Opinions on this as a plan?

N00b2fitness

Hi there,

Goals:

Lose the love handles! I really just want to lose some fat and increase my core strength and cardio fitness. I would actually like to get into long distance running too. (Eh.. when I read that back it seems I want it all! ) - I carry most of my weight around my waist and upper body. If this weight loss plan comes at the expense of some of some muscle loss I am not bothered. I just want to appear 'smaller'. As someone who has never been skinny, the idea of being smaller and weedier perversely appeals to me. I am not necessarily looking to bulk up. I am content that I have sufficient muscle under a few layers of fat that I don't necessarily want to get huge or anything. That said, I do enjoy weights and intend to incorporate some basic lifts into my regime.

Level of Fitness:
Been pretty inactive for about 5 months, packed on a bit of fat. I do have a reasonable level fitness from which to start, though imho. I can run 5k on a treadmill (at a steady 10km/h pace) without too much huff or puff and walk about 5 miles most weekends when playing golf. Some muscle memory I assume from previous gym experience. Hit it hard earlier in the year.

Current Diet:
Morning - Coffee - Porridge with honey in morning and a piece of fruit or 2, Apple/Banana.
Lunch - Soup and large salad, usually incorporate lean chicken or salmon fillet into the salad, kidney beans, beetroot, boiled egg.
Afternoon snack - 1 or 2 pieces of fruit again. Contemplating adding handful of nuts in here but I am not sure if these will be counter-productive (See below about Nuts & Kcal content.)
Dinner - Usually Chicken/Fish/Lean Meat, vegetables and potato. Sometimes chicken pasta or Spag Bol. That type of meal.

Current Fitness Plan:
Gym 3/4 times per week.

Day 1:

Warm Up - 2k Row L10 - 1k@35rpm, 1k @40rpm.
Squat Presses with small weight, 4 Sets 10 Reps (35KG - No rack in Gym)
Deadlifts, 4 Sets 10 Reps (80KG)
5k run treadmill pace about 10k - some sprint intervals up to 14k. Aiming to get into low 20min area for 5k eventually.
Cross Trainer L12 - 20 mins.

Day 2:

2km row L10. (1kL30) (1.5kL35) (2kL40)
3.5km run. 2m @ 10 - 1m @ 13+
Cross Trainer 20m L8-12
Chest Press on ball - 10kg 2x15
Dumbell Row - 7.5kg 2x15
Chest Fly on ball - 7.5k 2x15
Bicep Curl - 7.5k 2x15
Shoulder Press - 7.5k 2x15
Lunges 7.5k - 2x15
Leg Curls Ball 2x15
Tricep Pushdown 5plts 2x15 (underhand)
Ab Curls 3x10 front
Ab Curls 3x10 sides hand to knee
Ball Extension 2x10

Day 3:

Warm Up - 2k Row L10 - 1k@35rpm, 1k @40rpm.
Squat Presses with small weight, 4 Sets 10 Reps (35KG - No rack in Gym)
Deadlifts, 4 Sets 10 Reps (80KG)
5k run treadmill pace about 10k - some sprint intervals up to 14k. Aiming to get into low 20min area for 5k eventually.
Cross Trainer L12 - 20 mins.

Any feedback or tweak suggestions are welcome. Does the above tie in with my goals?

On the nut snack, I was horrified to read the Kcal content of a bag of mixed nuts I bought. Something like 500kcal per 100g :eek: - It's a mixed bag of raisins, brazil nuts, peanuts and almonds. Unsalted or flavoured. Given that my plan is not involving heavy weights and my goals are to lose 'Size' should I drop these? Are they an expensive (fat wise) protein intake that I don't necessarily need?

Feedback welcome, thanks for reading!

EileenG

Wow, you've put a lot of thought into this.

Overall it looks like a good plan for someone who wants to lose fat rather than build muscle. Personally, I'd go a bit heavier on the lifts. You won't get bulky, it takes a huge amount of work to get bulk, and the heavier you lift, the more calories you'll burn. If you can deadlift 80kg, then you can certainly go a lot heavier on your upper body. Try doing your lifts on a bench rather than a ball, you can safely lift heavier weights. Keep the ball for crunches, curls and hyper-extensions.

Is the squat press a machine? If so, try doing free weight squats. Even with fairly light weights, it will be more challenging and more productive.

You might find you get better results lifting first, and doing your cardio afterwards. Use the glycogen in your muscles to power your lifts, then when that's gone, use your fat to fuel your running.

Overall, your diet looks pretty good. It might be a big heavy on fruit, light on veg. If you have a choice, vegetables (esp green ones) pack more nutrients for fewer calories. Cutting out carbs like potatoes or pasta is an easy way to reduce calories without losing nutrition. Most people totally under-estimate how much they are eating of those things. It's amazingly easy to put away 500 cals of pasta without even thinking about it.

Nuts are a good healthy snack, but you need to watch amounts. 25g or 30g is a normal portion, giving a helping of protein, fibre and healthy fats. Just don't eat them by the bagful.

N00b2fitness

Thanks for the feedback.

The squat presses are not done on machine. Just from picking barbell up from the ground. Got to be careful and amount I can lift here is always going to be fairly limited. Take on board the feedback about increasing the upper body stuff though. Will push on a bit on that front, just want to ease into it a bit rather than go hell for leather and get injured, ya know?

EileenG

Goblin squats or front squats are good if you don't have a squat rack or spotter for doing back squats.

Goblin squats are where you hold a heavy dumbbell in both hands in front of you, around waist height. If you are struggling, you can just drop the weight. You might also add in stiffleg deadlifts to your lower body routine. They work your hamstrings and glutes. Another possible exercise is step-ups, where you just step up onto a high box or bench, holding weights if necessary. Do ten on one leg, then switch to the other. Very functional exercise!

Pugsley

EileenG wrote: »

Goblin squats or front squats are good if you don't have a squat rack or spotter for doing back squats.

Small issue, their called 'Goblet Squats', as they resemble holding a goblet in front of you as if you are about to drink from it, otherwise sound advice, used to do them when I worked out at home.

EileenG

Pugsley wrote: »

Small issue, their called 'Goblet Squats', as they resemble holding a goblet in front of you as if you are about to drink from it, otherwise sound advice, used to do them when I worked out at home.

Oh thanks. I thought it was Goblin because you looked a bit like a Goblin doing it.