What would you do with this body?

Matt_Wild

ps a few results of my broscience:





Girl on right

gabbygal03

I have also done Jillian's 30DS and love it. I just recently started her Banish Fat Boost Metabolism work out which incorporates most of the exercises from 30DS and a few more into it. It's a 45 minute workout and is also on you tube. Good luck!

misspastry

eat a burger

rybo

First compliment on how great it looks.

Then suggest adding a lifting program. It can be some of the ones already mentioned or even a bodyweight only one. depending on what you like. You can reach the end result either way.

Seems to be a big debate brewing over cardio. Cutting it out completely is fine, you don't absolutely need it, but doing a little bit is fine if you like cardio, I just wouldn't go doing a lot. (A lot being every day or for longer than 30 mins at a time)

Matt_Wild

What evidence have you seen that convinced you of any of that?

The entire idea seems to be holding off on cardio because introducing cardio is a tool you want to use later to kick-start fat loss once you plateau. I have never seen any evidence that such a phenomenon exists.

There's no reason not to do some cardio. It's healthy. It helps push your caloric deficit in a healthy way. It's good for your VO2 max, which is good for your lifting.

So cardio doesn't burn calories, thus moving you from your plateau? Think about the logic. You play your hand of cards slowly. Never do everything at once, slowly introduce different measures to burn fat. By dropping your calories you will start dropping fat regardless at the start of the diet, adding cardio simply helps you over any plateau by burning more calories. Logical.

A few weeks/month or two off cardio in the grand schemes will do nothing to your health.

jonnythan

What evidence have you seen that convinced you of any of that?

The entire idea seems to be holding off on cardio because introducing cardio is a tool you want to use later to kick-start fat loss once you plateau. I have never seen any evidence that such a phenomenon exists.

There's no reason not to do some cardio. It's healthy. It helps push your caloric deficit in a healthy way. It's good for your VO2 max, which is good for your lifting.

So cardio doesn't burn calories, thus moving you from your plateau? Think about the logic. You play your hand of cards slowly. Never do everything at once, slowly introduce different measures to burn fat. By dropping your calories you will start dropping fat regardless at the start of the diet, adding cardio simply helps you over any plateau by burning more calories. Logical.

A few weeks/month or two off cardio in the grand schemes will do nothing to your health.

Yes cardio burns calories. There's no reason not to burn calories now. You can still burn calories later.

justgowithit17

OP, you are already perfect. i wish i had the genes to get kind of body! hmm, maybe it's possible?

Matt_Wild

What evidence have you seen that convinced you of any of that?

The entire idea seems to be holding off on cardio because introducing cardio is a tool you want to use later to kick-start fat loss once you plateau. I have never seen any evidence that such a phenomenon exists.

There's no reason not to do some cardio. It's healthy. It helps push your caloric deficit in a healthy way. It's good for your VO2 max, which is good for your lifting.

So cardio doesn't burn calories, thus moving you from your plateau? Think about the logic. You play your hand of cards slowly. Never do everything at once, slowly introduce different measures to burn fat. By dropping your calories you will start dropping fat regardless at the start of the diet, adding cardio simply helps you over any plateau by burning more calories. Logical.

A few weeks/month or two off cardio in the grand schemes will do nothing to your health.

Yes cardio burns calories. There's no reason not to burn calories now. You can still burn calories later.

You have a limited amount of energy you can drop/expend before the body starts limiting itself to fat loss etc. No point going crazy and risking lean body mass.

However you think what I say is broscience so carry on!

jonnythan

You have a limited amount of energy you can drop/expend before the body starts limiting itself to fat loss etc. No point going crazy and risking lean body mass.

However you think what I say is broscience so carry on!

Yeah, and that's why the common recommendation is to limit your calorie deficit to about 500 calories a day. No point going crazy and risking lean body mass.

I still haven't seen any reason to not do cardio now and start later instead. Your reason is basically "cardio burns calories, and you don't need to burn calories now - you can burn calories later."

Mr_Excitement

You asked the hardest to obtain. I have been after losing fat at the same time as gaining muscle my entire adult life- very difficult balance. Usually as we cut calories to lose fat, muscle goes too. I used my diet diary for feedback. I noticed when my carbs were above about 120 grams during cutting calories I was hungry and weaker. When I ate more fat in place of the carbs I was stronger and retained more muscle as I lost the fat. We are all different-keep good notes and look back at the diary to point you in the right direction. I wish I knew this years ago.

I suggest reading up on glycemic index. In general- eat higher glycemic foods (bananna) right before and during exercise, and lower glycemic carbs (apple) throughout the rest of the day- to avoid spiking insulin. When you spike insulin the excess sugar in the blood is turned to fat. I eat more carbs on cardio days. From your pictures, you are close to having your abs showing. Good luck.

I disagree with the drop cardio. Cardio good for many reasons- you can eat more, stamina, endorphins, sports, etc. Unless you want to just stand around and look good.

