Hey all! Need some advice.

[Lardbeetle]

I'm a complete and total computer nerd, and this comes with the nerdy unfittness-ism. Well, I'm looking to change that with a friend of mine. There's a recreation center here on the Washington State University campus, and I'm thinking of visiting daily.

Now, I've done resistance training before (At the end of High School, I was maxing 190 bench, 335 squat, and 150 clean.), but I was wanting to start a program that will encompass both weightlifting and heart-healthy exercise at the same time. I'm thinking of doing in-place cycling or something like that on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays, with an upper-body workout on Mondays and Thursdays, and a lower-body workout on Tuesdays and Fridays. All workouts would be about an hour.

My question is, what would you guys recommend I do for the aerobic exercise? I have little to no experience in this area.

Also, what would be recommended for a complete weight-lifting workout? My girlfriend misses my once-hard muscles, and I want them back.

Finally, what is your opinion on this exercise plan? Is it well balanced and unlikely to overstrain my muscles?

Thanks! :

[Lady C]

The best kind of cardio (aerobic) exercise is the kind you will actually do! Pick your poison. If you like running, do it. If you like biking, do it. How about rowing? or even sprints.

After your heart gets better conditioned then you can start doing different things to tax it more.

Your idea of mixing the weights with the aerobics is ideal. Now make sure you don't forget diet. It is about 90% of the equation.

[iloveher86]

i started lifting because of girls, but than I realized... I hate them all...

[etothepii]

My question is, what would you guys recommend I do for the aerobic exercise? I have little to no experience in this area.

Also, what would be recommended for a complete weight-lifting workout? My girlfriend misses my once-hard muscles, and I want them back.

For aerobic exercise, do anything that you enjoy and gets your heart rate up. The more muscles you use, the better too (jogging or stair climbing over stationary bike riding, for example). It has to be something you can stick with. You may try variety as well. Roller blading on Monday, stationary bike on Tuesday, run some laps at a track on Friday ...

For weight lifting, lots of guys here follow some kind of body split or other. I do full body workouts, three times per week. It works well for me, and there is some science that suggests that this kind of program offers benefits over body-part spit routines. But again, it has to be something you enjoy and will stick with, and if you like the results you get from it, not much else matters.

For Weight lifting, learn the basic, compound lifts. They are absolutely GREAT for your physique! Squats, dead lift, pull ups, bench press, dips, military press, rows. Isolation moves are OK too (everybody loves to do arm curls) but they probably shouldn't be the foundation of your lifting routine -- more like icing on the cake.

And, don't forget safety. Ease into things. Learn the lifts. Start out light and progress. Don't kill yourself trying to go for your old maxes. Avoid injury.

You are likely to get a lot of replies. Everyone likes to help -- there are some very genuine people on this site. Read and discern the advice you get. Research the suggestions before you jump into a workout plan.

Good luck!

[Lardbeetle]

Well, the food available to me is in the Wazzu cafeteria, so there's not too much I can do with diet, but what would you reccommend?

Also, I said before I was a giant nerd. Yeah, that's pretty true. I'm not much for physical exercise of most kinds. Once I get into a routine, I'll follow it, but stair-climbing and running around campus would be a little beyond me, physically and mentally. I was thinking about stationary bike-riding and maybe stair-stepping machines for my physical exercise, or I could walk/jog to Safeway once a day (about two miles round trip).

I know how to do the deadlifts- squat, situps, bench, clean, leg extendors and flexors, push press, upright rows, glut hams were my workout through most of high school. My question is, which of those should I focus on? Obviously, the core will be the squat, clean, and bench, but those don't exercise all of my muscles.

Thanks a lot!

[rab91787]

Originally Posted by iloveher86

i started lifting because of girls, but than I realized... I hate them all...

LMFAO!

[Lady C]

Here are some tips on the diet

How to lose body fat and maintain a lean look

Originally Posted by Lady C

1. Eating fewer calories than you burn
2. Properly balancing your macronutrient ratios
3. Eating five or six meals per day, properly timed such as every 2-3 hours
4. Eating lean proteins with every meal
5. Eating the right types of carbohydrates and avoiding refined sugars
6. Eating low fat and choosing the right types of fat
7. Drinking plenty of water
8. Eating natural, unrefined foods

What to eat?

Originally Posted by Lady C

Eat as much as you want for Group I
Eat 2-3 servings a day from Groups II & III
Eat a serving from Group IV or Group V in every meal
Make most of your fat intake (15-30% of calories) from Group VI
Avoid or eat little of the items in the rest of the lists

Assume if it isn't on the list, it probably is not good for you.

