4 Months Progress - Should I Change my Program Now?

[William2018]

Hi everyone. Would love to know if my program is balanced and correct. Last year I was overweight and lived almost entirely on junk food. It was seriously affecting my health and I did not want to die so young (33) so I made out my own weekly workout program. I would concentrate on cardio and fasting on one day, and the next day I would concentrate on lifting weights and bulking up on carbs and protein, and the next day I would concentrate on Cardio again, and the next day Weights again etc. That's pretty much how I handled it for 4 months. I also followed a strict nutritional diet and ate plenty of healthy carbs and protein. The question is now, should I change my workout program or continue what I am doing? My goal is to have a fit body.


Here are photos of me taken (Before / After) my 4 month workout.

[illpinoise]

Hi everyone. Would love to know if my program is balanced and correct. Last year I was overweight and lived almost entirely on junk food. It was seriously affecting my health and I did not want to die so young (33) so I made out my own weekly workout program. I would concentrate on cardio and fasting on one day, and the next day I would concentrate on lifting weights and bulking up on carbs and protein, and the next day I would concentrate on Cardio again, and the next day Weights again etc. That's pretty much how I handled it for 4 months. I also followed a strict nutritional diet and ate plenty of healthy carbs and protein. The question is now, should I change my workout program or continue what I am doing? My goal is to have a fit body.


Here are photos of me taken (Before / After) my 4 month workout.

Looks like you recomped successfully!! Nice job

I'm curious, what were your TDEE and calorie intake on cardio / workout days?

i tried doing what you did for three months, but I ended up slowly gaining weight instead

[William2018]

Looks like you recomped successfully!! Nice job

I'm curious, what were your TDEE and calorie intake on cardio / workout days?

i tried doing what you did for three months, but I ended up slowly gaining weight instead

Thanks. I plan to add on more muscle but I believe it requires a much higher intake on carbs, calories, and protein. On the days I do Cardio (short bursts of fast running and crunches lasting 1-2 hours) I would eat roughly around 1,400 calories, but I would also have plenty of protein shakes to help repair my muscles from the previous day's workout with weights. On the days I lift weights (dumbbells, push-ups, pull-ups, and various bench workouts lasting 2-3 hours) I would consume (try to consume if I'm lucky) about 2,600 calories. Although I never keep track. My diet on workout days is eggs, avocados, sweet potatoes, protein shakes, rice, and either chicken, turkey, or beef steaks. The quantity changes (depending on what is ripe and ready to eat). A few other foods are mixed in (depends what is in the cupboard), but the only dessert I give myself are two imperial mint sweets which I take just before I spoon out and eat an avocado (gives it some taste). I think the avocado has really been a great help. My body fat decreased much faster than I realised with the aid of that little fresh green delight.

[illpinoise]

Thanks. I plan to add on more muscle but I believe it requires a much higher intake on carbs, calories, and protein. On the days I do Cardio (short bursts of fast running and crunches lasting 1-2 hours) I would eat roughly around 1,400 calories, but I would also have plenty of protein shakes to help repair my muscles from the previous day's workout with weights. On the days I lift weights (dumbbells, push-ups, pull-ups, and various bench workouts lasting 2-3 hours) I would consume (try to consume if I'm lucky) about 2,600 calories. Although I never keep track. My diet on workout days is eggs, avocados, sweet potatoes, protein shakes, rice, and either chicken, turkey, or beef steaks. The quantity changes (depending on what is ripe and ready to eat). A few other foods are mixed in (depends what is in the cupboard), but the only dessert I give myself are two imperial mint sweets which I suck just before I spoon out and eat an avocado (gives it some taste). I think the avocado has really been a great help. My body fat decreased much faster than I realised with the aid of that little fresh green delight.

Nice. Mirin the dedication (nohomo), but have you tried counting everything? I feel like you are on a mad deficit though. You might build more muscle if you force the surplus on your weight training days.

I honestly think you are still on a deficit even when eating at 2600 cals! Props to you tho

I estimate your cardio and weight sessions averaging to about 800-1200 calories

Assuming your BMR is about 2000 and your daily normal expenditure to about 200, you are on a deficit everyday.

2000+200+900 (working out) = 3100 calories (about 500 calorie deficit)

I don't know if you are trying to be on a deficit everyday, but I think you would prefer not to be at least on your weight lifting days.

When I get to a low enough weight but high enough where my face doesn't look like skeletor, I plan on recomping as well similar to your calorie count (but less working out lol):

1200 cal on rest days
2600 cal on workout days

[William2018]

Nice. Mirin the dedication (nohomo), but have you tried counting everything? I feel like you are on a mad deficit though. You might build more muscle if you force the surplus on your weight training days.

I honestly think you are still on a deficit even when eating at 2600 cals! Props to you tho

I estimate your cardio and weight sessions averaging to about 800-1200 calories

Assuming your BMR is about 2000 and your daily normal expenditure to about 200, you are on a deficit everyday.

2000+200+900 (working out) = 3100 calories (about 500 calorie deficit)

I don't know if you are trying to be on a deficit everyday, but I think you would prefer not to be at least on your weight lifting days.

When I get to a low enough weight but high enough where my face doesn't look like skeletor, I plan on recomping as well similar to your calorie count (but less working out lol):

1200 cal on rest days
2600 cal on workout days

Sounds good. I really do need to eat much more and count my intake. When I tallied up all the days I worked out during those 4 months I realize now that it was much closer to 3 months and not 4. I lift weights in the back garden and I remember we had 2 weeks of bad weather which prevented me from completing a full workout, and there was another week when I took it easy to repair a torn muscle in my pec. There was also a week when I injured my toe which forced me to take it easy when doing cardio, and there were several days (near the start) when I cheated on my diet and binged on junk food. So overall my workout program certainly had some faults and bumps along the way, and it probably lasted closer to 3 months instead of 4. I'm planning now to concentrate more on bulking and weight lifting. Hopefully my remaining surplus of body fat will gradually burn off in the process.

[Junsuiakai]

Great job but did nobody notice his hand position?

It is obvious you are not doing enough pull volume in relation to push

[William2018]

Great job but did nobody notice his hand position?

It is obvious you are not doing enough pull volume in relation to push

Thanks. Not sure what you mean. My forearms?

[TonedJordan]

Great job but did nobody notice his hand position?

It is obvious you are not doing enough pull volume in relation to push

First thing I noticed, however it’s the same in before photos before he started lifting so I think it’s just postural that will require more time before it starts improving (providing the routine is balanced).

@OP you made some good changes to your life. Well done!