The get fit, stay fit thread

[Boostin' Kev]

I know what you mean but if you're a natural trainer the idea of "bulking" is a good way to turn into a bit of a chubby c**t imo. A reasonable calorie surplus e.g. 500 cals is a good idea but not always necessary depending on what stage youre at.

[AMMjag]

My diet used to be a lot better in thee summer when I had time to make things for myself and try out new recipes. Now I just try to keep it quick but still relatively healthy. I'll usually have a mixture of the following:

Breakfast:

- Two boiled eggs, pretty much every day. Sometimes with a slice of toasted rye bread which I quite like.

- 0 % fat Greek yoghurt mixed with oats + banana

- Mixed veggie scrambled egg and toast, usually on weekends.

Lunch:

- Homemade minestrone soup. Very easy, basically chuck onions, peas and chopped tomatoes into a pot, and add about a mug and a half of stock. Great way of getting in vegetables.

- Homemade guacamole on ryvita

- Homemade sweet potato wedges

- Tuna toastie. I've found a bread that Hovis do which is 51 cals per slice, and I mix the tuna with yoghurt and mustard rather than mayo, so this is actually pretty light.

Dinner:

- A lot of the time I just have what the rest of the family are having so this can throw me off a bit sometimes, but if I'm making it myself I usually try to have a decent bit of fish or meat with sweet potatoes or brown rice. I try to eat a bowl of broccoli separately, I hate the stuff but it's bloody good for you.

And if I'm looking for something extra then maybe a glass of milk or some fruit or even add a bit of cheese into a meal.

I'm still guilty of maybe one too many multiple beers + hoagie nights out, and if there's crap like doughnuts or crisps in the house then I'll find it hard to turn them down. So I've hit a bit of a wall, but I'm still delighted with where I am compared to the start of the year, and if I'm a bit more strict with myself then I'm sure I'll be able to shed the last bit of fat that I'm looking to lose and be able to properly see the (albeit modest) muscle I've developed.

[the jambo-rocker]

Don't be afraid to mix up both diet and workouts btw. It starts to feel a chore if you are doing the same thing over and over again. It just makes relapsing with the diet and skipping exercise all the more appealing.

I'd argue that I very rarely decide anything up to a week in advance. Perhaps a day or two, but no more than that.

[Moo]

This is my meal plan for today, I can't be arsed putting in the amount of grans just now.

Meal 1 - Breakfast

1 scoop pharma whey

Unsweetened almond milk with oats

Handful of blueberrys thrown in too

Meal 2

20 x mixed nuts

Meal 3 - Lunch

Chicken breast with 4 baby potatoes with half a cup of green veg as well

Meal 4

FAGE yoghurt with s tablespoon of honey and Manila. 1 small satsuma as well.

Meal 5 - Tea

Venison

1 medium sweet potato

Vegetables

10 mixed nuts

Post workout

1 banana

2 scoops of pharma whey.

[Boostin' Kev]

Looks good.

[DAFC]

Thanks for the advice, had a few googles and most of it agrees about cutting carbs and replacing with protein.

Starting from next week have replaced baked potatoes and most other post workout carbs.

Like the sound of tuna and beans, going to add noodles with it. Also going to try whey protein, try some in porridge can it be added to Greek yoghurt?

Also regarding compound exercise. I can't make it to a gym and want to get value from my garage stuff, is there any alternatives to compound stuff? Thinking using your own bodyweight like pressups etc? Looking to add one more item to home gym, don't have the space for a rack so will probably add to Dumbbells is there any other recommended equipement? Resistance ropes or trx type stuff?

[Boostin' Kev]

Don't drop post workout carbs thats the best time to have them. Whey will be fine with yoghurt. Youre pretty restricted training at home. Bench pressing, rowing, shoulder press etc are compounds but you wont be able to go very heavy. Tbh youre probably best finding a decent gym now because if youre serious about getting a bit stronger youll end up going to one further down the line.

[DAFC]

Been on the whey protein since Monday, also upped my calories to 2500. Cut down carbs to 40%.

I think I wasn't eating enough, definitely have more energy.

