CAG Health and Fitness Thread

at 300lb your problem is definitely the weight more than strength.. it's good that you set a lofty goal for your weight loss, but don't be discouraged if you don't reach it. your goal is 95 lb in 6 mo, which is about 4lb a week.. that's pretty intense.. you'd need to be at about a 750 cal daily deficit.. that's pretty tough, especially to maintain for such an extended period of time. drastic weight loss is absolutely necessary to improve your physical ability in those three tasks, though. it takes a ridiculous amount of energy to move 300lb around. even jumping rope, like how stern suggested (and it's a great excercise), would likely be too exhausting... gravitational pot. energy = m*g*h, you're literally using 50% more energy to jump than a 200lb man.. same goes for running, pushups, situps, etc. that 50% is huge. i doubt i could jump rope for 15 seconds if i were wearing a 100lb jacket.. i doubt i could run/walk far either. you gotta lose that weight, top priority, but, again, don't get discouraged if you don't meet your very high goal.

weight loss happens primarily through nutrition, especially a man your size, you're already burning plenty calories just walking around. there are enough credited sources for dieting tips on the web that i won't waste time repeating what they wrote (in better english), but seriously, i can't stress enough, if you want to improve in those three tasks, lose the weight, and aim to do so through nutrition. keep a keen eye out for caloric content and make no exceptions in your diet.


in the meanwhile, to improve in those bodyweight excercises without yet being able to do them, consider (i) benching for pushups, (ii) plank excercises for situps [look into beginner's yoga sites/dvds], (iii) lower-body stationary cardio machines (bikes, stairs) to increase endurance for the 2mi.

it's definitely possible but it's gonna be tough, 6mo is not long in the world of fitness, best of luck
 
Yeah now that koggit mentions it, the stairs or elliptical may be better the first couple weeks or months. That will take stress off your ankles.

But when you feel ready give jumping rope a try but make sure you use good cross training sneakers not running sneakers. And jump on a forgiving surface. Like a thin mat (not too squishy, you could hurt your ankles this way too), or a rubber gym floor or track.
Definitely no concrete.
 
I love the ON 100% Whey myself. Have used it for years. Price isn't bad, and the taste is pretty good with just water. I like the French Vanilla Creme Flavor the best out of the ones I've had.


I'm just getting back to hitting the gym after 3 months or so off while I was swamped finishing up grad school. Been sore as hell, but feels good to be working out again.
 
Yeah another vote for Optimum Nutrition. I wouldn't say it really tastes good with water but it's definitely drinkable and with milk I enjoy it.

I've been sort of slacking off on my exercises so far but I'm definitely in better shape than the beginning of summer. Tomorrow I start working for a couple of weeks moving furniture. I'd like to see myself weasel out of that. I have definitely improved my diet, though. It's just the pizza and booze. They always defeat me.
 
Count another vote for ON 100% Whey. I'm a big fan of the chocolate, however I found that it really doesn't go well with water (the chocolate flavor). And for the price, its hard to beat.
 
Yet another vote Optimum Nutrition On Whey here. I'm enjoying some right now as a matter of fact. The rich double chocolate you linked. Mix it with 2% milk (or skim) and it's pure delicious. You may want to check Amazon as well. I picked up the 5.5 from them a few months back for about $30 shipped.
 
One thing with Milk, is it's bad to mix it with it immediately post workout as it slows absorption, and you want it to get absorbed quickly. So post work out it's better to mix with water. I just take mine in a shaker cup to the gym, and add water at the fountain on my way out and down it on my drive to work.

But it's good to use milk for a shake before going to bed when you want slower absorption--ideally with some from of Casein protein or another slower absorbing blend vs. just whey protein.
 
dmaul, do you work in the fitness field? You always have flawless advice when it comes to this stuff:applause: and I'm just wondering if you are secretly a big name trainer in hollywood.
 
Not at all. My career isn't remotely related to fitness.

I've just spent a lot of time in the gym over the past decade or so, and did a good bit of reading up on workouts, nutrition etc., as well as a lot of talking with trainers etc. as I wanted to be knowledgeable about it. If was going to put the time and effort in I wanted to do it right and maximize the results as much as possible.

I'm far from being an expert on the topic, but I've got the basics of fitness and nutrition down pretty well I think.
 
