you are up from 6 am to 11pm, then you will need to eat at least 7 meals. at night the meals should only consist of protein and veggies.
Fourth, nutritional timing is everything!!!! knowing when to eat your carbs, protein and fat can give you that extra energy you need when doing an intense workout or playing in double overtime of a sport.
Fifth, lots of water and supplements to help you on days when the meals aren't regular. (proteins shakes work great!)

I spend my days building meal plans for my clients so they can see their goals come to life in the gym. I just don't train people...I educate them on eating properly and living a healthy and active lifestyle.

I've worked with people that compete in body building competitions, and fitness models... so when you see those pic of the ripped body, they have actually lowered their caloric intake to the point that they are on the verge of fainting and they rid their bodies of almost every ounce of water in their body. They normally stop drinking water, while taking diauretics, for about 48 hours!!! so train hard and eat properly, but do it on a regular basis!!!

[so.mingoaldude]

Has anyone tried the new training supplement naNO Vapor?

Just bought some at GNC the guy at GNC said it was better than Noxplode, so i went with him and got some.

[Fade2Black]

Originally Posted by so.mingoaldude

Has anyone tried the new training supplement naNO Vapor?

Just bought some at GNC the guy at GNC said it was better than Noxplode, so i went with him and got some.

NO supplements are worthless.

[dakidder37]

could you expand on that fade2black?

[Jim Bob]

My $0.02 on supplements is all what do you call a supplement.

I think things like fish oil and multivitamins are supplements that work well.

I also think that a solid protein powder can be helpful depending on your goals.

But, when it comes to many of the mass builders out there, I'd simply say skip them until you are lifting teh right way, eating enough calories a day, and getting enough sleep a day (9 to 10 hours total per day - 8 to 9 hours at night and 1 hr worth of napping).

Most people aren't eating and sleeping enough and they look for a miracle pill to solve those issues.

[jsgoal1]

NO supplements are not worthless.
I can expand if you want..

[NYInk]

Ok, so I just read this entire thread over the past 2 days and I've got a question. If I am following the typical 6 small meals a day (say 7, 9, 12, 3) but then I am working out from 5-6. Do I have something just prior to working out? Do I just go home and eat dinner after working out or should I have whey protein after working out and then go home and eat dinner? I'm kind of stuck on what to do after that last afternoon snack at 3.

Thanks

[sloth2946]

Originally Posted by NYInk

Ok, so I just read this entire thread over the past 2 days and I've got a question. If I am following the typical 6 small meals a day (say 7, 9, 12, 3) but then I am working out from 5-6. Do I have something just prior to working out? Do I just go home and eat dinner after working out or should I have whey protein after working out and then go home and eat dinner? I'm kind of stuck on what to do after that last afternoon snack at 3.

Thanks

After working out you might want a protein shake. A lot of people recommend that. Then go home for dinner.

[Danish]

Anyone know if Muscle Milk lasts/ sustains in milk for more then a few hours? I'm wondering if it has the same properties as creatine (sp?) and becomes useless in water after a few hours. I use muscle milk after every workout but i don't know if it will sustain (my workouts last 3 hours), so i bring the huge container to the gym where i will usually make a big mess with the powder, I just wanted to know if i could just mix it at home before.

Many Thanks,
Danish

[johnnybravo30]

Originally Posted by Danish

Anyone know if Muscle Milk lasts/ sustains in milk for more then a few hours? I'm wondering if it has the same properties as creatine (sp?) and becomes useless in water after a few hours. I use muscle milk after every workout but i don't know if it will sustain (my workouts last 3 hours), so i bring the huge container to the gym where i will usually make a big mess with the powder, I just wanted to know if i could just mix it at home before.

Many Thanks,
Danish

I've heard 8hrs is OK.

What are you doing for 3 whole hours?

[theeagle]

This may have been covered in this thread but damn its long. I been eating mass amounts of fruits and veggies and its giving me some gas How do you stop that. I read in mens health that this happens but I cant find the book that had the solution.

[Danish]

Originally Posted by johnnybravo30

I've heard 8hrs is OK.

What are you doing for 3 whole hours?

They have a workout facility around my house with a skating treadmill and synthetic ice and a gym. I use the treadmill then go out on the ice for awhile and then workout after and then finish with a 20 minute stretch. 3-6 mon-wed-fri

Originally Posted by theeagle

This may have been covered in this thread but damn its long. I been eating mass amounts of fruits and veggies and its giving me some gas How do you stop that. I read in mens health that this happens but I cant find the book that had the solution.

I was wondering what was giving me all that gas lately..... I was like, what the hell am i eating thats giving me all this gas. If you hadn't posted this i would have never of guessed that it was all the fruits and vegetables i was eating.