The Sideshow Freaks Fitness Thread

[The Ringer]

I usually have two a day. One with breakfast and another after my workout.

 

[Skiman]

General question to you guys out there in weight lifting land...

I generally try to supplement protein with Whey and Casein proteins, but how many protein shakes do you guys drink per day???

I'm out on this one DC, it was about 3-5 back in the glory days but I've just cut them out completely.

Even the bodybuilders in the same circuit think I'm nuts but I just feel better with real food and I've only made better quality gains these past two years since I'm shedded them off the diet.

 

[Darth Caedus]

I'm out on this one DC, it was about 3-5 back in the glory days but I've just cut them out completely.

Even the bodybuilders in the same circuit think I'm nuts but I just feel better with real food and I've only made better quality gains these past two years since I'm shedded them off the diet.

I try to eat as much "real" food as possible, but it's hard to carry around like 5 Tupperware Containers full of food all the time LoL I'm usually one whey post workout, one casein before bed, and if I'm lazy in the morning another whey when I wake up.

I have had people telling me that 2-3 is WAY too many and that you might get too many heavy metals in your body because of it. I thought they were a little too cautious saying that, so I'm glad I'm not alone in that department.

 

[Skiman]

I try to eat as much "real" food as possible, but it's hard to carry around like 5 Tupperware Containers full of food all the time LoL I'm usually one whey post workout, one casein before bed, and if I'm lazy in the morning another whey when I wake up.

I have had people telling me that 2-3 is WAY too many and that you might get too many heavy metals in your body because of it. I thought they were a little too cautious saying that, so I'm glad I'm not alone in that department.

This is my opinion on the whole subject with shakes so there is no science behind anything that I have to say about it but I just felt heavier, bloated, for the lack of the better word my stool was "____ty" Sorry a little embarrassment there BUT IT'S TRUE!!!!

I got tired of feeling crappy with shakes and I believe it did harm my cuts for shows as well. I found that the last couple years of competing I got better striations and the quality of muscle was just greater. I felt bloated as well during training and believe me doing deadlifts feeling bloating is not fun at all. Once I cut them out though and eat more foods, I just felt sharper, lighter on my feet yet stronger, my mind felt sharper as well (thinking on a dime instead of brain farting). I feel unless you need them to make a calorie intake or you are trying to gain extreme size, power lifitng, etc.... then they are not really necessary. I've also had other circuit bodybuilders asking what I've done differently throughout the past couple years because it really has lean me up even on the off season and I've told them... "just foods for now...I stopped with the MRP's"

I'm a strong natural bodybuilder but I'm not a power lifter, it's more about quality, technique, form, symmetry (old school 70's physique I'd like to think) to get me further in gaining quality tissue.

 

[jimjimmyjones85]

I do a mix. I have one post workout on training days only. It is the fastest way for me to get post workout protein.

Other than that I am doing chicken etc.

 

[irmoballen]

I guess that brings me to my next question - where do you guys get your chicken? I started buying mine in 5lb quantities at Sam's but it's pretty high in sodium (presumably bc it's preserved to sit there for longer before it's bought/cooked).

 

[Darth Caedus]

I guess that brings me to my next question - where do you guys get your chicken? I started buying mine in 5lb quantities at Sam's but it's pretty high in sodium (presumably bc it's preserved to sit there for longer before it's bought/cooked).

I have found that Ralphs/Vons/Albertsons (the three main markets by me), at least one of them per week will have Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast on sale for like $2/pound. I just stock up on those when they are on sale.

 

[gibby]

This is my opinion on the whole subject with shakes so there is no science behind anything that I have to say about it but I just felt heavier, bloated, for the lack of the better word my stool was "____ty" Sorry a little embarrassment there BUT IT'S TRUE!!!!

