Stay at home flabby, I mean daddy

[fozzy151]

Ok, so I am stay at home daddy, wife works (I know I know) and I have lost all shape to my body and want to gain back my masculine shape I had.

I am mainly interested in upper body. I have NO gym access (I live in the mountains!). The only piece of equipment I have is a Golds Gym cross trainer treadmill. I have been doing pushups and I can do 30 at a time and thats it.

Heres a little something about me:

Male 35 years old
6' 3" 205 lbs.
spare tire, but overall decent health.

I am not interested in cardio right now because I dont want to get Skinny, I want to get biceps, and regain that triangle shape I once had. I want my wife to go "Holy $#@!" like she used to.

I do not want her to see me working out, I just want her to gradually see a sexier body and maybe think about me now and then.

[beachguy498]

Good for you wanting to do something positive for yourself!

You should be doing some cardio which kick starts your metabolism and helps you gain muscle. Your lack of access to equipment is the biggest hurdle to overcome. Why not look for a good used Bowflex? You can easily pick one up for under $300.

As for hiding what you're doing, lots of luck. You'll need to eat cleaner and different things that are essential to your goals. My wife (we work out together often) is my biggest supporter, rope her in on it, just a suggestion.

BG

[Legbuh]

Go on Craig's list and look for a weight set, preferably with dumbbells too.

Otherwise Pushups, pullups, chinups, dips (you can get a very inexpensive and well made dip machine online that allows more than just dips.. ultimatebodypress.com) will also work well.

To add weight with the 2nd, just get a backpack and throw heavy stuff in it. If you have a water softner and bags of salt around, you can also use those for a lot of stuff. Trust me, I know. Then I got tired and got a weight set.

[gkrane]

You are definitely going to want to invest in at least some dumbells before any routine can be considered. Look at some standard plates with spin lock collars on them for starters. Cheap, adjustable, and effective for many exercises.

[Flapjack17]

Two saw horse backed up against the wall for dips- watch out for splinters.

Two eye hooks and a bar clamp screwed to the main beam in the cellar of the house for chins and leg lifts.

You can do a butt load of exercises with a cheap dumbell set to get you started.

I bet you could fashion a preacher bench with a piece of ply and the sawhorse. Throw in a wavy curl bar and knock yourself out.

You won't really be able to blast your chest without some more serious stuff I think. Inclined pushups with a sack of rocks on your back is no fun and not the same as a good bench press set.

Been there done that. Had some very good results. Thats all the equipment I used when I lost 100 lbs.

[fozzy151]

Ok folks, thanks for the tips. There was a gym that opened up recently down the road, but it freakin burned down after 4 weeks I think they are near reopening.

In the mean time, I am continuing the pushups and I am going to install a bar in the garage for doing pullups, chinups etc.

I wanted to know if there is a supplement that will blast my biceps, chest, and back so I can just get a shape going, not so much interested in weight loss. There is a riteaid nearby that has an aisle of supplemets like creatine, etc. Or maybe I should do Meal replacements. I am eating higher protein, take fish oil, and drink lots of mineral water. I am going to eat more, smaller meals a day.

Thanks and keep the tips coming. PS I will be looking for curl bar, dumbells, etc on craigslist or maybe get some golds at wally world.

[DeathtoToasters]

Ok folks, thanks for the tips. There was a gym that opened up recently down the road, but it freakin burned down after 4 weeks I think they are near reopening.

In the mean time, I am continuing the pushups and I am going to install a bar in the garage for doing pullups, chinups etc.

I wanted to know if there is a supplement that will blast my biceps, chest, and back so I can just get a shape going, not so much interested in weight loss. There is a riteaid nearby that has an aisle of supplemets like creatine, etc. Or maybe I should do Meal replacements. I am eating higher protein, take fish oil, and drink lots of mineral water. I am going to eat more, smaller meals a day.

Thanks and keep the tips coming. PS I will be looking for curl bar, dumbells, etc on craigslist or maybe get some golds at wally world.

Experts correct me if I am wrong but....

There is no supplement or pill that will TARGET a place for fat loss or BLAST a body part.

I think you need to become realistic about what you want to do. It is not good to only work JUST the upper body....considering that the legs are the largest muscle group on the body.

Supplements are just that...they supplement. You need to completely change your diet, THAT will make the biggest difference.

I DO understand the 'romance' factor or hiding things from your wife so she will THINK you are sexier, BUT if you try to BLAST a body part with supplements and ONLY work out your upper body, you are going to push her away with your BAD attitude when you slowly realize that you cannot BLAST a body part with supplements and working out only your UPPER body was a mistake.

