Help on a work out plan?

[Speedn88Stang]

Ok i have lost weight before but have pretty much gained it all back since i left for college. About three years ago i lost about 40 lbs within 8 months nd kept it off for about two years before gaining it back slowly. i lost most of the weight within three months( 30 lbs) and the last ten were a bitch. Im about 5'10 and 220 punds right now. Looking at me with my shirt on i just look like a built/thick guy. My chest is my best attribute to my body. Take the shirt off and ya see its not all muscle at all. Love handles from hell and such. When i lost all of my weight the first time i jogged 3-4 miles 5 days a week or so. I lost it quickly and kept it off faily easily. When i lost my weight i seemed to look a little more puney though. I wasnt working with weights at all or taking any supplements. My diet consisted of sandwiches pretty much every day and steak or chicken on the weekends. All i drank was water and grapefruit juice.

My question is what should my new plan be? Im at 225 now and want to get down to about 190 or so. I know i will never have a 6 pack b/c thats the kinda body i have but i wanna get cut and loose the weight. I have a treadmill at the house and now a bench outside. I know what to do on the treadmill but what kinda workout should i do on the bench, curl bar, free weights and how many reps/sets should i do? hoiw often should i do them. Ive never been big on weights except for when i was in HS for football and baseball and that was b/c the coaches are tellin me what to do. My goal is to get down to 185-190 and get cut. I dont really wanna get big but just cut. The only thing i would like to make bigger are my biceps. I have a naturally broad and big chest and shoulders. Any ideas?

Any supplements i should consider taking. I have a half full body of Xenadrine from a friend and a practically new bottle of Hydroxycut i bought a while back but never used. I generally loose fat quick but takes a while for muscle to gain.

What should i eat and how much. I am in college and dont have alot of time to cook or can generally afford good pricey food. I do eat alot of chicken and other than that its mostly sandwiches. I generally dont wake up untill 10am at the earliest everyday.

Thanks for any help. not sure if there are alot of fitness buffs on this board but was worth the try and cheaper than goin to a dietician.

[96BluOvl]

i use hydroxycut and i like it. However its a temporary fix. i also try to watch what i eat .

[JohnStang]

you are goin to want to do an aggressive cv workout. obviously start off slow and get yourself into shape, than hit it hard. as far as weights go, lighter weight and higher reps. that will give you great indourance and will also get you "cut." chicken and stuff with high protein are not really the way to go if you plan on loosing. they are high in protein and are a muscle builder which is good for gaining. eat alot of vegetable, salads, and fish and chicken are ok, but not every day in excess. i am not too keen on supplements and stuff but that doesn't mean they don't work. hydroxicut is good stuff but don't abuse it like most do, it will only cause damage. and drink nothing but water. hope this helped. need anymore info/specifics, pm me
-john

[grass]

http://www.u.arizona.edu/~vleon/mybio/vinnies-muscles.jpg

[Bkennim]

If I were you I would just read some magazines and follow what they say. Chances are they have scientificly proven what they are discussing. Flex is a good magazine or Muscle and Fitness. There are some others out as well, but those are the best IMO. The only way you can lose fat and "get cut" is to stick to a diet and make it become a lifestyle for you. Your life will revolve around eating right and staying healthy. If you are not conscerned with being very muscular then stay away from the weights and walk on the treadmill 45 minutes to a hour 4 to 5 days a week.
BTW, chicken is good!! Rice/pasta and vegges.

Good luck with your diet!

Brandon

[The Raven]

Originally posted by JohnStang
chicken and stuff with high protein are not really the way to go if you plan on loosing. they are high in protein and are a muscle builder which is good for gaining. eat alot of vegetable, salads, and fish and chicken are ok, but not every day in excess.

If you are a female not concerned with muscle mass or tone and just want to be thin this might be true, but an athlete trying to reduce bodyfat while maintaining his lean mass needs ATLEAST 1 gram og protien per pound of desired body weight per day with the rest of the calories going to vegetables and low glycemic carbs such as potatoes, yams, and oatmeal. You do need a little unsaturated fat in your diet so don't get too strict or atleast supplement it, but stay away from highglycemic carbs like sugar, bread, refined flour products, and especially alcohol and saturated fats.

On the training factor: If long term weight-loss is your primary goal, weight training and cardio are necessary, as you need to keep in mind calories in = calories out minus 500 or so. Your training structure (sets, reps, and cardio length) will directly affect your body copmposition at your target weight, BUT the key to long-term weight loss is completely in your diet. The amount of calories you consume on a daily basis (assuming they are good calories) over a period of time will determine your overall weight and metabolism. In the short term you can manipulate extra calories with diet and exercise, but as soon as cardio slows or time at the gym declines you are destined to gain weight to the tune of how many excess calories you consume.

The reason most dieters fail is that they are of the mentality that they can work hard for a time to lose weight and then be able to go back to their old habits and they fail to see that it's those old habits that put them in the need for the diet in the first place thus the "rolercoaster" effect. Remove the bad habits (extra and/or bad calories) and you remove the need to "diet", as your lifestyle then becomes an every day diet that maintains the slimmer you. That said, all I can say is "easier said than done". I personally have fought a food addiction since childhood and only after slowly fing knowlege and exercise a little over 7 years ago have I been able to grasp the mind/muscle/metabolism. connection.

[The Raven]

p.s. ECAs such as Hydroxycut and Xenadrine are only effective on top of a steadily refining dietary plan. Otherwise they just make bigger dips and peaks in the weight "rollercoaster".