Author Topic: I am trying to lose weight and gain muscle i need help (Read 11956 times)

nycteen90 · « **on:** April 25, 2006, 07:50:10 PM »

Hello guys I am new to the forum. Well let me get to the point I have been doing cardio(ellyptical) since about october. I've lost almost 30 pounds and I am very happy. I haven't lost a pound in about a month but I've been working just as hard if not harder. I started seriously weight training about January. I have seen muscle gain except for the past month or so. I havent gotten any bigger(that I can see) and I haven't been able to go up anymore weight in every excersise. I seem to be at a standstill. I run ellyptical for 30-45 minutes about 5 days a week. Im not really on a diet I try not to eat fat foods and no fast food and I try to eat a lot of protein. Im still overweight, 5'8, 192lbs I think I need to lose a good amount of fat, but I want to keep the muscle I worked hard for, and add some one as I lose the fat. What should I be doing? thanks!

ToxicAvenger · « **Reply #1 on:** April 25, 2006, 08:38:57 PM »

in short..cause you wont listen anyhow...

1) cut down on the cardio..even if ya gain fat a bit in the first 2 months or so
2) uphill sprints sprints 3 times a week..find a good 40 to 100 meter uphill...run..and i mean HAUL ASS up..walk down..wait 30 seconds..run again...repeat for 30 mins (you'll only be able to manage 10 or so mins in the start)

continue training 4 days / week..the last day of the week should be when you dont ass the sprints at the end..

rest...eat...clean..

nuff said.

buy your self some l-carnitine..read up on it..

haider · « **Reply #2 on:** April 25, 2006, 09:29:31 PM »

High intensity sprints make it impossible for me to workout becuase Im sore all over everytime I do it.
Any solution to this Junaid..

FreshMintBlue · « **Reply #3 on:** April 26, 2006, 01:33:11 AM »

Quote from: ToxicAvenger! on April 25, 2006, 08:38:57 PM

in short..cause you wont listen anyhow...

ROFL

nycteen90 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 26, 2006, 07:33:40 PM »

You said cut down on cardio but do uphill sprints. Uphill sprints sound like cardio to me. I live in new york city and I dont know of any uphill slopes in my area or near my gym. Plus what would I do in the winter? Whats the difference between regular cardio and uphill sprints? The l-carnitine sounds like a good idea, if I read right it's supposedly supposed to boost metabolism, give me more energy and help muscle growth and muscle fatigue. I'm not big on supplements since I like to be all natural, is this something that will give me some horrible cancer in 30 years? SOrry for all the questions, I don't know much:-\

blondmusclhunk · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2006, 08:02:08 AM »

How tall are you how much do you weigh? Also do you know your BF percentage? If your body fat is significantly down. I would suggest cutting back on cardio significantly and lifting. Make sure you are taking in enough protein for your body weight (1-2 grams per pound per day) Make sure you are not overtraining (there are signs of overtraining you should look for) You will burn fat if you are lifting. Watch your diet carbs especially simple sugars.

nycteen90 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2006, 04:12:31 PM »

I already said how tall I am and how much I weigh, 5'8 and 192. I don't know what my BF% is, does anyone know where I can go get this checked? I have some muscle im definatly not huge, I had big improvements since i started. I have a gut so I know im overweight. Im looking to loose another 15-20 lbs, then I want to start concentrating on getting bigger. When you say 1g protein per pound do you mean 192 grams of protein a day or 192 x BF% grams of protein per day(basically gram per each pound or gram per each pound that is not fat?)

rocket · « **Reply #7 on:** April 29, 2006, 07:52:39 AM »

Hey nyc, I assume that you are natural so I suggest you go to the natural bbing board. Or talk some stuff in the diet/nutrition board too.

bmacsys · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2006, 10:05:40 AM »

Quote from: nycteen90 on April 26, 2006, 07:33:40 PM

You said cut down on cardio but do uphill sprints. Uphill sprints sound like cardio to me. I live in new york city and I dont know of any uphill slopes in my area or near my gym. Plus what would I do in the winter? Whats the difference between regular cardio and uphill sprints? The l-carnitine sounds like a good idea, if I read right it's supposedly supposed to boost metabolism, give me more energy and help muscle growth and muscle fatigue. I'm not big on supplements since I like to be all natural, is this something that will give me some horrible cancer in 30 years? SOrry for all the questions, I don't know much:-\

Dude, you live in NYC and breathe this air everyday and you are worried about getting cancer from supplements? Go to Central park for your sprints. No hills but you can still run.

nycteen90 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 30, 2006, 04:33:46 PM »

Central park is a hour and a half train ride from my house. I can't do that 5 days a week. So running on the streets is better than cardio? If I continue to just do ellyptical, will I lose any weight? I don't see how I won't I burn calories and my body needs to make up for them, going into my fat reserves. Maybe someone can enlighten me on how my thinking is wrong.

bmacsys · « **Reply #10 on:** May 01, 2006, 06:43:36 AM »

Quote from: nycteen90 on April 30, 2006, 04:33:46 PM

Central park is a hour and a half train ride from my house. I can't do that 5 days a week. So running on the streets is better than cardio? If I continue to just do ellyptical, will I lose any weight? I don't see how I won't I burn calories and my body needs to make up for them, going into my fat reserves. Maybe someone can enlighten me on how my thinking is wrong.

Doing a lot of low level cardio will keep you from getting strong and building muscle. The sprints were a better idea. If I wanted to build muscle and lose fat I would do it with your weight training and cleaning up your diet.

blondmusclhunk · « **Reply #11 on:** May 01, 2006, 10:28:26 AM »

Hi NYC,
192 grams of protein a day is perfect maybe a little more if you can. You need to figure out how much protein basic food items contain and protein shakes. My protein shake is 22grams per scoop i take 2.5 soops 3x a day on top of my regular 5-6 meals a day which include protein as well from other sources. To get your bodyfat measured go to your docotor they can do an electronic test that is pretty accurate water fat and muscle.