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Looking for some advice and this thread seemed the place to ask:

The past month-month and a half or so, I've changed my lifestyle entirely. I've cut out just about all the junk I was eating, and replaced it with a diet consisting of oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, lots of carrot sticks and apples and peanuts for snacks, and various wraps/chicken/salmon/etc for my other meals. In addition to this I've been working out with EA Sports Active daily, running a few times a week, and built myself some new DDR pads to supplement my workouts with that.

I guess what I'm looking for is guidance on the next step. There aren't any 24 hour gyms locally, and with my work schedule and such, my workouts are always late-night. I want to start to build some muscle, but the apartment isn't going to have room for much besides some dumbbells. Would I be able to progress with just that, or should I just stick to my cardio for the time being? Where would you recommend purchasing weights to get the best bang for my buck? I see lots of talk of various protein supplements and such, is this something I should look into, or am I better off without at my level?

I guess as a newb I'm just looking for a bit of advice on where to go from here. I've been feeling really good lately, and even better about myself. My belly is almost gone, and I don't want to falter. I want to keep up this great feeling.
 
With your situation it sounds like the best you can do is buy a set of adjustable dumbells (and maybe a small flat bench if you have room) and find a decent home dumbell routine.

Maybe get one of those over the door frame pull up bars if you have sturdy door frames (not just nailed on wood paneling) as well.

It wouldn't be nearly as good as gym workout, but you can see some results if you put together a good routine of lunges, deadlifts, bench press, flys, bicep and tricep exercises, shoulder presses and flys etc. etc. that can tide you over until you are able to get a better work schedule so you can get to a gym.
 
Last year from June-October I was running like 3-4 times a week. Someones I would run around the neighborhood or go to local college and run the track for free and park for free during the none school year (summer, winter break, and spring break). I lost a good 20+ pounds. This summer I have only ran 1 time. A lot less motivation this time around.

The good news is my friends younger brother is an incoming freshmen this year and he wants to go to gym everyday. His brother is going to try to pull some strings at 24 hour to add me to his plan for cheap ^_^. So I will likely go with him 3-4 times a week starting in September.
 
[quote name='D_Icon']Anybody have anything good to say about any of these three whey protein powders? I'm trying to build up muscle mass and I read whey protein was the way to go. I don't mind taste, and calories I burn with the 40 minute jog before lifting. Which would you guys recommend?

ON 100% Gld Standard Whey Protein

Elite Whey

Nitrotech Hardcore[/QUOTE]

When building muscle mass you actually don't want to burn as many calories. You will need your calorie intake to be greater than calorie burned.
If you burn more calories than you eat you will lose fat but muscle as well since your body has no calories to build itself up with.


edit: I've got a minute so I'll go into it more.

What you want to do is called "clean bulking" where you will eat higher calorie levels but less fat and less simple carbs. Eat more but eat cleaner.
Give the muscle the nutrients it needs (amino acids, complex carbs, polyunsatured fats) but don't feed the fat (saturated fats, trans fats, simple carbs)
 
So the ON Whey protein has 24 grams of protein in one serving which is one scoop. I have only been drinking it after the workout, but instead of taking one scoop I take two, a friend told that that's bad for you since you shouldn't take 50 grams of protein at once. Is there really a problem with this?
 
No, that should be fine. I've done it for years. The rule of thumb is no more than 40-50 grams at one time as your body won't process it.

But the other rule of thumb is to get around 40-50 grams of quick absorbing protein right after your workout, so you're fine.

It's just if you go much over that, your body will just excrete it instead of absorbing it.
 
[quote name='contej85']Looking for some advice and this thread seemed the place to ask:

The past month-month and a half or so, I've changed my lifestyle entirely. I've cut out just about all the junk I was eating, and replaced it with a diet consisting of oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, lots of carrot sticks and apples and peanuts for snacks, and various wraps/chicken/salmon/etc for my other meals. In addition to this I've been working out with EA Sports Active daily, running a few times a week, and built myself some new DDR pads to supplement my workouts with that.

I guess what I'm looking for is guidance on the next step. There aren't any 24 hour gyms locally, and with my work schedule and such, my workouts are always late-night. I want to start to build some muscle, but the apartment isn't going to have room for much besides some dumbbells. Would I be able to progress with just that, or should I just stick to my cardio for the time being? Where would you recommend purchasing weights to get the best bang for my buck? I see lots of talk of various protein supplements and such, is this something I should look into, or am I better off without at my level?

I guess as a newb I'm just looking for a bit of advice on where to go from here. I've been feeling really good lately, and even better about myself. My belly is almost gone, and I don't want to falter. I want to keep up this great feeling.[/QUOTE]

I would go with what dmaul said- find a decent yet relatively inexpensive set of adjustable dumbbells and stick with basic exercises. Don't forget about body weight movements either- if you are just starting out with muscle building exercises, you will see an increase in muscle tone and endurance doing basic stuff like body weight squats, pushups, etc. However, after 1 to 1 1/2 months, the body weight stuff will start to plateau and you will need to find some way to further stress your muscles beyond handling just your body weight.

As for the protein, just get a basic whey protein. Optimum Nutrition, GNC brand, or whatever is cheapest and most efficient for you. Don't concern yourself with creatine, weight gainer or pill supplements. Stick with the basics until you get a handle on your regimen.
 
[quote name='D_Icon']So the ON Whey protein has 24 grams of protein in one serving which is one scoop. I have only been drinking it after the workout, but instead of taking one scoop I take two, a friend told that that's bad for you since you shouldn't take 50 grams of protein at once. Is there really a problem with this?[/QUOTE]


Protein should be consumed based on body weight.

Post workout take about .2 grams per LB of body weight.

Mix it with about .4 grams of carbs per LB bodyweight.

The protein is more important than the carbs.

Excess protein is converted to glucose by the liver. Which means it will most likely turn to fat.

What I do is mix half scoop ON whey (12 grams protein) with 1 and a half scoop(24 grams mixed proteins) Muscle Milk(with water not milk!) after workout and sip a drink mixed with a small amount of BCAA powder before and during workout.

This huge dude I know who is ripped told me about that formula so that should be plenty protein for anyone(36 grams total) if it's enough for him, the guy is a tank lol.

It sounds like a lot of shit to buy but the BCAA powder you only need like 2 tsp of per workout. And a half a scoop of whey per workout. So your supply lasts a long time. And it provides a constant stream of amino acids. Some fast, some slow. To prevent waste protein turning into glucose.

Tke into ccount though that I have been lifting for years. A beginner will get bigger with very little protein at first even doing simple body weight exercises like edid said. As long as you aren't eating at a caloric deficit. Because it will all be a shock to your muscles.
 
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Alright I just finished working for 9 days straight and now I'm thinking about changing my workout a little. I was moving furniture and was wayyyyy too sore to do anything. Anyways how does this look:
Mon/Wed/Fri: 3 sets push ups and pull ups, stationary bike for 1 hour
Sat/Sun/Tues/Thurs: rowing machine for 1 hour

Keeping in mind I can't do very many push ups or pull ups at the moment (maybe 15-20 push ups and only around 1-2 pull ups) and that time isn't really an issue (well at least not until school starts), does this seem like a solid plan? I haven't used a rowing machine before but my gym has them and they sound like a good way to build up slow twitch muscles in my arms/back. My goal is mainly to lower my body fat percentage. Once it is low enough I'll then switch to more of a muscle building routine.

And my diet is solid at this point other than ordering pizza and drinking booze.
 
Yeah I am going to a gym. The reason I'm only planning to do pull ups and push ups is that I want to try to stick to more compound exercises (to save time) and I figure those two hit triceps, biceps, back, and chest muscles fairly well while the bike and rowing machine will get my legs in shape.
 
Anyone got any tips for injuries? I'm a runner and more and more now, I'm getting pain in the arch of my foot that I believe is muscle-related and my inner calf that I don't think is muscle related. It's forcing me to take days off when I am otherwise fine. Any tips other than stretching and massaging?
 
[quote name='DrFoo']Yeah I am going to a gym. The reason I'm only planning to do pull ups and push ups is that I want to try to stick to more compound exercises (to save time) and I figure those two hit triceps, biceps, back, and chest muscles fairly well while the bike and rowing machine will get my legs in shape.[/QUOTE]

The best way to shed body fat is to put on lean muscle as it burns more calories just in resting state. About 50 calories per pound of lean muscle you put on. So, for example, put on 10 pounds of muscle of the next year and you'd burn 500 extra calories a day--3,500 a week.

Pull ups and push ups are good core exercises, but I'd do more than that. You really need to do squats--the best core exercise for legs--as legs are a huge muscle group.

