Help Analyze my Workout and Diet

[thedpro]

I am pretty new to this game and am guilty of some (probably standard) rookie mistakes. First I'll start by giving some background. I started going to the gym in June weighing in around 185 with ~25% body fat (pure guess). I am 5'6'. My routine was (and continues to be) a M, W, F set looking something like:

Squats 3-5 x 10
Bench 3-5 x 10
Back 3-5 x 10
Shoulder 3-5 x 10
Triceps 3-5 x 10
Biceps 3-5 x 10

Every month I change up the excercise I do for all except squats.

On Tu, Th and Fr I do ab work, push ups and I run on the machine (currently do around 2.5 miles in 30 minutes or so).

I have been told to get a "real workout" however, I am new to this, and the fact that I have kept up with it speaks volumes, so I'm not gonna mess with it just yet.

For the first few months (until last month actually), I was not eating so clean. Better then I used to, but not clean by any definition. Within the past month, I have been making valid attempts at getting cleaner. My diet looks something like this:

7:45 - two packs of instant oatmeal w/ 1 scoop of protein

10:15 - three egg whites with 2 pieces of whole wheat toast with peanutbutter

1:15 - grilled chicken (sometimes deli meat turkey) in a wrap with provolone cheese

4:00 - Cliff bar

8:30 - after workout shake (2 scoops protein)

10:00 - some type of high protein meal

Currently, the only supplements I take is protein. If anyone can reccomend a good creatine, I may be interested.

I have seen some difference since I started working out, but my ultimate goal is to build mass and get rid of body fat (I am aware that both can't be done at the same time).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

 

[crossy]

Best creatine to get is PureCee from the Afstore.

This is just me but i would change meal 2 maybe to some tuna or whey shake, change the wrap to maybe wholemeal bread (obviously u keep the other contents ). Im a little unsure what a cliff bar is but i take it its some form of protein bar? me personally i would also change that to tuna/fish or whey shake. I have seen people not likeing to many shakes in a day but i use 2-3 depending on my working hours and its worked great for me so far. Read the stickys at the top of the page m8 they are really usefull and full of info. There is a excel form somehwere on the site that will give you a rough estimate of macros etc suited to your goals. Go over to fitday.com and input your daily foods there and you should get a rough idea from that where you can add/change foods etc. Post them up on here and im sure there will be people to help you out

As for your workout tbh i change/tweak mine frequently. I tend to do 2-3 bodyparts 3 times a week Mon-Wed-Fri and i just started HIIT on Tues-Thur-Sat (and sometimes a little cardio on a weight day depeding on how i feel) I started doing 3 x 10-12RM when i lost a fair bit of weight i then started doing 3 X 8 RM and from this upcming monday i will be changing to 5 X 5. So far this has all worked for me but obviously diffrent strokes for diffrent folks.

Crossy

 

[Sassy69]

First congrats on sticking with it, diet included!

I'd suggest, at least once so you have a true idea of what you are eating (i.e. are you eating for your goals cuz diet is 80% of the result) put your meal plan, or a representative meal plan into a food counts program like www.fitday.com (its free, online, pretty easy to use) -- to get a count on total calories and the macro nutrient ratios (%, grams protein ,fat, carbs). This will give a good idea of where you are now and will probably highlight a few things you can change to get better results - i.e. if you need to increase protein, are you gettign enough fats, etc.

Off the top of my head it seems like you are short on protein, not sure about fats, could get better carb sources than wheat bread & that wrap thing (like a sweet potato maybe), consider going w/ plain old-fashioned oats vs. the stuff in the packages -- unless they are plain - people tend ot like the flavored stuff and all the flavoring tends to just screw up your attempt at "clean" food (i.e. sugar, etc.) Also not sure how many veggies you are getting. When you start to clean up your diet and for lots of people this tends to mean their processed carbs & fats drop & their protein intake goes up. You want the veggies to help keep you 'cleaned out' and they are just good for you.

