Goal setting... (JoeZ1087)

Sat, 25 Nov 2006 02:49:12 GMT

Hey everyone, this is my first post, and I hope I'm posting in the right forum // not posting on a topic that has been explained over and over because from reading these forums I know some members aren't very appreciative of all the ignorant people who just post on something that's been previously spelled out.

Anyway, now that's been said, and hoping I'm not being hypocritical, my quesiton is this:

What are some reasonable goals I can set for myself, currently I am 19 years old, 5'8 165 lbs.

I haven't seriously lifted since my junior year of high school, at a Service Academy Prep school, I was in very good shape... unfortunately my physical condition has withered since then.

The whole dieting and routine, I can figure that all out (through research on this forum).... I've gained a decent amount of BF in the past 3 months because of the lifestyle I'm living. At college I was constantly ordering unhealthy greasy foods with friends, eating at all hours, drinking, and I've had a horrible sleeping pattern... hence why I'm posting at around 550 am... Haven't gone to sleep yet.(I'm sick however and can't sleep becuase of non-stop coughing but none the less my sleep habbits have been poor.) Anyway it needs to stop.

The basic routine I'm planning on following is:
Mon: Chest
Tues: Legs
Wed: Bi's
Thurs: Shoulders
Fri: Back and Tri's
Cardio on the weekends(sat mostly)

What I'd like to do:
Lose the body fat that I've let take over, and get lean. I'd like to look cut again like I was two years ago, looking at pictures the difference is astonishing. Back then I was cut... abs, chest, arms.... everything, I was just overall in much better shape, I was more defined, bigger, and much stronger. Now I'm turning into a pudge, and I'd like to stop it before it gets any worse.

Back at school I lifted 5 days a week, and ran a 5k every saturday morning at 5 am. Now, I highly doubt I'll be able to get up at 5 A.M. and be able to run a 5k right away, so my question is, what do you all believe the best way to get back into shape is.... should my diet be geared toward calorie intake, since I would like to get bigger, just not gain any body fat, or should I be dieting to lose weight and shave off the excess body fat weight first, then worry about gaining mass after I have a good solid core.

What are some reasonable goals to set for myself, in terms of how much I weigh, I'm sure I'm packing at least 15+ extra lbs I don't need, I can find out what to eat on these forums, that I don't need explained but what should I go for to achieve what I want, shave the weight first by cardio and dieting, or get right into lifting with cardio but still keep a higher calorie intake? I do want to gain size, but I want to eliminate as much body fat as I can, and i do have a decent amount.... I'm guessing cardio may be the answer to this.

Anyway, any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated, thanks for taking the time to read my post.

Joe