Intro
I am currently 6 foot 2 inches and approximately 225 pounds. I am looking to lose the fat around my midsection (it is the only place it gathers) and become more muscular over my entire body. I was hoping to obtain some diet and supplement advice based on that which is listed below. I have been following it for a couple weeks now and am down to 219 pounds and I already feel healthier than I have in a long time.

As an aside, I work mon through fri 8a-5p and sat 8a-12p. I also go to school full time with classes til 8pm on mon and wed and til 930pm on tues and thurs, so I am limited when I can hit the gym.

Exercise
Mon (8p-930p)- full body weights (i use the machines which i know are not as good as free weights, but my girlfriend goes with me and she feels more comfortable there for the time being. soon i will move back to free weights)
Tues - No gym (no time)
Wed (8p-930p) - full body
Thurs - No gym (no time)
Fri (8p-930p) - HIIT on the elliptical (prefer the elliptical on my knees)
Sat (1p-3p) - full body
Sun (10a-12p) - HIIT on the elliptical

i also play light racquetball with my girlfriend on sat's and sundays as well...and i swim for about 15-20 mins after the workout and spend 10 mins in the sauna each day.

Supplements
-50g Ultimate protein shake with strawberries and soy milk for breakfast
-GNC sport multi vitamin pack taken with breakfast (if anyone knows a better multi vitamin, do tell)
-800mg chromium picolinate with breakfast
-2000mg fish oil with lunch
-2000mg vitamin c with lunch
-50g ultimate protein shake with berries and soy milk after every workout/HIIT
-5g creatine post workout

Diet
7:00am - 50g protein shake with strawberries and soy milk for breakfast
10:00am - 2 to 3 hard boiled eggs or a slice of whole grain wheat bread with natural peanut butter
1:00pm - grilled cold chicken breast with cold steamed vegetables or either a chicken breast / tuna wrap with romaine lettuce, raw green peppers and a whole wheat tortilla
5:00pm - slice of whole grain wheat bread with natural peanut butter
9:30pm - 50g protein shake after my workout
10:30 - a light dinner (beans and rice or a chicken breast)

-also, occasionally a handful of peanuts (roasted, no salt added)
-I drink nothing but water all day (approximately a gallon and a half) aside from an occasional unsweetened ice tea

Alcohol
Formerly a huge drinker, namely beer and whiskey. Currently drinking only 2 days a week, having 2-4 glasses of red wine or a couple gin & tonics / vodka and seltzer.

Conclusion

I've done a lot of research on this board and have found a wealth of information already. I'm hoping that a few of you can lend your expertise and advise me on my workout routine/diet menu. I am open to new ideas and am certainly willing to put in the effort to make myself healthier and more muscular/less fatty.

Thanks to all for their advice.

FAR to much Chromium, i mean FAR to much.

We only need 1 or 2 MCG to maintain blood levels. toss that supplement your using and get one in the 100-350MCG's.

BTW its good to see someone supplementing Chromium considering nearly 60% of the nation is deficient in it.

short and sweet.... why protien!!! that added weight....

you need to soley be concentrating on loosing the fat. and using whatever method you can get
if you message me i can help you

i used to be 23stone... i am 6'9. i used to have a 46 waist... i now have 38 and going down everyday. its taken just about 19months. its hard work. there are short cuts which i will tell you about if u message me, but the bottom line it water and what type of food you eat.

protien shake ur wasting your time. u will probably be putting on weight.

I know this sounds hard, but its my experince, i am still going though it now. i still have 1stone to loose but i am not so concious of what i look like.
K

one more thing, cut out wine beer and chocolate and fatty fast foods. if u are serious.
u carry on drinking etc ur adding months to ur workout plan. hardily seems worth it now.
K

First of all, don't stop supplementing protein. It's a great way to get some extra in your diet, and when losing fat, you need protein to maintain muscle mass! The overall caloric intake is what factors into losing fat.

