Some help with my Diet and Exercise please

An Dagda

Hi I've been checking out this forum for quiet a while now, and have picked up some great tips. I've changed my diet a lot because of it, although I know it still needs a good bit of work. I've been training in the gym since January, and changed my diet about March I'd say.

I'm 5"10, weigh 69KG, Body Fat % is 15%, age 28.
Other than some toning on my chest, and some increase in my quads and arms I'm not seeing enough change. I am trying to improve my overall size, I feel I'm quiet skinny on the shoulders and chest and wud like to lose the fat on my stomach and sides. My body fat % seems to average at about 15% and hasnt really changed since I started measuring a couple of months ago.

Any of yer expert advice on the diet or the work outs or anything else would be greatly appreciated, thanks

GYM DAYS.
11.00 - Nestle Oats and Almonds (I know ye probably would recommend porridge instead but this has lots of nuts in it? ), Nutrition XXX All in one 60g in 300ml of water.
14.00 - Poached Egg + Brown Bread Toast, Yop + banana, Nutrition X Big Whey 60g in 150ml of water
14.30 - Gym
16.00 - Nutrition XXX All in One 60g in 300ml of water, Pasta and Chicken
19.00 - Nutrition X Big Whey 60g in 150ml of water, Brown Bread Toast with Peanut Butter
21.00 - Pasta Buitoni Prosciuto Crudo (Basically Pasta with Ham in it) with Low Fat Cod and Vegetable Spring Roll or Omelette (2 Eggs, cheese, and ham or turkey),
00.00 - Nutrition X Big Whey 60g in 150ml of water


WORK DAYS(Non Gym Days)
6.45am/pm - Nestle Oats and Almonds
9.30am/pm - Bran Flakes, 2 Sausages with 2 Slices of Brown bread, Beans, Fried Egg and Orange Juice.
1.00am/pm - Low Fat Cod and Rice, Apple Juice
5.30am/pm - Pasta and Chicken, Yop
7.30am/pm - Banana
9.30am/pm - Omelette (2 Eggs, cheese, and ham or turkey), Pasta Buitoni Prosciuto Crudo and Vegetable Spring Roll
00.00am/pm - Nutrition X Big Whey 60g in 150ml of water

NB. I drink about 4/5pints of water a day, probably not enough?

WORK OUT
Stepper - 15Mins - Intense (Level 10 I think) - Normally 3km in that time
2 Handed Bicep Curl Machine - 10, 8, 8 - 35Kg (77 Ibs)
Leg Press - 20, 20 - 110Kg (242Ibs)
Horizontal Chest Press - 10, 10, 8, 6 - 75Kg (165 Ibs)
Leg Extension - 10, 10, 10 - 60Kg (132 Ibs)
Chest Fly Machine - 10, 10, 8, 6 - 60Kg (132 Ibs)
Shoulder Press - 10, 10, 8 - 35Kg (77 Ibs)
Bike - 10 Mins - Medium to Intense

Swimming - 20 mins - Low to Medium (only once a week though)

NB. Just a couple of things to add...I work 12 hour shiftwork some days and some nights, its all over the place so its hard to have a proper routine. So generally I go on the days im off. So for eg. If i have 3 days off in between shift I go on each of those days and do the same routine above. So I dont do the alternating between cardio and weight work etc. I
seem to recover well so I dont have problems with weights the next day.
In general I dont like vegetables, and I have a bad back so I cant do any situps or rowing or proper running until I get it sorted.

Thanks again for any help

Colm_OReilly

To start with diet, there's a LOT of grain in there, which won't help you if you want to lose fat (or reach peak performance for that matter). You also seem very dependent on supplements, may I enquire as to why? If you're off for up to three days in a row you should be able to hit the shops and get some real meat, veg, nuts and fruit.

Your workout routine isn't great either to be honest. You're missing out on the hormonal benefits you'd get from heavy, compound lifts like the deadlift and the squat (though you do have the shoulder press, which is good)

I'd suggest a starting strength program that would include these major lifts if you're just looking to get big. For me, I noticed a major improvement in my shoulder area after starting crossfit.