Training-wise - if you are doing 10 reps each, I'd probably keep your sets to 3 max - focus on tight form, intensity & lift heavy. High reps don't really get you much. Especially when you just start into the whole gym thing, the potential for fast results in both strength increase & fat loss is there so don't waste it.

 

[thedpro]

First congrats on sticking with it, diet included!

I'd suggest, at least once so you have a true idea of what you are eating (i.e. are you eating for your goals cuz diet is 80% of the result) put your meal plan, or a representative meal plan into a food counts program like www.fitday.com (its free, online, pretty easy to use) -- to get a count on total calories and the macro nutrient ratios (%, grams protein ,fat, carbs). This will give a good idea of where you are now and will probably highlight a few things you can change to get better results - i.e. if you need to increase protein, are you gettign enough fats, etc.

Off the top of my head it seems like you are short on protein, not sure about fats, could get better carb sources than wheat bread & that wrap thing (like a sweet potato maybe), consider going w/ plain old-fashioned oats vs. the stuff in the packages -- unless they are plain - people tend ot like the flavored stuff and all the flavoring tends to just screw up your attempt at "clean" food (i.e. sugar, etc.) Also not sure how many veggies you are getting. When you start to clean up your diet and for lots of people this tends to mean their processed carbs & fats drop & their protein intake goes up. You want the veggies to help keep you 'cleaned out' and they are just good for you.

Training-wise - if you are doing 10 reps each, I'd probably keep your sets to 3 max - focus on tight form, intensity & lift heavy. High reps don't really get you much. Especially when you just start into the whole gym thing, the potential for fast results in both strength increase & fat loss is there so don't waste it.

Thanks for the information.


As for my diet, it seems to be the anchor for me. For the oatmeal, I usually have plain (I had a few leftover that was flavored), and I flavor it myself with either vanilla or chocolate protein. Admittidly, my carbs are lacking, and when I make my high protein dinner, I sometimes (less then half the time) make a veggie to go with it.

What if I were to do a 5x5 with the exercises above? Dead lifts and me, do not seem to mix well. I always seems to scrape my shins with the bar when I lift. Am I standing too close to the bar when I start? Also, at this time, I'm not sure if I could psychologically afford to put on body fat. I would like to get to around 9-10%. I did an online test, and I am around 15%.

Today:
3 x 25 push ups
1 x 25 sit ups
1 x 25 leg lifts
1 x 25 side bends with 12 lb. dbs (it was the gym in my condo, only ones they had)

Treadmill for 45 minutes.

 

[poysyn]

I assume you are trying to cut..for cutting I like to do more 'isolation' workouts 4-5x per week.

Chest/Tris
Back/Bis
Shoulders/Abs
Legs

Most will argue that is probably not the best route to go, but it works for me so ehh. Your diet is ok, looks kind of low cal to me and I think there is a lot of room for improvement. Do some reading on the diet boards as there are plenty of great resources/posts there..

If you are trying to gain mass, I would refer to the stickies at the top of this page. Doing compound lifts are great for any type of cycle, really..

 

[*Bunny*]

You started a thread. Nice

I agree with Sassy & Crossy, take the time to put your info into fitday to see what you ARE (and are NOT) really eating.

Other thoughts :
* You NEED to get some veggies in there period.
* Shin scraping is not such a bad thing for deads.
* Get a calipered Bodyfat test at your gym or local place that can do it, I suggest finding one, no less than 7 sites for 'accuracy' ...
* You should be eating AT LEAST 1-1.5 g of protein per lb of body weight ... I say "1" b/c I am not sure you are even getting that.
* GOOD Carbs & Healthy fats are not the enemy, choose wisely .. (brown rice, sweet potato, oatmeal [see you got that already ], etc are some of the healthiest you can eat)
* You are not cutting for a competition or a shoot, so I'm not going to comment on the lunch meat, cheese, clif bar or whole wheat bread (IMO grain or ezekial is better) ... Just make sure you are eating the clif bar before or immediately after weight training. I can eat those things like snickers, but they ARE certified Organic
* Creatine from AF Store if you MUST you a supplement
* No fat POST workouts, and try to get a fat + protein before bed, even slow digesting protein if you choose (like casein)
* Abs I would focus on quality more than quantity, weighted decline are good with HOLDS on the eccentric contraction and cable pulldown crunches, hanging leg raises etc...
* Try some HIIT cardio

Just suggestions, pick & choose as you'd like. I am late for work !

