# Let the reconstruction begin



## TBAR (Feb 3, 2009)

Hello everyone.  I'm trying like hell to get back in the gym and just got in on a biggest loser thing here at work to dump some unwanted weight until I'm ready to bulk back up.  I've been out of the gym for about 2 years due to a back injury, followed shortly after by the birth of my son.  Well, now I have another son due in May, and I need to get back in the gym.      

5'10"
233.6
24% BF.  (that may be a little off, but close)

I'll be doing a push/pull/legs workout.  Monday push, Wednesday pull, Friday legs.  Cardio 45-60 minutes, 3 days/week then mild cardio on the off days.  

The diet goes as so:

Breakfast:
6-egg whites+protein shake or 6oz lean meat
1/2 cup quick oats or grits(before cooking)
1-tablespoon Flaxseed oil

mid morning:
Whey protein shake
with heavy whipping cream

Lunch:
6-oz chicken breast/beef/fish
1/2 cup cooked brown rice or small sweet potatoe
1-cup green veggies or salad w/lofat dressing

Mid afternoon:
Whey protein shake or 
protein bar(low cal. no carbs/sugar like South beach diet or Atkins brand)

Dinner:
8-oz  Chicken/fish/beef/turkey-lean 
1-cup of veggies
1tablespoon flaxseed oil


Workouts will vary from morning to evening, whenever I have time to get in the gym.  Cardio will likely be in the evenings because I can hit the treadmill at home.  


What do you think and PLEASE keep on my ass.  I'll chime in every day at least during the week. 

Thanks!


----------



## TBAR (Feb 5, 2009)

Started out on the treadmill for a 1 mile VERY light jog, and I think my push/pull workout is messed up.

Todays pull:

Wide grip pull downs
3 sets of 10 front @ 95lbs
3 sets of 10 rear @ 95lbs

Seated Rows:
4 sets of 10 @ 135lbs

Straight leg deadlift:  (i'm kind of sketchy of these cause my lower back is what put me out last time)
2 sets of 10 @ 45lbs
1 set of 10 @ 55lbs

Preacher curls:
4 sets of 10 @ 55lbs

Arnold curls (holy shit these burnt good)
4 sets of 15 @ 20lb dumpbells


Walked for 10 minutes on the tread mill for a "cooldown"

I'm definitely easing back into the weights.  Give it a good month of getting back into it then I'll bulk back up once I get to my weight goal.


----------



## EVIL KNIGHT (Feb 5, 2009)

*A Little Extra*

Sounds Good I Have Been In Similar Shape. 
Sounds Like You Think You Know What You're Doing. And You Did'nt Mention Anything At All About Soda If You Drink Any Soda At All Even Diet Soda Stop!!!! Completely And Throw A Few Extra Salads In Eat 5-6 Times A Day. Your Off To A Good Start. I Lost 21 Pounds Of Fat And Almost Had A Six Pack In The Morning After 60 Days Soon As I Drank Even A Glass Of Water My 2-4 Pack Disappeared Lol. Grab Yourself Some Fish Oil Pills And Extra Amino Acids


----------



## TBAR (Feb 5, 2009)

Thanks.  I've stopped all pop other than one diet a day, if even that.  It's mostly water, and some iced tea.  I actually had planned on stopping tonight to get some fish oil.  I'm not taking any supplements yet other than the protein and flax.  I've thought about hydorxy but really don't know yet.  What do you people suggest if anything?  I haven't taken any of that stuff in probalby 4 years.


----------



## Built (Feb 5, 2009)

What are your planned macros?


----------



## TBAR (Feb 5, 2009)

Hate to sound like an idiot, but i don't know anything about macros!  I'll do some research.  I've never done a real "cut" but now that I'm getting older.....  and fatter.....  A cut is needed.  

That diet there is around 2100 calories


----------



## Built (Feb 5, 2009)

I just want to know your macronutrient breakdown. This means total calories and grams of protein, carb and fat. 

I'd ditch the flax oil. Get fish oil and take ten grams a day.

Why the oats in the AM?


----------



## TBAR (Feb 5, 2009)

Well I figured out what it is, but I don't know on my diet.  I know it's around 2100 calories but I don't know the details.  I'm horrible at reading labels.  

As for the AM oats, I'll mostly be working out in the morning before work


----------



## Built (Feb 5, 2009)

Makes sense, the oats in the AM that is. On days when you don't train in the AM, what will you eat for breakfast?

PS FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal 

enter your food, see what the numbers are to the left of the pie chart and paste 'em in. 

Like this, only with YOUR numbers:
 Grams Calories %-Cals  
Calories  1,938   
Fat 80.9 720 38 % 
Saturated 22.3 199 10 % 
Polyunsaturated 19.4 172 9 % 
Monounsaturated 26.5 236 12 % 
Carbohydrate 120.7 454 24 % 
Dietary Fiber 18.1    
Protein 183.6 737 39 % 
Alcohol 0.0 0 0 %


----------



## TBAR (Feb 5, 2009)

On off days, I'll just eat the egg whites and a cup of fruit.  What else would you suggest?  

I'm working on the other journal now


----------



## Built (Feb 5, 2009)

I'll wait until you report back with your fitday totals.


----------



## TBAR (Feb 5, 2009)

Here's real close to what that diet is, including the flax


----------



## Built (Feb 5, 2009)

Looks good. Maybe bring the monos up and drop the polys down a bit, but looks good. (Next time just paste in the numbers like I did - it's easier.  )

You've got about 180 lbs LBM, so keep that protein up, and maybe increase the fats a smidge. 



Now - how do you feel on this diet? Fed? Starving?


