I want to look like that guy. HELP!!!!!!

[gabearroyo918]

Good Morning Brothers!

Here's My story.

Back in 2006 I was diagnosed with hypogonadism. I was placed on gels, then on injections and now on testopels. I barely if ever eat and when I do of course it's junk. I am so fed up with the way I look that I dont own any mirrors. I came down to the conclusion that it can't get any worst.
I have tried diets some work I lose wieght to only regain it all back and then some. I tried weightloss pills and nothing. My urologist thinks that it maybe negative sides of the testosterone ? I don't get it. I see a bunch of guys here that are clearly doing 10 times the amount of roids i'm doing and they are not as fat as me. Now I have to be honest I don't exercise because I don't know what types of exercise to do for me. I make every attempt to go to the gym when I show up i say now what? I tried a trainner all he wants to do is make me do squats and bench press and shit like that. I asked 3 of them I have had and not one of them has ever been fat or as big as me... so how can they help me? When Im there i want to know what to do and how long to do it. How fast will I start to see results. I am exhausted, I think I have tried everything I can. I am now appealing to people who have much more experience than me.
I will try anything, do anything, follow whatever regimen to the T eat whatever it is you tell when you tell me, Follow every direction as it were gospel. I just Want to look like the guy in my attachment.
I know that at some point everyone on here has felt that they needed help. Let me tell you how narcissistic I am that I actually got diagnossed with the disorder. So for me to actually ask for help means I have come to a point in my life where I have accepted that you guys are way better at this than I am, and I need tons of help. Please serious responses.

[gbrice75]

Good Morning Brothers!

Here's My story.

Back in 2006 I was diagnosed with hypogonadism. I was placed on gels, then on injections and now on testopels. I barely if ever eat and when I do of course it's junk. I am so fed up with the way I look that I dont own any mirrors. I came down to the conclusion that it can't get any worst.
I have tried diets some work I lose wieght to only regain it all back and then some. I tried weightloss pills and nothing. My urologist thinks that it maybe negative sides of the testosterone ? I don't get it. I see a bunch of guys here that are clearly doing 10 times the amount of roids i'm doing and they are not as fat as me. Now I have to be honest I don't exercise because I don't know what types of exercise to do for me. I make every attempt to go to the gym when I show up i say now what? I tried a trainner all he wants to do is make me do squats and bench press and shit like that. I asked 3 of them I have had and not one of them has ever been fat or as big as me... so how can they help me? When Im there i want to know what to do and how long to do it. How fast will I start to see results. I am exhausted, I think I have tried everything I can. I am now appealing to people who have much more experience than me.
I will try anything, do anything, follow whatever regimen to the T eat whatever it is you tell when you tell me, Follow every direction as it were gospel. I just Want to look like the guy in my attachment.
I know that at some point everyone on here has felt that they needed help. Let me tell you how narcissistic I am that I actually got diagnossed with the disorder. So for me to actually ask for help means I have come to a point in my life where I have accepted that you guys are way better at this than I am, and I need tons of help. Please serious responses.

First of all brotha, welcome to the board. You have come to the right place if you're looking for positive reinforcement and a no nonsense approach. Nobody here is going to judge or make fun of you. Those few trolls who do will swiftly be removed from the board. Positive reinforcement doesn't mean we're not going to be hard on you though, sometimes brutal.

Now, I have alot of problems with your post. Look at everything I bolded in your original post. I'll bullet and respond to each:

* You barely eat, and when you do it's junk. And you wonder why you look the way you do? Are you really confused? You just answered half your problem

* You've tried diets and lost some weight, only to put it back on again. This is yo-yo dieting, and the problem with the concept of 'diet' the way I think YOU see it is this - it's a lifestyle, not a short term fix. Diet is just that - your DIET, what you eat. Not a 'program' that will end at some point.

* You see a bunch of guys that do 10 times the amount of roids as you, yet they're not fat. One has nothing to do with the other. Roids don't make you fat. Poor diet, exercise and lifestyle habits do.

