BUFFALOTONE Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 i started working out about 3 years ago. i was 5'9" and about 165. I started taking weight gainer 2200 from GNC along with myoplex protien shakes. within 6 months i had put on about 20 lbs of muscle and havent looked back since. now a days a lay off the weight gainer and go with the myoplex lite protein shakes. you can get them from gnc, and nutrition warehouse. vitamin world selection is kinda crappy. you gained 20 lbs of muscle in 6 months? really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Great question, actually. What got me moving was my doctor saying that I need to go on maintenance medication to get my triglycerides down - at age 39. That drove me nuts and I decided to take a 3 month membership. Never looked back and gradually increased from 3 days/week to 5 days/week. Whatever gets you motivated to start is great. I agree with Stl Bills - once you get over that initial hump, you will cruise. Tackle any potential mental excuses early on so they don't bother you in the long run. Remember, this is not a 1 week or 1 month deal - this is how you will want to lead the rest of your life. I used to think I am too tired to workout in the evenings after dinner. That turned out to be a BS excuse. I usually go between 8-8:30 pm and sometimes finish when they close at 10 pm. No tiredness, no nothing. If you are a morning person (which I am most definitely not), then workout in the morning before going to work. If late evenings is not possible, go to gym first before going home. There is not set prescription or timing - I emphasize do what works for you. I would think that a health scare like you mentioned would be the big one that inspires the so-called lazy ones to finally start going to a gym. I never fell into that category, but I knew I wasn't active enough, so I started going. Discounted rates through work helped too. One thing that definitely worked for me was finding a place either close to work or on the way home from work. Since it's on the way, it has become a part of my every day routine. If I was trying to go to a place close to home, I'm sure there would be plenty of days where I would say "screw it" and just head home instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extrahammer Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 It's impossible to gain 20 lbs of lean muscle with just protein. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 It's impossible to gain 20 lbs of lean muscle with just protein. \ Actually Jasper is correct here...... That is way too much to be lean muscle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kegtapr Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 can someone please give me the secret to motivating yourself to get my a$$ out of the house and to the gym on a regular basis?????? that is by far my biggest problem.... That's impossible, it's something you have to figure out for yourself. It takes a complete lifestyle change, or you'll end up in the same shape you are now. I had no motivation from about 24-29 years old. For me, it was a goal. I said I wanted to be in the best shape of my life when I turned 30. 2 months away from that date and I've already exceeded it. Now I never want to go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 This topic is definitely NOT gay. I workout with two primary goals - cardio to keep my weight & cholesterol down and strength training to just keep my body in shape. I have been working out for the last 3 years and before that I defined the word lazy. In this time, I have lost about 4 inches off my waist and about 10-14 pounds (less fat and more muscle which is denser so net weight loss is not very significant). Toughest area for me is the gut as I still don't have the flat tummy I am looking for. But I am far far away from where I was before in a good way. As for supplements, I take a 100% whey protein shake on the days I do strength training. Perhaps it is not enough, but have increased chicken and egg white consumption slightly compared to before. If you do lot of cardio (I do about 3 and half hours on elliptical every week), I suggest adding calcium also to keep the joints problem free. Do what works for you and don't force yourself into something people say 'must be done'. The key is to be consistent and intense to the point that you are sweating/panting/sore by the time you leave the gym. Set weekly targets for yourself which are moderate and meet/exceed them no matter what. It is amazing how much you can get done while still keeping up with your daily obligations. Over time, you will figure out how much you can handle on a weekly basis. Again, keep at it. Meet your targets, say Sunday -Saturday and repeat and repeat .... Good luck and don't give up - after a while working out becomes a part of your life you cannot do without. This topic is not gay. Referring to your abdomen as "tummy" on the other hand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 you gained 20 lbs of muscle in 6 months? really? Pretty much anyone who's willing to put in the work and stick with a disciplined diet can add 20 pounds of lean muscle in half that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve O Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 52 years old, been working out 5-10 times a week since the age of 12(yes, still do double sessions of cardio at least). A health teacher owned one of the gyms I belonged to, his advice on supplements was the best I've heard as well as the cheapest. Coffee or tea before you work out, caffeine works