Hello, I need good advice

[forcegx7]

Hi everyone! Im just getting back into fitness and nutrition, and I am having the most difficult time in my life getting and staying motivated.
My problem is when I fall off the wagon, I really fall off the wagon! Im sick of my weight always fluctuating. For once in my life, I want to be lean and fit, and stay that way. I'm thinking I should no longer lift weights until I lose the weight I need to lose first, because it seems to mostly just turn my fat into muscle. That muscle becomes fat and flabby if and when I go through a period of falling off the wagon. The more muscle I build, the flabbier and fatter I look if I fall of the wagon. I would like to, but I can't promise I'll never fall of the wagon again.
Therefore, I rather lose the weight first & get as lean as I possibly can, then tighten up my lean body muscle.
I'm 33 years old. My height is between 5 foot 8 and 5 foot 9, and I weigh about 205 pounds...yes I'm overweight.
SO to simplify things, how do I get my fitness and body to look like this?

 

[NBS 4life]

Ok heres a couple of things that will improve your knowledge.

1) It is impossible to turn muscle into fat, fat can be used as an energy source but cannot be changed from one form to another. The likely reason that you look more flabby the more muscle you build is because your still eating a large number of calories to support workload you are not doing.

2) While you are losing this weight you should still supplement your workouts with a weight training program. Just increase the ratio of cardio.

2 - 3 x fullbody weight trainings a week
supplemented with the correct ammount of cardio and a good diet.

Good Luck.

 

[forcegx7]

Thanks!

So what your saying is that I should still do 2 -3 days of weight training?
Should I do light weights/high repetitions making sure it's a weight that I can do over 15 to 20 reps?
Should I still incorporate cardio on those weight training days?
And what about really attacking my gut and love handles?
Do I do ab excersizes before or after my cardio workouts?
How many lost pounds per week or per month is truly healthy and will less likely prevent a person from gaining it back?
Any good eating and supplement tips to help get lean?

I'm sorry I have so many questions, but I've been out ogf the game for quite some time now.

 

[NBS 4life]

Well for diet there is so much to learn I would just start reading .

First of all do you have access to a gym etc?

 

[forcegx7]

Yeah I figure light on the carbs and high protien (as long as it's low fat) as well as high fibre.

Yes I have access to a gym. Right now I can only seem to handle a light pace...15 minutes on the treadmill and then 15 minutes on the elyptical.
Last week I tried pushing myself to go a little bit faster pace and I start getting sharp shooting pains on the right side of my chest.
It's so depressing and frustrating how out of shape I've become.

 

[(Silent)]

Thanks!

So what your saying is that I should still do 2 -3 days of weight training?

3days a week full body workout consisting of compound lifts.

Should I do light weights/high repetitions making sure it's a weight that I can do over 15 to 20 reps?
This is MYTH, light weight and high reps do nothing more then waste time. Switch to a 3set by 8-10 rep range.
Should I still incorporate cardio on those weight training days?
Disputed topic but i would suggest on your off days or after your weight lifting workout
And what about really attacking my gut and love handles?
You can NOT spot reduce. you can not do a specific exercise to loose specific fat.

Do I do ab excersizes before or after my cardio workouts?
Do them at the beginning or after of your weight workout

How many lost pounds per week or per month is truly healthy and will less
likely prevent a person from gaining it back?
2 pounds a week is what you want to shoot for.
Any good eating and supplement tips to help get lean?
L-Carnitine taken at 2000Mg divided into two doses daily. Aswell as a good multi daily.

I'm sorry I have so many questions, but I've been out ogf the game for quite some time now.
The only stupid question is the one thats not asked.

Read BOLD..............

 

[NBS 4life]

The only thing that isnt correct in there is that high reps low weight is a waste of time.

High reps low weight train muscular endurance, muscular endurance is just as important as any other type of muscle mechanism whether is be power, absolute strength or hypertrophy. When losing weight muscular endurance is extremely important to supplement the effectiveness of a cardio training program.

I agree with everything else but I do think that it is important to build that base level of muscular endurance when you are starting out.

 

[(Silent)]

The only thing that isnt correct in there is that high reps low weight is a waste of time.

High reps low weight train muscular endurance, muscular endurance is just as important as any other type of muscle mechanism whether is be power, absolute strength or hypertrophy. When losing weight muscular endurance is extremely important to supplement the effectiveness of a cardio training program.

I agree with everything else but I do think that it is important to build that base level of muscular endurance when you are starting out.

True it does, but only for that weight range.

Being able to do a 100reps of 10 pounds does not transfer over to being able to do that same rep range with a 100 pounds if you know what i mean.

 

[forcegx7]

What are "compounding lifts?"

A trainer told me a couple years ago to do all your cardio before weight training. Not just for the sake of warming up, but you'll lose weight more efficiently if you bring your heart rate up first before you lift weights.
He said that people use to think that doing cardio after weight training was necessary to prevent lactic acid build up.
He stated that this was recently learned to be a myth, and that you just need to make sure you stretch well after your training and excersizes.

 

[NBS 4life]

What are "compounding lifts?"

A trainer told me a couple years ago to do all your cardio before weight training. Not just for the sake of warming up, but you'll lose weight more efficiently if you bring your heart rate up first before you lift weights.
He said that people use to think that doing cardio after weight training was necessary to prevent lactic acid build up.
He stated that this was recently learned to be a myth, and that you just need to make sure you stretch well after your training and excersizes.

IMO your trainer was a goose . To reduce lactic acid build up an active recovery is the best thing to do. This means a light walk for a few minutes and then stretching. As for cardio before weights ALWAYS do weights before cardio. Lifting weights is going to get your heartrate up extremely fast if you are lifting intensly. The reason why cardio after weights is the best is because you can lift more effectivley without your muscles being fatigued by the cardio.

 

[forcegx7]

IMO your trainer was a goose . To reduce lactic acid build up an active recovery is the best thing to do. This means a light walk for a few minutes and then stretching. As for cardio before weights ALWAYS do weights before cardio. Lifting weights is going to get your heartrate up extremely fast if you are lifting intensly. The reason why cardio after weights is the best is because you can lift more effectivley without your muscles being fatigued by the cardio.

Yeah it's funny you say that because he was driving home the counter-point to that. He said that not only cardio is important before weight training to get your heart rate up, but the fatigue you talk about is a good thing according to him. It prevents you from lifting heavy weights with low reps, and keeps you on-track with the light weight/high reps, which is more imparative to burning fat, getting cut, and developing lean muscle.

 

[NBS 4life]

Well he might have a point in it keeping you on track but with high reps you dont build lean muscle nearly as much as working in an 8 - 12 rep range for hypertrophy.

But in saying that (back to your original question) i would stick to higher reps for the first month or so just to build a good base level of muscular endurance. After that I would up the weights and take down the reps. Definately do weights before cardio.

 

[forcegx7]

Thanks for your advice and quick responses!

KEEP THEM COMING!