Hey guys,

My name is Tim, I am 19 years old, and I'm a Computer Science
major at Stevens Tech in Hoboken. I am 5'7" and weigh about
195 lbs (perhaps a little less now that I've been on my diet
for about a week and a half).
As I am a computer science major and a "computer guy", I never
did much to keep track of fitness and health in my life. When
I was younger, I rollerbladed with friends for about 10 hours
a week total. Once I came to college, however, i gained about
20 pounds but no height (well, maybe an inch)!
I have decided to take a stand against my gut and start to
engage in a weight loss plan. I have had a little gut all my
life so I have no plan on losing it completly, but I would
like to get down to about 170-ish.

My current dieting plan is as follows:

2 small meals a day and one bigger meal. For example, in the
morning after my run, I will have 2 hard-boiled egg-whites and
maybe 4 tsp of cheerios. I don't feel hungry until about 2 o
clock at which time I usually have my bigger meal which is
about 3 handfuls of pasta with a tomato or cheese sause (I
don't know the exact amount, I'll try to find out and edit the
post according;y) or a sandwich, and sometimes, about
once every 2 weeks a meatball sub or a thincrust personal
pizza. After this meal, I try to walk at least 10 blocks
(again, sorry for inaccurate measurements, but through google
maps its somewhere around 8,000 feet). Then for dinner, I
have a small portion of rice or salad and a chicken breast or
other chicken. If i feel hungry throughout the day, I
supplement the diet with bananas or apples, maybe 2 a day,
total. Also, I drink only water.

For exercise, I live in Hoboken which is a city, so I walk
everywhere, to and from class multiple times a day and
whenever I need to go to the store or bank, its a 20 block
walk. Again, i dont have mile measurements but somewhere
around 12,000 feet give or take 1,000. Every morning, (but
only for the last week), I've run for about 15 minutes. I've
read that fat burning doesnt happen until about 20 minutes but
my friend and I take a route during which the second half is
extremely uphil, at the end of the run, I am completely
wasted. I feel that I can definately run more on level
ground. I will mention this again later. Then I lift minorly
as my muscular strength is not yet what I am looking to
improve, anyway, I'll do 3 sets of 12 reps with a 30lb weight
for my biceps, forearms, and triceps. I feel I can do a
little more but not another complete set, I really struggle
with the last.

So that's it.

I just have a few questions about all of this. If you guys
have any advice/knowledge/techniques/tricks please let me
know. I'm ready to break out of the sterotypical "Computer
guy" who sits behind a desk with a bag of chips and
uncountable empty cans of mountain dew .

Here are my questions:

(1) Would it be better to run longer over level terrain or
shorter but have an excruciating uphill ending? For example,
11,000 feet at level terrain, or 4,000 level and then 4,000
uphill (with about 300 stairs in this).

(2) Should I begin to take Stacker 2? I've heard many success
stories about this and would like more information on its
geniunity.

(3) I heard that a spoonful of vinegar each morning can
increase weightloss and fatburning. Is there any truth or
logic in this? If so explain as technically as possible.

(4) Should I run twice a day? Same route? Or would this be
detrimental as I don't give my body time to recoup.

I know there are more..... but I can't seem to remember them
right now. If i do, I'll edit the post to add them. Thanks
to all that took the time to read this and thanks more to
those who are going to take the additional time to reply!

-Tim

I think more importantly than what you asked, is your lunch meal. 3 handfuls of pasta is too much to eat at once. Either break it up into 3 separate meals, or balance it out such as a hand size serving of carbs, equal portion vegetable equal portion protein. And no carbs after lunch if at all possible. As for your routine, I think its fine however you're doing it that you are most comfortable with. "Stacker 2" which I am unfamilar with is probably unnecessary. And the vinegar thing, I've never heard of but I'm sure if it did work, people would have been doing it along time ago and it be well known.

Hmmm...
#1 I'd do one and one...one day do the short intense (wear a heart montior if possible) and the next longer easy. ..but if you're doing weight training then I would do short intense and weight training on the next day. I'd vary the short intense run..unless you specificly enjoy running, I'd vary your workouts and do another type of cardio that's intense...but you can also get a lot of benefit from being able to run longer..burn more TOTAL calories etc.

#2 You don't need that much pasta unless you're doing some serious running. Try a wrap or pita instead. If you had a better bfast you might not need such a big lunch. 4tsp of cheerios is pretty ...eeh..try something that will offer you more nutritional value.

I'm not sure what Stacker 2 is but if it's a supplement, I'd do without it...all you need as far as supplements are multivitamins (and even then, that's debatable).

#3 Never heard of the vinegar thing either but I've heard it about lime juice, I eat limes all the time though but just bc I like them (never had a problem with my teeth enamel)..but it's not going to beat working out and eating right.

#4 You can run twice a day if you feel strong enough AND wearing the right shoes but depending on how long you've been doing it, I'd cross train the next day or do weights the next day...unless you've been a runner for a while.

HTH a little!

Hello all,

This is scary but I'm same age and doing smillar schooling in computers but only in wisconsin, I have nerver really worried about fitness untill now, when i hit a 190 pounds. I'm not sure if what I'm doing is right but I go to the gym I went through the curcit and tryed the hardest all the machines and as many reps as can and then keep trying to bulid on that. I keep trying to do more each week. Every time i hit 30 reps i move up weights.

Do a search in this forum on the phrase "energy balance". You will find a wealth of information!

Or better yet - sign up to fitday.com - make sure you eat less calories than you use - presto weight loss.

ps. dont eat les than 1800 in a day