as well as an energy boost as any high dollared supplement. As far as getting motivated to work out if you are looking for a secret it just isn't going to happen. It is simply an unpleasant part of the day, kind of like getting out of bed at 5:30. Can't think about it, just have to do it. There's a reason its called working out, if it was fun it would be called drinking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Info Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 It's basically a balancing act. I'm not a big fan of supplementation because the stuff isn't regulated. Recently there was a big recall of Hydroxycut, which is a thermogenic product that burns fat. Apparently it also destroys your liver. Call me crazy for not buying the hype and keeping my liver. If you want to gain muscle make sure your daily intake is AT LEAST 1-1.5 grams of lean protein per pound of body weight. Since you're bulking, you need carbs as fuel so make sure you're close to the same range. Limit fat to less than 20% of your overall caloric intake. Ditto - excess protein is not only unnecessary, it is harmful. I am not going to put all of the links in here but there are plenty to look up - no more than 12-15% of your calories should be protein...the higher end if you are a professional athlete or in serious training. Excess protein can deprive an athlete of more efficient fuel and can lead to dehydration. High-protein diets increase the water requirement necessary to eliminate the nitrogen through the urine. I am doing some serious training right now for a triathlon and staying on top of my diet and can vouch for these recommendations as far as increasing & maintaining my muscle tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 can someone please give me the secret to motivating yourself to get my a$$ out of the house and to the gym on a regular basis?????? that is by far my biggest problem.... i have a gym membership since november, i have just been terribly inconsistent in going, plus I have no one to go with, and the equipment seems overwhelming at times and not sure what machines i should be using to get desired results.....lose fat and weight, and get some tone Just think about the money you're spending and not going. As for the other part, do they have trainers* available? Set up an appointment with one to show you how to use the equipment. *Some gym trainers are just gym rats that volunteer their time for a discount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayFinkle Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 can someone please give me the secret to motivating yourself to get my a$$ out of the house and to the gym on a regular basis?????? that is by far my biggest problem.... Get a trainer for the first thee months. When your paying, you'll show up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeFerguson Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 In terms of food, what do you eat? Do you eat the exact same thing everyday? First off you have to define your goals......then supplement and diet according to what you want to accomplish. If you are trying to get bigger you need to eat at least one gram of protein for every pound of body weight daily. I love Muscle Milk light because it taste great in addition to being low on calories. If you don't care as much for taste ABB makes ready to drink protein shakes that are 50grams of Protein and only 250 calories and are absolutely loaded with Vitamins. They don't taste horrible by any means but def. aren't as good at Muscle Milk light. I'll tell you what has worked best for me and what I take, I'm not huge either because in addition to lifting I'm also a big runner. Protein is just part of it, I also would reccomend taking an amino acid supplement....Protein is the building block for muscle but amino acids are the engine that drive the car. I'm 6ft 170lbs but I just recently reached my goal of doubling my body weight on bench and got 340lbs twice about a week ago. I take Before Workout (half an hour before) 2-3 scoops BSN NO Explode After workout 1 scoop BSN Cell-Mass for 12 week cycle during 6 week off cycle 10 grams of L-Glutamine Throughout the day I eat 6 meals (including protein shakes) and make sure I get 170-200 grams of protein a day GNC amino blast 2 times a day (morning and night) Multi Vitamin 2 times a day (morning and night) Fish and Flax Oil 2 times a day (morning and night) I eat a ton of fiber and veggies as well as a lot of fish and chicken, even a lot of lean beef and pork. (Beef gets a bad rap, its actually an awesome muscle builder). As far as your workouts go it all depends on what works for you. I know I'm an over-trainer, I just love to workout (don't care about how I look, too me its just a great stress reliever). You could pay for a trainer but they are overpriced IMO and with a little research and through a little trial and error (ask if you don't know, be safe) you'll be fine. Whatever you do don't buy Supplements at a store, buy them online and save a ton of money. I buy all mine here..... http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/index.html Good Luck! And in my experience Discipline and proper nutrition is much more important then the actual working out part, although its important as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in Chicago Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Get a trainer for the first thee months. When your paying, you'll show up. I have a couple of friends who went that route and got so burnt out by the trainers that they stopped going once the paid-up