Help needed for 8 week plan

snaffleschips

Ignore my 10 day thread. That was for a bet haha. And im going to lose it on purpose in order to progress at a more realistic pace.

Im 6ft. 17 Stone. Well built but i have quite a lot of tummy fat, hip fat and what not. Although if i have a t shirt on i can hide it pretty well. Basically if i took my top off, you wouldn't expect to see me so unfit. If that makes sense?

I have 8 weeks before i go to Australia. And i hope you can all give me the best suggestions as i will 100% stick to them. I Know quite alot about the whole diet side of it. but which exercises will put me in a good position to improve my body shape and lose as much fat as possible.

Im not working so i have plenty of time on my hands.

snaffleschips

Anyone?

Ant11

Your diet will be the deciding factor on whether you lose fat or not. You can't out-train a bad diet. Post up what you would eat in a typical day and you will get plenty of feedback on it.

A2LUE42

Use myfitnesspal or similar app to track what you are eating.

snaffleschips

Yes i know diet is key. Ill be sticking to chicken, vegetables, etc etc.

Which exercises though would be best for me to do over the 8 weeks for as much fat burning as possible?

re.mark.able

you still need to be more specific with your diet

chicken and vegetables etc. can mean half a plate of goujons with chips and ketchup, stuffed into a baguette
diet is KEY so be specific, disciplined and conscious
milk has the same calories as cola - fat free or not, calories are hiding where you least expect them

As regards exercises: to burn as much fat as possible - exercise as much as possible.
Go for a walk before your breakfast, 10 - 15 minutes and your body will burn some fat as you haven't had food yet. (but is breakfast is IMPORTANT)
Sit down as rarely as you can manage - stay on your feet as often as you can
climb stairs
and when exercising - use as many muscles as possible. so for losing fat don't bother doing bicep curls or anything like that - squats, push ups, jumping jacks

good luck

snaffleschips

Wouldnt milk count as good fat though?

So bassically dont just stay on the treadmill for 8 weeks.

Would a typical daily diet like this be fine?

Breakfast, porridge and milk.

Snack - piece of fruit

lunch - Salad sandwich

dinner - chicken and roasted vegetables

snack if hungry - piece of fruit or natural yoghurt or some nuts

If i stuck to that. Do a 45 min run 3 times a week. And do maybe 2 weights sessions per week plus lots of general walking. How much of the fat/weight could i hope to lose after the 8 weeks?

re.mark.able

it is a good fat but calories are calories regardless of what form they are in.
i can link you to a comparison if you want - thy remove the fat from milk cause people think it's healthier/has less calories but they add sugars or at least sugars remain which keep the calorie count high.
Consider a milk alternative - organic rice milk is my personal favourite, adds a sweetness as well that you won't get from milk. and are the porridge oats actual oats or is it 'quik-oats' of some kind?

snack - have as much fruit as you want! so long as you're not eating tonnes of bananas (starch)

lunch - bread is starch and starch is more or less tightly compacted sugar. so maybe, instead of a salad sandwich (wheat as your carbohydrate) try a rice salad or a lentil salad or a bean salad or some other form of non-glutinous starch.

beware with the roast chicken and vegetables - if you're doing them in oil, there's around 120 calories in just a tablespoon of olive oil so be sparing with it, or steam the vegetables instead.
make sure you eat enough in the morning so you don't over eat at night, and invest in some good herbs and spices to make your food interesting.

Don't get so caught up on this '8 week' thing, do you plan on cutting back on these exercises and iet restrictions after the 8 weeks?

45 minutes running is WAY too long if you don't run already, i can only do 45 on a good day! you're going to have to start small and build up, this is not something you can just dive into and get a quick fix
I almost say don't do weights sessions - add small weights to exercises to increase difficulty and muscle use but don't just 'do weights' - your body will take on whatever muscle it sees as necessary for the lifestyle you lead

Apologies if anything here is obvious or doesn't apply to you cause i'm working with very little info

snaffleschips

re.mark.able wrote: »

it is a good fat but calories are calories regardless of what form they are in.
i can link you to a comparison if you want - thy remove the fat from milk cause people think it's healthier/has less calories but they add sugars or at least sugars remain which keep the calorie count high.
Consider a milk alternative - organic rice milk is my personal favourite, adds a sweetness as well that you won't get from milk. and are the porridge oats actual oats or is it 'quik-oats' of some kind?

snack - have as much fruit as you want! so long as you're not eating tonnes of bananas (starch)

lunch - bread is starch and starch is more or less tightly compacted sugar. so maybe, instead of a salad sandwich (wheat as your carbohydrate) try a rice salad or a lentil salad or a bean salad or some other form of non-glutinous starch.

beware with the roast chicken and vegetables - if you're doing them in oil, there's around 120 calories in just a tablespoon of olive oil so be sparing with it, or steam the vegetables instead.
make sure you eat enough in the morning so you don't over eat at night, and invest in some good herbs and spices to make your food interesting.

