40 YO newbee looking for advice [Archive] - Page 2

40andNew

04-17-2006, 06:59 AM

Thank you dbflgirl. Our vacation was great. We flew from Miami to San Francisco, stayed there a couple of days, drove all the way down to San Diego, spent a couple of days there, drove to Los Angeles and spent the final 3 days there. Being with my daughter we had to visit Legoland and Disneyland, but we also got to visit many other places (San Diego Zoo, Old town San Diego, Hollywood, as well as Muir Woods close to San Francisco)

We walked a lot, wich was a good form of cardio, I guess. Nutrition was far from good, as we ate in restaurants everyday, many of them of the likes of Dennys and IHOP. Nevertheless, the damage on my body fat was not too big (I measured myself today at 17.1% bf vs 16.9% two weeks ago) although my waist did grow almost 1" :mad:

How was your easter?

ChocoChick

04-17-2006, 07:03 AM

40andNew

04-17-2006, 08:06 AM

Sounds like a nice vacation. I have always wanted to go to San Diego.

What is Legoland? I'm assuming it's something more than the lego thingy at Downtown Disney...?

My Easter was very nice, although I did not exert very much willpower ;) I made up for it at the gym this morning... at least, I tried to!

Are you around for a while or will you be traveling again soon?

San Diego is a great, nice place. Go there whenever you can. Just be careful when driving, if you get lost you can easily end up in Mexico (I almost did)

Legoland is a theme park about 30 miles north of San Diego. And yes, it is much bigger than the Lego thingy in Downtown Disney.

I hope to be around for at least two weeks, but in my case, you never know.

ChocoChick

04-17-2006, 10:58 AM

San Diego is a great, nice place. Go there whenever you can. Just be careful when driving, if you get lost you can easily end up in Mexico (I almost did)

LOL - This almost happened to me in Houston once :eek:

40andNew

04-18-2006, 05:15 AM

I restarted training and dieting (and journaling) after a 10-day hiatus. I am trying something new: Measuring the quantity of food that I eat. I also measured my body fat at 17.1% and my weight at 175.2 lb

8:30am – First meal: Egg white omelet (6 egg whites), instant oatmeal, unsweetened (1 package).

9:00am – NO-Xplode and off to chest/triceps workout:

Chest

Incline dumbbell press – 2x12x50lb DBs, 1x9x50lb DBs
Flat dumbbell press – 1x7x50lb DBs, 1x6x50lb DBs, 1x5x50lb DBs
Incline dumbbell fly – 1x10x40lb DBs, 1x9x40lb DBs, 1x7x40lb DBs

Triceps

Bench dips (with a DB on my lap) –3x10x85lb DB
Lying dumbbell extensions – 3x10x25lb DBs
One-arm kickback – 3x10x40lb DBs

Abs

Leg raises – 3x25
Crunches – 3x25

Total workout time: 46 minutes

11:00am – Second meal: Protein shake, 1 apple.

1:30pm – Third meal: 6.5 oz salmon, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 cup white rice. Values

5:30pm – Fourth meal: 6 egg white omelet, 1 oz almonds

6:00pm – Fifth meal: 5 baked cheese fingers my wife brought me (oops!)

8:30pm – Sixth meal: 1 cup cottage cheese, 2 oz almonds

Total nutritional values for the day:

Calories = 2579
Protein = 255
Carbs = 183
Fat = 94

jaguarr

04-18-2006, 08:14 AM

Hey, glad you had a nice trip, man. Many people have success with measuring their food more closely, particularly when they're trying to cut. Should work well for you.

jag

40andNew

04-18-2006, 07:39 PM

Hey, glad you had a nice trip, man. Many people have success with measuring their food more closely, particularly when they're trying to cut. Should work well for you.

jag

Hey Jag, thanks for stopping by. Its been interesting monitoring my food intake. So far I've discovered that I have a tendency to undereat. I have to fix that.

40andNew

04-18-2006, 07:40 PM

8:30am – First meal: Omelet (3 egg whites, 2 whole eggs), instant oatmeal, unsweetened (1 package).

