# Uni boozing gave me a beer gut



## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

Hey Guys

I'm 24 and *14stone 4* (5 foot 11) and have been working out on and off for 4 years. (I started off at university at 11stone) I'm not much of a cardio guy... but happy to hit the weights 4/5 times a week. I'm trying to introduce 20mins of cardio at the end of my weights session and build up from there.

I'm guessing I'm carrying about *20%-25%* bodyfat (need to check) and I'm in the process of cleaning up my diet and getting back into the weights after 6 months drinking, eating pizza and sitting on my ****.

I'm up to about my old strength levels and feeling positive and looking to lose 20+lbs over the next 8 weeks or so (well fast as possible). I turned into a fat bastard and need help...!

*MY ROUTINE*

I'm doing Chest - Dumbell Press, Dumbell Incline, Cable-Crossovers, Incline Dumbell Flye.

Shoulders - Dumbell Press, Arnold Press, EZ-Bar Upright Rows, Dumbell Lateral Raises, Dumbell Front Raises.

Back - Machine Barbell Row, Dumbell Rows, Lat Pull Downs, BarBell Shrug.

(Excluding Bi / Tri / Legs) + 20 Mins on the bike per session.

I'm hitting *4 sets* of *8 Reps* per exercise. Altough been getting some 4-6 reps in there recently. Usually I start off heavy as humanly possible and move down the weight rack. 90 seconds between sets.

*MY DIET*

Breakfast

Cornflakes

Apple

Whey Protein shake with banana

Snack

Jordan's Cereal bar

Lunch

Can of Tuna

2 slices of wholeweat bread

Low Fat Hellman's Mayo

GYM

Post Workout

Promax Protein Shake and banana

Dinner

Large Sirloin / 2 Chicken breasts / Turkey breasts / Tuna Steak

Small Jacket Potato and Cheese / Boiled Potatos / Sweet Potato

Couple bottles of Corona

I've just started on this type of meal plan and lost 4 pounds. Can you guys help maximise my weight loss while maintaining or developing muscle? I think I could do with toning... but thought wait until the fat goes.

Cheers

Mack


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

Do yourself a favour and cut down/out the alcahol. Any potential progress you'd made on your routine will be hindered from the alcahol consumption - you know the problem sort it.

Put sh1t in, get sh1t out.


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## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

Fair play... I cut down drastically on my beer consumption since uni and now may have 1 or 2 bottles in the evening. I'll knock it on the head for a while. Cheers.

[EDIT - Like the no bull**** response]


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## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

I have also bought LA Muscle - Nobese & Fat Stripper...comments?? Even if its a placebo it helps with my motivation I think. Should I up protein... If I'm 200 pounds and probably what... 170 odd pounds without the fat - should I be on 170 grams of Protein. Or accept less when losing the gut and love handles??


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## 13stonetarget (Aug 21, 2007)

Try and keep your calories around the 2500 mark, keep your diet fairly high in protein, low in saturated fats with some decent unsaturated fats in there.

Get your carbs from complex sources like brown rice, wholemeal bread, sweet potato etc.

Drop chocolate, crisps, booze etc completely if you want to make good fat losses...

Try to do some cardio 2-3 times a week before breakfast, you'll hopefully burn a bit of fat then and it should get your metabolism going.


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## ParaManiac (Mar 20, 2007)

Cornflakes are sh1t,replace with porridge or shredded wheat

Replace the cereal bar with real food.

Save some money by not using maximuscle(use a board sponsor) and LA muscle fat burners(cardio)

Use the money to buy fish oils and a decent multivit


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## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

Thanks guys. I've swapped the cornflakes for Egg Whites. Got myself a quality protein, fish oils and Multivitamin. Caffeine before training. I'm going to cut down on the carbs and see If I get some results. Body Fat is 22.3% and I'm carrying 56% H2O - BMI says I'm a fat bastard... but I don't look 'obese' so I presume the muscle confuses the hell out of it.