I'd suggest doing something like this for a routine and add more exercises for smaller muscles etc. after you get in shape and used to lifting:

With all of these days do a 5 minute cardio warm up, and go easy on weight and focus on good form and work your way up as you get stronger and more in shape. Find 1 or 2 days a week to hit your core (abs and lower back), and every day do 25-30 minutes of cardio AFTER you finish lifting (will burn more fat then as you used a lot of stored energy on the weights) keeping your heart rate in your target range (220 minus your age multiplied by .75)

Monday: Legs--Squats, walking lunges, stiff legged dead lifts and maybe a calf exercise

Tuesday: Chest and Triceps--Push ups to warm up, bench press (barbell or dumbell), chest flys or cable cross over, and one tricep exercises (dips, extensions, skull crushers etc.)

Wednesday: Day off to rest up.

Thursday: Back and Biceps-- pull ups, some type of rowing exercise (dumbell rows, hammer strength row machine, seated cable row etc.--not the cardio rowing machine) and one bicep exercise (dumbell or barbell curls ideally).

Friday: Shoulders--shoulder press (dumbell or machine), shoulder flys/lateral raises (dumbells or cables), shrugs.

Saturday and Sunday-- Rest up, maybe go for a walk/jog or play some sports etc.

That should be a good start and you can add weigh and more exercises after a few months as you get in shape.

That should be a good plan to burn fat and put on some muscle to get your metabolism up and help with fat loss. Of course, diet is a huge part of that. Limit the pizza and booze as much as possible.
 
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[quote name='Dead of Knight']Anyone got any tips for injuries? I'm a runner and more and more now, I'm getting pain in the arch of my foot that I believe is muscle-related and my inner calf that I don't think is muscle related. It's forcing me to take days off when I am otherwise fine. Any tips other than stretching and massaging?[/QUOTE]

Do you have real running shoes? i.e. that you went to running store and got fitted and ran around in them and had a knowledgeable sales person?

If not, try that (though such shoes are pretty pricey). If so, get a referral to a podiatrist and make sure you don't have any structural problems with your foot. If you do you may need surgery or more likely orthopedic inserts for your running shoes to get proper support.

I have some issues with my feet, and mainly just quit running and stick with low impact cardio at the gym. But I always hated running anyway so I didn't have the will to spend the money on the inserts the podiatrist recommended. So I just stick with ellipticals or walking briskly on a tread mill for 25-30 minutes after lifting.
 
DrFoo, I would to strengthen the muscles in your lats before expending all your energy in pull ups. The exercises dmaul has given you for Thursday are perfect for that. Do some lat pulldowns as well and gradually increase the volume each week until you reach your body weight.

For Tuesday, use a lighter weight for some close grip dumbell bench presses. They'll give you a great pump for your triceps.

Since you're looking for more compound exercises, do some one arm dumbell clean and jerks on friday if you're not too sore from the previous workout days.
 
[quote name='Renzokuken']DrFoo, I would to strengthen the muscles in your lats before expending all your energy in pull ups. The exercises dmaul has given you for Thursday are perfect for that. Do some lat pulldowns as well and gradually increase the volume each week until you reach your body weight.
[/QUOTE]

Good point. Or use a weighted assist pull up machine for a while to help you get your three sets of 10 or more pull ups until you can do them with your body weight.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Do you have real running shoes? i.e. that you went to running store and got fitted and ran around in them and had a knowledgeable sales person?

If not, try that (though such shoes are pretty pricey). If so, get a referral to a podiatrist and make sure you don't have any structural problems with your foot. If you do you may need surgery or more likely orthopedic inserts for your running shoes to get proper support.

I have some issues with my feet, and mainly just quit running and stick with low impact cardio at the gym. But I always hated running anyway so I didn't have the will to spend the money on the inserts the podiatrist recommended. So I just stick with ellipticals or walking briskly on a tread mill for 25-30 minutes after lifting.[/QUOTE]

Yes I do, New Balance model 769 (for women). I've heard about orthopedic inserts and might try those. Anyone know any good brands?
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']Yes I do, New Balance model 769 (for women). I've heard about orthopedic inserts and might try those. Anyone know any good brands?[/QUOTE]

They probably won't do much good if you don't see a podiatrist. And if you need them they'll make a mold of your foot and special order inserts designed specifically for your foot. But they are pricey.

And by saying yes you do, do you mean you went to a runners store and had the experts fit you for proper shoes, or just bought a pair of running shoes from a regular shoe store? There's a world of difference if you're doing a lot of running and having foot issues.
 
