Light weight to overweight?

I' m new to this board but I' ve lurked most of the day and have read almost every post. The protein bible, nutrition, techniques, etc...

When I started out I was 6ft 140lbs at 14 years old. 32" waist
I never really ate right and at that age ofcourse lacked discipline and proper technique. I was looking for the magic pill, or miricle powder.
At 19 I was the same height and 175lbs. I could eat anything and as much as I wanted never gaining an ounce. Sometimes losing weight. After my enlistment in the Marine Corps I was forced into proper diet, discipline and more exercise that you could ask for.

I lost 8lbs durring basic. When I got out of basic the real training started. At 22 I was still 6ft but at 200lbs with a medium build. 32" to 33" waist

Now I am 24, I' ve been out of the Corps since Nov 99 because of an optical injury that could not be repaired. I was restricted on what I could do, but I did stay in the gym as often as possible while adapting to my disabilty. After my kids were born I was in college and working full time. I couldn' t give up school, couldn' t quit my job, and wasnt' about to quit the kids.
I' m 6ft at 235lbs, still built but the gut I never could get, caught up with me as I' ve been out of the gym for a solid year but continued to work out as often as possible at home on my arms as I lacked equipment to do much else. 36" waist
Now I' m not here to give you my sob story I' m only asking for a few suggestions for a guy whose never been overweight. I' ve always trained to gain weight. I want to keep my weight, but I would like to ofcourse exchange it for muscle mass. I started back up at a gym 4 weeks ago as my kids are now a bit older and more self sufficient.

I have a 56" chest, 36" waist and estimated 40" hips and the funniest damn love handles you' ve ever seen, you would think i carried the kids myself. It' s a damn disgrace and it' s my own fault. My arms, shoulders, upper back and legs are in great shape. Problem areas are my lower back, and my gut. The ab muscles themselves are hard, just got a nice layer between them and the skin.

Anyway..with all this useful, or useless however you take it information,
What do you suggest now that I' m back in the gym. I' m a computer tech so my job requires that I sit on my ass. So when I' m not here I' m ready to do whatever it takes.

Thanks,
Ty

Of course cardio' s a good way to get rid of the extra weight. I was in the Army myself, you and I both know what running' s all about- Then proper diet has a lot to do with it. Personally, I' ve been following the Max OT system when it comes to building muscle, but since I' ve been watching my diet a little more, I' ve been dropping pounds of fat too. I didn' t have that much to lose, but those last few pounds always seem to be a problem to get rid of. So, as I' m sure others here will tell you, proper diet (which doesn' t mean starving yourself) and cardio should get rid of the weight. I think three times a week, twenty minutes to a half hour each time should get some quick results- Once you lose that weight, what are your long term goals?

Problem areas are my lower back, and my gut.

Personally I like SLDL (straight leg deadlifts) for the hamstrings and lower back. You can also try some hyperextensions with light weight and work up to strengthen that area.

Your gut.. like CPL said. Cardio. For men, our weight accumulates in the midsection. Your body just stores it there. Not all of it but the vast majority. So how to get rid of it? Diet, cardio and potentially supplementation.

I' d write you a book for a response but I' ve just gotten back from a 10 mile round-trip 2 night backpacking trip. I highly suggest that trip for a 2 day cardio, fat loss, leg workout. Luckily my hands can still type but my brain is having trouble functioning. Could be the wine as well...

Since you seem like you obviously know the gym routine well and you have the necessary discipline to diet and workout hard, I' d try the MAX-OT routine as CPL suggested.

Why? Because it sounds like you want to get back to the gym but are very much a family guy. Which is great. This particular routine is short, hardcore, and intense. You won' t be in the gym hours on end. You will go in, get the job done, and leave. Giving you more time for the family. And your body just might respond a whole better. Less risk of over-training.

The ab muscles themselves are hard, just got a nice layer between them and the skin.

So you' ve got the muscle. You just need to lose the fat. And that 99% of us.. is diet. You probably won' t get that 6-pack unless you get a real straight diet. I' m not even there yet. But it' s possible and you sound like you could do it.

Summary:

Take CPL' s suggestion of the MAX-OT routine. Give it a shot. There' s a post in the Training forum on the complete routine that you can download and print.

Then diet.

