*Newbie Help* been training for about a month...

[Jolts]

Hey everyone, I've been reading these forums for about the last month(though never posted) and gotten a lot of good tips from some of your posts, though a lot of your regiments are just *too* hardcore for me, and I could use some feedback on my regiment. My goals are to lose weight/gain muscle, would like to end up around 210-220 lbs.

I'm 21, 6'2, 250 lbs, ~26% body fat(was 260 lbs@30% body fat a month ago). I'm also a vegetarian, so if you have any feedback, please dont include chicken :P

Sunday: rest
Monday: chest/back(the 3rd and/or 4th sets are usually until failure, and I raise my load each set)

~~~20-25 mins cardio(elliptical machine/stair climber/bike)
4x10 dumbbell bench
4x10 incline dumbbell bench
4x10 dumbbell pec flies on flat bench
4x10 decline dumbbell bench
4x10 front lat pulldowns
4x10 standing barbell rows
4x10 hyperextensions
4x10 seated calf raises(at 45 degree angle up)~~~

Tuesday: shoulders/abs

~~~20-25 mins cardo
4x10 dumbbell military press
4x10 barbell front mil. press
4x10 front dumbbell raises
4x10 side dumbbell raises
4x10 side dumbbell raises(not sure of name, while leaning on 45 degree bench forward)
3x15 incline sit-ups
3x15 leg raises
3x15 torso twist~~~

Wed: cardio/chest/back

~~~40+ mins cardio
2x10 dumbbell bench
2x10 dumbbell incline bench
2x10 dumbbell decline bench
2x10 standing cable pec flies
2x10 underhand lat pulls
2x10 dumbbell rows~~~

Thurs: legs/abs

~~~20-25 mins cardio
4x10 smith back squats
4x10 smith lunges
4x10 seated 45 degree calf raises
4x10 leg extensions(or until max, for some reason my legs shake while doing these sometimes, dont know why)
4x10 leg curls
3x15 incline sit-ups w/ partner ball tosses
3x15 leg raises
3x15 torso twist w/ partner ball tosses~~~

