Weight loss and body building

[Big Dan]

Hi all,

I have read a few things on here, but I wanted to ask specifically about my situation.

I am currently 6ft1, and weigh 150kg. I'm a 40-42" waist, 50" chest. Most of my weight is my belly and man-tits, thats what I am most insecure about. I have very big muscular legs, not really much fat on them except on the inner thigh? Very strange to me.

I've been going to the gym for about 2 months now, and although everyone says I look thinner, and my clothes fit A LOT better, I haven't really lost much weight. I aim to body build, not powerlift. I'm doing this for fitness and to look (and feel) better.

I started doing 30 minutes cardio, and 30 minutes weights, but quickly built that up to 50 minutes cardio and 30 minutes weights.

This is my gym routine;
10 minutes on rower - usually achieve 2100 - 2200 metres.
10 minutes cycling
10 minutes again on rower, although usually only get about 2050-2100 metres.
20 minutes on cross trainer

Then weights (i stick to the machines mainly)
leg press 2x10 reps of 260kg
leg curl, 3x15 reps of 70kg
leg extension 3x15 reps of 50kg
Bench press 70kg, 3x15 reps (thats on the machine, when using free weights I can only manage 3 or 4 sets of 5 reps).
Shoulder press 2x15 40kg
And then this other machine, unsure of its name. It works the lat dorsi and biceps, sat upright pulling a bar down from above head in front of your chest
I do 3x15 reps of 130kg on that
EDIT: I just googled that last machine, I believe it is a Lat Pull Down

And some sit ups to finish off.

So, my questions to you are;
1. Am I going about this the right way?
2. What can I improve?
3. Why am I looking as if i've lost weight, but the scales say I haven't?

Lastly, I am trying to lose a lot of weight, and also build muscle. I want to look more normal, I want to be big and strong, but not fat.

So, should I be going all out cardio to lose all the weight, and then start building muscle? Or can I carry on as I am doing both at the same time?


As you can all see, I'm very confused and although i've done a lot of reading, I don't feel I know as much as I should. Most articles don't seem to be aimed at big guys like me.

EDIT: Also, I'm very interested in taking up boxing or similar. Do you think this will help me achieve my goals?

[RichMcGuire]

I don't think cardio is worth much. Especially someone at your size. It burns minimal calories and only while you do the activity. Far too many people over eat what they burned because it spikes their hunger. I think a better approach would be metabolic weight training. This would burn calories and also increase your metabolism. You could try complexes... something like:

Dead lift 3 x 10-12
pushups 3 x 20
bulgarian split squats 3x10-12
one arm dumbell row 3x10-12

Do these non stop, one right after another. If you're at a busy gym, you may have to snag a couple dumbells and keep them near your bench and barbell for deadlifts. After all that, rest 60 seconds, and repeat until youve done everything 3 times.

Try that and I can guarantee youll feel way more than you ever did on a treadmill. Still, after you're done, feel free to jump on one... but I suspect youll be wiped out if you did it properly. Feel free to change movements around as long as they emphasize total body musculature.

Above all else.. nothing will matter unless your diet is set up correctly. So if youre not losing, youre doing something wrong here.

[r2473]

I am currently 6ft1, and weigh 150kg. I'm a 40-42" waist, Most of my weight is my belly

At a weight of 330 lbs., height of 73 inches, and a waist of 40 inches, I would suspect you have a bf% of less than 10%.

Using this calculator, if we use 40" for your waist and assume that your iliac is 38" (it is going to be less than your waist) and your hips are 44", your bf% comes out to be 7%!!!!!

http://www.weightrainer.net/circbf.html

Even if we change your waist to 42", your iliac to 40", and your hips to 46", you still only have 12.3% bodyfat.

Even if we say that the calculaotor isn't 100% accurate, you are still going to be in very good condition if it is off by 5%. Especially if your waist is 40".

You don't need to lose weight. You are a beast!!!!!!!!!

[RichMcGuire]

At a weight of 330 lbs., height of 73 inches, and a waist of 40 inches, I would suspect you have a bf% of less than 10%.

Using this calculator, if we use 40" for your waist and assume that your iliac is 38" (it is going to be less than your waist) and your hips are 44", your bf% comes out to be 7%!!!!!

http://www.weightrainer.net/circbf.html

Even if we change your waist to 42", your iliac to 40", and your hips to 46", you still only have 12.3% bodyfat.

