NO Results....at all

[thinkfuture]

Hi guys:

I started training really hard a few weeks ago and while my arms feel a little stronger, I feel like I'm stuck. I have a body fat monitor, weight scale, and everything seems to stay flat. Maybe if i tell you what I'm doing you guys can pick apart my issues.

My stats: 45yrs old, 6ft2, 242lbs, fat 28.8, BMI 30.9

6am: Wake up, 10 min of Yoga on Wii Fit. Hit the head, then body test on Wii Fit, weight. Then BMI test. Take one Animal Pak vitamins and one resveratrol with two glasses of water. One protein shake: 72g protein, with a little coconut milk, blueberries or strawberries, and splenda flavored water (sugar free hawaiian punch)

noonish - lunch - usually lean beef or chicken, with veg, broccoli, asparagus etc

dinner - usually lean beef or chicken, with salad

Workouts:
MWF - no-explode 1 scoop at 9pm
Workout at 930pm: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hitworkout.htm
5g creatine after workout, in another shake, same as morning shake
one 5g melatonin before bed

TTS - no-explode 1 at 9pm
15 minutes HIIT cardio 3min warmup, 12sec high intensity, 18 sec med intensity, rest warmup

So, I feel stronger. But I've got no movement on the scale or monitor, nor does anything feel bigger. Is my workout and schedule OK as it is, or do I need to change up something. Maybe I'm just being too impatient?

[m1k3g0rd]

A few weeks?? I know we all want quick results, but you really are being too impatient. Give it at least a couple of months.

[RoscoPico]

Patience. Give yourself time. Rome was not built in a day. Stick to it

[kmachate]

Too much protein at once. Keep it capped out at 50g per meal.

Also, why are you only eating 3 times per day? You should probably make your portions amaller and eat more frequently.

When I'm actually 'on my program' I sometimes eat 6 'meals' per day, and am never hungry.

You didn't mention anything about water intake.. hopefully you're drinking lots of it.)

[Oncebitten]

Where to start.... Ok, a few things off the top of my head.

1) Get your diet straight. Eat 5 or 6 meals a day. 40% good carbs, 40% protein, 20% good fat. Ask questions if you need help.

2) Put the Wii away. Yoga is fine but if you want to burn fat, you need to do actual cardio, preferably first thing in the morning BEFORE you eat.

3) Stop taking No explode at night. It will ruin your sleep pattern.

4) Post your workout. Be specific so we can help you.

5) Yeah, you're being a little impatiant.

Fred

[StrengthNSmarts]

If you can't say exactly how many calories you're taking in every day, then there's no way to know for sure that you're eating right. You can eat the right foods while still eating too many calories to drop weight. Try getting a small notebook to carry with you and keep a food journal. Every single thing you eat, including sizes and proportions, as much info as you can, should go in that journal and at the end of the day entered into a program like at http://www.fitday.com (it's free) to give you a break down of your nutritional intake. When I started doing that it was eye opening and the very first day, I was able to make quick adjustments and accelerate my progress.

I don't know about the BF monitor, most of the ones I've seen are horribly inaccurate, but if your weight isn't fluctuating but you're getting stronger, that's very possible you're dropping fat and gaining muscle. I trust the tape measure more than the scale personally, I'd encourage you to start doing weekly tape measurements.

Hope this helps and don't give up.

[BergMuscle]

Very seriously, thinkfuture, your name says it. The body you have did not get that way in a few weeks and a few weeks won't make a significant difference. But you are seeing some difference if you're gaining strength. That's a great beginning.

Everything that's been said in the replies is good advice. Go with it and, whatever you do, keep working and think about what you will look and feel like in the future, like 6-12 months from now.

Bodybuilding is a journey, but it can be a very rewarding one. Have patience and cool things can happen.

[snake1856]

I know I'm new but If he wakes up at 6am to start and starts working out at 9pm could it be that he's not getting enough rest to allow muscles to grow?

I've been trying to lose for two months. Crazy as it sounds I do upper body twice a week and lower body twice a week. I've lost around 3.5 inches in my waist and around 8 pounds ( putting on muscle ). Oh I do about 40 min of cardio 4 days a week.

