# Starting out..Seriously overweight



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

I have been a member here for quite some time, I read the various forums and have a genuine interest in BB but up till now my career has never allowed me to train (international Travel, different time zones several times a week sometimes) Its not been an ideal working life but now I am finished touring (thank god) and have decided that now I will do this, I will train, I will change what I have become..A LUMP.

So basic stats are that I am 6ft 2 and weighed in three weeks ago at 19.5 stone..I have dramatically reduced my carbs intake simply by dropping sugar, bread and eating sensibly, I'm not starving myself I promise, so for breakfast I have Porridge sweetened with a tea spoon of honey (thats the only sweet thing I have each day)..Tea, I loved tea with sugar and drank endless cups of tea each day with two sugars (yes I know) but now the sugars have gone and the tea in take has dropped by 50%, the semi skimmed milk is now skimmed and its not half as bad, in fact I have got quite used to it..I don't drink as much tea now and I supplement with water.. Lunch is usually fruit or fish and Dinner is usually fish, Mackerel, Sardines, maybe a pasta bake with a little grated cheese, baked beans, all in smallish portions on a small plate.. I weighed myself this evening and am very happy to see that I have dropped a stone and a half..a whole 21lbs. Now I appreciate that the weight is falling off me simply because I was so grossly overweight, sedentary and, well just a mess, theres no other word for it. I'm ashamed of how I have become, not in a down on myself way, but in a damn it way I am going to do something about this way..

I have found a gym, not a health club, nor is it what could be called a heavy lifters Gym, its a gym more based on the Gym Jones Principal which will do me for starters. They advocate not allowing the body to get too used to one or another particular form of exercise which the body can then start to compensate for i.e cheat/compensate..They have a good ethic/principal concept which is, given (a) my lack of knowledge seems like a good thing (I know nothing about working out or BB nor do I know any gym people at all). ( B) they have nutrition people who will take me through the diet ( I asked when I first visited to make sure) I know that diet is important..

So my desire is to work towards a decent body, not a competition body, but a body that doesnt repulse me when I see it and so that I can wear comfortably a 34 waist (I have before), have a chest, biceps shoulders and legs and a killer ass (I'm a gay man sorry a Killer ass is essential kit) :whistling: ..But I basically want to see who I can be, I don't intend to follow the male members of my family into Fatsville or just give in, or my poor yo yo dieting mother..

I have always loved this forum/board, I have only one problem with the training/diet/supplements sections inasmuch I dont understand them..The diets seem complicated..eggs yes I get that but what to do with them..Chicken,yes again but how much when you are trying to lose weight and build muscle, the same with fish.. I don't eat junk food other than a Pizza once a month or so..its my treat..Supps, what supps, what for, why, fat burners, the same questions..Are there books I should read, should I buy dumb bells for home..

Its all a mystery to me ..Please be kind its taken a lot of courage to come forward as a non BB, I don't come from a training or sports background, I have never played sports, even at school, it was strictly forbidden and I mean strictly..My planned career even as a youngster was plainly mapped out..So consider that I know nothing and please advise me in as straight forward a manner as possible..If I haven't made something clear or missed an obvious question please ask me and I'll do my best..I am terribly ashamed of what I have become and I am not going to allow this situation to prevail..I am very disciplined in a way that most people could never imagine so I am not afraid of hard work..I will swim three times a week, I can't run, my knees aren't great though I am told that when training my strength will improve which may well help my knees..(I'm only 49) My cardio fitness is very poor so that has to be improved upon..

Any thoughts please.

Many Thanks.


----------



## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

Try joining

http://tracker.dailyburn.com if working macros out aint easy for you

It's free & will set you a rough guide that you can tweek


----------



## Dux (Nov 29, 2011)

You're in a very similar situation to what I was in 6 months or so ago.

Massively slash your carb intake, eat a high protein diet and work your @rse off in the gym.

Sod the cheat days, they can come when you hit 15 stone.

Keep at it religiously and by the summer you'll be a different person. Guaranteed.

(I was using gear, but I didn't do any cardio to counter balance it  )

Good luck.


----------



## Dirk McQuickly (Dec 29, 2010)

Good Luck mate. Sorry my post isn't more I formative than that, but I'm off to bed - knackered, but just read your post and wanted to lend a bit of moral support before I went off! I'm 49 years old. Didn't start training til a couple of years ago and lost a shed load of fat and am now trying to put some muscle on. You'll get there and you'll get loads of support here. Don't be ashamed to ask.


----------



## switch (Jan 5, 2011)

Good luck m8, sounds like you got it covered


----------



## BestBefore1989 (Oct 21, 2008)

welcome mate, you will find some great advice on here.

Read the sticky as they will give you some great advice to start with, when you have decided on a diet plan and an exercise plan stick with it for 3 months.

