MOTU's muscles look better than flab plan for your review and comment

Hi all, I would appreciate some thoughts on my current workout regime.

This is going to be really, really long.

Background: I am 5ft 8", broad shoulders, naturally "stocky". In 2006 I weighed 185lbs, trim but wasn't lifting. I let myself go and got to 267lbs in July of 2012 when I started exercising again. I started walking, first 2mi then 3mi up to a peak of 5mi 4x per week in the fall/winter of 2013. I was hitting point of diminishing returns on my walking - running was hurting my shins but I couldn't walk fast enough to get my heart into the cardio zone.

I started adding in light weights January 2013, then moved to a dumbell circuit lift over the summer. Since March or so of this year I have moved to less cardio and more heavy lifting, including leg work so I can get to where I can run.

I lost weight pretty steadily using calorie counting. I would create a huge calorie deficit during the week then make up a lot of it over the weekend, mostly from drinking beer. I know it's not an ideal diet plan, but at least I could stick to it!! This worked until I got to 223lbs and then I plateaued for a couple of months. To break the plateau, I went to the "primal diet" as described on marksdailyapple.com. Well, except, I drink on weekends. It's basically a low carb, real food diet. "protein and green" I have been on this about 2 months now and I lost 10lbs in the first two weeks but not much since then. However, all the protein is definitely showing in my arms, shoulders and back. I now weigh 210 and have noticeable muscles, but still a bit of a beer gut I would like to lose.

My goals now are to get leaner and stronger. Since I am already stocky I am not sure I want so much more mass as I do definition and general strength. I lift 2x per week and do cardio 2-3x per week, one of which I do HIIT on the elliptical and the others are generally running outside (weight work on the legs helped my shins A LOT).

I travel for work a lot so I have to make do with whatever the hotel I am in has, or find a local gym. I use a lot of variety in my weight training, to keep balance and mucle confusion. I am going to post my last three workouts, I would appreciate any thoughts on my routines, diet or overall strategy. I'll put them in a new post since this one is so long....

My last three lifts

My pre-workout is generally protein (eggs, almonds) and 25-30grams of whole grain carbs (bagel or bread). Post workout I have a Whey Protein shake and creatine.

August 1st, 2014:
LA Fitness 8-1

Treadmill warm up:
Set 1: 6 reps

Lat Pulldown:
Set 1: 12 x 150 lbs = 1800 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 150 lbs = 1800 lbs
Set 3: 8 x 150 lbs = 1200 lbs
= 4800 lbs
Standing Calf:
Set 1: 12 x 105 lbs = 1260 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 105 lbs = 1260 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 105 lbs = 1260 lbs
= 3780 lbs
High Row:
Set 1: 12 x 150 lbs = 1800 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 150 lbs = 1800 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 150 lbs = 1800 lbs
= 5400 lbs
Ab Crunch hammer: (this is the machine where you pull your knees up to your chest, not the sit-up type crunch)
Set 1: 12 x 60 lbs = 720 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 60 lbs = 720 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 60 lbs = 720 lbs
= 2160 lbs
Pec fly middle machine:
Set 1: 10 x 190 lbs = 1900 lbs
Set 2: 10 x 190 lbs = 1900 lbs
Set 3: 9 x 190 lbs = 1710 lbs
= 5510 lbs
Back Extension:
Set 1: 12 x 170 lbs = 2040 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 170 lbs = 2040 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 170 lbs = 2040 lbs
= 6120 lbs
Tricep Pulldown:
Set 1: 12 x 65 lbs = 780 lbs
Set 2: 10 x 65.5 lbs = 655 lbs
Set 3: 9 x 65.5 lbs = 589.5 lbs
= 2024.5 lbs
Seated Row:
Set 1: 12 x 130 lbs = 1560 lbs
Set 2: 10 x 130 lbs = 1300 lbs
Set 3: 10 x 130 lbs = 1300 lbs
= 4160 lbs


July 29th, 2014:
Hotel Gym 7-29 Miami

Treadmill warm up:
Set 1: 5 reps

Dumbell Curls:
Set 1: 10 x 40 lbs = 400 lbs
Set 2: 9 x 40 lbs = 360 lbs
Set 3: 4 x 45 lbs = 180 lbs
Set 4: 4 x 45 lbs = 180 lbs
Set 5: 3 x 50 lbs = 150 lbs
Set 6: 2 x 50 lbs = 100 lbs
= 1370 lbs
Squat, hammer curl, shoulder press: (dumbell, one in each hand, one fluid motion through the squat, curl, press, then down, nice and slow)
Set 1: 7 x 35 lbs = 245 lbs
Set 2: 10 x 30 lbs = 300 lbs
Set 3: 10 x 30 lbs = 300 lbs
= 845 lbs
Lunges:
Set 1: 10 reps
Set 2: 10 reps
Set 3: 10 reps

Back bend, front row, squat: (one 50lb dumbell, one continuous motion that starts with a straight leg back lifting the dumbell off the floor, then goes to a front row and ends in a squat)
Set 1: 10 x 50 lbs = 500 lbs
Set 2: 10 x 50 lbs = 500 lbs
Set 3: 10 x 50 lbs = 500 lbs
= 1500 lbs
Bench Dumbell Press:
Set 1: 10 x 50 lbs = 500 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
= 1700 lbs
Dumbell row then push-ups: (superset circuit where I single arm row left, then right, the 10 pushups, start over. No rest.)
Set 1: 40 x 40 lbs = 1600 lbs
= 1600 lbs -1600 lbs


July 25th, 2014:
LA Fitness 7-25 full body

Preacher curls nautilus:
Set 1: 10 x 125 lbs = 1250 lbs
Set 2: 10 x 125 lbs = 1250 lbs
Set 3: 9 x 125 lbs = 1125 lbs
= 3625 lbs
Standing Calf:
Set 1: 12 x 105 lbs = 1260 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 105 lbs = 1260 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 105 lbs = 1260 lbs
= 3780 lbs
High Row then push ups: (superset 10 rows, 10 pushups, x4 no rest)
Set 1: 40 x 100 lbs = 4000 lbs
= 4000 lbs
Seated leg press:
Set 1: 12 x 160 lbs = 1920 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 160 lbs = 1920 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 160 lbs = 1920 lbs
= 5760 lbs
Ab Crunch hammer:
Set 1: 12 x 60 lbs = 720 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 60 lbs = 720 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 60 lbs = 720 lbs
= 2160 lbs
Hip Abduction out:
Set 1: 12 x 150 lbs = 1800 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 150 lbs = 1800 lbs
= 3600 lbs
Hip abduction in:
Set 1: 12 x 160 lbs = 1920 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 160 lbs = 1920 lbs
= 3840 lbs
Lat Pulldown and Pushups: (superset 10 pulldown then 10 pushups x4, no rest)
Set 1: 30 x 120 lbs = 3600 lbs
= 3600 lbs

Hi Espi,

I have given up the beer and gone to whisky to eliminate the carbs. I probably go through a liter of whiskey every weekend (so between 6 and 10 drinks Fri, Sat, Sun). I try to not drink at all Mon-Thurs but occasionally will have a few on a week night. I mix it with diet soda, generally speaking. Sometimes I substitute vodka and water.

Typical day:
Breakfast - 4 eggs and bacon, coffee
Early lunch - salad with chicken or ham
Afternoon snack - avacado, protein bar or shake
dinner - steak, fish or chicken and a green veggie
Evening snack - nuts, cucumber salad

However, I do snack on some pretty fatty stuff, like pepperoni or nuts. And I eat ground beef (burgers on the grill, no buns) and hot dogs for some meals too. I may be getting too much fat.

Notable exception: on lift days, I'll eat some with breakfast or before my lift. Usually whole wheat bread.

Todays workout:

August 5th, 2014:
Hotel gym 8-5 Phoenix
Treadmill warm up:
Set 1: 6 reps

Dumbell Curls:
Set 1: 10 x 40 lbs = 400 lbs
Set 2: 8 x 40 lbs = 320 lbs
Set 3: 4 x 45 lbs = 180 lbs
Set 4: 4 x 45 lbs = 180 lbs
Set 5: 2 x 50 lbs = 100 lbs
Set 6: 1 x 50 lbs = 50 lbs
= 1230 lbs
Tricep Dumbell Press:
Set 1: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
= 1800 lbs
Dumbell shoulders then calves:
Set 1: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
= 1800 lbs
Dips, bench:
Set 1: 12 reps
Set 2: 12 reps
Set 3: 12 reps

Back bend, front row, squat:
Set 1: 10 x 50 lbs = 500 lbs
Set 2: 10 x 50 lbs = 500 lbs
Set 3: 7 x 50 lbs = 350 lbs
= 1350 lbs
Bench Dumbell Press:
Set 1: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
Set 2: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
Set 3: 12 x 50 lbs = 600 lbs
= 1800 lbs
Dumbell Row:
Set 1: 20 x 50 lbs = 1000 lbs
Set 2: 20 x 50 lbs = 1000 lbs
Set 3: 14 x 50 lbs = 700 lbs
= 2700 lbs
Those weight totals are really accurate. For example, the row above I did 20 with each arm during the set, so it's really 5400 lbs.

It doesn't matter what you do, if you keep drinking beer. It should be fairly obvious that beer should be cut from your diet, if your goal is to lose weight.

Espi said

Might not SEEM like you're drinking a lot (about 4 drinks per day MAX on weekends, if I'm right),

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uhhh well actually it's more like 6-10 drinks each weekend day for 20-30 drinks over the weekend. But no beer!

I was avoiding carbs hoping keto would burn my fat off. If I have some a bfast will that kick me out of keto?

I figure once I reach goal weight, I'll add back reasonable, healthy carbs.

Ronaldo7 said:

It doesn't matter what you do, if you keep drinking beer. It should be fairly obvious that beer should be cut from your diet, if your goal is to lose weight.

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Well, no question the beer doesn't help, but I lost my first 40lbs by going into the weekend with a 5000 calorie deficit (3500 from exercise and 1500 from diet) so then I could have 30 beers over the weekend and still have a 2-3lb/mo weight loss. But, in those days, I was fastidious about logging my food and drinks and if I didn't have the 5k on Friday I only out enough cold beer in the fridge to represent the calories I could consume.

Maybe I should go back to logging my caloric intake including whiskey and see what it says.

Though I would like to lose some more fat, I am not unhappy with how I look. I have big arms and broad shoulder and toned legs. The chicks I fvck always comment on my muscles. But I think I am probably a 6 and this weight and might move to an 8 if I lost another 20lbs.

Have a read of this article on alcohol as it relates to diet and body composition:

http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

Espi, your trainer seems to be full of ****

Espi said:

WAY too much drinking in my opinion. Beer or no beer. Just because it has no carbs doesn't mean it's OK. I can't think how you will ever get lean drinking that much. Respectfully, since we're the same age, I wouldn't even bother trying to get lean if I drank 10 drinks a night over the weekend at age 44.

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Yea I know you are right, guess I need to set my priorities. I sure do like my whiskey though.

I think l'll log for a while and set some limits and see what that does for me.

I guess since I am still losing (but slowly) in spite of my weekends, once I got leaner I could go back to binging and not gain back, right?

DanZy Wrote:

Espi, your trainer seems to be full of ****

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Dude, that didn't add any value to this discussion. If you have a counter-point, make it. Otherwise, leave it alone.

MOTU said:

Espi said uhhh well actually it's more like 6-10 drinks each weekend day for 20-30 drinks over the weekend. But no beer!

I was avoiding carbs hoping keto would burn my fat off. If I have some a bfast will that kick me out of keto?

I figure once I reach goal weight, I'll add back reasonable, healthy carbs.

Click to expand...

Dang. How, at 44, are you able to consume so much alcohol and not have it affect your fitness regime? I avoid alcohol entirely because I know just one binge will affect me for nearly a whole week. Fatigue, depression, lethargy etc.

sylvester the cat said:

Dang. How, at 44, are you able to consume so much alcohol and not have it affect your fitness regime? I avoid alcohol entirely because I know just one binge will affect me for nearly a whole week. Fatigue, depression, lethargy etc.

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Tolerance :rockon:

I don't drink that much every weekend, but I do drink on each weekend night so I was presenting the worst case scenario.