* You don't exercise, and you TRY to make it to the gym. Trainers want you to do bench presses and squats and 'shit' like that. You say you don't know what kind of exercises to do. Sorry, but that's a poor, unacceptable and lazy excuse as far as i'm concerned. In this day and age, there is an ABUNCANCE of information available for somebody who claims to know nothing. Secondly, you TRY to make it to the gym - what's the 'try'? Either you do or you don't. What stops you? Your schedule, or yourself? Finally, you sound like you don't think bench presses and squats etc. will help you. What do you think is one of the biggest natural fat burners out there? LEAN BODY MASS. Forget diet pills, they won't do nearly as much as some lean muscle will. Lean muscle burns more fat while at rest. It takes your body more energy (calories) to maintain lean mass. So right now, you can be big, fat and strong. Better then being small, fat and weak IMO. We will work on the bodyfat, but understand it goes hand in hand with a good weight training program.

Honestly, the very first thing that needs to change is your attitude. Now, you've come here humbly asking for help which is a great first step. We need to get you educated on proper diet and nutrition. When I get home tonight (at work right now), I will post up a VERY useful compilation of information that will get you started.

Forget about everything you've done in the past. Today is the first day of the new you. Keep a positive outlook, and rely on us to help you through this. Understand that it is a LONG road, and for somebody to get a body like the guy in the pic above takes YEARS. 2 years ago I was 255lbs at 5'11. A fat out of shape mess. You can see me today in my avy. My point being - I wasn't nearly as out of shape as you (no offense) and 2 years later i'm not even close to looking like that guy in the pic. This takes TIME, but slow progress is progress nonetheless. You already know where the other road leads...

Now, what I want you to do in the meantime is research research research. There is TONS of diet information in this section alone. Check out the workout section and just read peoples posts, feedback, etc. You will learn alot just trolling these boards. Don't give up, I got your back and i'm sure many others will jump in shortly to support you.

[bigcwithane]

Gb has you coverd man. Definitely change up your attitude towards changing yourself. You'll get straightened out in this section for sure

[gabearroyo918]

GB thanks so much! I have been contemplating posting on here for a whie but been to embarrased to do so. But dude holy shit! you hit the nail on the head. I didn't even realize it till you pointed it out. I am a lazy fat bastard.... roflmaowtime(rolling on floor laughing my ass off with tears in my eyes). My attitude is whatever you tell me it is. I know it's work but I promise if you help me I will be your guinea pig. I will update you with pictures every week or month as you see fit. I will do exactly as you say I am tired of being fat. I hate it and and I know it's not attractive. I want to become a work of art. Help me brother!

[gabearroyo918]

My rebirth has begun! an old chinese proverb says "When the student is ready the teacher will appear." I am ready Sifu show me the way.

[gabearroyo918]

My stats
5'7"
220 lbs
34.4% body fat

[gbrice75]

You're welcome bro, and I already like the 'new you' better! Great attitude!

I just want to establish one thing - i'm in no way an expert or guru, i'm still a work in progress myself and have a LONG road ahead of me - so let's do this sh!t together! Having said that - I do believe I can offer someone with your (lack of?) experience alot of guidance and support. We will get you off the ground for sure!

I have to be honest - based on the pics I think you are higher then 34%. How were you measured? It doesn't really matter, because we're gonna bring that number down drastically, stick with me and I promise you that. I haven't proven that I can go from a 'regular' looking guy to a work of art yet, but I have proven that I can go from a fat slob to a guy in pretty decent shape, and i'm about to turn 35. How old are you?

Keep your eyes peeled tonight for the info i'll post up.

[powerws]

Good job "G"

[gabearroyo918]

I had some bodpod thing done and it was expensive holy Shiitake mushrooms. But the measured my waist hip forearms wrists neck chest thighs even my head don't know why but whatever. I am 31 years old. GB I don't want a guru or a guy with a million years of experience in booksmarts I want someone with street smarts I want someone like you who knows what it's like to be "fat" at least once in your life and that not the guy who was born an adonis and never in his life had an ounce of fat or even know what fat looks like. Dude pardon my french but just thinking of what you will give me is better than a porn.

