Meal & Workout Plan - Little Advice Please

S

slimmer

0
Hi

I'm a newbie here but have been going to the gym for almost a year now and know quite a lot thanks to this forum.

I'm 20 years old (male), 6ft 0in, and weigh 11 stones 6lbs (160lbs). I have a bit of a pot belly and my legs are packing way too much fat, so I want to do some strict cutting until the end of the summer, so I'm super cut up.... then I'll bulk up cleanly next winter.

Could you please throw some advice my way on my plans...

Meal Plan:

#1: Bran Flakes + Chicken Breast
#2: 200g Sweet Potato + Makeral Fillets
#3: Shredded Wheat + Chicken Breast
#4: Shredded Wheat + Protein Shake
#5: 45g Walnuts + Protein Shake

... plus a Protein Shake straight after workout (all shakes are with water).

Total:
2116 cals, 189.9 (44%) protein, 159 (38%) carbs, 78.4 (18%) fat

Does this meal plan look good to you? It seems very good to me but a lot of you's out there know a lot more than me. I've been on it for one week so far by the way, and it actually keeps me full all day so I don't get any carb cravings at night.

The only possible problems I can see with it are the cereals 3 times a day. Could the milk slow things down? By the way, the total amount of milk I have in a day is 375ml (66% of a pint). Also bear in mind I dont have the nuts all at once (i munch on them over a couple of hours), and meal 4 is usually at 6pm, so i have no more carbs after that. I've got the percentages looking alright but the carbs seems pretty high - they seem good to you?

Workout Plan:

Mon: Back + 30 mins HIIT (bike)
Tue: 60 mins cardio + Abs
Wed: Chest + 30 mins HIIT (bike)
Thur: 60 mins cardio + Abs
Fri: Arms + 30 mins HIIT (running)
Sat: REST
Sun: Shoulders + 30 mins HIIT (bike)

I do weights first (take no longer than 50 mins), then 30 mins on the bike straight after it. Also the HIIT isn't always strictly HIIT, but I do try to push myself hard - but some days I just take it a bit easier. I'm also debating whether to do weights on the legs. I know I should do but they'll be sore for days, which will get in the way of my cardio. I'd defo do them if I was bulking but don't think they're as important when cutting. What do you reckon?

Think that's everything you need to know. Could you PLEASE give me some feedback on my meal & workout plans.

Thanks!!
 
Where are your Fats and Veggies?
 
Not bad. Not bad. Glad you provided as much detail as you did. I would take out the meal #4 shredded wheat and add in veggies. I would also add veggies to meal 5.

I would also add in a leg strength training day. I think you should always work on the whole body. I'd also re-do the fitness plan so that you are working out no more than an hour or so a day. Maybe something like this...

Mon: Back/Chest + 15 mins HIIT (bike)- MAKE THIS TRUE HIIT
Tue: 45 mins medium intensity cardio + Abs
Wed: Arms/Shoulders + 15 mins HIIT (bike)- MAKE THIS TRUE HIIT
Thur: 60 mins low intensity cardio
Fri: Legs + 30 mins medium intensity cardio (running)
Sat: REST
Sun: Abs + 45 mins medium intensity cardio (bike)

Just some suggestions. This way you are under an hour each time and you can do legs with a rest day afterwards.
 
Thanks for the replies.

The fats come mainly from the walnuts but also I get a load (about 20g) from the makeral fillets, plus some with the milk. I haven't got veggies in there because I'm trying to keep carbs down and only complex carbs, plus just having shredded wheat/bran flakes is much quicker.

I don't want to have any carbs after six so I don't really like the idea of putting vegies in my last meal, but may have vegies in meal 4 - it just seems like it may take a while, and I don't have lot's of spare time with being a student. By veggies could I have the raw stuff like carrots? What vegetables are best for cutting anyway?

Workout Plan...
Yeah I would like to get it all done within an hour but I don't really think thats possible. I really push myself when I do weights just like I was when I was bulking last year, and always seems to end dead on 50 mins, so combining 2 body parts would only take longer, and I really feel good about the weight lifting excercises so don't really wanna mess with that. So yeah I'm a bit stuck.

I'll add leg weights day but will keep it light so I don't get too sore. I'm gonna have to move my shoulders day anyway because when I do my arms on friday they're still sore on sunday, making it harder to do them, so I'll move that to tuesday. Surely doing 30 mins of HIIT on top of weights would be more effective than 15 mins, even though it does run over an hour? As long as i don't turn into a stick insect I'm not too bothered.

Anyways, as things stand my new workout plan is:

Mon: Back + 30 mins HIIT (bike)
Tue: Shoulders + 30 mins HIIT (bike)
Wed: Chest + 30 mins HIIT (bike)
Thur: Legs + 30 mins HIIT (bike)
Fri: Arms + 30 mins HIIT (running)
Sat: REST
Sun: Abs + 45 mins medium intensity cardio (bike)

As you may have noticed I'm not a fan of the treadmill - can't really pick up any speed without falling off and breaking my back lol. The only running I do is on friday, and thats not at the gym, just running in the street. Oh and some days I have to keep the same, e.g. chest and arms on wed and fri because I go with a friend who needs spotting on these (is bulking).

Anyways what d'ya reckon about the worktou plan?
 