Even if we say that the calculaotor isn't 100% accurate, you are still going to be in very good condition if it is off by 5%. Especially if your waist is 40".

You don't need to lose weight. You are a beast!!!!!!!!!

At 7% bf, hed have over 300 lbs of lbm. Hed be stepping on stage next to jay cutler. The fact that he said he carries a lot in his gut and said he has man tits means this is clearly not the case. Somethings off. Otherwise pics plz.

[Whoopipally]

Pics or it didnt happen.

[Cards]

Gentlemen, we have our self a new professional body builder on the forum.

[Big Dan]

Lol, I'm DEFINATELY not a professional body builder lmao.

I've just took a few pics to show. Not done anything this embarrassing in a while!!

http://i.imgur.com/2kCf8.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/67cah.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0VKz1.jpg

I've been recording all my food for the past 4 weeks if anyone is interested enough to look at that! lol


Thank you for the help and interest so far gents

[Songsangnim]

At a weight of 330 lbs., height of 73 inches, and a waist of 40 inches, I would suspect you have a bf% of less than 10%.

Using this calculator, if we use 40" for your waist and assume that your iliac is 38" (it is going to be less than your waist) and your hips are 44", your bf% comes out to be 7%!!!!!

http://www.weightrainer.net/circbf.html

Even if we change your waist to 42", your iliac to 40", and your hips to 46", you still only have 12.3% bodyfat.

Even if we say that the calculaotor isn't 100% accurate, you are still going to be in very good condition if it is off by 5%. Especially if your waist is 40".

You don't need to lose weight. You are a beast!!!!!!!!!

Those types of calculators tend to be way off..especially if someone is very overweight or exceptionally muscular. They only provide estimates which can be far off the mark if someone falls into certain categories like the two above.

I don't get the snarky remarks based on an unreliable method of measuring bodyfat.

To the OP.

To lose weight you must eat less. All the workouts and cardio in the world will not do much good if you are overeating. Don't go to extremes and only eat 1000 calories a day (as this will cause muscle loss as well as fat). But it is good that you are recording your food intake, that is a necessary first step.

To answer your questions.

1. Not really. I'd work into complexes as said above.

2. See diet and training advice above.

3. You may be losing fat but gaining muscle. Since muscle is denser than fat (it looks smaller) it can look if you have lost weight...but weight the same. In any event trust the mirror more than the scales.

One caveat to all the above. If you ARE losing bodyfat though...keep on doing what you are doing.

[RichMcGuire]

Lol, I'm DEFINATELY not a professional body builder lmao.

I've just took a few pics to show. Not done anything this embarrassing in a while!!

http://i.imgur.com/2kCf8.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/67cah.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0VKz1.jpg

I've been recording all my food for the past 4 weeks if anyone is interested enough to look at that! lol


Thank you for the help and interest so far gents

Hopefully r2473 was being sarcastic..otherwise he will feel silly

[RichMcGuire]

I've been recording all my food for the past 4 weeks if anyone is interested enough to look at that! lol


Thank you for the help and interest so far gents

Why dont you post it for us? Besides your workout, this could be an issue.

[Big Dan]

Hi again, here is my food record of the last 4 weeks. Yes, there are a few treat days, but its a hell of a lot less than I used to eat (at times I could have eaten 3 or 4 take aways a week :/


----------------------------------------
Week 1 - 9th to 15th April
Monday
Branflakes
Cheese sandwich (brown bread)
Walkers crisps (120 kcal)
Choc easter lolly 35g
Beans on toast
4x choc biscuits (97kcal each)

Tuesday
Red bull
Orange yoghurt
Tiny choc egg
Egg mayo sandwich + Walkers crisps 120kcal
9" pizza 840 kcal
Low fat lemon mousse

Wednesday
Red bull
Corner yoghurt
Cheese sandwich (2x brown bun)
2 x walkers crisps (120 each)
Tin baked beans with 2 brown rolls

Thursday
Branflakes
Turkey sandwich (2x brown bun)
Walkers crisps 120 kcal
Cheese+jam sandwich 2xbrown bun
Slim fast shake (300 kcal)

Friday
Branflakes
Turkey sandwich 2x brown baps
Walkers crisps 120 kcal
1 hashbrown