----------



## TBAR (Feb 6, 2009)

I'm a little hungry, but really not _that_ bad.  It's nothing I can't handle.  If I get hungry, it's ok to eat an apple or bananna, right?


----------



## Built (Feb 6, 2009)

If you get hungry, it's okay to eat butter, or a steak. 

Food is food. It's all calories. Figure out a way to undereat and not mind. For me, that's protein, fat and fibre.


----------



## TBAR (Feb 11, 2009)

I haven't had time to post, but things are going fairly well.  We had our weighin tuesday morning and I weighed in at 229.8 for a loss of 3.8 lbs in the first week.  Probably mostly water weight, but who knows.  I'll have a better idea after this next week weighin


----------



## TBAR (Feb 11, 2009)

I've decided to switch up my lifting to more of a traditional split rather than a push/pull since I'm not confident it was being done right.  

Monday was chest day.

Flat bench
4 sets of 15 @ 135
Inclines
3 sets of 12 @ 135
Flat flies 
3 sets of 15 @ 25lb dumbells
Close grip bench
3 sets of 12 @ 135
Tricep extensions with triangle(?)
3 sets of 15 @ 95 (lat machine)
Tricep extension with ropes
3 sets of 15 @ 50 (lat machine)

Cardio for 40 minutes


----------



## TBAR (Feb 11, 2009)

Tuesday was legs day, but I was very limited on time so I made the lifting part quick.  

Squats (squat rack)
4 sets of 15 @ 135
Calf extensions (smith machine)
4 sets of 20 @ 135
Hamstring extension(?)
3 sets of 15 @ 95

Cardio for 35 minutes


----------



## TBAR (Feb 11, 2009)

Today is an off day from lifting.  I'll do cardio at home tonight once the dango treadmill is fixed then tomorrow is back day!


----------



## Built (Feb 11, 2009)

You're cutting on a bodypart split and 15-rep sets?

Why?


----------



## TBAR (Feb 11, 2009)

Isn't higher reps suppose to be more of a definition movement?

What's messed up?  The reps or the split?  Like I said earlier, I'm new to the cutting scene so let me know if it's wrong!


----------



## 629RWHPstang (Feb 11, 2009)

gl with keeping your diet in check man...


----------



## TBAR (Feb 11, 2009)

Built said:


> You're cutting on a bodypart split and 15-rep sets?
> 
> Why?



"You said it yourself - light weight powerlifters are strong without size. And still you suggested cardio for "toning". 

Those are my abs in my tar. I'm 42 in that shot, and I had been a fat jogger for about ten years prior. 

I did about 20 minutes of cardio four days a week while cutting on high protein, high fat, cycled carbs and heavy lifting. 

Sure worked better than all that cardio I used to do on my high-complex-carb, lots of whole grain diet."

I copied and pasted that from one of your posts in the training section.  Should I be lifting heavy?  GD now I'm confused as hell.  



629RWHPstang said:


> gl with keeping your diet in check man...



Ya, thanks....  Cutting blows.  lol


----------



## Built (Feb 11, 2009)

TBAR said:


> "You said it yourself - light weight powerlifters are strong without size. And still you suggested cardio for "toning".
> 
> Those are my abs in my tar. I'm 42 in that shot, and I had been a fat jogger for about ten years prior.
> 
> ...




You should be lifting heavy. Low rep training, ditch the direct bicep, tricep work - stick to heavy compounds. Basically, train like a slightly hungry powerlifter.


----------



## TBAR (Feb 11, 2009)

That sums it up for me!  Thanks!

So is the low weight/high reps just old school or what?


----------



## Built (Feb 11, 2009)

TBAR said:


> That sums it up for me!  Thanks!
> 
> So is the low weight/high reps just old school or what?



Yeah. Works fine with metric asstons of AAS, but then, what doesn't?


----------



## TBAR (Feb 11, 2009)

Built said:


> Yeah. Works fine with metric asstons of AAS, but then, what doesn't?



Very good point.  

So just to be 100% clear, compound movements as in bench, back, legs, abs.  Don't target groups, correct?  Do you consider calves a compound movement?  

Thanks for the help Built


----------



## Built (Feb 11, 2009)

Pushing and pulling in horizontal and vertical directions, ham and quad dominant movements. 

Stick to the big movements - squats, deads, chins, bench, rows. Compound (multi-joint), heavy, free-weight lifts. 

Diet with enough protein and fat, do SOME cardio but not too much. 

Read my blog, you may find some stuff that's helpful. 

Got Built? » Open Source Fitness - Get started here


----------



## Pirate! (Feb 11, 2009)

I dropped in to see that Built has been giving great advice. I would supplement a multi and some extra anti-oxidants with the fish oil to help glucose regulation and other metabolic processes. Anti-oxidants are only found in plants, so cutting diets leave us painfully short.


----------



## TBAR (Feb 12, 2009)

Built said:


> Pushing and pulling in horizontal and vertical directions, ham and quad dominant movements.
> 
> Stick to the big movements - squats, deads, chins, bench, rows. Compound (multi-joint), heavy, free-weight lifts.
> 
> ...



The fog has lifted.  Thanks again for your help



Pirate! said:


> I dropped in to see that Built has been giving great advice. I would supplement a multi and some extra anti-oxidants with the fish oil to help glucose regulation and other metabolic processes. Anti-oxidants are only found in plants, so cutting diets leave us painfully short.



Understand.  Thanks for your input!


----------



## TBAR (Feb 24, 2009)

Haven't had time to get on here, but here's a little update.  

I'm slowly getting the strength back, and everything's feeling great!!  (back and both shoulders)

I won the weight loss this week with a loss of 4 lbs.  Currently at 225.8.  I'll start posting workouts as I have time

Legs yesterday morning and today was just 45 mins of cardio


----------

