*** The 2014 Gym Rats Thread ***

Sleeve said:
So how do I replace the cardio day? Just have 3 workout days, or restart my 3 day split on the 4th day?
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I'd personally just doing a rolling 3 days split so as you've said just restart it on the 4th day, although I'm sure one of the more knowledgeable guys will be along with a better suggestion soon.
 
Sleeve said:
Lol, true, but as above the point of the cardio is purely to bring down my weekly calorie consumption.

As long as I am within my macros for a day then I can't go wrong.... Am I right in thinking this or is that not quite accurate?
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More or less, as long as the majority of your intake is made up of nutricious food, with stuff like crisps falling into the 20% side of the 80/20 rule, and you've calculated your macros via bw/lbm rather than fixed percentages. Micronutrition (vitamins/minerals etc) is a level below macros in terms of importance but shouldn't be neglected, which is why IIFYM shouldn't be considered a diet.
 
Sleeve said:
Wouldn't usually have the crisps in honesty. That was just today's example. The sandwiches are made with sandwich thins, wholewheat.

I was under the impression that aslong as I'm sticking to my macro's does it really matter that much?

With regards to the cardio, that was just to help burn more calories in a week really, seeing as my goal is cutting. Would I be better carrying on with weights, or just resting completely?
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As others have posted,hitting your macros is the main thing. I personally loathe cardio and only do it (occasionally) to chuckle at my power output. ;)

My point is your diet is 'fine' from a macro perspective, but if you wanted feedback, my response would be to reduce your carbs and up your fats... or time them better to improve your body's hormone response. Carbs trigger insulin; fat does not do so in the same league... meaning your body will become more efficient at managing the food/nutrition it gets.

The lremise behind this is the glut (sorry) of work on Type 2 diabetes and enauring a better, more effwctive insulin response. Carb backloading is a diet that takes this premise to the eztreme, but the principles of managing hormone response (I.e. increasing sensitivity) are applicable to everybody: even civilians.

Also, please don't post up a diet and then say it doesn't actually reflect what you eat, as it makes it very difficult to give you help. :)
 
mrthingyx said:
As others have posted,hitting your macros is the main thing. I personally loathe cardio and only do it (occasionally) to chuckle at my power output. ;)

My point is your diet is 'fine' from a macro perspective, but if you wanted feedback, my response would be to reduce your carbs and up your fats... or time them better to improve your body's hormone response. Carbs trigger insulin; fat does not do so in the same league... meaning your body will become more efficient at managing the food/nutrition it gets.

The lremise behind this is the glut (sorry) of work on Type 2 diabetes and enauring a better, more effwctive insulin response. Carb backloading is a diet that takes this premise to the eztreme, but the principles of managing hormone response (I.e. increasing sensitivity) are applicable to everybody: even civilians.

Also, please don't post up a diet and then say it doesn't actually reflect what you eat, as it makes it very difficult to give you help. :)
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In terms of calories it does, but I mean I wouldnt usually eat crisps at lunch. I've become a bit addicted to green olives of late so they would usuay replace the crisps to round about the same calorie level.
 
Sleeve said:
In terms of calories it does, but I mean I wouldnt usually eat crisps at lunch. I've become a bit addicted to green olives of late so they would usuay replace the crisps to round about the same calorie level.
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Sure, but that's tantamount to me saying "yeah, I can squat 400kg" when actually just because I can leg-press 400kg (I can't) I equate it full depth squats as it's the same movement, right?

Not really (sorry - just wanted to use that analogy for some reason). :)

In all seriousness, sticking to macros will get you where you need to go, eventually, but the process can be refined (as always) and improved through a clearer understanding of how your body reacts to food and nutrition, and not necessarily solely along the lines of "what a diet tells you it needs."
 
mrthingyx said:
Sure, but that's tantamount to me saying "yeah, I can squat 400kg" when actually just because I can leg-press 400kg (I can't) I equate it full depth squats as it's the same movement, right?