11:00am – I am in a loooong conference call, my second meal is going to be seriously delayed

1:30pm – Second meal: 6.5 oz baked chicken, 1 cup white rice

5:00pm – Third meal: Protein shake, banana

6:00pm – Fourth meal: 1 cup spinach soup

8:30pm – Fifth meal: 6 sushi roll pieces

10:00pm – Sixth meal: 1 cup cottage cheese, 3 oz almonds

Total nutritional values for the day:

Calories = 2085
Protein = 162
Carbs = 160
Fat = 90

OK, today I ate too little. I need to be closer to 2700 calories/day. No wonder I don’t feeal great today. Also, I missed cardio.

jaguarr

04-19-2006, 11:08 AM

Hey Jag, thanks for stopping by. Its been interesting monitoring my food intake. So far I've discovered that I have a tendency to undereat. I have to fix that.

It's surprisingly easy to undereat, actually. Glad you're discovering this. :)

jag

40andNew

04-19-2006, 07:21 PM

8:00am – First meal: Egg white omelet (6 egg whites), instant oatmeal, unsweetened (1 package). Morning vitamins

Noon – Second meal: 8 oz shredded beef (flank), 1 cup rice, 1 apple

1:30pm – NO-Xplode and off to legs/shoulders workout

Legs

Dumbbell squats – 2x8x75 lb DBs. , 1x7x75lb DBs
Dumbbell lunges – 1x8x30lb DBs, 1x7x30lb DBs, 1x6x30lb DBs
Stiff-legged deadlifts –1x9x75lb DBs, 2x8x75lb DBs
Standing dumbbell calf raises – 1x16x75lb DBs, 1x15x75lb DBs, 1x12x75lb DBs

Shoulders

Dumbbell shoulder press – 2x10x40lb DBs, 1x8x40lb DBs
Seated side lateral raise – 1x8x25lb DBs, 2x9x25lb DBs
Bent-over lateral raise – 3x8x25lb DBs

Total workout time: 45 min

Legs is always a struggle for me, but today it was particularly difficult. I figure the 10-day layoff may have something to do with it.

3:00pm – Third meal: Protein shake, banana

6:00pm – In the middle of a conference call, my fourth meal is being delayed

8:00pm – Fourth meal: 5 oz tuna in vegetable oil, 1 cup black beans, 1 tbsp olive oil. 1/ 4 apple, sliced

10:00pm – Fifth meal: 1 cup cottage cheese, 2 oz almonds

Total nutritional values for the day:

Calories = 2490
Protein = 211g
Carbs = 194g
Fat = 100g

Even though I missed one meal, my food intake was better than yesterday, however I still need to increase the calories to 2700. The ratios seem ok at about 40%-40%-20%.

I started the day feeling not so well, but that changed after my second meal. Maybe I just needed some carbs.

ChocoChick

04-20-2006, 04:46 AM

Nice workout. I can see why it felt tough - it was tough! :)

40andNew

04-20-2006, 12:05 PM

Nice workout. I can see why it felt tough - it was tough! :)

It's been a long time since I the last time I felt the kind of DOMS I'm feeling today in my quads, hams and shoulders. I guess I look like I am impersonating Quasimodo walking up and down the stairs in my house.

In any case, I had a client meeting this morning, then a business lunch today at a nice restaurant in Miami (Azul). Thus, today I will not be able to measure my food intake precisely.

ChocoChick

04-20-2006, 12:47 PM

In any case, I had a client meeting this morning, then a business lunch today at a nice restaurant in Miami (Azul). Thus, today I will not be able to measure my food intake precisely.

Which is probably a good thing, considering! :D

40andNew

04-20-2006, 01:14 PM

Which is probably a good thing, considering! :D

Sad but true. LOL

40andNew

04-20-2006, 08:52 PM

Major DOMS today from yesterday’s workout.

7:30am – First meal: Egg white omelet (6 egg whites), instant oatmeal, unsweetened (1 package). Morning vitamins

9:00am – Second meal (in my car on my way to a client meeting): Protein shake, 1 banan

12:30pm – Third meal (business lunch in a fancy Miami restaurant): Ceviche (marinated raw fish), beef+shrimp combo with wild rice, crème brulee with peach.

4:00pm – Fourth meal: 8 oz shredded beef (flank), 1 cup rice, 1 apple

7:30pm – Fifth meal: Sushi (rolls - 12 pieces)

10:45pm – Sixth meal: 1 cup cottage cheese, 2 oz almonds. Night vitamins

No nutritional count today

ChocoChick

04-21-2006, 04:26 AM

Your business lunch looks yummy!

Good nutrition for the rest of the day :)

40andNew

04-21-2006, 02:57 PM

Your business lunch looks yummy!

It was. This restaurant is quite good. Its name is Azul, and it is in the Mandarin Oriental hotel located in Brickell Key in Miami. Also, the portions were not big, so I actually think that apart from the desert it was not a bad meal diet-wise.