Saturday
Sausage butty 2 sausage, brown brd
Scrambled egg on toast
Banoffee yoghurt (163 kcal)
Chicken sandwich, brown
1 toast brown
*** got stoned *** Doritos, dip, some chocolate, some biscuits

Sunday
Chicken sandwich
700 kcals leftover chocolate
Ham baguette
Yoghurt (200 kcal)

----------------------------------------

Week 2 - 16th-22nd April

Monday
Strawberry corner yoghurt
Ham baguette
Scrambled egg on toast
Corner yoghurt

Tuesday
Branflakes
Ham baguette
Pasta bolognese

Wednesday
Strawberry corner yoghurt
Chk tikka brown roll (canteen)
Steaks (4 small thin ones)

Thursday
Strawberry amore yoghurt
Small bowl pasta bolognese
Bagel
Cherry corner yoghurt
2 small fillet steaks
Strawberry amore yoghurt
Strawberry sundae thing 188 kcals

Friday
2 bagels
Steak 250g, beans, 2 bread

Saturday
Bagel
Tin of beans, 2 bread
3 chicken breast
1/3 cheesecake (bout 800 kcals!! Not worth it at all)

Sunday
2 bagels
500ml pure apple juice
Chicken pasta (735 kcal)
Maltesers 187 kcal
3 chk breast, brown roll

----------------------------------------

Week 3 - 23rd-29th April

Monday
2 bagels
2 chicken breasts with baked beans
Scrambled egg on toast

Tuesday
Scrambled egg on toast
Jam + cheese sandwich
1/2 egg cress sandwich 140 kcal
Banana
1/2 ham baguette

Wednesday
1 bread 1 slice ham
Breakfast triple (595 kcal)
2 weight watchers yog (210 kcal)
Pasta+4meatballs,3slice garlic brd

Thursday
2 brown toast
Branflakes
Pasta and 4 meatballs
2 chicken sandwich rolls

Friday
2 toast
Chicken tikka sandwich
9" garlic bread cheese
9" thin meat feast pizza
Donner in pitta
Dominos cookies
Half tub ben+jerrys

Saturday
Ham roll
Ham roll
Cheese roll
2 toast
500ml tub of ben and jerrys (1150)

Sunday
Scrambled egg on toast
Beans+ sausage on toast
Ham and crisp sandwich

Week 4 - 30th April - 6th May
Monday
3 toast
Chicken pasta (700 kcal)
Yorkie bar
Milky bar buttons (165 kcal)
Sausage beans on toast

Tuesday
Strawberry corner yoghurt
2 hash brown
Bagel
Egg and cheese brown roll canteen
Sausage mash beans

Wednesday
2 corner yoghurts
Coronation chicken brown roll
Ham sandwich
4 toast

Thursday
1 toast
Chicken pasta 700 kcal
bacon cheese burger
Chips
Strongbow
Choc brownie mcflurry

Friday
Half bowl cereal
Chk pasta 700 kcal
2x red bull (113 kcal each)
4 white rolls
2 chk breast
Baked beans
5 biscuits 131 kcal each

Saturday
Scrambled egg (4) and 2 rolls
1 chk breast with baked beans
Tomato soup 2 small rolls
Pack of maryland cookies

Sunday
Bagel
Chicken pasta 700 kcal
Chicken/donner kebab
9" garlic bread w/ cheese


----------------------------------------

And I'm on week 5 now. Thanks again for the help gents

[RichMcGuire]

Your diet looks pretty damn low in Calories..especially for someone your size. People might think you're in "starvation mode" but still, youd drop significant weight before anything slowed down too much...especially someone at your weight. Personally, I don't think the whole calories in vs calories out works for everyone..even though it should. I dont know why. Maybe its a counting issue. Maybe its metabolic changes.. whatever the case. But I can say this: By adding more protein to your diet and replacing some of those carbs like pasta and bagels with green veggies like green beans, youll probably see better results along with the complexes from above. Personally, I think you need more protein.

Out of curiosity, have you lost more weight within this recorded 4 weeks? If so, leave it alone.

[Big Dan]

Thats whats strange, causing my confusion. My clothes felt better, have had to cut a new hole in my belt, and a t-shirt that hadn't fit in over a year now fits.