Not really (sorry - just wanted to use that analogy for some reason). :)

In all seriousness, sticking to macros will get you where you need to go, eventually, but the process can be refined (as always) and improved through a clearer understanding of how your body reacts to food and nutrition, and not necessarily solely along the lines of "what a diet tells you it needs."
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Perfect. Thanks for the help everyone.

I guess in an ideal world I'd love someone to just create me a shopping list for a week lol. Oh well, cheers all :)
 
Sleeve said:
Perfect. Thanks for the help everyone.

I guess in an ideal world I'd love someone to just create me a shopping list for a week lol. Oh well, cheers all :)
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Real life demands compromises... mine are normally along the lines of "stop eating all the food in the house!" :(

:D
 
RazzleDazzle said:
Not yet, though I wasn't feeling happy with trainers so I thought that I would upgrade :)
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Fair play.

An expensive way to upgrade (potentially) if you're not diving under a bar frequently, and particularly if your ankle mobility isn't necessarily up to scratch.

However, this just means you have nice targets to set yourself. :D
 
mrthingyx said:
Fair play.

An expensive way to upgrade (potentially) if you're not diving under a bar frequently, and particularly if your ankle mobility isn't necessarily up to scratch.

However, this just means you have nice targets to set yourself. :D
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Usually squat 3x a week, but have been following other programs with higher reps - lighter weights.

Now on 5x5 and the weight is getting up it was becoming apparent that my trainers were no longer up to scratch, also they were a little treat for dropping under 15st for the first time in years. I've made a lot of progress in the last year and a half, have shifted a lot of timber, not been the quickest loss but it doesn't matter - I may not be there yet, but i'm one step closer to my goal today, than I was yesterday ;)
 
So..potentially dodgy territory... :p

Routines that have less leg work... any suggestions?

I do a lot of cycling and I find the squatting and deadlifts of Stronglifts 5x5 are really starting to impact on my ability to train (train being go at high speeds the day after). I don't want to completely get rid of the leg/core work but I really want to reduce it. More time spent on my upper body (which really needs the work more right now anyhow) would be good.

Any suggested changes to the routine? I could reduce my squat sets or not squat during a dead day perhaps... but if there's a routine that basically shifts the focus to upper body that'd be good.
 
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Steedie's intro thread has a routine based around a 3-day split (ish).

The other alternative (my preferred option) is to cut the volume and hike the intensity, whilst maintaining the frequency of leg training (i.e. still squat 3 times a week, but for fewer reps at a higher percentage of your 1RM).

So instead of doing 5*5 for leg work, you'd go in for 4*3 @ 90%...
 
mrthingyx said:
Steedie's intro thread has a routine based around a 3-day split (ish).

The other alternative (my preferred option) is to cut the volume and hike the intensity, whilst maintaining the frequency of leg training (i.e. still squat 3 times a week, but for fewer reps at a higher percentage of your 1RM).

So instead of doing 5*5 for leg work, you'd go in for 4*3 @ 90%...
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Interesting, thanks. I quite like the look of that routine with regards to me being able to do a good portion of it with a bench and dumbells at home too...

I have access to proper weights at a friend's house but I've been weighing up (pun intended) getting a gym membership again for the times where our schedules aren't compatible.
 
So I've been slowly cutting down for a couple of months now, weighed myself yesterday and I've lost...2 lbs!

I seem to have somehow gained muscle during this cut because my arms/shoulder/chest have noticeably lost a bit of fat, and I've dropped my belt back down one hole!
 
FrenchTart said:
Interesting, thanks. I quite like the look of that routine with regards to me being able to do a good portion of it with a bench and dumbells at home too...

I have access to proper weights at a friend's house but I've been weighing up (pun intended) getting a gym membership again for the times where our schedules aren't compatible.
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You quite like it because there's a lot of bench? Or you mean Mrs. FrenchTart likes it? :D

XeNoN89 said:
So I've been slowly cutting down for a couple of months now, weighed myself yesterday and I've lost...2 lbs!

I seem to have somehow gained muscle during this cut because my arms/shoulder/chest have noticeably lost a bit of fat, and I've dropped my belt back down one hole!
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Good work!
 
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