1st post...Need help from the Big Boys...

[loco75_dfw]

Alright so here's my story. I am getting back into shape after a 5 yr layoff. By nature, I am big and wide. My stats are 31 yo, 5'7" and weight is 225. At the beginning of the year, I had ballooned up to 245!!!! So, I changed my diet to include 6 small meals throughout the day that consist of mainly protein, complex carbs and veggies. My morning and evening end with 2 scoops of whey.

I have also gotten back into weight lifting. My main question is this. How can I successfully keep dropping fat/weight while mainting my muscle mass? Is it as easy as jacking up the amount of protein I eat? My body type is wide and stocky but I also have these horrible love handles. I need to keep at the cardio DAILY otherwise, I balloon again. So, can I keep seeing muscular gains while doing 30 minutes of intense cardio daily???? Is the secret to increase protein to the point where I am eating 2 or 3 grams per pound of body weight???? I need to know how u other big boys do it.

Oh and btw, my plan is to keep progressing and perhaps try a cycle of AS later on in the summer. My personal best was 315 bench press and 405 squat but that was 5 years ago working out in a home gym in my garage. I want to push my body as hard as I can now to see my limits.

Anyway, I'll look forward to hearing your responses.

 

[rdel85]

i'm not one of the big boys but any more protein that 2grams per pound I think you would just piss it all out. You should post your diet to get some sound advice. best of luck,

 

[al420]

Love handles will be the last to go. Huge Back/Traps/SHourders/Chest can give the illusion that they are gone quicker...

Check out the diet forum for some ideas, but 2 grams of protien per pound of lean mass is plenty - so for you assuming you arre 20%+ you should back the protien down to say 180 grams per day (you only want to feed the 'muscle'). FOr me, dropping carbs after lunch and not having many cheat meals does the trick, but I never see my abs.

As far as training goes I would get on the Rippetoe 3x5. It is a beginner program, and a 5 year layoff gives you the ability to possibly train like a beginner (this is a good thinkg b/c beginners can make much faster progress w/out stalling) - meaning making linear progress workout to workout. Once this stalls try the Bill Starr 5x5 (there are links in the training vault sticky) and do that for 10 weeks. 20 weeks later I bet you hit that 405 squat again - depending on how you eat/train.

 

[loco75_dfw]

Thanks for the advice. I know what you mean about the cheat meals. To be honest,I give myself one cheat day per week. For the most part, I cut out red meat and have focused on chicken, pork, fish, and whole wheat toast and oatmeal for 6 days out of the week. I stop eating after 8:00pm. I workout Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday and basically do chest and arms on Sunday, Thursday and legs, back on Tuesday. The next week I reverse it and hit my back for 2 days and arms for 1. I feel myself getting stronger on this routine. I am already working out with 70# dumbbells for my chest with 4 sets of 10. Anyway now that I am older, I want to be big but at the same time, have that 6 pack. I have NEVER EVER in my life seen any of my abs.

I guess for now I'll do what u suggest and read up on the dieting section here.

Love handles will be the last to go. Huge Back/Traps/SHourders/Chest can give the illusion that they are gone quicker...

Check out the diet forum for some ideas, but 2 grams of protien per pound of lean mass is plenty - so for you assuming you arre 20%+ you should back the protien down to say 180 grams per day (you only want to feed the 'muscle'). FOr me, dropping carbs after lunch and not having many cheat meals does the trick, but I never see my abs.

As far as training goes I would get on the Rippetoe 3x5. It is a beginner program, and a 5 year layoff gives you the ability to possibly train like a beginner (this is a good thinkg b/c beginners can make much faster progress w/out stalling) - meaning making linear progress workout to workout. Once this stalls try the Bill Starr 5x5 (there are links in the training vault sticky) and do that for 10 weeks. 20 weeks later I bet you hit that 405 squat again - depending on how you eat/train.

 

[hiasdamoon]

Sounds like you have the right train of thought going for you. Most people don't have a clue about DIET....but think they do. You have come to the right place. I finally just joined up here, been a lurker, there really are some very smart, and training savvy folks here, moreso than some other boards I visit. Going to agree with the other guy 2grams/lb is probably plenty at this stage.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

Im a little guy, but I have watched my best friend use diet and excercise to loose damn near 100 pounds as of this week. Cut cut his carbs to 20g per day, increased his protein to 1g per 1lb of bodyweight, cut fat to 40g per day, and started doing cardio in the last two months 5x a week for 45minutes a day.

Recently he has started lifting. I bugged his ear about the 5x5 routine, and although he is pre-exhausting himself with cardio and on a load of caffeine and speed, his strength is already increasing.


You look to have everything pretty much in order already, just takes dedication to stick to the diet.

 

[eric22]

I would go Berardi style. Protein and veggies every meal, 5-6 small meals a day and any grain, starchy carbs only after workouts. You can have 1-2 pieces of fruit a day .

What I would do is have a half cheat day. This way nothing is off limits but I would wait until you are leander to have a full cheat day.

Mix in some heavy lifting and walk as much as you can and its a lock you will lose the weight.

Cant help you with the juice though, leave that one for the experts.

Alright so here's my story. I am getting back into shape after a 5 yr layoff. By nature, I am big and wide. My stats are 31 yo, 5'7" and weight is 225. At the beginning of the year, I had ballooned up to 245!!!! So, I changed my diet to include 6 small meals throughout the day that consist of mainly protein, complex carbs and veggies. My morning and evening end with 2 scoops of whey.

I have also gotten back into weight lifting. My main question is this. How can I successfully keep dropping fat/weight while mainting my muscle mass? Is it as easy as jacking up the amount of protein I eat? My body type is wide and stocky but I also have these horrible love handles. I need to keep at the cardio DAILY otherwise, I balloon again. So, can I keep seeing muscular gains while doing 30 minutes of intense cardio daily???? Is the secret to increase protein to the point where I am eating 2 or 3 grams per pound of body weight???? I need to know how u other big boys do it.

Oh and btw, my plan is to keep progressing and perhaps try a cycle of AS later on in the summer. My personal best was 315 bench press and 405 squat but that was 5 years ago working out in a home gym in my garage. I want to push my body as hard as I can now to see my limits.

Anyway, I'll look forward to hearing your responses.