[gbrice75]

I had some bodpod thing done and it was expensive holy Shiitake mushrooms. But the measured my waist hip forearms wrists neck chest thighs even my head don't know why but whatever. I am 31 years old. GB I don't want a guru or a guy with a million years of experience in booksmarts I want someone with street smarts I want someone like you who knows what it's like to be "fat" at least once in your life and that not the guy who was born an adonis and never in his life had an ounce of fat or even know what fat looks like. Dude pardon my french but just thinking of what you will give me is better than a porn.

LoL I hear you bro! I guess i'm your guy then, cause I spent (wasted) 10 years of my life being a fat lazy fvck. My best years too...

[gabearroyo918]

AMEN! PREACH IT BROTHER! I HEAR YOU! but i would be willing to give all up to just have a day just one day to look like you.

[gbrice75]

AMEN! PREACH IT BROTHER! I HEAR YOU! but i would be willing to give all up to just have a day just one day to look like you.

Thanks for saying that bro, you have no idea how much that means to me. I know ALL TOO WELL that same feeling, I said the same thing so many times.

I don't want to ruin your 'visions of grandeur', but I want to be realistic with you. You are never going to be happy, lol! The more you get, the more you want. For instance, I can't stand the way I look right now. I recently posted about this... check my thread here - http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...r-mental-state...

I can 100% empathize with you bro. You do the work, we provide the support and motivation, and you will get there, trust me.

[gabearroyo918]

I agree to want more than you are is human! but so am I. I will trust you and I will work very hard. I am your blank canvas and you the artist.

[gbrice75]

Here's the info I promised you. Read it over thoroughly, absorb it all, and then let's work out a plan for you. If you prefer to PM me (as soon as you have the ability), that's fine too. Thanks to Damienm05 for putting it all together!

BMR/TDEE formula:

Let’s start with BMR. This is your Basal Metabolic Rate. AKA – how many calories you burn each day by just sitting on your ass. In order to figure out your BMR, you need to know what your lean body mass is. In turn, you need to know what your body fat percentage is.

If you don’t know your body fat percentage, go to your gym and get tested (please don’t use electronic scales to get your bf % checked, they're horrible). If you don’t have a gym that offers this service; ask me and I’ll give you a pretty good estimate.

With your bf % in hand, here’s the formula:

BMR (men and women) = 370 + (21.6 X lean mass in kg)

Total weight x bf % in decimal form = total bf weight

Total weight - total bf weight = total lean body mass

For example:

I am 6'1 210 lbs at 10% body fat... so I would multiply 210 by .10 (converted from percent to decimal) = 21 lbs
210 – 21 = 189 lbs lean body weight

189 / 2.2 = 86.0 lean mass in kg

370 + (21.6 x 86) = 2227.6 BMR (this is high for the average person)

Now that we have a BMR figure, we can move on to TDEE. Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories we actually use during the day via our BMR and activities such as work, exercise and various tasks. We can figure this number out with simple math but be honest because this figure is to be the cornerstone of your diet and healthy lifestyle. We need to determine your activity level. We’ll choose from a few levels:

§ If you are sedentary (little or no exercise): Calorie - Calculation = BMR x 1.2
§ If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
§ If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
§ If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
§ If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training): Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

For example:

I train with weights 5 days for 90 minutes per week. I play hockey three times per week
for 90 minutes. I do 60 minutes of cardio training 5 times per week as well. I also practice my sport 3 times per week for 90 minutes. Either via skating or puck/shooting drills. All are high-intensity. I am between very and extra active. Let’s say BMR x 1.8. My TDEE is 4010.

In terms of food choices, here goes:

I love analogies. Let’s use a good one. Think of your perfect body as a house that you must build. You’ve figured out your BMR and TDEE, so you know the exact specs of the property you have to work with. You know how exercise affects weight loss and how much of a caloric deficit/surplus we must create to lose/gain said weight; so you know how to build - you understand architecture. You also know the pace you intend on losing/gaining weight at based on these other factors, so you know it will be harder to get your house built in weeks as opposed to months. The only thing left is the tools/building material you must use and because you don’t know how to eat, you still can’t build anything. At least, not well. Sure, you can starve yourself for a few months but you’ll just gain all the weight back in a couple weeks of binge drinking and shitty eating on a vacation – you’re house will fall down!