Don't get so caught up on this '8 week' thing, do you plan on cutting back on these exercises and iet restrictions after the 8 weeks?

45 minutes running is WAY too long if you don't run already, i can only do 45 on a good day! you're going to have to start small and build up, this is not something you can just dive into and get a quick fix
I almost say don't do weights sessions - add small weights to exercises to increase difficulty and muscle use but don't just 'do weights' - your body will take on whatever muscle it sees as necessary for the lifestyle you lead

Apologies if anything here is obvious or doesn't apply to you cause i'm working with very little info

Awesome, thanks for the advice. I had planned to use oil for the vegetables but ill definately boil or steam them now.

At lunch instead of bread I might just have a very small portion of white rice with vegetables. And the question you were asking about breakfast, it was just weetbix. Although I may change that to 3 boiled eggs with a little ketchup some days to have something different

FTA69

re.mark.able wrote: »

I almost say don't do weights sessions - add small weights to exercises to increase difficulty and muscle use but don't just 'do weights' - your body will take on whatever muscle it sees as necessary for the lifestyle you lead

I don't know about that, if you're looking to get into shape then resistance excercises are a must and free weights are an excellent place to start. Compound exercises such as squats and presses are excellent exercises and I wouldn't neglect that aspect at all.

LuckyLloyd

re.mark.able wrote: »

I almost say don't do weights sessions - add small weights to exercises to increase difficulty and muscle use but don't just 'do weights' - your body will take on whatever muscle it sees as necessary for the lifestyle you lead

Have to disagree there. Compound barbell movements would compliment what is trying to be achieved here nicely and is pretty much always an excellent place to start for an untrained individual.

A bad, unbalanced weights program can be pointless / harmful, yes (think lots of benching, curls and not a whole lot else) but the squat, press and deadlift are superb movements.

As is mentioned above, there is little point focussing solely on eight weeks. Start something that can be continued a couple times a week down in Australia / wherever for ever more.

Antisocialiser

I'm assuming that you want to lose bodyfat to look better on the beach:-

In 8 weeks you can achieve alot but it should only be the beginning of your journey, otherwise after a months partying in Oz you will be back to where you started... think lifestyle change.

Diet and weights should be your priorities; check out the 'lean gains guide' for diet and something like 5/3/1, starting strength or stronglifts for weights.

madma

[QUOTE=

A bad, unbalanced weights program can be pointless / harmful, yes (think lots of benching, curls and not a whole lot else) but the squat, press and deadlift are superb movements.

[/QUOTE]

just hi-jacking this thread for a minute...

that's exactly what I need to do myself .. you mention there benching and curls which 'ive mainly been doing for a long time but i'm starting squats and dealift from tomorrow.. just a question what is the press workout??cheers

thegreatiam

re.mark.able wrote: »

snack - have as much fruit as you want! so long as you're not eating tonnes of bananas (starch) Fruit is high in sugar and as such high in calories. while it is good for you dont over do it 1 or 2 peices a day max. If youre hungry eat veg, or better yet a few nuts or some meat.

lunch - bread is starch and starch is more or less tightly compacted sugar. so maybe, instead of a salad sandwich (wheat as your carbohydrate) try a rice salad or a lentil salad or a bean salad or some other form of non-glutinous starch. everything on this list is a carb. CArb is what your body burns. If there are carbs in your system your body will use that as energy. carbs are like paper, some are fast burning like newspaper some are slow burning like cardboard but they all burn first. You want to try to change the shape of your body you need to start burning the fuel already on it. Fats are like the logs on a fire, they will slowly burn but only after the paper is gone. try to eat more fats and protein, chicken or tuna salad with avocado will give you the energy you need and help you feel full while supplying the muscles with what they need to grow and change shape

beware with the roast chicken and vegetables - if you're doing them in oil, there's around 120 calories in just a tablespoon of olive oil so be sparing with it, or steam the vegetables instead. simply factor the oil into your calorie total, olive oil coconut oil etc are good fats you need in your diet, fats like this can be used as an energy source but they also help keep you feeling full. as they are slower burning. Low fat diets are loaded with sugar. Sugar (all sugar is carbs and all carbs become sugar) are burned by your body as fuel very quickly leaving you feeling hungry once the energy is gone. Chicken and veg is very nearly the perfect food. There is a good amount of protein in chicken, and fats too. eat chicken and 2 veg for each meal and you'll be grand. the trick is to eat enough to keep you going but not so much youll gain weight. Mix up the cooking methods and try different veg to keep it interesting
make sure you eat enough in the morning so you don't over eat at night, and invest in some good herbs and spices to make your food interesting.

