I'm back with a gym membership!

Danger781

Yes, I finally got myself a Gym membership! Just got a few questions..

Diet
Well my diet has improved quite a lot since the last time I made a post here. At least in my opinion it has, but what do I know I don't count calories though. I tried counting calories all the time and ended up giving up on my diet and went back to eating crap. Now I just make a conscious effort to eat healthier

Average day:

Breakfast:
3 Weetabix with Honey
or
A bowl of Kellogg's Raisin Wheats

1 effervescent vitamin C tablet with Zinc

Lunch:
Varies from day to day. Sometimes healthy, sometimes not. I'm going to start bringing my own lunch to college. I save money, and it's healthier.

Dinner:
Chicken breast or Steak
Mixed Frozen Veg
Small portion of potatoes / Potato Waffles

Snack:
Fruit or Sandwich

Other:
1-2L of water per day

Downfalls:
I always had the impression that Subway was a somewhat healthy option but today I learned that my 12" BMT has around 1000 calories and over 20g of fat. Shame, I loved subway.

Impulse buying. I see chocolate or mineral in a shop and I find it difficult to say no. I've cut them both down to about 1 per week. Trying to get rid of them completely.

Danger781

Ok, now for my questions..

I wanna be toned, lose the belly, etc. You've heard all that crap before. Basically I just want to know what to do in the gym. Cardio, Starting Strength workouts, or alternating? I'm probably going to be going to the gym about 3-4 days a week, hopefully.

Calorie defecit or Surplus? It's pretty much losing weight, vs. building muscle? I'm also not sure if i get enough protein in my diet..

Is there a specific type of diet I should be following, such as an anabolic diet? Or should I just continue making healthier choices?

Will Heffernan

Danger781 wrote: »

Ok, now for my questions..

I wanna be toned, lose the belly, etc. You've heard all that crap before. Basically I just want to know what to do in the gym. Cardio, Starting Strength workouts, or alternating? I'm probably going to be going to the gym about 3-4 days a week, hopefully.

Calorie defecit or Surplus? It's pretty much losing weight, vs. building muscle? I'm also not sure if i get enough protein in my diet..

Is there a specific type of diet I should be following, such as an anabolic diet? Or should I just continue making healthier choices?

I'll make this really short and sweet...I like sweet. But not too sweet, you could throw up from that.

One of the biggest and most common mistakes made in the fitness industry and what this forum is full of is people like yourself who have summoned up all the motivation and good will in the world....and then try to change everything at once...it's idiotic...and it's the reason that 96.37% of the people that post here fail miserably with regard to reaching their body composition and training goals. They go from doing bugger all and living their life eating and drinking away merrily to deciding they are going to become a professional athletes overnight...they are DOOMED. I work with professional athletes and even they struggle to live the life of 'professional' athletes.

Make a choice...either fix your diet OR start an exercise program DON'T do both. You are going to get all sorts of advice from all sorts of people here...telling you how they succeeded (ask them to send you a current photo and their recent competition PB's...you might just be surprised how fat and out of shape some of the people giving nutrition and training advice here actually are) and how they totally rock at only eating nuts, cottage cheese and boiled chicken breasts. People who can actually live like that are a tiny minority...and if you are here posting...you are not part of that minority...and believe me...you should be happy about that.

You sound like you have made a great step...you have decided to join a gym...there are heaps of programs here on boards and you sound like you have been around for a while...pick a program you like the sound of or that interests you...that is WAY more important that what the program is...people get results doing all sorts of whacky crap because they enjoy it and they believe in it...being 'invested' in your program is a lot more important than the program itself...so make a choice and get after it. When you've been doing it consistently for 8 weeks...then maybe start taking a look at your diet...by all means make what you think to be wise choices but don't start 'dieting' as you start your training...it's a mistake. By all means ignore me...that is your choice...but there isn't anyone on this site that has coached more athletes and clients than I have...at the moment I've only about 200 of them...previously and for a good few years I had 300+...I've seen all the programs....I've seen all the diets and nutritional strategies...I've seen all the different personality types and strategies...I've been at it for over 20 years and when I see posts like this one....which by the way...you know well...this forum is full of...I can see the impending disaster...even if you or them can't.

Pick a program...start training...make it easy on yourself...work away and see what happens.

Good luck.

Danger781

As much as that helps, it didn't really answer anything regarding my diet :P But thank you, it's great advice overall I understand where you're coming from. It happened me during the summer. I just dropped everything, stopped exercising, and had a terrible diet again. I'm not exactly dropping everything this time though. I've been making small changes over summer and now they're starting to stick and I can see the effects. I lost about 15lbs just from cutting some of the crap I used to eat. Now I'm just working on cutting out a few other bad habits like my chocolate cravings.. :rolleyes:

I hit the gym today for about 40 mins or so and I actually really enjoyed it :pac: I wasn't pushing myself though since it was my first time. Burned about 250 calories according the machines I was using (Treadmill, Crosstrainer, and bike). Can't wait to go back again on Wednesday

Will Heffernan

Danger781 wrote: »

As much as that helps, it didn't really answer anything regarding my diet :P But thank you, it's great advice overall I understand where you're coming from. It happened me during the summer. I just dropped everything, stopped exercising, and had a terrible diet again. I'm not exactly dropping everything this time though. I've been making small changes over summer and now they're starting to stick and I can see the effects. I lost about 15lbs just from cutting some of the crap I used to eat. Now I'm just working on cutting out a few other bad habits like my chocolate cravings.. :rolleyes:

I can make this evening simpler for you...you lost 15lbs...you should be giving advice...not asking for it. So as I said...you don't need the help you are asking for.

I hit the gym today for about 40 mins or so and I actually really enjoyed it :pac: I wasn't pushing myself though since it was my first time. Burned about 250 calories according the machines I was using (Treadmill, Crosstrainer, and bike). Can't wait to go back again on Wednesday

I'm not sure what you are here asking for...you dieted...dropped 15lbs...you are presently cutting out your other low value calories and have recently begun exercising?

I'm not sure what the missing link is here?