So, let’s talk tools baby. Let’s talk food. First off, there are only 3 types of foods/macronutrients. Protein. Carbohydrates. Fat. That’s it.

Protein – 4 calories per gram - Building material. Bricks. You can’t gain energy from protein, you can only use it to build muscle/skin/hair/nails. It’s basically just amino acids and it’s what our bodies are made of. As such, we need lots of it. 1g of protein per body lb is a good number to shoot for . Go as high as 2g per body lb if you’re lifting weights and trying to build muscle. For example, I am 207 lbs and I eat between 300-400 grams per day. Our body can only break down so much at one time however, so we want to eat 20-40 grams of protein in every meal, several times per day. Protein, being building material only and not energy/labor – the body can rarely find a reason for it to be stored as fat. If you must over-eat – make it lean meat/fish.

Carbs – 4 calories per gram - Think of these as human labor for your house. Think of sugar as dudes you pick up out front of home depot and oatmeal as a skilled carpenter. Both are carbs, both serve very different purposes. Carbs help transport essential nutrients to the muscles, create glycogen stores, and as such, increase protein synthesis but do not build muscle; they are simply an energy source. As such, they should only be eaten/used when we need energy. Any carbs we ingest before bed or before watching a movie, or something sedentary are not used as energy, and as such, are more likely to be stored in the body as glycogen (glucose/water in our muscles that we will use when doing high-intensity exercise). Once our glycogen reserves are full, they will spill over and be stored as fat. Yes, they will make you fat. Carbs can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

Fats – 9 calories per gram - Like carbs, fats are an energy source, not a building material like protein. They provide nowhere near as much energy as carbs however. Ask anyone who's on a ketogenic diet. With regard to our house, think of fats as the glue/cement. They provide much needed essential fatty acids, which are great for joint/organ health and increase our protein synthesis. Going back to our analogy, cement/glue increases the effectiveness of bricks! If we give our bodies the right fats, it will be able to burn stored body fat quickly as it won’t see any use in keeping it. Remember, like carbs – not all fat is good and ALL fat is high in calories so watch out. A tablespoon of peanut butter can be a good addition to a meal. Snacking on 5-6 tablespoons, however, means you’ve just eaten over your TDEE for the day.

Acceptable proteins for your healthy lifestyle diet:

The goal is to eat lean protein. Meats/other sources low in fat/carbs.

§ Ground beef (93% lean or better)
§ Lean steak (Flank, flat iron, or top sirloin)
§ Bison sirloin (the highest quality red meat)
§ Chicken breast
§ Turkey breast
§ Tuna (canned or sushi grade)
§ Salmon
§ Tilapia (mostly all white fish)
§ All shellfish
§ Venison
§ Whey protein (post-workout recovery purposes only)
§ Casein/Cottage cheese (before bed only)

Black-List Protein sources. Do not eat these because they are high in fat. And not the
good kind we find in nuts and olive oil – I’m talking about cholesterol raising saturated
fat!

§ Bacon
§ Sausage
§ Expensive fat-marbled Steaks (Ribeye, Strip, Filet)
§ Pork and beef ribs
§ Pork/Lamb chops
§ Restaurant ground beef (80/20 fat – most burgers)
§ Duck
§ Chicken legs/thighs
§ Chicken skin
§ Cheese

Acceptable Carbs for your healthy lifestlyle:

Complex carbs are now your creed. These are slower-digesting, natural, low on the glycemic index carbohydrates that digest slowly and provide us with sustained energy. They do not drastically affect our blood sugar and do not cause insulin spikes. Thus our body sees no reason to store them as fat, it would rather burn them for energy. Simple carbs such as enriched white breads/pastas/rice/potatoes/sugars (including most fruit) cause insulin spikes and are high GI foods. They should not be eaten when on a strict diet. Fruit can be consumed early in the day or pre/post-workout because of it’s high nutritional value but should usually be avoided due to being a form of simple sugar. Remember, healthy, low-calorie foods aren’t always the correct foods and such is the case with fruit.

