What did you do today?

Not a whole day - just 2 meals a week - I eat them both on the weekends. Each "cheat" can be anything I want, as long as it's only 500 calories.

 

lol, now thats strict! What are your current goals? Are you trying to gain mass or lean out?

Unfortunately, I have it in my head that I will be the first person in existence to both lose bf and gain lean mass simultaneously. I'm sure it won't happen since this is impossible, so I'm trying to maintain as much LBM as I can while loosing another 1-2lbs of fat, which will put me at around 10%. I'm just going to start going by the mirror and be happy with the scale as long as I can stay above 220lbs.

 

I get about 350g of protein a day, so my diet guy says that this should be sufficient for what I'm trying to do - it's all in how strict I am with the rest of my meals and how my "reward meals" play out. I tend to blow the diet every couple of weeks and have some beers one night, but nothing overly excessive. The upside is that after a big carb up (of beer and fajitas), I look and feel awesome the next day and all my lifts go up.

 

My other big thing is getting enough sleep, which I have a hard time doing these days. I'm usually asleep by midnight and I get up at 6:30. I would feel amazing if I could get 1 extra hour a night so that when the weekend comes, I don't want to skip taking my wife out and go to bed at 10pm and sleep 12 hours. lol. I'm definitely not complaining here, but the other thing is that I'm getting busier and busier with work and feel weird saying it, but I think I need a personal assistant. hahaha. That is serious though...

Unfortunately, I have it in my head that I will be the first person in existence to both lose bf and gain lean mass simultaneously. I'm sure it won't happen since this is impossible, so I'm trying to maintain as much LBM as I can while loosing another 1-2lbs of fat, which will put me at around 10%. I'm just going to start going by the mirror and be happy with the scale as long as I can stay above 220lbs.

 

I get about 350g of protein a day, so my diet guy says that this should be sufficient for what I'm trying to do - it's all in how strict I am with the rest of my meals and how my "reward meals" play out. I tend to blow the diet every couple of weeks and have some beers one night, but nothing overly excessive. The upside is that after a big carb up (of beer and fajitas), I look and feel awesome the next day and all my lifts go up.

 

My other big thing is getting enough sleep, which I have a hard time doing these days. I'm usually asleep by midnight and I get up at 6:30. I would feel amazing if I could get 1 extra hour a night so that when the weekend comes, I don't want to skip taking my wife out and go to bed at 10pm and sleep 12 hours. lol. I'm definitely not complaining here, but the other thing is that I'm getting busier and busier with work and feel weird saying it, but I think I need a personal assistant. hahaha. That is serious though...

 

How many calories are you eating per day now? 1-2 pounds of fat loss should be really easy for someone with as much muscle mass as you. I can lose 2 pounds of fat in my sleep, lol. When I am cutting (which I am now), I am really strict, but not as strict as you it seems. I never really drink so that helps, and I eat 6 times a day, shooting for 500 calories per meal give or take. If I go out and eat more, I usually try to make up for it by eating a bit less on the rest of the meals for the day. I can usually put away an easy 1500+ calories eating a meal out, so when I am cutting, I try to be sensible when I eat out and keep it well under 1000. Eventually later in my cut I will probably put in some cardio, but right now I am just doing 20 easy minutes of elliptical after my workouts (more of a cool down).

Damn...you guys are inspirational!

 

Thank you to the guys who are contributing to this thread and letting those of us "amateurs" out there follow you! Lots of great information in here!

Unfortunately, I have it in my head that I will be the first person in existence to both lose bf and gain lean mass simultaneously. I'm sure it won't happen since this is impossible, so I'm trying to maintain as much LBM as I can while loosing another 1-2lbs of fat, which will put me at around 10%. I'm just going to start going by the mirror and be happy with the scale as long as I can stay above 220lbs.

 

I get about 350g of protein a day, so my diet guy says that this should be sufficient for what I'm trying to do - it's all in how strict I am with the rest of my meals and how my "reward meals" play out. I tend to blow the diet every couple of weeks and have some beers one night, but nothing overly excessive. The upside is that after a big carb up (of beer and fajitas), I look and feel awesome the next day and all my lifts go up.

 

My other big thing is getting enough sleep, which I have a hard time doing these days. I'm usually asleep by midnight and I get up at 6:30. I would feel amazing if I could get 1 extra hour a night so that when the weekend comes, I don't want to skip taking my wife out and go to bed at 10pm and sleep 12 hours. lol. I'm definitely not complaining here, but the other thing is that I'm getting busier and busier with work and feel weird saying it, but I think I need a personal assistant. hahaha. That is serious though...

