Problem areas

[BillyATO]

If anyone with a lot of knowledge or personal experence reads this please help me. I used to be way overweight (January '01 I weighed 295 @ 30-40 bf% (maybe more), my height is 6'4"). When the time came to buy 40" waist jeans I decided no way and lost 50# in about 3 months (I just stopped eating, not the smartest way, but I was uninformed and it was effective). I started going to the gym at the end of March '01 (and could bench almost 100#) and have been going 4 days a week ever since.
I am now 226# @ 15% bf. My problem are is my stomach and love handles; I don't know if it's fat or loose skin or what but it is the last area I really want to trim and I want to do it right without looseing all the muscle I've gained (I bench around 315 and full squat around 400).
I've looked at products like Yohimburn and the like but don't know enough about them to try yet. Would like to fix this without surgery if possible
What would you change to acheive the results I'm looking for?
I've never 'cut' before either but have read a lot on Elite about it.. trying to find as customized a plan as possible (mentally easier for me to stick to). I also work a standard 8-5 40hr week so if I have to have meals during the day it'll have to be something I can put in my desk and eat at my desk.
Just ask me if you need more information in order to help.

Here is an average week for me...
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CURRENT PLAN
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SATURDAY Activity Details
off day Eat Sensibly, no supplements. Yard Work/Chores

SUNDAY Activity Details
off day No supplements. 'Cheat' Lunch w\ Family. Sensible Dinner

MONDAY Activity Details
Time
7:00 AM Wake up
7:25 AM Breakfast Total Oats or Oatmeal
8:05 AM Supplementation 1 Charge (ECA), 60g Protein, 30g Carbs, Ibuprofen (400mg)
11:15 AM Lunch Chicken or Tuna (Sandwich or Salad)
4:00 PM Supplementation 2 Charge (ECA), 60g Protein, 800mg Ibuprofen, 200mg Alpha Lipoic Acid, 5g Glutamine, 1g Glycine
5:10 PM Chest
BB Bench Warmup, 6, 6, 4, 2, -1
DB Incline Bench 3x8
DB Flat Bench 3x8
Cable X-Over (angle down) 3x8
Triceps
Dips 3x8
Skull Crushers 2x8
Tricep Extensions (rope) 3x8
Abs
Kneeling Cable Crunches 3x10
Vertical Hip Raise 3x10
7:00 PM Supplementation 30g Carbs, 10g Creatine
8:00 PM Dinner Grilled Chicken or Salmon w\ Vegetables
10:30 PM Bed

TUESDAY Activity Details
Time
7:00 AM Wake up
7:25 AM Breakfast Total Oats or Oatmeal
8:05 AM Supplementation 1 Charge (ECA), 60g Protein, 30g Carbs, Ibuprofen (400mg)
11:15 AM Lunch Chicken or Tuna (Sandwich or Salad)
4:00 PM Supplementation 2 Charge (ECA), 60g Protein, 800mg Ibuprofen, 200mg Alpha Lipoic Acid, 5g Glutamine, 1g Glycine
5:10 PM Back
SL Deadlift Warmup, 8, 6, 6, 4
Good Mornings 3x8
Lat Pulldown (wide grip) 3x8
Standing BB Rows 3x8
Hip Extensions 3x10
Biceps
EZ-Bar Curls 3x10
Standing DB Curls 3x10
DB Preacher Curls 3x10
Abs
Incline Twisting Situp 3x10
7:00 PM Supplementation 30g Carbs, 10g Creatine
8:00 PM Dinner Grilled Sirloin Steak w\ Vegetables
10:30 PM Bed

WEDNESDAY Activity Details
off day Standard Supplementation

THURSDAY Activity Details
Time
7:00 AM Wake up
7:25 AM Breakfast Total Oats or Oatmeal
8:05 AM Supplementation 1 Charge (ECA), 60g Protein, 30g Carbs, Ibuprofen (400mg)
11:15 AM Lunch Chicken or Tuna (Sandwich or Salad)
4:00 PM Supplementation 2 Charge (ECA), 60g Protein, 800mg Ibuprofen, 200mg Alpha Lipoic Acid, 5g Glutamine, 1g Glycine
5:10 PM Thursday
Shoulders
Rotator Cuffs 3x12
Military Press 3x8
DB Side Raises 3x12
Upright Rows 3x8
Forearm
DB Wrist Curls 3x10
Reverse BB Wrist Curls 3x10
Abs
Vertical Hip Raise 3x10
Obliques
DB Side Bends 3x10
7:00 PM Supplementation 30g Carbs, 10g Creatine
8:00 PM Dinner Grilled Chicken or Salmon w\ Vegetables
10:30 PM Bed

FRIDAY Activity Details
Time
7:00 AM Wake up
7:25 AM Breakfast Total Oats or Oatmeal
8:05 AM Supplementation 1 Charge (ECA), 60g Protein, 30g Carbs, Ibuprofen (400mg)
11:15 AM Lunch Chicken or Tuna (Sandwich or Salad)
4:00 PM Supplementation 2 Charge (ECA), 60g Protein, 800mg Ibuprofen, 200mg Alpha Lipoic Acid, 5g Glutamine, 1g Glycine
5:10 PM Friday
Legs
Full Squat Warmup, 8, 6, 6, 4, 1
Leg Curls 3x10
Sled Press 3x8
Leg Extensions 3x10
Calf Raises 3x10
Reverse Calf Raises 3x10
Abs
Weighted Situps 3x10
Vertical Hip Raise 3x10
7:00 PM Supplementation 30g Carbs, 10g Creatine