§ Oats/Oatmeal
§ Grits/Cornmeal
§ Unsalted/non-buttered popcorn (great, low-cal snack)
§ Sweet potato (the best choice)
§ Butternut squash
§ Whole wheat pasta (not enriched)
§ Organic whole wheat bread (not enriched wonder bread crap)
§ Brown rice
§ Ezekiel bread
§ Swedish grain bread
§ Gluten free bread
§ Wheat couscous
§ Corn
§ Quinoa
§ Lentils
§ Beans
§ Many more, look up the GI (glycemic index) for healthy choices

Black List:

§ White pasta
§ White bread
§ Baguette
§ Bagels
§ Cookies, cake, muffins, cupcakes, all sweets basically.
§ White couscous
§ White rice
§ You get the idea…

Don’t get discouraged upon reading this list. I still make desserts all the time with whole
grain flour and splenda. I buy bagels and baguettes at the health food store that use
complex carbs as a base. If you’re dedicated, you don’t have to miss out 100%

Acceptable fats for your healthy lifestyle:

We look for fat sources that are high in omega-3, 6, and 9 fatty acids. Also, many are high in protein. We do not want saturated fats such as butter, cream, meat fat. We don’t want test tube fats like trans (the worst). We want mono/polyunsaturated fats that our body can use for something other than calories. Remember, even good fats are high in calories.

§ Natural peanut butter (no sugar added, just roasted peanuts)
§ Natural almond butter
§ Cashews
§ Almonds
§ Peanuts
§ Flax seeds
§ Flax seed oil
§ Salmon and Trout (great fatty proteins)
§ Fish oil
§ Extra virgin olive oil (should be used on all veggies/salads)
§ Chia seeds
§ Grapeseed oil
§ Macadamia nut oil

Acceptable miscellaneous foods:

These foods don’t provide much as far as macronutrients but are great for adding vitamins/minerals and taste. Notice some of these other foods are dairy. Dairy is another animal’s milk. We lack the enzymes to digest it as they do and it’s high in fat/sugar. It should only be eaten early in the day for nutrient purposes with the exception of whey and casein (cottage cheese).

§ Skim milk (Hood brand is only 45 calories and 3g of sugar per cup)
§ Greek yogurt (no sugar added)
§ Berries (all berries are much lower in sugar than other fruits and packed with fiber/nutrients – eat berries)
§ Green Vegetables. These are technically carbs but they are packed with fiber (a type of carb that isn’t used as energy or stored). In bodybuilding/nutrition – we refer to most vegetables as fibrous carbohydrates. While a serving of Broccoli may have 6g of carbs, 5 are from fiber. Meaning that it contains only 1g of storable carbohydrates. In addition, green vegetables are a calorie neutral/negative food (our body uses more calories to digest them than they contain – think celery). Veggies should be eaten with every meal. Every day. If you do this, you can become almost impervious to getting sick. Some vegetables are better than others for healthy diets.
§ Many non-green vegetables. Most are fine – just check labels, some have a good bit of sugar and should be eaten in moderation only (carrots)

[gabearroyo918]

this is awesome.... i am printing it now. My new bible!

[gbrice75]

Great! Figure out your TDEE using the info, and let me know what it is. We'll work out a calorie range first, and then a plan on how to distribute the calories each day, and finally a solid diet. Then it's all yours!

[gbrice75]

Where you at brotha? Let's do this! I believe helping you will in turn motivate me all over again, so this will be beneficial for both of us!

[V-ROID]

Good luck Gabe! I hope you keep your enthusiasm up or maybe it even grows. This board can sorta be like AA. If you feel like you are going to cheat or crack, post here first! Listen to gbrice, You might feel like shit for a while but you will feel great soon enough! Welcome!

