Losing my gut and getting fit

[R5D2]

Just want to post some details in an attempt to get some support over the next few months.

Situation:

I'm joining the military in September and need to get into the fittest shape I can possibly be in. I have quite an active social life and a couple of holidays booked for this summer.

Aims:

1. Lose my gut
2. Complete the Basic Fitness Test (1.5mile run) in 9min30s
3. Bulk up/Define to give a good body for the beach this summer

Plan:

I've been using a book off and on that has some great plans for military fitness. I'll be using a modification of the general plan for the next 16 weeks. The first 4 weeks looks like this:

Mon: 30mins Easy Run
Tue: 30mins Swim
Wed: 45mins Easy Run (Increasing in pace)
Thu: 30mins Swim / Gym circuit training
Fri: 30mins Easy Run (to 45 mins normal run from week 2)
Sat: Day Off
Sun: Hill Walking and 40mins Football match (soccer for those across the pond)

This routine will get progressively harder with each phase and the gym circuit training focuses mainly on upper body strength.

Also, if anyone can suggest an effective way of shifting weight from my midriff I'd be most appreciative. I haven't really stuck to this so far so I'm hoping that with a bit of support and motivation I'll be able to smash through my goals.

Cheers!

Update: Pics

Week 1

 

[Warboss Alex]

Losing fat = diet and cardio. it's not an effective way, it's the ONLY way unless you want to use drugs or liposuction. your workout is not helpful to building muscle but if it's just fat loss you're after it'll do.

 

[shaunuk]

You're gonna need to prioritize your goals, because your goals as they stand are gonna clash with each other. In your schedule, you have tons of cardio, most days of the week, yet at the same time you're wanting to gain muscle. Your heavy cardio will hinder your muscular gains *heavily*, because a) loads of calories will be burnt, b) your recovery will be fvcked with the heavy workload.

What's your *main* goal? (because you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, partly depending on how much fat you have right now). If you just wanna lose your gut, your cardio will do great, as long as your diet is reasonable. You may even wanna go a bit lighter on the cardio, btw

-shaun

 

[R5D2]

Well my main aim is to be fit for when I join up. As a by product this will mean losing my gut although looking at it I may struggle to develop muscle.

Perhaps if I do it in stages where I blast the cardio then build muscle, followed by another blast of running as the time to start training approaches.

 

[Warboss Alex]

An athletics-style lifting routine would be good for you along with proper nutrition.

 

[R5D2]

Weights circuit looks like this:

25 Press-Ups
20 Bench Press (or chest press depending on gym)
20 Dips
6 Chins (can't do anymore - would be good to know how to increase this)
30 Hyperextensions
12 Lat Pull-downs
12 Shoulder Press
20 Curls
15 Tricep Push Downs
Abs Routine

Do this twice but hoping to increase to 3 times per session

 

[BluEyes]

Depending on how big your gut is, don't be surprised if it takes the better part of a year to be completely satisfied with the results.

Also, I'd plug in another rest day there. Clean up your diet to suit your exercise and you don't really need 6 days a week.

I'd suggest something like this:
-----------
Mon: 35-40mins Easy Run
Tue: 35mins Swim / 5-10mins HIIT
Wed: 45mins Medium Run (Increasing in pace)
Thu: 35mins Swim / Gym circuit training
Fri: Day Off
Sat: Day Off
Sun: Hill Walking and 40mins Football match
-----------

Push yourself abit harder for 5 days instead of 6, and take it easy for two days.

Let's get this straight. If you want to see big changes to your body/shape, your going to have to do this for upwards of 6 months. That's 24 weeks. Working out 6 days a week is a good way to burn yourself out. Cut the workouts back to 5 days, and aim for consistency, intensity and quality, not quantity.

edit: why is hillwalking on a performance day?

 

[R5D2]

edit: why is hillwalking on a performance day?

Hillwalking is on a Sunday because its the only day off I get! Perhaps you're right with the 5 days thing, would be easier to stick to and gives me a couple of days to relax. Do you think it would give more benefits than going for all 6?

I've edited my original post to include a pic of my upper body as it is now so I can (hopefully) track progress over the next 16 weeks and gives people an idea of how large my gut is / where I want to improve.

Thanks for the response!

 

[mrRuckus]

your going to have to do this for upwards of 6 months. That's 24 weeks.

And 1/20 a decade!

 

[stevey_2000]

r5d2,

my workout schedule is almost exactly the same as your but i also run about 10km a week (sprinting), just keep eating clean and keep persisting with the protein shakes and you'll do fine...

doing that schedule i have put on over 2 stone (upto 177lbs) and down to 12% bodyfat so keep going but expect at least 6 months to see any results, just keep going buddy

 

[Fred Da Head]

Do you have your orders and whatnot to report for basic training (or whatever it's called over there; it varies by country), or are you in the process of joining?

