Newbie trying to loose fat and tone up!!

[groovy]

Hi all, as the title suggests, this is my first post and new to gym. I would like to loose some fat, tone up and maybe get a bit of muscle. The reason being as I am planning to go to Europe for holiday during the month of July 08 with my mates. Also so I can get healthy and loose the beer belly

My description

Weight = 76kgs, Height = 175cm, Age = 27

Body fat = about 16%. Worked it out approximately using the body building website. Not 100% accurate.

I go to gym 3 times a week and trying to make it 4 times whenever I can.

I have made up this routine myself (newbie )from researching on Google.

My weekly routine

1. Monday

Cardio - 15min run approximately at 12km/hour speed.

Chest

Bench - 50kgs x 3 sets (8 reps)

Incline dumbbell - 15kgs x 3 sets (12 reps)

Wide grip assisted dips - 5kgs (assisted) x 3 sets (10 reps)

Triceps extensions (cable) - 15kgs (I think) x 3 sets (8 reps)

2. Wednesday

Cardio - 15min run approximately at 12km/hour speed.

Back

Assisted Pull up - 10kgs (assisted) x 3 sets (8 reps)

Wide grip lateral pull down - 50kgs x 3 sets (8 reps)

Seated Midrow - 20kgs x 3 sets (12 reps)

Lying Bar pull up - 20kgs x 3 sets (12 reps)

Dumbells -15kgs x 3 sets (8 reps)

Ab workout - Every 2nd day

I keep performing the above 2 routines alternating each routine. Sometimes I do legs and the reason why legs aren’t in my weekly routine, is because my legs are generally quite big and built anyway. So I am trying to concentrate more on my BACK (as it is very weak) and chest.

I have recently bought EAS 100% protein and I have 1 serving of it every time after my workout. Personally I do not prefer to take any of the fat metabolizes or fat burners. Instead I would like to workout harder to burn more fat if I need to.

MY TARGET BEFORE END OF JUNE

1. Loose at least 5% of body fat.

2. Really tone up to be lean

3. Build a bit of muscle (not trying to be a body builder or anything)

4. Build stronger BACK

5. Try to bench more, maybe upto 80kgs.

6. Close to getting 6 pack.

Is this possible? All suggestions and comments are welcome.

Please advice how I can achieve the above, by changing my routine, so I would reach my target faster and making my routine more efficient.

Thanks all in advance.

[Dale]

your legs are the largest muscle in your body...you say they are built already and that is fine but including them in your workouts (i would do 2 leg workouts a week or at least one full on one - either squats or leg pressing or both) will burn a heap of calories and stimulate your metabolism more than anything else you do..compound exercises should make up the bulk of your workouts, squats, leg pressing, deadlifting, pulldowns, bench pressing, standing barbell curls, dips (fine) and some good intense cardio sessions at each workout...prefer to do this at end (20-40mins) after glycogen depleted from weight session and keep the before to a 5min warmup session only

[Xang She' Mann]

your legs are the largest muscle in your body...you say they are built already and that is fine but including them in your workouts (i would do 2 leg workouts a week or at least one full on one - either squats or leg pressing or both) will burn a heap of calories and stimulate your metabolism more than anything else you do..compound exercises should make up the bulk of your workouts, squats, leg pressing, deadlifting, pulldowns, bench pressing, standing barbell curls, dips (fine) and some good intense cardio sessions at each workout...prefer to do this at end (20-40mins) after glycogen depleted from weight session and keep the before to a 5min warmup session only

I agree gale

[rotangs on]

Hi all, as the title suggests, this is my first post and new to gym. I would like to loose some fat, tone up and maybe get a bit of muscle. The reason being as I am planning to go to Europe for holiday during the month of July 08 with my mates. Also so I can get healthy and loose the beer belly

My description

Weight = 76kgs, Height = 175cm, Age = 27

Body fat = about 16%. Worked it out approximately using the body building website. Not 100% accurate.

I go to gym 3 times a week and trying to make it 4 times whenever I can.

I have made up this routine myself (newbie )from researching on Google.

My weekly routine

1. Monday

Cardio - 15min run approximately at 12km/hour speed.

Chest

Bench - 50kgs x 3 sets (8 reps)

Incline dumbbell - 15kgs x 3 sets (12 reps)

Wide grip assisted dips - 5kgs (assisted) x 3 sets (10 reps)

Triceps extensions (cable) - 15kgs (I think) x 3 sets (8 reps)

2. Wednesday

Cardio - 15min run approximately at 12km/hour speed.

Back

Assisted Pull up - 10kgs (assisted) x 3 sets (8 reps)

Wide grip lateral pull down - 50kgs x 3 sets (8 reps)

Seated Midrow - 20kgs x 3 sets (12 reps)

Lying Bar pull up - 20kgs x 3 sets (12 reps)

Dumbells -15kgs x 3 sets (8 reps)

Ab workout - Every 2nd day

I keep performing the above 2 routines alternating each routine. Sometimes I do legs and the reason why legs aren’t in my weekly routine, is because my legs are generally quite big and built anyway. So I am trying to concentrate more on my BACK (as it is very weak) and chest.

