HEALTHY LIVING
Let me start by saying that I am in no way an expert at nutrition. All of the stuff I put in this will be from my own personal experiences. Things that I know worked for “ME”… I say “me” like that because everyone’s body is different. Food, exercise, and laziness affects each body in a different manner. There are three body types; Ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. The ectomorph are people that have a slim, slender build. They do not have lots of fat on there bodies and equally have little muscle mass as well. They can look flabby and out of shape due to lack of physical activity, but they will not get large like the endomorphs.. The mesomorph are bodies that are in between the ecto and the endo. This is the body style that we would have all loved to have had. They are the muscular, athletic types who have very little fat on their bodies and have great muscle mass. The endomorph are the body types that store fat, are round and soft. It is difficlt for this type to lose weight without strict nutrition and activity, but it is still possible without the aforementioned items…
Now, a few easy to understand country boy definitions..
Nutrition: Nutrition is the food, liquids, vitamins, and anything undesirable that we consume. So yes, nutrition can be bad stuff to.. Some things have no nutritional value, like candy, but they are part of your daily nutrition. Other people will disagree with this definition, and that is fine, but from here on out when you see me use that word, know that I am meaning the things that you ingest on a daily basis..
Cardio: Exercise that raises your heart rate to a level that will bring about a sweat rather quickly..
Metabolism: The rate at which your body burns calories just to exist. Your body burns calories when you breath, when you sit, when you sneeze. Anything your body does, takes calories to do it. Some people burn many calories (high metabolism), and some people do not use many calories in normal daily activity (low metabolism).
Supplements: Anything that you use, in excess of food to acquire additional vitamins, or results.
Carbohydrates: Main building blocks of energy (good and bad carbs), but also used to make fat (bad carbs)…
Protein: Main building block for muscle. (Amino Acids are also a vital part for muscles as well)
Sugars: BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD, and if you missed it… BAD!!!
Potassium: Just recognize this as something good for when working out. This will prevent cramps during your workout.. Banana’s are loaded with this..
Fiber: Helps to keep you regular (poopy), and also helps the body to use carbs efficiently.
All the other ABC vitamins, are needed, but I will not go into that.. Just make sure you get 100% of A-Zinc that your body needs. In the supplement section of this article, I will give you some ideas that can help you get these daily values in a few seconds…
ARMAGEDON: The beginning of the end of the old you
The first step to losing that unwanted weight is to make the DECISION that you no longer want to carry around that extra weight that makes your knees hurt, you run out of breath going up and down stairs, your clothes not fitting or you have a pile that you can’t fit into anymore or you may just have a few pounds that you don’t want people to see anymore when you wear that speedo… (Lord bless us all)
The second step to losing weight is to change how you eat. You can eat well, and still lose weight, but you HAVE to make the right choices…. If you do not make the right choices, then don’t blame everything else around you for not losing any of that weight… Bad carbs are bad... I know, I like bread to, but it is bad… I will tell you in the next few paragraphs on how to eat to attain the best weight loss the healthiest way..
Why are Bad carbs bad? Because when you eat a bad carb, it takes the body very little time to break it down. The body is going to release insulin in order to use these carbs which will cause a blood sugar spike that is one of the leading reasons people gain weight. Any food made primarily of a carb that has been processed in such a way as to strip out ingredients that hinder quick and easy cooking are bad carbs. White bread, white rice are a couple of examples.. twinkies, little debbie, honey buns, etc.. are of the debil (yes I meant to use the “b”)
What makes a Good Carb good? They break down slowly, which helps to equalize and reduce the blood sugar levels in the body. This is the main step in losing weight.. Many popular weight loss diets incorporate good carbs into their eating plans because they are so effective at lowering insulin production and stabilizing blood sugar levels. At the same time, good carbs are usually loaded with fiber. Fiber helps you stay regular and also is good for giving you a “full” feeling quicker. In essence, you eat less…
In my opinion, the best meal plan is the one where you eat 6 small meals a day. I know this is not convenient for some people, but they can do it as well as long as they plan accordingly..
BREAKFAST DO NOT skip breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day because it sets your bodies tone for the day. It boosts your metabolism right off the bat.. You have to think of your body as a wood heater. You put fuel (logs) into it, and it makes heat. If you don’t put wood in there, you will still have some coals form the night before, but it will not be burning hot. If you miss breakfast, articles I have seen show that your body goes into a preservation mode. Which means it will not be burning the fats, it will be tapping into your amino acids (part of muscle) for energy. If you have ever worked out and sweated a lot, and noticed an ammonia smell in the sweat that has collected in your shirt, that comes from from your body breaking down amino acids to use for energy. You combat that by eating a good carb about 30 mins before you go workout. Protein shakes are good for pre-workout meals. They are liquid, so they sit better in your stomach while doing the strenuous activity than solid food would. That has been my experience anyway.
What do I eat for breakfast?
