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Fat loss and muscle building

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AJtothemax
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Fat loss and muscle building

Post by AJtothemax »

Alright Andrew, ive seen you posting on the other forum - stick over here and you'll get your answers if you want to join up! What im going to do for you now (it might be a little off because everyone is different) is give you an idea of what you should be aiming for. This is what i typed up for a mate of mine in the past but ive had to change it slightly because you've got different goals!

There are 3 key components to your fat loss and muscle building program, just as there are to any approach to a healthy lifestyle:

1) Exercise – This (unfortunately) means hard work mate. You have to train so that you are burning off more calories than you’re taking in, this = weight loss, it’s a fact. While you are doing this you will have to incorporate a muscle building program into it. This will help you burn off the fat while increasing your muscle mass, remember, it might not seem that you are loosing weight because you will be building and toning muscle at the same time (MUSCLE IS HEAVIER THAN FAT!) so that’s why it might seem like nothing is happening. You also have to drink lots of water (water+oxygen= fat burning). Please remember with your weights - keep them light with high repetitions, you dont want to bulk up alot! Aim for stamina!

In light, I mean toning the muscle (light weights). This will help your muscles getting used to being ‘ripped’. You don’t just have to lift weights, I STRONGLY recommend that you focus on some core muscles (ab workouts and back exercises), this will DEFINITELY help increase your strength and build a solid foundation for your figure, it will also help you to support your own body weight over an extended period of time which is what real or ‘good’ strength is, that’s what everyone should have but, unfortunately lack. It will help build your core (you need a strong core (abs & back) to help support all the other muscles in your body, it will also reduce potential injury, most people forget about this, remember to keep a good form though!

While I’m going on about form, when you do your weight/resistance training, FORM IS EVERYTHING! Without good form you can be wasting your time. Good/correct form will allow you to achieve the best results from an exercise ok. Also, this is what a lot of people forget: WARM UP & WARM DOWN!! The simple reason for this is that it helps prepares your body both physically and mentally for the taxing time ahead. It also stops blood from pooling in the veins (that’s what the stiff feeling is, as well as torn muscle fibres), it also helps reduce the build up of lactic acid in the circulatory system.

2) Diet (What you wanted) This is probably the ‘second’ most important thing. Some people you might talk to will say that this is the most important thing as they will think that you just want to get bigger - WRONG!. You don’t want to body build do you???? Ok, despite what I have said, it is VERY important, just as everything else is. A correct diet will also help you to maximise you results and achieve progress ok. Depending on your metabolic rate I don’t know how quickly you burn off calories. This can also be quit difficult but I’m going to try and be as simple as possible for you mate. Money can be an issue in this, after all, you need it to buy food. Anyway, if you burn off more calories than you are taking in you will loose weight, you have to! I’ve said that before but I have to mention it again. Keep drinking water (water+oxygen= fat burning) this applies a lot to your workouts. A higher protein content for you will be beneficial as it will help lean your muscles out and repair broken muscle fibres quicker. If you need assisstance in this, purchasing a protien supplement will help alot, but make sure you stick to whey protein because it has sod all carbs and fat in it what so ever, have one or two of these a day ok, i say that because you dont want to bulk up!!.

You might want to purchase a mixing shaker if you could, it will make it easier for you to take your protein drinks at inconvenient times (e.g. at work). Avoid bloody KFC, McDonalds etc etc. They are nothing but pure w@#k mate!. Eat proper food, no processed sh!t, eat fresh foods, real meats etc. The main meats you will want to aim for are ‘lean’ meats & eat fish. turkey, chicken etc. These can be quite expensive so what I usually do is buy Tuna. It is cheaper, has no fat and it is just as good for you because it is full of amino acids as well. I keep saying it, but keep drinking your water, even throughout the day because it will keep you hydrated until your workouts, then you will consume water and afterwards as well.

If your pissing a lot and its quite clean that means your hydrated, if your not pissing at all or your piss is a ‘after a night out’ colour lol then your not hydrated, you will learn quickly what works. Remember, when you drink your water through out the day, drink it in proportion, what I mean by this is don’t gulp it down quickly, you’ll soon learn how to balance your water intake out, according to your lifestyle and workload. When it comes to carbs, eat complex carbs!! Look at this site about carbs ok: http://www.howtothinkthin.com/instincts2.htm that will list for you what you should be eating (ideally!). For example, (I’m eating dinner as I’m writing this, and this is what I’m eating) baby new potatoes, broccoli and chicken. Boring, but that’s a good example of they kind of things you should be eating. Never miss meals because it will lower your metabolism and if you want to burn fat, that’s not a good idea. Remember muscle has a higher metabolic rate than fat. So, instead of eating when you hungry, eat when the clock tells you to ok. (hopefully you will have balenced it out so you know how to)

