Any help with routine please

Ive been doing 10mins of cardio (mainly skipping, running, punch bag) every morning before i eat to try and keep my body fat down, is this advisable?

Perfectly fine..as long as you don't train too hard....as long as your breathing still allows you to carry on a conversation.

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That great, ive not been pushing myself too hard with the cardio.  What would you say about changing the bake beans with a meal supplement?

thanks

What would you say about changing the bake beans with a meal supplement?

You should also learn to observe a hierarchy of meal choices:

• Fresh food is better than frozen.
  
• Frozen food is better than canned.
  
• A meal with nutritional value and some protein and complex carbs is better than a very high sugar snack food
  
• A Thermic or supportive meal is better than a shake
  
• A shake is better than a bar
  
• A sports nutrition bar with 30 grams of protein is better than a candy bar

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thats great,

Ive got my body fat percentage and here are the results;

BODY TYPE - Standard
AGE - 19
HEIGHT - 186cm
WEIGHT - 86.3Kg
BMI - 24.9
BMR - 8615kJ
         2059kcal
IMPEDANCE - 378
FAT% - 12.4%
FAT MASS - 10.7Kg
FFM - 75.6Kg
TBW - 55.3Kg

My activity level for the past two months is nothing compared to what i was doing when i last had my body fat percentage measured which is on the first page of this post.

I was just wondering if this would be ok;

replacing the can of bake beans, which is about 1-2 hours before working out, for a meal replacement which contains

5 scoops muscle and weight gainer
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 teaspoon honey
handful of peanuts
200ml skimmed milk

and have the

2 scoops of whey protein = 36.6g protein
1 scoop of creatine

after my workout

Is this still your goal?

My goals are to increase muscle mass and to become more Defined and Toned.

 
If it is, then that will not work.  It will help you gain mass..including a fair amount of fat and  maybe some muscle. Defined and Toned refers to NOT gaining alot of fat.
 
Ice cream is not a lean protein, there is no fibrous carbohydrate..do you really need the extra fat from the nuts?
 
This meal is also not very thermic..most everything in it can easily store as fat.
 
If that was with my gainer powder the whole thing would be about 1700 calories with 80% from carbs, much of which is simple sugars...
 
 

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My goal has changed now and im trying to bulk up, when ive got to my ideal size, then i'll concentrate and cutting in and toning.

With the shake thing, ill leave the ice cream and nuts out and just add the honey and milk to the muscle and weight gainer.  would that be more ideal?

thanks

Have you read the diet part of this?
 
For Gaining Mass
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/For_Gaining_Mass/m_111173/tm.htm
 
You need to understand that most meals need to be balanced to help your body grow continuously.  The powder and milk are like rocket fuel...you need something to slow them down so they burn steady. "which is about 1-2 hours before working out"  by the time you are 1/2 way through with the workout those things will be long gone.  Then you start using muscle for energy.
 
The exception is the post workout nutrition..which is special.

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For the post workout ive been taking 36g whey protein and some creatine.  Before my workout i take the weight gainer about an hour to an hour and a half before. So, if there being used up quickly, i should be taking the meal replacement about 1hr - 30mins before my workout so i wont be using muscle for energy?

The only reason i was taking it an 1-1 1/2 hours because that is what is recommended on the back of the tub.

Im going to workout out my calories etc and look at my diet and follow the link that you posted.  Then i'll post my diet and see what you think.  I think the main thing i have problems with is the Pre/ Post workout nutrition but ill give it a go.

thanks

Hi LetsHaveSome,

Creatine is a powder you should only be taking prior to a workout. Creatine has no evidence-based benefit post-exercise, where the _theory_ behind it pre-exercise is that it provides additional ATP (energy) at a quick / instant rate; allowing better benefits / lifts during the gym work-out.

With regards to your powder consumption prior to a work-out; it is best to do this 30 -45 minutes at most. You want your powder to enter into the metabolistic phase, restoring energy into your muscles and body, for use during your work-out, assisting in the maintenance of energy for the duration of the whole work-out.

You should not become reliant on protien powder / creatine powder anyway. Creatine, again, has little proven benefits (infact, no proven benefits, only many theories as to what it actually aids in); while protein powders are not needed if you are getting enough in your diet.

Prior and post exercise, carbohydrates are ideal for you. Carbohydrates (pasta, noodles, bread, rice, etc..) enable the slow release of energy over a long period of time. Your muscles store carbohydrates (broken down into glucose/glycogen), and it enables long-term energy supply during exercise.