[BGC123]

You're the fvcking man gbrice! .... GL OP!

[t-gunz]

great to see your taking him on gb and generally want to help him.

to the OP. i wish you the best of luck. this is doable but you need 100% dedication.

i will be following. once you get diet and training sorted out in each section. make a log so we can see your progress. everyone's here to help/support you.

[gabearroyo918]

I went yesterday to the mobile bodpod thing and they give you a certified fat % sooo my numbers are as follow.

29.1% body fat
62.6 Pounds of fat and 152.4 Pounds of lean (muscle, bone, body water).

BMR 1722.16
TDEE
20666.6
cable has been out all weekend at my complex so I had to do it as soo as I got to work this morning. Let me know.

[gabearroyo918]

I am sooo excited!!! Can't wait!!!

[gbrice75]

Good luck Gabe! I hope you keep your enthusiasm up or maybe it even grows. This board can sorta be like AA. If you feel like you are going to cheat or crack, post here first! Listen to gbrice, You might feel like shit for a while but you will feel great soon enough! Welcome!

You're the fvcking man gbrice! .... GL OP!

great to see your taking him on gb and generally want to help him.

to the OP. i wish you the best of luck. this is doable but you need 100% dedication.

i will be following. once you get diet and training sorted out in each section. make a log so we can see your progress. everyone's here to help/support you.

Thanks for the kind words guys, and for joining in and adding to the encouragement. Gabe (assuming that IS your name lol), I told you the other good peeps here would be around soon enough! You have all the support you'll need on this board. Ready to get this started!

[Jpeyatt]

Wow.. This is an awesome thread!!! Gbrice, awesome info.. I plan on stealing some of it lol.

[gbrice75]

I went yesterday to the mobile bodpod thing and they give you a certified fat % sooo my numbers are as follow.

29.1% body fat
62.6 Pounds of fat and 152.4 Pounds of lean (muscle, bone, body water).

BMR 1722.16
TDEE
20666.6
cable has been out all weekend at my complex so I had to do it as soo as I got to work this morning. Let me know.

Ok bro, we're going to have to go with these numbers for now. Like I said, I personally think the BF% is higher, but it'll be much easier to tell once you start torching it. Let's call it 30% bodyfat for the sake of starting with a round number. TDEE is 2066 i'm assuming. Definitely not 20k lol. So here's what I want to do:

I'd like to start with shorter term goals. Right now, i'd like to set the goal at reaching 20% bodyfat. We don't have to put a deadline on it, but we should have a projected date. If you don't reach it, it's not the end of the world so long as you're progressing. Let's see where you're at by January 30th. That's roughly 14 weeks. When bodybuilders cut a bunch of fat pre-contest, they typically give themselves 12 weeks and in that time, can drop 10 points. You should be able to do the same in 14 weeks, in fact, it should be easier for you to drop fat since you have so much more to give up. Your body should not fight you to hold on to any for a while.

Since the TDEE is already low, I don't want to drop calories TOO dramatically, so i'd like to start you at 1700 calories/day. We will monitor this over the next few weeks and make adjustments if/when necessary. When you reach 20% bodyfat or on Jan 30th (whichever comes first... it's gonna be the bodyfat, right??!!), we will completely overhaul the diet as your body composition will have dramatically changed and we cannot continue to use the same diet based off of these numbers. The diet always has to be progressive until you're ready to maintain your weight. So:

1700 calories/day, i'd like to see a 50/35/15 macro split (protein/carbs/fat). This is for WORKOUT DAYS. On non-workout days, we will come up with a similar but altered diet, maybe at 1500 calories/day. A 50/35/15 split will have you looking like this:

Protein: 210g, 850 calories
Carbs: 150g, 595 calories
Fats: 28g, 255 calories

Now, I will help you out with the diet every step of the way, but I want you to come up with one first. This is the only way you'll learn as opposed to somebody just telling you what to do. So based on the list above (obviously I can't know everything you like/dislike, and what you have access to), i'd like you to come up with a diet which fits the following guidelines:

* At least 7 meals throughout the day, spaced 2.5-3 hours apart. If you can fit more meals in, go for it. If you can't even get 7 based on your time/schedule, do the best you can. 6 is acceptable, but i'd like to see more.

