A good routine for me? Maybe??

[SurfnSun]

Well I have always had a pretty ok metabolism. I tend not to gain weight very easy. I started doing an intense workout during the summer holidays of going to the gym 5 days a week. And eating nothing but Subway lol.

Anyways, within a month and a half I lost close to 20 lbs.

But I had to cut back once the holidays are over.

Everyone says I look thinner, but my main issue is that my stomach still looks soft and even though my chest seems to be coming along nicely, i still have some fatty deposits under my armpits that make my pecs look kind of....boobish. Even though i have been doing upper pec excercises and i am pretty happy about my chest exept for the fat under the armpits which connects to the pecs making it look a bit odd.

I do not know what percentage of body fat I'm at..but here are my main problems.

I am not losing anymore weight. Just maintaining. Which is ok. But I still have fatty areas that I dont like. LIke around my waist and under my armpits. And a little bit of a belly.

My arms are really skinny. And even though I work them once a week, and i am getting some definition, its not happening fast enough. It's only when i flex that people see i have been working on them. I dont have natural guns.

My workout routine is as follows. Every other day. 4 reps of 15 10, 8 and 8. (which i got from my friend who has a pretty good body) followed by 30 minutes of cardio. I eat about one meal a day (because my hours are weird) and if i eat two meals, the second meal is usually just a sandwhich, (like subway...because i saw most of my weightl oss during the two weeks where i ate nothing but subway) Day 1, I'll work on the arms. Curls, and this tricep thingy where i hold a weight above my head and lower it. Day 2. Vertical Bench press. Regular Benc press, and the weird upside down bench press. Also the chest machine where you pull your hands together. Day 3. Core stuff. I get on that one thing...and work my lower back by holding a weight and and going up and down using only my lower back. And then I'll do the side one...where you hold a weight with one arm and lift yourself with your side muscles. And then I'll do some vertical crunches.

I am happy with the results...but now its been 3 or 4 months. I am hoping to step it up a notch. Lose more fat, gain more muscles, and get more cut. I don't know how you can eat 6 or 7 meals a day. I dont have that kind of money (i mostly eat out) and I can't cook. I'm not unhappy with the way I look with my clothes on just with my clothes off. I dont want to get smaller, I want to get bigger (in a good way) and just make the soft spots turn into studly spots.

So any help would be appreciated. Oh and I'm 29. And I dont have any health problems. And I live in a big city so I walk a lot allready in addition to Cardio. And...that's all folks

Oh! one more thing, because I do cardio on the machine thingy, my legs are pretty nice. The front part. But my back legs and my butt are kind of pathetic. Theres no butt machines at my gym though. Oh, and I'm male

 

[LeanBean]

^^^ t3h sh0rt attention span, ya?//!!!1 Just kidding.

I eat about one meal a day (because my hours are weird) and if i eat two meals, the second meal is usually just a sandwhich, (like subway...because i saw most of my weightl oss during the two weeks where i ate nothing but subway)...

Okay...ONE TO TWO meals a DAY?! That's definitely one thing you need to fix. Regardless of how hectic your schedule may be, it IS possible to eat frequently and sufficiently. It's just a matter of good time management and meal planning. Try to set aside some free time planning, and also packing up foods that you can take on-the-go and eat later on.

Try to aim for 6-7 small, balanced meals a day. Each meal should contain a source of protein, carbohydrates, and fats...make sure you have ALL of them in each meal, too. The reason you're eating this often is so that your body is constantly burning all that, thus speeding up your metabolism.

My arms are really skinny. And even though I work them once a week, and i am getting some definition, its not happening fast enough. It's only when i flex that people see i have been working on them. I dont have natural guns.

Don't be makin' excuses son.

First off, it takes awhile to see results. Weight training and bodybuilding altogether is just a slow, gradual process. But then again, you've been doing this for 3-4 months or so. You've just been going about this the wrong way, hence the lack of results.

Second, there are ways to break through genetic barriers. I have naturally skinny arms, but I've made them grow nicely through certain exercises.

...Which brings me to my next point. The exercises you've been doing on your arm days? Uh-uh. The only exercise you're doing to work your biceps are curls! That ain't enough! You'll have better results if you mainly stick to compound exercises (exercises that require more than one joint movement; usually involves working more than just one muscle group). Isolation exercises (that only involve one joint movement, that usually involve working just one muscle group) should be used just as accessories, basically. They're not really that necessary.

Start doing cable rows, bent-over barbell rows, and pull-ups. Those will work your back and your biceps (the "bump" at the top of your arm when you flex it). And, although it's good that you're doing benchpresses (which is also a compound movement, as it works your chest, triceps, and anterior deltoids [front shoulders]), try to incorporate dips and different kinds of presses. I cannot stress enough the cruciality of compound movements.

I noticed that you also do not weight train your lower body. It's best that you do, to make sure your entire body is well-balanced and proportioned. I mean...there are guys I've seen at the gym with HUGE upper bodies, but skinny-ass chicken legs because they neglect the importance of training their lower bodies.

Try to rearrange your workout schedule so that ALL your muscle groups are being worked. If you need help doing so, feel free to post it here so we can critique it and help you create a good program.

I don't know how you can eat 6 or 7 meals a day. I dont have that kind of money (i mostly eat out) and I can't cook.

In that case, stop eating out so much and save money so that you can save up on groceries. I suck at cooking too, so I bought myself a cheap little George Foreman grill...all I do is place what ever lean meat I'm about to eat in there for several minutes, and it's cooked. Also, steaming vegetables isn't a hard task.

Shoot, I'm 17, and don't even make that much money from my job, but still manage to get all my meals in (but yes, with the help of the parents).

I suggest asking any ladies (mom, girlfriend/wife, etc.) or male companions on some cooking tips and whatnot. Read up on some nutrition and cook books as well.

I do cardio on the machine thingy, my legs are pretty nice. The front part. But my back legs and my butt are kind of pathetic. Theres no butt machines at my gym though. Oh, and I'm male

Do compound exercises for your legs such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, leg-presses, butt-blaster machine, etc.




I hope all that helps.

 

[tonymcclellan]

You should look into a book called "Gourmet Nutrition" by Dr. John Berardi. This book will help you greatly.

Oh and what they ^^ said as well.