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Lifestyle physical health/fitness thread
- Thread starter Ninahaza
- Start date
Here what I look like now. I am about 183cm tall and weigh around 78kg. This is me without really working out/on a diet. I am guessing my bodyfat to be around 20-25%. My longterm goal is get up to 91kg, may be even 102kg completely shredded say about 5% bodyfat. My ideal physique is something like Jeff Seid/Aziz Shavershian/Simeon Panda/Greg Plitt/Steve Cook/Alon Gabbay/Harrison Twins/Jaco/Ulysses etc. They all look pretty similar with a few a little bigger than others. I was looking into some input on my physique now like genetically/structurally where my strengths and weaknesses are. I know this might be a little premature but I really can't tell what my strengths and weaknesses compared to another guy. I am not thinking my legs are one of my weaknesses I don't know though. I have a lot questions like what do think my bodyfat is? What is my body type? What is a realistical goal for my physique for June 2016? I want to bulk up the next 6 months or so and then get shredded for the summer. I was also wondering how fast I can I build muscle with out steroids and how big I can get. How should I get started? What is a good starting routine? how often should I train? What should my macros be like? What is the cheapest possible way to bulk up while still staying health conscious? What supplements should I first take? How long will it take to reach my ideal physique? I eventually want to do fitness modeling/personal training full time.
Sorry bro, but none of those guys you mentioned are natural? Firstly 5% is comp body fat only and is unhealthy to maintain for a long period of time. Secondly, you're just physically not going to be that big and shredded and be natural at the same time. Based on the wrist measurement thing, my genetic potential naturally if I do EVERYTHING right is 91 kg @ 10% body fat. Still a fucking machine mind you, but not the same as those guys you mentioned. You're eventually going to face the reality that you can have a good body naturally, but you'll never look like Seid/Steve Cook/Lazar etc without steroids. Up to you which road you choose but might as well burst your bubble before you get disappointed with yourself that you're not seeing the results you expected.
How big I can I get naturally? what is my genetic potential?
There are a some successful fitness models who appear aren't particularly big who may appear natural. A few that come to mind are Sadik, and Christian guzman and some others. A few of the people I have already mentioned are of similar size of 180cm/91kg @ 10% they are obviously a but leaner but they weight a bit less.
you're approaching it the wrong way
who cares what your ceiling is, you're nowhere near it.
I know guys who came out for their first day of cross country overweight with chubby faces who ended up running sub-4:10 miles years later, and guys who ran sub-6 miles on their first attempt that never broke 4:30. it's impossible to tell what the limits of your capabilities are before a year, probably more than a year of training no matter what the activity. start training and worry about the rest later
who cares what your ceiling is, you're nowhere near it.
I know guys who came out for their first day of cross country overweight with chubby faces who ended up running sub-4:10 miles years later, and guys who ran sub-6 miles on their first attempt that never broke 4:30. it's impossible to tell what the limits of your capabilities are before a year, probably more than a year of training no matter what the activity. start training and worry about the rest later
I agree with all this. STEELDRAGON I don't want to tell you what your genetic potential is cause then you're placing ceilings on yourself. I did it for myself only after years of training because I was curious to get a ballpark figure. On the flip side Stathakis I didn't want the guy to get discouraged that he looked nothing like his idols even after years of hard work and good diet. I know it used to bum me out. Steroids in the fitness and bodybuilding industry are skewing the perception of what is naturally achievable in the gym, especially for new people who don't know any better
fair enough but if you've put in the years of hard work that it takes to reach some sort of genetic ceiling and stop progressing because you are as good as is humanly possible for you, you've probably found different sources of motivation by that point. until that point I don't think it's very possible to tell just how good you can get at anything.
sauce: I started running 80 mile weeks because I wanted to be the next el guerrouj (like, I literally thought I could win a gold medal at the olympics), now have accepted that I will never be that good but still enjoy pursuing fitness and fast mile times.
concession: you have fitness model aspirations & experience that are more relevant to him and I don't, and also that maybe initial measurements are more relevant to physique performance ceilings i.e. better predictors of how good you will be
sauce: I started running 80 mile weeks because I wanted to be the next el guerrouj (like, I literally thought I could win a gold medal at the olympics), now have accepted that I will never be that good but still enjoy pursuing fitness and fast mile times.
concession: you have fitness model aspirations & experience that are more relevant to him and I don't, and also that maybe initial measurements are more relevant to physique performance ceilings i.e. better predictors of how good you will be
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How would I go about starting to bulk up and start my journey?