Oh, I'm 5'7 and I now weight 178 but BF is in upper 20's I believe.

Best advice that I have learned here is it's all about what you eat in the beginning. I have never eaten more fish, chicken, brown rice, oatmeal etc. IN MY LIFE!

Drink about a gallon of H2O a day

GL

[ak47m203]

you know what don't weight your self everyday because it's dissappointing to see the scale is just the same.do it every week. a pound of fat will not melt overnight. try to weight your self first thing in the morning just right when you get up. give your self a goal of 6 months. you put all those fats maybe 2 or 3 years and it will not go away in a few weeks it takes time. look at those pictures from fat to fit to inspire you. you can do it. and your protien is too high for me in one shot it will not absorb by your body at once and the coconut milk is it hight in fats?

[snoack]

If you can't say exactly how many calories you're taking in every day, then there's no way to know for sure that you're eating right. You can eat the right foods while still eating too many calories to drop weight. Try getting a small notebook to carry with you and keep a food journal. Every single thing you eat, including sizes and proportions, as much info as you can, should go in that journal and at the end of the day entered into a program like at http://www.fitday.com (it's free) to give you a break down of your nutritional intake. When I started doing that it was eye opening and the very first day, I was able to make quick adjustments and accelerate my progress.

I don't know about the BF monitor, most of the ones I've seen are horribly inaccurate, but if your weight isn't fluctuating but you're getting stronger, that's very possible you're dropping fat and gaining muscle. I trust the tape measure more than the scale personally, I'd encourage you to start doing weekly tape measurements.

Hope this helps and don't give up.

I just used the FITDAY site- amazing stuff. Really pleased to see how balanced I am.

[sluge]

How long have you been working out in general? If you have only been doing it for a few weeks I hate to break the news to you. You won't last long if you want huge results in just a few weeks. I ain't trying to sound harsh,but I've been at it hard for 5 1/2 months. Yeah I have results, but they didn't become noticable in a few weeks.

[partsRheavy]

The 10 min of AM cardio isn't enough to burn much fat.

Here are my suggestions:

1. Morning cardio - 30-45 min. Yoga/Wii Fit or walking - whatever - is fine

2. Eat at least 5x preferably 6x/day. Have one of those meals be a pre-bed, post-w/o meal with mostly protein but real food. Something like boneless chicken strips or a couple eggs. In other words - have a shake right after w/o and then maybe an hour later, have some protein-rich food.

3. Drop the NO-xplode for now.

4. Don't weigh every day or even every week. Instead, monitor clothing size, especially waist.

5. Maybe make the off-day cardio low-intensity, too...if you have the time for 30-45 minutes of it.

6. Schedule w/o a little earlier. Since you wake up at 6, I'm gonna assume that you work from 8:00-5:00 or something like that...drive home...eat dinner...etc....any way that you could w/o at 7:30 or 8 p.m. rather than 9 and thus get an hour more of sleep? Do you have a really long commute?

7. Be patient.

Best wishes!

[TuffGirl]

Is this Dude even for real?

[ak47m203]

just think of this guy....it's one year. for sure there was a time that he almost his hope.344 to 166lbs.

[Spiceygamble]

The instant gratification fairytale of Jack & the beanstalk is just that...
a fairytale. No one gets their perfect body to even begin to come together in less than 3 months, even the pros need time to get from bulked to ripped.

The longer(as in months & yrs) you keep your workouts going, the better your results will come together. Give your self a date, say in 30 days... then weigh yourself. Don't be shocked if you've gained weight... that's how it happens. First your weight goes up, then it slowly drops & eventually you will be able to actually see the cuts & muscles(providing you're eating lean). Don't go jumping into a ton of products & expect them to tear you up. It's more likely they'll tear up your budget first.

Core point here:

patience & dedication!


All the best!

[kimm4]

I agree with everyone here...you need to break up those meals into 5-6 a day. You're body can't digest that much protein in one sitting...so it goes to waste!! I've always been taught no more than 40 grams per sitting!

