Need help understanding my diet versus my exercise routine and future goals
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ChrisPalantNYC
Posts: 3 Member
Hello everybody! Hope you all are surviving post thanksgiving.
To preface, yes I know i'm a nut job, but I promise you I follow my diet, workout routine and sleep schedule to a T. I have not missed a day in the last 5 months. 6 out of 7 days of the week I eat literally the exact same foods and do the same workouts, but I'm well disciplined.
For the past month i've been focusing on heavier weights and lower reps, most of the workouts landing in the 4-6 rep range. Prior to this month, all my weights were roughly 20%-30% lower, but was aiming more for the 8-10 rep range and learning the form.
This is my workout routine:
Back/Bicep:
Machine bicep curl: 3 sets, 140 pounds, 5 reps
Lat pull down: 3 sets, 120 pounds, 5 reps
Standing dumbbell curl with twist: 3 sets, 30 pounds, 5 reps
Seated machine row: 3 sets, 160 pounds, 5 reps
Palm down flat bar bicep curls: 3 sets, 60 pounds, 5 reps
Lower back raise: 3 sets, 45 pound plate, 5 reps
Chest/Tricep
Bench press: 3 sets, 175 pounds, 5 reps
Rope tricep extensions: 3 sets, 47.5 pounds, 5 reps
Incline bench press: 3 sets, 135 pounds, 5 reps
Skull Crusher: 3 sets, 45 pounds, 5 reps
Pec fly: 3 sets, 165 pounds, 5 reps
Dips: 3 sets, 15 dips
Legs/Shoulders
Decline leg press: 3 sets, 650 pounds, 5 reps
Seated shoulder raises: 3 sets, 140 pounds, 5 reps
Seated calf raise: 3 sets, 110 pounds, 5 reps
Deltoid (reverse pec fly): 3 sets, 125 pounds, 5 reps
Seated leg curl: 3 sets, 130 pounds, 5 reps
Dumbbell shoulder press: 3 sets, 50 pounds, 5 reps
Abs/Cardio
Hanging leg raises: 3 sets, 8 reps
Russian Twists: 3 sets, 30 seconds
Ab curl machine: 3 sets, 90 pounds, 8 reps
Treadmill, 30 minutes, 14 incline
I've seen massive improvements in the gym from where I started. Since the beginning I've put form over weight and its really starting to pay off.
is my diet. I know my diet is incredibly bland and boring, but at least it makes me a cheap date. I don't snack at all. I don't know if its listed in the picture above, but I drink 2 protein shakes a day and have been using creatine for almost 3 months straight now. I drink an absurd amount of water also.
I'm very disciplined both in the gym and kitchen, I want to now ensure that i'm maximizing my time. I'm 6 foot 1, 185 pounds. I've lost a TON of fat over the last few months, but i'm not at the 6 pack level yet. I'm debating about doing a 2 month bulk and then getting a crazy cut for the summer. I'v been a marathon runner for years now so i'm no stranger to adding a ton of cardio all at once to my routine.
Thank you all who took the time to read my craziness, but here are the questions I have coming off that;
-How can I safely bulk/cut? (not looking to dirty bulk or starve myself)
-Are there any changes you would make to my diet?
-Are there any changes you would make to my workout routine?
-Are there any supplements you would add? (would be fine with adding BCAA's or something similar)
-Any other advice?
Again, thank you all for the time you've taken to read this, any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!
To preface, yes I know i'm a nut job, but I promise you I follow my diet, workout routine and sleep schedule to a T. I have not missed a day in the last 5 months. 6 out of 7 days of the week I eat literally the exact same foods and do the same workouts, but I'm well disciplined.
For the past month i've been focusing on heavier weights and lower reps, most of the workouts landing in the 4-6 rep range. Prior to this month, all my weights were roughly 20%-30% lower, but was aiming more for the 8-10 rep range and learning the form.