Also, if you have time at home, buy some rings from ringtraining.com. My upper body area got some nice size/definition from playing with them.

On a general note on bad backs. In the few short months I've been open I've had a surprising percentage (I'd say 70% plus) tell me they've a bad back. Some from just general bad backeness and others from injury in sport/car accidents. Every single one so far has been prescribed deadlifting and squatting as part of their program and have noticed an improvement in their posture and a reduction in the back troubles.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

On a general note on bad backs. In the few short months I've been open I've had a surprising percentage (I'd say 70% plus) tell me they've a bad back. Some from just general bad backeness and others from injury in sport/car accidents. Every single one so far has been prescribed deadlifting and squatting as part of their program and have noticed an improvement in their posture and a reduction in the back troubles.

Hey Colm.

Quick question - I've been training five months or so (to gain size, have gained about 22lbs so far and also reduced bodyfat from 13% to 9%. I'm now 12st 9lbs) and have seen some good improvements. However, I always stayed away from the deadlift as it seemed to be too easy to injure yourself. Would it be good to throw in? My back is a wee bit painful from time to time.

Roper

WORK OUT
Stepper - 15Mins - Intense (Level 10 I think) - Normally 3km in that time
2 Handed Bicep Curl Machine - 10, 8, 8 - 35Kg (77 Ibs)
Leg Press - 20, 20 - 110Kg (242Ibs)
Horizontal Chest Press - 10, 10, 8, 6 - 75Kg (165 Ibs)
Leg Extension - 10, 10, 10 - 60Kg (132 Ibs)
Chest Fly Machine - 10, 10, 8, 6 - 60Kg (132 Ibs)
Shoulder Press - 10, 10, 8 - 35Kg (77 Ibs)
Bike - 10 Mins - Medium to Intense

This would probably give an unfit person some early results, but would fail to be useful after about 3 months I'd say. Simply put, you couldn't hope to increase size or fitness with this routine. I'd recommend getting someone who can talk you through the basic use of free weights such as dumbells and barbell, and to gradually phase out your use of machines like the chest press.

Also, your diet is, well, strange! You take a lot of whey in shakes, so I'm going to assume you're trying to gain mass. Truth is you don't eat half enough protein in whole foods to gain any mass. Also, your shake intake is just wasted protein as long as you're not building muscle in the gym, which you're not because of your workout, if you catch my meaning.

Don't mean to be harsh but I'd say a total overhaul is in order. Get on the free weights and drop all the shakes in favour of 5 simple, protein heavy meals a day and see what happens.

An Dagda

Hey guys thanks for the feedback, very helpful
Haha yea I've always been a strange eater.
I'll drop the grain from the diet as much as possible.
I've been taking the protein supplements cause I barely make 2500 calories without them, from my input into www.Fitday.com I probably average 2800 calories with Protein 40% (250g), Calories 40% and Fat 20%.
I find it hard to eat as much as I'm supposed to to gain mass. Although I dont want to gain too much mass, just something respectable, maybe increase my weight from 11 stone to 12 stone. But also to bring my body fat % to single figures to see the abs if possible.

I wasnt sure if I was eating too much chicken, so I'll take on board what ye are saying and try and eat more chicken and fish. Would 3 medium sized breasts of chicken and 2 low fat cods be ok, do you think?

BTW does it make a huge difference in how you cook the chicken, I tend to fry it. I know thats more greasy but is it effecting the quality of protein I get in anyway?

What is yer opinion on Pasta is it good or bad?

I will talk to a gym instructor about how best to go about a free weight routine, and fit in squats and dead lifts. I've always put it off because in the Gym I go to in Cork (Sano Vitae - Clarion Gym) they are nearly always occupied.

Sorry about all the questions, but yer help is appreciated, thanks again lads

Colm_OReilly

CJ Marren,

Everyone I've advised to do Deadlifts has benefitted so far, so yes I'd advise them. Just invest in the time to learn the technique and always ensure you've good form.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjBI9qxibTc (Intro to the Deadlift from Greg Glassman)

http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html#Power (7 videos to get you started on the deadlift)

If your back is a little sore maybe you're swaying on some other exercises? Make sure if there's no trunk movement in an exercise that you keep your trunk still. (People hipping into bicep curls is a fantastic example of this mistake) Do some overhead squats and you'll notice a difference in your core.