It's so easy to keep finding new workouts and new diets that you switch so much you never learn what works for you


----------



## cellaratt (Jul 16, 2008)

BestBefore1989 said:


> welcome mate, you will find some great advice on here.
> 
> Read the sticky as they will give you some great advice to start with, when you have decided on a diet plan and an exercise plan stick with it for 3 months.
> 
> It's so easy to keep finding new workouts and new diets that you switch so much you never learn what works for you


You weren't paying attention to anything other than the thread title were you..? lol ...


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Diet is the key to bodybuilding. Get that spot on and thing will start to happen.

As a general rule you want to have some protein with every meal. Your body uses protein for groth and repair of tissue, in our case the groth of new muscle is the desired effect. Protein is found in meat, fish and eggs. You can also purchase protein powder which allow for additional protein in your diet. This can be very handy as some of the big guys are eating over 300g of protein a day which would be difficult to get from whole food. However whole food is the better option.

After protein we need fats. Do not be fooled by those who say dont eat fats because they make you fat. This is incorrect and fats are vital for hormanal function and form part of all the bodys cells. Just try to limit saturated fats, do not totally remove them but keep them down. Good sources of fats are seeds, nuts, olive oil. Again try to have some good fats with every meal.

Next we have carbs. These have become the devil recently but they are aslo the bodies main source of energy. Carbs can be broken down into low gi and hi gi, this relates to the rate at which the body porcesses them and what effect they have on you blood sugar levels. If you bodys blood sugar is too high then you will store fat which is why you should reduce your simple sugars.

So you need to have a serving of protein, fat and carbohydrate with every meal. How much of each you have depends on you bodyweight and bodyfat and you goals. I would purchase a set of skin fold callipers and use them to workout your body fat. These are only a few quid on the net. Once you work out you bodyfat you can workout you lean body mass. This is what you need to base your diet around. There is no need supplying the fat with cals as you want it gone.

Most people aim for between 1 and 2g of protein per lb of body weight (this is lean mass not overall weight) So a 150lb person would aim for between 150and 300g of protein a day.

For fats a common target is 100g of fats a day.

The rest of your cals will come from carbs.

This is only my view and there are a lot of people on here with far more knowledge but it is what I follow.

Fat burners are a total waste of money as are 80% of sups (supliments).

Hope this helps.


----------



## muscle40 (Jan 30, 2012)

4 years ago I was 22 stone (in uk money) now I am 15 stone so can be done. Little bit of advice buy a bike nothing better for losing weight also mixes up your cardio. Good luck


----------



## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

aad123 said:


> Fat burners are a total waste of money as are 80% of sups (supliments).


Agee with the comments about diet being king, however all fat burners are not created equal, and some are worthwhile looking at, ONCE you have your diet sorted. Depending on which ones you choose, how you use them, and when you take them they can raise your metabolic rate by between 3 and 10%. This for me accounts for additional 50% in losses each week. Diet means I lose 1-1.5lb, but adding in the fat burner on average loses an additional 0.5 to 0.75lb.

Pick up a fat burner from a health food store and it will do pretty much nothing, order something like OxyElite Pro, Warrior Blaze or Dexaprine and you will get additional losses.

OP I have posted a couple of links below. the first one has additional inks in it to other substances and over the counter products that do work. Additionally I have posed a review of Dexaprine - a strong burner available from the forum sponsors.

ECA: http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/losing-weight/140702-eca-comprehensive-guide.html

Dexaprine: http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/losing-weight/161617-dexaprine-un-sponsored-review.html

Good Luck


----------



## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

muscle40 said:


> 4 years ago I was 22 stone (in uk money) now I am 15 stone so can be done. Little bit of advice buy a bike nothing better for losing weight also mixes up your cardio. Good luck


 Nice work 

I myself was a chumper 2 years ago or so


----------



## BestBefore1989 (Oct 21, 2008)

cellaratt said:


> You weren't paying attention to anything other than the thread title were you..? lol ...


OMG so apart from Gold member, 1622 posts, has lost 21lbs and having committed to training the Gym Jones Principal ( is that some kind of cross training?)

What did I miss?

OP Sorry mate wasn't just the header , I only saw the last paragraph :confused1:



A.U.K said:


> Its all a mystery to me ..Please be kind its taken a lot of courage to come forward as a non BB, I don't come from a training or sports background, I have never played sports, even at school, it was strictly forbidden and I mean strictly..My planned career even as a youngster was plainly mapped out..So consider that I know nothing and please advise me in as straight forward a manner as possible..If I haven't made something clear or missed an obvious question please ask me and I'll do my best..I am terribly ashamed of what I have become and I am not going to allow this situation to prevail..I am very disciplined in a way that most people could never imagine so I am not afraid of hard work..I will swim three times a week, I can't run, my knees aren't great though I am told that when training my strength will improve which may well help my knees..(I'm only 49) My cardio fitness is very poor so that has to be improved upon..
> 
> Any thoughts please.
> 
> Many Thanks.


