Mandy's Journal

I'm not sure how to start this off, but after reading a couple other entries, I think I got the idea. Excuse my description for each machine. :yelrotflmao:

My work-out schedule:
Monday
Wednesday
Friday or Saturday

I work out about 45 minutes each time.
I focus on my chest, abs and butt.

The machines I have been using are:
The bike (15 mins cardio to start off with)
A machine which you select the amount of weight by using a pin. It has a plate which I rest my feet on and push back. I have been using 70lbs for this. I'm doing 3 sets of 8 for the time being for each exercise (the higher I lift my feet on the plate, it focuses on different areas,I was told).
The ab-bench. This I have been using a 4.5lb plate. I've been doing 8 sets of 8 here.
Another machine where I'm sitting down. I put 4.5lbs on each side and am pushing the bars out (by holding onto handles), Here I can only handle 3 sets of 5. :(
I finish off with another 10 minutes doing cardio.

As for my diet, this is where it gets bad. I've just recently started working out so I'm turning to this forum for help.
 
I'm not sure how to start this off, but after reading a couple other entries, I think I got the idea. Excuse my description for each machine. :yelrotflmao:

My work-out schedule:
Monday
Wednesday
Friday or Saturday

I work out about 45 minutes each time.
I focus on my chest, abs and butt.

The machines I have been using are:
The bike (15 mins cardio to start off with)
A machine which you select the amount of weight by using a pin. It has a plate which I rest my feet on and push back. I have been using 70lbs for this. I'm doing 3 sets of 8 for the time being for each exercise (the higher I lift my feet on the plate, it focuses on different areas,I was told).
The ab-bench. This I have been using a 4.5lb plate. I've been doing 8 sets of 8 here.
Another machine where I'm sitting down. I put 4.5lbs on each side and am pushing the bars out (by holding onto handles), Here I can only handle 3 sets of 5. :(
I finish off with another 10 minutes doing cardio.

As for my diet, this is where it gets bad. I've just recently started working out so I'm turning to this forum for help.


Again, welcome to the forum.........glad to see you started your journal.

Since diet is a key issue and one possible trouble spot for you, we need to begin with showing you how to configure your daily calories....

So lets begin by doing that.......:


==========================================================

Calorie calculation is an approximation science, remember this. Through your journey WATCH, LOOK, and LISTEN, to your body..........it will TELL YOU if your doing the correct things or combination of things!


○ Change your eating habits (below are some suggestion examples)

○ Substitute an artificial sweetener of your choice in the replace of refined white sugar (Refrain from Refined Sugar like you would a disease)

○ Try eating 5 to 6 smaller meals during the day

○ Balance your meals out during the day so in one day you have a mix of protein, carbohydrate and good fats

○ Drink lots of water during the day and before, during and after exercise

○ Simple Carb Examples: Grapefruit, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Strawberries, Oranges, Apples, Pineapple, etc

○ Complex Carb Examples: Whole Wheat Pita Bread, Oatmeal, Long Grain Brown Rice, Brown Pasta, Malto-Meal (Plain, whole wheat),etc

○ Good Protein Examples: White or Dark Tuna, Chicken Breast, Lean Turkey, Lean Ham, Very lean Beef, Quality Whey Protein Powder,, etc

○ Good Fats Examples: Natural Peanut Butter, Various Nuts, Flax Seed, Fish Oils.

This is what you need to do:

This an approximation science, but you can narrow it down very close, if your meticulous in your vision when looking at the data.

Tweak your desire and passion by educating yourself on the basic requirements of losing fat tissue. With your age, sex, height, and weight, in mind, find your approximated base calorie needs (this is organ function, breathing, or bodily function needs). One can use the Benedict Formula.

Calculate your BMR:

The Harris Benedict equation determines calorie needs for men or woman as follows:

• It calculates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) calorie requirements, based on your height, weight, age and gender.

• It increases your BMR calorie needs by taking into account the number of calories you burn through activities such as exercise.

This gives you your total calorie requirement or approximated Maintenance Line (I call it the MT Line).