Also, would cutting out alcohol completely help? Sure, but it doesn't sound like you are being out of control with it. I am a college student, I enjoy going out on the weekends like everyone else, and I have some drinks from time to time. I have been losing fat steadily, and as long as you don't go nuts with the booze, I don't think it is TOO big a deal. If you can't enjoy yourself sometimes, what is the point of living healthy anyways? I suppose it's a personal opinion matter...

i agree about the keeping muscle mass,
but honestly for me loosing wieght was the goal more than knowing i am keeping some muscle. because i knew that when the fat is all gone, then i can bulk up.
well that is my theory.
i wanted to loose wieght - i wanted to see the scales getting lighter, rather than the illusion ur loosing weight but having no proof... because the scales arnt moving... well this is certainly my experince. because i am bulking now, and i know i am loosing fat, but the scales arent showing it... and the mirror is much hard to tell if ur or not.
thats all my opinion comes from. thats all. you do as you please. just my experince.
K

That's just silly. Whey protein doesn't add weight as long as you are figuring the shake into your daily caloric needs (as mark already pointed out). I have been using whey almost every day in my oatmeal and in shakes and I'm losing body fat like crazy. Telling people to not use whey is the same as telling them to avoid a chicken breast because the protein will add muscle and then you won't be able to tell if you are losing weight by the scale.

~Nicole

ok, feel free to read the rest of my post. i am not saying no protien blah blah lets take it to extremes. i am only saying taking a suppliment could be counter productive if its as in my case loosing weight on the scales. thats all i am saying.
K

Go ahead and do that then. Just note that the extra weight you are losing is hard-earned muscle that you have worked for.

Doesn't even try to hide his spamming, does he? Reported.

First thought is to be very clear about what your " primary goal " is. For example, if it is .....

- Significant fat loss + ADD significant muscle gain = is not a very easy to do at the same time

- Significant fat loss + MAINTAIN the muscle you have = much easier to do at the same time.

- Significant fat loss + LOSE the muscle you have = much easier to do at the same time.

If it were me and fat loss was my primary goal - and i was dead serious about losing fat- I would make cardio training a priority. By this, I mean I'd fit in cardio at least 5 days a week. I would still weight train 3X a week, but with the focus of maintaining what muscle I have, not with the goal of adding significant muscle mass. I'd also make sure i was eating enough so my fat loss came through actual fat loss and not loss of muscle tissue.


I noticed your full-body workout is 90 minutes ...is this actual training time ?

I ask because you should be able to do a good weight workout in 45 minutes to 1 hour and if you could keep the workouts within this time frame then you could tack on some HIIT cardio at the end of each of your weight training sessions to bring you to 5 cardio sessions a week ( assuming your primary goal is fat loss of course ) Keep in mind, most HIIT sessions usually don't have to go longer than 20-30 minutes max.

It seems your diet is in pretty good shape. I must say!

I recommend to simply go to Dr. John Berardi, Ph.D.. There you will find the 7 habits of highly effective nutrional plans. In addition, you will find a vast arensal of articles. All of which are just great.

I haven't understood this, people have told me on here to get some fish oil in my diet. What does it come in? I am picturing a little bottle where he just takes a swig of fish oil, lol. I always thought what you guys meant by that was to just eat fish, but obviously since it comes in some kind of supplement that's not what you meant.

Where do you find these fish oil supplements? What do they do that's so great? And what do they come in?

rep to the first person to answer my stupid question. (yes I know it's a stupid question, but still I wanna know the answer)

Fish oil supplements are high in the EFA's are body needs, some of the many benefits include reducing triglyceride levels, help stabilize heart rhythm, reduces heat attack by as much as half! and help the prevent Dementia, Help the flexibility of our body's cells as well as their ability to communicate, it helps with the conductor system in the eye thus helping to prevent Macular degeneration, they work as anti-inflammatory in the body, raise HDL levels, uhh aswell as reduce joint pain and stiffness thus helping with Arthritis.
Overall The EPA's and DHA's in the fishoil are great aids to help with our cardiovascular system as well as many other factors in the body.

When looking for a fishoil supplement always get a 2 to 1 ratio of EPA to DHA.

ok cool, in what form do you buy them? not a pill right?