* Lean protein source in EVERY meal.

* Carb or Fat in every meal. I'd like to see them separated as much as possible. There are reasons for this which we can discuss. Generally, I like carbs in the earlier part of my day, and fats later. However, at 28g of fat/day, I don't imagine you'll have much to play with and will probably get all you need just from your food choices. In other words, I doubt you'll purposely need to eat nuts or peanut butter, for instance.

* Pre-workout meal consisting of protein and complex carbs. Even if you workout later in the day, this is my one exception to the late in the day carb rule (my personal rule, not something accepted or practiced by everybody)

* Post-workout meal consisting of a whey protein shake - no carbs in this meal

* A whole food (real food) meal within an hour of your PWO shake, consisting of lean protein and complex carbs. If your workout IS later in the day, I might recommend against the carbs. We'll see.

Veggies - Eat as much as you want!!! This is your sort of 'freebie', so hopefully you have some that you like alot. Green fiberous veggies are best - broccoli, spinach, kale, brussell sprouts, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, green leafy lettuces, etc. Eat them with as many meals as possible.

We will need to come up with a workout routine too, but I need info in order to work with you on that. I need to know how many days a week you can COMMIT to working out (not IF you can make it to the gym, but when it's a definite routine you can follow religiously).

Cardio - the more, the better. If you can do it 2x a day, great! Each session needs to be AT LEAST 30 mins, more if possible. For now, I want you to do low intensity cardio. Walking on the treadmill at a decent pace, with a small incline. Or you can use the elliptical, stepmill/stairmaster (best choice by far). I wouldn't do the bike cardio (unless you can get into a spin class), not intense enough IMO. Regardless of what cardio you choose, you should break a sweat within 5 minutes (after your warmup) and you should be breathing heavy throughout (not DYING, but definitely pushing yourself). I would suggest you invest in a heart rate monitor, well worth the money!

PS - all of this is assuming you belong to a gym - do you currently? If not, will you be able to join one?

Let me know on the few questions above, work up that rough draft diet, and then we'll sort it all out as well as come up with a workout routine.

[gbrice75]

Just 2 points I wanted to add:

1) Drink PLENTY of water. Try and have 16oz with every meal, and as much as you can fit in between. Use water to mix your shake(s), and obviously sip on water throughout your cardio and weight training. 2 gallons/day would be great. I am personally struggling with water intake, but that doesn't mean I can't preach what I know is right. Do it!

2) We will be able to ease up on the diet here and there, but not right now. I want you to stick to it 100% for the next month. No cheat meals, definitely no cheat days. We'll evaluate where you're at after a month and discuss adding a cheat meal once a week, but for now you need to get used to eating a good diet.

Trust me when I say I know all too well that 'life happens' - you're out with friends, somebody has a birthday dinner, a graduation, etc - in these cases, you need to do your best to minimize damages. Restaurants are easy - every restaurant will offer a grilled chicken, lean steaks, etc - they will have more fat then what you'd make at home, but at least it's good real food. 9 times out of 10, it's the sauces/sides that will kill you. Stick with protein and veggies when you go out.

Finally - no alcohol (for now)! If you MUST for whatever reason, stick to basic hard liquor and/or mix with diet soda. No beer, wine, definitely no sugary mixed drinks (margarita's, etc).

[gabearroyo918]

I am extremely picky so here it is:

vegatables
spinach
kale
lettuce
tomatoes
potatoes
corn
green beens

Meats
Chicken
Beef

I hate fish and onions... <<<<<<<<YUCK!!!!

[Damienm05]

Great advice Gbrice. I wish I'd had this kind of guidance when I first started out. I would have saved many, many months.

[gabearroyo918]

I will apply this starting today.. cause if i say tomorrow it'll never happen... So far today I had oatmeal this morning....

[gabearroyo918]

I am a Buddhist Priest so I really don't drink. Ever!