We got to get a few things in your fireplace to start burning them calories. First is protein. You can get this by drinking a protein shake, or you can eat some eggs. Go to the egg section and get you a small jug of the egg whites, and also a carton of eggs. Crack one whole egg, and then add the equivalent of 3 egg whites by what the carton says for that quantity. Mix good, add a little salt, and a little pepper, and scramble. It takes me 3 minutes to do this. So you DO have time. Why egg whites versus whole eggs. I add the one whole egg for flavor only. I tried eating just egg whites, and it was like eating wet toilet paper…whatever that tastes like, it just seems fitting. Carbs, we need some good carbs. OATMEAL.. Horse food as I call it. Nope, you can’t buy the pre-made flavored packets in the store.. SO STAY AWAY!!!! Get you a large container of the Quaker Oats. Get a thing of cinnamon, a box of raisins, and a container of natural honey. Mix ½ - 1 cup of dry oats with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Add the water, and microwave. I usually do mine for 1:50 but you have to keep your eye on it, it becomes a volcano when it is done. Makes a large mess.. haha. If it is about to boil out, just stop the microwave, and it instantly recedes back into the bowl. Take out, put about 1 teaspoon of honey in the oatmeal, and then pour in about a small handful of raisins. Mix this well, and let it cool so that you can eat it. This makes it edible. Adjust the ingredients to your liking. If you have no honey, just use some equal or splenda. You can also have a glass of 100% only, no concentrate, juice. Apple is the cheapest right now. That should give you what you need for Breakfast. You can also use a healthy meal replacement bar, but that carries me for about 10 minutes, where the other carries me well till morning snack.
MID MORNING SNACK. This is where you have to plan out your meals. If you want to make the pounds fall off, you have to be dedicated. If not, then you will see a pound here and maybe a pound there, as long as you do not drift back into your sedentary lifestyle. The workout I am going to put at the end is going to be one that will require all of the stuff I am writing in this Nutrition Section. I don’t care if you don’t want to gain any muscle, TUFF MONKEYS. Suck it up, this will not make you look like Swarzeneger. A good snack for mid morning would be one with NO SUGAR in it. Either Natural Sugar or Processed. You don’t need either now. That means fruit is out for this snack. All fruits are loaded with Natural Sugars.
So, you are thinking, what can I eat then? I make home made beef jerky. Higher in sodium, but that is okay, IF you are going to actually be sweating when you work out. Even the processed jerky is okay for you. Celery with a T(able) spoon of LIGHT ranch dressing. When you dip the celery, don’t glob that ranch on it, get just enough that it adds a little flavor. Celery is a negative calorie food. That means that it takes more calories to digest it than what is actually in it. So, you can see where that is an awesome food to eat. Man up and get past the bad taste, before long you will acquire a taste for it. Carrots are good, they have a little natural sugar, but not much. They are okay for mid morning snack. Cauliflower. Almonds, unprocessed. Don’t go to the 7-11 and get the salted, honey glazed, or any of that mess, go to Wal-Mart or Kroger and get the raw version usually in the produce section. I got 5 1lb bags the other day at Kroger for $10. That is a deal on almonds, they are kinda pricey at most other stores, but Kroger has been the best place so far. Look for them around the Banana area in Kroger, or ask for help.. That should give you some good ideas on the morning snack.
LUNCH We are just maintaining here, trying not to blow our good day so far at some fast food eatery, or New Beijing, Wong’s, Zaxby’s, blah blah blah. You will only be able to eat a salad at these places, so stay away from them.. I know, I LOVE them to, but they are no no’s….. To much temptation. If you are just to pressed for time, then swing by Wendy’s and grab one of those salads they have. Ask for LIGHT dressing. No Excuses.. They have it..
If you are like me and try to eat in and save some $, then start buying the large bags of boneless skinless chicken breasts that are sold at Wal-Mart. They are about $7 a bag, but 1 bag should last you about a week. Depends on how many you eat. So, this is where preparation comes in. Fire Up the grill on Saturday, and grill an entire bag of these chicken breasts. If you and the family will be eating the chicken, you are going to need to buy more bags per week. Get you a large concealable container, and store them. Buy you a sealable lunch plate, and at night, go ahead and throw in a chicken breast, a sweet potatoe, and also buy the prepared bags of salad, which are on sell at Kroger for $0.99 this week. Sweet Potatoes are the perfect food for Carbs. A little sweetness to help curb that sweet tooth. Keep you some cinnamon at work and some packets of equal. I found a good dashing of cinnamon and a pack or two of the equal makes them almost as good as the LongHorn’s variety. BIG HINT… Butter flavored Pam will be your new best friend. Nothing bad at all in it. I use it for the butter flavor on my potatoes, in grits, use that in the place of the veg oil or butter when scrambling your eggs. If you are using it to flavor like a potatoe, just push down and hold it. You will see it foam up a little, and that should be enough. There are store varieties of this that are a $1 or so, and they last a long time.
AFTERNOON SNACK Time to prepare for that workout later on today. You can have fruit at this time. Apple is good. Bananas are great. They are loaded with Potassium which helps to combat cramps which newbie’s will experience at night after a good workout. Be sure to get some protein in here as well. Jerky, Almond, Couple of big tablespoons of Natural Peanut Butter is good to. You can have the natural sugars now, because you will be burning them off soon with your workout. Wheat Thins are a good snack for the afternoon as well. The carbs will also be beneficial for the workout. I usually try to ingest this meal around 3p.m.. I get to work out at about 4:30, so eat this small snack.