Week A) Heavy Weights / Low Reps and 20 Mins HIIT Cardio

Week B) Moderate Weights / Moderate Reps and 45 Mins Cardio

I'm going to do this for 4 weeks and see where I'm at. I usually only go heavy as ****... so Its gonna be interesting doing more reps on lighter weights for a week.

I'll let you know how it goes. Cheers.


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## gym rat (Jul 10, 2007)

goodluck mack mate, it may take abit of time but its well worth it. just keep the head down and you'll be fine


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## toxictoffee (May 2, 2007)

> Put sh1t in, get sh1t out.


ditto

and its not just the sh1t in the form of alcohol, thats catabolic or at least non anabolic but i find it hard to find many anabolic periods in your schedule

all about choices....ok/normal physique plus alcohol

less alcohol and a better physique

minimal alcohol + time = very good physique

have a think which appeals the most and the bastard child of all three is not really an option for most


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## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

What's catabolic Vs Anabolic?


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## bigden (Jul 16, 2007)

catabolic= muscle break down state

anabolic= muscle growth state


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## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

So get some carbs in there and Its more anabolic? I reckon I might have to sacrifice looking smaller and flat, but then at 10%-8% I'll get the definition and look bigger then build back the muscle again.


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## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

Well the scales say I'm *13 stone 12* . So I reckon I've shifted about 4 pounds already on my revised diet in the last 48 hours. Also discovered I can go longer on the treadmill than I thought... so I'll get that in there 4 times a week.


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## Jock (Apr 8, 2003)

Don't want to be overly critical mate but your routine isn't great and your diet needs work.

Where are the compound lifts mate? deadlifts/squats/bench presses/lunges/chins/military presses? You are doing 9 exercises for your chest and shoulders alone, waaaay to much isolation work IMO don't forget that your shoulders will get worked during the pressing movements as will your triceps so there is no need to go over the top trying to train every single muscle group.

Do 40mins of low intensity cardio at least 4x a week on an empty stomach (except for BCAAs and/or Glutamine if you want).

Diet-wise cycle your carbs (read the timed carbs sticky at the top of the forum)

Get decent slow burning carbs earlier in the day and protein with every meal (eg oats/whey for brekkie, brown rice/wholeweat pasta etc + chicken/tuna/turkey etc.

Have something else in between then lean meat (salmon/chicken/lean beef) with fibrous veg for tea (sweet potatoes if any) and eggs before bed.

You need simple carbs after you workout with your whey, the carbs in the banana are complex and won't cause the required insulin response, throw in some dextrose or maltodextrin with your whey shake.

Cut out the booze altogether (or at least limit it to 2-3 on the weekend), keep this up for 8-10 weeks and you can go out on the p1ss with a much better physique.


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## Tall (Aug 14, 2007)

20+lbs is possible over 8 weeks, but it may not be advised... You can hit this target with either a PSMF or a CCKD combined with a better exercise routine than you are currently doing.

I'm not saying your routine is bad, but as Jock correctly pointed out it is lacking in the 'core' compounds.

I understand what jock is saying about doing cardio on an empty stomach and the timing (i.e. 40mins) but your glycogen reserves will be depleated following your fast (i.e. sleep) which could result in catabolism.

Personally I would bracket each workout with a meal of some kind - be it even oats and protein powder in Water/Milk/Juice.

I'm not a fan of Maltro/Dextro these days, if you can have real food post workout then try. You should go and research Pre and Post Workout Nutrition and make sure you plan these meals. Then you need to put the same planning into each of your other meals.

Too many people don't see the results they want as the only meals they plan and consumed the correct macro/micro nutrient quantities is their Pre and Postwork's. Each meal is 'equally' important, some some are more important than others (Breakfast, Pre, and Post Workout IMHO)

To be honest Jock has pretty much covered everything you need to do.