I have recently bought EAS 100% protein and I have 1 serving of it every time after my workout. Personally I do not prefer to take any of the fat metabolizes or fat burners. Instead I would like to workout harder to burn more fat if I need to.

MY TARGET BEFORE END OF JUNE

1. Loose at least 5% of body fat.

2. Really tone up to be lean

3. Build a bit of muscle (not trying to be a body builder or anything)

4. Build stronger BACK

5. Try to bench more, maybe upto 80kgs.

6. Close to getting 6 pack.

Is this possible? All suggestions and comments are welcome.

Please advice how I can achieve the above, by changing my routine, so I would reach my target faster and making my routine more efficient.

Thanks all in advance.

I think you're on the right path but why are you only working on your back and chest?? You need to also work shoulders, triceps, biceps, traps, legs and calves..

Check out some peoples journals in the journal forum to give you an idea of how they split the workouts...

[teamfatboy]

Coupla things you could try:

Doing cardio before breakfast - throw down coffee, aspirin and some fruit juice, then do your cardio, and then have breakfast; or do it last thing at night, right before sleep.

Dale's right about legs, you could usefully use two leg-only workouts per week, get those big muscles burning calories for you.

My own personal thought is that 15m at 12 kph is possibly a bit brief although if you can do that, you're clearly quite fit ...do the treadmills have a heart-rate grip so you can gauge how hard you're working?

What's your diet like?

[groovy]

your legs are the largest muscle in your body...you say they are built already and that is fine but including them in your workouts (i would do 2 leg workouts a week or at least one full on one - either squats or leg pressing or both) will burn a heap of calories and stimulate your metabolism more than anything else you do..compound exercises should make up the bulk of your workouts, squats, leg pressing, deadlifting, pulldowns, bench pressing, standing barbell curls, dips (fine) and some good intense cardio sessions at each workout...prefer to do this at end (20-40mins) after glycogen depleted from weight session and keep the before to a 5min warmup session only

Thanks dale. I do work on my legs, but currently not as frequent. But i will and try and do legs sometime during the week and make it a point.

[groovy]

I think you're on the right path but why are you only working on your back and chest?? You need to also work shoulders, triceps, biceps, traps, legs and calves..

Check out some peoples journals in the journal forum to give you an idea of how they split the workouts...

[groovy]

Coupla things you could try:

Doing cardio before breakfast - throw down coffee, aspirin and some fruit juice, then do your cardio, and then have breakfast; or do it last thing at night, right before sleep.

Dale's right about legs, you could usefully use two leg-only workouts per week, get those big muscles burning calories for you.

My own personal thought is that 15m at 12 kph is possibly a bit brief although if you can do that, you're clearly quite fit ...do the treadmills have a heart-rate grip so you can gauge how hard you're working?

What's your diet like?

Hi Teamfatboy. Thanks. I go to gym early morning as soon as i wake up about 6am and before eating anything. So i guess, its a good thing My heartrate is approximately around 160 when I am really tired or close to finishing my cardio.

My diet, is not that great. I am an indian, so we do eat lot of curries and so on. But i dont like to eat much junk food outside like Mc donalds (not saying its bad if someone loves Mc D's )and so on.

Only thing is i would like to improve my bench from 50kgs to 80kgs. Could you anyone please advice which exercises i should concentrate more so i could improve it faster.

Thanks everyone for the input, much appreciated

[teamfatboy]

Hi Teamfatboy. Thanks. I go to gym early morning as soon as i wake up about 6am and before eating anything. So i guess, its a good thing My heartrate is approximately around 160 when I am really tired or close to finishing my cardio.

My diet, is not that great. I am an indian, so we do eat lot of curries and so on. But i dont like to eat much junk food outside like Mc donalds (not saying its bad if someone loves Mc D's )and so on.

Only thing is i would like to improve my bench from 50kgs to 80kgs. Could you anyone please advice which exercises i should concentrate more so i could improve it faster.

Thanks everyone for the input, much appreciated

Yep, doing the cardio first thing is good If you can run at night, it might help to tack-on a brief run last thing too..it keeps the metabolism firing longer, burning calories while you sleep!

Not sure what others would say about the max HR tho...popular wisdom suggests that the optimum range for fatburning is lower than that. 160bpm for a 27yo is 83%, whereas a good goal for fatburning is 65-70%. While you'd be getting aerobically fit, you might actually get better results by slowing down, as odd as it seems.

Know the feeling about curries (love 'em)...but actually basmati rice isn't necessarily a killer....dry curries rather than ones with a yoghurt or cream sauce would help (e.g rogan josh, not a korma, he said showing his ignorance!), but one of the things to consider is going for small meals more often. A lot of the diets you'll see here call for five or six small meals throughout the day.

Keep on talking to us - I think your goals are achievable!