Step One : Calculate your BMR with the following formula:

•Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

•Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Step Two : In order to incorporate activity into your daily caloric needs, do the following calculation:

•If you are sedentary : BMR x 1.2
•If you are lightly active: BMR x 1.375
•If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 1.55
•If you are very active (You exercise daily.): BMR x 1.725
•If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 1.9

Create a Calorie Deficit:

In order to lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit. It is easier and healthier to cut back your calorie intake a little bit at a time.

Every 3,500 calories is equivalent to approximated 1 pound.

If you cut back 500 calories a day, you will lose approximated 1 pound per week. (not necessarily all fat)

If you exercise to burn off 500 calories a day you will also lose approximately 1 pound per week.

The calorie deficit margin is just an example:

Apply this knowledge by backing off the approximated MT Line (approximated Maintenance line), say for example, a -500c per day, for about 1 week. Before the week begins, weigh yourself in the AM when you FIRST get up (do not eat yet) (remember your clothing, preferably with just underwear and t-shirt or like clothes). Note the time, and the approximated wgt.
Each day spread your caloric content out throughout the day (keep the body fed, with calories in the 300 to 500c approximated calories each meal), or a like division which mirrors your end caloric deficit limit (meaning MT-500c).

This way you have your entire day and body encircled with nutrition (I assume you already know to eat clean), which if your eating right, will give an approximated good energy (not optimal because your in deficit) to fuel your training and exercising schedule.

At the end of the week, on the same day, the same time, with the same like clothes, weigh yourself again. Note whether you lost or gained tissue (or weight I mean). To further assist you, I want to tell you that for every approximated caloric deficit of (-3500c), one could lose 1lb of fat tissue. (though some may not all be fat tissue, this information is for another question, and isn't presently suited here).

Now, in this example you were calculating a -500c per day deficit. There needs to be -3500c to lose approximated 1lbs of fat. Now lets do some basic math. -500cX7=-3500c. With all things considered equal, and you were meticulous and faithful on the diet, you should have been CLOSE to losing at least one pound of tissue in the week.

If this didn't happen, this means you need to make finer adjustments, and the MT line is not accurate, and you need to adjust this on your own.

Based upon the FEEDBACK your body is giving you, ask yourself how faithful you were on the diet, AND how faithful in training (whether you kept the training schedule (if you didn't, this would effect the caloric equation, no?!), AND how accurate you figured in your activities caloric wise.........but, you have the base information to begin making adjustments.

The calorie SURPLUS margin is just an example: (attempt to gain weight)

Apply this knowledge by going OVER the approximated MT Line (approximated Maintenance line), say for example, a +500c per day, for about 1 week. Before the week begins, weigh yourself in the AM when you FIRST get up (do not eat yet) (remember your clothing, preferably with just underwear and t-shirt or like clothes). Note the time, and the approximated wgt.
Each day spread your caloric content out throughout the day (keep the body fed, with calories in the 300 to 500c approximated calories each meal), or a like division which mirrors your end caloric deficit limit (meaning MT+500c).

This way you have your entire day and body encircled with nutrition (I assume you already know to eat clean), which if your eating right, will give an approximated good energy (not optimal because your in deficit) to fuel your training and exercising schedule.

At the end of the week, on the same day, the same time, with the same like clothes, weigh yourself again. Note whether you lost or gained tissue (or weight I mean).

If this didn't happen, this means you need to make finer adjustments, and the MT line is not accurate, and you need to adjust this on your own



=========================================================

The Nutrients are an essential factor in the diet; however, the law of energy balance within the DIET, is the ultimate KING while the Nutrients can play in some decisions made within the body.

Do yourself a favor, figure out your MT line, adjust off of this, eat well balanced spaced out meals (DONT EVER starve YOURSELF), AND listen to your body for the results.

