Jump to content

Sorry!

This site is in read-only mode right now. You can browse all our old topics (and there's a lot of them) but you won't be able to add to them.

wanting to bulk up but also lose belly fat?

total_gym1000

By total_gym1000
in Diet & nutrition

 Share

Recommended Posts

total_gym1000 Member

total_gym1000

Posted
Posted

Hey people, been reading this forum for a while and this is my first post. I'm a 22yo, 5'10, 75kg guy wanting to bulk up quite a bit, i'm skinny around the arms but i have this belly..... probably due to the beer & wine! that im hoping to lose (and most likley where most of my weight i.e fat is). To be honest, it looks way out of proportion with the rest of my body. I am doing the Body for Life workout program at the moment which is going great, and have changed my diet to 6-7 small meals a day.

Is there any exercise i can do that specifically target my big gut? I'm getting more calories into me each day to put on some weight and hopefully muscle from my workout program, but i don't want the extra mass to go straight to my gut!!! I drink f'all alcohol now. This is my routine each week:

Day 1. Upper body

Day 2. Cardio (20min)

Day 3. Lower Body

Day 4. Cardio (20min)

Day 5. Upper Body

Day 6. Cardio (20min)

Day 7. Rest day

Do i need to do more cardio??

Thanks heaps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
greyghost Member

greyghost

Posted
Posted

Apart from watching your alcohol intake, go for a walk every morning before breakfast. 45 - 60 mins. Did the trick for me.

Just remember that you'll lose fat everywhere else before it comes off your guts. Unless you're a chick then it'll come off your arse last.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AgentOrange Veteran member

AgentOrange

Posted
Posted

I like the bfl programme its what got me into bodybuilding.. Its a great simple straight forward programme for beginners. I think if your new to training it can drasticly change your body. Its also good to revert back to if you have had a long break from training..

I personally havnt gone near it for a while but i think its good your doing it.

BFL reccomends a carb source at every meal and they give you a list like pasta rice etc i think from memory... This is where i believe if you tweak the programme slightly you will get better results.

Perhaps making meals 4, 5, 6 and six carb free and compensate with some green veges.. or even taper them down over the day. throw it some late evening cardio like a walk and you should incinerate that gut nicely. Whilst packing on some newbie muscle..

just my 2 cents

maybe someone can add to that

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Android Veteran member

Android

Posted
Posted

#1 Quit drinking alcohol. (It's not about putting fat on, it will stop your ability to lose fat, lower testosterone, lower energy levels).

#2 Don't do upper body twice a week. Do each body part once a week.

#3 Cardio below 30mins...please! Go for 45mins at least.

#4 Spend 45 mins in the gym maximum and then do cardio straight afterwards, every single training day.

#5 Do cardio in the AM upon rising on non-training days.

#6 Stop eating carbs after 4pm (includes drinks but see #1 anyway).

#7 Quit drinking, take up gambling or something less harmful to your body :twisted: (you're welcome!)

It's at odds to want to bulk up and lean down hence why I didn't suggest low rep or high rep work. Ideally you would do high rep high intensity so you get a free cardio session while you workout, but you probably couldn't handle it and eat enough, so stick with whatever reps/ sets/ exercises you do already.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pete Member

Pete

Posted
Posted

It's at odds to want to bulk up and lean down hence why I didn't suggest low rep or high rep work. Ideally you would do high rep high intensity.

As I understand it, low rep, body building-style weight lifting is the most effective practise for fat loss as well.

I have only ever heard people denounce high rep for fat loss. Waste of time, apparently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
total_gym1000 Member

total_gym1000

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Cheers for all the replies! I will def take note of the advice :nod:

I'm keen on going for runs after a gym workout (my gym is my garage) to get the necessary cardio, would you recommend having a protein shake after the workout before the run or after the run? As the run can take 45min to an hour and i hear its good to get some protein into your body within 15min of working out?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AgentOrange Veteran member

AgentOrange

Posted
Posted
#4 Spend 45 mins in the gym maximum and then do cardio straight afterwards, every single training day.

what about the golden rule of geting protein in?? or do you think this is not to important and at then end of 30mins cardio would be ok??

im going to be cutting for some time after really leting things go

its going to go a little like this

AM: 10mins HIIT (sets me up for the whole day AM cardio) -everyday

PM: Weights followed by 30 mins brisk treadmill - 4 x a week

but orig i was going to do all cardio am fasted as i thought this would have yeilded better results.. Be interested if some other peeps out there have experienced with differnt cardio timing and whats worked best...???