Fri: arms

~~~20-25 mins cardio
4x10 preacher curls(EZ bar)
4x10 dumbbell close-grip bench
4x10 standing barbell curls
4x10 lying tricep extensions
4x10 concentration curls
4x10 standing french curls(with rope)
4x10 hammer curls
4x10 standing cable tricep pushdowns
4xMax dips~~~

Sat: rest
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And here's a sample diet I'd follow(on a work-out day, on non work-out days I dont use any supplements or keep track of my protein intake, though I'm not sure if that's the way to go?):

Meal 1(7am): 5 egg whites w/ ketchup, 4 slices wheat toast w/ marginal jelly, 1 cup milk

Meal 2(10am): 25g soy protein shake, 2 oranges

Meal 3(12pm, pre-workout): 2 servings whole wheat pasta, 1 apple

Meal 4(2pm, post-workout): 40g whey protein shake

Meal 5(4pm): 5 egg whites w/ ketchup, 2 servings baked hash browns

Meal 6(7 pm): 2 soy burgers(w/ 4 slices wheat bread), 1 can vegetables

Meal 7(10pm): 1 serving fat free pudding, 1 fruit

Meal 8(12pm, right before bed): 40g protein(pm protein shake)

I'm not sure if I'm taking in enough calories for maximum muscle gain, since that, foremost, is my goal. I have been losing fat quite well, and would like to continue, though I can settle for a lesser pace if it means more muscle [img]/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

[RUSSIANBEAR]

Well you do all way to much for my taste [img]/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]I would do(doing) half as much as u...Unless on steroids or having incredible natural genetic you will soon hit your plateau with this kind of training...
I also reccomend you to include ordinary squat not smith,deadlifts ,and pull-ups ...

[elrick062]

We all respond differently to exercise but I rarely do more than 5-6 exercies total on any given workout. I would temper it back to fewer exercise each day, If you can't fatigue them quicker, you should increase the weight. I think most of us when we started thought that if 5 was good 10 must be twice has good. This is something that you do over a lifetime, and it takes time. Sounds like you have the motivation and desire, the results will come. Don't be afraid to change and try new things either.

[Jolts]

Thanks...lots of determination, been way overweight ever since HS and sick of it :P

Anyways...I was hoping more for nutrition help if anyone has anything to add.

[Shrmtank]

Hi Jolts...I'm not sure how many calories you have going in, but it doesn't look like enough...since you're using dairy, I was wondering if you could eat fish also??...I think your calorie intake should bounce around the 2200 to
2600 range with 40% to 50% being protein...also try not to have a lot of starchy carbs at this point...you want the majority to come from fibrous veggies, sweet potatoes and good old oatmeal...

I agree that you're doing too many exercises in your workouts...try more weight...also if it isn't a time issue a good 10 minute warm up and stretching before your workout and the main cardio after your workout...you want most of your energy for your lifting not your cardio...if at all possible do your cardio on a different day...hope this helps... [img]/forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[PsychoJr]

Yep, do your cardio AfTER lifting or first thing in the morning on an empty stomach on a separate day.

[Jolts]

Could you please explain starchy carbs?

And starchy veggies(including examples pls)?


And are quaker oats ok?(and whats a good way to prepare em so I dont gag?)

Thanks for the stretching tips, I'm real bad about that.

[Shrmtank]

Starchy veggie carbs would be potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, squash, beans(lima and kidney) and corn...other starchy foods are rice(brown and white), pastas and cereals...to make your oatmeal palatable try a low calorie sweetner...hope this helps some... [img]/forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Syddles]

Welcome to ABC Jolts! [img]/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] This is a great place to keep track of your progress. I'm happy to see you decided to keep a journal here, too. Congrats on your progress so far!

I see you are a lacto-ovo vegetarian. So am I! [img]/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
And here's a sample diet I'd follow(on a work-out day, on non work-out days I dont use any supplements or keep track of my protein intake, though I'm not sure if that's the way to go?):

[/ QUOTE ]

It's imperative you keep track of your diet and how much protein you eat, especially as a vegetarian.

Your diet needs some cleaning up. Have you read the 13 Weeks to Hardcore Fat Burning diet? That will help you get on track. Even if cutting right now is not your goal, it has info on how to calculate your maintenance calories. Going on a cutting diet when you'er just starting out on bodybuilding will still allow you to build muscle and lost fat simultaneously. We call these "newbie gains" [img]/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magaz...urningdiet.htm

You can come up with a new diet from that and post it for critique. [img]/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] While the diet above uses meat sources, you can very easily substitute the meat for vegetarian sources like soy, dairy, and eggs.

Also, you should consider taking amino acid tablets, and definitely take methionine. Methionine is an amino acid that is used in the manufacturing of creatine within your body. More info on creatine can be found here:

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/creat...0and_facts.htm

Soy protein doesn't have much methionine, so naturally as vegetarians we'll have creatine deficits. Supplementing with methionine will allow our bodies to produce more creatine, giving us more energy for our workouts.

You should also consider supplementing with carnitine. Cartnitine is another amino acid that is found primarily in meat, although some small amounts are in eggs and dairy. It's an essential amino acid used in fat oxidation; in other words, it helps you burn fat. It also has properties that can give you more energy and slow down aging. It's a great supplement, but expensive.

[ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure how many calories you have going in, but it doesn't look like enough...since you're using dairy, I was wondering if you could eat fish also??...

[/ QUOTE ]

Tip, since he didn't answer your question about fish. Assuming he's a true vegetarian, vegetarians don't eat fish. Pescatarians, or pesco-vegetarians, will eat fish.

There are plenty of people who exist that say they're vegetarian and eat fish, which kinda gives people the wrong idea about us, IMO. If something moves, and has flesh that people eat as food, then it is meat and we won't eat it. [img]/forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[Jolts]

Thanks syddles, that was a big help [img]/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

btw, if it has a face, I dont eat it :P