I got tired of feeling crappy with shakes and I believe it did harm my cuts for shows as well. I found that the last couple years of competing I got better striations and the quality of muscle was just greater. I felt bloated as well during training and believe me doing deadlifts feeling bloating is not fun at all. Once I cut them out though and eat more foods, I just felt sharper, lighter on my feet yet stronger, my mind felt sharper as well (thinking on a dime instead of brain farting). I feel unless you need them to make a calorie intake or you are trying to gain extreme size, power lifitng, etc.... then they are not really necessary. I've also had other circuit bodybuilders asking what I've done differently throughout the past couple years because it really has lean me up even on the off season and I've told them... "just foods for now...I stopped with the MRP's"

I'm a strong natural bodybuilder but I'm not a power lifter, it's more about quality, technique, form, symmetry (old school 70's physique I'd like to think) to get me further in gaining quality tissue.

I felt the same way taking shakes, Ski. I was taking shakes twice a day my freshman year in college, following all the directions to a tee. After only 6 months of use, something just didn't feel right. I felt sluggish and had irregular heart beats. It led to multiple trips to several Dr's, one of which finally found that I had an increase in metals in my system and a significant increase in sugars, which was basically destroying my kidneys and causing heart arrthymia.

My sophomore year I went into sports medicine and started down the path of getting my protein through natural foods, and by my junior year in college I had more muscle mass and a much stronger core with considerably less body fat than with those darn shakes.

I know things are different today with the OTC supplements as they are more refined, but when you can get all the same proteins through food such as milk, cheese, chicken, egg whites and soy....well, I just wish someone would have told me that long ago, rather than taking advice from all the muscle mags I was reading.

Just also wanted to say kudos to you, Ski, for being that natural example for people to learn from.

 

[Skiman]

I felt the same way taking shakes, Ski. I was taking shakes twice a day my freshman year in college, following all the directions to a tee. After only 6 months of use, something just didn't feel right. I felt sluggish and had irregular heart beats. It led to multiple trips to several Dr's, one of which finally found that I had an increase in metals in my system and a significant increase in sugars, which was basically destroying my kidneys and causing heart arrthymia.

My sophomore year I went into sports medicine and started down the path of getting my protein through natural foods, and by my junior year in college I had more muscle mass and a much stronger core with considerably less body fat than with those darn shakes.

I know things are different today with the OTC supplements as they are more refined, but when you can get all the same proteins through food such as milk, cheese, chicken, egg whites and soy....well, I just wish someone would have told me that long ago, rather than taking advice from all the muscle mags I was reading.

Just also wanted to say kudos to you, Ski, for being that natural example for people to learn from.

I greatly appreciate that Gibby and I definitely try to help others early in the game to eliminate all the guess work, fads and advertising that the industry tries to pull on us because they are so money hungry.

Thank you sir

 

[imthebestatwhatido]

i'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for my workout and or diet but before i tell you what i do in a week let me fill you in on the progress. I went for my first physical in over 3 years (changed health insurance so changed doctors had to be done) stepped on the scale and I was 270lbs! i am almost always in the 250's! i couldn't believe how fat i got. that was 4 and half months ago. I have always been actively going to the gym, but my diet was awful. right now I am down to 246 and I run 3 to 4 miles 4 to 5 times a week. lift weights for approx 45 min 4 times a week, core work for 20 min 3 times a week. my diet consists of low sodium high protein and i cook 90 percent of my meals now. i want to get down to 240 but i am stuck at a plateau. any suggestions?

 

[Phil Sierra]

I workout at Gold's Gym and I saw John Cena and was surprised at how huge he is. Not in height as I'm taller than him but in his physique he is pretty massive in person. He likes to lift real heavy to. The other wrestlers weren't lifting nearly as heavy as he was. Now even though I'm not into Cena's skills as a wrestler I have to say as a person he is a great F'N guy. One of the coolest wrestlers I've ever met. He's doesn't act like a big headed celebrity and talks to you like one of the boys at the gym that you've known for years. Randy Orton is super skinny and was not that impressive to look at. I actually though he was some skinny male model at first and then I began to recognize his face.