Link to comment
Share on other sites
startinfromscratch Veteran member

startinfromscratch

Posted
Posted

dude, im 5ft 10", 72 kgs, same physical make up as you desribed, to a tee!

i started off doing a cardio and machine weights program, and did drop weight. my goal is to bulk up first, even though ive never seen my abs! so now i do weights 4 times a week, no cardio - a straight bulk. But when i was doing this with dialled in eating, freeweights changed my body more than cardio ever did. I gained 3 kgs, lost inches off my belly, and got bigger shoulders, all with zero cardio - but i am an ectomorph. now i just eat like crazy, want to add 10kgs then change to a 'cutting type regime. hope this helps. good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Android Veteran member

Android

Posted
Posted
#4 Spend 45 mins in the gym maximum and then do cardio straight afterwards, every single training day.

what about the golden rule of geting protein in?? or do you think this is not to important and at then end of 30mins cardio would be ok??

im going to be cutting for some time after really leting things go

its going to go a little like this

AM: 10mins HIIT (sets me up for the whole day AM cardio) -everyday

PM: Weights followed by 30 mins brisk treadmill - 4 x a week

but orig i was going to do all cardio am fasted as i thought this would have yeilded better results.. Be interested if some other peeps out there have experienced with differnt cardio timing and whats worked best...???

Good call AgentOrange. I've never used this regime but pros and amateurs here in NZ use post workout cardio and high intensity training to get excellent unbeatable results on stage. They aren't concerned in building muscle by this stage but in maintaining it so it's ok.

In hindsight though I think giving competition-style suggestions is not the best, it's not like he's asking to be 'shredded' or 'hulk'.

Good clean diet, good hard honest workout, plenty of water, plenty of rest, cut out the beers, don't over-eat at night, how's that sound?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
agent86 Member

agent86

Posted
Posted

It is very difficult if not impossible to put on muscle mass and lose fat at the same time. You must decide what you want to do. If you want to lose the belly you will have to have less calories than you need and hence lose fat. The cardio only burns more calories so you can have a calorie deficient diet for the day. To put on muscle you eat more calories than you need and cut the cardio. Cardio done while bulking will not burn fat if you are eating surplus calories and can limit gains. Most fat loss is done through dieting and only a small percentage is done with cardio. I have got ripped for comps with no cardio at all.

You must decide on a goal for skinfold and diet until you reach it. Then change to a mass building diet. Your trainining should be the same when dieting or building,train each bodypart once a week and go heavy.

People think that they can bulk up but keep fat gain to a minimum by doing cardio. Diet or bulk, you choose.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
runveerun Veteran member

runveerun

Posted
Posted

How long have you been doing BFL programme? I think it's just best to stick with that for the 12 weeks to get the right results which is the programme you outlined in your original post. If you start messing about with it there's no point in doing it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
agent86 Member

agent86

Posted
Posted

I do cardio when bulking to keep a bit of fitness which comes in handy when doing legs. It also gives a sense of wellbeing and increases appetite.I think you should do the Body for Life as you have started and aim to get the belly down as this seems to be your worry. The weights will tone you up and with less fat you should look more muscular.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
greyghost Member

greyghost

Posted
Posted
Yep BFL does work and your belly will go!!! Stick to the plan!! I went through a 'is this working' phase with BFL, measure yourself and take photos every couple of weeks and you will see it is working!!! All the best for it!!

Well done. The hard work has paid off. Good on ya.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Popular Contributors

    Nobody has received reputation this week.

×
×
  • Create New...