It's only been 2 weeks and you can't possibly expect to see major changes in such a short time frame...it doesn't work that way.

Keep working at it...you'll get those results!!

[thinkfuture]

Thanks everyone!
- I drink about a gallon of water a day
- my workout is the exact one I posted in my link from this site. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hitworkout.htm I do about 20-25 reps of each, except abs, which I do 50 reps. I also add 20-25 flys.
- I dont have a really long commute, but i have kids and I need to watch them and work long hours.

So here is what I learned:
- Be patient
- Split up the meals into 6, 50g protein max
- cardio first thing in the morning
- get and do tape measurements

Questions:
- I could move my cardio and my lifting to the morning? then the no-explode wouldnt bug my sleep patterns, or just lay off the no-explode anyways. Hows that?

Thanks guys, you rock.

How long do you think I need to go before I can see some results in size?

[chodan9]

gaining strength is no small thing, I would call that a result.
you dont get more strength without more muscle.
you may not be able to see it yet but its still there and it may be why your not losing weight, if your gaining a bit of muscle and losing a bit of fat the scale may not move but you will be fitter.

[chodan9]

- get and do tape measurements

let us know what the tape says!!

[V2kRider]

Give it more time. "No results" in a short time has been what helped keep that extra weight on me for years. I would start working out like a mad man and after a few weeks see no results, get frustrated and go right back to my old do nothing life style.
At 43 I figured it's now or never and this time around I didn't expect reults so fast. If you're working out consitantly and sticking with the diet don't worry about seeing changes on the scale. The numbers on the scale don't tell the whole story. My weight has been stuck between 180 and 185 since the beginning of March. In that time I have also added 40lbs to my bench and dropped 4" off my waste. Stick to it brother, change will come.

[Guinness42]

gaining strength is no small thing, I would call that a result.
you dont get more strength without more muscle.
you may not be able to see it yet but its still there and it may be why your not losing weight, if your gaining a bit of muscle and losing a bit of fat the scale may not move but you will be fitter.

X2!!!! I went through a similar phase when I started. Just be patient, use the mirror & tape, and don't use the scale quite as much.

[mtxpert]

You can do alot in a few weeks or a few months.
Make sure you're lifting and tracking your intake. As far as cardio you can also do real low level stuff for hours - such as walking for 2 or 3 hours or playing Rock Band drums (I do!).

[omnisjdi]

Thanks everyone!
- I drink about a gallon of water a day
- my workout is the exact one I posted in my link from this site. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hitworkout.htm I do about 20-25 reps of each, except abs, which I do 50 reps. I also add 20-25 flys.
- I dont have a really long commute, but i have kids and I need to watch them and work long hours.

So here is what I learned:
- Be patient
- Split up the meals into 6, 50g protein max
- cardio first thing in the morning
- get and do tape measurements

Questions:
- I could move my cardio and my lifting to the morning? then the no-explode wouldnt bug my sleep patterns, or just lay off the no-explode anyways. Hows that?

Thanks guys, you rock.

How long do you think I need to go before I can see some results in size?

I've been lifting for close to a year and a half now. I've just begun to see results in muscle growth. The time it takes will very from person to person.
I'll echo the sentiments of be patient x4. Also make sure you aren't over training. That can actually cause you to loose muscle. Set reasonable goals, and go from there. Consult a personal trainner at your gym as well.
Continue to ask questions here.

Jeff

PS: The most immediate gain I made over my first year was weight loss. Now its becoming fat loss as I replace it with muscle.

[ak47m203]

actually if you feel you gain a little strenght(you can't gain more muscle if you don't have strenght) that's the start, means you will train more intense add more numbers on your lift/reps etc etc. do High-intensity interval training instead of just plain cardio. from time to time push your self to the limit and be an animal but don't kill your self. remember good sleep is also vital, that's the time your muscle grow and recuperate.good luck.

[TWright]

I swear Ive seen this post before!!! = ) Ive only got one thing to say about it. It's a marathon not a SPRINT! Somebody has that saying in their signature. It is so true. Patients "GRASSHOPPER" I think GNC came out with a supplement for patients didn't they? Just playin.... Goodluck bro.