 

 

 

 

 

This might help with fatigue - http://www.amazon.com/Verilux-HappyLite-De...r/dp/B0001ATEJ2

How many calories are you eating per day now? 1-2 pounds of fat loss should be really easy for someone with as much muscle mass as you. I can lose 2 pounds of fat in my sleep, lol. When I am cutting (which I am now), I am really strict, but not as strict as you it seems. I never really drink so that helps, and I eat 6 times a day, shooting for 500 calories per meal give or take. If I go out and eat more, I usually try to make up for it by eating a bit less on the rest of the meals for the day. I can usually put away an easy 1500+ calories eating a meal out, so when I am cutting, I try to be sensible when I eat out and keep it well under 1000. Eventually later in my cut I will probably put in some cardio, but right now I am just doing 20 easy minutes of elliptical after my workouts (more of a cool down).

 

 

I'm at 3295 cals right now over 8 meals (this includes a pre-work out "meal" and a post-workout "meal"). Pure fat is tough for me to lose for some reason. I'm lucky to get off ~1/2 pound a week, and that's if I'm doing my cardio without missing and the diet is ultra dialed with zero flub-ups. When I was measured at 11.4% last year I looked good, but when I start to get leaner than that, I end up looking a little skinny for my frame as I tend to lose muscle too. I've weighed 270 before and although I was a 18-20% bf monster, I was able to carry it pretty well. And that strength - talk about addicting...

 

Anyways, I would bet that I'm leaner than 11.4 right now, so I need to get up to Austin to get measured again to confirm this, especially since I'm weighing more now and stronger than I've ever been. It's interesting to get the exact numbers and see how your composition has changed - the DEXA scan tells you your torso mass, arm mass, legs mass, bone density, bone weight, etc. It's pretty cool.

 

 

This might help with fatigue - http://www.amazon.com/Verilux-HappyLite-De...r/dp/B0001ATEJ2

 

 

is that thing for real?

Yep, I am not sure about that exact model but Ive had two friends use those machines to wake up quicker

You guys don't know how good you have it (At least Aaron) to be able to focus 100% on diet and training everyday. I have to travel, sometimes stay late for work, sometimes I get stuck in meetings which inhibits me to eat right, etc., etc. It sucks.

 

And worst of all, I am still stuck at 265 for 5x on flat bench...F....M....L....!!!!

I'm at 3295 cals right now over 8 meals (this includes a pre-work out "meal" and a post-workout "meal"). Pure fat is tough for me to lose for some reason. I'm lucky to get off ~1/2 pound a week, and that's if I'm doing my cardio without missing and the diet is ultra dialed with zero flub-ups. When I was measured at 11.4% last year I looked good, but when I start to get leaner than that, I end up looking a little skinny for my frame as I tend to lose muscle too. I've weighed 270 before and although I was a 18-20% bf monster, I was able to carry it pretty well. And that strength - talk about addicting...

 

Anyways, I would bet that I'm leaner than 11.4 right now, so I need to get up to Austin to get measured again to confirm this, especially since I'm weighing more now and stronger than I've ever been. It's interesting to get the exact numbers and see how your composition has changed - the DEXA scan tells you your torso mass, arm mass, legs mass, bone density, bone weight, etc. It's pretty cool.

 

I bet your 11.4 (that you had measured on the DEXA) is leaner than what most people consider 11.4. You are probably ripped right now at a DEXA 10% and look more like 7-8%. I highly doubt you need to be over 220 to not look skinny. I have a friend who is 6'6 and extremely large boned, his wrists are like the size of my ankles. And he gets up to 220-230 at 10-11% and looks massive. I think your biggest enemy with not losing fat is you are way too concerned about what the scale says. People have put up mental barriers that they dont want to be under 200 pounds, or 220, or whatever, but the number on the scale means jack.

You guys don't know how good you have it (At least Aaron) to be able to focus 100% on diet and training everyday. I have to travel, sometimes stay late for work, sometimes I get stuck in meetings which inhibits me to eat right, etc., etc. It sucks.

 

And worst of all, I am still stuck at 265 for 5x on flat bench...F....M....L....!!!!

 

I wouldnt call it 100%, I have a lot of things to juggle at home, and I work a lot. I just have the freedom to schedule things in, which is nice.

I wouldnt call it 100%, I have a lot of things to juggle at home, and I work a lot. I just have the freedom to schedule things in, which is nice.

 

 

Unless you're going pro, 100% is dumb and makes life not as enjoyable. Take it from someone who used to bring and mix protein shakes at night clubs...

I just have the freedom to schedule things in, which is nice.

 

This is what I was getting at. That is great that you are able to do that. I realize more and more that I can't ever take it as seriously as I want due to the lack of freedom from driving to work, meetings, traveling, etc., etc.

