Quote:
Originally Posted by shah269
cool thank you...just got an app for that will do...maybe that will pull the muscle in...because it's just strange...how can it loook like that and be solid as a rock? WTF?
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It's extremely hard to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. I'm not saying it can't be done, but even bodybuilders go through either a "bulking" or "cutting" phase.
Your primary concern at this point should be "cutting"
I was in a similar situation as you about 3 years ago. I was around 5'10" 245 pounds at my heaviest point. I went from 245 down to 190 pounds in right around 15 weeks. That agressive of weight loss is generally considered unhealthy, but I kept a near perfect diet and a near perfect exercise schedule.
A few more in depth points I'd like to make:
1.) Cut out the easy stuff first- If you drink sugar sodas switch to diet. Swap out mayo for mustard. Ranch dressing for balsamic vinaigrette.
2.) Keep your protein levels high. Learn to live off of chicken breast, tuna, and lean turkey. Generally if it flies or swims it's almost pure protein.
3.) Keep your complex carb (things like pasta, breads, and potatoes) intake low. The only time I would eat complex carbs was when I felt a serious lack of energy.
4.) Lift heavy. As I mentioned, cardio is good for overall health and burns calories, but your body will lower its metabolism very quickly after doing cardio. When you lift heavy, your metabolism increases during the workout, but afterward it will remain high as well. Your body will need to repair your muscles which is why heavy lifting is so advantageous.
5.) The scale is a tool and that's it. Don't judge your progress based on how much you weigh. At the beginning of your diet you'll probably lose 5-10 pounds very quickly. Most of that is excess food and carbs. You will also retain less water as well. After about a month in to your diet you'll find your progress slowing rapidly....DON'T GET DISCOURAGED. The difference between 22% body fat and 20% body fat isn't very easy to see. However the difference between 12% and 10% is extremely noticeable.
6.) Judge yourself based on how your clothes fit and how you look in the mirror. You may even consider taking "progress pictures." It may seem silly at the time, but it's much easier to compare two pictures side by side than it is to look at yourself every day in the mirror.
7.) Build yourself a plan and stick to it. That means setting goals for yourself, choosing your meals the day before you eat them, and setting a workout schedule. Setting goals will allow you to quantify your work. You can either say "I did this" or "I didn't do this."
8.) Keep a log book. Track what you eat, what you did working out, and anything else you may feel like.
As I referenced above, I was averaging almost 3.5 pounds a week. In most cases that would be considered very unhealthy, but my plan (a simple version) looked something like this:
Calories: 1800/day target and a max of 2000 calories
Protein Intake: At least 150grams/day
Cardio: I ran 15-20 miles a week, did 3-4 hours/week on the elliptical and was a college baseball player
Weight Lifting: 5 days of heavy weights (Arms, Legs, Core, Back, Shoulders)
A good starting point for you should be something like:
Calories: 2000/day or less
Protein Intake: 120g or more
Cardio: 1 hour 3-4 times a week
Weight lifting- 3-4 times a week. Something like: Arms/Core, Legs/Shoulders, Back/Core