While measuring the amount of calories you require, is ideal if you wish to EXACT your results; however it is not mandatory. So long as you have an adequate diet, and ensure you eat the correct foods, regularly, then you will acheive similar-to-same results.... Do not become so reliant on every single measurement... as this can be detrimental to your lifestyle. You do need to relax, enjoy life and learn to be flexible as well!.

I am in a rush right now, so wish I could discuss this further. I will watch this topic and add more at a later time.

Regards,
Nicolas.

Nice post Nicolas
 

Creatine, again, has little proven benefits (infact, no proven benefits, only many theories as to what it actually aids in);

Sorry, that is simply not reflected in the science...
 
Creatine is one of the best-documented supplements for enhancing athletic performance but the scientific evidence that it works is far from complete. The best evidence we have points to benefits in forms of exercise that require repeated short-term bursts of high-intensity exercise
 
While it can be derived from foods...supplementation has shown some benefit.
 
Several small double-blind studies suggest that creatine can improve performance in exercises that involve repeated short bursts of high-intensity activity.
 
For example, a double-blind study investigated creatine and swimming performance in 18 men and 14 women. Men taking the supplement had significant increases in speed when doing 6 bouts of 50-meter swims started at 3-minute intervals, as compared with men taking placebo.
 
Interestingly, none of the women enrolled in the study showed any improvement with the creatine supplement.
 
In another double-blind study, 16 physical education students exercised 10 times for 6 seconds on a stationary cycle, alternating with a 30-second rest period. The results showed that individuals who took creatine for 6 days were better able to maintain cycle speed. Similar results were seen in many other studies of repeated high-intensity exercise, although there have been negative results as well.
 
Isometric exercise capacity (pushing against a fixed resistance) also may improve with creatine.
In addition, two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, each lasting 28 days, provide some evidence that creatine and creatine plus HMB (or by extention BCAA) can increase lean muscle and bone mass.
 
However, studies of endurance or nonrepeated exercise have not shown benefits. Therefore, creatine probably won't help you for marathon running or single sprints.
 
 
Williams MH, Branch JD. Creatine supplementation and exercise performance: an update. J Am Coll Nutr. 1998;17:216,234.
 
Balsom PD, Ekblom B, Soderlund K, et al. Creatine supplementation and dynamic high-intensity intermittent exercise. Scand J Med Sci Sport. 1993;3:143,149.
 
Mujika I, Padilla S. Creatine supplementation as an ergogenic acid for sports performance in highly trained athletes: a critical review. Int J Sports Med. 1997;18:491,496.
 
Williams MH, Branch JD. Creatine supplementation and exercise performance: an update. J Am Coll Nutr. 1998;17:216,234.
 
Balsom PD, Ekblom B, Soderlund K, et al. Creatine supplementation and dynamic high-intensity intermittent exercise. Scand J Med Sci Sport. 1993;3:143,149.
 
Gilliam JD, Hohzorn C, Martin D, et al. Effect of oral creatine supplementation on isokinetic torque production. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;32:993,996.
 
Williams MH, Branch JD. Creatine supplementation and exercise performance: an update. J Am Coll Nutr. 1998;17:216,234.
 
Volek JS, Kraemer WJ, Bush JA, et al. Creatine supplementation enhances muscular performance during high-intensity resistance exercise. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:765,770.
 
Kreider RB. Dietary supplements and the promotion of muscle growth with resistance exercise. Sports Med. 1999;27:97,110.
 
Balsom PD, Harridge SDR, Soderlund K, et al. Creatine supplementation per se does not enhance endurance exercise performance. Acta Physiol Scand. 1993;149:521,523.
 
Cooke WH, Grandjean PW, Barnes WS. Effect of oral creatine supplementation on power output and fatigue during bicycle ergometry. J Appl Physiol. 1995;78:670,673.
 
Bemben MG, Bemben DA, Loftiss DD, et al. Creatine supplementation during resistance training in college football athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;33:1667-1673.

 
Kambis KW, Pizzedaz SK. Short-term Creatine Supplementation Improves Maximum Quadriceps Contraction in Women. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2003;13:97,111.
 
Branch JD. Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis. Int JSport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2003;13:198-226.
 
Rawson ES, Volek JS. Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2003;17:822-31.
 
Branch JD. Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis. Int JSport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2003;13:198-226.
 
Branch JD. Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2003;13:198-226.