[groovy]

Not sure what others would say about the max HR tho...popular wisdom suggests that the optimum range for fatburning is lower than that. 160bpm for a 27yo is 83%, whereas a good goal for fatburning is 65-70%. While you'd be getting aerobically fit, you might actually get better results by slowing down, as odd as it seems.

Well ill be going to gym tommorow morning again. I will check my heart rate again during the cardio and let you know.

So any advice regarding improving my bench? and which is the best exercise for the upper middle back? Thanks.

[ngapuhi strong]

when trimming down i do 20min cardio at 65-75% 4 times a week early morning, doesnt feel hard out but the fat starts to drop pretty quickly and dont burn muscle doing so

only works if your eating clean as well, i'd rather eat super clean then spend hours in the gym doing cardio

[groovy]

when trimming down i do 20min cardio at 65-75% 4 times a week early morning, doesnt feel hard out but the fat starts to drop pretty quickly and dont burn muscle doing so

only works if your eating clean as well, i'd rather eat super clean then spend hours in the gym doing cardio

Hi. I generally dont eat junk food. Dont like it for some reason. I do eat clean, but its quite hard to eat 4-6 small meals a day, as I get quite busy at work. So i only eat 2 big meals a day!!

Today i started running incline ( on 3) on the treadmill for the first time and man it was so hard. My friend was saying that running on treadmill without incline is almost like running downhill Dont know if that is true or not?

Whats the best to loose fat doing cardio? I generally run on 10km/hr for 3min and then 12km/hr for the next 12mins or so. I guess because I am running at 12km/hr, my heart rate goes upto 160bpm.

So is it best to keep running on 11km/hr for 15min?

Thanks.

[teamfatboy]

Today i started running incline ( on 3) on the treadmill for the first time and man it was so hard. My friend was saying that running on treadmill without incline is almost like running downhill Dont know if that is true or not?

Whats the best to loose fat doing cardio? I generally run on 10km/hr for 3min and then 12km/hr for the next 12mins or so. I guess because I am running at 12km/hr, my heart rate goes upto 160bpm.

So is it best to keep running on 11km/hr for 15min?

Thanks.

You're kinda right...I understand that in order to replicate flat-road real running you should be on a 1% incline, so yeah in a way, no-incline treadmill is easier than flat-road running. Don't let that confuse you, tho..what matters is exertion and heart rate. Oh, and the impact on knees and joints.

Use the formula 220-age to give you the Max HR, and then calculate 65% and 75% of Max, and aim to stay in that range. Sure, vary the speed to give yourself recovery, so maybe a few mins at 75% then a few @ 65%, the important thing is not really to exceed that upper limit if your goal is fatburning.

It may seem 'easy' at 65-75% but that's not the point...it's about getting the metabolism to use fat, not other energy stores.

Good luck

[groovy]

Use the formula 220-age to give you the Max HR, and then calculate 65% and 75% of Max, and aim to stay in that range. Sure, vary the speed to give yourself recovery, so maybe a few mins at 75% then a few @ 65%, the important thing is not really to exceed that upper limit if your goal is fatburning.

It may seem 'easy' at 65-75% but that's not the point...it's about getting the metabolism to use fat, not other energy stores.

Good luck

[Arjun]

Use the formula 220-age to give you the Max HR, and then calculate 65% and 75% of Max, and aim to stay in that range. Sure, vary the speed to give yourself recovery, so maybe a few mins at 75% then a few @ 65%, the important thing is not really to exceed that upper limit if your goal is fatburning.

It may seem 'easy' at 65-75% but that's not the point...it's about getting the metabolism to use fat, not other energy stores.

Good luck

Hey Teamfatboy. Thanks. So does the formula work for all ages (MEN and WOMEN)? As my dad is also trying to get fit and loose some fat and hes about 50yrs. So according to the formula the best BPM to burn most fat for him is between 110 - 127. Is that correct? What does he need to take into consideration for his age and trying to run at that BPM?

Thanks.

[teamfatboy]

Hey Teamfatboy. Thanks. So does the formula work for all ages (MEN and WOMEN)? As my dad is also trying to get fit and loose some fat and hes about 50yrs. So according to the formula the best BPM to burn most fat for him is between 110 - 127. Is that correct? What does he need to take into consideration for his age and trying to run at that BPM?

Thanks.

Hey Groovy,

Yes, the formula's the same for gender, and yes, it's as good for him as it is for me (46yo).

Naturally, all the standard advice applies: get a check-up from his GP before starting seriously, aim to warm-up slowly and cool-down, drink plenty of water if exercising for longer periods.

He might benefit from using the HR along with the "Rate of Perceived Exertion" scale as guides. Google that or the Borg scale to get a feel for what they're about. Running, swimming, cycling, the HR doesn't distinguish.

Start off with low-intensity, steady-state exercise and, depending on how fit his cardio-vascular system is, maybe later look at seeing how easy 60-65% actually feels...

TFB

[TheGus]

Check out some of the journals on this site. Teamfatboys and Marky65's are really useful. Also interval training is a really good way to shift weight without doing long cardio sessions.