An Dagda,

Looking at your split for Protein/Carbs/Fat you could afford to reduce the carb intake and increase the fat.

Fat doesn't make you fat. It's pretty essential both as an energy source and to help your body repair itself. Also, fat is denser than carbs/protein, so you don't have to eat the same volume. (9kcals per gram versus 4kcals per gram). A couple of nuts is all you might need as part of your meal.

Pasta is pretty poor nutritionally when compared to vegetables, try and make most of your carbs come from veg, with a little fruit.

If the instructor puts you on a smith machine, says squatting below parallel is dangerous, rounds out his back as he shows you the squat, or mentions the deadlift is bad for the back you've two options. One is to smile politely and walk away - like you would to a senile relative whose rambling on. The other is to slap him. Or, better yet, slap him with Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength. For comedic purposes I'd prefer the latter, but the former is probably a better choice.

All joking aside that book is a fantastic resource, and well, well worth it.

Nothing wrong with eating more meat, and varying the source of protein (turkey, other fish for example)

Cadrach

An Dagda wrote: »

Hey guys thanks for the feedback, very helpful
Haha yea I've always been a strange eater.
I'll drop the grain from the diet as much as possible.
I've been taking the protein supplements cause I barely make 2500 calories without them, from my input into www.Fitday.com I probably average 2800 calories with Protein 40% (250g), Calories 40% and Fat 20%.
I find it hard to eat as much as I'm supposed to to gain mass. Although I dont want to gain too much mass, just something respectable, maybe increase my weight from 11 stone to 12 stone. But also to bring my body fat % to single figures to see the abs if possible.

I wasnt sure if I was eating too much chicken, so I'll take on board what ye are saying and try and eat more chicken and fish. Would 3 medium sized breasts of chicken and 2 low fat cods be ok, do you think?

BTW does it make a huge difference in how you cook the chicken, I tend to fry it. I know thats more greasy but is it effecting the quality of protein I get in anyway?

What is yer opinion on Pasta is it good or bad?

I will talk to a gym instructor about how best to go about a free weight routine, and fit in squats and dead lifts. I've always put it off because in the Gym I go to in Cork (Sano Vitae - Clarion Gym) they are nearly always occupied.

Sorry about all the questions, but yer help is appreciated, thanks again lads

As Colm says, fat isn't all bad. Cod is a good example - your cod fillets don't need to be low fat (I didn't even know you could get low fat cod fillets), most of the fat in most fish is healthy oils and does a lot of good. There are some bad fats to avoid, mostly what you get a lot in unhealthy food like cookies (e.g., trans fat). As far as I know, it doesn't matter how you cook your chicken breast (as long as you're not deep frying it or something). Technically you should be careful about eating too much fried food, so there is an advantage of baking it, or other ways. Another good way to get some more protein into you is to fling a few extra egg whites into your omelet.
No need to be sorry about the questions - if people didn't ask questions then this board would be a very quiet place.

justsomebloke

ok what time of the day do you actually train at

An Dagda

@ Cadrach: I'll ditch the low fat cod and move on to normal fish and mix it up with turkey and chicken I'll throw in a few more eggs in the omelette as well.

@ Colm: Haha nice one. Yea I'm back to the gym tomorrow so I'll see what the instructor has got to say. Thanks for the links, to be honest I'm pretty clueless with the free weight terminology ye use but those youtube links will get me started on the deadlift.
I'll throw in some nuts during the day, what kinda nuts would be best?

@ JSB: I go on days off, so its normally anytime between 3 and 6.

Thanks for the advice lads, I'll take it all on board

Cadrach

An Dagda wrote: »

I'll throw in some nuts during the day, what kinda nuts would be best?

Plain: i.e., not salted/roasted/sugar-coated. As for the variety of nut... that depends on your personal preference.