Either way, if you pass the requirements to join, basic training will give you a kick in the behind and you'll get fitter. It might be unpleasant to say the least, and basic isn't designed to get you in shape, but you shouldn't worry too too much about it. You need to keep working your ass off so you don't struggle through the course, but the instructors should be smart enough to realize that if you're bigger, you simply can't be expected to run as fast as the twigs--but you might find yourself being a tank when it comes to ruck marches and whatnot. I know when I went through, I lost so much weight in just the first month that my own mother barely recognized me. Just keep at it.

Other than that... look up crossfit or anything by Stew Smith (ex-US Navy SEAL officer), it's good, mostly weight-less training basically designed from the ground up for the military.

 

[R5D2]

Thanks for the motivation guys, I'm on Day 3 of week one and not done my run today as I had a few pints last night and had a hang-over this morning, planning on doing a mini press-up/sit-up circuit tonight before bed just so I've got something done and have also vowed to cut down to max 4 drinks on a night out (enough to loosen up without over-doing it).

I report for the military phase at the beginning of Sept. That means I've got about 6 months beforehand so I want to be superfit, that way I can handle anything they throw at me. I've passed the officer selection board but my only let-down was my bleep test score (10.1) which should be higher, although it was in line with what in-service guys get in their yearly ones.

I will take a look at the Stew Smith stuff, just done a quick googlesearch and most of his stuff seem to be e-books to buy, I'm happy to buy a book but there are a few so a recommendation would be great, currently working with a book called "Fighting Fit - The Complete SAS Fitness Training Guide" by Adrian Weale.

 

[shaunuk]

Thanks for the motivation guys, I'm on Day 3 of week one and not done my run today as I had a few pints last night and had a hang-over this morning, planning on doing a mini press-up/sit-up circuit tonight before bed just so I've got something done and have also vowed to cut down to max 4 drinks on a night out (enough to loosen up without over-doing it).

Hm, although drinking ain't the best idea anyway, if you're gonna have a few drinks, it'd be better to have drinks with fewer carbs than beer/lager. For example, diet coke and vodka. Virtually no calories in the diet coke, and the alcohol calories in the vodka are processed differently to food calories, i.e. they're not generally stored as fat. (there's a study in a scientific journal about how alcohol calories are processed differently, ask me if you want it).

-shaun

 

[R5D2]

they're not generally stored as fat. (there's a study in a scientific journal about how alcohol calories are processed differently, ask me if you want it).

That sounds like quite an interesting read but don't go out of your way to send it as I'll have a browse on the net for more info. I'm trying to balance a social life and feel anti-social if I don't go out for a couple of pints every now and then. I can't drink Vodka anymore as I've had a few bad experiences so I'm sick everytime I have it now, I'm quite a fan of Jack and Coke or spiced rum like Morgans Spiced, any ideas if these are better?

I've been doing a little looking and noticed the push-up push workout that is designed to improve upper body strength. I'm not bad when it comes to push-ups however I need to improve on my pull-ups, so thinking of maybe adding this to my workout:

On ODD days: Do 200 pushups in as few sets as possible in addition to your regularly scheduled workout of cardio exercises. You can still do upper body workouts on these days if you are already on a program. This is a supplemental 200 pushups using maximum repetition sets (4 x 50, 8 x 25 ... it's your choice how you get to 200).

On EVEN days: Do 200 pushups throughout the day. This can be little sets of ten done every half hour or fifty pushups done four times throughout the day.

RULE: If your maximum is under 50 pushups, do 200 a day. If your maximum is above 75, do 300 pushups a day.

Repeat the ODD/EVEN routine for a total of 10 days. Then take three days off and do NO upper body pushing exercises that work the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Then on day 14, give yourself the pushup test (one or two minutes depending on your PFT). I would not recommend this workout more than once every six months, since it rather challenging on the same muscle groups repeatedly.



I have also checked out the BUDs Warning Order for the Navy SEALS and it has quite a comprehensive pre-course training plan that I'd like to try, works like:

Mon: Run & Pushup/Situp/Pullup Circuit
Wed: Run & Pushup/Situp/Pullup Circuit
Fri: Run & Pushup/Situp/Pullup Circuit

Combined with swimming 4-5 days a week and no running in the 3rd week to prevent stress fractures.

I'll prob do a combination of the ideas - a problem I've got is the pull-ups as there is nowhere around the house to do them, as a temporary measure I could use a broom handle suspended over two chairs although that looks a little unsteady and wouldn't be the best way to train for real pull-ups.

 

[mrRuckus]

Uh you can go out with your friends and not drink. It's allowed.