Tone Up or Trim Down?

H

Herzog

0
Hey everyone.

I am new to the board and was hoping to get everyone's opinion on which direction I should take.

I am a 25 year old male. I am 5'10", 180 lbs. According to , my BMI is 25.8. I am fairly broad shouldered, so my frame supports my weight.....however the BMI figure concerns me as I am in the "overweight" category. I have a little pudge around the midsection - which is my primary concern.

My question:
Should I focus on dropping 10 or so lbs before working on building my upper body.....i.e. trim down? Or should I focus on hitting the weights.......i.e. tone up?

Any suggestions would help a lot! Thanks!
 
lol that website says my bmi is 27.9... remember its just a website, ud be better off w/a caliper
 
Sorry, bro. I'm relatively new to the whole weight training thing. Isn't that a device that pinches your skin in order to measure bmi? What is the best way for me to decide which path to take here? Bulking up.....i.e. tone up......seems more fun (get to eat more) and easier (endless hours on a treadmill). I just need to get rid of this pot belly. I'm thinking that if I lift and attempt to tone up, the calories needed to trim down will come at the same time. Am I incorrect in this thinking? Just the prospect of losing 10 lbs - knowing that 3500 cals need to be burned in order to lose 1 lb of fat - is rather depressing.
 
A caliper doesn't measure BMI, it measures body fat percentage. The problem with any BMI measurement is that muscle weighs more than fat -- so if you're a short guy with a lot of muscle, your BMI is going to be pretty high -- but you definitely won't be overweight.

Also, you don't need to spend endless hours on a treadmill. Look into high intensity intervals (see the HIIT forums here). Also, don't forget that you burn calories throughout the day in addition to working out, that working out increases your metabolism after a workout (not just during), and that with a regular workout schedule and a good diet, you can burn a healthy 2 - 3 lbs per week.

Note, though, that if you're bulking up you may find yourself only losing 1 lb per week, because you're losing 2 lbs of fat but putting on 1 lb of muscle. This is the better approach, because it increases tone and shape, while decreasing fat -- but unless you get yourself a body fat caliper, the results might not seem as forthcoming.

Also, one final note, you may not see results in your first month of training if you're just starting out because your body first undergoes neuromuscular adaptations before it really starts building muscle and adapting to an exercise. Basically, your body is learning which muscles to use when you workout. Thereafter, your body is focusing on growing muscle and burning energy sources (carbs, fat, protein) to meet the needs of your workout.

Patience is a virtue.
 
Fil said:
A caliper doesn't measure BMI, it measures body fat percentage. The problem with any BMI measurement is that muscle weighs more than fat -- so if you're a short guy with a lot of muscle, your BMI is going to be pretty high -- but you definitely won't be overweight.
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Very interesting. I hadn't thought of it this way, but it makes total sense.

Fil said:
Note, though, that if you're bulking up you may find yourself only losing 1 lb per week, because you're losing 2 lbs of fat but putting on 1 lb of muscle. This is the better approach, because it increases tone and shape, while decreasing fat -- but unless you get yourself a body fat caliper, the results might not seem as forthcoming.
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So what would your recommendation be as to the best way to go about this? Run everyday? Twice a week? Lift everyday? Twice a week? Etc? On a good week, I have time to get to the gym 4 of the 7 days.
 
Just keep it balanced. As far as cardio, do it daily, but split it between intervals and endurance training on different days. I also recommend taking a day or two of pressure of your knees (use a cycle instead of running, for example) because those are fragile joints.

As far as lifting, just focus on different muscle groups each day (some people split it just between upper-body and lower-body), and for the other muscle groups (like abs) just be sure to get rest in between.

Remember: Muscle grows at rest, not while you're lifting.
 
You could be a bodybuilder, 4% fat, 5'10 and 280 lbs and your bmi would be like 28% and obese....don't worry about the bmi, it's flawed, just worry about the bf %.
 
I was very surprised when I met Lee Priest...dude's like 5'4", and about 230lbs at the Mr. Olympia. Probably was 5% bodyfat...and you're right, his BMI would qualify him as morbidly obese.

All good comments. If you go to a gym, see if they can do a bodyfat caliper test on you.
 
You can also get your own calipers for under $15. They now have digital body fat testers where you don't even need to pinch yourself -- these run $30 - $50.
 
if you mean those scales that send impulses through your body, i would reccomend staying away from those bc they're notoriously known for being inaccurate..
 
Yea...those damn aussies lol. Very short but cut, also used what's his name's volume technique when it was kinda rare, the 6 sets of 4-6 reps.
 
I mean those handheld things that, yeah, send electrical impulses through the body. I've used both at the same time and, for me and my body type at least, they've pretty much given the same results.

I have to look into it more now though, thanks.
 
Yeah....that's the basic rule of thumb for most workout plans; it's mostly protein, 15-20% fat, 20-30 carbs, if that. Everyone has their own different set but for the most part, TRY for 170g of protein a day, if you weigh that much. So you might have to take a protein shake or 2 a day.
 
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