Anyway mate sounds like you're prepared to put in what it takes to get that bum you want :whistling:

Good luck

PS I feel your pain, Fat and 49 as well


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

BestBefore1989 said:


> OMG so apart from Gold member, 1622 posts, has lost 21lbs and having committed to training the Gym Jones Principal ( is that some kind of cross training?)
> 
> What did I miss?
> 
> ...


Thanks, thank you all for the posts here, I will read the links and see what I can make of them..I guess if I don't understand what anything means I will have to Man up to being a chump and ask specifics..

I feel so much better having lost the 21lbs, more energy for one, less inclined to dump my ass down and read a book..As for the Gym Jones principal, well the approach sort of makes sense to me, it will keep my body guessing and neither it or I will know whats coming week by week or month my month..Also and I hate to say this I hate gyms that are more health clubs..However I don't have the confidence to go to a proper spit and sawdust gym..not that I know of one near me anyway.

I will I guess continue to eat low carbs to get the weight down, some fats as in a little olive oil in cooking or drizzled over pasta/fish, and plenty of protien which I can get from fish, a lean steak and chicken but its the quantities that confuse me..I know when you want to get bigger you need to eat more but surely you have to eliminate the lard ars3 first then build back up..?

As for being a gold member her with 1600+ posts, well I have always come to this forum/board for chat and social recreation..Nicer people you couldn't ask to meet..

So of anyone still has any thoughts please post..I am hoping that some of my old Hench friends here will remember their early days and give me some shoves in the right direction..I don't know a single soul personally who trains, its a whole different world so I guess I will go along with the trainers until I find some poor sod who needs a training partner..I'm not complaining that I am gym wise a billy no mates that will change..as will I..

Thank you all


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

muscle40 said:


> 4 years ago I was 22 stone (in uk money) now I am 15 stone so can be done. Little bit of advice buy a bike nothing better for losing weight also mixes up your cardio. Good luck


Wow well done thats a huge amount to lose..thats 7 stone (I also speak in UK money ) and are you now building/bulking up? whats your plan/goal and how are you going about it..?


----------



## cub (Jul 14, 2011)

A.U.K said:


> Are there books I should read, should I buy dumb bells for home..
> 
> Its all a mystery to me ...


Have a read of Starting Strength or Stronglifts. From my experience just buying dumb bells and expecting to get big is a waste of time. A decent gym will have all the equipment you need and you would save money in gym membership considering how much you would spend buying all the equipment yourself.

Good luck and keep us updated


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Try and find a site called fitday, this site has a huge food database and allow you to input your daily food and will give you a breakdown of carbs, protein and fats along with a total cals consumed. Take this value and try to reduce by 250cals a day once your weight stays the same for a week or two simply reduce your cals by a further 250 and you should start loosing weight again.

As for quantity of food try 30% carbs, 35% protein and 35% fat in every meal.

As a new trainer you are in the best position to build muscle and loose fat at the same time so take this opertunity and as said before get your diat sorted and bust your ass in the gym.


----------



## atlant1s (Feb 15, 2011)

Cant tell you much that havent already been said or adviced. Just wanted to say good luck to you. You'll get there mate.


----------



## BestBefore1989 (Oct 21, 2008)

I used to use Fitday now I use www.fatsecret.com as it has an app for my phone so I can record what I eat when I eat it. It also has a huge user populated database so most anything you get from Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys is listed as well as food chains like KFC :blush: (Guilty)


----------



## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

I would say to start with, keep things simple. I'd suggest you look at the sticky here - http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/losing-weight/134264-how-set-up-generic-fat-loss-diet.html , and use the advice to construct the start point of your diet.

Bear in mind that for any diet to work long term, it has to be one that isn't painful to stick to, and so individual preferences are important to consider. So, with that in mind, once you have calculated your approximate calorie and protein needs from that sticky (or any other formula you choose to follow), when ti comes to selecting individuals foods, meal frequency and timing etc, try to do so in a way which you feel you can follow most easily.

Some people are very prescriptive in respect of foods you can and can't eat, when to eat and when not to eat etc, but in all honesty stickability is the most important thing, and that may well mean doing things in a way that works for you but not for some others. The only thing i would say is to try to keep food as clean as possible. Allow yourself a little junk within your diet plan (and don't feel guilty for including a bit), but do try to keep it as minimal as possible.

Also, keep your expectations realistic. A large amount of fat loss takes time, and don't be put off by the long haul. It often helps to breakdown your ultimate goal into shorter term goals - a repeating goal of losing 5lbs a month is less daunting than thinking about trying to lose 60lbs in a year for example.

Finally, remember to keep adjusting your diet as you go - if you feel you can drop kcals more aggressively than do, if you are really struggling then ease up, and think about whether or not you need to adjust your types of food. With each change you make, give it a few weeks to settle in.

