Critique Beginner Workout/Supplement - fat loss and muscle gains, newbie to gym

[sansui]

Age: 24
Height: 5'11
Weight: 257 (down from 277)
Bodyfat: no idea, but it's definitely high

Overall condition - legs feel strong, everything else feels weak and flabby, especially my back and upper body

Diet - been eating better since last fall. Cut out the junk foods, still have occasional candy/sweets weakness. Eating whole grain breads, leaner meats, taking multivitamin, more fruits and veggies too.

Supplement Plan - Whey protein shakes on workout days, also hydroxycut for fat loss, same multivitamin

Note about walking - I will be walking in the evenings on a treadmill at home, and doing workouts in the morning before work at the gym.

Weekly Plan - This is tentative and I am very open to alternative exercises to try and get a balanced plan. Many of these exercises I also have not tried yet, and will be doing for the first time as I attend the gym.

Before and After pictures - I just made my before pictures Wow they're awful... but instead of feeling bad, I feel really good. Can't wait to compare in 3 months, 6 months, 12 months etc

Monday
Chest / Triceps
Incline Bench Press 2 x 10
Dumbbell Press 2 x 10
Cable Overhead Tricep Extension 2 x 10
Dips 2 x 10
60 - 90 minutes of walking

Tuesday
90 - 120 minutes of walking
Ab Crunches - until failure

Wednesday
Back / Biceps / Forearms
Upright Cable Rows 2 x 10
Lat Pulldowns 2 x 15
Cable Curls 2 x 15
Hammer Curls 3 x 10
Shoulder Shrugs 2 x 10
*(Edit - Removing) Palms down wrist curls 2 x 10
*(Edit - Removing) Palms up wrist curls 2 x 10
60 - 90 minutes of walking

Thursday
90 - 120 minutes of walking

Friday
Legs / Abs
Squats 3 x 10
Leg Extensions 2 x 15
Leg Curls 2 x 15
Dumbbell Calf Raises 3 x 10
Weighted Crunches - until failure
60 - 90 minutes of walking

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
Rest

[sansui]

Hoping to get some feedback before wednesday - that's going to be my first morning at the gym and I'm hoping to get started on the right foot. I'm sure the trainers will be irritated with my newb questions Just hope they demonstrate the exercises for me

Also, after researching the forums it appears that hydroxycut is NOT a good choice for a fat burner. Will keep looking for a good ephedra free burner (my blood pressure isn't in the high range, but it's close enough that I'm not comfortable with taking an ephedra based burner yet)

[Gollum]

Your program looks pretty good for a beginner. If you are just getting into training and feel out of shape you may want to work your way in slowly, like you are doing. Around here the hardcore maniacs (I see you Mikey) including myself are all about brutal workouts that incorporate the big compound movements like deadlifts, squats, bench press, rows, etc. However, that is not to say you cant get started with what you have and then down the road switch to a more hardcore program. And you already have squats which is great as that is a fundamental exercise.

I think your volume is good as well. Not too many exercises, not too many sets. The only thing you went overboard on is all those wrist curls. The hammers are fine. You're doing more for forearm than you are for quads. Dont need it.

The cardio looks great, too. And you give yourself two days of rest in a row to recover. I really dont see any problems with it. I think it would be a fine way to get started in the gym.

You can have your protein shakes on days you dont train. The extra protein will do you good. You will need it as you build new muscle. You should be eating 6 small meals a day rather than 3 big ones. High in protein, keep an eye on the carbs and include some healthy fats like flaxseed oil or olive oil. Stay away from the sweets! Especially at night!

Supps are fine. You dont need more than protein powder, a multi and maybe some oils at this stage of the game.

Looks like a good plan to me. Give it Hell. Then let us know when you want to become a freak

[sansui]

Thanks for the feedback gollum. I think maybe I'll forget about a fat burning supplement, and get some flaxseed oil like you mentioned.

I was thinking about deadlifts, but honestly it seems a little dangerous and injury prone for someone as out of shape as myself. I'd like to revise this plan in 2-3 months of effort and see about adding some intermediate exercises on alternating weeks to ease into them

Down the road I'd liked to get ripped and get some real muscle bulk, but for now I want to look at my health first - lose fat, and build a good foundation for a more intensive program. I want to do this slow and steady without injuring myself, and make it a permanent part of my life

One thing I was thinking is that maybe I haven't accounted for shoulders in this program - should I add in shoulder shrugs on back/bicep day?

Last thing - food. What do you think of this on an average day

Breakfast:
Special K Bran Bar
2 steamed egg whites

Morning Snack:
Orange and Pretzels

Lunch
Tuna or Chicken Salad Sandwich (miracle whip instead of mayo) on whole wheat bread
Side Salad

Afternoon Snack:
Yogurt or low calorie protein bar

Evening Snack:
Flour Tortilla with tomatoes / veggies

Evening Meal:
Chicken based dish with whole grain rice or veggies

[Gollum]

If deadlifts make you nervous start with what you have. Do your lat pulldowns and you can also do DB rows which are a good, safe back exercise if you like.

For shoulders you can do an overhead press on your chest/tricep day. I would suggest Arnold presses or regular DB presses. I'm not a big fan of shrugs. They hit the traps, not really the shoulders although the shoulders will be used of course. I mean, you can do the shrugs if you want but that kind of detail work I dont think is needed at the moment.

Now my favorite topic. Well....second favoirte . Food!

Breakfast:
Special K Bran Bar
2 steamed egg whites

Not enough protein. A 257lbs guy is not going to make it on 2 egg whites. It is very unlikely you will gain fat by eating clean protein sources. I would go for something like 7 or 8 egg whites here. I would even throw one yolk in there. I'll bet that special K bran bar is loaded with sugar. I would dump that and have oatmeal.

Morning Snack:
Orange and Pretzels

You gotta be kidding me here. Dude...pretzels? Look, Im not trying to give you a hard time but if you're serious you cant eat crap like this. You can have some as a treat here and there or pick a junk day but you need nutrients to gain muscle. Even the orange, fruit really isnt that great. It has vitamins but its high in sugar. Here I would have a protein shake in lowfat milk. Or, if you want solid food have some kind of protein.

Lunch
Tuna or Chicken Salad Sandwich (miracle whip instead of mayo) on whole wheat bread
Side Salad

This is fine. I dont know how much fat is in Miracle Whip but take it easy. Salads are a fine addition to just about any meal. Go heavy on that tuna or chicken, dont be stingy. And make me one LOL!

Afternoon Snack:
Yogurt or low calorie protein bar

I prefer the protein bar over the yogurt.

Evening Snack:
Flour Tortilla with tomatoes / veggies

No protein. Get some lean, grilled beef in that tortilla and you got a deal.

Evening Meal:
Chicken based dish with whole grain rice or veggies

Absolutely fine. Try to keep the starchy and sugary carbs low after 5:00PM. After that just have protein or green veggies like broccoli, beans, etc.


Here's a suggestion since I dont want you to slit your wrists thinking you can never enjoy food again. Pick a day and make it a junk day. Not the whole day, just maybe the first half. On this day have some of the things you've been craving. If you want pizza for breakfast, have pizza. If you want some cookies, have cookies. Dont go BALLISTIC just satisfy the cravings. Then go back to your normal eating for the rest of the day.

[sansui]

Not enough protein. A 257lbs guy is not going to make it on 2 egg whites. It is very unlikely you will gain fat by eating clean protein sources. I would go for something like 7 or 8 egg whites here. I would even throw one yolk in there. I'll bet that special K bran bar is loaded with sugar. I would dump that and have oatmeal.

My head tells me you are absolutely right, but I'm so not a breakfast person. Currently all I've been eating is the bran bar and coffee in the mornings, for a long time now... eating a large breakfast has always made me feel full and uncomfortable in the mornings. I'll add more egg whites and a yolk, but I'm gonna have to keep my bran bar. I used to eat oatmeal every morning for years, and now I can't even stand to look at it.

Morning Snack:
Orange and Pretzels

You gotta be kidding me here. Dude...pretzels? Look, Im not trying to give you a hard time but if you're serious you cant eat crap like this. You can have some as a treat here and there or pick a junk day but you need nutrients to gain muscle. Even the orange, fruit really isnt that great. It has vitamins but its high in sugar. Here I would have a protein shake in lowfat milk. Or, if you want solid food have some kind of protein.

Crap Yeah, I do love pretzels and oranges. Alright, I'll scratch the pretzels and put 'em on a semi-permanent hiatus, or just a once a week treat. How about yogurt and an orange? Half a protein bar maybe.

Here's a suggestion since I dont want you to slit your wrists thinking you can never enjoy food again. Pick a day and make it a junk day. Not the whole day, just maybe the first half. On this day have some of the things you've been craving. If you want pizza for breakfast, have pizza. If you want some cookies, have cookies. Dont go BALLISTIC just satisfy the cravings. Then go back to your normal eating for the rest of the day.

Sounds sensible. I think my biggest challenge will just be staying off the carbs at night. I get awful cravings for things like peanut butter on toast or crackers late at night.... probably those small late night snacks added up over the years and are now sitting firmly all over my body as fat.

Lesson learned - more protein, more protein, less carbs Now - got a good brand of protein bar to recommend? Preferably as few calories/carbs as possible - the stuff in the supermarkets around here are all like 300+ calories a bar and loaded with sugar. I suspect I will have to purchase something in bulk online, or root out a health food store in the local area

[Gollum]

Ok, the protein bar debate has been raging for a long time. Supplement companies are in business to make a profit. Sad to say, the most important thing for most customers is taste. No, not hardcore bodybuilders they would eat a dead dogs ass if they thought it would grow muscle(Will it? Anyone tried this?). But your average Johnny Gym Rat is going to choose his bar by how it tastes. So the companies load the bars with sugar and fat and they sell. What you have is basically a candy bar with some added protein.

So far the best one I found is by Optimum Nutrition. They have 35 grams of protein, 35 carbs, 0 grams of sugar, 3.5 fat and 310 calories. Not bad. I carry a few of these with me and in a pinch they are better than nothing and certainly better than junk food.

[sansui]

Dang... I'm not a huge fan of the taste of protein shakes, but dolled up protein bars taste like ass regardless of how much sugar they put in them. I guess I'll keep some off the no-sugar protein bars on hand then, but will probably just mix up whey shakes ahead of time and take them to work with me.

Thanks for the advice, I think I feel ready for Wednesday. And I can't promise this higher protein diet is going to fit like a glove at first, but I'm going to try hard and get that protein in for breakfast and mid morning.