I agree with you-- I'm not sure where this "drop cardio completely" mentality is coming from, unless it's purely aesthetics. If all you want to do is look fit while standing still, alright... I suppose someone like the OP might drop cardio and just focus on optimizing muscle gains with lifts and diet... maybe. Personally, though, I think "fit" means well conditioned, and that means doing some regular cardio work-- even if you've already got fairly low bodyfat.

eevincheezburger

Just wanted to say you already have a beautiful "before"

Make sure you eat a high protein/low carb content (unless you find that good carbs don't hurt you much). Lifting weights will really bring out some nice definition in your stomach area as well as tone up the butt/thighs if you do things like squats and lunges.

3dogsrunning

I haven't read all the responses but I would ditch Jillian and her 30 ds and pick up some heavy weights.

^^ This

Jillian Michaels DVDs are excellent for overweight people, but since you're already slim, you're best bet for body recomp is lifting heavy.

^^^
This.
Since someone usually points it out but hasn't, Jillian did not get her body by doing those workouts alone. I strongly agree with posts like Dan's.
I'm going to stay out of the drop cardio debate. But heavy lifting is definitely where you want to be for the goals you have in mind.

bostonwolf

Thanks for the replies... even the boys

I'll still be doing cardio on some days as I enjoy it and have a couple of 10k runs coming up this summer, plus a 35mile bike ride in a month.

Will keep you all posted. Am going to try and stick to 30DS and incorporate some extra weight work a couple days a week. Jillian is b*tch for all her lunging and squats... guess its what I need though!!

If anyone can recommend any work out videos (pref ones I can find on youtube) that would be great.

Thank you

Keep the heavy lifting in mind. Adding muscle would probably be the best way to reduce any fat you have left. Doesn't look like much though.

patentguru

Matt- Awesome results! Can't argue with the balanced muscular look you have obtained with your lifters. I agree with almost everything- but I am having trouble with the drop cardio completely. I understand where you are coming from. I tried that about 10 years ago and my strength and weight went way up. However, I was winded easily. I then went in other direction to long distance running and light weight, while maintaining some strength (bench above 225). Now I am at a happy medium for myself. No more marathons, cardio limited to about 1-1.5 hours three days a week (mostly on the bike).

kc285

I haven't read all the responses but I would ditch Jillian and her 30 ds and pick up some heavy weights.

^^ This

Jillian Michaels DVDs are excellent for overweight people, but since you're already slim, you're best bet for body recomp is lifting heavy.

^^^
This.
Since someone usually points it out but hasn't, Jillian did not get her body by doing those workouts alone. I strongly agree with posts like Dan's.
I'm going to stay out of the drop cardio debate. But heavy lifting is definitely where you want to be for the goals you have in mind.

Thank you - good advice. I am enjoying bits of 30DS but would never have it as my sole exercise as I agree there is no way she looks like that just from doing 20 min a day, plus I find some bits easy, but it is good for my upper body as tbh I cant manage much more than what she is asking of me anyway at the mo and its giving me some structure on the days where I would otherwise be doing nothing.

I too am staying out of the cardio debate... there is no question of me dropping it, I am far too active as a person, cycle/walk/run to work most days and have 2 horses to ride.

bpotts44

No need to drop cardio as it has many benefits, but resistance training will get you the goals you want. No need to lose any weight.

FitBeto

Thanks for the replies... even the boys

I'll still be doing cardio on some days as I enjoy it and have a couple of 10k runs coming up this summer, plus a 35mile bike ride in a month.

Will keep you all posted. Am going to try and stick to 30DS and incorporate some extra weight work a couple days a week. Jillian is b*tch for all her lunging and squats... guess its what I need though!!

If anyone can recommend any work out videos (pref ones I can find on youtube) that would be great.

Thank you

I dont think you need to drop cardio

diodelcibo

Eat it.

Timshel_

I'm going to stay out of the drop cardio debate. But heavy lifting is definitely where you want to be for the goals you have in mind.

Yup. Since you run races I wouldn't drop cardio and maintain your training. Adding the weights to strengthen and tone would help. If you have other sports you are specifically training for you can look at fitness/strengthening routines for those as well.

bostonwolf

You have a limited amount of energy you can drop/expend before the body starts limiting itself to fat loss etc. No point going crazy and risking lean body mass.

However you think what I say is broscience so carry on!

Yeah, and that's why the common recommendation is to limit your calorie deficit to about 500 calories a day. No point going crazy and risking lean body mass.

I still haven't seen any reason to not do cardio now and start later instead. Your reason is basically "cardio burns calories, and you don't need to burn calories now - you can burn calories later."

I'm going to take the word of the guy who is a professional trainer over the word of the guy who starts threads bragging about how he eats absolute garbage and thinks that's OK because he does cardio.

But that's just me, I leave everyone to make their own decision.