Don't get so caught up on this '8 week' thing, do you plan on cutting back on these exercises and iet restrictions after the 8 weeks?

45 minutes running is WAY too long if you don't run already, i can only do 45 on a good day! you're going to have to start small and build up, this is not something you can just dive into and get a quick fix
I almost say don't do weights sessions - add small weights to exercises to increase difficulty and muscle use but don't just 'do weights' - your body will take on whatever muscle it sees as necessary for the lifestyle you lead
Definitely do weights, lift as big as you can 3 or 4 times a week, weights not only shape your body to what you expect to look like but they are good for general strength and well being, all round fitness also flexibility and toning the muscles. A mixture of good resistance exercises and some cardio to keep your inner organs fit is what you want.

Apologies if anything here is obvious or doesn't apply to you cause i'm working with very little info

You can do a lot in 8 weeks. First thing is you need to learn how your body uses food.
Fix your diet properly (read the stickies)and get to the gym and start lifting stuff. Lifting weights is not about bulking up and running is not about getting skinny.

If you want to change the shape of your body and appear more toned/fit then you need to understand your food and encourage your muscles to grow in the right way by using them and fueling them. For that you need fats and proteins and lifting heavy things with all your muscles. You need a good strong heart and lungs to move it all around your body, for that you need a little cardio do something (anything) which gets your blood pumping and breathing heavy and youre working your heart and lungs enough.

Diet wise, if you like chicken and veg stick with it, or go turkey and veg. Avoid potatoes as they arent great when losing weight, same goes for milk and bread. nothing wrong with either, but you can get your calories elsewhere when dropping pounds.

Eggs and bacon for breakfast,
chicken/turkey and veg for lunch
Chicken and veg for dinner. (chicken and turkey are the most versatile meats, you can cook them a million ways and have a different meal each day without getting bored)
Keep it under your calorie total you need per day and you will lose weight.
Eat like this and youre eating healthy and keeping your self full so you wont need to snack.

LuckyLloyd

madma wrote: »

just a question what is the press workout??cheers

There are multiple variations of the barbell press, but the very basic strict overhead press is something that you don't see much in commercial gyms but would be a far superior alternative to isolation shoulder exercises.

Basically you take a bar off a rack so that it is on your clavicles, with your hands firmly gripping the bar just outside shoulder wide, and your elbows as high as possible. You then press the bar overhead pushing your head through when it clears your face without bending your knees or hips. You want to keep everything tight and stable and ideally the bar will go in a direct vertical path and you will avoid any lean in your back while keeping elbows in front of the bar. Shrug upwards at the top to finish the move and lock out. Then return the bar down to the starting position with control and repeat.

If you think about it, you will often have a need to move a weight of some description above head height (putting a box up on a shelf) so it's a good compound movement. It is very difficult and don't expect to move much weight like this initially! You'll probably find it difficult to maintain a good tight body position at first, so use an iphone, etc to video yourself the first few times you try it and watch what you're doing.

Youtube is your friend on this!

FTA69

The overhead press is a fantastic excercise and should never be neglected. Many programs suggest you alternate between the overhead press and the bench press.

Have a look at the starting strength program for more detail.

madma

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

There are multiple variations of the barbell press, but the very basic strict overhead press is something that you don't see much in commercial gyms but would be a far superior alternative to isolation shoulder exercises.

Basically you take a bar off a rack so that it is on your clavicles, with your hands firmly gripping the bar just outside shoulder wide, and your elbows as high as possible. You then press the bar overhead pushing your head through when it clears your face without bending your knees or hips. You want to keep everything tight and stable and ideally the bar will go in a direct vertical path and you will avoid any lean in your back while keeping elbows in front of the bar. Shrug upwards at the top to finish the move and lock out. Then return the bar down to the starting position with control and repeat.

