STARTER HELP!!

[garethlello1979]

I used voltarol and put some tubular bandage over it for compression and it's virtually fine I think because the left side is,weaker than the right and it's such a shock to the system it's just taking a,while to adapt. I'm bk at the gum for the first time since sun afternoon tonight so will keep it strapped and see how it goes. Luckily I don't do any specific arm exercises currently so fingers crossed I can't have to rest from the gym a week after starting bk up again!.

[garethlello1979]

It seems that using voltarol gel and tubular bandage for compression seems to have done the trick it is feeling a lot better so as i dont do specific arms exercises and the only exercise it might have been is shoulder press as that is weakest area and i pushed that realy hard so the rest of the week i will leave that out.

Its been roughly 72 hours since last workout sun afternoon so tomorrow morning i will post on here and let you know if it has re-aggravated the arm or not.

Fingers crossed it wont im only 10 days into new lifestyle change and i would have to have to stop the gym for a week after just starting back lol

I think a lot of it is just body being so not used to working out and that stiffness you get for a couple of weeks after a prolonged period away from the gym.

[garethlello1979]

Just wanted to ask when ur cutting and weight like i am should i be controlling protein as i have seen some places say 1gr per kg and others say 2gr per kg but should i limit myself to a degree or does it no matter so much at this stage?

Or would say having high protein on workout days be ok?

Im basing it on 1gr protein per kg body weight but would like to add more protein if its ok to do so but not sure if adding more is only for bulking up?

[Boss Man]

More would help to bulk up, but you don't need to reduce protein on a cut, as you might lose muscle and added muscle helps to burn fat, as 1lb of extra muscle helps to burn an extra 45-50 calories a day. so losing it would have an opposing effect.

One way you could manipulate your calories to cut, would be to take 10g carbs out of each meal and replace them with healthy fat calories, so you maintain calories, but you reduce the primary energy source intake, so when the body has an energy requirement carbs can no longer satisfy, then the body should turn to fat for its needs, as fat is secondary energy.

By doing this you maintain calories without the need to cut calories, which could potentially affect muscle mass negatively as stated above and you wouldn't also need to start doing loads of cardio to cut, potentially burning muscle as well.

[garethlello1979]

Well its weigh in and measurement day monday morning but im reading it clothes arent feeling looser yet or trousers.

Even with diet alone i would have expected that but due to strain i have only worked out 4 times in the last 3 weeks.

Week 1 - Workout sat/sun

Week 2 - Nothing injury

Week 3 - Workout sat/sun

This week it should be 4/5 times so going on that and the way i feel i dont expect to see much change off this first 4 weeks.

[garethlello1979]

Good morning,

Here as promised are stats the last 4 weeks which are confusing so i hope you can help!

Start - 13/04/14 - Weight - 190lb, Waist - 98cm, Stomach - 108cm

Wk Ending - 25/05/14 - Weight - 191.6lb, Waist - 99cm, Stomach - 107cm

As you can see weight up slightly and waist but stomach down. How can that happen??

Now as for workouts Week 1 was just Sat and Sun, Week 2 nothing, Week 3 SAt and Sun, Week 4 nothing so there has been minimal working out could this be the cause?

I have done some final tweaks to diet as below which before evening meal give me a minimum of 1612 calories and 94.1 grms protein and on workout days im going to have additional protein in the form of a 25 gr protein bar.

Diet Plan
(86gr protein minimum for 86kg weight)

Breakfast Calories Protein
Bread 198 9.8 2 Slices
Baked Beans 195 10 ½ Tin
Glass Soya Milk 88 8.3 250ml
Krusha 84 6.2 - (flavouring as soy milk on its own is yucky!!)
Morning Snack
Banana 133 2 Medium
Low Fat Cheese 96 8.3

Lunch
Chicken 165 22 100gr
Plain Cous Cous 110 3.8 100gr
Sweetcorn 40 1.5
Stir In Marinade 8 0
Yoghurt

Afternoon Snack
Nuts 290 21.2 50gr

Other Snack
Popcorn 205 1

Evening Meals
Mincemeat 100gr
Chicken 100gr
Rice
Tinned Tomatoes
Mushroom
Chopped Onions
Garlic/Chilli

Chicken 100gr
Beef 100gr
Pork 100gr
Noodles 232 7
Stir Fry Veg 56 4.2
Stir Fry Sauce

Brown Bread 198 9.8
Quick Fry Steaks

Baked Potatoe
Low Fat Cheese
Baked Beans


Im still collating information for evening meals but as you can see ive been obtaining the data for meal plan.

4 questions are:

1. How do you explain the results?

2. Including evening meals i am having roughly 2300 calories per day and 2550 on workout days is that too much? Should i take out something like the popcorn to drop teh calories

3. Now that i have started wrist exercises and seem to be able to get back on it with gym work is this whats held progression back in combination with the calories?