PRE-WORKOUT You had your snack between 1-1/2 and 3 hours ago, now you need something to carry you through your workout. A meal replacement (protein) shake is good for this. Protein shakes are not just what their names say. They are loaded with other things as well. They just happen to have more protein than anything else. But they have carbs as well. So these are perfect for pre-workout. You can buy the protein if you are an online person who has no problem buying across the internet like me, use the link below to get some GREAT deals. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/index.html or you can come to Powerhouse Gym in Waycross where they have great deals on products as well.
Like I said first thing, I am no expert, but I think my methods are best for guys like us who work all day, and do not have the ability to be in the gym for 3 hours. I do however need 1-1/2 hours from you though.
POST WORKOUT You need to start getting some food in you within 30 mins to an hour after your workout. If you want to, you can drink half of that pre-workout shake before you go into the gym, then drink the other half when you get done. But Dinner should be on your mind. Eat a good lean protein. Chicken, Steak, Tuna, Tilapia, etc. NO DARK MEATS, they are full of fats. So no drumsticks or thighs.
Carbs. You still need them. The myth about no carbs after 6 is off in my opinion. Moderately eat some. Brown Rice, Vegetables, 1!!!! Slice of wheat bread. No more than 2 slices of bread in a day; so if you eat a turkey sandwich at lunch, you get no more bread.
Fats: make these good fats. They are in fish, and some oil and vinegar dressing as well.
Salad: makes a great filler, and aids in the digesting
Dessert: Yeah you get one, it is another sweet potatoe. J Buy the 5lb bag, you will eat these daily. This also fits into the carb category, but we will use it as a pacifier for the sweet tooth..
WORKOUT TIME
Note: When I put the numbers after the exercise, the first is how many sets, the last is reps in each set.
Day 1
PARALLEL SQUATS 5 X 5 Start with a really light weight, to get your form in order. Add weight slowly, who cares what people think seeing you lifting the bar with 10 lbs on each side. It is very important to do free weights on everything that you can, as it calls on more muscles to stabilize the movements, which means it will burn more calories.. If you can’t do the parallel for medical reason (AT THIS TIME) then use the leg press, but add some weight, and increase the REPS to 12 instead of 5. So you will be doing 5 x 12
STIFF LEG DEAD LIFT (SLDL) 4 x 10
LEG EXTENSIONS 4 X 10-12
CALVES ON LEG PRESS 4 SETS OF 15. GO HEAVY
ABS 4 X 15 on decline bench, or 100 at home. Do them in increments of 10, or 25, or 50, or all at once. Do what you need to do, but get them all in. Once you can do 100 without stopping, go up to 200.
DAY 2
INCLINE BARBELL OR DUMBELL BENCH 5 X 5
CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESS 4 X 6-8
SEATED DUMBELL SHOULDER PRESS 4 X 8-10
SIDE DUMBELL LATERAL RAISES 4 X 10
DAY 3
PULLDOWNS 4 X 8-10
DUMBELL ROWS 4 X 10
EZ BAR CURLS 4 X 6-8
STRETCH YOUR LATS AND LOWER BACK
DAY 4
DEADLIFTS 5 x 5. If you do not want to use free weights, then use the Guided Smith Machine. You NEED to do these, as these and squats are the King of workouts. They require all muscles in the body to be done if done as free weight, and still a lot if done on the Smith Machine.
LEG CURLS 4 X 10-12
LEG EXTENSION 4 X 15 (HEAVY)
ABS 4 X 15
THINGS TO REMEMBER
When you are doing your sets, choose your weight based on the last two sets hurting. You want to feel a strong burn in the last two reps of the last two sets. This is when you are making major gains. Not actually growing but breaking down your body, which will burn calories for up to 18 hours after your workout repairing.
Start light if you have not been doing some of these exercises above. Form is the most important thing to free weight lifting. You can injure yourself very easily if you use bad form. Do not sacrifice form to try and lift additional weight. People get all squirmy and use all of their body other than the muscle the exercise was intended to target to try and lift the weight just to try and show off, and they get no benefit from it other than a sore, or injured joint or muscle.
Do full reps. Do not do that half rep mess. Some people have to for medical reasons, and that is fine, but if you do not have a LEGITIMATE medical reason, then man up and do it right.
The gym is not a social club. Your main reason for coming to the gym was to change your body, and your face muscles are strong enough. You should not be able to talk because you are out of breath. Between sets, you break time should be 1-2 minutes max. Anything over, and you are stalling.
If you workout as a group. Set up a rotation. Workout on 2 apparatuses at once. A group of 4 is great. 1 on each apparatus and one each to spot.
