Size 28 Jeans

[commanderfb22]

I want to lose the fat around my chest, my stomach, my arms, and lose the love handles. I want to gain a good deal of muscle mass, but, most of all, I want to be cut.

Current stats:
Age: 22
Weight:143
Height: 5' 11
Jeans Waist: 28
Bench Press: 160 (5 Reps)


I guess I should start with a bit of history.

Two years ago, I weighed 165 pounds. I began to run daily, and worked out one days a week. I would run 1-3 miles daily, 6/7 days a week. I did this for about a year and half. I then started to incorporate weight training a bit more, since I noticed I began to lose strength.

I worked out (basically only chest and triceps), probably 5/7 days a week, but I noticed that my strength was not improving -- this may have been due to the fact that I was still running a good 1.5 miles a day and only intaking 2000 calories a day.. since I still had some fat and I wanted to lose it.

After about a half a year of that, I got back to the weight I was doing before the extreme diet and running.

If you look at my profile picture, you will see that I still have a good deal of fat on me although I'm light (143 pounds). I think I ****ed up my metabolism a bit, with the low cal and extreme amounts of running daily.

I want to lose the fat around my chest and lose the love handles. I want my abs to show, and I'd like to gain some decent muscle definition. My stomach and chest still seems flabby.

Do I continue to run? Do I lower my intake of calories? I want to lose the fat, but I already wear a size 28 waist, which is kind of sad (is this due to my never working out my legs and glutes while running and dieting?).

 

[Eze]

DIET is the most important thing to consider. You also have to realize that you cannot spot reduce.

My advice would be to revamp your diet and training. If you like running, continue to run.

If you look in the training forum there are some stickies with routines. For example: http://www.healthandfitnesstalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56428 . Take a look through these and also browse a bunch of the threads and see what appeals to you. Obviously you need to totally different program than you currently use.

Also, go to the diet forum and take a look in there. Here is a link to the Bulking Primer by LeanMeOut. This is ONE of many threads you can look through.

You will notice that with a good training routine and diet your body composition will change dramatically.

 

[commanderfb22]

I understand the diet thing, but the thing is that I dieted cleanly and ran down to get my weight down to 143. I even did ab exercises. But, I still retained the fat.

Now, I'm being told the main thing I should be doing is bulking up... someone suggested rippetoes and 2000 cal with 190g intake? I was advised that doing this will change my body comp and in turn, will make me look better... how truthful is this? Do you agree?

Is the lack of muscle my problem? My stomach, arms, and chest just seem to have so much flab after everything.. so depressing.... I look like crap, but i"m willing to fix it.

 

[estray]

I think your body comp is partly due to the distance running. Its a very catabolic activity, in other words it makes your body want to use muscle for energy instead of fat. My advice would be to clean up your diet, get on a good basic lifting program, and do either 45 minutes of low intensity cardio or 15 minutes of HIIT cardio 4-5x a week.

 

[Eze]

I understand the diet thing, but the thing is that I dieted cleanly and ran down to get my weight down to 143. I even did ab exercises. But, I still retained the fat.

Now, I'm being told the main thing I should be doing is bulking up... someone suggested rippetoes and 2000 cal with 190g intake? I was advised that doing this will change my body comp and in turn, will make me look better... how truthful is this? Do you agree?

Is the lack of muscle my problem? My stomach, arms, and chest just seem to have so much flab after everything.. so depressing.... I look like crap, but i"m willing to fix it.

Gain some muscle

Unless you are 5'2", 143 is very small.

 

[Suareezay]

tthere arent too many muscular long distance runners

while I do agree that you need to gain some muscle, if youre unhappy with your bodyfat levels now, things will only get worse as you gain weight/muscle.

In your case (well anyones case really) I would seriously look into Intermittent Fasting. Its a pretty easy to adapt to training/eating scheme that, depending on your calorie intake, could allow you to "recompose" - lose fat, gain strength/muscle, without any substantial weight changes.

 

[commanderfb22]

I'm willing to try anything, no matter the discomfort. Could you elaborate please?

 

[Suareezay]

I'm willing to try anything, no matter the discomfort. Could you elaborate please?

I assure you theres no discomfort, quite the opposite actually.

here are a few threads on intermittent fasting (IF). There really is no concrete "program". Basically the member "Work" lays out what he and his clients do, and you kind of piece it together on your own.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25603&highlight=intermittent+fasting

and here is is blog
http://leangains.blogspot.com/

the main points are:
Fast for 16 straight hours a day.
Eat all your calories in the remaining 8 hours.

Off day diet: 1200-1500 calories consisting of mainly protein, 100g carbs max, 30-40g fat (lots of EFAs). 30-0 mins of cardio these days.

Training day diet: maintenance calories + 25% (so for you thats about 3000 calories) break the 16 hour fast with a meal consisting of 50g protein, 50g carbs, 10g fat. Consume the rest of the calories after your workout. Anything high carb, moderate protein, low fat goes (cereal, low fat ice cream, bread, pasta, etc).
Weight train 3 days a week. Low volume, high intensity. Mostly compound movements.

Eating a few servings of cottage cheese towrds the end of the 8 hour feeding window is a good idea.

So for example:
Monday: 3000 cals
T: 1200-1500 cals
W: 3000 cals
Th: 1200-1500 cals
F: 3000 cals
Sat: 1200-1500 cals
Sun: 1200-1500 cals

Its not really that complicated. Youre basically just skipping breakfast and lunch, eating low cals on off days, and pigging out on carbs after training.

 

[commanderfb22]

It looks good to me. I'm willing to try. Does anyone else have anything to weigh in on this?

 

[Suareezay]

Does anyone else have anything to weigh in on this?

probably not on this forum, but there are many logs and threads attesting to its merits at bodyrecomp (the first link i posted above)

 

[theincredible1]

Ive been doing the same thing Suareezay just listed for about a week now.. maintained weight, and have noticabally gotten a little stronger