This is my workout routine:
Back/Bicep:
Machine bicep curl: 3 sets, 140 pounds, 5 reps
Lat pull down: 3 sets, 120 pounds, 5 reps
Standing dumbbell curl with twist: 3 sets, 30 pounds, 5 reps
Seated machine row: 3 sets, 160 pounds, 5 reps
Palm down flat bar bicep curls: 3 sets, 60 pounds, 5 reps
Lower back raise: 3 sets, 45 pound plate, 5 reps
Chest/Tricep
Bench press: 3 sets, 175 pounds, 5 reps
Rope tricep extensions: 3 sets, 47.5 pounds, 5 reps
Incline bench press: 3 sets, 135 pounds, 5 reps
Skull Crusher: 3 sets, 45 pounds, 5 reps
Pec fly: 3 sets, 165 pounds, 5 reps
Dips: 3 sets, 15 dips
Legs/Shoulders
Decline leg press: 3 sets, 650 pounds, 5 reps
Seated shoulder raises: 3 sets, 140 pounds, 5 reps
Seated calf raise: 3 sets, 110 pounds, 5 reps
Deltoid (reverse pec fly): 3 sets, 125 pounds, 5 reps
Seated leg curl: 3 sets, 130 pounds, 5 reps
Dumbbell shoulder press: 3 sets, 50 pounds, 5 reps
Abs/Cardio
Hanging leg raises: 3 sets, 8 reps
Russian Twists: 3 sets, 30 seconds
Ab curl machine: 3 sets, 90 pounds, 8 reps
Treadmill, 30 minutes, 14 incline
I've seen massive improvements in the gym from where I started. Since the beginning I've put form over weight and its really starting to pay off.
is my diet. I know my diet is incredibly bland and boring, but at least it makes me a cheap date. I don't snack at all. I don't know if its listed in the picture above, but I drink 2 protein shakes a day and have been using creatine for almost 3 months straight now. I drink an absurd amount of water also.
I'm very disciplined both in the gym and kitchen, I want to now ensure that i'm maximizing my time. I'm 6 foot 1, 185 pounds. I've lost a TON of fat over the last few months, but i'm not at the 6 pack level yet. I'm debating about doing a 2 month bulk and then getting a crazy cut for the summer. I'v been a marathon runner for years now so i'm no stranger to adding a ton of cardio all at once to my routine.
Thank you all who took the time to read my craziness, but here are the questions I have coming off that;
-How can I safely bulk/cut? (not looking to dirty bulk or starve myself)
-Are there any changes you would make to my diet?
-Are there any changes you would make to my workout routine?
-Are there any supplements you would add? (would be fine with adding BCAA's or something similar)
-Any other advice?
Again, thank you all for the time you've taken to read this, any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!
1
Replies
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You are drastically undereating. That will badly impact your health and your ability to build muscle. Eat more.11
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Do you eat at that low of calorie level each day? The minimum for a small man is 1500 and the minimum for a small elderly woman is 1200 calories. Is there any reason that you are not eating fruits or vegetables? It looks like you have been on an aggressive cut if you are consuming approximately 1200 calories per day. Why not use mfp or a tdee calculator to determine maintenance calories and eat at that level over the holidays. Concerned that you may have been under fueling yourself and may find it difficult to go into a bulk if that is what you choose to do. Wouldn’t waste money on bcaas. If you are getting tired with increasing intensity of your workouts then would add some form of caffeine prior to your workout. But it all depends on your goals and priorities. Got to ask if you listed your exercises in order that you perform them or as you remembered them. Cause would work larger muscle groups before smaller muscle groups.7
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I'm sure you have lost quite a bit of fat. Why are you eating so few calories? I'm a 5'5" FEMALE who is currently maintaining on 2700-2900 cal/day, and that's "at the 6 pack level."
Is there any reason your protein is so high? You weigh a buck-85 but your protein is set to almost 300gr/day? And since you're getting (considerably more than) adequate protein, BCAA's belong in the garbage can. They are an expensive way to have pretty water; otherwise they are trash. There's also no particular reason to drink an "absurd" amount of water, either. There's nothing magical about it. Make sure you're hydrated but beyond that? Drink to thirst, not because your eyeballs floating is helping you out in any way.
Do you just not like vegetables/fruits or....?
If you're cutting, you generally want higher volume than what you're outlining. And generally, adding a ton of cardio isn't considered highly recommended for cutting, either.
Where did you even get that "program" or is it something you threw together yourself?