Ideally you want to eat every 3-4 hours ok (if you're working really hard!), and that’s complex carbs, along with your protein ok. Please keep in mind that you dont have to be very strict with this, you can still eat chips and pizza etc etc, as long as its in moderation, i have never had a problem but like i have said - everyone is different, you will know eventually what will work

3) Mental Attitude – This is without a doubt, the most important aspect of this ok. Without the correct mental approach, you will fail!!! I’ve seen it many times and I have done it myself, it applies with everything that you do in life really, without the right approach, you fail. There will be times when it gets hard and that you might not be feeling like your not getting anywhere and you might want to quit. Don’t quit, don’t ever give up! You have to press on ok mate. This is what its all about, keep focused and you will achieve what you want. Nothing is done without hard work in these cases, that’s all there is to it. You just have to learn to compose yourself with the correct mental attitude. Having the right attitude from the start is the best boost you can hope for, because if you refuse to give up, and want the results, and want to press on, you will succeed ok. It may even take you a little while to realise what this is about but I hope eventually you will get there.

All that I have put here is a rough outline without going into too much detail ok (like i said its a modification of something i done for a mate of mine so it might be a little off but i thought it was relevant to what you posted) :)

Alright mate, it’s up to you now! If you need anything else or if you don’t understand anything then PM me or just post back on here so everyone can add to what will be most beneficial for you ok mate. Get stuck in there.

Wicked. 8)
Last edited by AJtothemax on Sun 08 Oct, 2006 7:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
AJ

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Post by _chris »

euro_andrew wrote: Am I over doing my cardeo work? or is this a good workout for speed and power?
The only one who can guage that is yourself. If you don't suffer too much from your workout (more than just standard aches) then it should be ok. You need to work as hard as tests your body, the higher your fitness the higher that will be.

You're right to focus on cardeo rather than muscle though. I try to fit in two weight workouts a week and the rest is dedicated solely to cardio, this is just the personal routine I've settled into that works for me so I can gain strength without losing speed.

Good post AJ, I'm taking quite a few hints from that, cheers.
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Post by euro_andrew »

Awesome info dude!

That should definatly be a sticky!

This info could definatly solve a lot of problems for the potential Royal marines out there ;)

just a couple things

Diet:

My metabolism is really stupidly high. sometimes I can eat 2 or 3 plates of food and not get full. also during the day my body is constantly hungy and im always needing extra lunch's! etc lol Im not fat at all, im pretty skinny even though im 75kg's.

Should I somehow force my body to slow down a little bit? by only feeding it at certain times as you said?

Also ever since I have been excersizing pretty hard I have noticed I have not been able to get to sleep at all. I end up rolling round til about 2-3 oclock at night then sleep in til 11:00am!. (my job allows me to do this), I dont know whether it is because I am worried about being ready for the PRMC or just being too hyperactive from my excersizes.

Also yes I urinate about once every hour or more. I try to drink as much as possible.

Cheers for the low down!

- Andy
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Post by AJtothemax »

No worries guys, anytime ok :wink:

Andy - Your sleeping, it seems that your mind is not closing down, i had the same problem and get it now and again. What i tried was relaxing alot before i went to bed, doing things that didnt keep my mind active, just kick back and watch some t.v, worked for me. Then when i went to bed i actually wanted to go to sleep, i went to bed and just didnt think about anything at all, just kept my mind blank and i slowly go to sleep, thats me haha, might work for you??

Please, please make sure that you are getting AT LEAST 8 hours of sleep! Sleep is how your body recovers, therefore it is essential!

The diet again - I used to be skinny, but i changed that when i went to college! You have hollow legs like me! :P I eat loads too and im not a big guy either!! (Alot bigger than what i was though) I've always been like that ever since i was young, training doesn't help lol but its necessary!

Do not try and slow your body down (that sounded weird to me??), your body is doing what is has to do to keep itself going. With the eating times, its about training your body into a routine, it might take time for your body to adapt but it will eventually adapt to your new eating habbit. It might not feel right, but thats because your body has to get used to it (if your body doesnt feel right about something it will instantly try to reject it in some sort of way, take a rollercoaster for example, you might throw up on it, but eventually the more you go on it, the more your body will adapt) thats the kind of idea im trying to get across to you.

