fedwards3
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I have a lot of questions, and would really appreciate any and all info you guys can give me. I'm getting back into lifting after being off for about a year. I'm currently 6'3" and about 190lbs. 12 months ago I was over 225 and looking pretty good. I've since lost 35 lbs of muscle, and although I'm a thin guy, 80% of my bodyfat is concentrated around my waist. Hips, stomach, gut basically, and it's driving me nuts.
Ultimately, I would like to bulk back up to 235/245lbs, and lose the fat around my waist at the same time. Preferrably 6 or 8 pack, if possible, but there are a lot of things I know I'm not doing right or unknowledgable about, and this is where I need the most help.
I'm just going to write a little about what my intake is everyday. I know my habits are not good and this is why I'm looking for your advice, and to be steered in the right direction.
I read online strength training is better for losing calories than cardio, due to increased muscle mass which ends up burning more calories. This is good because I believe strength training is the best way to get back to 235/245, correct? At the same time, I'd be losing fat calories?
I don't think I have an issue with my workouts, aside from the fact that I don't do a lot of abs/core. Is that bad, and if so, how bad?
Also, I'm not on any diet of any sort. I have done my best to cut out certain foods like anything fried, and I try to stay away from sugar completely. No soda, candy, etc. This may sound lazy and I know it's probably not good, but often I only eat 2 meals a day, but don't do a lot of snacking either. Sometimes, I don't eat until 3 or 4 or even more hours after I've woken up either, which ultimately means i'm skipping breakfast, and I've heard that's bad as well.
When I do eat, it's pretty much anything not friend or fast food. A lot of red meat, pasta microwavable dinners with vegetables, and 2% milk.
I don't drink beer, but when I do go out with friends I drink Southern Comfort and Redbulls. Usually between 1 and 5 of them. How detrimental to my goals are those drinks?
Also, I'm constantly craving a pepsi or coke or even sugar, and can usually keep myself from finding some. I've yet to get addicted to drinking water, but I'm trying. In the mean time, I've replaced it with a lot of iced tea with 3 or 4 sweet n lows, or crystal light packets in water, or 2% milk. Are any of these bad?
In summary, here are a few of my most important questions.
1. Should I be devoting a day to abs/core, even if I'm strength training?
2. I'm 100% sure everyone will tell me I need to get on a strict diet. If so, which would you recommend? It's the foods and diet I'm mostly confused about, I never know what I can/cannot, should or should not eat, and/or when either.
3. In relation to the diet. What substances/foods/drinks should I NEVER consider consuming? I'm assuming sugar and fried foods are on the top of this list?
4. Is Iced tea bad? Is sweet n low? Or artificial sweeteners? 2% milk? Crystal Light packets? What would be the best things to drink? And not to drink?
5. Do you recommend cardio? I was doing 30 minutes of low heartrate on the stairmaster starting at a lvl 1 and over the course of 4 weeks increased that 30 mins up to a level 6 speed setting. (I sweat buckets, which I believe is good) But since I read that strength training burns fat better than cardio, I havn't been on the stairs much. Should I continue to do both?
6. Any other info or advice you care to share is greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read my plea for help.
Ultimately, I would like to bulk back up to 235/245lbs, and lose the fat around my waist at the same time. Preferrably 6 or 8 pack, if possible, but there are a lot of things I know I'm not doing right or unknowledgable about, and this is where I need the most help.
I'm just going to write a little about what my intake is everyday. I know my habits are not good and this is why I'm looking for your advice, and to be steered in the right direction.
I read online strength training is better for losing calories than cardio, due to increased muscle mass which ends up burning more calories. This is good because I believe strength training is the best way to get back to 235/245, correct? At the same time, I'd be losing fat calories?
I don't think I have an issue with my workouts, aside from the fact that I don't do a lot of abs/core. Is that bad, and if so, how bad?
Also, I'm not on any diet of any sort. I have done my best to cut out certain foods like anything fried, and I try to stay away from sugar completely. No soda, candy, etc. This may sound lazy and I know it's probably not good, but often I only eat 2 meals a day, but don't do a lot of snacking either. Sometimes, I don't eat until 3 or 4 or even more hours after I've woken up either, which ultimately means i'm skipping breakfast, and I've heard that's bad as well.
When I do eat, it's pretty much anything not friend or fast food. A lot of red meat, pasta microwavable dinners with vegetables, and 2% milk.
I don't drink beer, but when I do go out with friends I drink Southern Comfort and Redbulls. Usually between 1 and 5 of them. How detrimental to my goals are those drinks?
Also, I'm constantly craving a pepsi or coke or even sugar, and can usually keep myself from finding some. I've yet to get addicted to drinking water, but I'm trying. In the mean time, I've replaced it with a lot of iced tea with 3 or 4 sweet n lows, or crystal light packets in water, or 2% milk. Are any of these bad?
In summary, here are a few of my most important questions.
1. Should I be devoting a day to abs/core, even if I'm strength training?
2. I'm 100% sure everyone will tell me I need to get on a strict diet. If so, which would you recommend? It's the foods and diet I'm mostly confused about, I never know what I can/cannot, should or should not eat, and/or when either.
3. In relation to the diet. What substances/foods/drinks should I NEVER consider consuming? I'm assuming sugar and fried foods are on the top of this list?
4. Is Iced tea bad? Is sweet n low? Or artificial sweeteners? 2% milk? Crystal Light packets? What would be the best things to drink? And not to drink?
5. Do you recommend cardio? I was doing 30 minutes of low heartrate on the stairmaster starting at a lvl 1 and over the course of 4 weeks increased that 30 mins up to a level 6 speed setting. (I sweat buckets, which I believe is good) But since I read that strength training burns fat better than cardio, I havn't been on the stairs much. Should I continue to do both?
6. Any other info or advice you care to share is greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read my plea for help.