Training while not on a structured diet?

Soldato
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I'm thinking about starting to train at the gym. This will include some swimming too.

My main problems are motivation and what I should and shouldnt eat. If I continue to eat a fairly healty diet, without bumping up protien intake etc will I see gains in the gym (muscle tone, strength and endurance)

Im a complete n00b at this and tbh don't have the time to research what I should be eating. I can add/subtract things to my diet but will struggle to follow a strict structured diet.

My main aims are to increase strength, tone up and get fit. I'm not looking to bulk up as such, just add a bit to the size of my arms and legs and generally have a more athletic appearence.

Help me guys :)
 
Eat lots of fruit and veg, steak, beef, poultry, eggs, fish and wholegrain foods. Drink filtered and bottled water and maybe get yourself a multi-vitamin

Avoid alcohol, sugar, salt, fast-food, processed food, microwave meals. Don't smoke.

A good start :)
 
Chong Warrior said:
Eat lots of fruit and veg, steak, beef, poultry, eggs, fish and wholegrain foods. Drink filtered and bottled water and maybe get yourself a multi-vitamin

Avoid alcohol, sugar, salt, fast-food, processed food, microwave meals. Don't smoke.

A good start :)

I'm not far off what you've suggested. Need to eat more egg and wholegrain foods.

I've cut out Fast Food, Microwave Meals and I don't smoke.

I don't drink a lot but I do like sugar and salt which I'll cut down on.

If I understand this correctly sugar turns to fat? is there a way to work out how much originates from Sugar?

Thanks for the info :)
 
Sugar and other empty, fast acting carbs are more likely to be stored as fat yes but not everything is black & white. Anything eaten at breakfast and within 1-2 hours of finishing training is very unlikely to be stored as fat. So if you have a sweet tooth, these are the times to eat sweet food.

There's an excellent sticky at the top, a really good place to start learning about these things ;)
 
Would like to add that even if you don't eat so well, just average, you can still get huge bonuses, which in turn will want you to eat better, you'll find that you want to get bigger/whatever quicker, and your diet will probably change towards the healthy side because of this.
 
Heaven Can Wait said:
Would like to add that even if you don't eat so well, just average, you can still get huge bonuses, which in turn will want you to eat better, you'll find that you want to get bigger/whatever quicker, and your diet will probably change towards the healthy side because of this.
Agreed.

I think some people try to do too much at once. Best thing is get in the gym, get a feel and see if it's for you. If it is you'll get into it all and start reading up and learning and then and everything will fall into place :)
 
Just a quick question...

my whey protein arrived this morning and I suddenly thought - now I'm adding more carbs to my diet, surely I'll be gaining weight? If this is as muscle then that's fine but if it's as fat then that's not so good.

Thoughts?
 
Lead_Head said:
Just a quick question...

my whey protein arrived this morning and I suddenly thought - now I'm adding more carbs to my diet, surely I'll be gaining weight? If this is as muscle then that's fine but if it's as fat then that's not so good.

Thoughts?

You'll not get massively obese and neither will it happen overnight. Sure you might add a few pounds of fat but its nothing that can't be shifted by slightly modifying your diet. By that time you'll know more about training and diet so the change should be easy.

EDIT: Click here to see how i got on ;)

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9030999&postcount=62
 
Cool, I need to lose a few lbs as well but I think having these shakes will stop me from snacking on rubbish.

I might make my main meals smaller as well to compensate.
 
Lead_Head said:
Cool, I need to lose a few lbs as well but I think having these shakes will stop me from snacking on rubbish.

I might make my main meals smaller as well to compensate.

Without knowing what you eat i'd say just make the carbs portion smaller. Keep the protein and veggies the same - they're good for you!
 
Ive been going to the gym once a week to train with a personal trainer.

I havent changed my diet at all - still full of all kinds of crap. I still put on a fair bit of muscle, but at the same time I havent lost much fat. So yes, I've got more muscle bulk, but I look more or less the same as when I started.
 
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