Group I: Complex Carbohydrates: (Fibrous)
Asparagus
Broccoli
Okra
Cauliflower
Green Beans
Brussel Sprouts
Peas
Cucumber
Squash
Collard greens
Mushrooms
Zucchini
Lettuce Salads
Peppers, green or red
Tomatoes, pasta sauce, salsa
Spinach
Kale

Group II: Natural Simple Carbohydrates (Fruit)
Apples
Unsweetened applesauce
Blueberries
Bananas
Oranges
Raspberries
Berries
Nectarines
Plums
Grapes
Peaches
Cantaloupe
Grapefruit
Pears
Jelly (all fruit)

Group III: Complex Carbohydrates (Starchy)
Oatmeal
Cream of Rice, Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rye,
Oat bran
Grits
Barley
Multi-grain
Potatoes (white, red)
Yams, sweet potatoes
Carrots
Beans, lentils, legumes
Brown Rice
100% whole grain dry cereals
100% whole wheat or whole grain pasta
100% whole wheat bread & whole grain products

Group IV: Lean Proteins:
Chicken breast
Turkey breast
Fish (Flounder, Haddock, Salmon, Orange Roughy, Cod, Tuna etc.)
Shellfish (Lobster, shrimp, Clams, etc.)
Lean Red Meat (Flank Steak, Round Steak, extra lean sirloin)
Eggs/Egg whites (One yolk for every six whites)
Low or non fat dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.)

Group V: Dairy Products (1% low fat, skim, or non fat)
Milk
Cheese
Yogurt
Cottage cheese

Group VI: Fats
Nuts & seeds
Flaxseed oil
Olive oil
Canola oil
Natural peanut butter
Olives
Avocados
Fish fat

Low Quality Proteins & Dairy Products
Low fat sliced chicken breast (lunch meat)
Low fat sliced turkey breast (lunch meat)
Low fat sausage
Low fat ground beef
Cream cheese, full fat
Cottage cheese, full fat
Sour cream, full fat
Butter
Cream, half and half
High fat cuts of red meat
Roast Beef
Ham, pork
Reduced fat beef jerky
Reduced fat Hot dogs
Reduced fat Sausage
Reduced fat Bacon

[Bad] Foods very high in saturated fats and or trans fats
Hydrogenated tropical oils (Palm oil, Palm kernel oil, Coconut oil)
Hydrogenated vegetable oils or partially hydrogentated vegetable oils
Anything deep-fried
Margarine
Very high calorie and high fat cuts of pork
Very high calorie and high fat cuts of red meat such as porterhouse and prime rib
Foods made mostly of white sugar or other refined carbohydrates (corn syrup, etc)
Candy
Sweets
Chocolate
Cookies
Soda (Coke, Pepsi, etc)
Sugar Sweetened beverages
Pastries and Baked goods high in both fats and sugars
Pies
Doughnuts
Croissants
Éclairs
Cinnabons
Cakes

[Bad] Foods high in both refined carbohydrates and saturated fat
Fettuccine Alfredo
Potato chips
Hot Dogs on white bun
Fast food hamburgers on white buns (even worse with cheese, bacon)
Sweetened peanut butter
Chocolate milk (full fat, whole milk)
Meats that are processed and high in fat
Sliced full fat ham (lunch meat)
Sliced full fat turkey breast (lunch meat)
Sliced full fat chicken breast (lunch meat)
All other full fat luncheon meats and cold cuts
Bologna
Hot dogs
Salami
Beef jerky
Beef sticks (“Slim Jim”)
Sausage
Bacon

[Lady C]

Originally Posted by Lardbeetle

I know how to do the deadlifts- squat, situps, bench, clean, leg extendors and flexors, push press, upright rows, glut hams

All of those are good exercises. If you want some isolation exercises add in work for biceps,triceps and calves, but they aren't necessary because they get worked in all of the above exercises.

Start by walking at least 30 min daily. When that is not taxing add 5 min each day OR try to do the same route in 5 min less time. When that becomes to easy you can work your way into intervals.

[Lardbeetle]

Originally Posted by Lady C

All of those are good exercises. If you want some isolation exercises add in work for biceps,triceps and calves, but they aren't necessary because they get worked in all of the above exercises.

Start by walking at least 30 min daily. When that is not taxing add 5 min each day OR try to do the same route in 5 min less time. When that becomes to easy you can work your way into intervals.

Great advice, thanks. Basically, your advice for food boils down to eating a good amount of veggies, 1 fruit or grain per meal, 1 dairy product or lean protein source per meal, and watching the fattiness of the food I eat?

Also, eating 5-6 meals per day is nigh on impossible. I'm happy to make two with my class schedule and all.

I'll start the walking thing with my friend as soon as we get a schedule ironed out! Thanks a lot!

By the way, my aim is not to look like a bodybuilder- I know that's outside of my league, and I don't have the dedication to do it-, but rather to get in shape and increase my strength, as well as work on my little beerbelly. I don't care too much about how I look as long as all of my machinery inside is working like clockwork.


Also, I've got mild scoliosis. Any advice on what to do to prevent my back from giving out? Squat has always been my best workout, and I easily improved 10-20 pounds of lift every 3 weeks in high school, but I don't want to break my back.

[DBZ Status]

Grits is my favorite on the complex carbs but i dont see it on there

[Lady C]

Because I have yet to see grits made healthy. Most of the time they are made with full fat cream and butter.

[DBZ Status]

i eat them plain right out of the box albers grits

[Lady C]

Uncooked?

[rab91787]

Grits Baby! Good Stuff Right There :d

[DBZ Status]

no i cook it i boil water throw in 120g wait a couple minutes and stir its the simplest thing ever because i can cook it. Also i discovered if u leave them a little runny its very easy to pour into a bowl