[gabearroyo918]

I have broken this down to

Breakfast 350 Cal 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
Snack 100 Cal 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
Lunch 500 Cal 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
Snack 100 Cal 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
Dinner 550 Cal 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
Snack/Dessert 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Total 1700 Cal 210 g protein 150g carbs 28g fat <<<<^^^^^====== is this right?

[gbrice75]

I am extremely picky so here it is:

vegatables
spinach
kale
lettuce
tomatoes
potatoes
corn
green beens

Meats
Chicken
Beef

I hate fish and onions... <<<<<<<<YUCK!!!!

LoL ok, you may need to ease up a bit on your pickiness, but we'll try to work around it as much as possible. Like I said, green leafy fiberous veggies are all great. Tomatoes are out. Potatoes are in as long as they're sweet potato - no white/red/golden, etc. Corn is out for now.

You MUST like more protein then just chicken and beef. How about eggs? Turkey? Do you hate ALL fish?

[gbrice75]

Great advice Gbrice. I wish I'd had this kind of guidance when I first started out. I would have saved many, many months.

Thank you brotha!

I will apply this starting today.. cause if i say tomorrow it'll never happen... So far today I had oatmeal this morning....

Great attitude!

I am a Buddhist Priest so I really don't drink. Ever!

LoL for real? =) hehe we don't have to worry about this one then, cross it off the list!

I have broken this down to

Breakfast 350 Cal 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
Snack 100 Cal 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
Lunch 500 Cal 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
Snack 100 Cal 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
Dinner 550 Cal 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
Snack/Dessert 30g protein/21 g carbs/7g fat
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Total 1700 Cal 210 g protein 150g carbs 28g fat <<<<^^^^^====== is this right?

Not quite. Your protein is only at 180g, carbs at 126g, and fats at 42g bringing total calories to 1602. Are you counting this stuff?!! Not only are you undereating, but macros are out of whack. Also, you didn't follow the advice of splitting up carbs and fats. Your macros don't need to be identical for each meal - in fact I don't like that idea at all. You need to eat smarter - i.e. more carbs when there is an energy requirement (earlier in the day, and/or pre-workout). Protein can be pretty constant throughout the day, but that's the only one.

Read everything I wrote again... then again... until it really sinks in. Be careful with this stuff, it can make or break you! I'd rather see you take a week to come up with a good diet vs. coming up with crap in one day.

[gabearroyo918]

yes I eat eggs and turkey.. I like tuna fish in a can

[gabearroyo918]

Got it!!!

[gabearroyo918]

What excercise should I be doing? Yesterday I did 45 mins on the bycycle looking machine

[gabearroyo918]

my problem is I don't know what or how much a portion would equal to its calorie. Like lets say I ate rice and beans and chicken breast.
How do I know how much calories is in their? How much fat? How much Carbs? and How many Proteins?

[gbrice75]

What excercise should I be doing? Yesterday I did 45 mins on the bycycle looking machine

Dude, you are either not reading or not comprehending my advice!!! Of all cardio, the one I recommended against is the bike! Granted, it's better then nothing at all, and 45 mins is good for sure. But i'd rather see you on the treadmill or even better, the stepmill. Break it up if you have to, 20 mins, 25 mins on the other, etc. Elliptical is fine too as long as you can keep intensity up.

my problem is I don't know what or how much a portion would equal to its calorie. Like lets say I ate rice and beans and chicken breast.
How do I know how much calories is in their? How much fat? How much Carbs? and How many Proteins?

protein = 4 calories per gram
carbs = 4 calories per gram
fats = 9 calories per gram

Use the nutrition info on the labels for as much as you can. For things like meats, there are websites you can use. fitday.com , calorieking.com , livestrong.com are just a few.

[gabearroyo918]

KEWL!!!! I tried to do the treadmill bad idea! Fell off! but I got on the bike and did it for 45 min but today I'm going to do the stepmil.

[gabearroyo918]

I joined this website called calorie count.com and made an account it's free. The right price and so far today I have 729 calorie and 52g protrein