Joined a gym. What to expect.

[Jervis Mcstabby]

I have been doing sets of lifts in a 3 part routine.

Just make you don't do the same exercises all the time, or your body will become used to it and you'll start to hit a plateau. You can do simple variations, like changing from normal to wide/close stance squats (wide/close grip bench, etc) every so often.

And of course, if you've never done wide/close grips/stances start with a much lower weight than your normal style. You're working a whole new muscle group in most cases.

 

[Isphius]

Just make you don't do the same exercises all the time, or your body will become used to it and you'll start to hit a plateau. You can do simple variations, like changing from normal to wide/close stance squats (wide/close grip bench, etc) every so often.

And of course, if you've never done wide/close grips/stances start with a much lower weight than your normal style. You're working a whole new muscle group in most cases.

Ive found a new love for cable machines and dumbells. I have hardly been using any free weights. Even bench presses on the cable machines are awesome! really burn your forearms and make you strain at lower weights, which means they are involving more smaller muscles. And yeah, avoid routine. Unless you just want to condition yourself. Routine becomes conditioning while new/different exercise you adapt to(get stronger)

 

[Topher E]

Sooooo another update if you care. About a month in (4 weeks 3 days) and i have lost a total of 13 lbs and 3% bodyfat. Im finally skinny! Im sitting happy at 19% and have to keep this up to reach my goal a month sooner. (Goal being 13% bodyfat in 4 months)

My waist has gone from a 40 to a 38. My chest is 46" rather than 48" my legs are pimpin cut and im still cutting weight eating a bit more than i wanted to in the beginning. Ive been trying to eat 2100 cals per day but i have been craving and eating 2300 or so.

Here is a pic showing what i have acquired in 4 weeks.

If you are wondering im 6'5 238lbs

 

[Mk3runner]

LOL, I usedto be ripped. Used to go to the 24 hrs in Fairfield.. I need to get working out again. Good effort man!

 

[Mk3runner]

Just remember this stuff I drink whenni can afford it. Ensure. Great stuff when gettingvshape

 

[Topher E]

The same shit old people use? 0.o

 

[Mk3runner]

Basically. They have a 6 pack for 7 bucks try it. I swear on it. Walmart near the factory outlets carry it. At least go there or google the stuff. It's worth a shot. What's 7 bucks.

Btw. If you give it a shot. Drink the chocolate favored stuff. The rest is horrible.

 

[Topher E]

So another update. 36" waist, 232 lbs 15% bodyfat. Getting sexy.

 

[Topher E]

Oh hai guess what? PROGRESS PIC!

8 weeks

 

[drunk_medic]

That's great progress. Great job on staying motivated over all of this time, too!

On a side note, I am eating a quite a bit more calorie-wise, and holding steady at 200 lbs. - Time to start jogging, or walking while carrying weight [and a water bladder, of course].

 

[supraguy@aol]

I finally got back into working out 2 months ago, and very glad i did.
www.bodybuilding.com
Great site for supplents, articles, and especially for the fact that you can create your own page, and setup and track your workout routines. I think one of the most important things for focus and motivation is keeping close track of your progress. I bring a small notebook to the gym, and write down all of the reps, sets, and weights that I do, and this gives me my basis for the next workout session for that bodypart. for two months, I've been eating like crazy, supplementing and avoiding crap foods. I've been eating about 200gms protein perday. Now I'm on the dieting stage, where my number of sets/reps per bodypart increases, My total caloric intake is about 30% lower, and I've added 45min. cardio per day. Right now I'm 225lbs, and looking to drop to about 205 by the end of July. We'll see.
Congrats on the success you've had man.

 

[drunk_medic]

Alright, so I had gotten to the point where I found that eating LESS calories was not helping me lose weight any longer, and that eating MORE calories actually allowed me to maintain my current weight. No more losing weight the easy way [cutting calories only]: It is time to start increasing activity.
This morning I went for my first walk/jog in longer than I can remember. I took along some music and a backpack with a water bladder, and was out for roughly 45 minutes. It was fairly enjoyable, but I have to say, the muscles in the area between my shins and ankles feel tight. I am stretching them in hope that they don't cramp up on me, and that I may do this more than just once or twice a week. I also hope that it gets easier for me, quickly. I could not jog even close to the distance I could three years ago without stopping, and about half of my time out was spent walking.

 

[JZ_killa_t68]

Well, I'm gonna put my $.02 in. I did the workout thing for a while while I was in the Navy, but I suffered an injury which resulted in my ankles and back being completly f*cked. I was discharged from the Navy (60 lbs heavier). Long story short, 4 years later, my girlfriend talked me into getting P90X. I'm on my 9th week. and since july 6th I've lost 3.46% body fat, 3 inches on my waist, and 1 inch on my neck. I was skeptical at first from the infomercials, but for anyone contemplating, here's the results before, 6 weeks, and 8 weeks.

Week -1:

Week 8:

 

[Topher E]

Well guess im digging up an old thread but damn it I think i can do that.

So, it was about three years ago I joined a gym. Kinda cool right? Well if you dont remember go back a few pages.

Since then I have had some progress, actually Ive had a lot lol. Well, Im currently sitting at 6'5, 240lbs and 13% bodyfat. The first pic is a bit old lol. So I hope if anyone is struggling with any weightloss use this as motivation. Im mostly posing here to show off, as some of you'll still remember me. I also got into crossfit about 6 months ago. That shit is wicked hard!

 

[winsauce]

grats on the good work. do you find you dont hang around the same people you used to before you started lifting?

alot of my highschool peeps are in diff mindset that doesnt mesh up with my goals therefore they get cut loose... ive always believed you become more like who you hang around, just wondering if you noticed anything like that.

 

[Topher E]

Not really, same people, just less often. Im a home body and dont have many active lifestyle friends lol.