Then again....just MHO.

[Tishalicious]

Experts correct me if I am wrong but....

There is no supplement or pill that will TARGET a place for fat loss or BLAST a body part.

I think you need to become realistic about what you want to do. It is not good to only work JUST the upper body....considering that the legs are the largest muscle group on the body.

Supplements are just that...they supplement. You need to completely change your diet, THAT will make the biggest difference.

I DO understand the 'romance' factor or hiding things from your wife so she will THINK you are sexier, BUT if you try to BLAST a body part with supplements and ONLY work out your upper body, you are going to push her away with your BAD attitude when you slowly realize that you cannot BLAST a body part with supplements and working out only your UPPER body was a mistake.

Then again....just MHO.

(NOT an expert...)

Muscles are great - but lower fat means you can show them off, so diet IS important.

I know what you are thinking - don't want to look like those skinny-butt emo kids - but some cardio will also help you out. Not saying that lycra and 'Sweating to the Oldies' is the way to go... good god no!... Just go for a walk. You're up in the mountains. Go for a walk and bench-press and squat a tree-trunk in the forest. Go be that Mountain Man!

As for diet - no Skinny-Shake-Meal-in-a-Can... find out about food. Real food. Think Steak. Protein and fat can be your friend. Them, and good, solid carbs too. Consider giving fluffy bread and chips the flick for some real grub.

[LyingSac]

Ok, so I am stay at home daddy, wife works (I know I know) and I have lost all shape to my body and want to gain back my masculine shape I had.

I am mainly interested in upper body. I have NO gym access (I live in the mountains!). The only piece of equipment I have is a Golds Gym cross trainer treadmill. I have been doing pushups and I can do 30 at a time and thats it.

Heres a little something about me:

Male 35 years old
6' 3" 205 lbs.
spare tire, but overall decent health.

I am not interested in cardio right now because I dont want to get Skinny, I want to get biceps, and regain that triangle shape I once had. I want my wife to go "Holy $#@!" like she used to.

I do not want her to see me working out, I just want her to gradually see a sexier body and maybe think about me now and then.

AIN'T NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING A STAY AT HOME DAD,THEM WOMEN WANT RIGHTS LET THEM WORK.I'M FINE WITH IT......BUT I WANT YOU TO VISUALIZE YOURSELF AS ARM CANDY FOR YOUR WIFE.....YOU KNOW ,BE A TROPHY HUSBAND....YOU CAN GET A LOT DONE EVEN THOUG YOU DON'T HAVE A GYM.JUST BE CREATIVE...

[Capt_Lou]

Question to the OP why do you not want to do legs?

[StressMonkey]

This thread confuses the hell out of me. You say you have a spare tire but you don't want to do cardio because you don't want to get skinny?? Why not do cardio to get rid of the spare tire? And why wouldn't you want your wife to see you working out? Getting in great shape takes a lot of dedication and TIME.

For working out at home I made some decent progress with lots of pushups. I would of course suggest tossing in other exercises (a mistake I made).

[Beefcupcake]

It's fine if you don't want to do cardio to lose weight but you must watch your diet very closely. You must eat under maintenance calories to lose the fat.

Track what you eat in a website such as fitday.com or thedalilyplate.com.

Oh, please do leg work ... your body will look more balanced (and hot for your wife) with upper and lower muscles as well. Nobody likes chicken legs

[fozzy151]

I have very decent legs (not BB legs but still). I was a bicycle racing buff years ago and legs and buttocks have always stayed decent with little effort.

I have always been inproportionate in my upper body (seems to me). I do have a treadmill and use it, its just that last time I did an intense gym-style 2 year program, I went from 213lbs to 191 pounds but didnt have any real shape to me, I was just thinner ?? I did train with weights after my cardio but this time I guess I want to get a masculine shape instead of losing weight. I do not want to be one of those starved looking cross trainers, sorry I guess I do not mind a spare tire if I can get some chest increases and some back defionition.

I installed a pipe in the garage, and I do pullup, chinups, and pushups. I increased protein, and dropped carb intake. All the while reducing calories.


I already caught my wifes eye last night on accident. I am still at 198-202 lbs. at 6'3".

PS I caught her eye, then lost it to an embarassing moment (wont mention it LOL)

[aneas]

Well it appears you really dont want advice so......

[DeathtoToasters]

Well it appears you really dont want advice so......

I smell a troll.....

[aneas]

I smell a troll.....

Nah but I figure this if he does not listen to beefcupcake he sure as hell is not going to listen to anything I have to say.

