Help! I'm a skinny fat Indian guy!!

[sdiddy3]

Hello I literally just found out that I am skinny fat. I never even knew this term skinny fat until this week. I am a 34 Indian male, 5'8'' and 139 lbs and my scale says 17% BF. I mention that I am Indian because our body types are a little different than other ethnicities, and "skinny fat" is actually incredibly common for Indians. I was always skinny and never very muscular as I have never lifted weights in my life, but as I got older I began gaining fat around stomach, love handles, and upper sides of torso and back. My arms and legs are super skinny. I was never raised to lift weights so I never knew I needed to, until now. I now realize I am really weak, bad posture, always leaning on things like my elbows because my core is so weak.

I also recently tore (slight tear) my rotator cuff playing basketball, so I want to be stronger overall to prevent more injuries as I get older. In addition I have had high cholesterol for a few years (between 200-220 overall) and I couldnt figure out why, considering I dont eat red meat or pork, dont eat much fried foods or white carbs, dont drink sodas of any kind or eat candy or junk processed food, and generally eat a healthy balanced diet of fresh foods. I was convinced that because I am Indian and my ancestors were all vegetarian, that since I eat some meat my body doesnt process it as well (I think there is some truth to this actually). So my goal is to start lifting and build muscle and get healthier overall. I REALLY NEED HELP. I dont understand all the terms here like bulk and cut, so I am looking for some very specific advice on what to eat and how to lift and how often, etc.

I should mention that aside from vitamins and maybe whey protein, I dont believe in putting anything processed in my body, such as supplements, if they arent all natural. I am not judging...its just my preference. The other thing is, I actually do a fair amount of cardio, and always have, playing basketball or running 2 miles on the treadmill 4 or 5 days a week. But that never seems to do much for me.

As an example, a typical day for me is waking up and having half a bowl of oatmeal with milk and a green tea. Then to work (desk job) where I work until lunch, when I will have a salad with chicken or fish. Back to work, then home, where I will run 2 miles on a treadmill at between 6-8 mph, then make a small dinner around 6:30PM of a small piece of protein and veggies or just something vegetarian like a small whole wheat flatbread pizza with light cheese, or maybe some wheat tortillas with sardines and hummus. Then I sit around, work, watch TV, and bed at 10 or 11 PM.

This is the year I want to commit to this, but I should mention that the FEW times I worked out in the past, my body didnt respond to well to it. I was dizzy during workouts and sore for up to FIVE days after the workout (so much so that I couldnt even sleep because of pain). You have to know what you are working with when you give me advice so I want to be honest with you. I am committed, but want to take gradual and realistic steps. I often do pushups (maybe 40), and some pullups (10) and situps (50), but that doesnt seem to do much either. Realistically, I think I could commit to lifting 2 days a week. Please share your thoughts! thanks!

[ACPower]

start lifting. follow a 3 day split for about 4 months. and also start eating meat, or if you dont want to invest in some protein powders.

[Vaylor]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GgbzzOZlaY

[dmacdonal9]

I couldn't read more than a third of that mate, you desperately need some paragraphs. In any case, here's some stuff to read through to get started:

The basic advice for a skinny fat dude your size is to eat around maintenance and make some gains, cut later.

1. Get rid of your misconceptions
2. Calculate your calories and macros
3. Learn about how bulking works and set reasonable expectations.
4. Eat about the same amount of calories that you burn each day while meeting minimum protein and fat macros. Get the remainder of cals from carbs.
5. Strength comes before size. Lift heavy weights to build strength, on a program like Starting Strength. Why not your own routine? Read this.

[sdiddy3]

thanks for the info. i added paragraphs.

I guess I was hoping someone could be a more specific rather than point me to massive amounts of confusing information. If I lift two days a week, how many reps of each should I do? And what do you think I should eat everyday? Can you give an example of a lunch or dinner?Are carbs OK or no? thank you

[softpounder]

If I lift two days a week, how many reps of each should I do?

Follow a workout program. Look at Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe if you're completely new.

And what do you think I should eat everyday?

Whatever you want to bro. As long as it fits your macronutrients.

Can you give an example of a lunch or dinner?Are carbs OK or no? thank you

Sure.

My breakfast is McDonalds Bacon McMuffin with 2 hash browns and a large coffee - has carbs, fat and protein.

My lunch is White Rice, White Potatoes, Brocolli, Fried Pork Chops and a Whey Protein - has tons of carbs, some fat and protein.

My dinner is three slices of Thin Crust Pizza (Hawaiian) with a Whey Protein - has fat, carbs and protein.

My late night snack is a handful of almonds, a casein protein with 500ml of milk - fat and protein.

As long as it fits your macros, everything's okay. As you can see, I am eating TONNNNNNNSSS OF CARBZ.

My TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is 2744. In order for me to stay at my current weight of 155lbs, I need to eat at 2744 calories. Although, I am trying to gain weight. So my daily caloric intake is around 3000-3300 (hard to pinpoint because sometimes, nutritional values/tables have a small margin of error).


Edit:

This was my dinner on Sunday.



From left to right, cashews (fat/protein), fried sticky rice (carbs), leafy veggies and sweet potatoes (carbs), dried marinated pork (protein), beef balls and pork ribs (protein), sticky rice with peanuts and olive oil (carbs, some protein and fat)

I ate half of it, and half was kept as a lunch box the next day.