CARDIO If you are like me, then this is what you need to be doing more of than weight lifting. Weights are great and need to be done as well, but DO NOT skip the cardio. If you can work it out so that you can go to the gym in the morning before you eat anything, and do 20-30 mins of cardio, you will accelerate the fat loss you will experience. Eat nothing before doing this, and only drink water. Your body will tap into your fat stores for the energy which is exactly what you want. Remember, if you smell the ammonia smell, don’t be alarmed at all if it is in the morning. You can replace the amino acids with your meals of protein during the day. I got up at 5:30 and went to the gym and did cardio for 30 mins, showered and then got to work at 7 when I lived in Bama. I also did 2-3 spin classes during the week in the afternoon. You should be able to finish the weight lifting routines listed above in an hour. That leaves you 30 minutes for the CARDIO. Get your heart rate up, walking along on the treadmill at 3 MPH is not doing anything.. Jog as long as you can, then go back to a walk (3.5-4.0 MPH) while you catch you breath, then back up to a jog. Go back and forth on this for the 30 minutes. You will feel so awesome after the workout. Not because it is over (that feels good too 
but your lungs will feel like they were expanded. If you have bad knees, get on a PRECOR elliptical. PRECOR is a name brand. All others are awkward movements and are not the smooth low impact motion that the PRECOR has.
SPIN CLASS = AMAZING!!!! That is the main ingredient along with the diet that helped me lose the 50lbs. I am probably going to be teaching a spin class within the next 2 months at the PowerHouse. I know how to make this a fun class, that also gives us the benefit of losing some fat. A lot of instructors only know what they learned in class, but the instructors at the place I went to in Bama, had the best spin classes I have ever been in, and they were actually fun.
The first few will be hard, but don’t worry, if you can’t keep up, that is fine, just don’t stop pedaling. Back the resistance off some and just pedal. Don’t try and keep up with everyone else in there or the instructor. After about 2 weeks you will be able to.
You can buy a seat pad at Wal-Mart for about $8. When adjusting the bike to work for you, stand by it, and bring the seat to hip level. You can change all other parameters around this.
Don’t forget your water and towel for this class. 
I am a big proponent of this.. I encourage you to try it for 2 weeks. Heck, I challenge you sissy men to try it for 2 weeks. It is low impact on your joints as well, so bad knees and ankles are good to go here…
Like I said, no one will make fun of someone who is trying to better themselves in these classes, go slow, watch the instructor do the moves, and start doing them as you go, and before you know it, you will be up with them. You will be drenched with sweat when you leave that class, and that should be a sense of accomplighment.
SUPPLEMENTS
Protein, this is good stuff.. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/whey.html
Multi-Vitamin (this is the get all your daily needs in a few seconds I mentioned at the top of the nutrition section. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/men.html
Fat Loss Supplement I have never had the jitters from this, and it was part of my daily routine when I loss 50#.. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/nutrex/lipo6.html
Green Tea Extract Aids in fat loss. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/prima/lean.html
The above should be all you need, and although pricey to buy it all at first, not so bad on a month to month basis.
IN CLOSING
This is a journey. It will not happen over night.. Track your self. Record how much weight you lifted on each exercise each day in the gym. Take pictures today of your self just in a pair of shorts (Men) These are your before pictures, and you will need these later on for the encouragement when you hit a plateu. Also, take measurements. You can buy a 100’ tape measure at walmart that has a flexible tape in it, or you can buy a seamstresses tape.. These measurements will let you see number progress, rather than visual progress. I took pictures every week. That might have been excessive, but 2 weeks would be a good number.
(Update 1-12-2012) Women: Use a seamstresses tape to record your measurements when you decide to try and change your lifestyle (lose weight). Women get discouraged very easily when trying to lose weight because they want to see that scale move. There will be times when you will not see the scale move, but changes are still happening. The measurements will keep you smiling even when the scale lets you down, so take those measurements about every 2 weeks. If you want to weigh yourself, only do it once a week. Your not going to see huge number every time you get on the scale.
Do not develop excuses to opt out of something on a day where you hate to do say… squats, or dead lifts.. Your body burns more calories on weightlifting than cardio. But the cardio is what will help your cardio-vascular system to become more healthier. Your body will continue to burn calories after lifting weights during the repair stage. Your muscle fibers are actually torn when you lift weights.. And the body repairs them after the workout. Cardio does not give you this effect, and you basically stop burning calories once you get off the cardio machine at the gym.
When you hear someone say I gained a couple of pounds, and then they try and say, It must be the muscle I added.. Your BC (bull crap) flag should shoot up. That is not the case. They gained weight.. Your body will fluctuate. I can lose 3 lbs from the time I get to the gym, to the time I leave the gym. Yes, I can, and if you are bigger like me, you can probably lose 3 as well. I was doing weights, 30 minutes on elliptical, and also a spin class within a 2 hour period. That is a lot of sweat. 1 gallon of water weighs 8 lbs. That should put it into perspective.
Use the tools in the links below to understand where you currently are.
Your BMR is that calories needed to sustain you the way you are, less calories than that, means you will lose weight, more means you will gain. Research has shown that 3500 calories is equal to 1 pound.
Last thing. You want to lose weight right? Wrong, you want to lose fat. They are different. Weight is all forms of mass. Water, blood, skin, muscle, fat, hair, bodily waste, blah blah blah.. You focus on the fat, and your weight will change as well..
Quote: “Pain is weakness leaving the body” & “You get out of it, what you put into it”
(Update 1-12-2012) Note: This was a quick write up that a friend once asked me to do after I had lost the weight.
