Official Workout Thread

[Socal 524]

Equation to estimate energy expenditure (total calories burned each day)

 

There are actually 4 common equations, 3 of them conclude with similar total EE's

 

This is called the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation

 

A) Calculate BMR (basal metabolic rate) which is the energy you expend just by being alive

 

[10 x wt] + [6.25 x ht] - [4.92 x age] + 5 = BMR

 

B) Multiply BMR by TEF (thermic effect of food) which is the energy you expend by processing food

 

8%-10% for men

 

add the total in A to the total in B

 

C) Multiply by the daily activity factor (not to be confused with exercise, that is below)

1.1 for sedentary-lightly active

1.2 for moderately active

 

D) Add programmed activity ( located in an EE table)

Each exercise or activity is given an amount of calories you would burn each minute. Multiply the amount of calories by each minute you are participating in that activity and then add the total to your previous sum.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

On a mission for gainzzzzzzz. I've been around 215 over the last 2-4 years, but I somehow have dropped to 200. So I'm trying to get back up.

 

So far, not too good as today I weighed 197. Kinda embarrassing.

Edited June 6, 2014 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

So progress for everyone (or just myself), almost two weeks and I'm at 205.

 

IDK if that's good or bad, but I'm personally satisfied so far. Don't feel any heavier, but I was hoping for this to be a three month summer thing, its starting to look like I'm gonna hit my goal in like, a month and half.

[BC 331]

https://twitter.com/benjamin_church/status/483859188557168640

 

Feelin good after almost getting back to my 20 year old form. Varying up the lifting and getting whey, salmon, egg whites, milk, and whole wheat in the diet. Ab toning not going all that well though, cant run with the shin splints. Doing elliptical once every three days, helping some. Biking when I can...

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

OK it's time to get serious.

 

So as of today I was at 348 pounds, which is down from the 380 I graduated high school at in May 2013 but it was as low as 335 before I ruined it by falling out of the diet and workout habit for the first month or so I was at school.

 

Basically I'm tired of hovering around the same weight and I know a lot of you have had success with this stuff. I want you to tell me, straight up, everything I need to know to drop down to a healthy weight for a 20 year old, 6'3'' guy. What should I eat and what should I avoid at all costs? What should my workout regimen entail? Just everything.

[BC 331]

Great. Awesome. love it.

 

More can be done in addition to this, or different variations, etc to amplify results. But these are the bare necessities from what I've learned from being into this stuff for approx 10 yrs.

 

Workouts:

 

Cardio. It doesn't really matter what kind. Whatever elliptical, bike, etc your can find, or whatever combination of those you want to do to keep yourself motivated for the full session. Do it. Once or twice a week for 30 minutes won't get you much as far as results. As many times a week as you can, once a day if at all possible. The type isn't as important as just going in and kicking it's ass for ideally 40-60 minutes, or whatever you can possibly muster starting out. Just doing the time doesn't work either. Kick. Its. Ass. And your own. If you're breathing waaay too hard, sweating like a hog getting your clothes soaked, going through tons of water, and feeling extremely unattractive and annoying to others around you, these are signs you are doing it right. It starts to feel amazing once you let go and ignore that anxiety. Slow down when you absolutely need to, but as soon as you possibly can, rev it up balls to the wall again. Don't go in with any absurd ideas of conserving energy for things you need to do later in the day. Energy will come back that very day. Drain all of what you have each time you go in.

 

You can lose fat without lifting, but if you do lift, make it before the cardio session, not after. Don't over-think the lifting. Take a similar approach as the cardio and just drain energy. Squats, rows, and bench press will help in burning fat the most. We really don't need you lifting right off the bat but if you insist, go for it.

 

 

 

Basic Diet Suggestions:

Water, healthy carbs (cliff bars, disgusting whole wheat bread, brown rice etc) and low fat protein (white parts of hard-boiled eggs, baked / bbq'd chicken, fat free milk). Get one serving of raw veggies a day. Those are all the prime, basic sources. Others will give you additional ideas, but these are the most feasible given you're broke. My college cafeteria always had that stuff.

 

During your workout, you'll actually experience cramps if you do not have 60ish grams of healthy carbs in you from the last couple hours, as well as full hydration.

 

Also, the importance of water cannot be ignored. You can work out 7 solid times a week, but if you're only starting to drink water when you get the gym, you're killing yourself and wasting those work-outs. The metabolism (fat burning) is something your body does 24/7, but it doesn't really kick into gear each day until you drink water. Too many people make the mistake of waking up at 8, having their first glass of water at 1, going to the gym at 2, consuming as much as they need to just feel satisfied, and then ignoring it the rest of the day. You've got to get water early and often, the sooner the better. Don't go an hour without it. Two quick glasses right off the bat every single day is what healthy, fat burning people are doing. If your urine is yellow at any point in the day, acknowledge your mistake and get back into camel mode. Dehydration is going to really stunt your fat burning and waste your workouts. Peeing way too often like 11 times a day lets you know you're doing it right.

 

Tip: Healthy food is disgusting at first. Especially the whole wheat bread. However, dipping it in salsa, hot sauce, ketchup, tabasco sauce etc won't add much if any harmful things to your regimen. I used to throw whole wheat bagels and salsa into the microwave, and actually tricked myself into thinking they were pizza-like breadsticks. Worked really well. This also worked for Ed. Putting salsa on everything can make your healthy meals seem a lot less shitty, but still the same nutritional quality.