Thinking about getting another piece of equipment for home gym rather than going to one, spent some money on it so want to get some back.

I reckon with six months of good diet and going up the weights a bit I can get stronger even if it's just mainly isolation stuff. Can lifting your own bodyweight i.e. squats, pressups and the like be almost as good as compound?

Again any advice would be appreciated.

[mrcat1990]

Like Billy Dynamite said don't drop all carbs. Pick healthy non starchy ones like brown rice and have post exercise. Necessary for recovery. Alternatively I'd recommend purchasing a protein powder that has carbs in it. Maximuscles All in One or Cyclone are both excellent.

[DAFC]

Workout day post workout had whey protein one scoop and two tins of tuna with plain pasta and some black beans. Morning after have two whey protein scoops and scrambled eggs and porridge. Feeling better with a bigger breakfast.

[Waspy]

Been on the whey protein since Monday, also upped my calories to 2500. Cut down carbs to 40%.

I think I wasn't eating enough, definitely have more energy.

Thinking about getting another piece of equipment for home gym rather than going to one, spent some money on it so want to get some back.

I reckon with six months of good diet and going up the weights a bit I can get stronger even if it's just mainly isolation stuff. Can lifting your own bodyweight i.e. squats, pressups and the like be almost as good as compound?

Again any advice would be appreciated.

What's your aim?

I would recommend the breville active blend for making shakes, it's down to £20 in Argos this week.

I would try adding some oats to your shake along with a bananna and some honey. Blueberries are also a decent shout for your shake.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Waspy

[SANTAN]

Used to weigh 17 stone and smoke heavily. Now I'm 12 stone, run 4 miles a day and do ample weights. Also eat crisps and cheese like a tubbo and smoke healfiii ganja #inspiration

[TheScarf]

Adding oats to your protien shake is the one. Fills you up for hours.

[sergie's no1 fan]

The fruit thing really confuses me. What fruits are bad for you? I can eat plenty of it, it's always been veg which is my problem.

In the morning I make a smoothie. Banana, blueberries and some yogurt.

Lunch time I have egg mayo in pitta bread or a wrap. Sometimes switch to Tuna or make homemade soup

Dinner il have either chicken or breaded fish with boiled carrot and broccoli

Iv lost 3lbs in 4 weeks. Been a bit naughty and not stuck to my guns at times. The social club gym was crap, most if the equipment was broken so joined a gym for £10 a month. First day today, patched the induction n my brother showed me the machines. Bit of an eye openers .

[Boostin' Kev]

Fruits not bad for you. Fructose just isnt considered a particularly useful carb. I mentioned that if youre looking to cut calories to around the 2000 and under mark I would definitely ditch it in favour of veg.

[DAFC]

http://www.calorieking.com/interactive-tools/how-many-calories-should-you-eat/?ref=nav

Found this page, seems quite handy guide.

Eating around 2100 calories give or take 100-200 every day now.

I think I wasn't eating enough tbh.

[ScottR96]

Right troops,

I was 17 stone around 2 years ago and by the start of this year I had managed to get down to about 12 through a relatively healthy diet and walking. Piled it back on (well, about a stone and a half) when I was home from Uni for the summer. I'm putting this down to working full time in an office with not much scope for keeping active during the day, and also the subway lunches most days didn't help .

I'm absolutely raging for letting myself go because I had done so well and am looking to do it the right way this time around. Despite losing a fair amount of weight, I never really got fitter. I couldn't do anything too strenuous without feeling it for the next few days, so that's why I used walking as my main source of exercise (was doing about 10km a day).

So aye, I was thinking about hiring a personal trainer. Did a bit of looking online and there's a guy who covers both Stirling and Cumbernauld so ideal even if I'm not at Uni. It does look as though his clients get fairly decent results, and I was planning on using the personal trainer as a stepping stone before heading to a gym because I don't feel confident enough to go straight to the gym having never been to one before. Would anyone recommend this path? 8 x 1 hour sessions cost about £155 so I want to get a few opinions on it before I splash out that type of money.