You really seem to put a lot of emphasis on how disciplined you are, and hey nobody is trying to say that discipline isn't a great thing (FWIW I literally have the word tattooed on the inside of my right wrist). BUT if someone goes around bragging that they smash their hand with a hammer on the hour every hour...uhmmmm yeah that's discipline alright, but it isn't necessarily intelligent or productive.
12 -
Just to emphasize some of the points above:
- eat more! I'm also a 5ft5 woman, currently weighing 138lbs and I eat 2000 calories a day on average. While losing 70lbs I ate a minimum of 1700 calories a day, on average
- unless you have a medical reason: add (a lot more) fruit and vegetables to your diet.5 -
It's shocking that a man your size is eating so little.
Make a completely fresh start now - you won't have the fat reserves now to buffer your very serious under-eating.
Get some variety including fruit and veg into your diet, use your discipline to eat better and not to eat so little.
If you are unable to get out of this routine I'd advise getting some professional help before you do yourself real harm.10 -
im a 5'1 woman with a verified slow metabolism and eat more than that.
and for the love of god get some fruit and veg in your diet3 -
Want to bulk, you need to eat a lot more. A lot. Changing your workout will help with the bulk.0
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Wow, thank you all so much for the insight. I had no idea I was under eating so much. I genuinely thought I was in a really good spot. I didn't do it on purpose, i'm just not that hungry throughout the day.
- To answer some of the questions above, I 100% should add more fruits and vegetables to my diet, I'm a 25 year old guy with the diet of a 12 year old.
- I always thought protein was used to help build muscles, so I eat a lot of it. Could be way wrong obviously
- What foods would you recommend I eat more other than fruits and vegetables?
Thank you all again for the insight, I didn't mean to come across as just "bashing my hand with a hammer", I thought I was doing things right. I'm going to for sure start eating a lot more as a start.
4 -
ChrisPalantNYC wrote: »Wow, thank you all so much for the insight. I had no idea I was under eating so much. I genuinely thought I was in a really good spot. I didn't do it on purpose, i'm just not that hungry throughout the day.
- To answer some of the questions above, I 100% should add more fruits and vegetables to my diet, I'm a 25 year old guy with the diet of a 12 year old.
- I always thought protein was used to help build muscles, so I eat a lot of it. Could be way wrong obviously
- What foods would you recommend I eat more other than fruits and vegetables?
Thank you all again for the insight, I didn't mean to come across as just "bashing my hand with a hammer", I thought I was doing things right. I'm going to for sure start eating a lot more as a start.
You don't HAVE to eat fruits & veggies, but do you cook at all? I legit used to hate veggies too (always loved fruits though, I mean even most 12-year olds like strawberries etc???) but learning to cook and experiment in the kitchen changed things a LOT. At least consider branching out a bit. And as good as fruits/veggies are for you, even if you aren't like ZOMG AMAZING I LOVE THEM, well, making choices that are good for your health is part of being an adult. I don't LIKE going to work all the freakin' time, but it's kind of a necessary evil, right? Those eggs you have for breakfast? Maybe throw in some sautéed veggies to make an omelet? Add some veg to the chicken & rice (hello, stir fry?). Throw some berries or a banana into the blender with your protein shake?
Yes, protein is used by the body to build & repair muscle. Your car requires petrol to go zoom, but overfilling your tank and spilling gas everywhere isn't going to make the car go any faster (and uhhhh fire hazard). MFP has some default settings with macros; they aren't the end-all-and-be-all, but they aren't a bad place to start. Fat is quite literally essential for survival. Most bodybuilding preps will not drop fat intake below 0.3g/lb bodyweight (of course sometimes drastic measures have to be taken, but no decent coach would leave an athlete that low for any extended period of time); your actual intake is WELL below that. Too little fat can seriously F up your hormones (I'm pretty confident that as a 25 year old male, you don't want to be dealing with ED and other complications, amirite?)
What foods do you LIKE? I mean genuinely ENJOY eating? Start there. Run some numbers, adding some foods you like into the default macro recommendations.3 -
ChrisPalantNYC wrote: »Wow, thank you all so much for the insight. I had no idea I was under eating so much. I genuinely thought I was in a really good spot. I didn't do it on purpose, i'm just not that hungry throughout the day.