For exercise, similar thing - find something you enjoy that will keep you coming back to the gym regularly. A routine that you don't enjoy, even if brilliant on paper, will probably end up being ditched after a month or two - whereas a less perfect routine on paper that keeps you motivated will much more likely be stuck to and yield greater success long term.

The whole point of losing weight is afterall to improve health and increase self esteem - so if the journey and the things you have to do to keep yourself in shape once there just add a different negative stress of their own then the point is largely missed.


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

BestBefore1989 said:


> I used to use Fitday now I use www.fatsecret.com as it has an app for my phone so I can record what I eat when I eat it. It also has a huge user populated database so most anything you get from Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys is listed as well as food chains like KFC :blush: (Guilty)


I will have a look into this, sound good.


----------



## Dirk McQuickly (Dec 29, 2010)

cub said:


> Have a read of Starting Strength or Stronglifts. From my experience just buying dumb bells and expecting to get big is a waste of time. A decent gym will have all the equipment you need and you would save money in gym membership considering how much you would spend buying all the equipment yourself.
> 
> Good luck and keep us updated


^^this. read starting strength by mark rippetoe


----------



## Adamdraper (Dec 5, 2011)

Loads of great advice on here. Stick with it, keep up your motivation levels and you will get there.

One small recommendation - take photos of your body every couple of weeks. Nothing is a better motivator than bring able to see a physical change in your body. There will probably come a time when you have already made a load of progress and start to feel like you are plateauing - this can be because you have just become accustomed to what you are seeing in the mirror. At times like these, looking back over your photos can help you see how far you've come and keep motivation high!


----------



## Milky (Nov 30, 2008)

Good luck brother, were all here to help / encourage each other, not to mick or ridicule.


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

chilli said:


> ^^this. read starting strength by mark rippetoe


Thank you I will..I could do with a good book..



Adamdraper said:


> Loads of great advice on here. Stick with it, keep up your motivation levels and you will get there.
> 
> One small recommendation - take photos of your body every couple of weeks. Nothing is a better motivator than bring able to see a physical change in your body. There will probably come a time when you have already made a load of progress and start to feel like you are plateauing - this can be because you have just become accustomed to what you are seeing in the mirror. At times like these, looking back over your photos can help you see how far you've come and keep motivation high!


Taking pictures is an excellent idea, I will ask my poor sister to take some and then make comparison shots over the 1st year..Thank god I have nice underwear..



Milky said:


> Good luck brother, were all here to help / encourage each other, not to mick or ridicule.


Thanks Milky, I have always known that the people here are supportive, a sharp contrast to so many forums..However I can take a joke so a bit-o-banter is fine..


----------



## Dirk McQuickly (Dec 29, 2010)

Another good book is beyond brawn by Stuart mcrobert


----------



## Greshie (Jan 15, 2011)

I only began lifting weights 12 months ago after I had "retired" early at the age of 53 as like you I had a busy career which could include long days and a great deal of travel - albeit within the UK. Was totally out of condition though unlike you only weighed 9.5 stone, consistency in diet is the key, although when I slip into bad habits I lose weight :lol: There are plenty of stickies on the forum regards diet , and there have already been some good posts on here in reply.

I also found Starting Strength very useful , it's primary purpose is to build strength rather than just develop muscle , and it concentrates on a few basic lifts and the importance of good form and technique. I am now doing a 12 week course of Strong Lifts, which is very similar. After this is finished I will probably change tack and move to a 3 day split focusing on building muscle rather than on increasing strength. If you have not done any weights before then I would recommend building your strength up before concentrating on muscle gain because you will develop a strong core. Over the last year my body shape has changed and I have gained some muscle, I feel stronger and fitter, and I'm definitely healthier. And don't worry both Starting Strength and Strong Lifts will firm up that Butt of yours nicely :tongue:


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

Greshie said:


> I only began lifting weights 12 months ago after I had "retired" early at the age of 53 as like you I had a busy career which could include long days and a great deal of travel - albeit within the UK. Was totally out of condition though unlike you only weighed 9.5 stone, consistency in diet is the key, although when I slip into bad habits I lose weight :lol: There are plenty of stickies on the forum regards diet , and there have already been some good posts on here in reply.
> 
> I also found Starting Strength very useful , it's primary purpose is to build strength rather than just develop muscle , and it concentrates on a few basic lifts and the importance of good form and technique. I am now doing a 12 week course of Strong Lifts, which is very similar. After this is finished I will probably change tack and move to a 3 day split focusing on building muscle rather than on increasing strength. If you have not done any weights before then I would recommend building your strength up before concentrating on muscle gain because you will develop a strong core. Over the last year my body shape has changed and I have gained some muscle, I feel stronger and fitter, and I'm definitely healthier. And don't worry both Starting Strength and Strong Lifts will firm up that Butt of yours nicely :tongue:


Thank you, both my butt cheeks are grateful as am I...