Try and come up with a new diet and workout routine, remembering that if you are on a calorific deficit your recovery will be somewhat impacted so 4 heavy weights sessions down the gym may not be advisable.

For cardio - I like walking at a brisk pace for an hour. You don't need to goto the gym to do cardio...

Hope this helps somewhat.


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## invisiblekid (Jun 18, 2006)

Why do you need the booze in there at all? You concede it contributed to making you fat, but leave it in your losing weight thread. Seems a little odd to me.

I stopped drinking quite a while ago and the weight dropped off me.

With the exception of that cereal bar and perhaps your breakfast that diet looks OK to me. If you want to move to a more serious approach to your lifting, your diet will need to be adjusted significantly to support it.


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## Tall (Aug 14, 2007)

If we are honest Dos Coronas won't do you that much harm. But including them in there just means you won't make your target of 20lbs in 8 weeks by a country mile.

If you want to lose your weight over a longer period - say a year, then enjoy them.

If you want short term results its time to get serious and be strict with your diet.


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## invisiblekid (Jun 18, 2006)

Wouldn't 2 beers be anything from 200 - 400 cals? Times that by 365 days per year.

Then divide that by 3,500 cals (which = 1lb). Worth thinking about before you reach for the amber nectar?

Maybe my calculations are off - but you get the idea of what I'm getting at.


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## Tall (Aug 14, 2007)

invisiblekid said:


> Wouldn't 2 beers be anything from 200 - 400 cals? Times that by 365 days per year.
> 
> Then divide that by 3,500 cals (which = 1lb). Worth thinking about before you reach for the amber nectar?
> 
> Maybe my calculations are off - but you get the idea of what I'm getting at.


Yeah that sounds about right.

Your 400kcals could also buy you 2x 50g WPC80 Shakes in water...


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## scousepowerhous (Oct 25, 2007)

i weigh about 151lbs an am bout 5 11 avnt gt a beer gut bt reli need sum advice on toning up me chest an abs and hyow 2 get massive lats any tips guys


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## Slamdog (Jun 11, 2007)

scousepowerhous said:


> i weigh about 151lbs an am bout 5 11 avnt gt a beer gut bt reli need sum advice on toning up me chest an abs and hyow 2 get massive lats any tips guys


type in english and start your own thread would be the best tip...


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## paulo (Feb 17, 2007)

from susan kleiners power eating book- protein and carbs 3kcals per gram,fat 9 kcals per gram, alcohol 7! so any alcohol almost as bad as fat in calorific intake-to make matters worse not stored as glycogen in the muscles/liver but converted to free fatty acids and most likely to be stored as fat-ive cut back the drink,and seen an improvement-feel better too more energy and no hangover/low moods, also enjoy couple more when used as a treat


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## Tall (Aug 14, 2007)

paulo said:


> from susan kleiners power eating book- protein and carbs 3kcals per gram,fat 9 kcals per gram, alcohol 7! so any alcohol almost as bad as fat in calorific intake-to make matters worse not stored as glycogen in the muscles/liver but converted to free fatty acids and most likely to be stored as fat-ive cut back the drink,and seen an improvement-feel better too more energy and no hangover/low moods, also enjoy couple more when used as a treat


Protein and Carbs are 4kcals per gram mate


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## paulo (Feb 17, 2007)

okdoke-was from memory-but illustrates as yousay that alcohol almost twice the cals and no nutritional value


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## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

Thanks guys... putting the Corona's in there wasn't the ideal plan... it was what I was actually doing at the time. I thought I'd be honest about my daily routine. I reckon it's all well saying 'hey I'm doing this'... but I don't reckon every guy on here eats clean 24-7 and for me that is an ideal - I can only take one day at a time, not buy crap down Tesco's and eat and drink my protein requirements - I'll try and balance my weight/body building goals as best as possible. Thanks to your advice my diet has improved radically anyway and I'm seeing some reasonable weightloss and reaching my strength targets. Cheers.


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