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Physical Training

M

mac2thefuture

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Hi.
OK, it's the start of the year (sort of) and now I've rid 'The Man Flu' i'm going to get fit.
I want a good physical look with some slight muscle growth.
Is it OK to train fairly hard in the morning (early) or does the body prefer it at other times?
If the morning is OK is it advisable to eat first? If so how long before training commences? Ideally, I'd like to be in the gym from 06:00.

Thanks
 
I'm afraid we'll need more than that.

-How tall are you?
-How much do you weigh now?
-How much do you want to weigh?
-Lose fat, or lose fat and gain muscle?
-What's your diet like now?

That should be a good start. I work out often and I'm sure when Iscariot, official Macrumors nutritionist and fitness expert, finds this thread he'll chime in.
 
OK, lets get personal.
5ft 8 (diddy)
13.5 stone (classed as obese I guess for my height but I seriously don’t look it)
I would like to weight about 12 stone.
I would like to lose fat from core area so defined muscle can be seen, smaller waist, currently 34 inch 30inch would be nice. Develop chest, shoulders, back and arms to target and maintain an athletic look, you know the type..
Diet confuses me. I've started to count my calories and am targeting around 1500 or less a day???
It would suit my lifestyle to do weights in the morning and cardio in an evening. Through the week I work away from home and desperately need something to pass the time. Again, is it ok to do muscle work am when your body has just awoken - Thanks again.
 
mac2thefuture said:
OK, lets get personal.
5ft 8 (diddy)
13.5 stone (classed as obese I guess for my height but I seriously don’t look it)
I would like to weight about 12 stone.
I would like to lose fat from core area so defined muscle can be seen, smaller waist, currently 34 inch 30inch would be nice. Develop chest, shoulders, back and arms to target and maintain an athletic look, you know the type..
Diet confuses me. I've started to count my calories and am targeting around 1500 or less a day???
It would suit my lifestyle to do weights in the morning and cardio in an evening. Through the week I work away from home and desperately need something to pass the time. Again, is it ok to do muscle work am when your body has just awoken - Thanks again.
Click to expand...

1. It's a good strategy to do both weight training+cardio (most people only do cardio to lose fat)
2. Your calorie intake seems to be quite low - do you do active work all day? Or are you sedentary? Also, count the ratio of protein, carbs, fats if you can - I stick with 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fats
3. Carbs are 'good carbs' or carbs with low glycemic index - like brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes, etc. Similarly, fats are good fats - olive oil (I use it for cooking) flaxseed oil, etc (fish is particularly a good source)
4. NO SODAS, NO JUNK FOOD (obviously)
5. Spread your meals out - try to eat 5-6 times a day.. every 2 hours or so (small portions.. like a fist of rice and a 5 oz chicken breast)- this gets boring because you have to try and make food taste different - eating healthy every 2 hours is not an easy task.. but once you get used to it, it's a breeze.


Most important - be regular with your workouts. You can take rest days of course, but don't get too lazy and then start skipping gym. You'll see results after a few weeks - don't expect a six pack in 6 days (unless you take clenbuterol and thyroid medications.. but lets not get into that lol)

Good luck!

mac2thefuture said:
Again, is it ok to do muscle work am when your body has just awoken - Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Forgot to answer that - yes it is ok to do muscle work - most pro bodybuilders work out in the morning - but they have a big breakfast before going to the gym (it takes an hour and a half or so for everything to digest before hitting the gym)

You can eat something light - something like 4 eggs (or have a protein shake) , oats or toast .. good to have fruit juice too since you're going to workout anyway.

I prefer handling weights in the evening - I am NOT a morning person.. don't want heavy poundage falling on my head 😀
 
I don't know much about weight loss but I can tell you about exercising.

Its important to eat before you exercise, something light at least to start off, .5hr-1ht before so you don't feel sick because you'll need some energy.

Its also important to eat a little something balanced within 45 minutes after exercising to replenish your nutrients and energy.

I'd say working out in the am is better because you'll have more energy and you'll feel more motivated. If you do it in the PM it seems like you could make more excuses not to go to the gym.
 
also with weight training for fat loss, it's probably better to do lower weights and higher repetitions.

if you are doing sets of 8-10 (if it gets difficult around this point) then you are probably going to add lots of bulk.

lower weights and higher reps (maybe 15-20) is generally better for toning up rather than building bulk. (also aids with the weight loss as its a little bit more cardio, you're working for a longer time doing sets of 20 than you are doing 8.)
 
Music_Producer said:
1. It's a good strategy to do both weight training+cardio (most people only do cardio to lose fat)
2. Your calorie intake seems to be quite low - do you do active work all day? Or are you sedentary? Also, count the ratio of protein, carbs, fats if you can - I stick with 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fats
3. Carbs are 'good carbs' or carbs with low glycemic index - like brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes, etc. Similarly, fats are good fats - olive oil (I use it for cooking) flaxseed oil, etc (fish is particularly a good source)
4. NO SODAS, NO JUNK FOOD (obviously)
5. Spread your meals out - try to eat 5-6 times a day.. every 2 hours or so (small portions.. like a fist of rice and a 5 oz chicken breast)- this gets boring because you have to try and make food taste different - eating healthy every 2 hours is not an easy task.. but once you get used to it, it's a breeze.


Most important - be regular with your workouts. You can take rest days of course, but don't get too lazy and then start skipping gym. You'll see results after a few weeks - don't expect a six pack in 6 days (unless you take clenbuterol and thyroid medications.. but lets not get into that lol)

Good luck!