 

 

 

Foods To Avoid / Cut Down On:

Avoid beef (even lean beef), butter, salt, soda, chocolate, caramel, cheese, garlic, ranch, sour cream, 2% dairy products, white rice and white bread, and a few other things I'm forgetting, but that is the start. Take into account that you aren't going to be able to just stop eating these things/ingredients right off the bat altogether like flipping a light switch. You won't make it 1 day, trust me. You make it your goal to eventually be completely off these things, but in the meantime, you start cutting down gradually. You won't realize how addicted to this stuff you are until you go a little while without it. Put just a little bit on your (seemingly disgusting, at first) healthy food juuuust enough to keep from completely snapping. Or being up all night. It took me almost the whole summer to get off butter again. I would put just a teeny pit on a healthy whole wheat bagel every now and then until eventually I made it happen.

 

 

Also, try to make your workout useful to your studies and your day overall. Whenever you need to have your best study sessions (memorizing excel formulas for tests or lots of painful reading), do them immediately after your workout while consuming your meal, water, etc. Brain activity is amplified during and right after your session, the harder the session the better. Source - own experience, as well as Columbia University studies. Your physical shape isn't the only thing that benefits from this. Your skin quality, emotions, sleep quality, and cognitive functions all benefit.

Edited October 19, 2014 by BC

[Crash3021 101]

Don't know if you eat breakfast consistently or not, so this is for if you don't. Even if it's a cold slice of pizza, something to jumpstart your metabolism in the morning so you'll feel better throughout the day. Believe it or not, over the past 2 months I've lost about 15 pounds just from consistently eating breakfast in the morning going from from 215 to around 200. I don't diet or anything, I just try to avoid junk food, sweets, soda, fast food, etc and have lost a couple inches on my waist never feeling or looking better even when I was working out all season for football during my HS days. So I imagine you'll be able to shed a good amount of weight by starting to eat breakfast if you don't already do so and avoiding the bad stuff for the most part. Hope this helps.

[BJORN 679]

Well, Trident....a healthy weight is all relative.

 

I can vouch for Crash's suggestions as I lost 10 lbs over the summer just by eating less fast food, cutting out soda, and eating breakfast more consistently. Ironically, I was trying to gain weight by putting on muscle but I slacked off in terms of getting in the gym haha

 

Also, BC's cardio suggestions are on point. Get on a stationary bike/treadmill and just put in time every day.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

- Drink water. Lots of it. At least a gallon a day.

- Eat less food. More important than what you eat is how much you eat. Calorie consumption is the #1 factor in weight gain/loss.

- Walk 2-3 miles per day.

 

If you do this for 2 months you should notice some results.

[Bucman 891]

I've lost a ton of weight just by cutting soda and fast food out. You should be able to find a work out buddy Trident, you go to school.

[BJORN 679]

Hey so I've been having problems with both my knee and my elbows. I'd say I've been working out for the past few years but recently (this summer) got on a plan via bodybuilding.com. This plan introduced me to leg day & many more exercises which have probably led to maybe overuse (especially with my elbows). So I was wondering if the elbow pain is normal/common thing & if there is a easy fix. I've reduced the weight and amount of exercises I'm doing per workout.. It seems like it's a joint thing. I can't run outside anymore without my knee breaking down after a mile or so, never had this problem until a month or so into the new plan w/ leg day. I love running so this has been a pretty big downer. Just wondering if you guys have any thoughts? Or have experienced anything like this?

[BradyFan81 404]

is benching on the smith machine not a great idea? I hurt my pec/back last month benching on the smith machine and haven't been able to work out since then. I feel like since it's a fixed bar path it can hurt your muscles because it's not a natural movement for your body, as opposed to when the bar is free it's a more natural motion. I'm definitely never using the smith machine again.

 

it's really annoying cause I was making great progress but the last month I haven't been able to do anything and feel like I've gained back fat and lost muscle. can't wait to get back soon though and go hard.

[JetsFan4Life 542]

is benching on the smith machine not a great idea? I hurt my pec/back last month benching on the smith machine and haven't been able to work out since then. I feel like since it's a fixed bar path it can hurt your muscles because it's not a natural movement for your body, as opposed to when the bar is free it's a more natural motion. I'm definitely never using the smith machine again.

 

it's really annoying cause I was making great progress but the last month I haven't been able to do anything and feel like I've gained back fat and lost muscle. can't wait to get back soon though and go hard.

 

I've never used the smith machine for benching so I'm not sure but I do think free is the way to go.

[OSUViking 505]

You neglect stabilization muscles when you use Smith machine, but it could have been a momentary lapse in form. I have a friend who has exclusively used Smith as opposed to Olympic bar for 3+ years, and he's been fine.

 

My hand injury kept me out of the gym the last two weeks. I'm cleared to do legs now, but I'll be unable to do upper body for some time.

 

**Obviously, any injury issues encountered in the gym should be handled by professionals. I wouldn't recommend seeking advice from someone unless they are your primary physician**

Edited November 3, 2015 by OSUViking

[JetsFan4Life 542]

Put up 230 on the bench this week so the increasing five pounds every two weeks is a success so far.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

I've gained 30 pounds in the past year by cutting out fast food, running every other day, and honestly just doing leg/cardio workouts on the days I don't run.

 

The only kind of upper body stuff I do are pullups and pushups.

 

I still drink a lot of soda but I try do drink 2x the amount of water. But I'm sitting at 200 now and I'd never thought I'd reach this weight in my life. It's muscle too..and it feels good for someone that is 5'11 to not just be skin and bones...but to be toned and slightly muscular.

[OSUViking 505]

I cut out all junk food when I couldn't workout and I'm more cut than I've ever been. Just removing the bad stuff works wonders.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

Reviving this thread cause I'm in an awkward place right now.

 

I'm 5'11 and 220 and in good shape, and hitting the gym three times a week. Only problem is that I only know how to put on weight and lose weight.

 

Is that all there is in this world? Is there a way I can continue to get stronger and at the same time look leaner?? Or is my weight doomed to fluctuate between gains and losses.