On a different topic, guess what? I have to travel to Mexico Monday morning. And this time I will not only travel to Mexico City but also to Monterrey. This is going to make it difficult to stick to my exercise routine next week, but I will do the best I can. Hey, maybe I should change the title of this thread as per jag's request after all :D

40andNew

04-22-2006, 09:49 PM

Still a lot of DOMS from Wednesday’s leg workout

9:00am – First meal: Egg white omelet (6 egg whites), instant oatmeal, sweetened with brown sugar and cinnamon (1 package). Morning vitamins

1:00pm – Second meal: 8 oz shredded beef (flank), 1 cup rice, 1 apple

5:00pm – Third meal: 6 egg white omelet, 2 oz almonds

6:00pm – NO-Xplode and off to back/biceps workout

Back

Neutral-grip pull-ups – 3 sets of 4, 5, 3 reps each. :(
Dumbbell deadlifts – 1x8x75lb DBs, 2x10x75lb DBs.
One arm dumbbell rows – 3x10x65lb DB
Two arms dumbbell rows – 1x7x55lb DBs, 1x6x55lb DBs, 1x5x55lb DBs
Shrugs – 3x10x65lb DBs

Biceps

Incline DB hammer curl – 3x8x25lb DBs
Dumbbell curls – 1x5x25lb DBs, 1x4x25lb DBs, 1x8x20lb DBs :(

Total workout time: 47 min

9:00pm – Fourth meal: Protein shake

11:00pm – Fifth meal: Ham, Spanish omelet

ChocoChick

04-23-2006, 08:14 AM

It was. This restaurant is quite good. Its name is Azul, and it is in the Mandarin Oriental hotel located in Brickell Key in Miami. Also, the portions were not big, so I actually think that apart from the desert it was not a bad meal diet-wise.

I notice you eat a lot of sushi. Do you also like sashimi? This is my favorite, especially white tuna and yellowtail. :)

Sorry to hear you are traveling again. What do you do?

jaguarr

04-23-2006, 10:41 AM

I like sushi, but sushi doesn't like me. :(

jag

40andNew

04-23-2006, 10:48 AM

I notice you eat a lot of sushi. Do you also like sashimi? This is my favorite, especially white tuna and yellowtail. :)

Sorry to hear you are traveling again. What do you do?

I do like sashimi, I just don't eat it as often. My wife really likes rolls so we eat those quite often.

I am a consultant with a technology firm. I specialize in financial service clients (primarily banks), and my area of action is Latin America. I help teams throughout the region in both sales and project delivery activities.

By the way, I weighted myself and measured my bf today. It turns out that even though I restarted my training and diet, my bf has increased and my lean mass has decreased. Of course, this week I have undereaten and I have not done cardio, and these two are important factors. However, it amazes me that this week my numbers have gotten worse in relation to last week's, when I was not working out and my nutrition was far from optimal. This is leading me to think that there may be something wrong in the way I designed my diet. Currently, I strive towards a ratio of 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fat, and that is the way the diet is designed. And, the reality differs a bit from the design: Usually I end up eating more proteins and less carbs, let's say 43% protein and 36% carbs, with 19% fat.

Now, I have read elsewhere that you need at least 42% carbs in order to make gains in lean mass. I have also read about 'macrobolíc' nutrition, which is nothing else than a ratio of 35% protein, 45% carbs, and 20% fat, which supposedly it is a good way to gain lean mass. I am considering giving macrobolic nutrition a try. What do you think? Any advice you may have will be greatly appreciated, as always.

ChocoChick

04-23-2006, 12:39 PM

I go more by grams than by percentages, because the percentages are not especially helpful imo.

So I like something more or less like this:

1 - 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight
.3 - .4 grams of fat per pound of body weight
balance from carbs, with starchy carbs clustered at breakfast, preworkout and postworkout

This will result in different percentages for everyone because your weight and goals will establish a calorie calculation that is unique to you. For me, when I am maintaining, this most often works to 45p/25c/30f.

As to your results this week, consider that when you undereat your body will naturally hang on to fat and waste muscle because it considers fat to be more important than muscle. This is why it is so hard to lose weight without losing muscle -- your body has a built in evolutionary predisposition to retaining fat. I don't think your lack of cardio hurt you. In fact, I think that by not doing cardio in a week where you were undereating you probably minimized muscle loss.

