can someone help me? - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

safahasa · 02-05-2003, 10:10 PM

hi , im 6'3" 237lbs ... i run 1-2 miles a day my body fat % is about 20 . i lift weights a lot also... i have trouble getting stronger and getting cut... i also wanna lose the chub aroud my waist. when i run i do about 120 sit-ups and push ups also... i have been watching my diet and cutting back on the junk food... if anyone has some tips to lose weight and gain strength please let me know

AEMT-CC · 02-05-2003, 11:01 PM

Just because you ditch the junk food, does not mean your going to loose weight. There are alot of other factors to it. Even the most healthy food can be unhealthy when your trying to loose weight if you eat it at the wrong time.

Cut back your carb intake 2-3 hours before you go to bed. Unused carbs become unwanted fat. Burn more calories then you take in etc. etc.

As far as sit-up's go. Their for the more advanced athletes. Sure, it works your abs but you need a strong back for them. Crunches will do you just fine & in the end, give you a better burn.

I HOPE & PRAY your not saying "i have trouble getting stronger and getting cut" after you've been going to the gym for about 2 weeks. This stuff takes time! Alot of people, myself included, find it best to rest for a week straight and then go back to the gym. People usually notice jumps in their 1 max reps this way. Lift hard for a month, take a week off & then go back.

Naxis · 02-06-2003, 06:36 AM

Take a week off after 1 month? Yowza... I wouldn't advise that at all, but that's just me. 6 to 12 weeks at least. But I don't think over training is your problem...

Cutting back on junk food is a great step, and timing meals will help, but that's not the magic answer either. The biggest factor is still going to be how many CALORIES you take in. If you replaced a candy bar with 2 cups of rice, you're actually doing more damage (280 kcal/ 400 kcal). As much as it sucks, you have to keep the calories down to lose fat. Like AEMT-CC said, no carbs right before bed or they get strored as fat. Divide calories into 4-6 small meals throughout the day to keep metabolism up and keep from getting hungry. And drink *lots* of water. Around a gallon a day, if you can help it.

As for gaining strength, you will probably not gain much strength while you are trying to lose fat. Restrictive calories will prevent an increase of muscle mass, but you might notice some gains at first. After you get leaner, then you can add more calories back into your diet and start building muscle mass.

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Keep your body lean, your blood clean and your mind sharp. -Rollins

AEMT-CC · 02-06-2003, 11:04 AM

Naxis,
I was told by an exercise physiology professor that when first starting out in the gym, it actually takes 8-10 weeks for a muscle to start growing. Before that, a person will mainly just notice an increase in strength.

evil316 · 02-06-2003, 11:20 AM

That doesn't sound right to me at all. Heck, I gained 10 pounds of muscle in my first 12 weeks when I started out at the gym. I'm an ectomorph by the way.