 

[gibby]

I greatly appreciate that Gibby and I definitely try to help others early in the game to eliminate all the guess work, fads and advertising that the industry tries to pull on us because they are so money hungry.

Thank you sir

Exactly, and well said.
No prob, Ski!

i'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for my workout and or diet but before i tell you what i do in a week let me fill you in on the progress. I went for my first physical in over 3 years (changed health insurance so changed doctors had to be done) stepped on the scale and I was 270lbs! i am almost always in the 250's! i couldn't believe how fat i got. that was 4 and half months ago. I have always been actively going to the gym, but my diet was awful. right now I am down to 246 and I run 3 to 4 miles 4 to 5 times a week. lift weights for approx 45 min 4 times a week, core work for 20 min 3 times a week. my diet consists of low sodium high protein and i cook 90 percent of my meals now. i want to get down to 240 but i am stuck at a plateau. any suggestions?

Wow, congrats!!! 5lbs a month?!!? That's DANG good! Maybe you could push yourself harder on the weights or hike up the cardio, but it sounds like you're pacing very well. 5lbs/month I think is the peak recommended target for healthy weight loss.

Maybe Ski can step in here, but I would think you give it another month and see where you're at. You may find pushing yourself a little harder will get you there, or possibly cutting out some more carbs in your diet (high protein will produce more carbs in the system already).

 

[VASith]

Exactly, and well said.
No prob, Ski!



Wow, congrats!!! 5lbs a month?!!? That's DANG good! Maybe you could push yourself harder on the weights or hike up the cardio, but it sounds like you're pacing very well. 5lbs/month I think is the peak recommended target for healthy weight loss.

Maybe Ski can step in here, but I would think you give it another month and see where you're at. You may find pushing yourself a little harder will get you there, or possibly cutting out some more carbs in your diet (high protein will produce more carbs in the system already).

Uh-oh...then my 12 pounds a month must be unhealthy. But mine was a complete 180...cut back 90% on booze, better food with small portion size and added 30 mins rigorous biking every day of the week, as well as 30-40 mins walking with the dog daily. 3 years ago I was 220ish...lost about 35 pounds 2 years ago then put it back on last year when I stopped exercising. At my physical 2.5 months ago I was 205...this AM i was 179. The lowest I've been in prob 14 years or so.

 

[gibby]

Uh-oh...then my 12 pounds a month must be unhealthy. But mine was a complete 180...cut back 90% on booze, better food with small portion size and added 30 mins rigorous biking every day of the week, as well as 30-40 mins walking with the dog daily. 3 years ago I was 220ish...lost about 35 pounds 2 years ago then put it back on last year when I stopped exercising. At my physical 2.5 months ago I was 205...this AM i was 179. The lowest I've been in prob 14 years or so.

Congrats VASith!! That's great news!!!
What was your target - 180, 179, 175? I can't recall.

5lbs was the reco when I was in sports medicine years ago, but it may have changed. This was more due to the fact that people weren't getting set into their routines of eating healthy and working out. The whiplash of losing all that weight then gaining it right back can be devastating on people's health and vital organs.

To add - I believe the saying is "everything in moderation".

 

[imthebestatwhatido]

i have found it easy to get into the swing of eating better by just putting my mind to it. the first two weeks were tough but now i am in a routine. i allow myself to eat something i really want once every two weeks (thats generally when i get an ice cream). it gives me something to look forward to and a goal. i don't consider myself to be on a "diet" i am instead on a complete lifestyle change. I cut out fast food and junk food. i try not to eat processed food. i have added more green veggies and sweet potatoes into my everyday diet, more fruits and cut down red meat to maybe a few times a month. it is almost always chicken/turkey or fish. i sleep better, have more energy during the day and generally i just feel better. also it is amazing how gross things you used to like taste now. i had some french fries at a restaurant on my b-day last month and couldn't believe how salty they were. i even make my coffee with no sugar and milk instead of sugar and cream. i didn't drop everything at once, but gradually stopped eating certain things.