I will have a read and a good look round, there is so much to take on board. I will get to grips with it I guess I have been so spoiled, everything was laid out for me professionally and I am crap at research, also I am dyspraxic and slightly dyslexic which means my mind doesnt take to certain things too well..Sometimes the dyspraxia affected my finger patterns or how I broke things down when reading a score, sometimes I would play a pattern back to front, perfectly but back to front which is technically much harder but thats what happened, it also didnt make much sense..So when I am faced with charts or plans involving figure, weights, measures, Kcals, Carbs per gram etc I get blown out and it makes no sense, its like trying to read another language if that makes any sense..I may have to see a nutritionist who can sit me down and write it out for me in very simple terms..Its not that I am thick, its just my mind doesnt work in certain ways..

Note that my syntax is all over the place, I struggle to keep on track with written work so you can imagine what reading all the diet advice does especially when it gets technical or involves figures..


----------



## Greshie (Jan 15, 2011)

A.U.K said:


> Thank you, both my butt cheeks are grateful as am I...
> 
> I will have a read and a good look round, there is so much to take on board. I will get to grips with it I guess I have been so spoiled, everything was laid out for me professionally and I am crap at research, also I am dyspraxic and slightly dyslexic which means my mind doesnt take to certain things too well..Sometimes the dyspraxia affected my finger patterns or how I broke things down when reading a score, sometimes I would play a pattern back to front, perfectly but back to front which is technically much harder but thats what happened, it also didnt make much sense..So when I am faced with charts or plans involving figure, weights, measures, Kcals, Carbs per gram etc I get blown out and it makes no sense, its like trying to read another language if that makes any sense..I may have to see a nutritionist who can sit me down and write it out for me in very simple terms..Its not that I am thick, its just my mind doesnt work in certain ways..
> 
> Note that my syntax is all over the place, I struggle to keep on track with written work so you can imagine what reading all the diet advice does especially when it gets technical or involves figures..


The fact is though you have lost weight already, so you must be doing something right, but it might be an idea to get a nutritionist to create a diet plan for you with food portions that you can follow without having to worry too much about kcals , carbs etc .


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

A very easy way, and one which I use when in a hurry to get my food ready is to measure my carbs and protein by the size of my fist. After a while you get a rough idea of what 100g of chicken or 150g of oats looks like. You are not looking to compete just yet so there is no need to go to the extreams of weighing everything you eat (althoug I very often do). Just relax into it and after a few months it becomes like second nature. I am also a tea lover and for most of my adult life I was a white with two guy, but when I decided to get serious about diet and training I cut out the sugar and it made a difference. The other day my wife made me a tes with sugar and I had to throw it away. Green tea is a good option too and it also help when dieting. I some times make a huge mug full and put it in the fridge with a slice of lemon. Nice on a hot day, not so good on a cold feb night.

If you are on a low carb diet I may help you further down the line to have refeed day once a month. On you refeed day you still eat the same protein and fats but increase you carbs. This will reset you body and allow you to make further progress and also help with muscular development. Its quite common for bodybuilder to have a higher carb intake on training to give them the energy to get through a tough workout.


----------



## J90 (Nov 17, 2011)

Try doing some hiit work outs on a stationery bike or cross trainer!!!

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training

Works like a treat for me, I started at 18.5 stone in September and couldn't even get past 10 mins cv on a bike but kept at it and started doing hiit i can quite happily blast the needed 30 mins out! And I'm 16 stone now.


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

Greshie said:


> The fact is though you have lost weight already, so you must be doing something right, but it might be an idea to get a nutritionist to create a diet plan for you with food portions that you can follow without having to worry too much about kcals , carbs etc .


I think thats just what I should do..I need to get to grips with the food thing, I find it so complicated, why I don't know but I can't seem to calculate it or rationalise it out..thats the dysprxia I think..Losing weight has been relatively easy, I am so over weight just dropping sugar and bread and eating good things in small portions has done the trick..Theres no great science behind it and I am not starving myself to death..yes I am hungry at dinner time (6pm) so I eat a nice home cocked meal..Breakfast will be a nice bowl of steaming porridge with a teaspoon of honey, then some fish or fruit for lunch..So I think I am being relatively sensible..and I am getting slimmer..



aad123 said:


> A very easy way, and one which I use when in a hurry to get my food ready is to measure my carbs and protein by the size of my fist. After a while you get a rough idea of what 100g of chicken or 150g of oats looks like. You are not looking to compete just yet so there is no need to go to the extreams of weighing everything you eat (althoug I very often do). Just relax into it and after a few months it becomes like second nature. I am also a tea lover and for most of my adult life I was a white with two guy, but when I decided to get serious about diet and training I cut out the sugar and it made a difference. The other day my wife made me a tes with sugar and I had to throw it away. Green tea is a good option too and it also help when dieting. I some times make a huge mug full and put it in the fridge with a slice of lemon. Nice on a hot day, not so good on a cold feb night.
> 
> If you are on a low carb diet I may help you further down the line to have refeed day once a month. On you refeed day you still eat the same protein and fats but increase you carbs. This will reset you body and allow you to make further progress and also help with muscular development. Its quite common for bodybuilder to have a higher carb intake on training to give them the energy to get through a tough workout.