Best of luck & great job so far... take progress pics for reference, TRUST me you will WANT these, they show progress better than any scale & bodyfat reading.

 

[thedpro]

You started a thread. Nice

I agree with Sassy & Crossy, take the time to put your info into fitday to see what you ARE (and are NOT) really eating.

Other thoughts :
* You NEED to get some veggies in there period.
* Shin scraping is not such a bad thing for deads.
* Get a calipered Bodyfat test at your gym or local place that can do it, I suggest finding one, no less than 7 sites for 'accuracy' ...
* You should be eating AT LEAST 1-1.5 g of protein per lb of body weight ... I say "1" b/c I am not sure you are even getting that.
* GOOD Carbs & Healthy fats are not the enemy, choose wisely .. (brown rice, sweet potato, oatmeal [see you got that already ], etc are some of the healthiest you can eat)
* You are not cutting for a competition or a shoot, so I'm not going to comment on the lunch meat, cheese, clif bar or whole wheat bread (IMO grain or ezekial is better) ... Just make sure you are eating the clif bar before or immediately after weight training. I can eat those things like snickers, but they ARE certified Organic
* Creatine from AF Store if you MUST you a supplement
* No fat POST workouts, and try to get a fat + protein before bed, even slow digesting protein if you choose (like casein)
* Abs I would focus on quality more than quantity, weighted decline are good with HOLDS on the eccentric contraction and cable pulldown crunches, hanging leg raises etc...
* Try some HIIT cardio

Just suggestions, pick & choose as you'd like. I am late for work !

Best of luck & great job so far... take progress pics for reference, TRUST me you will WANT these, they show progress better than any scale & bodyfat reading.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. To further give you (or anyone reading this) an idea as to what I am doing:
1. I DO eat veggies. At least once or twice a week. Yes, I know its not enough, but before it was once or twice a month, if that.

2. Ok, I will give them another shot. I thought I was doing something very wrong.

3. Are you saying I should go to 7 sites for accuracy? Any suggestions as to which ones?

4. I'm trying, its tough. I never thought eating would be this difficult.

5. see above.

6. What does it mean that a Clif bar is certified organic? It sounds like a good thing, no?

7. I don't NEED creatine. I've just heard many tremendous success stories about it.

8. I generally have cottage cheese with peanut butter and a scoop of protein at night before I go to sleep.

9. My abs aren't ready for the weight. I will get there though.

10. I was doing that last night on the treadmill. I liked it. I will continue.

Thanks again for the encourgment and information. It IS appreciated. I do have some pics. They are not uploaded yet though. I will work on getting that.

 

[*Bunny*]

Thanks for taking the time to respond. To further give you (or anyone reading this) an idea as to what I am doing:
1. I DO eat veggies. At least once or twice a week. Yes, I know its not enough, but before it was once or twice a month, if that. once or twice DAILY my dear if where you should be

2. Ok, I will give them another shot. I thought I was doing something very wrong. Great site to check for proper form & technique http://www.aceathlete.com/hatch/video.htm

3. Are you saying I should go to 7 sites for accuracy? Any suggestions as to which ones? 7 sites on Your body will be pulled & pinched by a competent (lets hope) trainer ..

4. I'm trying, its tough. I never thought eating would be this difficult. Gotta start somewhere Baby steps, less overwhelming that way

5. see above. Ditto

6. What does it mean that a Clif bar is certified organic? It sounds like a good thing, no? I cannot find research to back this up (pushed for time) but some protein bars LIE, and you do not get what is on the label. Also in the heating process, the macronutrients are 'wasted' ... IMO the CLIF bar is high in cals & carbs for such a little thing but it tastes dang good & is a decent choice. There are better ones with higher Protein/Lower Carb ratio though .. cannot speak for quality, you'll have to try some out. Keep in mind, real food is the best option when at all possible, those are good for convenience

7. I don't NEED creatine. I've just heard many tremendous success stories about it. I've had success with & without it.

8. I generally have cottage cheese with peanut butter and a scoop of protein at night before I go to sleep. cool

9. My abs aren't ready for the weight. I will get there though. Your bodyweight for decline abs is plenty ... you can slowly increase as you build your core & strength

10. I was doing that last night on the treadmill. I liked it. I will continue. GREAT results this way IMO ... watch for shins for tread running etc.