I went to the New Balance store and they fit me with this paper imprint type thingie to see where my arch and heel fall, as well as with the normal metal contraption they have at all shoe stores.
 
Wow thanks for all the advice dmaul and Renzokuken. I'll try what you guys recommended. The only question I have is that I've heard when you aren't very strong that it's best to do full body workouts a few times a week since it doesn't take your muscles very long to repair themselves (which is why I made my original routine that way). Is there any truth to that?
 
[quote name='DrFoo']Wow thanks for all the advice dmaul and Renzokuken. I'll try what you guys recommended. The only question I have is that I've heard when you aren't very strong that it's best to do full body workouts a few times a week since it doesn't take your muscles very long to repair themselves (which is why I made my original routine that way). Is there any truth to that?[/QUOTE]

I've never really agreed with that--you should get really sore when you start working out.

I just got back in the gym 3 weeks ago after about 3 months off, and I was pretty miserable the first two weeks even with taking it very easy in terms of number of exercises and amount of weight--so I'd have been too sore to work any muscle more than once a week.

And even if you wanted to do a full body workout 3 times a week, you'd want more than just pushups and pull ups. You'd do something like: Bench Press, Pull ups, some type of rows, squats, deadlifts, shoulder press, shrugs, and maybe 1 tricep and 1 bicep exercise.

But personally I think that over works the body (especially one not used to lifting), and in general stick with hitting each muscle group once a week--other than abs which I try to hit twice.
 
Alright thanks for clearing that up dmaul. Yeah I always get very sore when I start working out but after a couple of weeks it always goes away... which is why I always like starting up since it really feels like you're making progress.
 
Yeah I have tried 3 day full body workouts and found I would get unevenly sore.

example: my triceps felt like they got worked but not my biceps or my legs.

My current routine has help me on 4-5 pounds in the last few weeks.(good, you can still see my abs pounds, not love handle pounds haha =)
I do

6 sets of 5-12 weighted wide grip pulls ups (don't add weight unless you can do 12+ reps of bodyweight on these)
6 sets of 5-12 weighted dips

I alternate between the two(so it goes pull up-dip-pull up-dip). Taking maybe a 30 sec break between each set. Those two exercises work out shoulders, triceps, lats, biceps, chest. The dip is like the upper body squat.

Then I throw in a couple iso exercises. Like hammer curls, tricep extensions, reverse shoulder fly.

Next day I do a simple leg routine of as many sets of squats and deadlifts as I can take before I feel like I'm going to throw up(not many haha). Throw in some overhead squats, stiff leg deadlifts.

I also have an ab routine I'll throw in once in a while if anyones interested in trying it out I'll write it up.

Each routine lasts about 45 min-1 hour.

Then as soon as I'm not sore again (usually 2-3 days) I repeat. :) Give it a try!
 
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One more thing. dmaul, for the core exercises you were talking about does this look like a good plan:
crunches (upper abs)
crunch crossovers (I don't know if that's what they are actually called, just those crunches where one elbow touches the opposite knee, I think they work the obliques)
hanging or laying leg raises (lower abs)

And thanks again for all the advice. Also I have secretly hired you as my free personal trainer, dmaul.
 
hey drfroo if you want to give this one a try it's a lot like yours.

Do these with no break in between.

  • crunch with weight plate between hands behind head at max weight (dead)
  • crunch with 50% weight (dead)
  • bicycles with 50% weight (dead)
  • crunch with 0 (dead)
  • bicycles with 0 (dead)
  • laying leg raise with dumbell between feet max weight
Now take a 2 min break and repeat. Try to do this 3 or 4 times. It will take about a half hour.(dead) means till you can't do anymore.
 
That's a bit hardcore for someone just starting out though.

I'd do something like your plan for a while Foo, and once the body weight ones get too easy start adding some weights and more sets.

I generally stay away from weighted stuff personally as I don't want to build up ab muscles really, just want to keep them firm and strong. So I usually just due body weight crunches, hanging leg raises, some balance ball work and maybe occasionally use a 4 or 8 pound medicine ball for some resistance.
 
Ah, see, the trouble I have is body weight crunches do nothing for me. That routine is the only one so far that guarantees hypertrophy for me. I'm always sore after that.