For example: Wake up 7am, breakfast - water etc. In the gym at 9, train for a good 2 hours. 11:30 - 12 eat to make up what you've lost and need to build, 2-3pm eat another small meal again to keep your metabolisum going (higher protien intake once again), 5-6 eat your dinner or whatever time it is made. Try not to eat before you go to bed (especially carbs) because this could also be keeping you awake because the body is trying to shut down as well as digest food. However when you go to sleep after you have eatern, this si when you burn the least calories because you're making your energy back up - so your body will just store what youve eatern if it can.

So, if you want to eat before you go to bed, make sure its protien of some sort, whether that be a small meal or a protien supplement (if you can, i find Reflex Whey Protien to be good, i've used it for years - does the job!) The only difference being was that i was putting on size, if you wanted to get massive i could tell you how to easily but you dont want that!

Also, please remember that these supplement drinks (whey protien) ARE NOT STEROIDS!! It gets on my nerves when people who just dont know what they're talking about see you getting bigger or leaner and ask you what your doing to get that. Alot of people will assume ROIDS! because they dont understand. I have never taken gear and i never will! :evil:

If you have decided to get a supplement, take it and finish it all (however long it takes you) and then have a month off of the stuff before you purchase some more, if not, 2 months on, one month off (im measuring it in months because it usually takes about a month, depending on what you're doing, to finish it off)

More than happy to help in anyway i can Andy. Take care. 8)
AJ

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Post by AJtothemax »

Oh sorry, missed one thing!

With the supplements - Whey Protien drinks will NOT give you energy! You dont get energy from protien! Protien is used to build tissue, in your case, muscle!

Oh and by the way, your gf will notice the difference eventually and she will like it! :P My ex did!! :wink:

Sorry about that but i read your other posts again and i forget to mention that! Hahaha!!

About the test! I have to say, i dont think it does mate and even if it does i dont think you would notice, i never have! I used to go to the gym and then go see my gf!! Or visa versa! :P - Damn i miss them days :cry:

Wicked.
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Post by mfat_man »

!You might want to purchase a mixing shaker if you could, it will make it easier for you to take your protein drinks at inconvenient times (e.g. at work). Avoid bloody KFC, McDonalds etc etc. They are nothing but pure w@#k mate!. Eat proper food, no processed sh!t, eat fresh foods, real meats etc. The main meats you will want to aim for are ‘lean’ meats & eat fish. turkey, chicken etc. These can be quite expensive so what I usually do is buy Tuna. It is cheaper, has no fat and it is just as good for you because it is full of amino acids as well. I keep saying it, but keep drinking your water, even throughout the day because it will keep you hydrated until your workouts, then you will consume water and afterwards as well"

AJ

Good post mate 8)

I think there's a lot of truth in this MFAT members don't need to go to extremes to lose weight - anyone looking at fad diets will know they are not sustainable and in some cases downright dangerous!

A good combination of regular exercize, controlled diet and drinking will get most people fit and lose weight. I also recommend that would be mob joiners also get involved with running, swimming, triathlon clubs as this also helps with a target to aim for and of course mutal support.

Get in there boys and gals!
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Post by euro_andrew »

Thanks heeps mate!

Sorry but I have 2 more questions

lol umm

1. how often should I have whey protein a day

2. can I goto the gym 2 times a day. once in the morning and once at nice without overdoing it?

- Andy
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Post by AJtothemax »

mfat_man thats exactly it!! :D

People make too much science out of loosing weight mate, all these different diets and techniques - crap!

If you burn off more calories than you're taking in, you will loose weight! Its a scientific fact!

Its as simple as that.

Problem is, most people either lack the right approach or they dont understand how to and they get stucked into what i call 'commercial dieting', you know what im talking about - e.g. the womens magazines, you know the ones with the really crappy and pointless stories that no one actually cares about e.g. 'POSH SPICE! WHERE DOES SHE GET HER LIPSICK FROM??' (well men anyway, we see how stupid they all are - i dont mean to be sexist, im just attacking the stories!). It gets on my nerves when i see things like that. A little off subject, but hopefully you see what i mean, and its sad :cry: really. So many beautiful women out there who get sucked into that type of thing :evil: its a real shame.

Us blokes are just as bad, looking for the quick answer for abs and impressive guns etc. Really is a shame.
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Post by AJtothemax »

No worries, sorry i missed you andy.

The whey protien - you dont really want to pack on the size alot so just stick to one or two a day, i used to take 3 a day but that was because i was bulking up for rugby, you dont want to do that! You'll soon realise when you're getting bigger because you'll start filling up tshirts and other clothes, but be warey - the bigger you are the harder it is to move. You dont want your stamina suffering as a result over this, and to train for the corps i would choose stamina over size anyday! You have no other choice!

