Losing Fat - Here goes nothing.

[JML65]

I am going to (not trying) to lose some fat. I plan on being on a SWAT team in the future, when I pass a polygraph.

Any extra weight on my frame that is not muscle will hurt me. I would like to get my running times in the 1 1/2 mile down to 7:30 from 8:51.

I figure I have about 10 extra pounds on me. Losing that weight would make me totally cut up. Having said that, the last 10 are the hardest to lose. I keep putting it off because I am not fat really, just not in perfect shape.

Most everybody could get in better shape.

PLAN -

I plan on losing the weight before I bulk up any more. That may not make sense to many people.

In reality, when you bulk up, the LEANER you are when you start, the more percentage of muscle you will gain (gain 10 lbs and 8 of it is muscle).

The FATTER you are when you start, the more fat you will gain. (gain 10 lbs, 5 pounds will be muscle).

WORKOUT -
Some activity 7 days a week.
1. Legs / cardio
2. Cardio
3. Back - shoulders / cardio
4. Cardio
5. Chest / cardio
6. Cardio
7. Something like hiking, something active and fun.

Lifting - 20 to 30 minutes using moderate weight and traditional exercises (except for heavy squats, lots of strain with all the cardio)

Core exercises - 3 or 4 times per week

Cardio - 1 hr per day. Usually 30 min Treadmill, 30 min cross trainer. (Some days I will do a hill climb walk on a treadmill for 30 min in lieu of running. Try it, it is a bitch.

IS IT SAFE -
Yes, it is. A program like mine is good for someone who already has a good foundation in fitness.
Yes, your body can handle a lot of cardio. You will notice that I only lift 3 days a week. It is not safe to lift 6 days a week and do all that cardio.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO LOSE THE FAT?
Probably about a month and a half.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I LOSE THE FAT?
It depends. If I am happy with my fitness, I will maintain. If not, I will add 5 to 10 lbs of muscle.

DIET?
Unfortunately, this is my weak point. I wish I could workout 5 hours a day and eat what I want, but it doesn't work that way.

Simple diet. I am just eating a balanced diet. I am not getting my carbs from bread, sugar, or other junk. Just occasional wheat bread and pasta.

I am eating a LOT of vegetables, and eating when I am hungry, not out of boredom.

I am also drinking a lot of water and green tea. Some think tea boosts your metabolism, I am one.

WHO SHOULD TRY A ROUTINE LIKE THIS?
Anyone who is overweight should have a routine similar to mine, just not in the volume and intensity I am doing if they don't have a good fitness base.

WHAT IS YOUR ROUTINE?
Well.....

If you have a routine, post it. I have a pretty good record of training people while deployed overseas. Most who stuck with it were happy with their results.

I will keep updates going. I am on my second day, boy did I kick my *** in the gym today.

[PTI]

I plan on losing the weight before I bulk up any more. That may not make sense to many people.

In reality, when you bulk up, the LEANER you are when you start, the more percentage of muscle you will gain (gain 10 lbs and 8 of it is muscle).

The FATTER you are when you start, the more fat you will gain. (gain 10 lbs, 5 pounds will be muscle).

What? You're right, this makes no sense to me. The simple math of losing fat pounds is this. One pound of fat is 3500 calories. To lose 10 pounds of fat you have to burn, or not consume 35,000 calories. These are calories in addition to what your body needs for function normally. So if you consume 250 less calories per day in your diet and burn another 250 per day in exercise that gives you 500 less calories per day. So in 7 days time you will have burned or not consumed your 3500 caloires and lost one pound of fat. It may not show up on the scale this way since muscle weighs more than fat and if you are strength training you will increase muscle. The only way to know for sure how many pounds of fat you lose compared your increase in lean body mass is body fat composition.

I wholeheartedly disagree with your plan to be doing something 7 days a week. Your body needs at least one day a week to rest and recover. The negatives far outwiegh the positives on this issue.

I also notice on your workout you don't include arms or abs in your workout(unless you are including abs in your core workout). Without some bi and tri exercises you're gonna lean and mean but have arms like a stack of dimes coming out of your shoulders.

Anyway, those are my thoughts.

[NPDeLeon]

Well, I'm a heavier person and the last 3 weeks have been training like crazy to shed weight and get into shape before I start applying to places w/ a PAT. I've noticed what I've been doing is working for me, I've lost 20 lbs in the last 3-4 weeks by doing more running. Mostly on a treadmill, but lately i've found that I enjoy using the eliptical machines, less strain on my body (knees and back). Is using one of these machines considered 'cardio'? Usually I'll do 30 mins of 30 secs of jog and 30 secs of sprinting, I noticed that I can do a whole set on an eliptical and not stop as opposed to a treadmill, which wears me down. I did run a mile in 9 mins which blew me away for being as heavy as I am, i didn't expect to do taht, but I still have lots of work to accomplish. Trying to establish an 8 to 8:20 mile time and a mile and a half of under 14.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is: Are these eliptical machines somewhat equivalent to running on a treadmill, or should I be focusing on spending more time on the treadmill for running strengh and endurance? I've had to take a break on the treadmill because I made the wrong move of trying to do some leg presses last week and re-aggrevated a knee injury, but as soon as the pain goes away I'll hop back on it.