But you're right it does give you deep muscular abs. But I like the definition. It all depends on what you prefer though like you said :)

I would just recommend a beginner use only a 5 lb or 2.5 lb plate for their max. They'll see results much quicker doing lower rep/heavy crunches. You always hear about people saying how they do 1000 crunches a workout lol ya know? I figure treat abs like every other muscle(assuming your training for hypertrophy) and go heavy :).
 
Yeah, I've long given up on a six pack--I'm skinny (5'10 157 lbs currently) but always have a little pudge around the mid section and a bit of a pot belly from my love of beer etc. :D

So I try to avoid building ab muscle as it just makes my little pot belly stick out further. I'm doing more cardio trying to lose a little of it, but I don't have the motivation to do the dieting and tons of cardio needed to go for the six pack. That and I don't have time to work in such lengthy ab exercises into my 4 day split as I go before work and need to get in and out in a little over an hour to not waste to much of the day. So I try to slam abs in 5-10 minutes after lifting and before my cardio.

I don't do tons of reps, just mainly stick with body weight or light weight ab exercises in the 15-20 rep per set range and mix up what I do a lot from work out to workout and tend to be at least a little sore after my 1 or 2 ab workouts a week.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Yeah, I've long given up on a six pack--I'm skinny (5'10 157 lbs currently) but always have a little pudge around the mid section and a bit of a pot belly from my love of beer etc. :D

So I try to avoid building ab muscle as it just makes my little pot belly stick out further. I'm doing more cardio trying to lose a little of it, but I don't have the motivation to do the dieting and tons of cardio needed to go for the six pack. That and I don't have time to work in such lengthy ab exercises into my 4 day split as I go before work and need to get in and out in a little over an hour to not waste to much of the day. So I try to slam abs in 5-10 minutes after lifting and before my cardio.

I don't do tons of reps, just mainly stick with body weight or light weight ab exercises in the 15-20 rep per set range and mix up what I do a lot from work out to workout and tend to be at least a little sore after my 1 or 2 ab workouts a week.[/QUOTE]


This is me to a T =) I used to get done doing crunches, go look int he bathroom mirror to see the "pump" (heheh) and just get crazy dissapointed because it made my belly stick out more and I could see no definition of abs anywhere. :( haha ya know??

Then I started doing an ab routine solely consisting of weighted bicycle crunches and started being able to see little mounds of abs. This pushed me to do a serious cut where I lost about 20 pounds. I couldn't believe I could actally start seeing my abs haha.

Then I started that superset ab routine above and very slowly increasing my caloric intake to gain some weight back without losing my abs. I recently also switched to an upper body/lower body split giving me more days in the week to mess around so now I only do that ab workout on a day by itself once a week or every other week since it leaves you sore for like 4 or 5 days. It's worked out great. Next time you have an off day give it a shot and let me know what you think! :)
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']I went to the New Balance store and they fit me with this paper imprint type thingie to see where my arch and heel fall, as well as with the normal metal contraption they have at all shoe stores.[/QUOTE]


Did they also check your gait? Put you on a treadmill and watched your walking/running from behind at the level of your feet? This will tell you what type of pronation you have (over, under, neutral/normal) and will determine what shoes are best for you (motion control, stability, neutral) and lessen the likelihood of injury/pain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pODcT55_7zA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJQvW7JVqYY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSw-w3LtLUo&feature=related

You could record yourself on a treadmill and show the video to a forum like runnersworld.com. Sometimes a picture of your ankles and feet at midstance from behind is enough. A lot of people there know what to look for and some even work at running stores. Or, you can check the pattern of wear on the tread of your running shoes. A lot of running advisors don't like to recommend shoes just based on the wet print test alone.


I don't use orthotics, but the SuperFeet brand is pretty popular.

Good luck!
 
So I'd love some input and advice on my current workout routine/diet, though I am limited by my apartments gym (no free weights at all) and my work schedule. I'm trying to bulk up some for the moment, so here's what I've been doing.

I've started using EAS 100% Whey, having a smoothie in the morning with my oatmeal, mixing in some sort of fruit, a cup of plain lowfat yogurt, a cup of milk, and 2 scoops of powder. I have another shake of just powder and water right afterward on workout days, and before bed I have a third made with milk, a scoop of ice cream, and 2 scoops of powder again. Otherwise I've been sticking to a high protein, low carb diet involving lots of eggs, salmon, cod, chicken, beef, and a decent amount of fruit and veggies.