I'll simplify it for you. Eat more: way more. I was always afraid of getting fat, but whenever I cut I'd have no quality muscle to show for it. Its only recently that I've dedicated a good 10 months to bulking and I've gotten significantly bigger. I start my cut next week, so hopefully in 14 weeks time I'll be looking awesome. As of now, just eat a lot, eat well and focus on good technique and building every week. Its a long journey and a process, but the results will be worth it. My advice is to not worry too much about abs and just focus on getting quality muscle. When you're happy with your muscle mass, cut. After you've got that base, you can bulk more gradually while still staying relatively lean :).
Thanks for you advice bro :)
What should my diet be like? Is there much different between 3 and 6 meals a day? What would be a realistic goal for myself in 9 months? How many calories would be a good starting point?
I've heard about a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is a good number. I am thinking that most of my protein will come from fish(salmon/mackerel/tuna), egg whites, soybeans, and chicken. I think good carb sources would be oatmeal, quinoa, beans, lentils, blueberries, and vegetables. I will probably add some Quest Bars since they have a impressive profile. Most of my fats will come from Peanut Butter, Almonds, and Salmon. What are the most budget friendly options?
Are there any supplements that really help?
I hear some coaches say 6 meals helps fire up the metabolism but from what I've heard, the benefits are negligible. The larger benefit from 6 meals a day is that more frequency of meals = the less you're hungry, so for cutting especially its really handy. Overall calories are what's most important.
I'm not gonna tell you what's realistic in 9 months, because as Stath said, everyone's different. What is realistic is that in 9 months, the improvements you'll see will be very visible to yourself and everyone else around you, and thatll make you super amped up to reach your next set of goals.
Regarding calories, it honestly depends on how often you train, your height and your current weight. Google iifym calorie calculator for a good starting point. And yeah, that sounds like a good protein number to aim for. For cheapest sources of protein, in Australia you can get tuna for dirt cheap and it has an amazing macro break down. Our country is super strict on mercury regulation too, so there's no real danger of back lash for that. A mass gainer or whey protein can be a cost effective way to get extra calories if you buy it in bulk. Generally speaking, the less processed the food, the cheaper it'll be and easier it'll be to afford. If you're on a really tight budget, I get noodles for 99 cents as a quick source of carbs. Rice is better nutritionally, but it costs about 4 times as much so it can be a handy source of calories in a pinch. I'm talking about the Trident ones though, stay away from Mi Goreng and other sources of hydrogenated oils.
For me the most essential supplement is creatine. It draws water into the muscle and will help give you explosive energy, its scientifically proven as well. The other tier a supplements are bcaas to sip on during your workout to help fuel muscle rebuilding, and whey protein for obvious reasons. Pre trainer is handy sometimes but I wouldn't call it essential. Definitely stay away from anything promoting muscle growth or fat burning (unless the latter has Yohimbe in it, might be banned in your country though). Those products are usually snake oil and piggyback off the steroid pumped body's of the fitness models endorsing them, tricking people into thinking its the products that did that rather then all the illegal stuff they take. Hope I helped!
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Great thanks for all of your insight!
How important is sleep to making gains? what should my training be like? any particular exercises that I should do or stay away from? Should I do cardio when bulking?
Today begins the start of my 14 week cut. I'm currently sitting at 89.2 kilos and am the most muscular ive ever been, but now its time to get abs. Will be doing yoga once a week to help my flexibility, f45 hiit cardio circuit once a week and training with my kick boxing friend once a week - in addition to my usual weightlifting endeavors.
Starting out on a 500 calorie deficit, here are my approx macros for now:
GRAMS per day
Carbs: 286.5
Protein: 225.7
Fat: 78.5
Total cals: 2755
Here's to the next 14 weeks, and hoping I don't lose all my gains
Starting out on a 500 calorie deficit, here are my approx macros for now:
GRAMS per day
Carbs: 286.5
Protein: 225.7
Fat: 78.5
Total cals: 2755
Here's to the next 14 weeks, and hoping I don't lose all my gains
Unlucky Desperado
Banned deucer.
So today I used one of those mesh ball protein shaker bottles with my powder but it tasted like absolute shit. It was clumpy and I felt like throwing up or gagging because it was so bad. How can I make them taste better with a shaker bottle? I think what I used was chocolate flavored whey protein. I used water, would milk improve the taste?
Infinitely. The trade off is that it isn't as convenient and if you're on a cutting diet it'll add calories to the shake.
make protein pancakes or something with it or use skim milk/low/no fat soy milk. I personally opt for the no fat soy milk cause my diet is mostly minimal saturated fat and sugar (or so I try). The calories aren't too bad if you use no fat soy milk, adding about 200 calories MAX with 80 of those calories coming from protein anyway, so it's not all that bad.
also if it's clumpy then you're definitely not adding enough water to it and/or shaking it well enough. if you don't want to use milk just hold your breath and nose while downing it. You still get the gross aftertaste but it's about 364% more bearable.
Few general anecdotes and observations to share.
