Getting a nice physique
Discussion
With 2013 almost upon us it's the whole New Years Resolution time. I'm normally quite good in sticking to things so thought I'd ask here for advice. I could go onto dedicated websites I guess, but PistonHeads is a wealth of knowledge.
Just a little background. Shortarse at 5 foot 7 and a touch over 11 stone (73kg) Not too bad shape but podgy around the middle with those b
d love handles. Age wise I'm mid 30's. Diet is whatever I can buy from the supermarket, not quite frozen dinners, but typically microwave veggies and some fish or chicken kiev type things. Tonight's dinner is a typical Tesco salmon fishcake with a microwave pack of rise-fusions. Lunch in the day is often home made sandwich x 2.
Drink a fair amount of tea/coffee but do my best to get my 2L of water a day too. I have a desk job.
I can run at about a 9 min mile constantly for 3/4/5 miles, but not much more. In a gym I don't know how to measure it but I can bench press 80kg over 5 reps a few sets. I do a bit of cardio one night a week. I also hate the local council gym, plain and simply because I'm very self conscious, same with running, I'm awful, so really prefer running alone. The council gym is virtually brand new.
Anyhow, time for the reason for the post. Apart from the obvious reason of getting fit, I'd like to look good as and when I go on holidays, also for the self esteem as it would be nice. I'm no Brad Pitt in the looks department but I can at least have a decent body. The type of body I'm after would be the typical Daniel Craig 007 type, you know what I mean. I've always been quite slim until the past 5 odd years where I've got a bit of that middle age spread and I'd like to get rid of it! If I had to choose I'd like more of the gymnast type build than Hulk Hogan!
I realise diet plays a huge part too, so tips on that and training would be welcome please. Oh, and feel free to take the piss of looking at blokes with their shirts off
I'm saving myself for Michelle Pfeiffer though 
Just a little background. Shortarse at 5 foot 7 and a touch over 11 stone (73kg) Not too bad shape but podgy around the middle with those b
d love handles. Age wise I'm mid 30's. Diet is whatever I can buy from the supermarket, not quite frozen dinners, but typically microwave veggies and some fish or chicken kiev type things. Tonight's dinner is a typical Tesco salmon fishcake with a microwave pack of rise-fusions. Lunch in the day is often home made sandwich x 2.Drink a fair amount of tea/coffee but do my best to get my 2L of water a day too. I have a desk job.
I can run at about a 9 min mile constantly for 3/4/5 miles, but not much more. In a gym I don't know how to measure it but I can bench press 80kg over 5 reps a few sets. I do a bit of cardio one night a week. I also hate the local council gym, plain and simply because I'm very self conscious, same with running, I'm awful, so really prefer running alone. The council gym is virtually brand new.
Anyhow, time for the reason for the post. Apart from the obvious reason of getting fit, I'd like to look good as and when I go on holidays, also for the self esteem as it would be nice. I'm no Brad Pitt in the looks department but I can at least have a decent body. The type of body I'm after would be the typical Daniel Craig 007 type, you know what I mean. I've always been quite slim until the past 5 odd years where I've got a bit of that middle age spread and I'd like to get rid of it! If I had to choose I'd like more of the gymnast type build than Hulk Hogan!
I realise diet plays a huge part too, so tips on that and training would be welcome please. Oh, and feel free to take the piss of looking at blokes with their shirts off
I'm saving myself for Michelle Pfeiffer though Stop being so self conscious, at the gym, no one is looking at you, relax. If you want to firm up, do heavy weights in small sets of reps. Squats are very good for firming up the mid section. As far as diet goes, try to get some oily fish in to your routine, and increase your protein intake a bit.
Get a balanced diet. Entirely depending on what you eat- it doesn't have to be expensive. More protein is good, also try and get rid of the complex carbs, things like white bread!
I'd suggest a only spending around 30-40% of time on cardio. The rest focusing on weights and core. There's so much you can do without any equipment or a gym!!
From the sound of it, small changes will make a big difference, you aren't that far away. Good luck.
I'd suggest a only spending around 30-40% of time on cardio. The rest focusing on weights and core. There's so much you can do without any equipment or a gym!!
From the sound of it, small changes will make a big difference, you aren't that far away. Good luck.
Depends how dedicated you want to be.
Best time for fat burn first thing in morning, nothing to eat just get running. Various thought on fat burn (lower heart rate) vs HIT so mix it up, aim for 3 or 4 30 min sessions during week.