3 days a week (MWF) I run on treadmill (when knee isn't hurting) i'll do my half hour on treadmill (i'll do a track setting and walk a lap and then run a lap in 2 mins) in the morning before work and 30-40 mins on eliptical after work, on the other days (T/Th/Sat) I'll do the eliptical after work and some weight training, of course I also get in some crunches and pushups. Sunday is usally my day off.

Any other ideas to help me get into some shape?

[JML65]

For arms I ensure that I do hit them directly on back day and chest day.

I don't hit them directly, but...

Back day - Pullups and other pulling exercises indirectly hitting the biceps.
Chest day - weighted dips with 90 lbs. I usually throw in some pulldowns too.

That takes care of them plenty. (Boxers don't do curls and they have nice arms).

I am going to see how I feel for this week and revise from there. I may cut a day out, I may not.

Yes, abs are worked out in the core workout.

The weight was a guess. It is more of a mirror thing. Weight can fluctuate alot. I will know when I lose the fat.

NPDeLeon - yes, the elyptical machines are great. That way you can do more cardio with less strain on your body. I use them for HALF of my cardio. Running does burn more calories, but you can't run every day.

[da moose]

in short, eat six small meals a day high in protein low in carbs and fat, drink lots of water, take a good multi - vitamin and fish caps, a good fat burner like hot roxx or lean system 7 will help shed fat while preserving lean muscle. stick to a 30 to 45 min workout routine three days a week comprised mostly of compound movements, squats, deadlifts, bench press etc....... , 20 - 30 minutes of cardio 5-6 days a week at your target heart rate. For a wealth of information check out bodybuilding.com or testosterone nation .com.

[AMG]

My routine
6am every morning
400 meter sprint 60 to 65 seconds
Box jumps 3 ft 1 feet of 10 and 4 ft 1 set of 10

Monday/Wed/Fri
Military Press-2253 sets 0f 5
Bench- 325 6 sets of 5 3 sets wide 3 sets close
Incline- 225 2 sets until failure
Chest Flys- 150 3 sets of 25
Tricep push down 100-5 sets of 10
One arm Tricep extension on my back 50 pound bumbell 4 sets of 8
Weights Dips- 45 pound weight 2 sets of 15 (well I try to do the last set)
Hanging Abs sling-do until failure

Tues/Thurs
Squat 405 4 sets of 10
Quads 80 5 sets of 15
hams 80 5 sets of 15
Lat pulls 150 4 sets of 15
Lat rows 150 4 sets of 15
Bi's 21's 50 pound bumbell
preacher curls 140 4 sets of 7
conentration curls 2 sets of 25
Calves 225 4 sets of 20


Basic workout. One more thing I recommend to invest in the vegetable bags that you get at wal-mart along with some elastic wraps. After each workout I ice my knees, elbows and shoulders. This is good for the joints.

[PTI]

I guess what I'm trying to get at is: Are these eliptical machines somewhat equivalent to running on a treadmill, or should I be focusing on spending more time on the treadmill for running strengh and endurance? I've had to take a break on the treadmill because I made the wrong move of trying to do some leg presses last week and re-aggrevated a knee injury, but as soon as the pain goes away I'll hop back on it.

The eliptical is great for a low impact cardio workout (especially with a banged up knee), however its not the same as running on a treadmill which in turn isn't the same as regular running. Keep in mind the treadmill actually assists you in running since its moving and you're not. So for running strength I suggest regular running first, then treadmill running. For endurance all three are great as long as you get your heart rate up.

[NPDeLeon]

Thanks for the info PTI, do you suggest that I give my knee a few days of just he low impact until the pain is gone? I should have done that all this week but got stubborn and ran my regular monday and wednesday routine, but after wednesday morning it wasn't feeling so good. And for just running, do you suggest like a track setting, or just going out and finding a trail and let 'er rip? my main thing about not running on a readmill is I never know how far I'm actually going, nor do I have a sufficient watch that keeps time...

[PTI]

NP....I would think a few days of something low impact would be a benefit to you. It would really suck to push it and really hurt something and have a major setback. As far as where you run, thats going to be a personal preference. I hate running in circles on a track myself. My favorite runs are the ones where I leave my watch at home and don't measure the distance....I just run. If you are training for something specific I know its important to know times and distances....I would use a track for this. For the knee pain, make sure you take your Ibuprofen and always remember RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation

[JML65]

Speaking of Low Impact, I am doing a "Hike" on the treadmill today, followed by 30 min on the elyptical.

HIKE -

set the treadmill to 4.0 mph where it stays the entire time.

set the incline to 5.0 and start. up the incline 2 points every 5 min.
So, for the last 5 min, you will walk on a 15 % incline.

Challenge - If you can finish 30 min with the full incline as said above and without using your hands to grab the bars, you are in good shape.
It is a good change of pace that most men don't even try.

I love to run outside, but it is about 115 right now outside, so I am sticking machines for a while.

If I go hike, I have to be on the mountain before 5 am. By 7:30 it is baking.