4. workout plan is based on Week 1 - Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun Week 2 - Tues, Thurs, Sat so in a 2 week flow im doing 7 workouts. To start with initally total body weights with low reps high weight with very little gap between sets with 10 min cardio at the beginnning and end. And after weeks 5-8 ending with interval training.

Cheers with all the help so far too as well!

[Boss Man]

I don't the calories are necessarily the issue, but the lack of workouts could be.

You may possibly have had a slight redistribution of weight even though you lose some physical dimensions in some areas and gained in others.

I would have said it might be a higher gain in muscle compared to any loss of fat, but owing to the fact you've been doing 0, 1, or 2 workouts on various weeks, I don't think you're consistent enough with workouts to have gained any muscle that way, though possibly it might have happened somehow, in relation to your diet changes affecting some of your hormones like testosterone and growth hormones and an increased protein intake would result in a higher consumption of BCAA's, that can affect muscle mass.

I think you'll be able to get more consistent results when you get the workouts sorted out, as they're too sporadic at the moment and I think you realise that yourself.

[garethlello1979]

One thing i did want to ask is i know everyone to start with has a stronger side mine being the right.

But i have noticed that when i workout out left elbow isnt sore so to speak but what i would call niggly the day after but then if i just get voltarol on it and rest it after 3 or 4 days it goes back to normal.

So far this week i had workout monday afternoon and last night so 3 so far. I'm doing interval training today then a 3rd weights session tomorrow.

question is with the elbow is that just body adapting as the left hand side is weaker. I dont think its anthing serious as it goes after a couple of days so i can then continue training so i am presuming thats what it is and it will eventually stop. Otherwise i will be stuck having to do eith 2 weights sessions and 2 cardio or 1 weights and 2 cardio sessions which would defeat the object of weight loss etc. Is it quite common for things like that to occur with the weaker side for the first couple of weeks until it gets stronger?

[Boss Man]

I'm cannot say personally how common what you're referring to is, but it could lessen and then dissipate over time.

It sounds like a possible flare-up of bursitis for example, or something that might be caused by improper technique on one arm somehow, or possibly an underlying issue that already existed, that is being taxed by what you are doing.

I'd give it another 2-3 weeks to see how it goes, but if you're having more concerns between now and then, or it appears to be worsening, then I suggest you go and see a medic.

[garethlello1979]

awesome thanks.

This week i did full weights mon and fri with an interval training session on saturday so things are improcing.

The one thing i wanted to ask is i have been to the butchers and stocked up on the meat but is it ok for lunch the chickedn cous cous and sweetcorn to have 250gr chicked i.s. one breast as that is about 300 calories and 50gr protein in one hit?

[Boss Man]

That's a big chicken breast. A 3.5 Oz, 100g breast normally packs around 30g protein, so what you're suggesting is perfectly fine yes.

[garethlello1979]

Cool I wanted to check in case there was such a thing as too much! But that's good coz I love chicken and it's a big protein hit on lunch break

[garethlello1979]

I may have to admit temporary defeat with the gym and elbow as i have booked an appointment at the doctors.

It isnt painful but it is almost as if its sore but gets better after rest then as soon as i get back into the weights it niggles it again which is most frustating. I have got an elbow support so hopefully will be able to use and crack on after the doctors but thats a couple of weeks away.

In view of this its a set back and upsetting as im so ready and motivated to lose the weight and get back in shape.

Firstly with the diet i am sticking to it and loving it theres nothing i dont like but whilst im sorting myelbow do i need to strip anything back as weight etc isnt altering now without gym work and feel a bit down on that.

And secondly are there any workouts i can do to at least keep fitness levels up and try and start the fat shifting even a 4 week cardio programme whilst i sort elbow?

[Boss Man]

Try doing your lower body stuff as per usual and limiting the upper body training to unweighted and see how that goes.

Pretty much all lower body exercises require no bending of the elbows, except for something like barbell or smith squats, or barbell lunges and even then the elbow is static not moving like it is with arm exercises.

Hitting the lower body with your usual weight levels, should have no real adverse effects on the rest of your body even if you would be lifting with no weight on the upper body, as it would only be for 2 weeks or so and there shouldn't be any real adverse issues in general.

[garethlello1979]

Well its days at the doctors tomorrow and i think i know the answer.

Its not painful but i have done normal weights routine on monday and today. There is definitely a niggle there but it isnt painful which is the only good thing so its either tennis elbow or left arm adapting to the workout.

I find it a bit strange because when i was doing press ups every morning with the press up bars that put a lot of strain on the joint and never had an issue.

On workout days im having a shake of protain and a scoop of creatine pre and post workout and with a couple of tweaks to the diet and routine ive been seeing some really good results. abs underneath feel good and tight, pecs are feeling good and quads are doing great so to be told i have to stop the weights would be gutting after getting everything bang on.

I also found cardio wise if i do an hour at a power walking and gradually increase the speed then decrease it that has worked extremely well too.

If i do have to ease off despite everything is there anyway that i can workout without going back to sqaure one as that would be gutting the diet alone will maintain but i need the exercise to really get things motoring.