[Xyphis]

I'll make a newb attempt, as I had a (partially) similar goal:

-Skim the internet/read books on starting workouts. Most would have you start out with a total body 2-3 x/week and then morph into a multi-day split as after a few (several) months. A place I used that I found helpful was www.exrx.net (I hope that's not a site pooh-poohed here). It shows not only guidlines from the ACSM on bodybuilding, but the exercises involved, the preferred sets/reps/packaging of exercises for each workouts. Even has videos on the majority of lifts.

-I bought a set of dumbells, which quickly became a Powerblock purchase (Easier to hide the Powerblocks). The DB's seem to be the best mix of being nonobtrusive yet most useful in their ability to do a majority of movements.

-I follow what I have learned and do the workouts as recommended. That includes legs/back. Seems that there is data out there implying that back/legs improve chest/arm strength/hypertrophy as a bonus. I too was a cyclist, yet I underestimated how much my wife would notice improvement in legs.

-As to food, my diet tries to be at a 40/40/20 pro/carb/fat mix, MOSTLY because that seems to keep my sugar inline (I am a Type II diabetic, improving thanx to weights and some cardio). This diet wonderfully mimics bodybuilding diets. I use creatine/BCAA and protein AFTER having labs done and having a discussion with my MD.

Good luck with whatever you do, and I hope it works for you. On a side note, I hope you take the time out to enjoy the mountains. Illinois is sorely lacking and I am quite jealous.

[fozzy151]

I smell a troll.....

Im sorry I gave the impression that I dont want advice. I do not know what a troll is so I wont ask.

Im basically stuck in the wilderness with no gym access, and a treadmill and 3 kids to raise. I can cut down an elm stump and make me some barbells and curlbars out of those I guess

So I am wanting suggestions.

[fozzy151]

Oh, please do leg work ... your body will look more balanced (and hot for your wife) with upper and lower muscles as well. Nobody likes chicken legs

Point taken, I am using the treadmill on a 5+ incline to build my legs for the time being.

I am searching craigslist for a weight set (All the new years resolution deals) so far they are either really cheap torn benches, or $800 machines that wouldnt fit in my basement,

[DeathtoToasters]

Im sorry I gave the impression that I dont want advice. I do not know what a troll is so I wont ask.

Im basically stuck in the wilderness with no gym access, and a treadmill and 3 kids to raise. I can cut down an elm stump and make me some barbells and curlbars out of those I guess

So I am wanting suggestions.

Well basically when a post is made and almost 2 weeks goes by with responses and then NO response from the main poster.....I assume it is a troll post.....sorry if I misunderstood.

[DeathtoToasters]

Point taken, I am using the treadmill on a 5+ incline to build my legs for the time being.

I am searching craigslist for a weight set (All the new years resolution deals) so far they are either really cheap torn benches, or $800 machines that wouldnt fit in my basement,

FYI....the treadmill will not build your legs, but they are for cardio.

[fozzy151]

I have been trying to devise a way to work legs.
I thought of using these 80lb bags of salt I have on my back and doing dips with my heel off the edge of a small step (calf machine?)

I am still looking for some equipment in craigslist locally.

PS I never found a forum where people responded so quickly, then called you a troll if you didnt reply back!!
I was in a quit smoking forum and it would be days before someone answered my post.

Anyway, I thihnk I will gather my thoughts and concerns and be more specific and make a new thread.
Thanks!!

[dakotajay]

There are tons of weight-free workout plans out there. The one I used to do all the time took me months and months to be able to complete the whole thing in one shot...sucking wind the whole way. There's no way I'd even get thru it these days.

[dirkwright]

More exercises here than you can do in a long time:
http://www.myfit.ca/exercisedatabase/exercise.asp
calisthenics, polymetrics, weights, etc... take your pick. All you need is a mat for many of them.

[jellodirt]

Ok, so I am stay at home daddy, wife works (I know I know) and I have lost all shape to my body and want to gain back my masculine shape I had.

I am mainly interested in upper body. I have NO gym access (I live in the mountains!). The only piece of equipment I have is a Golds Gym cross trainer treadmill. I have been doing pushups and I can do 30 at a time and thats it.

Heres a little something about me:

Male 35 years old
6' 3" 205 lbs.
spare tire, but overall decent health.

I am not interested in cardio right now because I dont want to get Skinny, I want to get biceps, and regain that triangle shape I once had. I want my wife to go "Holy $#@!" like she used to.

I do not want her to see me working out, I just want her to gradually see a sexier body and maybe think about me now and then.

Here's a thread posted by a guy that's into bodyweight training.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=114588811