8:00 PM Dinner Grilled Sirloin Steak w\ Vegetables
10:30 PM Bed

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Sorry to be so long winded...
Thanks for taking the time to read,
Bill

 

[Greek Freak]

Your problem may either be that because of the weight your skin is a little loose if you just lost it. It could also be a genetic factor. Everyone stores fat differently, for some people it goes strait to their stomach, others legs, and so on. For you that may just be your biggest trouble area but there arent too many things to target that other than a few topicals out there. I have never tried any of them so I couldnt tell you how well they work but I have heard some good things about a few of them. You also may just need to drop your bodyfat a little lower, dont worry about losing some strength when doing so, that will come back once you stabilize. You could try a low carb diet, that will help you lose some weight/fat but you will lose strength with it, then when you start to carb back up a little most of it should come back.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Why all the ibuprofen?

 

[BillyATO]

It's not really that much ibuprofen (3 pills a day on gym days).. it is an anti-inflamatory and pain reliever it really helps with my joints not giving me as many problems as they used to.

 

[Greek Freak]

If your issue is joints I would go with some glucosamine sulfate or something and try to stop taking the pain killers.

 

[doffmaster]

I read that taking pain killers to relieve exercise-induced soreness halts muscle growth. Sorta like "no pain, no gain."

 

[LaviathanX]

Not true. I think someone asked that question in Muscle Media and good ol' Bill Phillips answered it. I mean common sense wise it would seem like an anti-inflammatory would be counterproductive to breaking down muscle tissue by working out, but it just doesn't work that way.

 

[JJFigure]

Basically, with fat storage, the first place you put it on is the last place it comes off. I have your same issue, but my fat storage is in my lower body. My upper body is always lean, but I have to work really hard to get my lower body to lean out, and even though, it's never as lean as my upper body.

By working hard, I mean keeping a diet log, eating very low carbohydrates (with a carb load every four days), and training very intensely. My best advice for you is to eliminate the cheat lunch (just until you get to your desired level of leanness), cut out some of the starches - always choose salad over the sandwich, and keep your rest intervals as short as possible (under 1 minute). I'd still lift as heavy as you can (I tend to train in the 6 rep range), but keep the intensity high and the rests short. This turns your lift into more of an aerobic workout. You can also try switching it up to a different type of workout, just to shock your metabolism. Pre-contest, I've been using an 8x8 workout - 8 sets of 8 reps with the same weight - the kicker is you only get to rest for 15-20 seconds between sets. You do the same amount of exercise, just many more sets. You should be able to finish an exercise in 5 minutes, so you cruise through your workout. You'll definitely get the cardio, plus you get a killer pump. Do this for a month or so and then go back to heavy training if you want. You won't lose muscle - this is a pure muscle builder (but not a strength builder).

Good luck!

 

[SteelWeaver]

Hey JJ - if you're doing the same weight for 8 sets with only 20 secs rest between sets - doesn't that mean you have to start with a weight much lower than what you can truly handle? And when you say "muscle builder", do you mean you have built muscle whilst cutting with this routine? Not picking on you - I think you give GREAT advice, and know your stuff pretty well - just thinking I would probably lose muscle doing that sort of routine. However, I admit I start doing lots of drop sets and superset, tri-sets, giant sets etc in the last few weeks pre-comp, simply because I can't lift much weight anymore ...

BillyATO - your plan looks pretty much fine - at 15% body fat you can still be lifting as hard and heavy as possible. I wouldn't bother with topical fat burners until you're really lean - kind of pointless at 15% - wait til you're 12-10% or less. Use vitamin E lotion to help make your skin a bit more elastic - I don't know if it actually works - but I've heard here and there that it does ...

You might want to add in some flax seed oil or walnuts or almonds or fish oil - this will help with lots of metabolic processes in your body, and MAY actually help your joint problems too.

There's not much point in taking only 5g glutamine. It's best for when you're really really lean, and then should be taken in 5-10g doses spread over the day for 20-40g.

I'd have some protein with that morning oatmeal. And maybe toss out the sandwich and have a yam or something instead. And EAT MORE VEGETABLES. And check your calories, they look kinda low ...

Have you tried cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach? Sprints are good if you can handle them, otherwise moderate cardio for 45 mins or so - makes a big difference in fat burning. Wait an hour or so before eating after cardio.

As for the ibuprofen: are you planning to take it every workout day for the rest of your life? It seems to me you have a kind of short-term view of this. Why mask the pain for short-term benefits? Greek Freak is right - look into glucosamine and chondroitin, or MSM, or something like that. Instead of masking the symptoms, try to go to the cause. Just because you can't feel them doesn't mean they're not taking the strain. Why not try to make a workout that doesn't stress them too much?

Otherwise, good luck! You're on a good path