I would do weights lunch time as it gets yo out o office and means you hav nights to do whatever. Lots of different training plans around but stick to big compound drills as the backbone of your workouts. Again 4 sessions a week.
Diet and rest are two massive factors. You will need your sleep to recover so 8 hours a night required. Diet needs to be 5 or 6 meals a day. Small and often me ants higher metabolism, constant nutrients to function and no hunger pangs. Cut out all processed carbs and you should probably cut out all carbs out after 3 ish. Meat veg and salad for tea. Think on a good quality whey protein an a casinate based shake or natural yoghurt before bed.
Bottom line is you get out what you put in, you need to dedicate yourself, once you get "there" you can think about the odd treat. How many people in mid thirties look good? Few because it is bloody hard work.
Best of luck
Best time for fat burn first thing in morning, nothing to eat just get running. Various thought on fat burn (lower heart rate) vs HIT so mix it up, aim for 3 or 4 30 min sessions during week.
I would do weights lunch time as it gets yo out o office and means you hav nights to do whatever. Lots of different training plans around but stick to big compound drills as the backbone of your workouts. Again 4 sessions a week.
Diet and rest are two massive factors. You will need your sleep to recover so 8 hours a night required. Diet needs to be 5 or 6 meals a day. Small and often me ants higher metabolism, constant nutrients to function and no hunger pangs. Cut out all processed carbs and you should probably cut out all carbs out after 3 ish. Meat veg and salad for tea. Think on a good quality whey protein an a casinate based shake or natural yoghurt before bed.
Bottom line is you get out what you put in, you need to dedicate yourself, once you get "there" you can think about the odd treat. How many people in mid thirties look good? Few because it is bloody hard work.
Best of luck
OP I'm 30% of the way to having a nice physique and it really does just take proper dedication and hard work, a completely stubborn attitude helps too as its that stubborness that stops me having a chinese 
Oh and one more thing, as you start eating more protien you will also start to smell like a rotting fox, well your farts will anyway.
Oh and one more thing, as you start eating more protien you will also start to smell like a rotting fox, well your farts will anyway.
ram7577 said:
Do not get insanity or any other rubbish "fad" schemes. I am sure the suggestion wasn't serious but I don't want you to waste time and money on crap I didn't think of in a get rich scheme.
What you describe as crap works for some people:http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
ram7577 said:
Depends how dedicated you want to be.
Best time for fat burn first thing in morning, nothing to eat just get running. Various thought on fat burn (lower heart rate) vs HIT so mix it up, aim for 3 or 4 30 min sessions during week.
I would do weights lunch time as it gets yo out o office and means you hav nights to do whatever. Lots of different training plans around but stick to big compound drills as the backbone of your workouts. Again 4 sessions a week.
Diet and rest are two massive factors. You will need your sleep to recover so 8 hours a night required. Diet needs to be 5 or 6 meals a day. Small and often me ants higher metabolism, constant nutrients to function and no hunger pangs. Cut out all processed carbs and you should probably cut out all carbs out after 3 ish. Meat veg and salad for tea. Think on a good quality whey protein an a casinate based shake or natural yoghurt before bed.
Bottom line is you get out what you put in, you need to dedicate yourself, once you get "there" you can think about the odd treat. How many people in mid thirties look good? Few because it is bloody hard work.
Best of luck
+1Best time for fat burn first thing in morning, nothing to eat just get running. Various thought on fat burn (lower heart rate) vs HIT so mix it up, aim for 3 or 4 30 min sessions during week.
I would do weights lunch time as it gets yo out o office and means you hav nights to do whatever. Lots of different training plans around but stick to big compound drills as the backbone of your workouts. Again 4 sessions a week.
Diet and rest are two massive factors. You will need your sleep to recover so 8 hours a night required. Diet needs to be 5 or 6 meals a day. Small and often me ants higher metabolism, constant nutrients to function and no hunger pangs. Cut out all processed carbs and you should probably cut out all carbs out after 3 ish. Meat veg and salad for tea. Think on a good quality whey protein an a casinate based shake or natural yoghurt before bed.
Bottom line is you get out what you put in, you need to dedicate yourself, once you get "there" you can think about the odd treat. How many people in mid thirties look good? Few because it is bloody hard work.
