Any1 w/ similar goals? Lean muscle gain + Paleo

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Hi all,

New to MFP from Brisbane, Australia. Successfully logging meals and exercise for about two weeks and really getting into the routine. The fitness lifestyle is already quickly becoming an obsession and I'm loving it!

A bit of back story. I lived in Germany for 6 months from Sep 2012 to Feb 2013 and gained about 22 lb reaching 180 lb. Considering I'm 6 ft its not very heavy, but my problem is all my fat collects around my stomach, which everyone knows is very unhealthy. Since coming back I started running without really changing my diet, and lost a few kg. My main goal is to look and feel good. I can run 10km without stopping (best time is only about 57 minutes) but I still wouldn't consider myself very fit. Fast-forward to now and I'm at about 167 lb and 6 ft. My new goal is to maintain my weight while gaining some lean muscle. After doing a bit of research, I discovered Insanity and have started that (only on Day 2). In the last two weeks I've also started some basic weights, and when I say basic I mean REALLY basic. Until two weeks ago, I'd never touched a barbell.

Here is my currently diet and fitness schedule below. Any helpful criticism would be really appreciated. Also as the subject heading says, I'm looking for anyone with similar goals to go through this with.

DIET

I am basing my diet around the paleo diet. I'm not 100% strict, for example, the day before a big 10km run I'll have some pasta. This might be once a fortnight. Also I'll have a splash of low fat milk in an omelette, for example. Up until today I was following 40% carbs 40% protein and 20% fat, but today have changed to 40% protein and 30% for both fat and carbs. I was finding it very difficult to eat enough carbs to make the quota.

As for supplements, I take a standard Whey Protein Isolate (36.1 grams of protein for every 40) after each workout. I'm also taking 9000mg of fish oil (4500 mg in morning and evening), as well as a daily multivitamin called Centrum (not sure if its international or only in Australia). The multivitamin is mainly for my iron, as I'm not eating much red meat to reduce my fat intake.

MFP gives me a calorie goal of 1900 which I'm usually under about 5 days out of 7. Each week I'm usually at about a net 2000 calories under my weekly goal.

EXERCISE

As mentioned earlier, I have just started Insanity. So that is 6 days per week, Sundays off. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I have started doing a BASIC weights program set out below. Takes about 40 minutes with 45-60 second rests between sets.

Bench 3 sets 10 reps, 80% mass
Bench 3 sets 5 reps, 80% mass
Bench 3 sets 10 reps, 70% mass
Bench 3 sets 5 reps, 70% mass
Biceps curl, dumbell, 3 sets 20 reps
Biceps curl, dumbell, 3 sets 10 reps
Lateral raise, dumbbell, side, 3 sets 10 reps
Lateral raise, dumbbell, side, 3 sets 5 reps
Lunge with dumbbell raise above head, 3 sets 10 reps
Lunge with dumbbell raise above head, 3 sets 5 reps

Note that this is something that I have completely made up. My only home equipment, as you can probably tell, is a bench and some dumbbells. I can't afford a gym but will consider one when I start a new job in February next year. What are the essential strength exercises that I'm missing from my workout to gain lean muscle to look and feel good? Any comments on the number of sets and reps?

TL;DR

6 ft and 167 lb wanting to get healthier and fitter, gaining lean muscle while maintaining current weight. Eating a mostly Paleo diet, doing Insanity 6 days a week and a crapping weights routine 3 times a week. Looking for friends with similar goals or helpful advice, particularly for the weights routine.

Replies

  • domcarrigan
    domcarrigan Posts: 25 Member
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    There are so many boards to choose from, maybe this isn't the best one. Should I move it to Fitness and Exercise? Sorry >.<
  • kornaco
    kornaco Posts: 146 Member
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    Welcome!

    Even with your limited weights, you've still got room for additional exercises. Using your dumbbells, you can still hit up some back rows, dead lifts, shoulder presses, tricep extensions, and more I'm sure. I'd just google full-body dumbbell routines... that would be your best bet. And, condense the repeats into something like 3-5 sets; no need in doing 12 sets of chest press.
  • domcarrigan
    domcarrigan Posts: 25 Member
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    Hey kornaco, thanks for the advice.

    My reasoning behind the 12 sets of chest is because I do them without a spot by myself, I don't want to lift too much weight because it could be unsafe. Any suggestions to do this safely while still exerting myself to make the most of my workout?

    Also when you say 3-5 sets, still at 10 reps each?

    Thanks!