My Journal - It hurts!

[fat_unfit]

I offically started my new program today and there are a few things I would like to run by you guys. The first is my food intake for the day. I have posted what I ate below and also in fitday and it totals around 2000 cals. I had a lot of difficulty eating all of this and I felt, and still feel, really bloathed and full all day. Is this normal? The other issue is that of indigestion - I have been having serious indigestion all day!!!

Anyways, apart from my eating I headed down to the gym and started my workout. I tried to hit as many muscles as I could with a moderate workout. I managed to overdo it a bit with the squats and as a result can't sit properly now
I also fell way short of my 16 minute HIIT cardio I promised myself. Good God HIIT is a brutal b*stard!! I could only manage about 4 minutes on the treadmill, each set of 30 seconds, I then keeled over and assumed the foetal position underneath the Smith machine So it may be a while until I get to the 16 minute mark.

Meal plan below, please feel free to tell me how crap it looks!

8am
40g oatmeal
70g tuna
2 bolied eggs

11am
140g tuna

1.30pm
2 slices wholemeal bread
1 slice 10g low fat cheese
1/4 tbl spoon mayo

4.30pm
140g tuna
40g oatmeal

7pm
workout

8pm
banana

8.30
200g chicken
350g cauliflower
2 hard bolied eggs
70g tuna

and another snack before bed.

Total: 2009 cals
Fat: 41g 372cals 19%
Carbs: 149g 534cals 27%
Protein: 265g 1060cals 54%
Alcohol: 0 0 0%

thanks, will keep you updated

[threenorns]

um... where are the veggies? i did mention you should eat salad veggies till they're coming out your ears, eh?

yeah, in the beginning, it seems a lot - give it a week or two and your system will stabilize nicely.

post-workout, you should have protein - take the protein from your dinner and eat it after your workout with the banana.

furthermore, do NOT try to do HIIT anywhere near your weights or you'll spend a lot more time "assuming the position".

[krazE]

If is REALLY bothering you, then ease up to it. i.e. instead of 2,000 calories, try 1600, next day 1700, day after 1800, etc.

[CF-OC_gal]

A sudden increase in the fibre in your diet can make you bloated and uncomfortable. As was mentioned, slowly increase the amount you eat per week or per day.

[tim_mcf]

Originally Posted by fat_unfit

Good God HIIT is a brutal b*stard!!

Yeah, it is. You have to remember, though, that what constitutes "high-intensity" for you isn't the same as for someone else. If you're getting a workout, great. If you can't yet do 16 minutes, fine. Give it time. The point is to push yourself, not to get in a competition with somebody else.

[maverick]

Yeah, pace yourself. I know I couldn't finish a guerilla cardio session when I started doing them.

[cursor]

265 grams of protein is an awfully lot ... particularly for someone who's 240-lbs scale weight at 44% body fat. You should be doing just fine with about 135 grams of protein.

Bill & Bob

Like threenorns suggests, add some lower carbohydrate fruit and vegetables:

Vegetables & Fruit

[fat_unfit]

Just a quick update.
I had a business trip today to Belfast so I was on the road very ealry, this really threw my meal plan but I managed to stick to it as best I could, maybe only about 1700 cals today but that might not be bad as I am not working out this evening.
Every single muscle in my body hurts at the moment which should mean I actually did the exercise right and managed to stimulate some growth. I was planning on working out tomorrow but I know I will still be sore so I think I will give it a miss until Thursday and then git it hard-ish! again.

[threenorns]

work the same body part no more often than three days apart. growth is only stimulated in the gym - it occurs during the rest periods.

[Streetman]

You did a full body weight workout, and then tried to do HIIT following, all on your first day?


Uhhh...that should be your first WEEK. OK, not exactly, but try doing cardio one day, and weights another. OR, if you're doing weight training and want to do cardio after, maybe doing "fat burning zone" cardio would help you more. Post weight workout you're already low on blood sugars. Slow cardio is supposed to burn more fat in that state. HIIT at that point would just lower your blood sugar to a point where you're probably burning muscle for fuel, when you need "muscle fuel" the MOST.

At 44% BF, alternating weights and cardio will probably work fine, and allow you to not overtrain. You need something you can stick with long term. Don't put yourself through such hell that you quit. The "no pain no gain" theory is largely over rated. Actually, mostly crap if you ask me.

[threenorns]

i second that crap.

[fat_unfit]

Thanks, I do intend to let my body tell me when to train, i.e no more for a couple of days.
I looked into both issues as above, that is, interval between workouts and cardio with weights. Regarding the weights issue, most sites, documents and the majority of studies seem to suggest the mon/wed/fri and weekend off for beginners, this would siut me fine as I would certainly not have any time other days.
The HIIT after weight training seems to be a very contentious issue. Some people swear by it and others frown upon it. I have decieded to give it a whirl for around 6 weeks and see how it works out for me. If I find I am lacking energy or seeing no or little results then I will readdress my situation. I think threenorns said in one of her previous posts, if it doesn't work change it and try it for another 6-8 weeks. :
I am new to this and I reckon I need a lot of time before I can read my body and realise how it is responding to certain foods, workouts timing etc.

Sure we'll see how it goes!

[Streetman]

Excellent that you're in tune with your body, and listen. It seems simple, but most people don't listen, and just follow some program.

I've lost just shy of 100 pounds now, and have gone through just about every routine I could think of. Know what works best? The one that works for YOU. I'll let you know from a couple year's experience, less is more. Get to the gym, hit it hard, get out. Training more often, with less duration will work MUCH better than one, long, draining session every other day.

I've done post workout cardio. I spent twice as long in the gym, but didn't see results twice as fast. Conversely, I did morning weights, and afternoon cardio for a while and saw GREATLY improved results compared with the all at once approach. Hit it hard, 40 minutes or so, and get out.

I still only do 30-40 minutes of work each day in the gym. The BIGGEST thing, the MOST important, the ONE THOUGHT on your mind every hour should be your metabolism. I wish I could stress that more in print. It's the ONLY thing. Therefore:

1) Eat every 3 hours, as soon as you wake, and right before bed
2) Excercise (cardio or weights) daily

Eat often and your body won't think it ever needs to store. Excersice often and intense, and your metabolism will crank. This, coming from someone who used to complain of "poor metabolism". Guess what? I cannot stop eating now, and still continue to lose weight/gain muscle.

Weekends off? Why? I love working out...now.

Metabolism, metabolism, metabolism. And yeah, you're right, listen to your body. Listen to it say, "Don't hurt me so bad that I cannot do this for a few days." There's a BIG difference in overload and fatigue.

[fat_unfit]

Just wanted to update. I still haven't made it back to the gym this week, my muscles are still pretty sore I should be ready for another visit on saturday.
Meanwhile, I have altered my food intake to compensate for my lack of intensity in the physical department and seem to be taking in around 1800 cals per day with around 120g protein.
Roll on the weekend

[vivid]

Originally Posted by Streetman

1) Eat every 3 hours, as soon as you wake, and right before bed

I thought its was best not to eat 2hrs before bed otherwise it just gets stored? So a protein shake before bed would be a good idea?