Cheers

[1320Lichtie]

Right troops,

I was 17 stone around 2 years ago and by the start of this year I had managed to get down to about 12 through a relatively healthy diet and walking. Piled it back on (well, about a stone and a half) when I was home from Uni for the summer. I'm putting this down to working full time in an office with not much scope for keeping active during the day, and also the subway lunches most days didn't help .

I'm absolutely raging for letting myself go because I had done so well and am looking to do it the right way this time around. Despite losing a fair amount of weight, I never really got fitter. I couldn't do anything too strenuous without feeling it for the next few days, so that's why I used walking as my main source of exercise (was doing about 10km a day).

So aye, I was thinking about hiring a personal trainer. Did a bit of looking online and there's a guy who covers both Stirling and Cumbernauld so ideal even if I'm not at Uni. Would anyone recommend this path? 8 x 1 hour sessions cost about £155 so I want to get a few opinions on it before I splash out that type of mone

Cheers

If you are as young as I think you are do not give your money to a personal trainer mate well IMO your only 13.5 stone!!! I'm 22, was probably at my fittest 3 year ago, I played football every day, I did 5s Monday, Training Tuesdays/Thursdays. Fives Wednesday/Friday. Saturday game and I turned up to play for a pub team on the Sunday too. Even the occasional morning run. Was fleeing. Stopped with the football as I was doing it on and off to much, had a gf I was on and off with and the only times I could properly see her were Saturdays/Sundays so the football went out the window as I couldn't keep turning up whenever I felt like it. Monday/Friday night 5s was also with people associated through my football team so stopped that too, still play Wednesdays. However I have been going through on and off spells regarding my fitness, I have been doing insanity for a few weeks/months before then going on a booze/good bender and ruining it all, had managed 3 months solid of insanity and had gotten myself into superb shape before going down to London for 4 days for the Scotland Nigeria game. Drank and ate a shit load and then lost my appetite to go back to insanity after it, I then start to feel lazy and start again and it's a cycle that keeps happening. Away to start taking it slightly easier but away to try solidly do this from now on, away to start doing 5k runs after work now and weights at the weekend, think if I calm down on the intensity (used to dread insanity) of my exercise I'll manage to keep it up for longer. Just motivate yourself, the hardest part is making yourself do it, once you've started it's easy. Don't pay a guy and just get stuck in about it yourself IMO.

[Binos123sam]

I am quite skinny but I am 99kg I am still healthy fast,strong and can run for miles is that normal because my weight

[AMMjag]

Right troops,

I was 17 stone around 2 years ago and by the start of this year I had managed to get down to about 12 through a relatively healthy diet and walking. Piled it back on (well, about a stone and a half) when I was home from Uni for the summer. I'm putting this down to working full time in an office with not much scope for keeping active during the day, and also the subway lunches most days didn't help .

I'm absolutely raging for letting myself go because I had done so well and am looking to do it the right way this time around. Despite losing a fair amount of weight, I never really got fitter. I couldn't do anything too strenuous without feeling it for the next few days, so that's why I used walking as my main source of exercise (was doing about 10km a day).

So aye, I was thinking about hiring a personal trainer. Did a bit of looking online and there's a guy who covers both Stirling and Cumbernauld so ideal even if I'm not at Uni. It does look as though his clients get fairly decent results, and I was planning on using the personal trainer as a stepping stone before heading to a gym because I don't feel confident enough to go straight to the gym having never been to one before. Would anyone recommend this path? 8 x 1 hour sessions cost about £155 so I want to get a few opinions on it before I splash out that type of money.

Cheers

It's been mentioned on here a few times, but there are some really good YouTube videos to help give you a starting idea of what to do in the gym. Sixpackshortcuts has some great basic exercises for building muscle, and Elliott Hulse's videos are good for instilling a bit of a 'f**k it' approach that helps get rid of the nervousness around going into a gym and worrying about what to expect and what others are doing.

I'd thoroughly scout them before forking out for a PT, but if it works for you and sets you on your way to a consistent fitness routine then I guess the cost would be justified to an extent. Personally I'd avoid the PT until giving the gym a shot for yourself, you'll probably get an induction on joining anyway where you can ask all the questions you want.