Stick to the rotation thing i said about, finish a tub then have a month off etc - stick with what you're comfortable with!

The gym, yeah thats ok providing your not burning yourself out!! You're going to have to adapt yourself with your diet and training - basically your lifestyle, but do remember - please, you dont have to be very strict with it, if you want to be thats totally fine, like i said 'stick with what you're comfortable with'. I still go out and eat what i like because i can, and drink (beer) when it suits me - you know, just lifestyle really. Obviously you're going to know what is and isn't going to work for you.

It will take some time as im sure you know, for you to notice a real difference, but im sure you'll put in whats required of you and achieve what you want.

If you want to know about maintainence, then just ask and i'll see what i can do for you. But maintainence isn't for you at the monent - its all about surpassing what you thought were levels with both your body and most importantly, your mind! Thats how you train to be a Royal Marine! When im back on my feet - thats how i will! I still have yet to do RGI's pyramid exercise which i promised him i would have a crack at.

NOW! ATTACK IT!!!

AJ
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Post by mfat_man »

AJtothemax wrote:The whey protien - you dont really want to pack on the size alot so just stick to one or two a day, i used to take 3 a day but that was because i was bulking up for rugby, you dont want to do that! You'll soon realise when you're getting bigger because you'll start filling up tshirts and other clothes, but be warey - the bigger you are the harder it is to move. You dont want your stamina suffering as a result over this,
AJ
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Generally thinking a lot of this comes down to the person. If you are a bigger build like me if you start taking protein you will put on weight and it's more likely you should stick to a recovery drink, Isotonic etc.

However if you are a smaller build and you want to grow those muscles for the press ups and chin ups more protein would be useful along with some weight training. Again don't over-do it, build up with the weight or it's the quick way to getting injured :cry:
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Post by mfat_man »

flo wrote:Ref fad diets Try this link and i think you will be surprised. A few years ago myself and three other bootneck wifes undertook a diet challenge for GMTV and the results are posted in theis link. I tried the Atkins for 6 weeks (although to be honest i only did 3 weeks) and i lost 14 Ib.Whilst i felt great on it and had a high self esteem i couldnt stick to the plan and started to binge eat agin. Stick to the sensible and you will lose the weight - its the only way.

http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=10828

The bootneck wifes are doing the Atkins (me) Rosemary Conley (dot) Slimming world (bev) and Weight watchers (kerry).

Not one of us was able to stick to the diet given to us. Although in defense of Atkins i had a strict medical prior to doing it and my colestoral lvel went down.
Flo

Yes interesting.

You sure you want to put you name/photo up with the likes of Stinky about :o :lol:
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Post by euro_andrew »

Cool, Cool.

If you arnt too tired from answering my questions!! lol

I wouldnt mind learning about "maintanence". When ever you have a chance.

Cheers Andy!
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Post by AJtothemax »

Yeah i totally understand that mate. Different people once again. However, the more muscle you put on - the heavier you will become, therefore your must make sure that your strength can keep up with this!! Afterall, the pull-ups and press-ups will become more difficult the larger you become.

I just want to make sure that andy doesn't fall into that trap, its happened to me before and im not ashamed to admit it, yeah i got stronger but it didnt reflect how strong i looked size wise.

As for the training - yes, gradually build it up otherwise you will ask for injury!!

There are other things andy can drink to be honest to help him, such as what you have suggested mfat_man. Andy and i seem to share the 'hollow legs' so i think he would benefit more from taking a supplement drink called 'Multipower Protien'. It comes in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and bananna flavours - that stuff is good!! 52g of protien & 70g of carbs per bottle - tastes really nice from a fridge as well, they get addictive! They go down like a guinness - so well :D

Andy, if you would like i can help sort you out some supplements?? Good ones as well.

Best recovery drink i found was 'Vitargo + Creatine'. Vitargo make a pure carb drink with a slight amount of creatine in it. You dont run out of energy! Seriously good stuff and i would reccommend it to anyone!! Take one before and after and you'll be flying! It made me whiz through boxing training! Unfortunately, I think thats a little hard to get hold of though :-?

Fiona, there are some mad ones on there! I have never, personally, been a fan of the atkins - but you did the right thing by seeking professional advice from a doctor, you did the right thing :wink:

I dont know if you agree with me or not, but it is a shame to see so many beautiful women, especially the ones who don't think they are, try all these radical, stupid and weird ways of loosing weight :cry:
AJ

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Post by AJtothemax »

I keep bloody missing out on everyones posts!! ARGG!! :evil:

:P Hahaha, not a problem Andy, i'll post about it tomorrow for you ok. Wicked. 8)

AJ
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