Gym or p90x

[Quiksilver]

I am thinking about going on a cutting phase due to the jealousy of seeing all these people at 6-8% while I am in my teens

That's a very bad idea man... If you're a novice lifter, then take the high road and pack on 20-40lbs of muscle first.

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About counting calories, I'd say do it for a week, then forget about it. I don't count calories either.. not because I don't care, but because I already did my time with the measuring cup and reading the labels. I know roughly how many calories I take in a day now without even thinking about it, so while I don't feel like being anal anymore, I'm not ignorant either.

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And about the beef/veggies thing, it really can't get more speciifc than that. Here's exactly what I used to eat in my final HS year.

Every night I'd cook up 400g of ground beef, and make 4 different servings of vegetables(1 carrots, 1 green pepper, 1 large handful of spinach, 1 tomato). Divide the 400g of beef into 4 equal portions and toss each portion into a ziplock baggie. Same with the veggies, each vegetable went into different baggie(sometimes i mixed them).

Then, I put all 8 baggies(4 meat/4 veggie) into a big lunch box and put it in refrigerator. Next morning I threw an icepack in it and toss it in trunk of car. Go to school, and between each class I ate 1 baggie of meat and 1 baggie of veggies.
At breakfast I ate 6 eggs, 1 cup of oats, mug of green tea, and 1L of water.
At dinner I ate chicken, oats, and veggies.

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These days I cook for 4 days at a time. I buy 2kg of ground beef and 1kg of diced meats. 36 eggs. 10 tomatoes, 2 onions, and 3 other random vegetables. A jar of tomato paste.

Make two trays of chili with it all, and refrigerate it. Each day I eat half a tray of it, so thats 2-3 meals. Other meals I eat the eggs, oats, and some fruit.

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That's about as specific as I care to get about my diet Hopefully u understand that while it looks complicated, it isn't once you get started on it. Keep in mind though that I have put in the nitty-gritty paper work for all of it so I know exactly how many calories each meal is, and how many calories I'm getting daily. If I'm looking a little smooth and could lose a couple kgs, I tweak my cardio and lower my calories a little bit, and that sorts everything out.

I think the key is that I'm not scrambling around in the dark, I know myself now and what needs tweaking to get results. So a good start for you would be to get to know yourself by busting ass in the gym for a long time, counting calories for a few weeks, and putting in your time on the treadmill(or other form of cardio). Once you get to know your body, it'll be really easy to achieve your goals.

cheers

 

[j0n024]

I see....

ok due to the fact that I only have been going to the gym for 6 months and of that 6 months I used 2 months to work on my form I suppose I will keep going till a full year then see what I can do to change up my routine.

I suppose I will go out tonight and check out what I can buy for low cal meals and check labels.

 

[Being_the_Don]

Drop the leg press and other machines, they're just stupid. Secondly, look up a proper training routine like Rippetoe's Starting Strength on the web. It's meant for beginners and there's no reason you shouldn't use it.

There's nothing wrong with the leg press.

 

[Captain Harlock]

There's nothing wrong with the leg press.

except that it's inferior to the squat as a leg excercise.

 

[Being_the_Don]

except that it's inferior to the squat as a leg excercise.

Squats work the whole body which does make them better than leg presses which focus on the legs. The thing is that you called those exercises stupid. Machines tend to tone a person whereas free weights build strength and mass. It depends on what a person wants to accomplish. And even if a person wants to build strength there's nothing wrong with alternating between the squat and leg press because it will keep your body guessing.

 

[Kerpal]

Machines tend to tone a person whereas free weights build strength and mass.

 

[Being_the_Don]

And this is because...?

 

[Mr. Red]

Bike isn't bad for you. P90X is okay, but nothing beats the gym for gaining bulk muscle.

 

[Quiksilver]

Cycling is far from bad for you, but the criticism of it is that if you're on a lifting program with heavy squats and a lot of load on your quads/hamstrings through the week, that cycling will just fatigue the muscle and slow down recovery time.

 

[j0n024]

....I see.

I just took a novice bmi test and my results are

Body Fat...14.9
BMI: 26.4

So I DEFINITELY have some work to doe, the good thing is I do look pretty decent at this bmi (This is coming from a guy that use to eat HORRENDOUSLY think ....middle school/high school low self-esteem ...at home on friday watching cartoons and always a pizza in tow)

I've gotten better so I will continue my journey to the coveted time where I like where my body is at until then I will keep pushing my body.

Thanks for the info on the bike, I read in the vault that bike was bad for your knees.

 

[Captain Harlock]

And this is because...?

machines don't 'tone' your muscles, that's what a diet does. Machine work the same as free weights, except that they don't stimulate nearly as much muscle fibers.

 

[TheSplat]

machines don't 'tone' your muscles, that's what a diet does. Machine work the same as free weights, except that they don't stimulate nearly as much muscle fibers.

