Bit of Advice in My Diet/Training

chops018

Hi guys,

I'll take each one and give a bit of info about same:

1. Gym Work/Exercise

I usually get to the gym around 4-5 times a week. When I'm there it's mostly weights, I won't go into detail but I usually get the compound's in i.e. bench, squats, deadlifts. Then I would usually work out the other area's and try get some ab work in for 10-15 mins twice a week.

Only problem above is that I have kinda plateaued in the last while.. not too hard to lift the weights anymore and it's not really sore the next day apart from sometimes when I do super-sets. Now I would usually counteract this problem by working out with a friend and they could "spot" me for some of the exercises therefore allowing me to lift heavier and get in an extra rep, but, the last while I've been unable to go with someone and the gym I go to does usually be very empty.

I do cardio sometimes, usually a 20-30 min jog, I'd go 2-3 nights a week for a few weeks then I'd just stop and might not go for 4-5 weeks.... I must try maintain regular cardio, I know this.

Is there any way that I could try get onto lifting heavier without a spotter when I plateau like this so I'm progressing?

Also, I am going to look into varying my workouts a little bit..... If I go up and plan on doing a chest workout it's usually the same, so stuff like this I'm gonna try see if it can be changed up a bit to the normal workout on chest that I'd do.

Any other feedback on the above is welcome.


2. Diet

Yeah so my diet is pretty terrible, breakfast is usually cereal with wheaten bran sprinkled on top, then lunch is usually two sandwiches sometimes with a bar of chocolate, come home take some vitamin drink (sometimes) and creatine then straight to the gym, come home and have more creatine and dinner is usually a scoop of potato with frozen vegetables and either chicken, pork or beef (usually chicken though), then usually an egg. The weekend is usually a free for all to be honest, with crappy takeaways and a night on the beer.

I stopped taking protein shakes as they usually always made my stomach feel sickly.

Also I do usually get in over 2 litres of water a day.

I want to try add more fruit into my diet but it's really hard as I've never been a huge fruit eater so I'm not used to the taste and I don't like it too much, then again I don't really hate the taste too much either.... any other dietary suggestions?

I know my diet is really awful btw, and this is probably holding back a bit regarding the workouts above too.



Any feedback from the above will be really helpful, I'm gonna try sort out changing up the workouts a bit and hopefully sort the diet out (and stick to it).

ShadowLFC

Ye you need I sort out your diet, kind of wasting your time the way you are going really, you should be geting about 100-200 extra calories a day than your body requires of you want to put on muscle. I know it's hard to get the diet sorted but that's why you don't see everyone walking around like a tank!!

Mellor

chops018 wrote: »

1. Gym Work/Exercise
I usually get to the gym around 4-5 times a week. When I'm there it's mostly weights, I won't go into detail but I usually get the compound's in i.e. bench, squats, deadlifts. Then I would usually work out the other area's and try get some ab work in for 10-15 mins twice a week.

Only problem above is that I have kinda plateaued in the last while.. not too hard to lift the weights anymore and it's not really sore the next day apart from sometimes when I do super-sets.

If its not that hard to lift the weight then increase the weight.
You should sudden need a spotter just by adding 2.5kg to the bar.

I almost never have a spotter. Either small increments you should be confidant that you don't need one. Or be set up where you can drop it, lower it to safetys, or re-rack. No spotter isn't holding you back.

From he sound of you work out with just go in and do a bit or this, a bit of that. You need structure to make progress beyond initial gains.
Workout days, Exercises, sets, reps, adding weight to the bar. Should be all structured.

I do cardio sometimes, usually a 20-30 min jog, I'd go 2-3 nights a week for a few weeks then I'd just stop and might not go for 4-5 weeks.... I must try maintain regular cardio, I know this.

Regular cardio has its benefit, but lacking it isn't holding you back.

Is there any way that I could try get onto lifting heavier without a spotter when I plateau like this so I'm progressing?

This might sound a bit blunt and simplistic. But I think its pretty accurate.

You can do an easy set of 80kg x 5. The next day, you do 3 easy sets of 80kg x 5. The next day stick 82.5kg on the bar and just f**king lift it.

You'll easily get 3 reps, a 4th should be there and you might have a 5th there dependign how easy 80kg was. Failure isn't going to jump out and surprise you. You'll know by how easy/hard the 4th was if you should attempt a 5th. If you get 4, come back next week and get 5. Hen 3 sets of 5. Then load up 85kg

Also, I am going to look into varying my workouts a little bit..... If I go up and plan on doing a chest workout it's usually the same, so stuff like this I'm gonna try see if it can be changed up a bit to the normal workout on chest that I'd do.

As I said earlier, stop doing random pick and mix workouts. Get a plan, stick to it. Build variance into the structure if you like, or not. Whatever.

Yeah so my diet is pretty terrible,

I'm glad you said this. Usually, somebody post that kinda of diet under the impression that its pretty good. At least you know it isn't.
Stop eating crap.
Eat more real food.
No more takeaways every week. Use that money to have to eat out on some healthy/good food every two weeks (because nice healthy food eating out will cost more that a snack box)
Become a better cook. It's much easier to stick to a healthy food plan when you are serving up nice meals.

GiftofGab

Are you working or in college? Do you have access to a microwave during the day?

The reason you're hitting such a plateau is because your not gaining any muscle.

The reason you're not gaining muscle is because of your diet.

chops018

Thanks for all the responses guys, especially Mellor for his detailed reply.

I work full time during the week, and for a few hours at the weekend too.

So it's hard to maintain a roper diet, but I'll try start planning ahead and try do my own shop instead of relying on what's at home.

GiftofGab

chops018 wrote: »

Thanks for all the responses guys, especially Mellor for his detailed reply.

I work full time during the week, and for a few hours at the weekend too.

So it's hard to maintain a roper diet, but I'll try start planning ahead and try do my own shop instead of relying on what's at home.

Planning ahead is the way to go.

Heres an example of hiw I can cook lunch gor a week...

Put 5 chicken fillets in large george foreman for 9 mins. When thats cooked put 5 more in.

Put some sweet potato in boiling water for about 45mins

When cooked put both chicken and sweet potato in 10 lunch boxes.

Also put a hand full of frozen mixed vegetables in each box.

Theres 10 cheap microwave lunches on the go with little to no preparation.

They can be stored in fridge / freezer.

Once heated you can put several different spices on top for flavour. I also put olive oil on for good fats.

Alternatively, put gravy mix into a mug of boiled water, mix then pour over.

Can also mix up chicken with beef, Sweet potato with rice and change to different types of vegetables