So I started my re-entry into the workout world two weeks back. And oh boy I absolutely don't miss the "beginner phase" with sore quads, aching pecs and whatnot. I'm also kind of taking a month-month and half to drop some flab to fit back into my sexy jeans get my body acclimatized to regular stress and shit instead of jumping into some insane routine or whatever.
It's kind of annoying having to scale back on stuff you're used to. You're slower on the treadmill, and panting at barely 3/4th the distance you could cover earlier in double the time. Last week while I was doing some basic upper body circuit training one of the trainers hanging around the gym had to stop me because I was obviously trying to lift heavy-af dumbells than my body couldn't handle, he said he was experienced and he knew when someone was lifting shit beyond their capacity - and had me scale back a third.
Trust me boys, if you ever feel like quitting the gym or slacking off.. just remember how hard it is to get started. Though in my case there was an extreme gap, but it's never pleasant to hard restart.
===RANT OVER===
Now to my main business. I'm giving myself a month or so to get used to the gym again. In this time I start of with a brief 15-20 minutes of cardio and then proceeding to hammer out some compound exercises - alternating between upper and lower with back and abdomen thrown in.
So (1)Should I give myself more time? if so how much.
Secondly, I've never lifted before, if people remember my earlier routine, it was cardio heavy and after that thanks to providence, fate, and just general bad luck I never got around to lifting. So yes, (2)I need to learn to lift. learn the vocabulary, and the different kind of shit people do.
Thirdly once I manage to cut down my flab (till 70-72kg, my ideal BMI) then I (3)need a routine/programme to follow. Possibly a proper lifting regimen coupled with a diet to go along. I'm not looking to turn into Mr. Olympia, but my goals are twofold.
1. Go for the lean and toned look, and not something very bulky/high maintenance. Some decent shred will be nice
2. Build up some solid core strength+stamina - not just looks. Especially strengthen my lower back
I've been exploring some options for the same that are friendly to lifting beginners. Someone recommended Starting Strength to me last year, although it's popular and it seems really nice, there have been some pertinent criticism about the methods of the programme, plus I'm personally not a fan of GOMAD, sounds like an all in bet - either it works out perfectly or you're a fat potato.
Then there are other programmes that people recommend like The Manly Strength Programme (http://www.manlycurls.com/2011/07/the-manly-strength-program/) among others. Are there an good routines floating around?
Please remember I'm a complete novice so many of my assumptions might be wrong/skewed. Please don't reply thinking I know what I'm talking about perfectly. I don't - all of this is a vague idea at best.
So I started my re-entry into the workout world two weeks back. And oh boy I absolutely don't miss the "beginner phase" with sore quads, aching pecs and whatnot. I'm also kind of taking a month-month and half to drop some flab to fit back into my sexy jeans get my body acclimatized to regular stress and shit instead of jumping into some insane routine or whatever.
It's kind of annoying having to scale back on stuff you're used to. You're slower on the treadmill, and panting at barely 3/4th the distance you could cover earlier in double the time. Last week while I was doing some basic upper body circuit training one of the trainers hanging around the gym had to stop me because I was obviously trying to lift heavy-af dumbells than my body couldn't handle, he said he was experienced and he knew when someone was lifting shit beyond their capacity - and had me scale back a third.
Trust me boys, if you ever feel like quitting the gym or slacking off.. just remember how hard it is to get started. Though in my case there was an extreme gap, but it's never pleasant to hard restart.
===RANT OVER===
Now to my main business. I'm giving myself a month or so to get used to the gym again. In this time I start of with a brief 15-20 minutes of cardio and then proceeding to hammer out some compound exercises - alternating between upper and lower with back and abdomen thrown in.
So (1)Should I give myself more time? if so how much.
Secondly, I've never lifted before, if people remember my earlier routine, it was cardio heavy and after that thanks to providence, fate, and just general bad luck I never got around to lifting. So yes, (2)I need to learn to lift. learn the vocabulary, and the different kind of shit people do.
Thirdly once I manage to cut down my flab (till 70-72kg, my ideal BMI) then I (3)need a routine/programme to follow. Possibly a proper lifting regimen coupled with a diet to go along. I'm not looking to turn into Mr. Olympia, but my goals are twofold.
1. Go for the lean and toned look, and not something very bulky/high maintenance. Some decent shred will be nice
2. Build up some solid core strength+stamina - not just looks. Especially strengthen my lower back
I've been exploring some options for the same that are friendly to lifting beginners. Someone recommended Starting Strength to me last year, although it's popular and it seems really nice, there have been some pertinent criticism about the methods of the programme, plus I'm personally not a fan of GOMAD, sounds like an all in bet - either it works out perfectly or you're a fat potato.
Then there are other programmes that people recommend like The Manly Strength Programme (http://www.manlycurls.com/2011/07/the-manly-strength-program/) among others. Are there an good routines floating around?