Let me start by saying that I am in no way an expert at nutrition. All of the stuff I put in this will be from my own personal experiences. Things that I know worked for “ME”… I say “me” like that because everyone’s body is different. Food, exercise, and laziness affects each body in a different manner. There are three body types; Ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. The ectomorph are people that have a slim, slender build. They do not have lots of fat on there bodies and equally have little muscle mass as well. They can look flabby and out of shape due to lack of physical activity, but they will not get large like the endomorphs.. The mesomorph are bodies that are in between the ecto and the endo. This is the body style that we would have all loved to have had. They are the muscular, athletic types who have very little fat on their bodies and have great muscle mass. The endomorph are the body types that store fat, are round and soft. It is difficlt for this type to lose weight without strict nutrition and activity, but it is still possible without the aforementioned items…
Now, a few easy to understand country boy definitions..
Nutrition: Nutrition is the food, liquids, vitamins, and anything undesirable that we consume. So yes, nutrition can be bad stuff to.. Some things have no nutritional value, like candy, but they are part of your daily nutrition. Other people will disagree with this definition, and that is fine, but from here on out when you see me use that word, know that I am meaning the things that you ingest on a daily basis..
Cardio: Exercise that raises your heart rate to a level that will bring about a sweat rather quickly..
Metabolism: The rate at which your body burns calories just to exist. Your body burns calories when you breath, when you sit, when you sneeze. Anything your body does, takes calories to do it. Some people burn many calories (high metabolism), and some people do not use many calories in normal daily activity (low metabolism).
Supplements: Anything that you use, in excess of food to acquire additional vitamins, or results.
Carbohydrates: Main building blocks of energy (good and bad carbs), but also used to make fat (bad carbs)…
Protein: Main building block for muscle. (Amino Acids are also a vital part for muscles as well)
Sugars: BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD, and if you missed it… BAD!!!
Potassium: Just recognize this as something good for when working out. This will prevent cramps during your workout.. Banana’s are loaded with this..
Fiber: Helps to keep you regular (poopy), and also helps the body to use carbs efficiently.
All the other ABC vitamins, are needed, but I will not go into that.. Just make sure you get 100% of A-Zinc that your body needs. In the supplement section of this article, I will give you some ideas that can help you get these daily values in a few seconds…
ARMAGEDON: The beginning of the end of the old you
The first step to losing that unwanted weight is to make the DECISION that you no longer want to carry around that extra weight that makes your knees hurt, you run out of breath going up and down stairs, your clothes not fitting or you have a pile that you can’t fit into anymore or you may just have a few pounds that you don’t want people to see anymore when you wear that speedo… (Lord bless us all)
The second step to losing weight is to change how you eat. You can eat well, and still lose weight, but you HAVE to make the right choices…. If you do not make the right choices, then don’t blame everything else around you for not losing any of that weight… Bad carbs are bad... I know, I like bread to, but it is bad… I will tell you in the next few paragraphs on how to eat to attain the best weight loss the healthiest way..
Why are Bad carbs bad? Because when you eat a bad carb, it takes the body very little time to break it down. The body is going to release insulin in order to use these carbs which will cause a blood sugar spike that is one of the leading reasons people gain weight. Any food made primarily of a carb that has been processed in such a way as to strip out ingredients that hinder quick and easy cooking are bad carbs. White bread, white rice are a couple of examples.. twinkies, little debbie, honey buns, etc.. are of the debil (yes I meant to use the “b”)
What makes a Good Carb good? They break down slowly, which helps to equalize and reduce the blood sugar levels in the body. This is the main step in losing weight.. Many popular weight loss diets incorporate good carbs into their eating plans because they are so effective at lowering insulin production and stabilizing blood sugar levels. At the same time, good carbs are usually loaded with fiber. Fiber helps you stay regular and also is good for giving you a “full” feeling quicker. In essence, you eat less…
In my opinion, the best meal plan is the one where you eat 6 small meals a day. I know this is not convenient for some people, but they can do it as well as long as they plan accordingly..
BREAKFAST DO NOT skip breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day because it sets your bodies tone for the day. It boosts your metabolism right off the bat.. You have to think of your body as a wood heater. You put fuel (logs) into it, and it makes heat. If you don’t put wood in there, you will still have some coals form the night before, but it will not be burning hot. If you miss breakfast, articles I have seen show that your body goes into a preservation mode. Which means it will not be burning the fats, it will be tapping into your amino acids (part of muscle) for energy. If you have ever worked out and sweated a lot, and noticed an ammonia smell in the sweat that has collected in your shirt, that comes from from your body breaking down amino acids to use for energy. You combat that by eating a good carb about 30 mins before you go workout. Protein shakes are good for pre-workout meals. They are liquid, so they sit better in your stomach while doing the strenuous activity than solid food would. That has been my experience anyway.
What do I eat for breakfast?
