Hi everyone,

I started my lifestyle change almost 5 weeks ago. I have lost 10.5 lbs so far. I would like some support, though since it's tough. Hopefully I can help others as well. I posted this in the Newbies forum, but thought it may be better suited for in here. I'll be 28 in April, and I am male. My current goal is weight/fat loss. I am monitoring what I eat, my weight, inches around my body, BMI and body fat %.

I have a quick question, too. Someone told me that I may be overdoing it, but I don't think I am. I have never had this much energy, or had this much endurance. Sorry, this will be long, but looking for some advice/help. Here is my workout routine:

Monday: In the morning, I lift using chest and tricep muscles. I do 7 exercises for chest and 4 for triceps. I shoot for 4 sets of 15 reps (which has really boosted my endurance). Then, after work I go back to the gym for a quick 30 minute cardio exercise and abs workout.

Tuesday: I do cardio in the morning and afternoon.

Wednesday: In the morning, I lift using back and bicep muscles. Same as Monday, I do 7 exercises for back and 4 for biceps, shooting for 4 sets of 15. I come back after work for 30 minutes of cardio and abs.

Thursday: same as Tuesday

Friday: I lift using legs and shoulders. same as other weight days. Come back after work for a 30 minute workout and abs.

some notes:
I switch up my cardio between biking, elliptical, treadmill, tread climber and cross ramp. I do a different machine every cardio session. Also, within each machine, I alter my workout method. If one week I do bike on random, I will do manual the next time I get on the bike.

abs: I do a different set of exercises every time I am there.

Friday workouts: I plan on finding a different exercise routine every Friday from my Men's Health magazine.

Lifting: I try and choose weights where I work up to 4 sets of 15... usually starts with sets of 12, 10, 9, 8 reps. Also, I am never in the gym longer than am hour and a half (including a 15 minute stretch. Also, every 4 weeks I change the order of the exercises I do so my body won't have time to get adjusted.

stretching: I stretch before any workout, whether it's cardio or lifting.

Protein: I'm trying to consume my goal weight in grams of protein. Along with egg whites and lean meat, i am having a GNC whey protein shake twice a day.

Magic Pills: I am trying to stay away from any diet pills. I have no idea how safe they are, or if they really work. The guy I was talking to yesterday said I should get on something to help me.

Food: I never eat the same things routinely. I limit the 3 whites (sugar, salt and white flour) to hardly anything. I give myself one cheat day, and if I feel a craving for something, I have it, but with a VERY small quantity. (I have buckeyes from Cracker Barrel and will have a single one maybe every 3 days... thats my only sweet).



Thanks guys. In a short 5 weeks, I have also dropped at least 2% of body fat, and 1 inch off my waist line. I am also keeping a food log and putting everything I eat/drink in there. Any thoughts/comments to my method/approach?

Should I include a time period where I take a week off from my workout? if so, when should I consider doing it?

How often should I weigh myself? I hear some people say every day to track, and others say once a week. i am currently weighing myself every week, take a body fat analysis every 2 weeks and get body measurements every 2 weeks.

When I started, i was 256.5 lbs. What is a healthy weight for me to attain? I thought 175 would be alright (I'm 5'85", almost 5'9") but my wife says that's ludicrous.

This post confused me a bit but I think I got some of it. Can I ask, why are you training your bicep one day and your tricep another day? They are connected. Four exercises just for your tricep? It sounds like you may be spending a lot more time on weight training then you need. Our muscles work together and can really be trained quite well together. Are you getting all your exercises out of Men's Health? I would not look to them for tips. Perhaps Steve can give you an idea of where to look. Good luck!

I would say he's working chest/tricep because they're pushing exercises and back/bicep because they're pulling exercises.

Not saying one way or the other if this is a "proper" split or not. Just an interesting way of hitting the triceps because normally they don't get much use in regular daily activity (we don't really push stuff a whole lot). And the tricep is a larger muscle group than the bicep.

The important thing is it seems to be working for Gator. "I have never had this much energy, or had this much endurance". He's getting results so why monkey around with the routine at this time?

Thanks, Doc.

Yeah, I do something called the 3 day split. They recommend doing chest/triceps becuase those muscle groups work together.
Back and Biceps for the same reason.
Legs and Shoulders because thats all thats left, I reckon.