Start a journal in the Online Training Journal section and start tracking what you eat.. there' s some prime examples in that forum to give you an idea of what a journal is all about. A couple of our moderators are really great at nutritional advice and guidelines. It' s also a great way to track and document your short and long-term goals.

It' s a damn disgrace and it' s my own fault.

You served in the USMC. If it wasn' t for guys like you helping to preserve our Freedom regardless of political opinions, I might not be in this country just typing away with my free thought. Thank you.

Marc C. David
Support DB! Buy your supplements at Supplements101.com

Outstanding answers. I have to admit that I rarely ever did cardio in my own time, but if it had to be done, it was done. Running was something I hated doing until I would actually " feel" the results when I was done. I have to say that it is one of the most satisfying routines. I appreciate the suggestions. About the MaxOT? Downloaded it yesterday just before I posted, I' ll read it today. Through out most of the posts I' ve read alot of people seem to be pushing MaxOT and it can work for that many different body types and nutrional habit types then there is no point in " not" trying it. So I will likely begin the program next week when I get my supplements and get some decent nutrional food in my house

As far as long term goals I re-measured yesterday and I misquoted a few by quite a bit. My memory sucks. 48" chest 44" waist (But 36" jeans fit loosely?)
My right bicep is 17.5" while the left is 17"

I am aiming to put on about 3.5" on my biceps and an additional 3" on my chest. This is all long term.

For now
I want to drop about 1" off my waist which should not be that difficult. I also plan to add about .5" to my arms by the end of this summer.

To tell you the truth I' ve never really checked my results by measurement..so I don' t know if this is overshooting a goal, a reasonable goal, or being lazy. For now I don' t have the ability to give an educated answer because I have no experience in planned growth.

I appreciate your thoughts. I plan on being here quite awhile.
Thanks,
Ty

If I forgot to answer anything let me know.

To tell you the truth I' ve never really checked my results by measurement..so I don' t know if this is overshooting a goal, a reasonable goal, or being lazy.

Not really. Here' s the real secret. It' s not measurements. It' s not weight. It' s how you look to yourself in the mirror.

I' m guessing most people look at measurements. They want this size arm, this size legs.. but what really works best.. is to take a weekly inspection and notice areas where you want to work on. And then make adjustments.

I see guys in the guy now.. with 18" biceps.. easy. And there is no way they can do the 70lbs dumbbells. But I can, with only 17" arms, flexed.. why? Because in this case... size doesn' t matter. It' s the quality of the muscle.

So rather then measure, say to yourself, I just want bigger arms.. and here' s how I' m gonna get them. I' ll do the MAX-OT style of training.. overload them.. they' ll grow.. I' ll eat more often and eat clean. I bet by the end of the summer if you train intensely, most of your body will grow.. you might just put an 1" by the end of summer.

If you want to drop the fat.. you have to do the cardio. Most everybody during a cut phase does cardio.. probably 4-5x a week.. 30mins.. intensely.

There' s a good post by Kris on the calculations of doing cardio in a fat burning mode or a cardio mode.. good read. Read the post

Since you aren' t in a bulk mode.. you can reduce your fat immensely by a good, quality diet but to get rid of that extra fat, cardio is going to have to be a factor.

Looks like you have a decent plan of attack. Once you get it ironed out, make a journal entry (see the examples in that section) and put something together for others to critique and for your own accountability and progress. You' ll be amazed at how cool it is when you keep track of your activities.

Keep us updated and if you have questions, post away.

Marc C. David
Support DB! Buy your supplements at Supplements101.com

That makes sense. Yeah the 17.5" is flexed for me. However I only use a 50lb dumbell at most...and you' re right. I' ve seen the same thing. I have seen guys half my size lift more than me.

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

Here' s another tip..

My brother (in law) was very successful at critiquing his own physique by taking photos of himself weekly. Same spot, same outfit..

Seems lame.. BUT.. you can tell in 12 weeks that he lost weight. In a big way. And that makes a really nice photo journal. Either post that for others to be encouraged by your progress or simply keep it to yourself as a reminder of your goals and great way to visual see if you are making progress.

You can take his week 1 picture and photoshop it next to week 12.. there is no doubt at all, that he lost weight around the mid-section.

While I haven' t done it myself, it is probably the best way to gage your progress. And if you are shy about that stuff, do it with a digital camera.. Who' s ever gonna know but you?

Marc C. David
Support DB! Buy your supplements at Supplements101.com