# 23 y/o male need a solid training regiment. help



## Glade (Oct 25, 2010)

Im currently 5ft 6" and 134 pounds. I have a scale at home that estimates your body fat % and mine is currently at 18-19%. Im currently on a diet and i exersize at home by riding my stationary bike and doing pushups and using dumbbells and some other light exercises. I started doing this in August and ive lost maybe 15 pounds. I didnt weight myself the first mounth or more so im not sure what weight i started out as (i was 147 when i first checked). I though of continuing my current plan until new years figuring that by that time i would drop down to 13% body fat (my natural weight) then join the gym again or start boxing but this past month ive noticed that im getting weaker. Sometime in September i was ready to move up to a 35 pound dumbbell but now ive moved down to a 25 pound one and im still having trouble. I would like some advice on how to get more fit. 

Here is some extra information on me. Ive been skinny though middle/high school but at 19 i joined the gym and worked out with a personal trainer. I did everything he told me exept i sprinted for 10-15 min each day before i worked out and i ate less than he told me to. I made great progress until i followed his advice too closely and cut out the cardio and ate more. After that i got fat and i got stretchmarks on my body. Soon afterward i quit the gym and got even fatter. Im currently trying to loose that fat and start muscle building again but i need help if i want to do it right. Can someone recommend me a diet and exercise plan or maybe a video that will teach me what to do. Also how do i get rid of stretch marks. They are most prominently on my biceps and while they are no longer red they are still unpleasant to look at.


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## Arnold (Oct 25, 2010)

*Welcome to our bodybuilding & fitness community*

*Glade* welcome to IM! 

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## vortrit (Oct 26, 2010)

Welcome to IM!


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## World-Pharma.org (Oct 26, 2010)

Welcome to the forum.

Best-regards

www.world-pharma.org


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## superted (Oct 31, 2010)

Excellent choice my friend 

 its a great site with lots of knowledgeable dudes

 If you get a chance come check out my log, link is in my signature always happy to have another bro along for the ride

and feel free to ask away absolutely anything


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## Curt James (Oct 31, 2010)

Glade said:


> Im currently *5ft 6" and 134 pounds.* I have a scale at home that estimates your body fat % and mine is currently at 18-19%. Im currently on a diet and i exersize at home by riding my stationary bike and doing pushups and using dumbbells and some other light exercises. I started doing this in August and ive lost maybe 15 pounds. I didnt weight myself the first mounth or more so im not sure what weight i started out as (i was 147 when i first checked). I though of continuing my current plan until new years figuring that by that time i would drop down to 13% body fat (my natural weight) then join the gym again or start boxing but this past month ive noticed that im getting weaker. Sometime in September i was ready to move up to a 35 pound dumbbell but now ive moved down to a 25 pound one and im still having trouble. I would like some advice on how to get more fit.
> 
> Here is some extra information on me. Ive been skinny though middle/high school but at 19 i joined the gym and worked out with a personal trainer. I did everything he told me exept i *sprinted *for 10-15 min each day before i worked out and i ate less than he told me to. I made great progress until i followed his advice too closely and cut out the cardio and ate more. After that i got fat and i got stretchmarks on my body. Soon afterward i quit the gym and got even fatter. Im currently trying to loose that fat and start muscle building again but i need help if i want to do it right. Can someone recommend me a diet and exercise plan or maybe a video that will teach me what to do. *Also how do i get rid of stretch marks. *They are most prominently on my biceps and while they are no longer red they are still unpleasant to look at.



I believe you're stuck with the stretch marks, but they're like a badge of honor to lifters, come on! 

Not a fan of cardio or sprinting.

Keto diet worked well for me, so I'd recommend low to zero carbs for a few months. 

Check out Built's recommendations: *http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/new-members-begin-here/97077-read-me-first-homework-1-newbies.html
*


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## Caretaker (Oct 31, 2010)

Great place to learn. Ted and Curt are 2 VERY knowledgable members here and will help you all they can I`m sure. My advice is to eat maintenance for about a month and like Curt said, low carb, high protein but I would also do some BASIC bodybuilding. Heavy compound movements. Bench, deadlift, squat and dips. Abs also. These will kick your metabolism up and build muscle. Faster metabolism= better fat burning ability. Heavy movements(6-8 reps) mean more muscle and that= more fat burning because your body will need more calories and if you eat maintenance it will pull from your fat stores. I would do cardio 3 times a week for now. Maybe 30-40 minutes on the bike. Try this for 4 weeks or so and tell us what you think. What worked, what didn`t, etc. Then you`ll be ready to start a better long term program. As far as supplements.....FOOD, FOOD, and more FOOD, but GOOD food. Train, eat, sleep, repeat. It may not be an easy ride bit once you get there and look back you`ll behappy you took the trip.


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## Glade (Oct 31, 2010)

Thanks for replying to my question guys. I have a few more if you dont mind. What do you guys mean by eating maintenance? What are your opinions on drop sets? Also is becoming weaker inevitable when loosing weight or am i doing something wrong?


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## Curt James (Oct 31, 2010)

^^^I never bothered calculating maintenance. Too much math. lol Perhaps a bad choice, however I depended on the scale and the mirror. I had a goal of two pounds of weight loss each week and if I didn't hit goal then I'd knock off some menu item or reduce portions or increase cardio _or _all three.

Drop sets are great but increase the intensity big time. Very taxing on a nervous system. Or I'm a wuss. 

Strength loss will probably occur on a cut. Good luck.


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## rocco-x (Nov 4, 2010)

welcome...!


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