Thank you thats excellent advice, I am eating sensibly and have cut the sugar from tea completely and by now I am used to it and I like it.. I have also dropped all bread (I loved toast like you can't imagine) so thats gone as well..I will have carbs each day but just my porridge and some pasta at either lunch or Dinner..I get a bit confused with carbs as to how much is ok when trying to lose weight..I am also watching that I dont eat a lot of fats, yes I use olive oil in cooking but other than that, I get my fats from Fish (Protien), Milk and any meat I eat..

Its such a minefield I am going to have to get some serious help on this..


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

When I was dieting I kept my carbs till later in the day as if I had them early on it made me hungry throughout the day. If you are loosing weight then dont worry too much about carbs, just schedual them around your workouts so you have some before and after your workout. Also don't count veg as carbs and eat as much as you can, use it to bulk up your meals and fill you up.

Don't limit fats too much, too little fat will reduce your testosterone production which is vital for muscle groth and fat loss. Also some fats found in fish oils actually help your body burn fat. Fats also slow down digestion so you stay fuller for longer which also help when dieting. A high protein and fat meal will keep you fuller for far longer that a meal with the same calories loaded with carbs.


----------



## Greshie (Jan 15, 2011)

If I recall the only fats that should really be avoided are trans fats , but otherwise moderate intake as aad123 says wont do much harm , and fats in oily fish , olive oil, avocados etc are very beneficial


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

I found some hemp seed oil in asda and it contains omiga 3, 6 & 9 in a near perfect ratio. Look into the health benifits of hemp seed. Its not called a super food for nothing. I have a table spoon with my b,fast and before bed. Not easy to swollow :no:


----------



## Tommy10 (Feb 17, 2009)

try this ... Quick and tasty way to get all ur omegas... Bought it in H&B £7... add to cereals , yoghurts , meals etc...2 table spoons a day ...


----------



## Tommy10 (Feb 17, 2009)

Great opening post pal  honesty is always the best policy.....now time to get cracking , you have already dropped a lot in a short space of time....so im sure you will be a changed man by summer.

i think the fact your work life has changed its given you the chance to take stock, in all aspects of your life presumibly?

youve prob been too busy touring and working to notice the change in ur body but now you have the time to focus on YOU

don't be too hard on yourself pal, we all have our struggles and body issues but the great thing is with the right plan and commitment

we can all make the changes we need to feel better about ourselves. What are you doing socially now you have all that free time?

Its all well and good to get your fitness plan togethor but equally as important is to take care of ur social needs.....

Years ago i dropped 2st in 2 months, i went on a super strict diet of 3 meals a day and only drank green tea and water,

no snacks, no bread, butter, sauces, only low fat meals and fruit if i got hungry,the weight fell off

I worked out 4 days a week for 60 mins covering all the body parts

how much do u want to lose and when?


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Tommy10 said:


> View attachment 74457
> try this ... Quick and tasty way to get all ur omegas... Bought it in H&B £7... add to cereals , yoghurts , meals etc...2 table spoons a day ...


Looks good I will have a look in our local Holl&Barr at the weekend. I don't mind eating the hemp seed although the shells get in your teeth but I dont enjoy the exit trip one bit. I have tried to find shelled hemp seed but cant get it anywhere. Its supposed to be really good for kids and you can mix it into baked beans and they dont even notice it. Dont know why I mentioned that as most people on here are a bit to young to have kids.


----------



## AL_KILLIYA (Dec 2, 2011)

when it comes to seeds

you need to invest in an electric grinder mill , otherwise all the goodness doesn't get digested unless you chew each mouthful for about 10 minutes that is

i have chia seeds , pumpkin , hemp sunflower and golden linseed finely ground up over quinoa in the morning , with a bit of manuka honey


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

Tommy10 said:


> View attachment 74457
> try this ... Quick and tasty way to get all ur omegas... Bought it in H&B £7... add to cereals , yoghurts , meals etc...2 table spoons a day ...


Couldnt touch that I am seriously allergic to nuts.. :cursing:



Tommy10 said:


> Great opening post pal  honesty is always the best policy.....now time to get cracking , you have already dropped a lot in a short space of time....so im sure you will be a changed man by summer.
> 
> i think the fact your work life has changed its given you the chance to take stock, in all aspects of your life presumibly?
> 
> ...


Well I am not sure what weight I want to be..The thing is I am a big tall guy, strong legs, not huge shoulders but overall a big guy..I am sort of working on the principal that I need to get down to 13.5-14 stone getting rid of all the excess body fat and then start to build up and grow properly but not covered in fat..Does that make any sense..I need to strip down to a sensible minimum then start a controlled growth..There is no time frame, so long as I look a little better in 6 months, then a little better in a year, then 18 months so on and so forth..The weight is falling off and I'm doing bugger all except cutting out bad foods and sugars/breads..I am not dieting as such just eating healthy or healthier..