Exactly. Nothing will get you bigger and more injury proof than free weights.

 

[j0n024]

Ok I have decied instead of cutting I am going to be super strict with my diet and only cheat on Saturday.

Today I went and bought some more Tuna, Grilled chicken, and some new beef stuff with lots of veggies that I can steam.

I am still learning but I need help on getting bigger muscles.

Do I get bigger muscles by just eating more protein daily and work out ?

Oh and another question....

Is yogurt good to eat?

And I know white bread is bad but is it acceptable?

 

[WC2]

Ok I have decied instead of cutting I am going to be super strict with my diet and only cheat on Saturday.

Today I went and bought some more Tuna, Grilled chicken, and some new beef stuff with lots of veggies that I can steam.

I am still learning but I need help on getting bigger muscles.

Do I get bigger muscles by just eating more protein daily and work out ?

Oh and another question....

Is yogurt good to eat?

And I know white bread is bad but is it acceptable?

The more lean protein and healthy carbs you eat, the more muscle you will pack on. The more you tear down your muscles, the faster they will grow. 8 hours of rest a night is mandatory if you're going to be going balls to the walls also. Multivitamin lastly is a must.

Also keep in mind cutting has nothing to do with your routine, but your diet. When you go on a 'cut' it doesn't mean you switch your routine up, just eat healthier and less fats.

Fat free natural yogurt is OK. Shoot for something more like cottage cheese (you can get the kind with fruit).

As for bread, keep it to a minimum anyways. Get used to whole wheat bread. Once you start eating it, you'll start to like it better than white.

 

[Quiksilver]

Ok I have decied instead of cutting I am going to be super strict with my diet and only cheat on Saturday.

Today I went and bought some more Tuna, Grilled chicken, and some new beef stuff with lots of veggies that I can steam.

I am still learning but I need help on getting bigger muscles.

Do I get bigger muscles by just eating more protein daily and work out ?

Oh and another question....

Is yogurt good to eat?

And I know white bread is bad but is it acceptable?

At your level, you'll get results by keeping calories around maintenance with an emphasis on high protein and healthy eating, and working out with compound lifts and progressive overload(keep upping the weight).

You won't notice the difference of eating/not eating a couple slices of white bread a day and shouldn't stress about it, as long as you aren't binging on the whole loaf Obviously if you're on a low-no carb diet then its unacceptable but there's no reason to do that just yet.

Great work with the shopping! cant go wrong with chicken tuna and red meat.

As for strictness, aim for 90% compliance. Reward yourself for a successful week, etc. When I'm struggling with discipline, I use a points system where a workout/cardio session/day of good eating are each worth 1 point, so if i earn 12+/15 points thru the week, reward myself with a few beers and bowl of nachos and cheese

Do whatever you have to do to eat well and lift hard, don't worry about the minute details till you have to.

 

[j0n024]

Thanks for the info guys.

I know that cutting is about calorie intake I was just saying that since I was thinking about cutting I decided against it and just clean up my diet instead.

Thanks quick for the info as well...

I dont eat massive amounts of white bread but for the tuna and stuff like that I do that's why I asked. I've started to eat oatmeal and feel good about myself since I never tried t before and had a disdain about the stuff.

 

[j0n024]

I know I think that's the bad part about it, I want to see results now..hahaa. It's only the second day that I eat healthy and I want to see a dramatic decrease in fat already.

I have the strength to continue and have the dedication to reach my goal just the diet seems boring, I LOVE going to the gym...the feeling of pushing your body and feeling your body get tired yet you want more just feels so good.

The diet is coming along....today a couple of friends were going to my favorite restaurant (Its a place where they serve the BEST quesidiellas and they are BIIIG) But I refused and ate 2 chicken patties instead.

Thanks guys I will update when I need more information.

Oh is taking creatine good? I use to take some "Amplified 189 capsules," From GNC and felt pretty strong but once it ran out I started to lose my strenght(Actually started getting pissed at myself since I couldnt lift what I wrote down anymore)

I ordered some from true protein and was wondering if and how I take it....do I really need to saturate myself that much when I get it?

 

[Being_the_Don]

machines don't 'tone' your muscles, that's what a diet does. Machine work the same as free weights, except that they don't stimulate nearly as much muscle fibers.

I ran this question by a PT who works at my gym and he said that machines are used for toning exercises. But he favors free weights and recommends them for building strength and muscle.

 

[j0n024]

I have another question ..

What do I eat at night when I get hungry?

I know not to eat super big but I am super hungry at nights and dont know what to eat...I thought eating carbs at night was bad so that goes lots of choices just need some input....

 

[WC2]

I have another question ..

What do I eat at night when I get hungry?

I know not to eat super big but I am super hungry at nights and dont know what to eat...I thought eating carbs at night was bad so that goes lots of choices just need some input....

Cottage cheese is one of the best things to eat at night.

It has slow digesting proteins so it lasts through your sleep.