Thanks..thats motivating...I shouldnt let anything stop me. Training program wise, im doing starting strength? is that good or bad im seeing results not alot but alot of results takes alot of time, and i have not been training like this for that long

Don't think about it too much, just check your progress every three months and you will see gains.

Your strength should increase a lot in the first 6 months then you should have noticed some muscle growth too, but strength is the first thing to improve so work on that

Thanks Conan...just curious what type of program do you follow?

Is this Rippletoe? The first improvements in stength should be neural in nature but you're using same weight sets. So you should see hypertrophy in the first run...which will probably be somewhere around two months. Provided you eat enough. Now I'm not really a cutting guy but I can almost guarantee you won't get optimal results from this on a cut. It's a "bulking" program and a great one.

It does have some advantages in that with full body high intensity workouts you'll probably increasing EPOC and so burn more fat throughout the day. But at the same time the demands of the program make eating a lot very important. Any kind of deficit in that area and you run the program short meaning much less results. But you should wait to see what others say.

I think that a cutting mentality on this will sell it short big time. I am not saying you won't get very good results. Only that cutting on this won't do it justice. I wouldn't want you coming away thinking "oh, this program wasn't good" or whatever.

OK good point, what program would be good? Also I read about a diet called recomp, where the author claims to be able to lose fat and gain muscle. Is it possible? http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...morning+cardio

Well I could do without reading another IA article but I glanced over it. One thing stood out that I very much agree with. If you're willing to take your time and lose fat slowly, then yes I think it is much more possible to gain muscle. The trap people fall into is that the cutting mentality usually involves "hurry up and get ready for the beach!" I have actually said this before on the forums, slow and steady is better in the long run. I think anyone who knows anything about fat loss would agree with that. Epecially if you want to preserve and hopefully gain muscle.

I agree that eating extreme amount of surplus calories over and above a certain amount above maintenance is probably uneccessary. Some will disagree. I've never gained muscle any faster by conciously adding a couple thousand calories above maintenance to my diet. And I've tried it (wasn't easy for me I can tell you). But I can eat as much as I want in any case so what the heck do I know?

Hell in that case I'd be tempted to go back on my advice and say stick with the starting strength, throw in the cardio, eat lots of healthy foods over maintenance and see what happens over time. As I said this type of program should have you buring more fat throughout the day. But I don't want to go to far with this because as I've said I never tried to lose fat. My advice before was just based on educated expectations from this type of program.

I don't follow a program, I just go to the gym 4 times a week and train the parts that need training that day. This used to sound ridiculous to me when I first heard about 'instincitive training' but when you have been at the gym as long as I you really do get to know what needs work and what doesn't

My weights vary too, sometimes I train 'light' and sometimes 'heavy'. Though in all my years I have 90% of the time started with a powerlifting or strong/compound movement for my first exercise, then done the 'bodybuilding' exercises to finish the body part off. Then follwed by machines, and if I make it that far I will do any cable exercises last.

There are plenty of microwaveable foods out there, purdue chicken for example, already cooked, just heat & eat, veggies frozen or fresh can be nuked, Bumblebee & chicken of the sea make salmon & tuna in a pouch no refrig needed, 30 seconds in the micro. rice can be cooked in the micro too. get a cook book on micro cooking.
Frank

Thanks guys....well when i get back to college in about 3 hours i will be heading to the store and stocking up on fish and microwaveable goodies. I will be buying salads...and i dont know about what program if i follow starting strength it will be fine, throw in HIIT cardio and eat above maintenance...thank you guys.