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Getting it!


vegan cm
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Hey, new to the forum, hello! I've recently re-committed to getting in great shape again. Up until a few years ago I was always active in soccer, cycling, trail running, etc. Family life with a young kid put a damper on that, and I found myself pretty out of shape. I'm 38, male, 5'-7", vegan 18 years. With my body type I'm 'fit' at 160 lbs. Around Thanksgiving this year I got to my heaviest, at 180, and decided to get back at it and make fitness a priority. So a few months ago I started hitting the gym regularly, cut out almost all of the beer (true Oregonian hop lover), and started spending more time on the bike and trails. Recently finished Robert's book Shred It!, and am totally dedicated to following it.

 

I do have a few general questions:

 

- My legs are naturally always very strong and bulky, partly from genetics, and also that most of my activities are leg-oriented. Since I don't need or frankly want my legs to get bigger, would it be stupid to just leave out leg days and just rely on usual sport activities to keep them in shape?

 

- I've been doing good keeping with a whole foods, roughly 70-15-15 diet, consuming about 2000 calories, about 45 minutes of cardio a day and 5 days of weight training a week - which based on my BMR of 1750, should be about right for losing fat if I'm understanding it... but after a month I've only lost about 4 pounds. I realize I'm likely gaining muscle, too, but I really should be quite a bit lighter, and just haven't seen any decrease in belly fat. Is this normal, or is there something else I should be doing?

 

Thanks, All!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi! Welcome back to the fitness lifestyle!

 

My opinion anyway..

 

- legs: cycling and hiking and running, etc obviously work your legs, I might suggest working in atleast some bodyweight squats and eventually some with light weights, if you go to the gym they'll have leg extension machines and all that. you can strength train with lighter weights that should keep additional bulk off. Doing something to work your legs/hips/knees in different directions can strengthen them to help avoid injury.....I'd not do a particularly dedicated leg day. You can work in combination exercises too...so say your doing some dumbell clean/press....feet should width apart, weights at your side...as you pull them up to position to do a should press, do a squat and as you stand up, press up through the shoulder press....as you lower the weights back to starting shoulder position, squat on the way down, repeat...stuff like that...

 

- calories and weight: Sounds like you're in the right zone as far as calories go. I suggest you add in a few more things to track your progress. Get a journal. Take some pictures from all angles in shorts, no shirt. Capture the 'before' as you are just today. Get someone to help take all your measurements and write them down...shoulders, chest, biceps, thighs, waist, hips, calves, etc.. Every few months, repeat....also, use how your clothes are fitting and how you look in the mirror after the shower. Yeah, muscle weighs more than fat, so as you're training, you'll drop non-functional body mass (fat) and replace it with muscle, so the scale can be deceptive. Another general rule I follow, but doing the above things, if you're getting stronger, but not seeing a reduction in BF, maybe try knocking down 5% of your calories, give it 2 weeks of same activity, and reassess. Robert also suggests doing your cardio 1st think in the morning before eating as you'll be in calorie deficient state....

 

Hope it helps....Maybe I'll think of a few other things and get back to you!

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