I made it my NY resolution this year that I would reach my 25th in November and not be fat. Pretty simple really, but I have been overweight since I was a child and have had various health kicks with an almost uncanny failure rate. 
Lost some weight few years ago, but hovered around 18.5 - 20 stone for last 3 years. I am a big guy (1st team and ex-county rugby prop forward), but I was pretty fat as well. I used to be a beer monster (12 pints was a light session ) and would always eat crap, especially if I was bored, hungover or anxious about something.
Started diet on 2nd jan this year at an embarrasing 19 st 1. Since then I have had NO McDonalds, NO Takeaway curry or pizza and NO Kebabs. I've virtually stopped drinking - might have a few if its a big wknd, but no booze during the week and none if I'm not out for something special. This is at complete odds with my beer monster role in a previous life.
My weight loss has been pretty good, and I am very proud that today I weigh 15st 12 - a loss of 45lb so far. This is the lightest I've been since year 9 at school!!!
I have been going to the gym 4/5 times a week, and working HARD!!
I've been doing 40 mins on cross trainer doing 5 mins warm up at speed 10 kph and resistance 6. Then increase to level 8 and do:
a) 1 min of pushing hard with arms, focussing on chest and triceps.
b) 1 min pulling hard, focussing on forearms.
c) 1 min legs only.
d) 1 min backwards.
e) 1 min sprint forward (holding speed at 17.5 kph+).
So 5 min cycles. Increase each 5 mins from level 8 to 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and repeat each exercise.
5 mins cool down.
I aim to cover 8.5 kms and burn 775 calories in the 40 mins on the cross trainer.
After x-trainer we have these split running machines where you have a belt for each foot, which goes up and down so its like walking on sand.
I do about 12 mins on this (or however long is needed) at top speed of 6.4 kmph and max travel to top up my calories burnt to 1000.
On alternating days I then do chip ups. In Jan I could do half of one, I am now up to 13.
My target weight is 15st. Yes its still a lot of weight, but any less and I will look like flesh cable tied to bones as I have a big frame.
Now the question
Once I reach my target weight and have shifted the flab, I want to get back into body building and strength training. I used to be able to bench 130 kg when I was 17/18 and took both rugby and weight training pretty seriously. I think now I would prob struggle with 60, it has been that long since I did any strength training.
Am I best to keep going with pure cardio, or should I do alternating days of cardio and weights? My weight loss is starting to plateau - at the start I was losing as much as 5lb a week, now its down to 0.5 or 1-2lb. I know I need to start to switch up my workouts a bit to shock my body, and from this week will be adding 20 mins rowing onto my usual workout each time.
I have a good idea of strength training exercises (mainly from Arnie's excellent Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding). I wanted to know how many calories I will burn strength training compared to cardio, say in 45 mins to an hour?
I'm not after a fully cut bodybuilder's body (yet!) but do want to increase my muscle as I have lost loads with the flab.
So exercise buffs - do I keep going until I reach my target weight, or do I do start doing some weights as well now? Weight loss is slowing as I have less to lose and I guess my body is now used to burning all the extra calories a week. I want to kick start it again. I know muscle weighs more than flab, so by increasing my muscle mass I will add weight, but 15 st of solid muscle would be, for me anyway, my ideal body.
Sorry if this has bored you, but any advice to go to the next level would be great.
Lost some weight few years ago, but hovered around 18.5 - 20 stone for last 3 years. I am a big guy (1st team and ex-county rugby prop forward), but I was pretty fat as well. I used to be a beer monster (12 pints was a light session ) and would always eat crap, especially if I was bored, hungover or anxious about something.Started diet on 2nd jan this year at an embarrasing 19 st 1. Since then I have had NO McDonalds, NO Takeaway curry or pizza and NO Kebabs. I've virtually stopped drinking - might have a few if its a big wknd, but no booze during the week and none if I'm not out for something special. This is at complete odds with my beer monster role in a previous life.
My weight loss has been pretty good, and I am very proud that today I weigh 15st 12 - a loss of 45lb so far. This is the lightest I've been since year 9 at school!!!
I have been going to the gym 4/5 times a week, and working HARD!!
I've been doing 40 mins on cross trainer doing 5 mins warm up at speed 10 kph and resistance 6. Then increase to level 8 and do:
a) 1 min of pushing hard with arms, focussing on chest and triceps.
b) 1 min pulling hard, focussing on forearms.
c) 1 min legs only.
d) 1 min backwards.
e) 1 min sprint forward (holding speed at 17.5 kph+).
So 5 min cycles. Increase each 5 mins from level 8 to 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and repeat each exercise.
5 mins cool down.
I aim to cover 8.5 kms and burn 775 calories in the 40 mins on the cross trainer.
After x-trainer we have these split running machines where you have a belt for each foot, which goes up and down so its like walking on sand.
I do about 12 mins on this (or however long is needed) at top speed of 6.4 kmph and max travel to top up my calories burnt to 1000.
On alternating days I then do chip ups. In Jan I could do half of one, I am now up to 13.
My target weight is 15st. Yes its still a lot of weight, but any less and I will look like flesh cable tied to bones as I have a big frame.
Now the question
Once I reach my target weight and have shifted the flab, I want to get back into body building and strength training. I used to be able to bench 130 kg when I was 17/18 and took both rugby and weight training pretty seriously. I think now I would prob struggle with 60, it has been that long since I did any strength training.
Am I best to keep going with pure cardio, or should I do alternating days of cardio and weights? My weight loss is starting to plateau - at the start I was losing as much as 5lb a week, now its down to 0.5 or 1-2lb. I know I need to start to switch up my workouts a bit to shock my body, and from this week will be adding 20 mins rowing onto my usual workout each time.
I have a good idea of strength training exercises (mainly from Arnie's excellent Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding). I wanted to know how many calories I will burn strength training compared to cardio, say in 45 mins to an hour?
I'm not after a fully cut bodybuilder's body (yet!) but do want to increase my muscle as I have lost loads with the flab.
So exercise buffs - do I keep going until I reach my target weight, or do I do start doing some weights as well now? Weight loss is slowing as I have less to lose and I guess my body is now used to burning all the extra calories a week. I want to kick start it again. I know muscle weighs more than flab, so by increasing my muscle mass I will add weight, but 15 st of solid muscle would be, for me anyway, my ideal body.
Sorry if this has bored you, but any advice to go to the next level would be great.
