Questions

jonnydiesel

Hi guys

Some very interesting topics on this site and I've learnt a lot since reading but I've got a few questions that are person specific. And that person is me!!

I'm 25, 6ft, and about 15st (183cm, 97.5k). I eat well; low fat food, try to eat carbs at lunch not in the evening, 1 tin of tuna a day, lots of fruit. I eat 3 times a day which I realise is not good enough and will remedy soon.

I have been training in the gym and I also play rugby at the weekend and train with the club on tuesdays. I have trained in the gym for around a year now with some moderate results but am starting to plateau and looking for ideas. My main goals are to lose my "lovehandles" that seem to be hanging around, improve the size of my muscles and improve my strength and overall fitness.

I would like your input on training plans, supplements and exercises if possible.

Thanks guys!

Benj

Unfortunally, improving the size of your muscles and loosing your love handles can't be done at the same time! Choose which one you want to do first! I'd recomend trying to gain some muscle, as muscle burns calories when you come to loose the fat your diet wont be as restricted!

Supplents are just that, supplements, at the moment I take a whey shake after training, the rest I get from food and drink!

As for training there are many training plans out there, its just picking one that you like and suits you!

And for exercises make sure your doing the big compound lifts:
Deadlifts
Squats
Bench Press
Miltary Press
Dips
Chins

mark

People always say that you can not lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. I think it is possible though. I am trying at the moment. Obviously you won't gain anywhere near the same amount of muscle as you would if you weren't doing any cardio at all.

I currently train 4 days a week and do 1hr of weights a night and 20 minutes of cardio.

I have been doing this for about 3 weeks and aswell as my BF dropping (not recorded the %) my muscle are still continueing to grow.

I am not saying that this will work for everyone but it seems to be working for me at the moment.

The Natural

To gain muscle requires a excess of calories. To lose fat requires a deficiency of calories.
It is not possible to do both. Possibly you are losing fat which give the impression that your muscles are larger, as they are more defined.
In addition, seeing as you have not had your BF recorded, i don't see how you can be 100% positive that you are losing BF.

If you try to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, you will achieve neither to any significant degree. They are simply opposites.
Choose which is more important to you now, and go for it.

mark

Yeah I agree in principal that you should either bulk or cut but what I am saying is at the moment I am losing fat and gaining muscle size and also strength, I realise this isn't the best way to train but as it is summer time I really don't want to start bulking now!

The Natural

Losing fat and gaining muscle and strength isn't the best way to train?? I'd say it was the Bodybuilding/Fitness Holy Grail!! Good work fella.
In reality this is impossible, for reasons already stated- ie they require opposite physical environments.
You may be gaining muscle weight, which means your BF as a % will go down, however you cannot be losing absolute BF if your weight is going up.
'IF' you could do this, i think pros would have abandoned the 'bulk and cut' system some time ago and just opt for putting on muscle and losing fat.

Cheers.

Anonymous

i believe it is possible,but it is very hard to do,

higher protein lower carbs,but still having extra calories to bulk.

little things like veins appearing more is a sign of dropping bodyfat.

my current diet in my progress journal is having good affects,on me.

however bulking and cutting is the easier way for begginners,and most people.

the pros are all gear orientated,with that amount of gear,

pavarotti could look muscular :shock: