Help Me Become A Healthier Person Please - Part 2

[DawnToDusk]

First off I would just like to take the time and thank everyone from 2+2 for all the help and support they have given me in my quest to becoming a healthier person! It has been great so far! I also must say I was a little skeptical of seeking for help from the 2+2 community. I guess I had a bad image of just portly people sitting behind a computer screen and going to the card tables but I have quickly smashed that image and replaced it with a more leaner and healthier person for the most part! Thanks again. =)

For those of you who would like to follow along, as you may be looking to start a healthier lifestyle or just have some general questions in general, please do so! My last post: Help Me Become A Healthier Person Please - Part 1, dealt with food and dieting and touched on supplements. Questions were asked and answered about eating schedules and some good foods/meals in general that can help fill your eating schedule. Well after reading all the responses in that post, kyleb's post about himself, as well as several others I am back again with more questions! I hope you guys can help once again! I have a few more and more specific questions about food.
[*]1) So I started dieting/eating healthier and surprisingly (for me) it hasn't been so hard to knock out some foods and a lot of the healthier ones have been fairly good tasting. But I have a BIG QUESTION ABOUT CARBS. What carbs are good? I know understand that some carbs (the processed ones) are bad for you but there are good carbs for you as well. I'm kind of confused on which foods contain what? I think that fruits/veges contain the good carbs and we should be looking for those. But what about bread? Is that just processed to much or are there some good breads/pastas/starches that I can eat for good carbs too?
[*]2) Peanut Butter - So I put some PB on some apples the other day for one of my meals. Didn't really think about the PB and then I looked at the nutrition facts and was blown away. A ton of kcals per table spoon. A lot of fat too (although not a ton of saturated fat) but it does have a good source of protein. My question is is there a specific peanut butter that you guys enjoy that overall is the "most healthiest" out there? I usually go with Skippy but can do without peanut butter (although it would be heart breaking) if it isn't part of a healthy lifestyle.
[*]3) PWO meals - after a workout should I just be eating a protein bar and cout that as one of my meals and then in my next time schedule have a wholesome lunch/dinner with a protein shake? I'm a little confused as to what to do for a PWO meal as it seems to be the most important cuse our body needs nutrients the most after a workout.
[*]4) What fats should I be eating? People say flax oil or some crap like that is a good fat to eat. What fats should I be eating and more improtantly what do they do that is so great?



Alright guys. Those are my last remaining questions I have about food. I think I got all my odds and ends covered when it comes to food. Now I need to look at supplements again and then also a workout plan/exercises!

When it comes to supplements I am still kind of out in the dark. I did run down to GNC and purchased a multi-vitamin but thats all I have for supplements right now. My big question has to do with thermogenics. I still just don't know what to do when it comes to one of these suckers and let alone there are tons to choose from! What are your thoughts on them and what thermogenic do you use?

Also what other supplements are you guys taking? I read some stuff that people are taking conjugated linoleic acid, glutamine, zinc/magnessium/aspartate, as well as other stuff (I still don't know what those supps are but do plan on reseraching them). What supplements do you guys/gals take and why? What is your dosage for them (IE are you taking them 3 times a day, twice, before bed, etc.)?



Lastly I need a workout plan/exercises. I'm under the impression that people do upperbody workouts, legs workouts, arm workouts, etc on alternating trips to the gym. For someone that is trying to cut back on the fat and put on lean body mass what workouts/exercises do you recommend? Could you possibly give an example of what a regular week consists for you when it comes to going to the gym and the exercises that you do?

And finally what is your favorite exercise and why? Now I don't know if this will be the case or not but if a 100 people all say bench press or some other exercise why don't you give me another good exercise that you like and why.



Thanks a ton guys! I am going to post my food logs and workout logs soon and any progress that I am making in becoming a healthier person!

[Machmood]

Good carbs are whole wheat/grain bread,brown rice,sweet potatoes.

When loosing weight i try n stay away fron peanut butter, its just not a good idea. Ive tried the non fat ones n its HORRIBLE!!!

As for supplements i really HATE stimulants, they make me feel like crap. My favorite cutting supps. are Lean Xtreme and glucophase XR(designer supps) u can find these at a vitamin shoppee or gnc. THEY WORK GREAT TOGETHER!! i use lean xtreme twice a day n glucophase 3 times.

PWO meal should consist of about 35 grams of protein and 75 grams of carbs. most of your daily carb intake will come in this meal.

Im gonna post a workout that ive used for cutting abouta year ago, i used this workout, the 2 supps mentioned and good eating habbits and it did wonders. You'll see great results in as little as 3-4 weeks.

[Machmood]

The workout

for your goals, id go with a weight routine like this

Mon- Chest/ Tri
- Flat Bench x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
-Incline DB bench (same)
-either incline flys or flys on a pulley machine(3x12)
-Skull crushers x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
-Tricep pushdown(3x12)

Wed-Back/Bi
Lat Pulldown x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
Db Row-same same
row machine 3x12
standing DB curl x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
standing ezbar curl on pulley machine 3x12

Fri-shoulders/legs
Seated overhead db shoulder press x12 x12 x10 x8
DB front raises 3x12
seated lat raise 3x12
then watever leg exercises u want
Id end up with some crunches for your abs
After everyworkout jump on the treadmill for 20 mins at 5.0

[Machmood]

so every mon-wed-fri u do the workouts, a quick ab session, then 20 mins on the treadmill at 5.0 mph. This took me aboout an hour everyday.