If you think about it, you will often have a need to move a weight of some description above head height (putting a box up on a shelf) so it's a good compound movement. It is very difficult and don't expect to move much weight like this initially! You'll probably find it difficult to maintain a good tight body position at first, so use an iphone, etc to video yourself the first few times you try it and watch what you're doing.

Youtube is your friend on this!

cheers for the info! yeah youtube is great and I use it for any home workouts i'm unsure of.. ive found sixpack shourtcuts handy for some excercises.

snaffleschips

re.mark.able wrote: »

Don't get so caught up on this '8 week' thing, do you plan on cutting back on these exercises and iet restrictions after the 8 weeks?

I forgot to answer this. No after 8 weeks i will still continue but at a more leisurley pace. the next 8 weeks though i want to really really push myself!

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Have to disagree there. Compound barbell movements would compliment what is trying to be achieved here nicely and is pretty much always an excellent place to start for an untrained individual.

A bad, unbalanced weights program can be pointless / harmful, yes (think lots of benching, curls and not a whole lot else) but the squat, press and deadlift are superb movements.

As is mentioned above, there is little point focussing solely on eight weeks. Start something that can be continued a couple times a week down in Australia / wherever for ever more.

Yeh i will be continuing there. Not just an 8 week thing that i will stop after the 8 weeks

Antisocialiser wrote: »

I'm assuming that you want to lose bodyfat to look better on the beach:-

In 8 weeks you can achieve alot but it should only be the beginning of your journey, otherwise after a months partying in Oz you will be back to where you started... think lifestyle change.

Diet and weights should be your priorities; check out the 'lean gains guide' for diet and something like 5/3/1, starting strength or stronglifts for weights.

thegreatiam wrote: »

You can do a lot in 8 weeks. First thing is you need to learn how your body uses food.
Fix your diet properly (read the stickies)and get to the gym and start lifting stuff. Lifting weights is not about bulking up and running is not about getting skinny.

If you want to change the shape of your body and appear more toned/fit then you need to understand your food and encourage your muscles to grow in the right way by using them and fueling them. For that you need fats and proteins and lifting heavy things with all your muscles. You need a good strong heart and lungs to move it all around your body, for that you need a little cardio do something (anything) which gets your blood pumping and breathing heavy and youre working your heart and lungs enough.

Diet wise, if you like chicken and veg stick with it, or go turkey and veg. Avoid potatoes as they arent great when losing weight, same goes for milk and bread. nothing wrong with either, but you can get your calories elsewhere when dropping pounds.

Eggs and bacon for breakfast,
chicken/turkey and veg for lunch
Chicken and veg for dinner. (chicken and turkey are the most versatile meats, you can cook them a million ways and have a different meal each day without getting bored)
Keep it under your calorie total you need per day and you will lose weight.
Eat like this and youre eating healthy and keeping your self full so you wont need to snack.

Awesome thanks for that! The main thing i would really like to work on is losing fat from my love handle area and also stomach. Love handles mainly though. Apart from what you have already highlighted is there any exercises i can do every day that will burn fat from them 2 areas.

Mellor

re.mark.able wrote: »

it is a good fat but calories are calories regardless of what form they are in.
i can link you to a comparison if you want - thy remove the fat from milk cause people think it's healthier/has less calories but they add sugars or at least sugars remain which keep the calorie count high.

To say the calories are the same regardless of being low fat is simply not true. The calories in low fat are lower than full fat. They don't add sugar.

Consider a milk alternative - organic rice milk is my personal favourite, adds a sweetness as well that you won't get from milk. and are the porridge oats actual oats or is it 'quik-oats' of some kind?

Quik oats are nutritionall no different to "actual oats". (quick oats are actual oats btw)

snack - have as much fruit as you want! so long as you're not eating tonnes of bananas (starch)

Don't do this.

lunch - bread is starch and starch is more or less tightly compacted sugar. so maybe, instead of a salad sandwich (wheat as your carbohydrate) try a rice salad or a lentil salad or a bean salad or some other form of non-glutinous starch.

Rice, lentils, beans etc are still starches.

beware with the roast chicken and vegetables - if you're doing them in oil, there's around 120 calories in just a tablespoon of olive oil so be sparing with it, or steam the vegetables instead.
make sure you eat enough in the morning so you don't over eat at night, and invest in some good herbs and spices to make your food interesting.

Alternatively, don't over eat in the morning so you can still eat at night.

I almost say don't do weights sessions - add small weights to exercises to increase difficulty and muscle use but don't just 'do weights' - your body will take on whatever muscle it sees as necessary for the lifestyle you lead

Oh lord. If only it were that simple. The gym would be pack with accidental bodybuilders.


