4 months and 3 stone lighter (thanks guys)

True_Blue

It’s been nearly 4 months since i took those first steps to a better life. With a chance in diet, a workout plan and a lot of advise from this place, I’ve gone from under 15 stone to 12 stone on the button.

I just wanted to take time to say a very big thank you to everyone who replied to my posts with helpful advise and to the people who post generally good advise.

The countless great topics here have helped me a lot on my journey.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, I have more questions for you lot.

I’m going to post my current diet and workout plan first

Workout
My weight lifting is based on the strong lifts.com program.

Monday

7am

Squat 5x5 30kgs
Bench press 5x5 30kgs
Inverted rows 3xF
Press ups 3xF
Reverse crunches 3x30
15 minute run on treadmill at 13.5

1pm

15 minute run on treadmill at 13.5
Rowing machine for 2000 meters
Cross trainer for 10 minutes

Tuesday

1pm

15 minute run on treadmill at 13.5
Rowing machine for 2000 meters
Cross trainer for 10 minutes

Wednesday

7am

Squat 5x5 30kgs
Deadlift 3x5 40kgs
Overhead press 5x5 10kgs
Chin ups/pull ups 3xF
15 minute run on treadmill at 13.5

1pm

15 minute run on treadmill at 13.5
Rowing machine for 2000 meters
Cross trainer for 10 minutes

Thursday

1pm

15 minute run on treadmill at 13.5
Rowing machine for 2000 meters
Cross trainer for 10 minutes

Friday

7am

Squat 5x5 30kgs
Bench press 5x5 30kgs
Inverted rows 3xF
Press ups 3xF
Reverse crunches 3x30
15 minute run on treadmill at 13.5

1pm

15 minute run on treadmill at 13.5
Rowing machine for 2000 meters
Cross trainer for 10 minutes

Diet

Monday to Friday

I don’t eat anything before the gym in the mornings

9:30
Bowl of porridge
2 ryvita crackers
Natural yogurt
Banana
Green tea

11:30
Handful of cashew nuts

2:00pm (post workout)
One half of brown roll with tomato relish, turkey, plan chicken, salami, peppers, onions, cheese, lettuce.
Apple
Oxtail soup (knorr cup of soups)
Green tea

4:00/4:30pm
Second half of brown roll
mandarin orange

7:30pm
Fillet of chicken (boiled)
Scrambled egg (3 eggs)
Oxtail soup (knorr cup of soups)

Saturday/Sunday

11am
Bowl of porridge
2 ryvita crackers
Natural yogurt
Banana
Green tea

3pm
2 brown baps with scrambled egg (3 eggs) and turkey
Oxtail soup

7pm
Fillet of chicken (boiled)
Natural yogurt

Now the questions.

I train 8 times a week at the moment but I won’t always be able to put that much time into working out.
The problem I find is, that if I miss a day for whatever reason I feel blotted and fat the next day.

I’ve lost a lot of fat and some muscle, yet I still have a belly sometimes, especially at night.

My stomach seems to get blotted often. I don’t understand this as I don’t drink any caffeine and don’t drink alcohol whatsoever + I drink plenty of water throughout the day and rarely feel any hungry.

So question 1
Why is this happening?

As for working out, my main aim was to lose weight so I geared it towards that goal. Now I’m interested in putting a little muscle on my chest and arms.

Question 2
Will I have to eat before the gym in the morning and use a protein shake of some sorts for this now?
+ will my workout have to change?

And in regards to my diet, I’d really like if someone would clique it.

Is there something I should be eating more/less of?

And once again thanks for all the help, I look forward to the replies.


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rubadub

Are you including the weight of the bar in your kg figures?

They seem quite low, esp. as you mention chinups & pullups. i.e. I would expect anybody who can manage to do a single pullup should be squatting with more than 15kg. A proper olympic bar is 20kg.

True_Blue

rubadub wrote: »

Are you including the weight of the bar in your kg figures?

They seem quite low, esp. as you mention chinups & pullups. i.e. I would expect anybody who can manage to do a single pullup should be squatting with more than 15kg. A proper olympic bar is 20kg.

My mistake, I fixed it there. I'm squating 30kgs, Including the bar it's 50kgs

I haven't included the bar in any of mu figures.

CoachBoone

First off, congrats on the weightloss, I'd imagine your self confidence has increased proportionataly to the fat loss.

The bloated and fat feeling the next day is most likely in your head. Just your perception of not doing anything makes you feel like your going backwards, when in fact the opposite is true. Thats what happens to me occasionally anyway.

To put on some muscle, you'll need to eat more. Increase your calorie intake, but try and make the increase up with good whole foods.

Im not so sure about the training part of it, but I understand the basic premise would be to have a calorie surplus in order to add muscle to your frame. I'm sure some other poster could fill you in on the training requirements but Id imagine it has to do with continuously adding weight to your exercises each week.

joepenguin

Well done true blue!!!

Fatloss08

do you not work ????????????

seanybiker

well done true blue thats some result bud

True_Blue

Thanks for all the nice comments lads.

Coach Boone - Yes my self-confidence has increased alright, none of my clothes fit anymore, I mean not a thing, it’s mental and feels great.
I actually enjoy clothes shopping now, and discovered the joys of wearing tight fitting shirts.

FatLoss08 - I do work, in fact I work some horrible long hours but that’s no excuse to not train.

I start work at 9am, so I’m in the gym for 7am. I get an hour lunch at 1pm, so I use that hour in the gym and eat at my desk afterwards.

I’m lucky that I have a gym close by my job.

