Effective and Efficient Workout Routine

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lawsonsaysread
lawsonsaysread Posts: 53 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Over the course of the last year and a half, I have lost better that 200lbs. In May of 2014, I weighed 408 lbs. This week I weighed 198 lbs. Since the holidays I have been very careless with my eating and have gained about 25 lbs. This scares me a bit. Now I know I can lose that weight again. I know how to do that. I need to figure out the maintenance part. I need to address the nutrition aspects of it and the workout aspects. My question for this thread is about establishing an effect workout routine.

Currently workout routine:

Stomach: I do 200 crunches six days a week.

Strength training:

Three days a week. I am not able to work out with a partner, and I have some limitations due to intermittent back pain.
1. Cable Crossovers: 3 sets (10 reps @ 90lbs on each cable, 8 reps @100lbs., 8 reps @110 lbs.) Rest about 90 seconds between sets
2. Push-ups: 3 sets of 16 resting 30 seconds between sets (I need to get lower on my push-ups.)
3. Cable Rows: 3 sets [12 reps @ 180lbs., 10reps @ 190 lbs., 10 reps @ 200 lbs. (not too hard, but it is the entire stack)] 45 seconds rests in between sets
4. One Arm Seated Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets per arm (10 reps @ 30 lbs., 8 reps @ 35 lbs, 8 reps @ 40 lbs.) alternating arms for each set
5. Standing dumbbell curls: one set of 15 reps with 25 lbs. in each hand. alternating arms with each rep.
6. Triceps extensions: one set of 15 at 12o lbs. on a weight stack and pulley system.
I do not rest between the last three exercises. Just burning.

Cardio:

Six days a week I ride a recumbent bike for 62 minutes. four minutes of warm up, 52 minutes of intense riding (at mid-level resistance I average between 22.8 and 23 mph according to my bike), 6 minutes of cooling down.

In addition whenever i can I take long vigorous walks or bike rides in warmer weather. I also try to hike in hilly terrain for a couple of hours each weekend. These activities are my fun and I want to do them in addition to my workout regimen.

My fitness goals:

Lose holiday weight (I am not sure what i want my goal weight to be because I want to gain strength too.)
Gain strength: Arbitrary goal -- I would like to bench 210 lbs. Honestly, I need strength gains for my entire upper body.
Endurance: I would like to be able to run five miles if I needed to for some reason and i want to be able to hike intensely with a pack for several hours.
Injury Avoidance: I need to incorporate appropriate warm up, cool down, and stretching
Appearance: I want to be LEAN!

I suspect my workout is not the most efficient way to achieve my goals. Can you make suggestions that will help? Obviously I am willing to put in the time, but I need the process to be fairly simple (as in not complex). I get really overwhelmed and confused by all the exercise advice and JARGON I read on the Internet.

Thanks for your input.

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