I dont really have aspirations to be huge or competition sized, I just want to be able to wear a compression shirt or a fitted shirt and fill it correctly i.e Chest, Nice arms with a decent bit of gunnage and fill my tattoos out, a flat stomach (Abs would be nice but lets not get ahead of ourselves here), I'd like to have a decent waist around 34-36, good legs and feel over all in decent shape..Im not too old I know that but I don't believe I have good genetics, my family are a family of fatties and not sporty at all..I however want to change this and for myself make a marked change..

I have always said I want see who I can be physically speaking. I'm not a bad looking bloke, not devastating but not Terry Wogans love child either but my body lets me down...Thats why I want to change..Then who knows..I still have career plans and a fitter look wont do them any harm at all.

Whatever I do it will be an improvement and this is for me, not anyone else though a few looks wouldnt go amiss when I am out and about..if you know what I mean.. :whistling:

So lets see..I'm all set, got a nice place to train and will go and see a proper lifter ( I want to prefix lifter with the word "Shirt" every time I write it)


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

I think your plan is spot on. By cutting bodyfat you will be able to see what you are working with, you will be able to asses your strong and week points and you may even suprise yourself. Once you are at a bodyfat level you are happy with you can start a clean bulk but for now your main goal is to loose fat and build muscle. Have you worked out a diet yet or are you just eating correctly for now ?


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

aad123 said:


> I think your plan is spot on. By cutting bodyfat you will be able to see what you are working with, you will be able to asses your strong and week points and you may even suprise yourself. Once you are at a bodyfat level you are happy with you can start a clean bulk but for now your main goal is to loose fat and build muscle. Have you worked out a diet yet or are you just eating correctly for now ?


well I guess I am just eating sensibly, not necessarily correctly but very sensibly and conciously dieting..I'm not starving myself, I am eating, but eating healthier foods, less of everything and have cut sugar, bread completely..I am eating primarily fish, chicken, and fruit (a little) I eat wholemeal pasta for carbs and rice..Fats I get from Olive Oil and I suppose in meat and fish..I am not eating fried anything, everything is steamed or grilled, or if cooked in the oven then no additional fats are added so things cook in their own juices..

My thoughts were as you confirmed to get my body fat right down and lose the weight..Then have a long look at what I have to work with and go from there..The guy, who runs the gym I am going to, and I had a long talk about diet and he is going to work out a diet plan with me now he knows my goals and will help me forge the way ahead. I have given him a mental picture of what I want to work towards physically speaking..Its not a huge competition type body that I am after, though they look very nice it is not what I want nor is it realistic..

Equally I will do this naturally, I dont really want to go the steroid route, I could never work out all the do's and dont's not that I have anything against anyone who does use them, thats great if thats what they want but personally its not for me..So I will have a limited amount of what I can achieve..or will I.

Realistically speaking I am fairly certain its not going to come easy, I dont believe I have good genetics, I'm not a natural athelete or a particularly sports oriented physique, I'm a rather unimpressive mortal, yes a big guy but not impressive..I don't want to buy my clothes from Jacomo or High and Mighty or ("Fat and Forty" as well call it in this house), I want to be able to dress and look good. Nice shoulders, chest, arms, stomach..are Abs possible at my age without steroids..Not sure about that..

Soo we shall take a look in say 6 months, see whats what, adjust, and re target..then again 6 months after that..I have taken some pics now which I will post in a year with comparison shots..I can't post them now, it's too depressing..

I'm not down on myself, but I am going to change my physical appearance..Dramatically, lets see what lies beneath this body..hopefully something better..It can only get better.


----------



## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

Seems like you have thought this through well AUK.

Keep it going mate & well done so far


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

xpower said:


> Seems like you have thought this through well AUK.
> 
> Keep it going mate & well done so far


Thanks Xpower, I dont know if I have thought it through correctly but I have tried to approach it in a way that to me at least makes sense..Only time will tell if I thunked right..

On the plus side the guy who runs the gym is keen, willing and helpful and hasnt plonked me on a series of machines with a program and left me too it..Its his business so he's keen to see his members do well and get where they want to get from their workouts..He's very proactive and genuine..you can spot genuine people a mile off, their attitude is so different to that of people who just work in a gym/health club (my pet hate ..Health Clubs)..