These sacrifices have to be made if any results are to be achieved. I’ve worked hard over the last few months, but it’s nothing compared to the training I plan on doing.
I’ve also started swimming lessons and hope to add that to the rota in the new year.

a lot done, a lot more to do..

mikemac

That's good work True Blue, fair play

Fatloss08

True_Blue wrote: »

Thanks for all the nice comments lads.

Coach Boone - Yes my self-confidence has increased alright, none of my clothes fit anymore, I mean not a thing, it’s mental and feels great.
I actually enjoy clothes shopping now, and discovered the joys of wearing tight fitting shirts.

FatLoss08 - I do work, in fact I work some horrible long hours but that’s no excuse to not train.

I start work at 9am, so I’m in the gym for 7am. I get an hour lunch at 1pm, so I use that hour in the gym and eat at my desk afterwards.

I’m lucky that I have a gym close by my job.

These sacrifices have to be made if any results are to be achieved. I’ve worked hard over the last few months, but it’s nothing compared to the training I plan on doing.
I’ve also started swimming lessons and hope to add that to the rota in the new year.

a lot done, a lot more to do..

well all i can say is

fair play to you

great will power

fair play.

Thats hardcore training. Will it be possible to keep up that schedule??

Again, well done. 3 stone in 4 months is exceptional.

BossArky

Well done True_Blue. Nice work!

lubie76

well done true blue. That is amazing! In regards the bloating, a friend of mine swears by probiotic supplements to prevent bloating and digestion problems. Can't hurt to give them a try.

norwegianwood

well done, wth all that hard work you really deserve it!

Transform

Great job and would love to see some before and after pics if you have any

yop

Fair play to you, that is some result.

True_Blue

Again thanks for the replies.

In regards to the schedule, I could keep it up no problem, but I am interested in learning how to maximize my time in the gym.

I’m about to order a power rack, bench and Olympic weights from Irish-Lifting so I can workout at home as well as the gym.

I’ve waited this long to make sure I’d the commitment to training before forking out for the gear.

With home equipment and my new found swimming skills I plan on taking on 2009 with a bang.

I don’t have any before pictures, I know I should taken a few but back then I was quite depressed about my body and the last thing I wanted to do was take pictures of a massive belly.

I’ll definitely post some the weekend, I’m so vain now. Every time I’m in a lift alone or bathroom I check out my abs, my stomach is now my new favorite body part.

I would really like it if someone had a look over my diet and made a few suggestions and how I could approve it.
For example I know I’m not getting enough greens at the moment.

Again, thanks for the kind comments.
I never really saw it as a major result or hard training... Just, well just a new way of life for me.
Think I’d get sick if I eat junk food now. + I get quite moody if I miss the gym. For the most part I look forward to training.

I can’t imagine ever going back to my old eating habits or going a week without training.

corkcomp

True_Blue wrote: »

Again thanks for the replies.

In regards to the schedule, I could keep it up no problem, but I am interested in learning how to maximize my time in the gym.

I’m about to order a power rack, bench and Olympic weights from Irish-Lifting so I can workout at home as well as the gym.

I’ve waited this long to make sure I’d the commitment to training before forking out for the gear.

With home equipment and my new found swimming skills I plan on taking on 2009 with a bang.

I don’t have any before pictures, I know I should taken a few but back then I was quite depressed about my body and the last thing I wanted to do was take pictures of a massive belly.

I’ll definitely post some the weekend, I’m so vain now. Every time I’m in a lift alone or bathroom I check out my abs, my stomach is now my new favorite body part.

I would really like it if someone had a look over my diet and made a few suggestions and how I could approve it.
For example I know I’m not getting enough greens at the moment.

Again, thanks for the kind comments.
I never really saw it as a major result or hard training... Just, well just a new way of life for me.
Think I’d get sick if I eat junk food now. + I get quite moody if I miss the gym. For the most part I look forward to training.

I can’t imagine ever going back to my old eating habits or going a week without training.

IMO your diet is pretty good except for the lack of veg esp greens .. if you just add lots (3 or 4 different kinds of veg if possible) to your evening meal, you could prob ditch the scrambled eggs from dinner if you have enough lean meat included already and replace with the veg .. My advice is not to make any drastic changes to your diet as long as your happy with it, after all you got good results already!

Jimmy Bottlehead

Awesome, awesome progress!

just an idea, but would a stickie regarding some success stories on here be useful? I think it'd be somewhat inspirational, and it might even be a goal for people! To see if they can be the guy/girl of the week with regards body changes.

True_Blue

Here's a quick pic I took on my phone.
Shame I don't have a 'before' shot..

FunkZ

True_Blue wrote: »

Here's a quick pic I took on my phone.
Shame I don't have a 'before' shot..

Freakin' hell dude, you've just inspored me to get off my lazy dying of a flu ass and go for a run!

Well done man!!! Whoaaa.

gnolan

Is the only abdominal exercise you perform the reverse crunch; and if so do you add an extra weight or just use bodyweight?

True_Blue

gnolan wrote: »

Is the only abdominal exercise you perform the reverse crunch; and if so do you add an extra weight or just use bodyweight?

I only do reverse crunches and planks. I think a lot has to do with my diet.
Abs are made in the Kitchen not the gym.. IMO anyways..

Cheers FunkZ, Nice to know I've given something back.. :pac:

True_Blue

True_Blue wrote: »

I only do reverse crunches and planks. I think a lot has to do with my diet.
Abs are made in the Kitchen not the gym.. IMO anyways..

Cheers FunkZ, Nice to know I've given something back.. :pac:

Oh and Squatting 3 times a week with the stronglift program prob helps..