But weight has stayed, pretty much exactly the same... Meh, I dunno. I'm 150kg now, I'll weigh myself again on June 1st and see what happens :S

Thanks for your help everyone. I'll post back in a month

[RichMcGuire]

Good idea. As song said, you may just be replacing fat with muscle so that could explain that. If you stop losing, try what I mentioned. At your weight, simply making small changes should work. Also, keep in mind, people over 300 lbs often have to lose like 50 lbs to really see a difference. Ever see biggest loser? But if clothes are fitting better and people are saying youre looking thinner, you must be doing something right. If you havent lost another 4 lbs or so in a couple weeks from now, you need to re-evaluate things though in my opinion. You should be able to lose fat at a rate that goes beyond muscle gains.

[Big Dan]

Yeah Rich, thats what I was thinking. I can't see myself building up muscle as fast as losing weight - but who knows.
I've noticed (something i'm extremely pleased about) my traps have built substantially, and legs have really toned up.

Now just want to beef up chest and arms, try and develop better shape and stature!

[r2473]

Those types of calculators tend to be way off..especially if someone is very overweight or exceptionally muscular. They only provide estimates which can be far off the mark if someone falls into certain categories like the two above.

I don't get the snarky remarks based on an unreliable method of measuring bodyfat.

The calculator is as accurate as your measurements. I am the same height as the OP. I got up to 260 lbs. and was just under 30% bodyfat. I confirmed this as being pretty darn accurate with a bod pod test.

My point wasn't necessarily to be snarky. It was to suggest that the OP may not be measuring properly. Just hard to believe that a guy weighing 330 lbs. has a 40" waist. Mine was 45" or 46" as I recall when I weighed 260.

[JacobH]

I agree with the others. Since you were completely untrained going into this it's likely you have just been losing some fat while adding a little bit of muscle. But looking at your diet it is incredibly strange you aren't dropping weight FAST. You need more protein in there, it will only help your body composition.

[Big Dan]

Exactly, thats what I was thinking. Hoping to lose 6 stone by Christmas!

I'm thinking of subbing some of the carbs for protein shakes. Are they filling?

[RichMcGuire]

Exactly, thats what I was thinking. Hoping to lose 6 stone by Christmas!

I'm thinking of subbing some of the carbs for protein shakes. Are they filling?

Yea. Sometimes I find it easier to eat less by simply drinking a protein powder mixed with water before a meal. You usually end up eating less of the bad stuff.

[MuscleMind]

A protein shake is quick and easy way to get protein to your muscles. If you drop a feel carb meals you need to do it drastically so its not a shock to your metabolism.

[Rajojone]

It is the natural thing that wherever the fats in the body always create a lot hindrance to make the muscles or any part of body turn into strong state so necessary thing to remove the fats by taking very intensive treatment to reduce the fats in order to produce the great power while taking gym.

[Spartian]

At a weight of 330 lbs., height of 73 inches, and a waist of 40 inches, I would suspect you have a bf% of less than 10%.

Using this calculator, if we use 40" for your waist and assume that your iliac is 38" (it is going to be less than your waist) and your hips are 44", your bf% comes out to be 7%!!!!!

http://www.weightrainer.net/circbf.html

Even if we change your waist to 42", your iliac to 40", and your hips to 46", you still only have 12.3% bodyfat.

Even if we say that the calculaotor isn't 100% accurate, you are still going to be in very good condition if it is off by 5%. Especially if your waist is 40".

You don't need to lose weight. You are a beast!!!!!!!!!

What the fuck are you on??

Listen to Rich OP. He knows his stuff.

[Big Dan]

Cheers mate

Yeah, I've been wary of taking lots of advice as there are those on here that seem to know fuck all and presume everything.

I agree though, Rich does seem to know his stuff! Thanks

[BULK_BOY]

I agree though, Rich does seem to know his stuff!

He does. Really.

Congrats on the progress. Keep at it.

[kimberlymitchel]

I can definitely help. Forget weight loss products/supplements. What you need is a clean diet, a good workout routine and hard work and dedication. That's what it's going to take.

You need to start eating more lean protein like chicken and fish along with lots of green veggies. This should be the main staple in your diet. Stay away from junk and processed food. Drink plenty of water and no soda or fruit juice.

If you want more free healthy advice, please check out my youtube channel below. I have healthy recipes, workouts and diet tips, all free advice! link below.