Hello.... I am a 22 yo active duty service member. Since joing the Navy, I have actually gained weight since high school. I started out after boot camp weighing in at 160 lbs, I am 5' 11". I currently weigh 193 lbs, and most of that is a " beer gut " I am not happy with the way I look and have set some goals to reach...

I want to have a defined six-pack, I would like to weigh 180 lbs, and I would like my bench press to be at least 240. I know that they are pretty lofty goals, but 4 years ago that was how I looked. Partying, sitting at a computer, and long sessions on the old xbox is what I can thank.

For the past week, I have been taking Xyience xtreme fat burner, 2x a day 30 mins before lunch and dinner. for break fast I have been drinking a slimfast high protein shake, and a one ounce shot of liquid vitamin. I work 13 hour shifts currently, so Lately I have only been doing 45-60 minutes of cardio per night. Row machine, illeptical, bike, treadmill, and speed rope, post work out I drink a protein shake.......

Am I on the right track? Think this will help? Are products like lipo 6 and xyience fat burner bad for me? What is a good way to approach this? Please any one who has advice let me know..... but as for now I am continuing with the status quo.

V/R

Jake

Are you weightraining?

What does your diet look like? How many calories are you eating? Those fat burners will only be effective if your diet is in check.

Please post your entire diet and weight training program. It's a bit hard to know whether you are on the right track or not without looking at those.

As for the Fat burner, I'm not familiar with that supplement, but it has to be said that most of them are crap. They are crammed full of caffeine and diuretics, which gives you the impression you are losing fat, but really you're only losing water weight.

no, you're on the wrong track.

first off, slimfast is crap. the 'high protein' stuff still is loaded with sugar, and the protein is mainly soy...not real good stuff IMO.

1. eat every 2-3 hours, high protein, high veggie, low starchy carbs, and moderate on healthy fats

2. lift weights...heavy in fact, for low reps. you can't gain muscle when leaning out fat, so your goal is to lift heavy stuff to gain a little strength, and mainly to make sure the body holds on to your lean mass you have now.

3. tons of cardio isn't the answer. neither are fat burners. in fact fat burners are a waste of money unless your diet and training are already 100% spot on.

4. on days yo udon't lift weights, lower the starchy carb intake a lot. replace lost calories with lean protein.

I have not been weight training, since my last post, I talked and did more research, and found out that muscle burns fat... that is new to me, so I plan on starting a work out plan soon, ( within the next 5 days ) As far as calorie intake.... I am currently stationed over seas, working from 6 in the evening, until 6 in the morning. I don't have access to a kitchen, however, there is a galley ( cafeteria ) on base and lately I have been eating a bunch of roast beef and turkey sand wiches, and a couple times a week eating subway. So as far as calorie intake, I have no clue.... In the past; ie before the Navy when I was 17-18, I didn't have to watch my calorie intake I could eat what I wanted all day, and I was still gaining muscle... (swimmer) now it is a different game. Sorry I don't have more facts for you guys to help me with, but I am just wanting to get started into a fitness lifestyle, and I need your help.... lose the fat burners and hit the weights? is that the general idea?

I suggest you do some heavy research into proper eating.

Start here:

John Berardi - 7 Habits
John Berardi - Lean Eatin' Part I
John Berardi - Lean Eatin' Part II

And here's the main archive:

John Berardi - Nutrition Articles

Thanks guys got a decent start here with your info.... ill post in about a month or two....

Yes, lose the fat burners. Without a sound nutrition program, these are worthless. Even with a good program, they may give you some energy here and there, but it's the nutrition program that will help you achieve your goals. Hit the weights, and it will be difficult to watch your caloric intake, but I know subway posts their nutritional info online.

OK I got onto fitday.com, and set up an account.... I have only logged my foods for the past two days, but here is what todya's looked like....

Average Calories
grams cals %total
Total: 1459
Fat: 32 288 20%
Sat: 8 69 5%
Poly: 12 104 7%
Mono: 10 87 6%
Carbs: 183 696 49%
Fiber: 9 0 0%
Protein: 81 326 23%
Alcohol: 16 111 8%

(alcohol 8% sounds bad, but I have one glass of wine a night )
I woke up this morning, did some early calisthenics, ate breakfast, rice, with tuna, and a small can of mixed fruits. 3 hours later I had a small bag of cheese nips, pineapple, a few bites of beef jerky, and a bananna. 3 more hour later I had another snack of tuna, this time with crackers. then on my way home to work, I had a club sandwich... about an hour before I worked out.... finishing off with a quick shower then much needed sleep, is this good so far?

Now as far as a workout routine to combine with this, I am up to suggestions, but tonight's workout looked like this

Bench 4x10
dumbell flys 4x10
incline dumbell press 4x10
cable crossovers 4x10
tricep pressdowns with rop 4x10
reverse one arm kickbacks 4x10

I finished off by doing as many crunches as I could 3 times each time doind as many as I could, the same with leg raises, then pushups....

Everything on cue with the lifting/cardio part as well? My body has been feeling a lot better lately, no burger king, popeyes, cigarettes, beer, ice cream, soda, or pizza.... I wake up feeling a lot better recently as well....

let me know your opinions, you have all been at this longer than me.... thanks for your time and patience...


Jake

You probably need ot reduce your carbs to around 30-40% and increase your protien to 120 or more grams a day (30-40%).

Your workout is all chest and triceps and too many isolation exercises. Try something like this to start:
Squat
Deadlift
Benchpress
Bent Row/Pull up
Military Press
Curl
Triceps Extension
Situp/Leg Raise
Start with 2-3 sets of 12 for a week or 2, then change the heavy compound exercises (first 5) to 3 sets of 8, 4 sets of 6 and 5 sets of 5, for 2-3 weeks each, increasing the weight as needed to keep the effort near failure on each set.

Another update...

I am keeping my calorie intake to right around 1200-1500 per day, I am getting all of the vitamins and minerals that I should need(through a liquid multivitamin) with an exception, I know this should go into the vitamin post, but you guys have been getting back to me so well, and this post is easy to find..

using FitDay's report, I found out that I am missing the following nutrients from my daily diet....

Vitamin K
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Folate
Phosphorus
Magnesium
Calcium

I know what calcium does for my body, and I will step that up with some more milk, but what do the rest of those do, do I need them? Important or is my current diet fine?

It has only been two weeks since I started eating heathier, and already my co-workers are commenting that I am slimming down... thanks for the advice everyone listed above!!! I will be looking better and feeling better in no time....


Oh yeah, N E one have a good substitute workout for straight legged dead lifts, and military presses?

Thanks so much again guys

~~~Jake

Woah, 1200-1500 cals a day is really low.

A good, high quality multi-vitamin is about the best and smartest 'supplement' you can take.

Straight Leg DL - Try Goodmorning, hyperextension.

Military Press - Front Raise, Shoulder Press.

Dude, I did not read everything here, regardless of whether your goal is fat loss or increasing lean body mass, your calories are waaayyy too low. A great exercise to substitute SLDL is Glute Ham Raises.

OK Let me ask you this. Do you skip meals? Replace them with a diet shake?

Lost 5 pounds since first post, primarily due to lifting weights, and not eating bad crap.....

Still very hard to eat 2000 cals a day, let alone 5 small meals a day, still doing the traditional 3....

Regardless, seeing changes in my body already.... Now all I need is some perserverance through this holiday season thanks for the advice all.....

Any one got sweet ab workouts? gonna bust those really hard every other day now....

When I get back to the US, ( January ) Should I hire a personal trainer on base, or is it a waste of money?

Thanks Guys

Jake