My workout has been limited by I'm doing my best with what I have. I got 2 adjustable dumbells for home, and have been using them for certain things, but I can't use them in total conjunction with the gym, as they aren't in the same place. There is a bit more time then I'd like in between. I've been alternating on an alternating schedule working upper body, then a day of cardio, then lower body, then cardio, then upper, then cardio, then a rest day, and so on and so on.

Thus far my workouts for upper body have consisted of using the butterfly machine at a weight I can do 10 reps or so, for 3 sets. Then 3 sets of pulldowns, followed by 3 sets of incline bench press. I plan to add the normal bench and decline, but don't know if I should do all 3 every day. I then use the ab/back machine (it can do both, not sure what it's actually called though). I then do 5-10 minutes of cardio on the treadmill or eliptical, and once home I do my lateral raises, bicel curls, and hammer curls (3 sets of each). I end by doing as many push ups as I can manage. I'm not sure what I should add to my upper body, but any suggestions would be appreciated.

For lower body I feel mor limited. They gym only has one machine for this, a leg extention machine, so I do both the excercises I know on this, one sitting and on laying down in opposite directions. The other machin is meant to work thighs, inner and outer, so I do 3 sets of each on that, and then use the ab machine again, as I've been told to work abs every other day. I follow this up with 5-10 minutes of cardio.

I feel like my leg workouts are lacking, but I don't know what I can add, or what else I should be doing. I'd greatly appreciate any advice though, until I can get myself on a schedule that allows me to get to a real gym.
 
^^ With those adjustable dumbbells, perform squats, deadlifts and lunges. I'm not sure how much those dumbbells weigh, but to make your legs grow, you really need to hit them hard with heavy weights, which may be difficult to do. Try these exercises with your dumbbells for a month or so and see if you notice any results. If not, the only thing I can recommend is to get a membership to an actual gym that has barbells. A good exercise you can do to develop the endurance fibers in your legs are body weight squats, which won't add mass but will definitely help your wind if you really push yourself (and wind is critical when you begin working with heavier weights on your squats).

What will be tough is bulking up, as you say you are trying to do, without the use of barbells, as they allow you to handle the most weight you can for any exercise. Also, with gaining mass, you need carbs to fuel your body, and these will also put some extra bulk on your frame, so I would advise against an extreme low-carb diet. I hope this is of use, and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to post them on here and there will be someone who can give you some advice.
 
[quote name='EDiddy0042']
What will be tough is bulking up, as you say you are trying to do, without the use of barbells, as they allow you to handle the most weight you can for any exercise. Also, with gaining mass, you need carbs to fuel your body, and these will also put some extra bulk on your frame, so I would advise against an extreme low-carb diet. I hope this is of use, and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to post them on here and there will be someone who can give you some advice.[/QUOTE]

I suppose When it comes to the carbs, I'll just have to accept the side effects of not carb loading, as I have type 1 diabetes, and therefor I've always had to limit my carbs, so as to not overdue it with insulin. I'll try not to limit them too much though.
 
You should look up some stuff on bodybuilding for diabetics.

Talk with your doctor about it.

Even whey and high protein is going to be a tricky thing to take as it causes insulin spikes and converts to glucose very quickly in the absence of carbs not to mention the extra stress it can cause on the kidneys which as you know is much more harmful for those with diabetes.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mohr68.htm

There's a little bit more info. Not much though. Definitely talk with your doctor.
 
[quote name='contej85']I suppose When it comes to the carbs, I'll just have to accept the side effects of not carb loading, as I have type 1 diabetes, and therefor I've always had to limit my carbs, so as to not overdue it with insulin. I'll try not to limit them too much though.[/QUOTE]

I apologize for the comment. But I second what HowStern said about looking up nutrition and training info for diabetics. There's loads of info out there. And again, as with any health issue, definitely consult the doctor before engaging in any kind of strenuous activity. I apologize again and I hope I have not offended you.
 
[quote name='EDiddy0042']I apologize for the comment. But I second what HowStern said about looking up nutrition and training info for diabetics. There's loads of info out there. And again, as with any health issue, definitely consult the doctor before engaging in any kind of strenuous activity. I apologize again and I hope I have not offended you.[/QUOTE]

Oh I wasn't offended in the slightest, but thanks for the concern. It's just something I have to work around. Thanks for the links and advice though guys. I appreciate the help.
 
OK. The only reason I was so hasty to apologize is that I know some people get really sensitive about their health issues and I was just making sure that you were not offended in any way.
 
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