[omnisjdi]

I swear Ive seen this post before!!! = ) Ive only got one thing to say about it. It's a marathon not a SPRINT! Somebody has that saying in their signature. It is so true. Patients "GRASSHOPPER" I think GNC came out with a supplement for patients didn't they? Just playin.... Goodluck bro.

It is a FAQ. Should try to make one of these a sticky.

Jeff

[mikieson]

LOL...Dont feel bad...HECK...I have been working out off and on "mostly on" for the last 10 year and you cant tell it other than how strong I am and I have a thick chest and round shoulders...Thats it though...Other than that, I cant believe I hang with it.

Luckly Im not going to worry with getting a great body but I am going to just workout to workout...If I was working out for "looks sake"...I would never get there.

[Reality_Check]

Hi guys:

I started training really hard a few weeks ago and while my arms feel a little stronger, I feel like I'm stuck.

Just what were you expecting after a few weeks anyway?

[Reality_Check]

Or to put this another way. After one year you will see noticable difference in muscle mass, and after 5 years you'll see quite substantial difference, radical difference in muscle mass, (if you're doing everything right) but after a few weeks you will so see no difference in muscle mass, you will only see strength gains. The only thing you will see a difference in after a few weeks is fat loss (and even then you'll have to be on an extreme diet).

[Forced]

Hi guys:

I started training really hard a few weeks ago and while my arms feel a little stronger, I feel like I'm stuck. I have a body fat monitor, weight scale, and everything seems to stay flat. Maybe if i tell you what I'm doing you guys can pick apart my issues.

My stats: 45yrs old, 6ft2, 242lbs, fat 28.8, BMI 30.9

6am: Wake up, 10 min of Yoga on Wii Fit. Hit the head, then body test on Wii Fit, weight. Then BMI test. Take one Animal Pak vitamins and one resveratrol with two glasses of water. One protein shake: 72g protein, with a little coconut milk, blueberries or strawberries, and splenda flavored water (sugar free hawaiian punch)

noonish - lunch - usually lean beef or chicken, with veg, broccoli, asparagus etc

dinner - usually lean beef or chicken, with salad

Workouts:
MWF - no-explode 1 scoop at 9pm
Workout at 930pm: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hitworkout.htm
5g creatine after workout, in another shake, same as morning shake
one 5g melatonin before bed

TTS - no-explode 1 at 9pm
15 minutes HIIT cardio 3min warmup, 12sec high intensity, 18 sec med intensity, rest warmup

So, I feel stronger. But I've got no movement on the scale or monitor, nor does anything feel bigger. Is my workout and schedule OK as it is, or do I need to change up something. Maybe I'm just being too impatient?

The diet has been mentioned by several posters but I do not see any explanation as to why it?s so important.

Before I venture into anything, I always look for understanding. Asking why, when, how and what usually helps me out. I don?t just follow something cause everyone says it?s beneficial. I need to understand the ins and outs of it all.

Allow me to explain -

It?s all to do with the metabolism. The trick is to kick start the metabolism early in the morning and to KEEP it ticking over until you go to bed. Eating 5 / 6 smallish clean meals a day keeps it active. This provokes the body to break down body fat as an energy source while the stomach processes the food intake, feeding the muscles in your body.

By eating only 2 / 3 meals a day you end up switching your metabolism off a coupla times a day which in turn provokes the muscle to feed on itself or each other, thus retaining the unwanted fat. There is NO WAY that you?ll gain lean muscle this way and losing fat will become troublesome. It just ain?t gonna happen.

Ignorance will frustrate you and you'll end up quitting.

Our brains may have improved over the last coupla thousand years but the body is still pretty much primitive. You have to bear that in mind.

Your diet is not helping you. Look here first and make the necessary adjustment. Once this is in place AND with your dailiy weight training routine as well as cardio, you'll soon see the desired results coming through. Guaranteed.

Be patient and consistent.

Hope this helps.