Need some advice

[Ahchu]

I've been reading the forums for a bit, and decided to post. I figure I throw out my dilemma and have other people critique it.




Here's my background, I am currently 6'0" at 217lbs. I've been working out for the last 2 years, going to the gym 3-4 times a week. I've recently started running about 1.5-2.0 miles per session afterworkout.

My problem is that I've been going for the past 2 years and I'm not quite happy with the results I've been getting. I've been doing lots of bulking up in the last year (20 lbs), but its getting to spring time and I would really like to lose the gut and get more toned.

Problems I have:

I work a 9-5 job at an office without the ability to move around too much. Once I get back home, I am usually cook lunch/dinner eat and go to sleep until my roomate gets home around 9-10pm. At that time we hit the gym with weight training in the 1st half, and approximately 15-20 minutes of running afterwards. Another problem is that I am not able to wind down until 2-3am, so therefore that nap is fairly important to maintain.

My goal is to get leaner in the next 3-4 months. Any suggestions will greatly be appreciated .

[TALO]

First write down what you eat every day for us then we might be able to help you with your problem.

Second, just because you have a 9-5 job is no excuse for anything. Almost everyone on here has a demanding job or school with different scheduales but seem to make their goals stick.... This is a lifestyle and once you except that you will notice a difference.

[Ahchu]

I guess that's more than fair.

My typical day consists of the following:

Breakfast at 9am: 2 yogurts, 1 banana

11am: Orange

12pm: Chicken Terayaki w/brown rice

3pm: Trail Mix (Dried Banana,Almond,Apricot,Nuts)

6pm: Grilled Chicken/Sausage/Salmon

9pm: Protein Shake

Gym at 10pm

12am Protein Shake

2am: Sleep

[Kane]

You'd have to post the portions and breakdown of protein fat and carbs you're eating to narrow things down a bit. But at a glance I would say that puts you in a good calorie deficit. You should lose weight off that diet. (Unless youre eating 4 lbs of brown rice and 3 lbs of trailmix, hence the need for portion sizes)

I've been saying this alot lately, but why not continue bulking and just adjust your diet to reduce the fat gains?

[hrdgain81]

work a 9-5 job at an office without the ability to move around too much. Once I get back home, I am usually cook lunch/dinner eat and go to sleep until my roomate gets home around 9-10pm.

I know how it is to get into that kind of routine, I used to always go home and take a nap before going to the gym. IMO it hurt more then it helped. i would always be tired in the gym, and nutrient wise it sucked, i would aways wake up hungry as hell, then down only a protien shake an hit the wieghts.

I dont know if you can change this or not, but if you can, try. also how long have you been running the same routine?

[TALO]

I would suggest adding more protein to your diet. First thing in the morning , before and after you train is when you need it the most.

Eggs/whites are the best source of protein to have in the morning.
Along with oatmeal.

Dairy products do have a lot of protein in them (yogurt) but the fat is high and it is a slow digesting protein. You want something fast in the morning.

your 11:00 meal can always be a high protein shake.

lunch is good

3:00pm you going to want protein...Again it's the most important thing if you want to lose weight and keep muscle. Trail mix wouldn't be my choice of carb.

If you workout at 10:00pm then have your shake (with water) around 9:30 and then again right after your done working out (with water) Water is going to help the protein do it's job alot faster than milk.

then eat again (try real food) before you go to bed, so that there is enough to last the night.

I'm just giving ideas and tried to work with the times that you gave.

Make sure you drink a lot of water (1 gallon, atleast) plus whatever else you drink ie, coffee, diet pop, crystal light.... It helps to flush out the body and you will not retain much water . By the looks of your picture you are holding a lot of water, that will make a big difference.

[TALO]

also do cardio 20-30 mins a day

[thonaker]

If you want to hold onto those gains, while you are trimming up, keep your weightlifting portion of your workout the same. I know a lot of times you hear about people dropping weight and doing higher reps. It is not necessary, and could result in smaller muscles. The calorie deficit is what allows you to burn the fat.


Troy

[Ahchu]

Wow guys, thanks for all the great information. My goal is to tone up and I am also okay with losing about 10-12lbs of muscle in the process.

1st question is, by taking all these protein shakes throughout the day, is that to maintain muscles or is it to help tone up. If it is to maintain muscle, then I may need to lose calories in other areas. If it is to tone up, then I need to go into calorie deficit, which requires more cardio?

I've been doing this workout for the past 6 months. It was more of a long bulking season. I also run right after a workout. Is there any negative effects of doing so?

Once again, thanks for all the advice.

[TALO]

Originally Posted by Ahchu

1st question is, by taking all these protein shakes throughout the day, is that to maintain muscles or is it to help tone up.

The protein shakes are just a quick way to put nutrients into your body. If you don't eat every 3 hrs (some say 2 some say 4 ) then your body with go into catabolic state. You will lose weight, but you will not tone up.(meaning your body will eat it's own muscle not it's fat) You need to feed your muscles to lose weight a healthy way.

This dosen't mean you are going to bulk up, just because your adding protein shakes to your diet. If you didn't have the protein shakes then I would suggest you eat real food in place of them, which can be expensive, and time consuming..