We got to get a few things in your fireplace to start burning them calories. First is protein. You can get this by drinking a protein shake, or you can eat some eggs. Go to the egg section and get you a small jug of the egg whites, and also a carton of eggs. Crack one whole egg, and then add the equivalent of 3 egg whites by what the carton says for that quantity. Mix good, add a little salt, and a little pepper, and scramble. It takes me 3 minutes to do this. So you DO have time. Why egg whites versus whole eggs. I add the one whole egg for flavor only. I tried eating just egg whites, and it was like eating wet toilet paper…whatever that tastes like, it just seems fitting. Carbs, we need some good carbs. OATMEAL.. Horse food as I call it. Nope, you can’t buy the pre-made flavored packets in the store.. SO STAY AWAY!!!! Get you a large container of the Quaker Oats. Get a thing of cinnamon, a box of raisins, and a container of natural honey. Mix ½ - 1 cup of dry oats with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Add the water, and microwave. I usually do mine for 1:50 but you have to keep your eye on it, it becomes a volcano when it is done. Makes a large mess.. haha. If it is about to boil out, just stop the microwave, and it instantly recedes back into the bowl. Take out, put about 1 teaspoon of honey in the oatmeal, and then pour in about a small handful of raisins. Mix this well, and let it cool so that you can eat it. This makes it edible. Adjust the ingredients to your liking. If you have no honey, just use some equal or splenda. You can also have a glass of 100% only, no concentrate, juice. Apple is the cheapest right now. That should give you what you need for Breakfast. You can also use a healthy meal replacement bar, but that carries me for about 10 minutes, where the other carries me well till morning snack.
MID MORNING SNACK. This is where you have to plan out your meals. If you want to make the pounds fall off, you have to be dedicated. If not, then you will see a pound here and maybe a pound there, as long as you do not drift back into your sedentary lifestyle. The workout I am going to put at the end is going to be one that will require all of the stuff I am writing in this Nutrition Section. I don’t care if you don’t want to gain any muscle, TUFF MONKEYS. Suck it up, this will not make you look like Swarzeneger. A good snack for mid morning would be one with NO SUGAR in it. Either Natural Sugar or Processed. You don’t need either now. That means fruit is out for this snack. All fruits are loaded with Natural Sugars.
So, you are thinking, what can I eat then? I make home made beef jerky. Higher in sodium, but that is okay, IF you are going to actually be sweating when you work out. Even the processed jerky is okay for you. Celery with a T(able) spoon of LIGHT ranch dressing. When you dip the celery, don’t glob that ranch on it, get just enough that it adds a little flavor. Celery is a negative calorie food. That means that it takes more calories to digest it than what is actually in it. So, you can see where that is an awesome food to eat. Man up and get past the bad taste, before long you will acquire a taste for it. Carrots are good, they have a little natural sugar, but not much. They are okay for mid morning snack. Cauliflower. Almonds, unprocessed. Don’t go to the 7-11 and get the salted, honey glazed, or any of that mess, go to Wal-Mart or Kroger and get the raw version usually in the produce section. I got 5 1lb bags the other day at Kroger for $10. That is a deal on almonds, they are kinda pricey at most other stores, but Kroger has been the best place so far. Look for them around the Banana area in Kroger, or ask for help.. That should give you some good ideas on the morning snack.
LUNCH We are just maintaining here, trying not to blow our good day so far at some fast food eatery, or New Beijing, Wong’s, Zaxby’s, blah blah blah. You will only be able to eat a salad at these places, so stay away from them.. I know, I LOVE them to, but they are no no’s….. To much temptation. If you are just to pressed for time, then swing by Wendy’s and grab one of those salads they have. Ask for LIGHT dressing. No Excuses.. They have it..
If you are like me and try to eat in and save some $, then start buying the large bags of boneless skinless chicken breasts that are sold at Wal-Mart. They are about $7 a bag, but 1 bag should last you about a week. Depends on how many you eat. So, this is where preparation comes in. Fire Up the grill on Saturday, and grill an entire bag of these chicken breasts. If you and the family will be eating the chicken, you are going to need to buy more bags per week. Get you a large concealable container, and store them. Buy you a sealable lunch plate, and at night, go ahead and throw in a chicken breast, a sweet potatoe, and also buy the prepared bags of salad, which are on sell at Kroger for $0.99 this week. Sweet Potatoes are the perfect food for Carbs. A little sweetness to help curb that sweet tooth. Keep you some cinnamon at work and some packets of equal. I found a good dashing of cinnamon and a pack or two of the equal makes them almost as good as the LongHorn’s variety. BIG HINT… Butter flavored Pam will be your new best friend. Nothing bad at all in it. I use it for the butter flavor on my potatoes, in grits, use that in the place of the veg oil or butter when scrambling your eggs. If you are using it to flavor like a potatoe, just push down and hold it. You will see it foam up a little, and that should be enough. There are store varieties of this that are a $1 or so, and they last a long time.
AFTERNOON SNACK Time to prepare for that workout later on today. You can have fruit at this time. Apple is good. Bananas are great. They are loaded with Potassium which helps to combat cramps which newbie’s will experience at night after a good workout. Be sure to get some protein in here as well. Jerky, Almond, Couple of big tablespoons of Natural Peanut Butter is good to. You can have the natural sugars now, because you will be burning them off soon with your workout. Wheat Thins are a good snack for the afternoon as well. The carbs will also be beneficial for the workout. I usually try to ingest this meal around 3p.m.. I get to work out at about 4:30, so eat this small snack.