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ok, atm this is my diet

Calories to build mass = 3600

25% Protein = 900
50% Carbs  = 1800
25 % Fat = 900

Protein = 225g
Carbs = 450g
Fats = 100g

Meal 1

2 Eggs
2 Slices Bread
Oatmeal
150ml Skimmed Milk

Calories = 587.5
Protein = 36.9g
Carbs = 65.5g
Fats = 20.75g

Meal 2
2 Banana
Tuna (can)
Light Mayo
2 Slices Bread
Bertolli Spead

Calories = 663
Protein = 42.9g
Carbs = 86.7g
Fats = 17.2g

Meal 3
White Rice (200g)
Chicken (100g)
Grapes
Light Mayo

Calories = 478
Protein = 36.9
Carbs = 44.2g
Fats = 16.9g

Pre-workout

Muscle and Weight Gainer (85g)
Skimmed milk (500ml)

Calories = 491
Protein = 41.3g
Carbs = 77.9g
Fats = 1.3g

Post-workout

2 Scoops Whey protein
Creatine

Calories = 315
Protein = 33.2g
Carbs = 35.1g
Fats = 2g

Meal 5

Turkey Breast (125g)
Broccoli (85g)
Kurly Kale (85g)
Noodles (150g)
Light Mayo (15g)

Calories = 550
Protein = 41.5g
Carbs = 74.4g
Fats = 9.7g

Meal 6*

2 Wheetabix
Skimmed Milk (100ml)
Honey
1 Scoop Whey Protein
1 Scoop Creatine

Calories = 396
Protein = 24.3g
Carbs = 64.4g
Fats = 1.9g

TOTAL
Calories = 3548.5
Protein = 263.6g
Carbs = 458.2g
Fats = 69.95g

Again im going to do it for another week and see how ive done.  Last week is put  on 0.7kg of fat, 2.6kg of Muscle and my body fat % increased by 0.4%.  Also my workout is ( 2 x 8),

Deadlift
Pull Ups
T Bar Row
Single Arm Row
Close Bench Press
Skull Crushers
Tricep Kickbacks

Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Dips
Dumbbell Flyes
Standing Barbell Bicep Curl
Seated Dumbbell Curls
Concentration Curls

Overhead Squat
Squats
Lunges
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Military Press
Lateral Raise
Rear Delt Lateral Raise

On all workouts i do calf raises, forearms and abs.

Im just wondering what exercises are great for the obliques with or without a swiss ball

thanks

Great...NICE JOB
 
...ideally (if you want to gain less in the fat department) I would love to see a fibrous carb in meal one (a veggie like mushrooms and onion put into the eggs)  and a bit less processed starch carbs (noodles and bread) exchanged for whole carbs (Yams, potato, rice, quinoa, etc).
 
While the fruit is a reasonable x-change for veggies in the fibrous carb department..if you want to minimize fat gains...you can replace some of them...not necessary..but just some food for thought.
 
As for the obliques...most functional movements that do twisting and torso stabilizing will include the core, obliques and much of the structural muscle...as obliques are involved in rotation (twisting), flexion (crunching), and lateral flexion (side bending).
 
You can do any of those movements by themselves to stimulate the obliques...but to "get obliques" really means to reduce body fat..which you will do when you cut.
 
You can go here for oblique exercises...
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/WaistWt.html#anchor1944764
 

On all workouts i do calf raises, forearms and abs.

that is not necessary.  These are muscles and you can train them like any other muscle.

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Thanks

In meal one ill add the mushrooms with the eggs but maybe get rid of one slice of toast,

Im going to keep the noodles but get rid of the bread in meal two and replace them with a jacket potato.

How does that sound?

Im having problem with my current workout, after each workout, i dont feel anything the next day (apart in the first week), i just feel normal.  Does this mean the workout is not actually working for me?

I was thinking of doing either the 5 x5 again, Max-OT or the Quattro Dynamo which i liked the sound of.  What would your opinion be on the workout?

thanks

Im going to keep the noodles but get rid of the bread in meal two and replace them with a jacket potato.

How does that sound?

Sounds good, like I said it is just a tweak.
 

Im having problem with my current workout, after each workout, i dont feel anything the next day

Feeling something does not really mean anything in relation to growth!
If you are growing ..."Last week is put  on 0.7kg of fat, 2.6kg of Muscle" then don't change anything until the gains slow!
 
If you train to momentary muscle failure..and you vary aspects of your routine..such as use different reps, rests, supersets, exercises, combinations, etc...that is all you need.
 
All the different routines are only ways to get  a change in intensity into the plan..those training methods hold no other particuar "magic" to them..other than they have the propensity to overtrain people!!!  Use your head!  Every week introduce a new stimulus..whenever gains slow do the same..if you feel stuck..switch to a nify names plan for a week or two then go to a new plan that is more fitting to your training experience.
 
6 sets per muscle is alot of stimulus...milk it for all it is worth.
 

the Quattro Dynamo

 
Cute name..have a link for that?

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