Please remember I'm a complete novice so many of my assumptions might be wrong/skewed. Please don't reply thinking I know what I'm talking about perfectly. I don't - all of this is a vague idea at best.
SmogonWorkHorse
Banned deucer.
yo man, somalia here. Good to see you doing this. Warming up wise, that's enough, alot of people including several personal trainers that I know do less and then warm out with the actual movement they'd do which I find alot better than doing cardio for 15-20 mins. Back/bicep days warm up with cardio for 5-10 mins then do a few sets of pullups if you cant do 'em use the machine assisted one which I hope you have. So no, don't do more than 15-20 mins, thats a long time, if anything like I said warm out with the movement you'd do, ie. leg extensions and bodyweight squats folloswed by some empty bar squats and some hip flexor excerises if you have the machinery in the gym. I do pushups and grab a dumbell and move my arms around slowly to get blood pumping followed by some empty bar bench press for chest day.
Brief: shorter cardio than you are doing + warming up through the relevant muscle group excerise you'll be doing if that makes sense.
Lifting for the first time is daunting but it isnt as hard as it seems except for squat and deadlift, it took me ages to get the form 100% and I still fucked my back up so just play it safe and dont be ashamed to ask anyone who's knowledgeable in your gym for help, it'll beat watching any youtube video by miles.
I used the 5 x 5 program but I was skinny going to bulk up so I don't know how well it'd do for you but it has given me strength while building a decent foundation of muscle for sure. I feel the good amount of focus on compound movements in of themselves will help you lose some flab lol.
Good luck dude
Haven't posted in ages but I have been trying to gain some weight as of late as I lost like 8-10kgs during back injury + ramadan.
I am doing 70kg bench at 56kgs now and deadlift im only doing 2-2.5 plates atm until my back fully recovers, squat sucks lol about 90kg atm seemed to have lost it. Would like to hit back 4 plates that I was about to reach few months before lol. Only good thing is lately my appetite increased somehow, maybe to do with my new weird sleeping pattern
Brief: shorter cardio than you are doing + warming up through the relevant muscle group excerise you'll be doing if that makes sense.
Lifting for the first time is daunting but it isnt as hard as it seems except for squat and deadlift, it took me ages to get the form 100% and I still fucked my back up so just play it safe and dont be ashamed to ask anyone who's knowledgeable in your gym for help, it'll beat watching any youtube video by miles.
I used the 5 x 5 program but I was skinny going to bulk up so I don't know how well it'd do for you but it has given me strength while building a decent foundation of muscle for sure. I feel the good amount of focus on compound movements in of themselves will help you lose some flab lol.
Good luck dude
Haven't posted in ages but I have been trying to gain some weight as of late as I lost like 8-10kgs during back injury + ramadan.
I am doing 70kg bench at 56kgs now and deadlift im only doing 2-2.5 plates atm until my back fully recovers, squat sucks lol about 90kg atm seemed to have lost it. Would like to hit back 4 plates that I was about to reach few months before lol. Only good thing is lately my appetite increased somehow, maybe to do with my new weird sleeping pattern
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All the guys on here helped me get started 6 months ago, and I found r/fitness a little while after. Honestly those two resources were enough for me. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out a beginner routine that will fit whatever schedule you have. Just focus on compound lifts and form to start.
In the past three months I've fractured a toe, hurt my lower back deadlifting badly enough to need escorting out of the gym and torn one of the muscles in my rotator cuff. Hoping to get back into proper lifting in the next week or so.
I feel so much weaker! My previous best lifts were a 5/4/3 deadlift, squat, bench, and it'll take a while to get back to that level of strength. Injuries suck, but I've learnt many valuable lessons.
I feel so much weaker! My previous best lifts were a 5/4/3 deadlift, squat, bench, and it'll take a while to get back to that level of strength. Injuries suck, but I've learnt many valuable lessons.
Hi sometimes when I exercise I can internally feel my heartbeat in my stomach, I also sometimes get bad cramps in my lower stomach, can anyone tell me if I should be worried?
Well, from stuff I've learned in physiology and a quick Google Search.... I'd say you're fine. You can feel your pulse at various points in your body, and the abdomen is one of them (due to what's called the descending aorta, a very large artery that travels down the abdomen from the heart). Feeling this pulse in your abdomen during exercise isn't too worrisome as you're blood pressure and contractile force of the heart is increased during exercise, which could explain why you feel a pronounced pulse in your abdomen. It's probably better to ask a health professional if you're worried.
Also, for the cramps... it could be due to many things. Could be dehydration and that you did not drink enough water during or before exercise, or it could be what you ate prior to exercise. I'm just saying things based off personal experience and things I've read in textbooks/online, but it would be better to consult a health professional if you're worried!