Hello, just looking for some input in my exercise plan

AlexR0

I am 30 years old, male, 248 lbs but I don't look it as I'm told countless times. I am a vegetarian ( no chicken, no seafood ). Past month I have been keeping a solid exercise "routine"

Walk / Jog on a treadmill for 40-60 mins 3.4 - 4 mph (300-400 cal according to the treadmill)

3-4 sets of butterfly 75-80 lbs on sit down exercise machine
3-4 sets of Lat pulls 75-80 lbs on same sit down machine
3-4 sets of arm curls single bar 60-70 lbs free weights bars
3-4 sets of incline bench press 75-85 lbs

All 8-12 reps (every other day)

I had no problem getting into the "routine" due to I worked at a large liquor store thru my college years My body looks slim straight line up and down even though I have fat on my stomach its pretty "flat" which I don't understand. I have large shoulders and chest muscles.

My goal is to drop down to 200 lbs within the next 8-10 months (keeping fingers crossed)

Usual Diet for me is a egg & cheese on English muffin + ice coffee milk & sugar from DD in the morning, lunch is either bagel + cream cheese or subway veggie delight foot long and dinner is home cooked meal all fresh ingredients certain days if I have to work 10-12 hours straight (IT engineer btw) I'll grab taco bell (3 bean burritos only veg food out there) or the infamous pizza plain cheese)
I really double I eat more then 2000 cals a day, past 2 months I've cut out ALL sugar based drinks, foods and snacks (i.e. soda, sports drinks, candy, etc...)

Any feed back would help as of right now first months results I feel more energetic through the day, first few weeks I gain 3 pounds and somehow lost if week 4 and currently 2 pounds lighter then when I started.

Thank you in advanced

AlexR0

1

cantfail

Are you logging your food? I looked it up, and your 3 bean burritos are over 1000 calories by themselves and really high in fat. As far as your workout... It is important to be balanced. You are working your chest and back and your biceps. I would add triceps, abs, shoulders and legs. What is really going to make a difference though is your nutrition. LOG EVERYTHING and then see if you are really under 2000 calories.

JenMc14

Log your food, as the previous poster said. You could easily be over 2000 calories. You may very well have to learn to preplan and pack meals. Also why no legs? Where's your squats? Deadlifts?

KDubberley

Hi Alex,

First, I would recommend changing your cardio routine to High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). I was doing long steady cardio and my weight wasn't budging. Once I began HIIT, the goo really started falling off. Do some research..but here are a couple links to get you started:

Plyometric HIIT (jumping)
http://www.mensfitness.com/training/lose-weight/8-amazing-fat-burning-intervals?page=2

For your treadmill:
http://www.builtlean.com/2010/06/04/high-intensity-interval-training-hiit-best-cardio-to-burn-fat/

If you really want to do up to 30-40 minutes of cardio, do 15-20 minutes of HIIT before your strength workout, then again after. When you're at your peak interval, you should feel like you want to die!

I also recommend including some lower body strength moves, such as weighted squats and lunges. Using your biggest muscle group (i.e., your lower body/ leg muscles), you will burn a ton of calories. Then, work from mid size muscles to your smallest (or weakest). Also, stay away from Smith Machines and Leg Press machines. because of their support system and sitting position, respectively, they do not challenge your core. This prevents you gaining functional fitness and reduces calorie burn.

Looking at your diet, what jumps out to me is your carb intake. Can you limit your carbs to whole wheat, before dinner, and only on the days you workout? if you work a lot, carry fresh fruit (no more than 2 a day), veggies, and low carb-high protein bars or shakes with you so you don't eat crap.

Hope this helps. And by the way, I'm speaking from my personal experience only.

timbrom

1. Log your food. You're probably eating way more than 2000 calories (not that that's a bad thing at your size, necessarily), but more importantly it doesn't sound like you're getting much protein. At your weight I'd shoot for at least 200, if not 250 grams of protein a day.

2. Get on a solid strength training program. Look up Stronglifts 5x5 if you just want the bare minimum to get started, if you're a bit more of the obsessive type pick up a copy of Starting Strength. Start doing big compound lifts (squat, bench, deadlift, press, power clean)

Edit: How tall are you?

AlexR0

the taco bell thing is like once or twice every 3 months or more, lower body workout I am not sure whats best in terms of fitting that in on days I am not doing upper body. I'll definitely put more effrot on finding something that fits me for those days where I am doing only cardio for legs and lower back.

I'm 5' 11" Medium Frame.

timbrom

the taco bell thing is like once or twice every 3 months or more, lower body workout I am not sure whats best in terms of fitting that in on days I am not doing upper body. I'll definitely put more effrot on finding something that fits me for those days where I am doing only cardio for legs and lower back.

I'm 5' 11" Medium Frame.

Seriously, as a beginner, you need to drop the whole "upper body/lower body split" mentality. Do whole body, compound exercises. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press. Get on a program designed by someone who actually knows what they're doing, like Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength.

And eat your protein.

FFJR

Check out Marksdailyapple for nutrition advice. TACFIT workouts are good whole body programs.