*** The 2011 Gym Rats Thread ***

[Dj_Jestar]

I've not used protein shakes (or any other supplement) in a long time. Not needed them.

Starting this week though I am on a heavy cut, so wanted a protein drink I can use to stow the carb pangs once or twice a day. This was the best they had in the shop (only 2.2g carbs per serving, but 42g I think protein.) It's nice but surprisingly small serving. I'm used to having to guzzle at least a pint in one go, not a thimble full.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I've not used protein shakes (or any other supplement) in a long time. Not needed them.

Starting this week though I am on a heavy cut, so wanted a protein drink I can use to stow the carb pangs once or twice a day. This was the best they had in the shop (only 2.2g carbs per serving, but 42g I think protein.) It's nice but surprisingly small serving. I'm used to having to guzzle at least a pint in one go, not a thimble full.

buy myofusion online in future, will offer better value for money and is the best tasting shake you can get for the price.

 

[Gamefreak501]

Wow, incredible how long this thread has become and whilst I've had my disagreements with myself and others, I think I ought to finally get a diet plan sorted.

It's been a long time, well a few months, with my weight going up and down - going from 70-80kg and then going down again. After using the Harris Benedict equation, my requirements are 2407 calories for day-day stuff. My body weight is 154lbs and my lean weight is 120.5lbs (21.8% body fat).

I need 2767 kcals daily to increase lean muscle mass. But I want definition too.

Aside from dedicating 30 mins/session on CV, I have been doing chest/tris/abs, legs/shoulders/abs and back/bis/abs. But my diet isn't quite up to it. I think I eat between 1600-2000 kcals daily.

My diet plan currently looks like this, as of today: 2713 kcals a day, 152.7g protein, 397.1g carbs, 32.2g fat (of which 10.7g saturates). Using a mixture of porridge for snacks, pasta+tuna+veg for lunch time, and my evening meal is going to be 2x chicken fillets with veg and cottage cheese. Breakfast is 1 full egg, 2 egg whites, 2x brown bread with peanut butter, bowl of porridge and water.

I would go into specifics, but I haven't uploaded the image yet, my works computer security settings won't allow it. The next step is to obviously keep this going. I'll upload the image soon.

Hopefully my post isn't too much of a garbled mess!

Kind regards,

David

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Why are you hitting abs three times a week? If you're squatting and deadlifting I'd argue you don't need to isolate them at all. Even if you aren't you shouldn't need to hit them more than twice a week at most.

 

[Gamefreak501]

Why are you hitting abs three times a week? If you're squatting and deadlifting I'd argue you don't need to isolate them at all. Even if you aren't you shouldn't need to hit them more than twice a week at most.

Just neglecting my abs for so long really - I normally do just captain chairs for 3 sets each day - as I do the big compound exercises - Legs day I do Squats, Back day I do deadlift and sldl, Chest day I do press and dips.

I don't *feel* like my abs are being isolated until I spend a session doing them, unless that's my technique being off of course.

Kind regards,

David

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Due to the pressure squats and deadlifts put on your core they'll give your abs a far better workout than any isolation exercise will but if you want to feel like they've been worked try Zercher squats

Many people at my gym have tried, very few ever try again

 

[icecold]

Wow, incredible how long this thread has become and whilst I've had my disagreements with myself and others, I think I ought to finally get a diet plan sorted.

It's been a long time, well a few months, with my weight going up and down - going from 70-80kg and then going down again. After using the Harris Benedict equation, my requirements are 2407 calories for day-day stuff. My body weight is 154lbs and my lean weight is 120.5lbs (21.8% body fat).

I need 2767 kcals daily to increase lean muscle mass. But I want definition too.

Aside from dedicating 30 mins/session on CV, I have been doing chest/tris/abs, legs/shoulders/abs and back/bis/abs. But my diet isn't quite up to it. I think I eat between 1600-2000 kcals daily.

My diet plan currently looks like this, as of today: 2713 kcals a day, 152.7g protein, 397.1g carbs, 32.2g fat (of which 10.7g saturates). Using a mixture of porridge for snacks, pasta+tuna+veg for lunch time, and my evening meal is going to be 2x chicken fillets with veg and cottage cheese. Breakfast is 1 full egg, 2 egg whites, 2x brown bread with peanut butter, bowl of porridge and water.

I would go into specifics, but I haven't uploaded the image yet, my works computer security settings won't allow it. The next step is to obviously keep this going. I'll upload the image soon.

