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Some help needed on a 5x5 plan as well as some advice.


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Hello folks thanks to your advice i have transformed from this

 

here is a pic from feb 2008

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v471/phillipeb/021808/Picture133.jpg

 

and a pic from about a month ago or so.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v471/phillipeb/Picture216.jpg

 

Now a few things i have realized going through my photos, it is only in the last two months that i have gained some serious fat, and this happened when i switched from a

 

1x6 strategy to a 3x12.

 

I am currently in a cutting phase so i am not interested as of yet to change my program, but after the new year i am thinking of getting intense with my workout,

 

perhaps doing a 5x5. the issue here becomes more so what do i workout and how many exercises per day to do.

 

Also i find it hard to not gain fat over something like 2300 calories a day. I just seem to pile on about 2-3 lbs of fat a month like that. So i am thinking of keeping my 25 minute intense eliptical workout that purns 600 calories two times a week. Since i am rather new to exercising i have not really wanted to pick up a program like the 5x5 but at this point i am thinking it may be one of the only ways to gain muscle without gaining a lot of fat which is important to me. But i worry that the nutrition is not there for that level of work.

 

Thoughts?

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Now a few things i have realized going through my photos, it is only in the last two months that i have gained some serious fat, and this happened when i switched from a

1x6 strategy to a 3x12.

I am currently in a cutting phase

Wait... exactly what kind of program were you doing, and exactly what are you doing now? How much do you weigh now, and what are some weights you're using on the basic exercises?

 

after the new year i am thinking of getting intense with my workout,

perhaps doing a 5x5. the issue here becomes more so what do i workout and how many exercises per day to do.

Starting Strength is an excellent program. It's "only" 3x5, not counting warm-up sets, but it's plenty.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_beginner/starting_strength_the_guide

 

Also i find it hard to not gain fat over something like 2300 calories a day. I just seem to pile on about 2-3 lbs of fat a month like that.

Something's seriously wrong, then. Either your macronutrients are off (too much fat? too many carbs? too many carbs at the wrong time of day?) or you're "accidentally" eating way more calories than you think you are.

 

So i am thinking of keeping my 25 minute intense eliptical workout that purns 600 calories two times a week.

20-30 minutes of cardio a few times per week should be fine for keeping fat gains to a minimum. If you decide to go with Starting Strength, which calls for three days of lifting, do the cardio on your off days.

 

Also, don't pay any attention to the "calories burned" readout on machines. Even if you enter your bodyweight beforehand, they're notoriously inaccurate. Go for time, and monitor your intensity. It should leave you sweating and breathing hard, but not dead tired.

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I think it is your diet that is the culprit.

If you can post what you are eating on average we will be able to help you out a bit more.

Many different training programs will give you results, provided you are consistent and listen to your body.

If you were to go to a 5x5 program I would suggest splitting your bodyparts over two workouts and just do 1, or at the most 2 exercises per bodypart and train 3 times per week.

The routine would carry over into the following week but when you do each workout is not as important as getting enough rest to recover from a strenuous routine like this.

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Hello thanks guys for the offers of help. I tend to agree with you. I think my diet is too carb centric.

 

 

Recipe Ingredients Qty x Measure name for

Beans, pinto, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt

2.0 x 1 cup (171g)

Cereals, oats, regular and quick and instant, not fortified, dry [oatmeal, old-fashioned oats, rolled oats]

1.0 x 1 cup (81g)

Gemma Pea Protein Isolate non-GMO

3.0 x Custom Food (30g)

organic whole wheat pasta shells

2.0 x Custom Food (56g)

Rice, white, medium-grain, raw, enriched

1.0 x 1 cup (195g)

Seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds, whole, roasted, without salt

1.0 x 1 cup (64g)

Soymilk (All flavors), enhanced

1.0 x 1 cup (243g)

 

i ate this or a very close variation of this per day. substituting one source of fat, like nuts or peanut butter. Also i had about one serving of vegetables per day as well as generally a fruit serving in my oatmeal(bananas or apples). I chose this diet as it was the cheapest i could use to maintain the right amount of calories:

 

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3137/3114696742_29769c455a.jpg

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I would remove the Rice and Pasta and replace them with Veggies.

I am like you, I can put fat on, eating around 2300 calories a day, particularly when I'm eating a lot of processed carbs.

I try and eat 5-6 servings of fruit or vegetables a day.

Also trying and vary the amount that you eat in a day, so that the average is 2300.

One day eat 2000 calories, then next 2600 etc, it helps metabolism.

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perhaps doing a 5x5. the issue here becomes more so what do i workout and how many exercises per day to do.

Starting Strength is an excellent program. It's "only" 3x5, not counting warm-up sets, but it's plenty.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_beginner/starting_strength_the_guide

 

I realized while reading your responses that i spazzed out and i wrote the wrong thing. I mean i was thinking about doing a 5 day split

 

Something's seriously wrong, then. Either your macronutrients are off (too much fat? too many carbs? too many carbs at the wrong time of day?) or you're "accidentally" eating way more calories than you think you are.

 

I think it is too many carbs. I went for cheap amount spent on maximum calories since my caloric intake before working out was around 1800-2100 or so on a splurge day. Also, I use to be 275lbs, so it seems as though fat just adds more quickly to my body when ever i eat in excess of what i need. If muscles have memory im assuming my fat has a vindictively mean memory.

 

20-30 minutes of cardio a few times per week should be fine for keeping fat gains to a minimum. If you decide to go with Starting Strength, which calls for three days of lifting, do the cardio on your off days.

I agree i think im going to keep the cardio on the off days. I enjoy it anyways since i have a bit of asthma and that 20-25 minutes of cardio really help me expand my lungs. Generally i sweat profusely and have to think about controlling my breathing so i dont forget to take a metered breath, something i learned as a kid when i did cross country.

 

thanks for the help.

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I would remove the Rice and Pasta and replace them with Veggies.

I am like you, I can put fat on, eating around 2300 calories a day, particularly when I'm eating a lot of processed carbs.

I try and eat 5-6 servings of fruit or vegetables a day.

Also trying and vary the amount that you eat in a day, so that the average is 2300.

One day eat 2000 calories, then next 2600 etc, it helps metabolism.

 

Hey Chris thanks for the advice. The problem is to replace those two things is actually around 800 calories your saying i should get from fruits and veggies? That is rather expensive, since i only eat organic fruits and vegetables.

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Hey Chris thanks for the advice. The problem is to replace those two things is actually around 800 calories your saying i should get from fruits and veggies? That is rather expensive, since i only eat organic fruits and vegetables.

 

Yeah I can understand that.

Only things I can suggest are to,

1. Buy what is in season - tends to be cheaper

2. Buy in Bulk - getting a group together or joining a co-op make things a lot cheaper.

I spend a lot of money on food, but I guess I am use to it by now. I guess I see it as a necessary evil.

 

An alternative would be to replace the pasta and rice with stuff like baked beans and lentils

These are super cheap, a good source of protein etc, and not overly refined.

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