The next step?

[JawD]

Hi folks,

I`ve been working out since the start of the year and am pretty pleased with the results so far. One area I dont feel I am improving very well is my waistline? I include cardio in my routine as well as various types of crunches etc. Could you please answer a couple of questions I have....

What should I ensure I am including in my routine to help reduce the fat stored around the waist?

With regards to diet (I am going to keep a log after reading another post on here as I think that is a good place to start), could I be eating too many carbs as my diet consists mainly of rice, pasta & cereals? and what other things should I try to include? (I have been told to add more fish as well as the chicken I already eat alot of).

Finally, I have been told that a protien drink can help to build mass? Could anyone explain this part to me? I dont take any suppliments as I have been hesitant to try them as I dont have the knowledge of their benefits etc so wasnt totally sure what to go for.

Sorry if these questions seem a bit basic!

Thanks.

A protein/carb drink post workout is a great way to start your recovery. Some fruit juice mixed with some protein powder will do the trick.

Once you keep track of your food consumption for a few days you can figure out what your current macronutrient ratios are. From there you can see where you are making your mistake. A good place to start is 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% carbs. Move your food around to stive to attain those percentages. You can change the percentages up or down a bit to whatever suits you, just so long as it works.

As for targeting the fat on your waist, you can only take fat off of your whole body, and the waist on men is usually the last place it comes off. And dieting is the only way to lose it. If you aren't losing one pound per week, drop your calories by about 250 - 500 and see if that makes a difference. Take the weight loss s - l - o - w - l - y. It is much healthier.

Good luck to you JawD.

[JawD]

Great. Thanks for the advise. I`ll certainly work to those %. As I said, I`ve been stuck at this weight since I started. I dont put weight on or loose it. That said, I can tell where I have gained muscle mass, so I guess in theory I must have lost fat somewhere if I havent increased in weight?

With regard to the protien / carb drink. Is there any you would recommend and should I just drink after a workout or daily?

Thanks again for taking the time to reply.

[JawD]

Incidently, since my last post I have been and purchased a whey protein drink. Couple of questions regarding this. It suggests drinking one (200ml) every 2-3 hours, including after training to aid recovery and before bed to reduce muscle loss during rest.

Just wondering what other peoples experiences are with frequency of consumption and timing? or should I just stick to after training for now?

Also, going back to the amount of carbs / protein / fat per day, should this drink be included in the ratio 40 / 30 / 30 or as an addition to? and when calculating should I use total fat consumed or only the saturated fat?

I have started to log my food and as an example, not including the protein drink I had after training, my consumption today was:

2438 Calories
178g Protein
186g Carbs
110g Total Fat
(25g Saturated Fat)

I think this was boosted by the fact I had an egg mayo sandwich which I never realised was so OTT until I logged it!! That alone was 969 cals with 71g fat!! 28g Protien and 55g Carbs. Think I`ll cut them out and stick to the Tuna!!

Also, while logging I noticed that my protein was very low so I made sure I had a chicken breast with salad for my tea and a jar of musscles earlier on!!

Am I on the right track here or have I totally misunderstood what I`ve read!!

Once again. I appreciate any replies given!!

[Lee J B]

Hi, you are on the right track , however , make sure you get NO saturated fat ... if possible. Also, about the protein , i would stick with just after workouts and before sleep, all you need really.. maybe one in the morning

[JawD]

Once again thanks. I`ll do that. I`ll try the drink with my breakfast and then after I train and one before bed. Maybe one on the days I dont train as well at the same time?

I`ve just been shopping and for the first time found myself reading all the labels and trying to put back stuff with saturated fat. I guess I`ll soon learn the stuff to avoid.

[Lee J B]

Originally posted by JawD
Maybe one on the days I dont train as well at the same time?

YES

[Piper]

Avoid butter and mayonnaise )

Eggs are good though....

about 1g of protein per 1lb of bodyweight is a good way to start. If you are trying to lose weight, you should try go a little lower on the calories every say week or so... (lower it by 400 or so each week until you are getting satisfactory results). Don't go to low as you will be tired and it'll slow your metabolism down etc...

I wouldn't take the protein shake any day that you have enough protein from food... that way it'll last longer. I generally only use it when I'm low on protein for the day..

Good luck with your new abs (when ya get em )

[JawD]

Yeah, I`ve totally cut out mayo now after I noticed the content of my egg mayo buttie!! phew! and I thought It was healthy! lol.

Currently I`d say I was averaging 2000 - 2500 cals per day. I`m cutting out the saturated fat and trying to add more protein for now and I`ll monitor my weight over the next 7-10 days to see if it has any effect. Then I`ll maybe look to reduce the cals and take it from there.

Thanks for all your advice on this.

Hopefully I`ll be able to float when I go swimming soon

As for your question JawD I would keep to just a protein drink after your workout, providing you are consuming enough protein from whole food throughout the day. And it looks like you are going to be able to do just that.

For a carb/protein drink you can pickup some dextrose and mix that in with your protein. What works for me is 8 oz of grape juice, 2 scoops of vanilla whey, and a scoop of creatine. Works great and tastes much better than it sounds.

[JawD]

Well, the stuff I bought is strawberry whey. At the moment I am having one scoop with 200ml semi skimmed milk. I was unsure about using milk though? I know it is about 2% fat content. But also has good protein itself? I tried the mix with water but wasnt that keen. I drink alot of fruit juice and could try adding that. I havent tried creatine yet. Would you recommend taking two scoops? or just keep to one after training for now?

I had a drink before bed yesterday as well, will probably do that if my protein intake during the day hasnt been sufficient. I am aiming for at least 200g per day of protein (I`m approx 207lbs).

[cursor]

Originally posted by JawD
With regard to the protien / carb drink. Is there any you would recommend and should I just drink after a workout or daily?

Check this JawD:
http://www.discussfitness.com/showth...=5495#post5495

[JawD]

Thanks m8, think I`m getting there!

[Piper]

200g/day seems fine.... 1g per 1lb or bodyweight is about a good goal for muscle building