Thanks again for the encourgment and information. It IS appreciated. I do have some pics. They are not uploaded yet though. I will work on getting that.

 

[BiggT]

Your routine should be fine so long as you can still make linear progress (just go in and add weight each time). That doesn't last forever, or else time and consistency would be the only obstacles to a 1000lb deadlift. As you get more advanced, more planning is necessary. If you're gaining on what you're doing, check out Mark Ripptoe's 3x5, it is detailed in the sticky at the top......if you like full-body workouts and can't simply just put weight on the bar every single time anymore, then look through the classic Bill Starr-style 5x5.

Muscle is calorically expensive, the more you have, the better your metabolism. To build muscle (without obscene amounts of steroids to enhance the stimulus to even the crappiest training) you need to have a way to make training quantifiable or measurable so that you actually KNOW if you're progressing. So, you need a conatant. 1 is sets and reps, keep sets and reps the same and add weight and you'll progress. The other is choice is weight, hold weight constant and increase sets and/or reps and you'll progress. This is only true if you eat to caloric excess. So, you just need a routine that fosters progress, the "routine" isn't so much important, there is no voo-doo or magic to days/sets/reps/exercises/angles, the idea is just simple progression.

Diet.....you'll get great, detailed, accurate info on the diet board for sure.....what works for me is to eat a lot of calories that are mostly clean. I overeat lean beef/chicken/fish, I eat lots of complex carbs. I eat salads/green veggies. Breakfast is always whole eggs, oatmeal, milk, and sometimes some kind of meat like lean bacon or something. I like a lot of good fats too. I'll add in protein shakes if I am feeling lazy or pinched for time. A cheat here and there is ok if not cutting, I say eat them as your body allows, if you can afford to eat some crap withut it derailing you, go ahead, if your body can't tolerate/process it, keep them to a minimum.

My personal opinions and feelings on supplements are from experience. The bodybuilding industry is involved in a cover-up of sorts, they are covering up the fact that the IFBB Pro's physiques are TOTALLY reliant on huge doses of drugs and ancillaries. Supplement companies have a lot of money, they pay the mags a fortune to run ads with a pic of some guy with 8% bdyfat at 300lbs and they ''allude'' to the fact that so and so uses this product......most of them do nothing, some give you a little pick-me up and people think they have stumbled on the secret to Bb success.....supplement ads are the modern day Charles Atlas ads, no more, no less......I started lifting weights in '92 when I was 13, I remember being a kid and seeing EVERYTHING hit the market. I remember the Ripped Fuel craze, I remember the day Creatine hit the shelves, I remember the Andro craze (sparked when Mark Maguire planted that bottle in his locker himself to steer people away from real steroid accusations by the way, lol, my own theory confirmed by Jose Canseco's theory, lol), there is the NO2 craze, it goes on and on and is BIG business and lots of people make a lot of money. I feel that if you eat enough quality food, that you won't notice supplements. Some people take creatine and fill w/ 10lbs of water and are a little stronger on static lifts because of the water, if that helps them, great, but I never got much out of it that loading up on milk and red meat didn't provide me with. NO2....I'd rather drink coffee for energy, plus a pump is an annoyance and it not indicative of a quality workout and plays no role in long-term progress. Seriously, spend the money on a good book like "Starting Strength" and at the grocery store.

 

[*Bunny*]

To add to BiggT's post re:supps, that is why I use Anafit IF I want something... the AF does not flood the market with advertising in stores & in magazines, they put the $$ into creatng a good product, and will pull the product from the shelves if it is not up to par...

Good Luck!