OP
Step 1: Sort your diet. Eat a calorie deficit made up of whole food.
Step 2: Ensure you get enough protein. Lets say 200g per day. From meat, eggs, or what ever you fancy.
Step 3: Strength and Conditioning.
By all means do some running or other cardio if you like. But its not a requirement. You can get a cardiovascular workout with metcons, or conditioning work, A lot of people find that more enjoyable.
You should absolutely be lifting weights. You won't build significant muscle on a calorie deficit. Don't worry about getting bigger.

Don't sweat the 8 weeks either. When you land in Oz, it will be the start of winter. You won't be taking your t-shirt off for a few months.

thegreatiam

snaffleschips wrote: »

The main thing i would really like to work on is losing fat from my love handle area and also stomach. Love handles mainly though. Apart from what you have already highlighted is there any exercises i can do every day that will burn fat from them 2 areas.

No, there is no exercise that will lose you weight. anywhere.
Exercise moves your muscles, makes them more active, stronger and keeps you fit.
Whether its running for your heart and lungs, or squatting for your back and legs all the exercise is doing it moving those muscles.

Fat on your body is a layer of stored energy, its like, well liquid fat.
If you do sit ups you will make your abs stronger but they will still have an inch of fat on top of them.

You get rid of fat by burning more energy then you consume. This is decided by your diet. If you burn 3000 calories a day but eat and drink 3100 then you will gain weight.

Fat loss cannot be localized. its like a bag of liquid. as you remove its contents then the whole bag will get smaller.

It happens that the body's favorite areas to put fat is the belly and arse so its the first to get big and last to get small.

Fix your diet and you will lose weight.

Exercise right and you will change the shape of your body

snaffleschips

Mellor wrote: »

To say the calories are the same regardless of being low fat is simply not true. The calories in low fat are lower than full fat. They don't add sugar.


Quik oats are nutritionall no different to "actual oats". (quick oats are actual oats btw)


Don't do this.


Rice, lentils, beans etc are still starches.

Alternatively, don't over eat in the morning so you can still eat at night.




Oh lord. If only it were that simple. The gym would be pack with accidental bodybuilders.


OP
Step 1: Sort your diet. Eat a calorie deficit made up of whole food.
Step 2: Ensure you get enough protein. Lets say 200g per day. From meat, eggs, or what ever you fancy.
Step 3: Strength and Conditioning.
By all means do some running or other cardio if you like. But its not a requirement. You can get a cardiovascular workout with metcons, or conditioning work, A lot of people find that more enjoyable.
You should absolutely be lifting weights. You won't build significant muscle on a calorie deficit. Don't worry about getting bigger.

Don't sweat the 8 weeks either. When you land in Oz, it will be the start of winter. You won't be taking your t-shirt off for a few months.

Ok thanks. What are whole foods exactly? And im going to thailand first so it will be warm there! Haha

snaffleschips

thegreatiam wrote: »

No, there is no exercise that will lose you weight. anywhere.
Exercise moves your muscles, makes them more active, stronger and keeps you fit.
Whether its running for your heart and lungs, or squatting for your back and legs all the exercise is doing it moving those muscles.

Fat on your body is a layer of stored energy, its like, well liquid fat.
If you do sit ups you will make your abs stronger but they will still have an inch of fat on top of them.

You get rid of fat by burning more energy then you consume. This is decided by your diet. If you burn 3000 calories a day but eat and drink 3100 then you will gain weight.

Fat loss cannot be localized. its like a bag of liquid. as you remove its contents then the whole bag will get smaller.

It happens that the body's favorite areas to put fat is the belly and arse so its the first to get big and last to get small.

Fix your diet and you will lose weight.

Exercise right and you will change the shape of your body

Awesome thanks for letting me know that. Is there any way I can work out how many calories I burn in a day? Not just from exercising and also the natually burnt ones that I would lose if I stayed in bed all day. But also the ones just from walking around etc..

thegreatiam

snaffleschips wrote: »

Awesome thanks for letting me know that. Is there any way I can work out how many calories I burn in a day? Not just from exercising and also the natually burnt ones that I would lose if I stayed in bed all day. But also the ones just from walking around etc..

If you get an app like myfitnesspal you enter your height age and weight and it will tell you.

Its also your bodywight in lb x 14 (i think, look in the stickies it's in there) so if you want to work out your calories you need to lose weight then times by 12.