Help me make a plan!

oscaralexmanz96
oscaralexmanz96 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello! I'm looking for some help and consensus on a regiment I'm trying to build. Let's jump right in.

I'm 6'3 and I weigh 400lbs and I'm 21. I've been overweight most of my life, but never completely sedentary. I've played a few sports (soccer, boxing, football,) through out my life. Sadly, through excuses and lack of self control I could never stick with a healther lifestyle. I've set 2017 to change that and though I've made a lot of progress I'd really like to kick it up to the next league and really start making progress. I have a lot of belly fat which is something I'd definitely like to focus on burning.

My usual routine: 5 days a week I walk to and from work (1.5miles). I work as a hotel houseman, so im constantly moving up and down 4 stories maintaining and cleaning the hotel. My hours very between 6-8 hr shifts. Afterwards I head directly to the gym (after my walk back). On my days off from work I also take a break from working out. (These days are seldom back to back if that matters)

At the gym (I go to a very small local gym with very little equipment): Since I've been on my feet and walking all day I typically focus more on weight lifting. I typically alternate between leg and arm days with 2 full body work out days. These works out consist of light weight higher reps. (In no particular order, just the work outs I do)

Bench: 3x15 (120lbs)
Shoulder: 3x15 (100lbs)
Freeweight Dumbbells: 3x20 (30 lbs)
weightless squats: 3x10
Leg curl machine: 3x10 (200 lbs)
Calf raises: 3x20 (40lbs dumbbells)
Ab Crunches: 3x10
Pyramid/Plank: 3x30sec.

As you can probably tell, my work out is kind of all over the place. If it's a leg day I focus more on my leg oriented work outs and vise verse. I've done a fair bit of research and I'm aware that I should now be focusing more on weight loss and because of my size, my muscle will naturally build itself. I've been recommended to focus on plyometric and callisthenic oriented work outs.

My diet (keep in mind this pertains to this year):
I typically leave to work very early, so I typically eat a small sandwich/meal. I.e. biscuit sandwich, hot pocket, frozen meal,
I typically, more often than not, skip out on lunch as I really don't like to eat while I work. If need be Ill have a small snack, like a granola bar. I've been told by research and friends that this is a very bad thing and I've been trying to alleviate this mistake.
I have a hearty dinner. A full meal/plate.

I do apologize for such a broad description of the diet, I don't have any constant in what I eat. I do my absolute best to avoid sodas/candy. Try my best not to eat too much fast food (somewhat difficult for a college kid I must confess) When I'm at home I drink plenty of water. At work I drink a lot of tea. I've been told I need to ingest more water as well.

Please feel free to ask any questions I will do my best to answer.

What I'm looking for: workout regiment advice, dietary choices, what to ABSOLUTELY avoid, and any helpful tips.


Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    edited September 2017
    For strength training, follow any of the proven strength programs mentioned here daily, like Stronglifts 5x5, NROL, etc. Or hire a good personal trainer.

    For fat loss tips, read the sticky posts here and in the Getting Started forums. Basically, consume fewer calories than you burn.

    For health & fitness, stay active during the day (which you're doing) and do any form of relatively vigorous cardio a few days a week. :+1:
  • soon2beeskinny
    soon2beeskinny Posts: 28 Member
    I think you are doing awesome!! Keep up the good work! It does not matter what you eat it's the amount of calories you eat and burn each day. I eat sweets all the time and have lost 90 pounds over the years. It's just a calorie thing. Go by what MFP suggests for calories and eat that. Eat the foods you enjoy!! I'm not saying eat greasy fatty foods all the time. Just eat what you like with in reason. Exercise plan looks good.
  • Heather4448
    Heather4448 Posts: 908 Member
    Welcome!
    As far as strength training-- Definitely follow an established plan. Read the most helpful posts- there is one titled something like, "What lifting program is right for you?"
    Diet-- Again, read the stickies. Buy a digital kitchen scale. Weigh and measure ever single thing that goes in your mouth.
    Set a modest calorie deficit. Don't beat yourself up when you screw up. Log it and move on.
    You'll find a very helpful user base here.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited September 2017
    Exercise is good, but you'll lose the majority of your weight by being diligent with your food (and drink) intake. This means that you DO need a constant in what you eat. You don't have to avoid ANYTHING, and you don't have to drink more water, but you DO need to eat an appropriate amount of calories, consistently. If you weigh and log your food, you will be able to keep track of your calorie intake. Hitting the calorie goal MFP gave you, assuming you have entered your stats correctly, and logging correctly (and it's easy to log incorrectly, but it's also easy to log correctly), guarantees that you lose weight. Prelogging is smart (avoids running out of calories, lets you see your day as a whole, easier to make priorities). Eating a nutritious diet is smart (and it's healthy). Eating food you like is smart (you will have to pay attention to your food intake for the rest of your life), but your preferences can change.

    You can expect to lose 1 to 1.5% of your body weight per week, on average (weight fluctuates, so you can't see weight loss as a straight line even if you do everything right all the time), in the beginning. As you lose weight, you can't sustain the same calorie deficit, so your loss will slow down. Somewhere along the line, 1% loss per week will be good, and then a 0.75% weekly loss is fine for the final leg.
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    Log your food religiously. You will see results. Just being aware makes a heap of a lot of difference.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    Food is 80-90% of the deal. Eat at a deficit for weight loss. Strength train for strength. Cardio if you want to for endurance.

    Concentrate on the deficit first. Strength training should be progressive overload. Follow @Heather4448's post for the strength training thread.

    Read the stickies. Weigh and measure everything. Establish a deficit you can handle. Start slow if you have to.
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
    Just to add that meal timing is irrelevant. Once you have your calorie goal from MFP, you can eat whichever foods at whatever times you want within that goal and still lose weight. You can eat one huge meal a day or 6 small meals a day. Your whole diet could be chocolate, pizza and beer and if it came to fewer calories than you burn, you would lose weight (it wouldn't be very healthy, but that's another issue).

    For weight loss, the single most important thing is watching what you eat and making sure you consume fewer calories than you burn. Exercise is great for health, wellbeing and can increase your deficit slightly, but if you don't get the eating part right you will struggle to drop the pounds.
  • maggibailey
    maggibailey Posts: 289 Member
    poisonedcandi wrote: »
    Just to add that meal timing is irrelevant. Once you have your calorie goal from MFP, you can eat whichever foods at whatever times you want within that goal and still lose weight. You can eat one huge meal a day or 6 small meals a day. Your whole diet could be chocolate, pizza and beer and if it came to fewer calories than you burn, you would lose weight (it wouldn't be very healthy, but that's another issue).

    For weight loss, the single most important thing is watching what you eat and making sure you consume fewer calories than you burn. Exercise is great for health, wellbeing and can increase your deficit slightly, but if you don't get the eating part right you will struggle to drop the pounds.


    This. If you don't like to eat lunch by all means don't eat lunch. I use to eat nothing all day until about 6pm and then eat all my calories before bed. I felt fine, I lost weight right on track. Now I'm married and it doesn't fit in my schedule as well or I'd still be eating like that.
  • macclone
    macclone Posts: 85 Member
    Work in some cardio like exercise bike or kettle bell swings.
  • oscaralexmanz96
    oscaralexmanz96 Posts: 2 Member
    I'd like to take the time and thank everyone for responding with great advice and help! I feel much more secure and confident with this new set of knowledge at my disposal and great archive/tools to help!
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