Best of luck
I did pretty much everything described above to cut from 16% to 6% BF. Started in Aug '11 at age 33. At 5ft 8in and 75kg, I was in decent shape but wanted to get really ripped. I decided to rip the fat off first which took 10 months to get down to 6% BF and 59kg. The only difference is after a gym session or tennis match in the evening, I would still take in carbs - it works for me so you have to try and see what works best for you.
Then from May onwards, I scaled back on the cardio and focussed more on heavy compound lifts and stacked on 6kg of lean mass in the last 6 months which is a decent enough considering I don't take any supplements and just relied on eating clean and cutting right back on the booze and eliminate junk food bar the occasional weekend treats.
I haven't tried P90X, Insanity or any other programs but you really can't go wrong with sticking to the basic principles of eating right, lift heavy in the gym (with good form), good amount of cardio and rest.
Edited by amare32 on Monday 24th December 11:57
Diet is massive, and easy (just eat natural foods, i.e. chicken / fish / nuts / greens etc) and say off the pies / chocolate / booze) You can read everyting online until your head spins, but it's really not that hard to spot what's good (fish) and what's bad (chocolate pies)
Weights bore the life out of me, but you can get good results (and you'll feel amazing once you're in the swing) with compound, i.e. deadlift, press, squat. Sure it was the deadlifts that had me feeling like a f*cking Viking. But if you dont enjoy it, you'll not keep it up which is why I...
... want to be doing triathlons, and finishing well, in the New Year. Running and cycling will make you super lean, but swimming filled the gap the weights left behind and I'm really enjoying re-learning how to swim (my arse sinks, and makes me slow. Also, I cant breath properly yet, so get really tired easily). The changes arent as pronounced as lifting heavy, but enough for me to happily keep it up.
So yeah, eat clean and go swimming.
Weights bore the life out of me, but you can get good results (and you'll feel amazing once you're in the swing) with compound, i.e. deadlift, press, squat. Sure it was the deadlifts that had me feeling like a f*cking Viking. But if you dont enjoy it, you'll not keep it up which is why I...
... want to be doing triathlons, and finishing well, in the New Year. Running and cycling will make you super lean, but swimming filled the gap the weights left behind and I'm really enjoying re-learning how to swim (my arse sinks, and makes me slow. Also, I cant breath properly yet, so get really tired easily). The changes arent as pronounced as lifting heavy, but enough for me to happily keep it up.
So yeah, eat clean and go swimming.
Why would I try some old sh*t that I have to pay for a DVD that is a load of old cobblers? Body circuits - all for them, great work out, paying for some ball bag on a dvd with no top on telling me I can look like him I am against. You actually think they look like that through insanity then you should buy it as you are insane.............and retard...............and belong on a farm....... in the field
It is diet, recovery and then work out - in that order.
To the o/p: Any spaztard that tells you different......... well up to you if you follow their advice.
Lets hear it for zumba, insanity and jazzercise!
It is diet, recovery and then work out - in that order.
To the o/p: Any spaztard that tells you different......... well up to you if you follow their advice.
Lets hear it for zumba, insanity and jazzercise!
ram7577 said:
Why would I try some old sh*t that I have to pay for a DVD that is a load of old cobblers? Body circuits - all for them, great work out, paying for some ball bag on a dvd with no top on telling me I can look like him I am against. You actually think they look like that through insanity then you should buy it as you are insane.............and retard...............and belong on a farm....... in the field
It is diet, recovery and then work out - in that order.
To the o/p: Any spaztard that tells you different......... well up to you if you follow their advice.
Lets hear it for zumba, insanity and jazzercise!
"He's a very, very nice man!"It is diet, recovery and then work out - in that order.
To the o/p: Any spaztard that tells you different......... well up to you if you follow their advice.
Lets hear it for zumba, insanity and jazzercise!
Just 'wish he wouldn't sit on the fence so...
ram7577 said:
Do not get insanity or any other rubbish "fad" schemes. I am sure the suggestion wasn't serious but I don't want you to waste time and money on crap I didn't think of in a get rich scheme.
Have done P90x twice now and have noticed a considerable difference each time! Have never followed the nutrition element, just the training. As someone else mentioned, it is a very Americanised circuit training routine but very easy to do in a small space and does produce results. Not easy in terms of effort, just the convenience. If you are personally motivated then you don't need such help but for those who need encouragement and rigid prompts it is an excellent product. Don't dismiss it out of hand until you have done it!Edited by Oscarmac on Monday 24th December 19:33
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff