Clear reason and question for the post – 1. I am looking for advice/suggestions on a whole-body resistance program. 2. I would like opinions on my new fitness plan.

Stats (age, height, weight, Body fat %) – Male, 35, 6’, 240lbs, BF% - no idea. Started out at 358lbs on 7/21/06, was 365lbs at my heaviest.

Diet (in detail meal to meal, overall daily caloric intake, ratios) –
Typical breakfasts – low fat, high fiber cereal with 8oz. skim milk, medium banana.
Snacks – raisins or an apple or granola bar or fruit bar.
Typical lunches – leftovers from last night’s dinner or a peanut butter sandwich (wheat bread) or a salad with shredded boneless skinless chicken breast.
Snacks – raisins or an apple or granola bar or fruit bar.
Typical Dinners – Grilled chicken breast and green beans or a hamburger and a big salad (fat free dressing) or sweat and sour stir-fry veggies with lean pork strips (sometimes with brown rice, sometimes just the stir-fry).

I cut out almost all soda and junk/fast foods. I very rarely drink any of my calories, normally I drink water with all meals and throughout the day. Because of my high blood pressure, which was one of the catalysts for my weight loss journey, I started with a low sodium diet and have continued with it. I no longer use salt in food preparation or at the table. My wife and I also choose low sodium items or substitutions when ever we can. My blood pressure is right were it should be now and I am off my medication.

I do not count calories everyday but I do occasionally for reference purposes. The range is between 1600 and 2000 calories per day. I normally fall into the upper range of that between 1800 – 2000.

Exercise routine in detail (cardio/weight training) – I have been walking an average of 2 – 3 miles a day 5 days a week. I have also started playing ice hockey once a week for the past month and a half. No resistance training to speak of.

Current and overall goal – My original goal was to get down to 220lbs. This was a number I picked because it sounded good to me and to get me out of the “obese” category (as defined through BMI measurements). My current and overall goal is to continue to lose more weight, tone up, get in better shape, and recover some muscle (chest, back, upper arms, and upper legs) that has been lost during the past 15 years of living a rather sedentary life. I do not have an exact weight I want to be at, I don’t really care what the final number is, I will judge it more by how I look in the mirror and how I feel.

How long you have been doing what you are doing in diet and routine – 28 weeks

If you have any medical problems or injuries we should be aware of – None

After reading a number of recent posts I started doing some research on HIIT. Some of the reported benefits and results I like are; it adds variety and change to my workout, helps build fast twitch muscle (need this for hockey) and takes less time than my traditional SS cardio workout. I decided to built and start an 8 week work out schedule that I started this week. So far I like the HIIT, but I would like some opinions on both my schedule and an appropriate resistance training program. Any links or articles are appreciated. I currently have a treadmill, a 40 pound dumbbell set and a home gym in my garage to use.

Here is what my tentative new plan looks like:
Sunday - Ice Hockey
Monday - Off
Tuesday - HIIT (warm up, HIIT walk/sprint cycles, cool down)
Wednesday - Resistance Training
Thurday - HIIT (warm up, HIIT walk/sprint cycles, cool down)
Friday - Resistance Training
Saturday - HIIT (warm up, HIIT walk/sprint cycles, cool down)

Is it too much, not enough, wrong combination? Let me know what you think.

Thanks for any help.

You need protein with every meal/snack (8 oz. of milk is not enough).

Keeping a strict record of your daily intake is the key to achieving your goals. Guesstimating doesn't get you where you need to be. I suggest everyone track everything they eat in detail the first month. I personally still track what I eat.
Obviously you need to add some lifting and balance work into your program. It
is very important on the health and fat loss aspect. Starting off with a 2-3 day a week full body program would be best.



Have you taken any breaks from exercise or dieting at all during the course of this?

If you have any medical problems or injuries we should be aware of – None


It looks pretty good, certainly a step in the right direction. I would recommend looking into some pre-made routines or getting with a good trainer to help you get started on the right program. Avoid machines. You need balance and conditioning, it will also help with the hockey as well. I would start slow to make sure from is right and then start using weight (dumbbells and then when ready progress to barbell work. Try to work with core balls as well. Take it slow and do it right.

Good Luck