- To answer some of the questions above, I 100% should add more fruits and vegetables to my diet, I'm a 25 year old guy with the diet of a 12 year old.
- I always thought protein was used to help build muscles, so I eat a lot of it. Could be way wrong obviously
- What foods would you recommend I eat more other than fruits and vegetables?
Thank you all again for the insight, I didn't mean to come across as just "bashing my hand with a hammer", I thought I was doing things right. I'm going to for sure start eating a lot more as a start.
You don't HAVE to eat fruits & veggies, but do you cook at all? I legit used to hate veggies too (always loved fruits though, I mean even most 12-year olds like strawberries etc???) but learning to cook and experiment in the kitchen changed things a LOT. At least consider branching out a bit. And as good as fruits/veggies are for you, even if you aren't like ZOMG AMAZING I LOVE THEM, well, making choices that are good for your health is part of being an adult. I don't LIKE going to work all the freakin' time, but it's kind of a necessary evil, right? Those eggs you have for breakfast? Maybe throw in some sautéed veggies to make an omelet? Add some veg to the chicken & rice (hello, stir fry?). Throw some berries or a banana into the blender with your protein shake?
Yes, protein is used by the body to build & repair muscle. Your car requires petrol to go zoom, but overfilling your tank and spilling gas everywhere isn't going to make the car go any faster (and uhhhh fire hazard). MFP has some default settings with macros; they aren't the end-all-and-be-all, but they aren't a bad place to start. Fat is quite literally essential for survival. Most bodybuilding preps will not drop fat intake below 0.3g/lb bodyweight (of course sometimes drastic measures have to be taken, but no decent coach would leave an athlete that low for any extended period of time); your actual intake is WELL below that. Too little fat can seriously F up your hormones (I'm pretty confident that as a 25 year old male, you don't want to be dealing with ED and other complications, amirite?)
What foods do you LIKE? I mean genuinely ENJOY eating? Start there. Run some numbers, adding some foods you like into the default macro recommendations.
This morning I added an apple and banana to breakfast. For lunch I threw in an extra bowl of pasta and a salad, and for upcoming dinner I'm going to do streak, rice and some sort of fruit.
I really don't know what I like to eat. I don't even hate what I eat now, I like my bland chicken and rice and pasta. Love burgers and steak also so i'm going to be adding that in more.
Thank you for all the help, I'm going to be seriously upping my food intake over the next few months, I had no idea that what I was eating was so out of shape.5 -
ChrisPalantNYC wrote: »
This morning I added an apple and banana to breakfast. For lunch I threw in an extra bowl of pasta and a salad, and for upcoming dinner I'm going to do streak, rice and some sort of fruit.
I really don't know what I like to eat. I don't even hate what I eat now, I like my bland chicken and rice and pasta. Love burgers and steak also so i'm going to be adding that in more.
Thank you for all the help, I'm going to be seriously upping my food intake over the next few months, I had no idea that what I was eating was so out of shape.
Heck yeah man, there ya go! Baked potato (or sweet potato if you wanna get really wild) on the side of a steak, few things in life are better than that.
Don't get me wrong - I can handle bland chicken/rice etc, but adding some seasonings, sauces (for those who are having to really watch calories, sauces can be sneaky little *kitten*, but that's not really a major concern of yours at this point), etc can make it 100x better. There's a whole thing about the "food palatability reward hypothesis" where really tasty foods make it easier to overeat so a lot of people really having to dial in their calories will intentionally eat blander, less "rewarding" foods, but once again you've got PLENTY of room to enjoy palatable stuff!
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Do you really not add any oil or sauce or anything? Very easy way to add needed calories right there and definitely agree with the others on more produce0
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Glad to hear you're eating more!
I'm curious if that will translate to a boost in the gym and/or general energy levels - keep us posted.1 -
It's good to hear you're eating more. The diet you posted was really scary. Also, you need to add some sort of fiber to your diet, but add it in slowly because you're currently not really eating any fiber and too much all at once can cause gastrointestinal issues. Fiber is super important to a healthy gut, and I think a lot of people don't consider their fiber intake.2
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