 

Oh well, do the best you can with what you got, right?..=)

This is what I was getting at. That is great that you are able to do that. I realize more and more that I can't ever take it as seriously as I want due to the lack of freedom from driving to work, meetings, traveling, etc., etc.

 

Oh well, do the best you can with what you got, right?..=)

 

If its that much of a priority to you, make it happen. I am sure there are plenty of things that are keeping you from giving it as much as you would like to, and its not just your job.

If its that much of a priority to you, make it happen. I am sure there are plenty of things that are keeping you from giving it as much as you would like to, and its not just your job.

 

For years the biggest hurdle for me was not knowing how to cook, and I never got into the meal plans some guys do.

 

If you can control the food, most of the battle is done. Life is life, and you'll never be able to always work out when you want to unless it is your life and/or you have the self employment flexibility. Food you can definitely control a lot, even with a 9-5 unless you are a construction worker or something (although I was told Ronnie Colman was a full time cop, lol).

 

I don't think you need perfection, just dedication and not be easily frustrated.

 

 

Take it from someone who used to bring and mix protein shakes at night clubs...

For years the biggest hurdle for me was not knowing how to cook, and I never got into the meal plans some guys do.

 

If you can control the food, most of the battle is done. Life is life, and you'll never be able to always work out when you want to unless it is your life and/or you have the self employment flexibility. Food you can definitely control a lot, even with a 9-5 unless you are a construction worker or something (although I was told Ronnie Colman was a full time cop, lol).

I don't think you need perfection, just dedication and not be easily frustrated.

 

Or Steriods

If its that much of a priority to you, make it happen. I am sure there are plenty of things that are keeping you from giving it as much as you would like to, and its not just your job.

 

Unfortunately, it is mostly my job that inhibits me from taking it as serious as I want. I can quit my job and take it to the next level, but then how can I pay for toys? lol.

 

Time to get on some supplements....

 

Talking about supplements, the only thing I take is protein power. What about you guys? Anything you recommend? I am thinking creatine, glutamine, and a multivitamin.

How did I miss this thread! Today I woke up, and started my day with not one.. but 2 OREO COOKIES!!!

Unfortunately, it is mostly my job that inhibits me from taking it as serious as I want. I can quit my job and take it to the next level, but then how can I pay for toys? lol.

 

Time to get on some supplements....

 

Talking about supplements, the only thing I take is protein power. What about you guys? Anything you recommend? I am thinking creatine, glutamine, and a multivitamin.

 

 

Protein powder, sometimes bars (because i like them) and occasionally creatine, but i don't buy the superloading stuff od'ing on it, if i load as they recommend it gives me muscle cramps so i just take small doses, i can't really notice much difference with it though unless i've been training really hard for several weeks, then it might give me a little boost but nothing to write home about.

Unfortunately, it is mostly my job that inhibits me from taking it as serious as I want. I can quit my job and take it to the next level, but then how can I pay for toys? lol.

 

Time to get on some supplements....

 

Talking about supplements, the only thing I take is protein power. What about you guys? Anything you recommend? I am thinking creatine, glutamine, and a multivitamin.

 

 

I like the NO supplements for pre-workout, along with glutamine, carnitine, vitamins C, D, E and fish oil.

I like the NO supplements for pre-workout, along with glutamine, carnitine, vitamins C, D, E and fish oil.

 

 

Actually something I've been wondering about - what vitamins do we really need to take? I take about 3g of Vit C per day (when sick 6-10g) I take 100mg zinc daily = two combined is a life saver against getting sick

 

 

For pre workout I would only take Jack3d, most of the other stuff is overloaded with things not needed and makes you shit.. I know I covered this before.

 

For whey I try to find some with glutamin in it for recovery.

 

 

some fish oils or flaxseed

Actually something I've been wondering about - what vitamins do we really need to take? I take about 3g of Vit C per day (when sick 6-10g) I take 100mg zinc daily = two combined is a life saver against getting sick

 

 

For pre workout I would only take Jack3d, most of the other stuff is overloaded with things not needed and makes you shit.. I know I covered this before.

 

For whey I try to find some with glutamin in it for recovery.

 

 

some fish oils or flaxseed

 

 

What do you think about Gaspari Nutrition Super Pump?

 

I also just picked up some ON 100% whey protein, which I've used before and liked. 24g of protein, 4 grams of Glutamine and gluatmine precursors, and 5.5 grams of BCAAs (Leucine, isoleucine and Valine) in each scoop. Pretty reasonable as well, at about $45 for 5lbs.

I take superpump and like it. I also take creatine mono and fish oil, obviously whey protein.

Thanks for the replies. I am going to start off with Creatine, Multi Vitamin, and Glutamine for now and see how that works out for me.