While you are trying to figure out your body, IT WILL PAY YOU BACK, I promise. You have to learn to MASTER yourself to become the master of weight loss for YOURSELF.
========================================================
"Let your inner vision cultivate your ultimate exterior expression" —Chillen

"The strongest inner feeling that prevails will result in the exterior expression" –Chillen

"Your cultivation and manifestation of thought accumulated within your reasoning will determine your outcome"----Chillen
==========================================================
Deficit dieting is the fat burner, and EVERYTHING follows after this. The deficit can be implemented through the diet or exercise can cause the deficit when you know your MT line reference. Without a adequate deficit, cardio WILL NOT burn fat off you. This is WHY I don't partake in the cardio debates of heart rate, etc........because the bottom line is the deficit diet....period, debate OVER. If you stick to the basic: The Law of energy balance, and tip this to the negative side of the equation, you will be on your way, with everything considered equal and your healthy.

Losing fat is sort of like draining a pool. It usually leaves the shallow end first before the larger end starts to diminish. But, fat and/or tissue is lost all over when deficit dieting.

If you want to lose overall body fat, get your diet in order, eat clean, learn what your approximate MT reference line is according to activities (and back off a HEALTHY margin), and perform overall weight training, and of course, include cardio (cardio DOES have its benefits other than burning calories, carbs, fat, ect).

The most effective beginning is to look at your diet, and make a diet journal in my opinion, THEN work in a training program around this diet.

=========================================================
You must have "some obsession".

Have controlled obsession (and obsession to a---Point, is necessary), but some lose this obsession once they learn the amount of work it requires. There eyes then widen and then the obsession then pops right out. Dont let this happen to you: Raise your Want-o-Meter to a new higher level.



Best Regards,


Chillen
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Wow!! A VERY informative reply, Chillen! Thank you very, very much!
I feel like I've been put on the right track, thanks to you. :)
 
You have come to the right forum............I wish you the best......

Anything else I can help you with?


(Edit: I will look at your original post again) :) And, normally I do a rhyme for a new member,,,,,so.....HE, HE.....expect this soon. :)



Keep Rocken!




Welcome to the forum,





Chillen
 
And, normally I do a rhyme for a new member,,,,,so.....HE, HE.....expect this soon. :)

As long as it's not Barry Manilow related, all's good! lol

I can't think of anything other than what I have mentioned in my diary. :) I mean, if you see a big no-no staring at you, please let me know. :) hehe
 
Barry Manilow......Ickie......Poo!........

Yukie.............>:)

Yes, I will get back to you.......

Rhyme.....of the fricken time.......Coming.......ha ;)
 
Barry Manilow......Ickie......Poo!........

Yukie.............>:)

Haha I was tormented with that "Mandy" song allthrough my younger years, and now I actually like it! lol

And I'm waitin for that rhyme! ;) Is this somethin you do to all newbs? :yelrotflmao:
 
I'm not sure how to start this off, but after reading a couple other entries, I think I got the idea. Excuse my description for each machine. :yelrotflmao:

My work-out schedule:
Monday
Wednesday
Friday or Saturday

I work out about 45 minutes each time.
I focus on my chest, abs and butt.

Focus should be your FULL BODY to attempt to optimize your results.

Break down your Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Satuday, workouts--to specifically what you do--to make this more precisely clear.

The machines I have been using are:
The bike (15 mins cardio to start off with)

When do you do this? Before or after your training or on off days?

A machine which you select the amount of weight by using a pin. It has a plate which I rest my feet on and push back. I have been using 70lbs for this. I'm doing 3 sets of 8 for the time being for each exercise (the higher I lift my feet on the plate, it focuses on different areas,I was told).

This sounds like the leg press machine. Where do you workout?


The ab-bench. This I have been using a 4.5lb plate. I've been doing 8 sets of 8 here.

This is okay....BUT NOT 8 sets. This is far too much. Reduce this to 3 and reps under 25.



I think your workout needs to be improved. You need to include compound movements as your staple which recruits the entire body at least 3X per week and cardio if you wish.

Some examples to include:

Squat, Dead Lift, Flat and incline bench press (upper), Military press (upper), Lunges (more lower), French Press (Skull crusher, upper), barbell curl (upper, I do not share the opinion, that barbell curls are a useless exercise), bent over row (upper), and you can also choose: Dips and chins/pull-ups.