Forgot to answer that - yes it is ok to do muscle work - most pro bodybuilders work out in the morning - but they have a big breakfast before going to the gym (it takes an hour and a half or so for everything to digest before hitting the gym)

You can eat something light - something like 4 eggs (or have a protein shake) , oats or toast .. good to have fruit juice too since you're going to workout anyway.

I prefer handling weights in the evening - I am NOT a morning person.. don't want heavy poundage falling on my head 😀
Click to expand...

Having been a fitness junky most of my life, I agree with all but one thing here- do NOT eat before you go workout, unless you plan on getting up at 4 in the AM. Your body is focusing on digesting if you eat before you go and will take energy away from your workout. If you really want something beforehand, make it very light, such as a small protein bar. Eat plenty of protein and vegetables AFTER you work out. That is very important for your muscles' recovery.
 
Keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat - if you get into bulking up right away you may not 'lose' as much weight as you're aiming for. Judge results based on how you feel and how you look and don't put so much emphasis on the metrics.
 
Also, and this is the most important for you mentally- get it in your brain that this is a change you make for life. This isn't something you do and then stop when you think you're where you want to be. It'll go away pretty fast if you do. Make this part of your weekly routine. Do not think of it as optional, it is as necessary as going to work or school.

Also keep in mind that these changes won't happen overnight, they take time.
 
If you are just trying to bulk up, I would limit cardio to just a few sessions per week during your initial workouts. Either limit it, or make sure to increase your calorie intake that you burn off from the cardio sessions.

Eating right is half of the battle, so follow the advice Music_Producer gave above.
 
leekohler said:
Having been a fitness junky most of my life, I agree with all but one thing here- do NOT eat before you go workout, unless you plan on getting up at 4 in the AM. Your body is focusing on digesting if you eat before you go and will take energy away from your workout. If you really want something beforehand, make it very light, such as a small protein bar. Eat plenty of protein and vegetables AFTER you work out. That is very important for your muscles' recovery.
Click to expand...

I disagree with this. I find eating a decent meal a couple of hours before working out and something small about half an hour before gives me loads of energy. If I don't, I feel weak and sick
 
viccles said:
I disagree with this. I find eating a decent meal a couple of hours before working out and something small about half an hour before gives me loads of energy. If I don't, I feel weak and sick
Click to expand...

Read my post. 😉 I mentioned that it's OK if you're eating 2 hours ahead of time. But eating a meal right before is a bad idea.

BTW- the OP mentioned that he wanted to work out at 6 AM.
 
leekohler said:
Read my post. 😉 I mentioned that it's OK if you're eating 2 hours ahead of time. But eating a meal right before is a bad idea.

BTW- the OP mentioned that he wanted to work out at 6 AM.
Click to expand...

My bad sorry 😀 Maybe have something small at about 5:30? I try to avoid working out at 6 for that exact reason. Always like a good breakfast in me
 
viccles said:
My bad sorry 😀 Maybe have something small at about 5:30? I try to avoid working out at 6 for that exact reason. Always like a good breakfast in me
Click to expand...

I usually just go first thing in the AM on an empty stomach. Afterward, I eat a huge breakfast. It works very well for me.
 
My friend (who goes to the gym and works out a lot) told me that someone told him that you could run, take a nap, workout or vice versa.

ChrisN
 
leekohler said:
Having been a fitness junky most of my life, I agree with all but one thing here- do NOT eat before you go workout, unless you plan on getting up at 4 in the AM. Your body is focusing on digesting if you eat before you go and will take energy away from your workout. If you really want something beforehand, make it very light, such as a small protein bar. Eat plenty of protein and vegetables AFTER you work out. That is very important for your muscles' recovery.
Click to expand...

I would take lee's word for it, he's ripped. And he is right about not eating before you go, this way, your body uses up the fat as energy instead of the meal you just ate.
 
mac2thefuture said:
To the pros out there, any one know how to make these supplementary 'shake' drinks taste, well, tasty??
Click to expand...

After experimenting with different brands, and even different products within the same brand I found one that works well for me. And even within that only the banana flavour is palatable. In all of them Vanilla always tasted foul. Never tried chocolate.

Otherwise the biggest tip I have is to not breathe in through your nose while drinking them, this will stop the taste being so strong. Works with just about everything.
 
There are many brands of protein supplements that taste good, even mixed with water. IMO most protein supplements that are Whey Isolate taste better than Whey Concentrate.

Just a note...
 
Don't know if anyone has said this already, but be sure to drink plenty of water. You'd be amazed at how much energy is zapped from being dehydrated, and so many people are chronically so.

I'd like to offer my recommendation for a sweetener. I always buy unsweetened everything, and then use stevia. I honestly don't understand how manufacturers of protein/health shakes can put so much good stuff in them and then sweeten them with sucralose and aspartame.😕 Dump the equal and nutrisweet and give your joints and vital organs a long life.🙂
 
mac2thefuture said:
To the pros out there, any one know how to make these supplementary 'shake' drinks taste, well, tasty??
Click to expand...

When I mix up protein shakes,I like to add some oatmeal..I have a small coffee grinder that I use to grind up the oats into a powder.This way it blends better.. I'll add cinammon (I use vanilla and/or cinammon bun protein powder), some natural peanut butter,a banana,blueberries etc.. You can mix them up in a blender or use an immersion blender to mix it up and make them quite tasty...
And morning cardio on an empty stomach is great for burning cals...
 
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