Please help me...

[Broseph]

Brief History

I am a 21 year old male, 200lbs. I have little to no muscle, except in my calfs. I have a "skinny person" build, but I have a big gut, love handles, and man boobs. All of my fat is stored from the bottom of my neck down to just below my belly button.

I haven't actively lifted weights in 10 years and have never really exercised. I have pretty much eaten what I wanted.

Last year, I went on the Atkins diet and had mixed sucess. Within 8 months, I was down to 165, without working out. I could fit nicely into my 33 waist pants again and felt pretty good. However, I realise that a majority of my weight loss was muscle and water weight. Atkins wasn't something I could stay on for the rest of my life, and within a few months, I have gained it all back. Also, at that time, I was very active at my job and worked outside all day for 35 hours a week.

Now, I work inside for 4 days and outside 2 days of the week. Last week, my fiance' and I moved in to an apartment together and I decided to change my life. She was obese in high school and has lost about 60-80 lbs. and has been eating healthy. Along with her cooking and support, I started an exercise program.

Current Diet and Activity

This is a typical day's worth of food:

Breakfast

3/4c Quaker Oatmeal
Couple squirts of I can't believe its not butter spray
1 packet of Splenda
1/4c 2% milk
3 egg whites and 1 yoke
1 Tbs Pace Picante

Snacks (Spaced out ever couple of hours

1 small apple
1 light yogurt
1 Whey protein shake

Lunch

4oz. Sirloin Steak
1 1/2c of salad
2 Tbs light ranch dressing
1 Small potatoe
1 Tbs Sour cream
1 pinch of shredded cheese

Snacks (Spaced out ever couple of hours

Snack Pack pudding
100 calorie pack of Wheat Thins
Slice of 3/4oz. cheese
1 large orange
Handful of salted, roasted peanuts

Dinner

4 oz. grilled Pork Chop
Fist sized amount of Mac and Cheese
1 1/2c of salad
2 Tbs light ranch dressing

Exercise program

Monday:

HIIT Cardio on treadmill for 10 minutes

Various exercises on machines:
-1 set of 8-10 reps leg curls
-1 set of 8-10 reps leg lifts
-1 set of 8-10 reps benchpress
-1 set of 8-10 reps incline
-1 set of 8-10 reps curls
-1 set of 8-10 reps pull downs
and a few other arm exercises.

HIIT Cardio on treadmill for 5 minutes
Stationary bike for 2-3 minutes to "cool down"

Tuesday:

Rest

Wednesday:

HIIT Cardio on treadmill for 15 minutes
Stationary bike for 2-3 minutes to "cool down"

Thursday:

HIIT Cardio on treadmill for 10 minutes

Various exercises on machines:
-1 set of 8-10 reps leg curls
-1 set of 8-10 reps leg lifts
-1 set of 8-10 reps benchpress
-1 set of 8-10 reps incline
-1 set of 8-10 reps curls
-1 set of 8-10 reps pull downs
and a few other arm exercises.

HIIT Cardio on treadmill for 5 minutes
Stationary bike for 2-3 minutes to "cool down"

Friday:

HIIT Cardio on treadmill for 15 minutes
Stationary bike for 2-3 minutes to "cool down"

Saturday:

HIIT Cardio on treadmill for 10 minutes

Various exercises on machines:
-1 set of 8-10 reps leg curls
-1 set of 8-10 reps leg lifts
-1 set of 8-10 reps benchpress
-1 set of 8-10 reps incline
-1 set of 8-10 reps curls
-1 set of 8-10 reps pull downs
and a few other arm exercises.

HIIT Cardio on treadmill for 5 minutes
Stationary bike for 2-3 minutes to "cool down"

Sunday:

Rest, but play low-activity adult softball.

After 2 weeks, I plan to start doing more sets of exercise and try to increase my HIIT time.

[bdiesel]

if you want to lose fat you need to up your cardio significantly. that bull**** hiit isn't going to cut it. you need to burn 3500 calories just to shed 1 pound of fat. you need to get up to at least 30 minute cardio sessions. walking at a fast pace (4mph) on a fairly steep incline is better than just plain walking. running is of course even better. bottom line is if you want to lose say 20 pounds of fat you need to keep your fat intake very, very low (also refined carbs) and you need to burn some serious cals. if you could burn 7000cals a week (1000 a day) you would essentially drop about 8 pounds a month. if you are really determined you could do 2 1000cals sessions a day and burn off 16 pounds a month. the hiit might be ok just to kind of stay in shape but if you're looking to really shed that fat you need to seriously think about changing it up.

btw, could you explain your screen name?

[AlwaysTan]

lol at bdiesel being drunk at michael jacksons.....lmao


I would cut the HIIT and do 5-6 45-60 minute cardio sessions at 60-70% of your max heart rate. Your diet is ok, not a lot of protein, and I would drop the snack pack and triscuts and cheese. I'm not a trainer, but im 22 and 5'8, about 190 lbs. Skinny frame with a gut that I got in the last year from overeating. All my diet consists of is oats,whey,chicken,tuna and brown rice....

[jmih95]

you dont need to "burn" 3500 cals to lose a pound, if you go by this advice everyone would being running on a treadmill for the rest of their lives.

If your bmr is approx 2000-2400 per day not accounting for your level of activity then if you decrease your calorie intake by roughly 200-400 cals and combine that with exercise than you could easily reach a calorie deficit of about 400-800 per day.

Across 7 days this would be 2800-5600 cals per week or roughly 1-2 lbs per week of weightloss.

I also have had better success losing weight by adding more high intensity weightlifting sessions and keeping the cardio to 3 sessions per week 20-30 mins.

Jason

[Broseph]

Thanks guys. The HIIT is working well for me, and I intend to step it up to 20 minutes. I get really bored jogging for long lengths of time, treadmill or outside. I don't want to lose 4 lbs/week, that seems unhealthy. I just need to lose 1-2 a week, Im not in a hurry.