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alright due to other commitments, I've changed the workout plan again. This is my final one unless you reckon its crap:

Mon: Legs + 45 mins Cardio (low intensity) - bike
Tue: Back + 30 mins HIIT - bike
Wed: Chest + 30 mins HIIT - bike
Thu: Shoulders + 30 mins HIIT - bike
Fri: Arms + 30 mins HIIT - running
Sat: REST
Sun: Abs + 45 mins Cardio (medium intensity) - bike

By the way, on monday I do the legs at home in the morning, go to uni, then at the end of the night go to the gym for the cardio. Also by 30 mins HIIT thats including 10 mins for warm up/cool down - so its actually 20 mins HIIT.

Looks alright to me apart from having to add abs to either tue, wed, thur or fri.

What d'ya reckon?
 
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Welp... if you feel as though the best way to go about things is the way you've been doing then go for it. Personally I wouldn't go over an hour. I'd rather work harder for a shorter period of time.

30 minutes HIIT with 10 minutes of warm up/cool down... fine by me. Althoug HIIT should be done on days that you don't have to work the legs on the same day or the day after.

Veggies won't make you gain weight. They are better for you than most things.

The only recommendation I have in addition to the stuff I posted above is this... based on your new workout plan you are working parts of the upper body three days in a row. Your biceps/triceps are gonna be put through too much IMO.

Just some things to think about.
 
I'll try it like this and see how it goes.

One question I have is, when doing cardio on the bike, what is better for weightloss:

Going really fast at a low difficulty setting OR having the difficulty setting to say 10 (out of 15) so its stiff and you can't go really fast but feel it even more (like riding up a steep hill)?
 
Doesn't matter.

If your heart rate is up... it's up. If pedaling at a lower intensity makes your heart rate 75% of your THR... and pedaling at a higher intensity makes your heart rate 75% of your THR... then that's the same.

Go by heart rate. Or RPE (rate of perceived exertion).
 
Hi again,

I think you were right about overworking the biceps/triceps with 3 upper body workouts in three days.

I've changed it and it seems much better now (btw have to do legs on mon, chest on wed & arms on fri). Can you just comfirm this is all ok? i just wanna make sure doing chest & shoulders together is ok, as I don't fancy doing chest+back together instead:

Mon: Legs + 45 mins cardio (low intensity) - bike/running
Tue: Abs + 45 mins cardio (medium intensity) - bike
Wed: Chest + Shoulders
Thu: Abs + 45 mins cardio (medium intensity) - bike
Fri: Arms + 30 mins HIIT (running)
Sat: REST
Sun: Back + 30 mins HIIT (bike)

Look good to you?

Oh and would you say I am "Extremely Active" or "Very Active" if I follow this routine but don't really get that much excercise through the day (sat in front of computer)? I'm just wondering because at it says my maintenance calory intake is 3619 cals for extremely active and 3076 cals for very active. Just wondering which one to base my meal plan on??
 
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I would call it "moderately active" but that's just me. Those other two are for athletes, or people like construction workers. They are being physical ALL day long, each and every day. I would say your fitness routine is "moderately active" at most.

Your newer routine is better. It makes more sense than the initial one. Good job. Im still partial to mine though :p

Yours will do :)

Good luck!
 
Hmm well I hope I'm more than moderately active because that would give me a maintenance of 2715, and I'm looking to lose 2lbs of fat a week so I'd be having like less than 2000 cals a day which doesn't sound great. Last week i had around 2100 a day and lost 3lbs (give or take for water retension).

I'm gonna stick at 2100 for another week and see how it goes, but shouldn't I adjust my meal plan a bit every week (knock cals off) so I don't end up eating more than I need?

What is the least a man should have in a day - 1800cals?

+Thanks for the help with the routine as well. I wanted to do more similar to yours but couldn't change certain days.
 
If the calculator is giving you a mantaince number of 2715... then knock off 350-500 calories. That puts you between 2215 and 2365. Eat in that range.

When you do exercise that will burn additional calories.

When you add the total number of calories going into your mouth minus the number of calories burned from exercise... you will come out with a deficit large enough to burn 1-2 pounds of fat per week.

You already know this because you said
Last week i had around 2100 a day and lost 3lbs (give or take for water retension).
Click to expand...
We are saying the same thing :)
 
Alright thanks for all this help, i just want everything PERFECT :)

Think I'm on top of it all now, so i won't meither you any more hehe.... until I start bulking next winter anyway :D
 
Oh one VERY LAST thing...

As it is ok to have some simple carbs straight after a workout, would having something kinda bad, like a little chocolate straight after a workout be a bad thing. I'm talking a really small amount and its not something i plan on doing regularly but every now and again there will be a small chocolate or something like that lying around or something, and I just can't help myself.

Say if I had 50 to 100 cals worth of simple carbs after a workout, do you reckon it would all get used or is there a chance some will go to fat. My workout's pretty intense so i imagine it'll be ok on the odd occassion but would really appreciate your view.
 
excuse me

is it ok if i use anabolic steroids for a month? inject it for twice a week.. and after that ill stop using it.. will the side effects take place? even if i use it for only a month? take vitamins and stop drinking alcohol drinks.? will the side effects take place? i've been working out for 3 months now.. my weight is 120 lbs .. i stand 5'6.. tnx a lot for the information in advance. i am expecting that someone would answer my question..:)
 
You can definitely get much bigger without taking anything if you train and eat properly.
 
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