Quick question

[norther practitioner]

So, I'm bouncing between workouts right now. My goal is to lose weight, I'm at 188 now, I started at 195 (I'm 5'7 with a medium build) about a month ago. What I'm doing is OK, but I need to just pick something and go with it for the next three weeks before I switch it up again. I'm going to be modifying my diet again next week (been staggering those changes a bit in the last few itterations).

The last three weeks I'd been doing a upper/lower routine, where I traded days throughout the week. I don't know if I like it though.

So, that being said, I'm looking at doing something like this:

Monday: chest, triceps, shoulders

Tuesday: cardio, abs

Weds day: Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves

Thursday: cardio, abs

Friday: back, biceps, forearms

And I'd jump on the ellipticle or bike each day after lifting (cardio would be a rotation between bike, ellipticle, and maybe treadmill or jogging) to burn a few extra calories.

Wondering though at once a week if I'm working specific areas enough though.

[Adventure427]

Yea i never cared much for seperating upper body n lower body exercise programs myself... I like to work the upper and lower each workout.

Here's a suggestion based on TONS of reading from all kinds of various websites...and talking with personal trainers ect.

Focus mostly on (i think they are called) Compound exercises...What they are is exercises like Clean-n-Press, deadlift, benchpress, squats and the variations of them. You can add more, but these are important...

These exercises that work pretty much the whole body will rev up your metabolism nicely so your burning fat while not doing anything. You also mentioned the bike/tredmill...

If you going to use these...go HIIT...High Intensity Interval Training. That's like...riding slow for a minute...then riding real fast for a minute...then slow for a minute....for 15minutes or so....When i first tried this i couldn't do it for that long, so start slower if you have to...eventually you'll be able to sprint for the whole minute each rotation. Also wind sprints are great. I've read from numerous sources that this is superior to the traditional low intensity aerobic exercise.


Any feedback on my suggestions are welcome

[bodhitree]

with a goal of losing weight I think your workout plan is fine, the question is


Caloric imput/energy expelled





plus what your dietary habits are like.

[norther practitioner]

Thanks guys...
Adventure, thanks, been trying to work a HIIT workout in once a week on the old plan and would probably do the same on the next during the cardio stuff.


Bodhi...

I'm working that out right now, I'm guessing that I'm eating too many carbs as it's a staple (cereal in the morning, a half sandwich at lunch, the other half and a salad at dinner, plus some protein added) in my diet right now. Thats the next thing I'll look at changing next week (and start incorporating now).

[bodhitree]

I would not advise coming to the conclusion that there are necessarily "too many carbs". You need to consider the GI of the carbs and when you are eating them (in relation to your workouts). Whole wheat and whole grains (not MULTI but WHOLE) are high in fiber, slow digesting, and have a high nutritional density with lots of fiber (and the digestive benefits of fiber can help with weight loss).

http://whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=66

Your high GI carb intake should consist of fruits and veggies, avoid refined sugar. White bread and pasta are not the best carbs, would you want to put white flower in the gas tank of your car?


If you crave sweets/refined sugar, try to have it after or before a workout. After workout is ideal because your bloodsugar needs to spike to replace glycogen lost during exercise.


I am no expert, but from what i've read, this seems to be accurate.

[BruceSteveRoy]

suicides



Filler

[norther practitioner]

Thanks again guys...

I'm usually eating 3 small meals and two snacks a day. My snacks are usually a chewy granola bars. Meals are fairly rounded, and vary a lot. My protein sources are primarily chicken and seafood. I'm going to start figuring out how many calories I consume soon. For what it's worth my largest input of protien is usually during dinner and right after my workout.

Right now my leg workout is
Quads:
Leg presses/squats (switch up every three weeks between the two)

Leg extensions/sissy squats (I'm not huge on the sissy squats)

Hammys:
Leg curls

calves:

calf raises

I'm wondering if I should add anything like lunges or if this is enough?

[BruceSteveRoy]

make sure with you watch your serving sizes when counting your calories. a serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. most people who eat chicken or beef or waht ever think they are having one portion but it is actually like 2-3 especially if they are going out to restaurants.

[Adventure427]

You're welcome :D

Yea the compound exercises are real important too. If you focus mostly on those you probably wont even need the single-joint exercises (ie. dumbell curls, leg extensions, ect.) It all depends on your goals though. I suppose leg extensions could help with kicks. But to work your biceps i reccomend pull ups (or pull downs if you can't do pullups yet) They work your biceps, and also are good for your abs too actually. (you'll see what i mean if you haven't done them in a while) i think i feel it most with palm facing me grip. But palm facing away is probably easiest if you find them difficult.