3 sets of around 8 (8 to 10) is good on the compound movements. With the possible exception to calves (higher rep range 10-15), abs/torso (high rep range under 25)

You may want to consider New Rules of Weight lifting (NROL) as a book purchase; however, I tend not to agree with his "blanket" caloric recommendations.

No matter what people tell you you need to pay close attention to your calorie needs and THIS WILL OPTIMIZE your results, and then you will be armed with one MIGHTY tool to make adjustments when a plateau develops.

Track your weight training program. Each time you train log the exercises used, reps completed, and weight used. Each time you go to train, do BETTER than the last. IF a plateau develops on an exercise at a certain weight, you will now have two things...........

The exact TIME it occurred (along with a history to that point), AND a history of your DIET up to the that point------INVALUABLE!

Dont be the one to say.....I dont know what is happening. ARM YOURSELF WITH THE TOOLS TO COMBAT THIS:

"I DONT KNOW PROBLEM, I havent been tracking my calories or progression in the gym, so I dont know what to do"


Armed with tools allows for "appropriate" analyzing and can be used to over come complications.........and can REMOVE THIS PROBLEM:

I dont know whats going on.....Im not seeing results........


If you educate yourself IN DIET and in WEIGHT TRAINING........then you can USE this education to CHANGE the diet and/or training to break the plateau with USING YOUR HISTORY........this EQUALS------->SMART! :)



People whom want their goal....DO WHAT IT TAKES---to get the job DONE!....Bottom line, young lady! :)


SO DO IT!

Weight progression example:

I recommend a writing down the exercises, weight being used, and then keeping track of the reps completed---to track progression, and if need be enable FORCE progression techniques. The KEY to training, is PROGRESSION. Trying with FULL THROTTLE to progress from one workout to the next (whether its an increase in reps or weight or both).

For example: you used 100lbs on Bent Over row and did 8 reps. The next workout with the back you want to get 9 reps, and so on and so forth. If the target cut off rep range is 12 (for example), then you would increase about 5 lbs. This is progression in its simple basic form.

I believe you have to track progress because its CRITICAL to ones success and to strength and/or muscle gains.


Best wishes,



Chillen
 
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If you do choose NROL (The New Rules of Lifting), you'll have the exercises, sets, reps and rest periods laid out for you. All you have to do is provide the discipline and determination to keep doing it so you can move up the weights.
 
Thank you for the welcome! :)

My overall goal is to firm up completely. I don't want any fat/flab. lol

Here's an update to my journal:
A machine which you select the amount of weight by using a pin. It has a plate which I rest my feet on and push back. I have been using 70lbs for this Now at 90lbs

Ab work-out, I can now do 140 sets. Chillen, I listened! ;)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you for the welcome! :)

My overall goal is to firm up completely. I don't want any fat/flab. lol

Here's an update to my journal:
A machine which you select the amount of weight by using a pin. It has a plate which I rest my feet on and push back. I have been using 70lbs for this Now at 90lbs

Ab work-out, I can now do 140 sets. Chillen, I listened! ;)


Mandy, read my post again.....please :).......please.......

I hope the 140 sets are a typo ;)......OMG! I feel my abs falling off...:eek: How are you sitting up? Im suprised your not in the hospital :)

And please respond, specifically,,,,,Okay, young lady?



Chillen
 
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I guess this is what happens when I'm reading and replying while working. :yelrotflmao:

Chillen, don't take any offense to what was said.
Now that I'm home, I will re-read CAREFULLY. :eek:

I rarely take offense! HEHEHEHE :)

I *popped* a chillpill and waiting patiently :)
 
When do you do this? Before or after your training or on off days?

This sounds like the leg press machine. Where do you workout?


This is okay....BUT NOT 8 sets. This is far too much. Reduce this to 3 and reps under 25.


I think your workout needs to be improved. You need to include compound movements as your staple which recruits the entire body at least 3X per week and cardio if you wish.


Cardio - I do 10 mins before working out and 10 mins after.

The machine is geared for my thighs, butt and calves (depends on how high or low I raise the seat). I've been doing sets for all 3.

I have reduced my reps, thank you. :)
I think 25 might be a bit high for me (I'm only starting to feel it working after the 5th rep).
 
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