Hopefully my post isn't too much of a garbled mess!

Kind regards,

David

Do you really think you can bulk and improve definition with that little protein that much carbohydrate? I'm guessing the fact that you've listed the saturates you eat means you think they are bad for you. They aren't. You also aren't eating enough fat, and your breakfast doesn't give you nearly enough protein.

Where did you read that you should organise your diet like that? I suggest you read the diet sticky.

Also, you don't need to work your abs that much, if at all.

You've been here for a while, you should know this stuff.

Just neglecting my abs for so long really - I normally do just captain chairs for 3 sets each day - as I do the big compound exercises - Legs day I do Squats, Back day I do deadlift and sldl, Chest day I do press and dips.

I don't *feel* like my abs are being isolated until I spend a session doing them, unless that's my technique being off of course.

SLDL is a leg exercise.

How do you know your abs are being neglected? I rarely feel my abs being worked but my core is solid. At least you're not doing crunches.

 

[LiE]

Gamefreak, here are my macros to give you an idea.


Protein: 262.1g
Carbs: 237.9g
Fats: 147.5g
Cals: 3095

 

[MoNkeE]

Hey guys, my diets along the lines of this:

Breakfast: 4 eggs scrambled
Protein shake (should really measure, but skimmed milk, 2 heaped teaspoons of whey, 1 heaped of ground oats)

Lunch: salad box (coleslaw, cheese and chicken) with half a brown bread bun

Post-workout: protein shake (same as before)

Dinner: Either two chicken breasts wrapped in bacon or two makeral fillets, with a 125g brown rice or cous cous

Pre-bed: tub of pineapple and cottage cheese

Do you reckon I'm seeing enough protein here?

 

[LiE]

Not sure Monk, you need to sit down and work it out
Doesn't look like a lot of food there if I'm being honest - are you cutting?

 

[icecold]

Yeah can't really tell mate, although I'm going to guess probably not quite. 2 teaspoons isn't very much, 2 heaped tablespoons would be more like it until you can get hold of a scoop.

 

[MoNkeE]

Can't figure it out for lunch as it's just from a sarnie shop, I'd say a generous handful of coleslaw, a chicken breast and handful of cheese. Unfortunately I do indulge in the occassional lunch time snack (read: cake), but I'm more interested in if I'm getting enough protein.

I'm actually trying to bulk :\ I'll try and calculate how much this is roughly coming to tonight or something.

 

[MoNkeE]

until you can get hold of a scoop.

I have a small scoop, but it did get a bit tedius pouring 6 of them, so figured I was hitting ROUGHLY 30g of whey or so with my two heaped spoons.

What site do you guys use for your calculations?

 

[TheCybermonkey]

It can be a bit of a pain, but try using a site like dailyburn or myfitnesspal.

Both are free and have apps for phones which make them easier too use.

That will give you somthing to go on and once you have an idea of what an ideal set up is, you can just mix and match meals to hit what quantities you need and ditch having to use the sites/apps.

 

[icecold]

eggs 28g
lunch ~30g
dinner ~60g
cottage cheese 25g??? I think
total 143g

So if you were having 2 40g protein shakes you'd be fine.

 

[MoNkeE]

That doesn't sound too bad. I'll just have to see what my calories are coming out at. Wanting to try and add some size - believe it or not, this is more than I was eating 6 months ago :\

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Due to the pressure squats and deadlifts put on your core they'll give your abs a far better workout than any isolation exercise will but if you want to feel like they've been worked try Zercher squats

Many people at my gym have tried, very few ever try again

whilst i believe that to be true for the most part, i think leg raises work the lower half a lot better, like the adonis belt area, etc.

so long as your doing squats, etc, the only other exercise i would add in is hanging leg raises and hanging knee raises.

 

[icecold]

I'd say correctly done planks were actually the best (ignoring rotational stability), but I've not met anyone in the gym who does them properly. Even with proper instruction, lordosis prevents the right angles.

 

[Delvis]

That doesn't sound too bad. I'll just have to see what my calories are coming out at. Wanting to try and add some size - believe it or not, this is more than I was eating 6 months ago :\

Ah believe me, if you aren't doing much exercise, you don't need that many calories, I used to eat far less than I do now

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I'd say correctly done planks were actually the best (ignoring rotational stability), but I've not met anyone in the gym who does them properly. Even with proper instruction, lordosis prevents the right angles.

are you an instructor?

if not, ever thought of becoming one? lol