Protein supplements etc

floggg

i've just started in the gym in the last two months. My current goals are weight loss and a general tone up. I have a lot of body fat to lose at this stage, so a six pack is far from my thoughts at the minute but I was wondering whether I should be taking any sort of protein supplements after a work out? Is there any real benefit to them if your just doing some light weights three times a week as well as cardio?

Also, are there any other supplements I should consider?

Colm_OReilly

Before supplements I think it's important to ask if your training regime optimal and more importantly, is your diet on the ball?

Light weights are not the way to go for tone or weight loss. If you look at the most toned athletes, they're involved in high intensity sports (see wrestlers, olympic lifters, sprinters). Compare these to the bodies of triathletes and marathon runners.

floggg

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

Before supplements I think it's important to ask if your training regime optimal and more importantly, is your diet on the ball?

Light weights are not the way to go for tone or weight loss. If you look at the most toned athletes, they're involved in high intensity sports (see wrestlers, olympic lifters, sprinters). Compare these to the bodies of triathletes and marathon runners.

maybe i should clarify. when i say light wieghts i mean that i've just really started in the gym, so I am starting off with the basics. Im doing chest presses, shoulder rows, arm curls, shoulder press, leg pres and arm extensions, three times a week, 3reps of 12, as heavy as i can manage. do u recommend something more intensive?

as for cardio, I do 15means on arc trainer and 15 mins on treadmill before weights, and then i go for a jog or swim every other day, and play 5 a side every few weeks.

I generally try and eat healthy, museli for breakfast, a sandwich or wrap at lunch, and then meat and vegetables, rice, eggs or stirfry for dinner. I also snack on fruit and nuts in between

rubadub

floggg wrote: »

Im doing chest presses, shoulder rows, arm curls, shoulder press, leg pres and arm extensions, three times a week, 3reps of 12, as heavy as i can manage. do u recommend something more intensive?

3 sets of 8-12 reps is fine, you might get away with 1-2 sets just starting out. But switch to compound movements, and ditch the machines, use freeweights. Deadlifts, squats, standing military press, chinups, pullups, dips, bench press, bent over rows are all good. Check www.exrx.net

Do weights before the cardio as you will have more energy in your muscles, allowing you to lift more, which in turn works the muscle more and promotes more growth. You can do a short warmup before the wieghts. I prefer to do "air" exercises to warm up, or low weights. e.g. do a 10reps of bodyweight squats before doing the weighted squats. Do 10 pushups before benching.

Colm_OReilly

rub's right.

Here's a sample program.

You've a lot of grain in your diet, which ain't the best for fat loss. Try to reduce this, getting more vegetables and meat into you. Eat more nuts than dried fruit too.

floggg

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

rub's right.

Here's a sample program.

You've a lot of grain in your diet, which ain't the best for fat loss. Try to reduce this, getting more vegetables and meat into you. Eat more nuts than dried fruit too.

Thanks for the advice. I genereally try and cut out grains, only really have them for breakfast and try to eat wraps over sandwiches where possible. The only time I really have pasta or rice is before I go to the gym or play sports etc, when I know I'll use up all the carbs.

I do try and eat nuts or seeds a lot. Are the chocolate/yoghurts nuts okay, or should i stick with plain?

Illkillya

At the moment your goal is to lose fat, and you certainly don't need protein supplements for that. The easiest way, as other mention, is basically to reduce carbs and eat more lean meat and veg while maintaining a caloric deficit. The only person who can say if eating chocolate/yogurt covered peanuts is "OK" or not, is you. They generally have a lot of sugar in the coating, so they should be viewed as a treat, and you'll have to decide whether or not it will interfere with your weight loss based on what else you have been eating and how seriously you are focused. Might be easier to give feedback if you post an overview of your diet for a typical day.

floggg

A typical day...

Breakfast: muesli/porridge with milk

Lunch: ham or chicken salad brown bread sandwich or wrap (with little bit of mayo!)

Dinner: Chicken/Steak/Fish with vegetables, no potatoes. or else two scrambled eggs with vegetables, etc. I try to avoid carbs after 5

Post-Gym: Chicken and salad, or fruit and yoghurt. This could be late - 8 or 9

I'd also generally have two pieces of fruit, or popcorn as snacks throughout the day as well.

rubadub

Illkillya wrote: »

At the moment your goal is to lose fat, and you certainly don't need protein supplements for that.

True but, protein acts as an appetite suppresant and they can be handy. I now consider whey part of my "normal diet", I like the taste, it is not something I have to force down or anything.