Finally, a week of less than optimal eating is usually ok, that is, your body can usually handle that, but the longer you go, the greater the likelihood you will see negative effects. The better conditioned you are, the longer you can go before you see negative effects.

40andNew

04-24-2006, 03:53 PM

I weighted myself at 174.4lbs and measured my bf at 17.7%. This is in relation to 175.0lbs and 17.1% one weeks ago. My waist remained at 35.75 inches. This means that this week I gained bf and lost a bit of muscle mass. The reason may be that, as proven by my last week of measuring my food intake, I am undereating. Thus, I have to take a hard look at my diet.

11:00am – First meal: Egg white omelet (6 egg whites), instant oatmeal, sweetened with brown sugar and cinnamon (1 package). Morning vitamins

2:30pm – Second meal: 8 oz shredded beef (flank), 1 cup rice, 3/ 4 cup black beans, 1 apple

Completed a chest/triceps workout trying to get a head start on this weeks’ training:

Chest

Incline dumbbell press – 3x8x50lb DBs
Flat dumbbell press – 2x8x50lb DBs, 1x7x50lb DBs
Incline dumbbell fly – 1x9x40lb DBs, 1x8x40lb DBs, 1x6x40lb DBs

Triceps

Bench dips (with a DB on my lap) –3x10x85lb DB
Lying dumbbell extensions – 3x8x25lb DBs
One-arm kickback – 3x10x40lb DBs

Total workout time: 35 minutes

4:30pm – Third meal: Protein shake, banana

7:30pm – Fourth meal: 1 Can tuna in vegetable oil, 1 tomato, 1 tbsp olive oil

This means that I seriously underate today: I consumed only about 2000 calories. This of course is due to the fact that I ate four meals instead of six.

40andNew

04-24-2006, 08:57 PM

5:00am – First meal: 1 small protein shake (18g protein), apple slices, 1 cup cereal with slim milk

8:15am Miami Time/7:15am Mexico Time – Second meal (in an airplane flying to Mexico City): Omelet, bread roll

11:30am – Third meal: Grilled chicken, steamed veggies

2:30pm – Fourth meal (business lunch): Salad, Stir fried beef and vegetables, desert (flan)

6:30pm – Fifth meal: Protein shake

10:00pm – Sixth meal: Steak, ground black beans, guacamole, tortillas

jaguarr

04-25-2006, 08:34 AM

40andNew

04-25-2006, 08:45 PM

Nice workout. I think you're right to be reviewing your diet more closely if you're not getting the results you're after. Mostly it looks like undereating to me, at first glance. A better idea of portion sizes and the like would help you get a handle on that.

jag

Thank you Jag. It is pretty evident to me now, after some measurements, that I am not eating enough. This was hard for me to realize as, believe it or not, I have never eaten so much as I am eating now. But it is just not enough to support my lifting habit.

All in all, I have to rethink my diet, which I will do when I get some time back home (too hard to do while on the road). In the meantime, I think I will stop cardio and focus on trying to gain lean mass. I will restart my cardio once I have my diet tuned up.

40andNew

04-25-2006, 08:46 PM

Woke up in Mexico City

7:00am – First meal: Protein shake

8:00am – Legs/shoulders workout: This hotel gym is very well equipped, so I experimented with a couple of new exercises

Legs

Smith machine squats – 1x12x65lbs (warm-up), 3x6x135 lbs
Dumbbell lunges – 3x8x30lb DBs
Stiff-legged deadlifts –3x8x160lb barbell
Standing machine calf raises – 1x20x140 lbs, 1x16x160 lbs, 1x14x160 lbs

Shoulders

Dumbbell shoulder press – 2x10x40lb DBs, 1x9x40lb DBs
Seated side lateral raise – 2x10x25lb DBs, 1x8x25lb DBs
Bent-over lateral raise – 3x10x25lb DBs

Total workout time: 60 min

Not a particularly good workout but OK. I did not feel particularly strong, this may be due to not having taken NO-Xplode (I will restart its use next week). It was interesting to test the smith machine squats, my form was not perfect but I liked the exercise nevertheless.

10:00am – Second meal: Oatmeal, egg-white omelet

Long meetings…

3:00pm – Third meal (Business lunch): 300grs sirloin steak, chorizo, salad, bread roll

Long meetings…

8:00pm – Fourth meal: Grilled chicken

10:30pm – Fifth meal: Protein shake

I’m traveling tomorrow morning to Monterrey (northern Mexico) for more client meetings.