PRE-WORKOUT You had your snack between 1-1/2 and 3 hours ago, now you need something to carry you through your workout. A meal replacement (protein) shake is good for this. Protein shakes are not just what their names say. They are loaded with other things as well. They just happen to have more protein than anything else. But they have carbs as well. So these are perfect for pre-workout. You can buy the protein if you are an online person who has no problem buying across the internet like me, use the link below to get some GREAT deals. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/index.html or you can come to Powerhouse Gym in Waycross where they have great deals on products as well.
Like I said first thing, I am no expert, but I think my methods are best for guys like us who work all day, and do not have the ability to be in the gym for 3 hours. I do however need 1-1/2 hours from you though.
POST WORKOUT You need to start getting some food in you within 30 mins to an hour after your workout. If you want to, you can drink half of that pre-workout shake before you go into the gym, then drink the other half when you get done. But Dinner should be on your mind. Eat a good lean protein. Chicken, Steak, Tuna, Tilapia, etc. NO DARK MEATS, they are full of fats. So no drumsticks or thighs.
Carbs. You still need them. The myth about no carbs after 6 is off in my opinion. Moderately eat some. Brown Rice, Vegetables, 1!!!! Slice of wheat bread. No more than 2 slices of bread in a day; so if you eat a turkey sandwich at lunch, you get no more bread.
Fats: make these good fats. They are in fish, and some oil and vinegar dressing as well.
Salad: makes a great filler, and aids in the digesting
Dessert: Yeah you get one, it is another sweet potatoe. J Buy the 5lb bag, you will eat these daily. This also fits into the carb category, but we will use it as a pacifier for the sweet tooth..
WORKOUT TIME
Note: When I put the numbers after the exercise, the first is how many sets, the last is reps in each set.
Day 1
PARALLEL SQUATS 5 X 5 Start with a really light weight, to get your form in order. Add weight slowly, who cares what people think seeing you lifting the bar with 10 lbs on each side. It is very important to do free weights on everything that you can, as it calls on more muscles to stabilize the movements, which means it will burn more calories.. If you can’t do the parallel for medical reason (AT THIS TIME) then use the leg press, but add some weight, and increase the REPS to 12 instead of 5. So you will be doing 5 x 12
STIFF LEG DEAD LIFT (SLDL) 4 x 10
LEG EXTENSIONS 4 X 10-12
CALVES ON LEG PRESS 4 SETS OF 15. GO HEAVY
ABS 4 X 15 on decline bench, or 100 at home. Do them in increments of 10, or 25, or 50, or all at once. Do what you need to do, but get them all in. Once you can do 100 without stopping, go up to 200.
DAY 2
INCLINE BARBELL OR DUMBELL BENCH 5 X 5
CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESS 4 X 6-8
SEATED DUMBELL SHOULDER PRESS 4 X 8-10
SIDE DUMBELL LATERAL RAISES 4 X 10
DAY 3
PULLDOWNS 4 X 8-10
DUMBELL ROWS 4 X 10
EZ BAR CURLS 4 X 6-8
STRETCH YOUR LATS AND LOWER BACK
DAY 4
DEADLIFTS 5 x 5. If you do not want to use free weights, then use the Guided Smith Machine. You NEED to do these, as these and squats are the King of workouts. They require all muscles in the body to be done if done as free weight, and still a lot if done on the Smith Machine.
LEG CURLS 4 X 10-12
LEG EXTENSION 4 X 15 (HEAVY)
ABS 4 X 15
THINGS TO REMEMBER
When you are doing your sets, choose your weight based on the last two sets hurting. You want to feel a strong burn in the last two reps of the last two sets. This is when you are making major gains. Not actually growing but breaking down your body, which will burn calories for up to 18 hours after your workout repairing.
Start light if you have not been doing some of these exercises above. Form is the most important thing to free weight lifting. You can injure yourself very easily if you use bad form. Do not sacrifice form to try and lift additional weight. People get all squirmy and use all of their body other than the muscle the exercise was intended to target to try and lift the weight just to try and show off, and they get no benefit from it other than a sore, or injured joint or muscle.
Do full reps. Do not do that half rep mess. Some people have to for medical reasons, and that is fine, but if you do not have a LEGITIMATE medical reason, then man up and do it right.
The gym is not a social club. Your main reason for coming to the gym was to change your body, and your face muscles are strong enough. You should not be able to talk because you are out of breath. Between sets, you break time should be 1-2 minutes max. Anything over, and you are stalling.
If you workout as a group. Set up a rotation. Workout on 2 apparatuses at once. A group of 4 is great. 1 on each apparatus and one each to spot.