Id be interested in seeing how much bf you have. If it is not too high cardio every day may not be a wise decision. bodybuilding will help you burn this as you work out.

pumpster · « **Reply #12 on:** May 01, 2006, 03:52:09 PM »

There are parks all over the NY area, find one. As far as soreness, do them 2-3 times a week and you won't be sore.
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/your_park.html

Running a mile a day's better than indoor training. Run, don't jog.

Elliptical's also good, but you have to increase the time on it and/or intensity to see a difference, coupled with a decent diet. Absent the good diet, you won't see a big difference.

nycteen90 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 01, 2006, 05:03:23 PM »

I think the big kink in my diet is lunch. I eat lunch at school because I can't cook(except eggs) and my mom wont get up 7 in the morning to make me something so I have to eat school lunch. God only knows the stuff they serve us it's always dripping with oil and tastes like ass. I have to eat it or else i starve though. I was thinking about a meal replacement bar, can anyone recommend me any good ones? I want something with protein and some carbs, no other stuff like creatine or anything, not too many calories 400 or less. Maybe its the lunch that screws me over.
This is my diet: morning: 3 scrambled eggs, coffee and milk(no sugar)
lunch:whatever they serve, usually greasy and contains a lot of calories(not sure how many wish they told us what they were serving us and the nutrition facts, isn't that a law?)
afterschool: I try to get a granola bar in before the gym
after gym: either a protein shake(50 g protein I think) or a wrap with chicken breast and 4 egg whites
8-9pm:depends if im hungry then I eat something like meat if im not then I eat something light liek some sort of fruit.
this is basically my plan at the gym: 30-45 minutes cardio, one muscle group(very thorough workout of the muscle group until im maxed out and can barely move that muscle) and every other day I add in abs.
This is the diet/workout plan I use, I'm sorry it's not very detailed and it doesnt always go like this sometimes i dont have time or something and I have to improvise. Can someone tell me what Im doing wrong/right? What should I change? by the way I really appreciate all of your help!

blondmusclhunk · « **Reply #14 on:** May 02, 2006, 12:34:24 PM »

Definately more protein!!! Your not getting enough from what it looks like. Take some protein powder to school with in a zip lock bag and a shaker. See how much protein you get per scoop and take enough with you to get 50 grams. This should help.

WOOO · « **Reply #15 on:** May 02, 2006, 04:07:41 PM »

Agreed, boost the protein intake, 3 shakes with 45 grams of whey each per day will make all the difference. Drinking more water to support the cardio and lifting you do. Change things up in the gym, do high weight + low reps one week, then high reps and low weight the next.

nycteen90 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 02, 2006, 04:47:24 PM »

the protein shakes, should I have them instead of a meal or to supplement my meal? When should I take them(what 3 times of the day are good?). Also im not sure if this is worthy of a new topic but I usually do progressive weight training(most muscle groups except abs). Should I not do this? my first set is usually really easy my last I can barely complete the 6 reps I need to do. I ask this because I usually do lower reps higher weight, if I did higher reps lower weight im scared the weight would be too little like 10 pounds or something.

mr.nitro · « **Reply #17 on:** May 02, 2006, 08:06:30 PM »

jumping in on this as well, but I do use supliments and plan on doing a "cutting cycle" with test,tren and eq

so sprints are the way to go huh? how long of a pause betwen bursts? can this be done on an eliptical machine(regular pace then haul ass /then repeat)? the reason I ask is because I like to moniter my heart rate and calories used.

ill also be lifting 4 days a week. should I do the cardio on off days or after every workout?

nycteen90 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 07, 2006, 01:10:39 PM »

Guys I really need help I weighed myself and I gained 4 pounds and I measured my biceps and they're still the same so im guessing it's fat, but im working just as hard. I dont udnerstand why im gaining the weight back. I really want to keep it off and lose more I dont want to be like the fat slob I was.

WOOO · « **Reply #19 on:** May 07, 2006, 03:06:04 PM »

stress impedes weight loos, so relax!... start keeping a food journal, you are eating too much. also, maybe it's time for you to up your cardio duration or intensity

nycteen90 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 07, 2006, 03:34:38 PM »

I am fairly relaxed most of the time. I dont keep a food journal but I remember what I eat. About how much cardio should I do? I am eating tha tmuch because I want to keep muscle mass, I dont know how to diet in such a way that I lose weight and keep muscle, maybe you can help me?

WOOO · « **Reply #21 on:** May 07, 2006, 05:10:52 PM »

drop your carb intake to maybe 200 grams per day or less. do at least 12 sessions of cardio per week for 40 minutes or more each. you can chose when you want to do 2 per day or one.

nycteen90 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 07, 2006, 05:35:47 PM »

12 times a week?? thats really intense. I already have a lot to do, I wake up for school at 6 and I dont get home on regular days until about 7 pm, if I have tutor that day I get home at 10 pm, plus i have to do homework on those days, I also want to keep atleast a minimal social life. I dont know how I can fit 7 more 40 minute sessions in.

Dingleberry · « **Reply #23 on:** May 08, 2006, 11:24:01 AM »

Do your cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Follow it up with a good breakfast. That is the best way to lose fat and you won't have to kill yourself.

WOOO · « **Reply #24 on:** May 08, 2006, 05:12:55 PM »

Quote from: Dingleberry on May 08, 2006, 11:24:01 AM

Do your cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Follow it up with a good breakfast. That is the best way to lose fat and you won't have to kill yourself.

this is good advice... also, if you are truly commited, then drop your social life for 6 months and watch how much progress you make...