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I am starting my first “bulk” since I learned about the terms “cutting” and “bulking” just a couple months ago.
On Jan 1, 2006 I weighed 260 lbs and decided to start getting into a routine to attempt to both lose weight and gain muscle. I continued this for a year and made descent progress getting down to 230 lbs. I took about 4 months off and was back up to 240 lbs. on May 1st when I started on a program again. In August I did some research and found out about bulking and cutting. I wanted to get down to around 12% body fat before I started bulking, but since winter is coming up, I want to be bulking during the winter and then cutting again prior to the summer. So, I decided to start bulking now and will bulk for about 4 months and then start cutting to get ready for the summer.
My goals are basically to get a strong muscular body and get in as good a shape as I can. I want to put on a lot more muscle than I have with as little fat as possible. I am also planning on running a marathon in June 2008. Prior to the marathon I would like to get down to 10-12% body fat.
Starting point on Oct. 13, 2007 - 8:00 AM
Age - 31
Height - 6’5”
Weight - 198.8
BF% - 21.4% (according to my body fat analyzer scale)
My routine will be a FBW 3 days a week and cardio 4 days a week. Cardio will be mostly running. I will have 3 routines, one for each day of the week, but routines A and C will be identical for now.
This is from someone not nearly in a position to offer assistance or critique but got a question.
Since its all relative I think you look really great now compared to me, you said your were first losing fat and gaining muscle, what did you do to accomplish this? routine and diet etc
Losing fat and gaining muscle was my goal when I started. I didn't have very much knowledge about it at the time though and just went on an exercise program. I lifted and ran throughout 2006, but really didn't have a very good routine and I didn't watch my diet. I was probably not doing both at the same time, but I think ended up doing a little of each depending on what I ate. I have no records for this though.
I found a picture of me from Dec 2004. This is about a year before I started working out and am probably about 250 in that picture.
First, take that body fat scale and throw it in the dumpster. It is 10% off. Your body fat is not much more than 10%.
Second, enjoy your accomplishment. As others have mentioned, you have arrived. If you decide to get a little bigger, that is your decision. But, you don't have to do anything to accomplish what most on this forum, including myself, would consider to be their ultimate goals.
For the last couple months I have been trying to eat healthy. I have been keeping track of it all on fitday and there is a link in the inital post that lists everything I eat each day and it stays updated. I have a whey shake pretty much every day. I have been eating Subway a lot. I have been eating a lot more fruit than I used to and try to get in eggs, oatmeal, lean meat and veggies as much as I can.
It's looking good, you seem to be controling calorie intake well. I also think your training schedule looks tough but if you're body's coping with it then great, I bet you're gonna get some fantastic results
Haha my bad. I would up the fat and lower the carbs a bit, but thats me. .2 tbsp of fish oil? That is one thing you can never have enough of. Im taking 10 pills a day, or 12.5g.
Hey tonymcclellan, yeah, I have been intending to increase my fish oil. Thanks for bringing that up. The .2 tbls comes from the nutrition info on the bottle. 2 pills = 1 serving, 1 serving = 25 calories, fitday calculates off of tbls and .2 tbls = 25 calories.
On a side note, the hoist 985 (half cage and lat pull machine) I ordered came in today and I was able to pick it up this afternoon. I got most of it put together, just have the bench left. That will give me a few more options to add to my routine including front and back squats. I am going to stick to the routine I am on for a while yet though.
This is more directed to Chillen as I know he is an advocate of heavy weight low reps on crunches, but if anyone else has any input. How do you add the weight? I just recently bumped the weight up to 25 lbs using a 25 lb plate and that is a tight fit on its own. My only thought would be to maybe tape some 25 lb plates together as I don't think I will get a bigger plate to work.