[Redeemer]

When I first joined this board in 2003 I was going to the gym 4 days a week, had a clean diet, and am estimating around 19%bf. I was around 255 lbs and am 6'2".
My current job is sedentary, and invloved taking clients out to eat regularly and there is copious alcohol consumption as well.
I am now around 238lbs and think my bf% is over 30.

Clearly I need to get my exercise on track, but I am looking for suggestions on getting to the 5 or 6 meals a day. I do not eat breakfast but drink coffee thoughout the morning. When I do eat lunch it is high calorie resturant food. Dinner is usually healthy but big. I am clearly not in a defecit. Here is the thing, I cannot force myself to eat in the morning or snack throughout the day. I never get hungry before noon. I do not want this to become a health risk but think I am on the road to becoming a big fat fatty. Any suggestions for first steps towards getting back on track?

[EasyEJL]

Eat even if you aren't hungry. Have the breakfast anyway. raise fiber content, order different things at lunch

[edwards]

If you are 25% BF (conservative estimate) that means you have about 190 lbs of Lean Body Mass (LBM.) At 15 calories per lb of LBM, thats 2850 calories a day. 15 calories per lb of lbm is good for someone exercising and lifting 4x a week at least. Since you are pretty sedentary, you might consider eating a bit less.

At 2800 a day, you need to eat about 450 calories 6 x a day. This includes breakfast! You will have a much harder time losing weight if you don't eat breakfast!! (edited) You need to jumpstart your metabolism. Period. Force yourself.

Stop Drinking. 1 shot has over 100 calories in it. A Captain and Coke has over 250. Empty calories. Worthless calories.

Going out to eat? Grilled Chicken salad. Fish and vegetables. (Remember you only want 450 calories worth.)

Drink water.

I was 240 lbs at 5'10. I'm 192 and muscular now. Good luck.

[edwards]

There has been evidence to suggest that copious coffee consumption also increases estrogen in males. So limit it to a cup or two in the morning.

[methodice]

Can you point me to the Coffee estrogen link?

[EasyEJL]

Originally Posted by edwards

If you are 25% BF (conservative estimate) that means you have about 190 lbs of Lean Body Mass (LBM.) At 15 calories per lb of LBM, thats 2850 calories a day. 15 calories per lb of lbm is good for someone exercising and lifting 4x a week at least. Since you are pretty sedentary, you might consider eating a bit less.

At 2800 a day, you need to eat about 450 calories 6 x a day. This includes breakfast! You absolutely won't lose weight if you don't eat breakfast!! You need to jumpstart your metabolism. Period. Force yourself.

Stop Drinking. 1 shot has over 100 calories in it. A Captain and Coke has over 250. Empty calories. Worthless calories.

Going out to eat? Grilled Chicken salad. Fish and vegetables. (Remember you only want 450 calories worth.)

Drink water.

I was 240 lbs at 5'10. I'm 192 and muscular now. Good luck.

in jan 07 I was 245 at 5'9.5, now at 202 + still going down (was a little lower, did a bulk just to switch off), in that time frame i've added at least 10-15lbs of lean mass as well, maybe as high as 20-25. Hard to tell for sure.

[edwards]

Originally Posted by methodice

Can you point me to the Coffee estrogen link?

Caffeine increases ESTROGEN

take it for what its worth. i still love my caffeine. in moderation

[neoborn]

Originally Posted by Redeemer

Dinner is usually healthy but big. I am clearly not in a defecit. Here is the thing, I cannot force myself to eat in the morning or snack throughout the day. I never get hungry before noon.

There are several answers. The way to get yourself to get hungry is to perhaps do some cardio first thing in the morning, shower etc get ready and then see how you feel. Once you are about to leave for work etc or go to work have a meal replacement shake. You can get a blender bottle from NP made by Sundesa. You can also get some meal replacement powder from them and go from there. Just break your dinner down into three small meals that consist of small palm size of meat and small palm size of veggies. If you still cannot get hungry you can try black hole which may help you.

1. Eat smaller healthier meals more frequently for your height etc reating a calorie deficit.

2. Exercise more frequently / daily

3. Exchange your coffee for water and sip throughout the day: 2ltrs

Here is my obligatory spam:

1. Workout hard - There are many different workout regimes, many that work well. Generally: Strength training is in the 6 rep range / Bodybuilding in the 8-10 rep range. - Rep range warmup: 15 ( sets 1 & 2 ) Working: 10, 8, 6 last three sets add drop sets to failure )

2. Fast Efficient Workouts = 1hr - This is not hard and fast but studies have shown that Cortisol rises after 1hr

3. Protein shake immediately after workout and then protein meal with carbs etc within 1hr

4. Creatine - Mono or CEE you decide. Both before and after workout.

5. Daily meals - 5 - 6 day ( including shakes ) protein = 1g per pound of body weight. Meal 1 ( breakies ) is shake plus oatmeal or whatever else you want ( apple is good fibre / system crap mover ), Meal 6 is post workout shake with creatine etc and then solid food meal. Carbs tapered down from morning to evening and fats tapered up from morning to evening. Protein is a constant.

6. Sleep 8 - 10 hrs a night ( very imp for all natural BB'ers )

7. Supps - Do you note the order in which these are and where supps come??? - a) Multivitamin / B complex b) Whey protein c) creatine e) Test boosters / stacks etc

Most importantly do you see the order of these things?

Exercises: Compound movements i.e. two arm two leg exercises.

1. Squats - Biggest muscle and boosts test like crazy, work em hard and see results big time.

2. Deadlifts / Chins / Bent over Rows / Pulldowns - 1st attempt either an palm up or palm down chin at the beginning of your back workout, if you can do one, try two, if you can do 15, add weight. Most important for back is to make the mind / muscle connection. Concentrate ( start with low weight and excellent form ) on getting a good contraction and not swinging with the weight. Calm controlled up down with good squeeze of lats at bottom of rep. All about the connection / squeeze

3. Leg press

4. Flat Bench Dumbell / Barbell - Always swap it up, it takes more muscle etc to do dumbells ( stabilizing muscles etc ) but switch it up - Start with dips to hit lower chest then move to flat bench / incline.

5. Core work - Abs / lower back - work the weaker harder.

This should give you a good idea....Best thing for test.....squats ....good form, warm up well, be careful and grow!

Much Love,

Neoborn

[TenMan]

Originally Posted by edwards

You absolutely won't lose weight if you don't eat breakfast!!

What? That's not true at all. Optimally breakfast should be accounted for, but to say "you absolutely woN't lose weight" is false. Losing weight is about overall calorie defeceit. Losing fat is about nutrient timing.

Originally Posted by edwards

Stop Drinking. 1 shot has over 100 calories in it. A Captain and Coke has over 250. Empty calories. Worthless calories.

I disagree w/ this as well. I believe moderation is the key. I agree they are empty calories, but I also think if it's something he enjoys he should learn to do it in moderation.

OP,

Neoborn gave you a good place to start. My biggest advice would be have patience. You didN't put the weight on overnight, and it's not going to come off that fast either. Discipline, determination and dedication.

Rome wasN't built in a day friend.

[avenue Red]

if your not hungry in the morning make a quick shake.

8oz skim milk
50g protein powder
1/2 banana
1/2 cup oats
1tbsp natural peanut butter

[Hank Vangut]

you can retrain your body to crave a big breakfast and small dinner. but you have to work at it initially.

that would be the easiest change to start with.

[edwards]

Originally Posted by TenMan

What? That's not true at all. Optimally breakfast should be accounted for, but to say "you absolutely woN't lose weight" is false. Losing weight is about overall calorie defeceit. Losing fat is about nutrient timing.



I disagree w/ this as well. I believe moderation is the key. I agree they are empty calories, but I also think if it's something he enjoys he should learn to do it in moderation.

OP,

Neoborn gave you a good place to start. My biggest advice would be have patience. You didN't put the weight on overnight, and it's not going to come off that fast either. Discipline, determination and dedication.

Rome wasN't built in a day friend.

He is 30% BF and wants to lose weight. He doesn't need the extra calories. If he wants a few drinks a week, like a normal person, fine. But he's been drinking "copiously." I recommend he cut them out. If hes not an alcoholic, he should have no trouble stopping.

Not eating breakfast is one of the biggest mistakes people make. my blanket statement about breakfast was false and I edited the post to reflect it. thanks for pointing that out. however, breakfast is extremely important for weightloss because it gets the body's metabolism started for the day.

A caloric deficit is the most important thing.
Sure, You can lose weight eating only 1000 calories of butter a day at 10:00 pm as long as you burn 1001 calories. But is this optimal for weight loss? Would it be better to eat good quality food spaced properly throughout the day?

[Redeemer]

This is a great place to start guys. I am going to start a log and get my wife to take some before pics. That will give me more motivation. Cheers.

[edwards]

excellent. good luck!