I arrived and confessed I knew nothing, it's hard to hide what was 19.5 stone of lack of knowledge..(Now 18 stone officially weighed this afternoon  ) So the diet is working..He had a long talk with me about upping my proteins and using creatine , the latter not being required just yet and it was kept real simple..so its small steps..I like the place and the principals behind it..nice crowd of members, all working on different aspects of fitness and body building..some runners, some strongmen (the large tyre chucking type with real Huge tyres) and other equally awkward things to shift, alongside the more standard gym kit and gym users..so its a real cross section and has a variety of eqiupment to keep the body guessing..Its also in a commercial wharehouse with those huge sliding doors which in summer wide open will be a blast, work out get a tan..I think I have found a great place and that helps so much when if you are like me who doesnt know anyone who goes to the Gym that this team feeling and attitude seems to work..

So watch this space and see what happens..I'm feeling very positive, theres lots of work to do but I have a great group of people to help me which given my knowledge level is a very handy thing to have..


----------



## BestBefore1989 (Oct 21, 2008)

It sounds to me like you have got your plan spot on, all you have to do now is continue to walk the walk.

The only thing I want to ask is whats wrong with Terry Wogan ?


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

BestBefore1989 said:


> It sounds to me like you have got your plan spot on, all you have to do now is continue to walk the walk.
> 
> The only thing I want to ask is whats wrong with Terry Wogan ?


Nothing pers'e but he's not a look I am going for..The hair alone is worrying enough..whats that all about.. :confused1:


----------



## BestBefore1989 (Oct 21, 2008)

your not telling me you think its real?


----------



## Readyandwaiting (Mar 20, 2011)

I have a killer ass also, like a Beyonce butt.


----------



## BestBefore1989 (Oct 21, 2008)

apart from his wig hes looking good ...

ATTACH=CONFIG]74568[/ATTACH]


----------



## Greshie (Jan 15, 2011)

BestBefore1989 said:


> apart from his wig hes looking good ...
> 
> ATTACH=CONFIG]74568[/ATTACH]


 :lol:


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

Thats even more disturbing..that head and hair/wig/toupee on that body..creeps me out..


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

You are a man with a plan. Stick with it and you will get there, dont feel too down if things dont go well, we all have good and bad weeks. Just feel confident that you are taking steps towards your goals. When you go through your diet plan make sure its one you can stick to long term. The best diet in the world isnt going to work if you don't enjoy the food you won't eat it.

I would get some photos done and put on here. Don't worry what people will say as everyone on here is possative, we all all trying to achieve the same goal of a better body. I put some on my log ( i wasn't sure if I should ) and the possative feedback was surprising and gave me a little boost and it also makes me train harder and ensure my diet is strict so that when I update them in a few months there is some improvement. My wife thinks I am mad but what does she know.


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

aad123 said:


> You are a man with a plan. Stick with it and you will get there, dont feel too down if things dont go well, we all have good and bad weeks. Just feel confident that you are taking steps towards your goals. When you go through your diet plan make sure its one you can stick to long term. The best diet in the world isnt going to work if you don't enjoy the food you won't eat it.
> 
> I would get some photos done and put on here. Don't worry what people will say as everyone on here is possative, we all all trying to achieve the same goal of a better body. I put some on my log ( i wasn't sure if I should ) and the possative feedback was surprising and gave me a little boost and it also makes me train harder and ensure my diet is strict so that when I update them in a few months there is some improvement. My wife thinks I am mad but what does she know.


Thanks very much..I will keep working at it..Pics to follow in time..


----------



## mark22 (Jul 13, 2011)

My advice would be follow the great suggestions you get here but do it for yourself. If at any point people question you or whatever so what, you know what's best for you. Just do it and be proud of yourself that you are and you will do good.


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Its been a few weeks now so how are the diet and training going? Any updates?


----------



## Greshie (Jan 15, 2011)

Yes come on AUK ... an update is due I think


----------



## chrislad (May 21, 2010)

and if you could post up your diet plan that would be great. also 19.5 stone

lost about 4kg since jan, had a bit of a wobble the first week of feb but this thread has inspired me to get back on the horse


----------



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

chrislad said:


> and if you could post up your diet plan that would be great. also 19.5 stone
> 
> lost about 4kg since jan, had a bit of a wobble the first week of feb but this thread has inspired me to get back on the horse


4 kg loss is a good thing, just keep plugging away. This is a marathon not a sprint. Consistency is the key to any exercise / weightloss plan, rapid weight loss and extreme diets can lead to frustration and loss if interest which can lead to weight gains. Slowly does it. You are trying to make life style changes and this will take time but you have made a good start.


----------



## A.U.K (May 17, 2008)

Well update time,

Have been going to the gym regularly and eating well but clean.

Was at the Doctors who weighed me again and I have lost over 8 kilos so that's good.

No real diet plan just eating sensibly and eating clean, no rubbish.


----------



## BestBefore1989 (Oct 21, 2008)

8 kilos since you last posted? Almost 4.5lbs a week!

well done :thumb:


----------



## Adamdraper (Dec 5, 2011)

A.U.K said:


> Well update time,
> 
> Have been going to the gym regularly and eating well but clean.
> 
> ...


Great start. Well done mate. Keep going!


----------

