Fitness And Nutrition General

Granola bars and most protein bars are scams. Stick to natural supplements which is better for you.

Bars always have that amount of SUGAR/STARCH in it. Even if they have that minimum, it's still not natural.

Pump =/= toning, so your fault on that one for mixing up terminology

I already said carbs were important, as an energy source. They're not what make you big though. Low carbs/no carb diet as I said will take proteins and use them as an energy source, which is why you're not getting big, because your proteins aren't getting used.

Just adds further emphasis to my point. You're not going to be able to do the same kinds of workouts as someone taking ANY of those things, yet alone all those things. Again, it isn't because they're already built. It's because they're taking a bunch of ***that allows them to do it.


Your general conclusion themselves aren't bad, but your reasoning/basis for getting there is all *** up.

It's like doing a math problem the wrong way and still getting the right answer somehow. That's basically what I've compared your post to.

Edit:
Well, like I said, I agree that you should get carbs, free weights are better than machines, and etc.

The only thing I've questioned is your explanations behind it, which has 0 to do with your experience, lol

Nobody uses "toning" to mean what it really means anyways. I hate that term.

I think one key point that is often overlooked is that every person has their own body type and chemistry, and the way foods, supplements, workouts etc. are going to vary based on the individual. What may be good for the goose may not be good for the gander. So to reiterate, try out different routines, different diets, different supplements and find your own happy place. There are still some hard and fast basic rules, but by experimenting you will find what works best for you, and what makes you feel better and better about yourself at the end of the day is what really matters.

True.

@ Tigerwoods, my bad for not explaining very well.

Also, never forget that one of the most important factors is SLEEP.

Yah most of the meal bars or protein bars have tons of sugar, HFCS, or transfat. I really avoid them at all costs.

Couldn't agree more e.g. Some guys need weight gainer, while others don't. or how some guys can eat a cheeseburger every day and still be ripped.

I think what's important too, is to keep tricking your body both in your work-out routine and diet.

Is this where I can put progress pics up so people can motivate me?

Go for it

The other day at work. Trying to tell myself it was time for new work attire. XL, would mean Big & Tall ><

Nice biceps/triceps brah

Lowest I've weighed since a freshman or sophomore in high school (and I was tiny then, and like 2-3 inches shorter)



Chipotle tonight, so this situation will be remedied soon enough

Edit:
@150 lbs in high school
@150 lbs yesterday (warning: in my boxers)
Edit 2: for reference, when I let myself go, I got up to 186. When I started working out I went down to 160, then slowly back up to 170-175 by the time I was at my 1 year progress report. Gained a bit more muscle, lost a bit more fat, but stayed in the same weight range for all of year 2. Was 176 in September.

Dropped to 149 in the past 5 months alone

Did you do straight weight training or did you stop to do cutting cycles in between?

Thanks, I'm slowly getting a bit of a chest (couldn't tell from the pic). I don't want one of those stupid body builder wannabe type chests, either.

I'd like to eventually cut like you, but for now I'm simply going for strength first, growth second. My wife's school schedule doesn't allow us to eat properly for me to get back to cutting/toning again. I'll start back on that when this HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE semester is over.

EDIT: I'm 245, 5 lbs away from where I want to be weight wise before attempting to tone yet maintain weight.

Been consistent with the gym since October 2010, and the most I've ever missed was 2 weeks w/o going (vacation etc.); was doing 2-3 days a week the majority of the time since then. Started doing 4 days a week in the gym in August when school started.

Fossil Park(obstacle course came up with in the Park) was also added in August along with intermittent fasting and within the past month, have made numerous additions to it. Increased reps at stations, increased running speed during the course, a few new stations all together, and now after running the course twice (.6 miles per lap, 13 stations each; w/ one bonus station at the end), we've just recently started running through the course (w/o hitting any of the regular stations, but w/ a new bonus station added to hit once per lap) for another 4 laps, to make it 3.6 miles total. I run that Thurs/Fri/Sat

Despite being 27 lbs lighter than I was in August/September, all my lifts are at an all time high in the gym right now


Edit:

Keep up the good work.

Just keep in mind that every bit counts, so if you can't eat as well right now, you can still start somewhere, like cutting out bad drinks. Changing to mostly water will go a long way, even if you can't put in the rest of the effort towards food at the moment

I drink a glass of tea at lunch, otherwise I drink like 120oz of water a day. We own no sodas etc. Adding plenty of water to my day was the single best thing I did for losing excess fat.

Too many dudes trying to get smaller around here. Where's the 400lb squats?

Don't get me wrong, I'm working on strength as well. Just looking good while I'm doing it :D

But to answer,I'm trying to lose the belly fat before going to some major size gaining

Im 5ft7 lol being too big looks weird on short guys

I squat, out of box 210 and my my jeans are already getting too tight. I already had a naturally big *** before going to the gym so yeah...

I approve of this image

You got me by an inch :( and a half :( :( :(

I always thought you were taller. Is it good or bad that before I started working out,I looked exactly like your "before" picture,but taller too? (6'0)


Yeah she can outsquat me anyday,I wont give a *** lol

day after i typed that i got a free sample of a powder thats 200mg of caffine/serving deleivered to my door ><

life mocks me..

Makes no difference as long as you're working out now and putting in effort.

All have to start somewhere

True enough. Just thought for a minute it meant I was fatter than I looked D:

I'm not really self conscious though,except if it comes to posting a "before" picture >_>

The picture looks photoshopped OR she got those thighs doing a crapton of leg extensions. If she squated her way to those thighs her lower back would be a lot bigger. Most females who train seriously are going to have more developed figure head to toe, not just legs. That girl has no muscle in her upper body at all.

I actually do train with a female, once in a while. She does lift more than me, and I have zero shame- a spotter is a spotter. We've got probably 3-4 professional female builders at my gym.

What sort of foods do you guys eat?

I'd still hit it,even if her legs are shopped,it just means they're even smaller :P Now off to bed for my 8 hours recovery sleep!

Where the traps at???

lulz I do sets with 650+. Currently repping out 945 on the incline sled.

That's very impressive. I only do 480-500 on the incline leg press, close-knee.

Hey I love being short! Especially, b/c as a shorter guy you look bigger at less weight. Which can also be a downfall, since I feel I have to watch my fat intake a bit more than taller guys :( :( :(

I really like face-pulls for my traps(in addition to t-bars and bent knee barbell raises). But I feel that face-pulls really pop out the traps.