On tuesdays and thursdays(sometimes saturday) all i did was a cardio session that looked something like this


Walk at 4.1 for 10 minutes
Jog at 5.0 for 5 minutes
walk at 4.1 for 10 minutes
jog at 5.0 for 5 minutes
walk at 4.1 for 10 minutes
Joj at 5.0 for 2 minutes
then 8 more minutes at 4.1

[Machmood]

I did cardio on saturdays most of the time. Its extremly tough to lose fat while gaining lean muscle mass. Most people have a "bulking stage" and a "cutting Stage", but this workout if u diet properly will get you stronger and "Tighten" up your body while losing fat, i think u will be VERY impressed with the results if u decide to go wit the lean xtreme/gluco and this workout

[thirddan]

[ QUOTE ]
so every mon-wed-fri u do the workouts, a quick ab session, then 20 mins on the treadmill at 5.0 mph. This took me aboout an hour everyday.

On tuesdays and thursdays(sometimes saturday) all i did was a cardio session that looked something like this


Walk at 4.1 for 10 minutes
Jog at 5.0 for 5 minutes
walk at 4.1 for 10 minutes
jog at 5.0 for 5 minutes
walk at 4.1 for 10 minutes
Joj at 5.0 for 2 minutes
then 8 more minutes at 4.1

[/ QUOTE ]

damn dood...thats a lot of jogging...not sure this is the most time efficient method of cardio for weight loss...or the most effective...

[Efourdee]

[ QUOTE ]
The workout

for your goals, id go with a weight routine like this

Mon- Chest/ Tri
- Flat Bench x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
-Incline DB bench (same)
-either incline flys or flys on a pulley machine(3x12)
-Skull crushers x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
-Tricep pushdown(3x12)

Wed-Back/Bi
Lat Pulldown x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
Db Row-same same
row machine 3x12
standing DB curl x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
standing ezbar curl on pulley machine 3x12

Fri-shoulders/legs
Seated overhead db shoulder press x12 x12 x10 x8
DB front raises 3x12
seated lat raise 3x12
then watever leg exercises u want
Id end up with some crunches for your abs
After everyworkout jump on the treadmill for 20 mins at 5.0

[/ QUOTE ]



Where are the SQUATS and DEADLIFTS?

[dethgrind]

Pretty much everything thirddan said.

For PWO, a lot of people believe in a carb/protein shake. 2:1 carbrotein (by calories), mix of dextrose and maltodextrin for the carbs, and a quality whey protein powder. Dextrose is dirt cheap; I don't know about maltodextrin, I don't use it. Sweet tarts are pretty much pure dextrose and maltodextrin though, so that's a lazy way to do it. I like this post on workout nutrition: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=272067

Definitely get some whey powder. For beginners, I'd say all you need besides good food is whey protein powder, a multivitamin, and fish oil. Stay away from other supplements until you've settled into a good diet and exercise plan.

Favorite exercise is power cleans because I like the skill component of it. A lot of guys in the gym are way stronger than me but I can clean more than them just cause they don't know how to do it. Makes me feel like a big man.

[dethgrind]

[ QUOTE ]
The workout

for your goals, id go with a weight routine like this

Mon- Chest/ Tri
- Flat Bench x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
-Incline DB bench (same)
-either incline flys or flys on a pulley machine(3x12)
-Skull crushers x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
-Tricep pushdown(3x12)

Wed-Back/Bi
Lat Pulldown x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
Db Row-same same
row machine 3x12
standing DB curl x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
standing ezbar curl on pulley machine 3x12

Fri-shoulders/legs
Seated overhead db shoulder press x12 x12 x10 x8
DB front raises 3x12
seated lat raise 3x12
then watever leg exercises u want
Id end up with some crunches for your abs
After everyworkout jump on the treadmill for 20 mins at 5.0

[/ QUOTE ]
I would not do this as a beginner. Stick to Rippetoe or Madcow's 5x5 until you have a good strength base.

[theblackkeys]

[ QUOTE ]
The workout

for your goals, id go with a weight routine like this

Mon- Chest/ Tri
- Flat Bench x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
-Incline DB bench (same)
-either incline flys or flys on a pulley machine(3x12)
-Skull crushers x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
-Tricep pushdown(3x12)

Wed-Back/Bi
Lat Pulldown x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
Db Row-same same
row machine 3x12
standing DB curl x12(warmup) x12 x10 x8
standing ezbar curl on pulley machine 3x12

Fri-shoulders/legs
Seated overhead db shoulder press x12 x12 x10 x8
DB front raises 3x12
seated lat raise 3x12
then watever leg exercises u want
Id end up with some crunches for your abs
After everyworkout jump on the treadmill for 20 mins at 5.0

[/ QUOTE ]
plz stop. even i'm qualified enough to know this sucks. Seriously, "watever leg exercises u want"? HAHAHAHAHAH