CARDIO If you are like me, then this is what you need to be doing more of than weight lifting. Weights are great and need to be done as well, but DO NOT skip the cardio. If you can work it out so that you can go to the gym in the morning before you eat anything, and do 20-30 mins of cardio, you will accelerate the fat loss you will experience. Eat nothing before doing this, and only drink water. Your body will tap into your fat stores for the energy which is exactly what you want. Remember, if you smell the ammonia smell, don’t be alarmed at all if it is in the morning. You can replace the amino acids with your meals of protein during the day. I got up at 5:30 and went to the gym and did cardio for 30 mins, showered and then got to work at 7 when I lived in Bama. I also did 2-3 spin classes during the week in the afternoon. You should be able to finish the weight lifting routines listed above in an hour. That leaves you 30 minutes for the CARDIO. Get your heart rate up, walking along on the treadmill at 3 MPH is not doing anything.. Jog as long as you can, then go back to a walk (3.5-4.0 MPH) while you catch you breath, then back up to a jog. Go back and forth on this for the 30 minutes. You will feel so awesome after the workout. Not because it is over (that feels good too 
but your lungs will feel like they were expanded. If you have bad knees, get on a PRECOR elliptical. PRECOR is a name brand. All others are awkward movements and are not the smooth low impact motion that the PRECOR has. SPIN CLASS = AMAZING!!!! That is the main ingredient along with the diet that helped me lose the 50lbs. I am probably going to be teaching a spin class within the next 2 months at the PowerHouse. I know how to make this a fun class, that also gives us the benefit of losing some fat. A lot of instructors only know what they learned in class, but the instructors at the place I went to in Bama, had the best spin classes I have ever been in, and they were actually fun.
The first few will be hard, but don’t worry, if you can’t keep up, that is fine, just don’t stop pedaling. Back the resistance off some and just pedal. Don’t try and keep up with everyone else in there or the instructor. After about 2 weeks you will be able to.
You can buy a seat pad at Wal-Mart for about $8. When adjusting the bike to work for you, stand by it, and bring the seat to hip level. You can change all other parameters around this.
Don’t forget your water and towel for this class. 
I am a big proponent of this.. I encourage you to try it for 2 weeks. Heck, I challenge you sissy men to try it for 2 weeks. It is low impact on your joints as well, so bad knees and ankles are good to go here…
Like I said, no one will make fun of someone who is trying to better themselves in these classes, go slow, watch the instructor do the moves, and start doing them as you go, and before you know it, you will be up with them. You will be drenched with sweat when you leave that class, and that should be a sense of accomplighment.
SUPPLEMENTS
Protein, this is good stuff.. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/whey.html
Multi-Vitamin (this is the get all your daily needs in a few seconds I mentioned at the top of the nutrition section. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/men.html
Fat Loss Supplement I have never had the jitters from this, and it was part of my daily routine when I loss 50#.. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/nutrex/lipo6.html
Green Tea Extract Aids in fat loss. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/prima/lean.html
The above should be all you need, and although pricey to buy it all at first, not so bad on a month to month basis.
IN CLOSING
This is a journey. It will not happen over night.. Track your self. Record how much weight you lifted on each exercise each day in the gym. Take pictures today of your self just in a pair of shorts (Men) These are your before pictures, and you will need these later on for the encouragement when you hit a plateu. Also, take measurements. You can buy a 100’ tape measure at walmart that has a flexible tape in it, or you can buy a seamstresses tape.. These measurements will let you see number progress, rather than visual progress. I took pictures every week. That might have been excessive, but 2 weeks would be a good number.
(Update 1-12-2012) Women: Use a seamstresses tape to record your measurements when you decide to try and change your lifestyle (lose weight). Women get discouraged very easily when trying to lose weight because they want to see that scale move. There will be times when you will not see the scale move, but changes are still happening. The measurements will keep you smiling even when the scale lets you down, so take those measurements about every 2 weeks. If you want to weigh yourself, only do it once a week. Your not going to see huge number every time you get on the scale.
Do not develop excuses to opt out of something on a day where you hate to do say… squats, or dead lifts.. Your body burns more calories on weightlifting than cardio. But the cardio is what will help your cardio-vascular system to become more healthier. Your body will continue to burn calories after lifting weights during the repair stage. Your muscle fibers are actually torn when you lift weights.. And the body repairs them after the workout. Cardio does not give you this effect, and you basically stop burning calories once you get off the cardio machine at the gym.
When you hear someone say I gained a couple of pounds, and then they try and say, It must be the muscle I added.. Your BC (bull crap) flag should shoot up. That is not the case. They gained weight.. Your body will fluctuate. I can lose 3 lbs from the time I get to the gym, to the time I leave the gym. Yes, I can, and if you are bigger like me, you can probably lose 3 as well. I was doing weights, 30 minutes on elliptical, and also a spin class within a 2 hour period. That is a lot of sweat. 1 gallon of water weighs 8 lbs. That should put it into perspective.
Use the tools in the links below to understand where you currently are.
Your BMR is that calories needed to sustain you the way you are, less calories than that, means you will lose weight, more means you will gain. Research has shown that 3500 calories is equal to 1 pound.
Last thing. You want to lose weight right? Wrong, you want to lose fat. They are different. Weight is all forms of mass. Water, blood, skin, muscle, fat, hair, bodily waste, blah blah blah.. You focus on the fat, and your weight will change as well..
Quote: “Pain is weakness leaving the body” & “You get out of it, what you put into it”
(Update 1-12-2012) Note: This was a quick write up that a friend once asked me to do after I had lost the weight.