period was done. Like a diet, it has to be something that you can sustain forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drinkTHEkoolaid Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 i am by no means an expert but i literally posted this EXACT thread about 1-2 months ago and got some good feedback and advice. i have been working out lightly for about a month or so around february to get my body going and start getting my muscles used to being stressed again, and in the past 3 months (march-may)of moderate lifting (anywhere from 2-4 times a week i like to go as often as i can) i'm now 5'10 162 ish in 3 months of moderate lifting i have gained about 2lbs total body mass, along the way i have gained about 5lbs of lean muscle (so that means i have lost 3lbs or so of fat ), i have lowered my body fat ratio to about 8.8 % and i have my BMR metabolism up to about 1950 calories (increase of about 100 calories) i feel much stronger and can put up more than when i started. i am working now on increasing my frequency of workouts and for a longer duration, i am now trying to get up to 4 or 5x per week as my goal. as far as supplements i am on about 3-4g of creatine (depending on how big of a scoop i take) before work out, and also taking protein in the late morning or early afternoon 1x daily, and then on work out days another serving after lifting. i am also making an effort to eat healthier and foods with more/better protein. and i drink a fair amount of coffee and caffeine intake i think my next step if i get another supplement will be some type of amino acid (altough i am now on nitrotech and i think that has a bunch of aminos in it, i will have to double check) i'm pretty happy with my gains so far and as long as i can stay focused and build on my gains in 3 more months i should even have more gains that what i have had to this point. my workouts are becoming more intense and longer and i feel they are becoming much more productive, so i am staying motivated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevewin Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I personally have no interest in putting unregulated supplements in my body - the most I will ever do is straightforward whey protein - and I even stopped doing that. If you don't want to be a body builder and just want to be healthier, (IMO) a healthy diet should take care of any needs your body has. This should be required reading for people looking to supplements as magic potions http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...55395/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stl Bills Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 In terms of food, what do you eat? Do you eat the exact same thing everyday? No def. not, I just make sure I eat or take a shake about every two to three hours..... I eat a lot of fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, pork, oatmeal, veggies, fruit....etc. There's a lot you healthy variations you can make. Even when I'm really strict about getting toned up or dropping some excess fat from winter I still allow myself one "cheat meal" a week where I eat whatever I want. The key is to eat smaller portions more often to keep your metabolism up and running throughout the day, don't starve yourself just eat right. Like I said if I'm trying to build muscle though I'm making sure I eat about 150-200 grams of protein a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUFFALOTONE Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Pretty much anyone who's willing to put in the work and stick with a disciplined diet can add 20 pounds of lean muscle in half that time. You are saying you can add 20lb of lean muscle in 3 months? He said 6 which I thought was pretty far out there but you mean to tell me you could add 30lbs of lean muscle in 3 months? Are you training at BALCO? It is pretty much impossible without some form of "aide". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stl Bills Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 You are saying you can add 20lb of lean muscle in 3 months? He said 6 which I thought was pretty far out there but you mean to tell me you could add 30lbs of lean muscle in 3 months? Are you training at BALCO? It is pretty much impossible without some form of "aide". I could add 10 in three months no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUFFALOTONE Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I could add 10 in three months no problem. Ok buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peevo Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 Hey everybody on this topic has been really helpful! Thanks a lot. All in all, it seems the 1.0-1.5 grams/protein per pound of weight is a theme I've read many times over. This board and magazines/workout programs stress this as well. At 157 pounds, does that then mean I need to eat about 233 grams of lean protein a day? I pretty much have to step up my chicken/turkey/tuna intake, as well as as whey or something. I have heard that ridiculous tuna consumption can lead to mercury poisoning (seriously), but you'd have to eat a LOT of it to really see any negative effects. Basically, as some posters have made claims to motivation struggles, I've found a way to keep myself going to they gym about 5/6 times a week for about 3 months straight now. Only thing I can't keep disciplined is my nutrition, which is just as important. Its time to step it up. Thanks again everybody! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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