Gary

thanks you guys are a huge help. one more question if anybody can help me out. i am on an extremely low food budget. basically all i can afford for now is instant brown rice, cans of black beans, and bags of lentils. its the cheapest way i could find of getting protein and carbs. i usually just make a huge pot of it in the morning and eat it all day long. i take a vegan multivitamin and drink some soy milk and plenty of water. but this is my diet defined. is this lacking anything? other than variety i mean.

thank you all for the fast responses. i guess my main problem is finding my optimum calorie intake for maintaining muscle while losing fat. it almost seems like its so small of a window that if i change it at all it screws me all up. i either put on weight(but dont gain on my lifts?) or drop weight fast but get "skinny fat". i blame it on genetics. some of my friends eat completely unhealthy, never work out, and have leaner more muscular physiques. and the only reason im starting to think im overtraining is because my legs and lower back are so sore i can barely get out of bed. so ive been researching a lot on getting lean and ive decided to try HIIT cardio for 5 days or so a week instead of long endurance runs on the treadmill. thanks again guys

hi, recently ive kinda let myself go to put it lightly. im 6'0 175lbs but ive kinda got the chuck liddell belly going on if you know what i mean. i havent watched my diet(still vegan but not too healthy) in a while and ive always had a wider midsection than most of my friends. i just cant get the v going i always have flab around the midsection no matter how hard i work or diet. is it possible to get really lean and ripped looking with that kind of body type? im talking like brad pitt in fight club as my ideal body. im lifting 4 days a week and shooting to burn 800 calories a day on the treadmill 7 days a week unless i completely cant do it. to be honest id post a picture but i am really not comfortable with my body so maybe in a few weeks. just want some input on calories i should be eating a day and whether i am over or under training. thanks guys and gals

today i actually took some crappy vids of me doing squats. i made sure that i was going as deep as i possibly could. when i watched the video i noticed that my legs were only parallel to the ground at rock bottom. im pretty sure my form is right because i feel strong and comfortable while doing them. is this just my build? i noticed that if i go into a hindu type squat, i can go down until i touch the back of my calves. but i get no where near that in a regular squat. i would put the video up but it is really bad quality, too dark to really even see(ancient digital camera).

im looking for the cheapest possible protein powder. i dont really care what kind as long as its vegan. i take a soy protein which is 79 us dollars for 15 lbs. would like something even cheaper. i've been searching for pea proteins but i cant find any that are cheaper than what i have. thanks!

i know there are 2 different stances for deadlifting. i am a taller lankier guy with super long legs and conventional stance just hurts my back. is it ok if i just do sumo style or should i mix it up. sumo feels so much more natural and i noticed jonathan, who is way taller than i am does them this way in his vids. not that i will ever compete, but by chance that i do, is sumo style accepted?

that's a long way down. wow.

wow, i started the routine(changed a little bit to better accommodate my week) that you gave me jonathan. i've never done power cleans before, what a humbling experience. i basically just tried to get the movement down this week with 165 lbs. i am more sore than i have been in a long time. im excited. and its soreness and not pain like i have been feeling the last few months. time to eat like crazy and probably get fat haha. the one problem is my friend i lift with is going for complete opposite. he wants to lose fat and cut up, he's gotten soft over the years. it sort of conflicts with my workout. he's not vegan and he's clueless about exercise. after we lift he refuses to take a protein shake because it has "extra calories". ten minutes later he's drinking a soda and eating meat loaf. ugh frustrating. sorry for getting off topic by the way.

incredible man, i couldnt walk if i did what you do. awesome job.

yeah that seems to make more sense, maybe i will have some energy left for the rest of my day. one last question for you, how many warm up sets per exercise is good?

I have a problem. My bench is stuck, really badly and frustratingly stuck. I weigh around 170 lbs and I can put up 215 once . Right now i dont care at all about definition, i just want to build some upper body strength. i think a problem is my job. i handle heavy boxes for a living, most of the time i am pressing them above my head onto converyor belts. it really kills my shoulders and chest. i have been doing around 9 sets per body part, 2 body parts a day. monday through friday. is this too much? i feel exhausted. i eat as much as i can, but funds are a little dry as of late so rice and lentils are my meals. my friend that lifts with me is gaining fast on the same schedule but his job is not a physical one. any input is greatly appreciated because my lower body gains fast but my entire upper body is weak. thanks!

When your back snaps, do you ever get it looked at? That happened to me a few years ago when i deadlifted with very poor form. My friends had to lift me off the ground and into the car to go to the hospital. When i got an mri they said i had herniated discs in my lower spine. I am in pain everyday of my life, it doesnt feel like it has healed really at all. People talk to me like it's a problem that heals on it's own, but it hasn't for me. Hopefully yours heals and you can get back to squats and deadlifts soon!

thanks for the warm welcomes. as far as saturday's are concerned, i'm free all weekend so i could make it to maggie's. just let me know.

i think i take it pretty deep, im not sitting down or anything. when i first started lifting i would get to a certain point and my body could not balance the weight and i would literally topple over. luckily i never got hurt that way but it was embarrassing. i know now that i go way deeper and i dont have that problem anymore. ive never had anyone take a pic or video, but my friend says its parallel. its strange because my back is very unsteady while warming up but it sort of "sets in" after a few light sets. so then i can lift the heavier weights without much problem.

new stanton pa. its about 25 miles away from pittsburgh.