just started

RE: just started (Italianangel)

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 21:55:20 GMT

Train in balance and you need not worry about symmetry for now, also yoga is great as is seperating muscle groups!!
Linda

RE: just started (somethingreat)

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 22:13:13 GMT

should i worry about muscle symmetry at the moment or wait till i get bulk on? also doing seperate muscle groups can cause more harm than good? i was thinking about joining some yoga classes would this help in anyway?

RE: just started (veggeep)

Sat, 07 Jan 2006 17:28:14 GMT

ORIGINAL: somethingreat

does it really matter what i eat?, because i am eating pretty crappy at the moment, my diet consists mainly of meat, junk food, minimal veges . i know health wise its not that great to be eating so much of crappy foods, but does it really matter what i eat if want to bulk up?

That all depends on what kind of bulk you're looking for

Yes, you can bulk up on junk food, but I guarantee it will be more fat than muscle, and you'll screw up your metabolism and your general health BIG TIME. Not all calories are created equal. Some foods can be loaded with calories, yet not contain nearly enough of the essential nutrients your body needs when bulking. Take "Popy****" for example. Popy**** is caramel covered popcorn with almonds, peanuts, walnuts and cashews. In a cruel twist of sadism, the folks at Lincoln Snacks make a version of this snack without the popcorn, and (despite my better judgement) I am enjoying a can right now. Besides the unfortunate name, this stuff has (arguably) the worst nutrition profile of anything in my kitchen. A mere quarter cup of it contains almost 200 calories, and 14 grams of fat. In one sitting, I'm likely to put away a cup of this scrumptious yet evil concoction -a whopping 800 calories! But those 800 calories are almost entirely from simple carbs that will send my blood sugar into the stratosphere. There isn't but a whiff of protein to be found in that cup, and what dietary fiber it contains is no match for the amount of fat in it. So why am I eating it?

Because it tastes good, and I'm an idiot.

As I was explaining to another new member this morning, the quantity of food you eat is every bit as important as the quality. Every bite you take affects your metabolism and your endocrine axis. Best to stick with those foods that elicit the greatest hormonal response, without playing fast and loose with your glucose levels, and by extension, your energy. That means complex carbs like rice, potatoes (go for sweet potatoes whenever possible -they have beta carotene that white potatoes lack), and whole grains, clean protein sources like beans, nuts, legumes, LEAN meats & fish (if you must), and fat-free dairy, and quality fat sources like fish liver, olive oil, and flax seeds. Stick with fresh, organic vegetables when you can, and avoid canned anything (always too much sodium and preservatives added). Last, make sure you're eating lots of roughage for fiber, and drinking tons of water. These last two are crucial for moving all that food bulk through your digestive tract efficiently.

RE: just started (somethingreat)

Sat, 07 Jan 2006 15:55:41 GMT

does it really matter what i eat?, because i am eating pretty crappy at the moment, my diet consists mainly of meat, junk food, minimal veges . i know health wise its not that great to be eating so much of crappy foods, but does it really matter what i eat if want to bulk up?

RE: just started (veggeep)

Sat, 07 Jan 2006 07:33:32 GMT

Hey Somethingreat, welcome to DB!

You mean to tell me there's actually a PT who advocates total-body workouts for beginners?? There is a God!

Sounds like your workout routine is right on target. I probably wouldn't have jumped right in with so much weight at first, since I tend to be a bit paranoid about connective tissue and joints getting a slow break-in. But if your PT is on the ball, they should spot any form issues before they become a problem. Just don't let him or her throw you into any three-way, one-on-three-off split bodypart scheduling nonsense -at least not yet, LOL. Your body is a system, and it will respond more to being trained as a system, rather than a collection of parts to be isolated. Stick with intense, holistic, compound movements, and you'll see huge gains in no time!

The supplements look great, but since you asked, let me give you the obvious pointer for maximizing your gains: eat. Eat BIG. Go to the Nutrition forum and do a search on bulking diets; you'll find enough there to keep you reading all day.

Best of luck, and keep us posted!

just started (somethingreat)

Sat, 07 Jan 2006 01:39:35 GMT

hey everyone, i just started working out about 3 or 4 weeks ago, i was just wondering if there is anything else that i can be doing to get max results, i do max weight, full body workouts, twice a week, for 40mins at 1set of 12 reps with my PT putting on resistence on the last 4, form and time is pretty good, i just started using supplements, taking 50/50 of protein/carbs, tribulus, creatine-mono, HMB, i have only started on my supplements just recently, anything else that i can do to maximise my workouts? or anything else i have to be careful of?

cheers