 

[VASith]

i have found it easy to get into the swing of eating better by just putting my mind to it. the first two weeks were tough but now i am in a routine. i allow myself to eat something i really want once every two weeks (thats generally when i get an ice cream). it gives me something to look forward to and a goal. i don't consider myself to be on a "diet" i am instead on a complete lifestyle change. I cut out fast food and junk food. i try not to eat processed food. i have added more green veggies and sweet potatoes into my everyday diet, more fruits and cut down red meat to maybe a few times a month. it is almost always chicken/turkey or fish. i sleep better, have more energy during the day and generally i just feel better. also it is amazing how gross things you used to like taste now. i had some french fries at a restaurant on my b-day last month and couldn't believe how salty they were. i even make my coffee with no sugar and milk instead of sugar and cream. i didn't drop everything at once, but gradually stopped eating certain things.

There's an app that my wife and I use to track what we are eating daily called "My fitness Pal" It's free and it's a great resource...you tell it your weight and what your goals are, then you input what you eat/drink and what exercise you do. It has a huge database of food...including most restaurants and name brand items. It's prob been the greatest resource for our weight loss...

 

[VASith]

Congrats VASith!! That's great news!!!
What was your target - 180, 179, 175? I can't recall.

5lbs was the reco when I was in sports medicine years ago, but it may have changed. This was more due to the fact that people weren't getting set into their routines of eating healthy and working out. The whiplash of losing all that weight then gaining it right back can be devastating on people's health and vital organs.

To add - I believe the saying is "everything in moderation".

175-170 is a realist goal I think. Once I hit it, it'll be interesting to see all the calories I get back from maintaining my weight and not trying to lose.

 

[work13]

i'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for my workout and or diet but before i tell you what i do in a week let me fill you in on the progress. I went for my first physical in over 3 years (changed health insurance so changed doctors had to be done) stepped on the scale and I was 270lbs! i am almost always in the 250's! i couldn't believe how fat i got. that was 4 and half months ago. I have always been actively going to the gym, but my diet was awful. right now I am down to 246 and I run 3 to 4 miles 4 to 5 times a week. lift weights for approx 45 min 4 times a week, core work for 20 min 3 times a week. my diet consists of low sodium high protein and i cook 90 percent of my meals now. i want to get down to 240 but i am stuck at a plateau. any suggestions?

Depending on how hardcore you want to get. I would recommend doubling your Cardio. For my competitions, when I want to get down to sub 8% bodyfat, I'd do 2 hours of cardio 5 to 6 days a week(about 12 miles per day-6 miles in the morning, 6 miles in the evening) 8 to 12 weeks before the weight-in. I usually do a moderate paced jog where I can comfortably have a conversation as I'm jogging. I do a morning jog -on an empty stomach- for 1 hour before work, and then an hour jog after work. Then I'd do about 45 mins of weights. For some, they may prefer high-intensity cardio like sprints/intervals. Just do whatever works for your body as everyone's body will react differently. I like the long slow jogs because it's easier and less risk to injury for me.

Keep in mind, during this leaning phase, you should be eating 4 to 5 small to medium size meals per day. Timing of when you eat is also very important. I stay away from too much protein powder suppliments during the last 6 to 8 weeks and stick with whole unprocessed foods. I find that the protein shakes tend to bloat me up during this leaning phase. My carbo intake is only from fruits and vegetables. No rice, pasta, or bread during this leaning phase. Your protein during this phase should be either baked or boiled. I like baking chicken and fish and boiling eggs. My carb intake is usually raw green leafy veggies, and apples for fiber to help me stay regular.

If you do that, I guarantee you will get past your plateau. If you want to get yolked with a wash-board stomach, it's pretty much all about cardio and diet, -no way around it! Granted you'll lose some muscle mass, but when you increase your cardio it's almost inevitable. Jogging is one of the best ways to burn body fat. Just increase your protein and carbo intake,(yes I said carbs because you'll need them for your long cardio sessions), to try and minimize the muscle loss.

Hope this helps. Now this is just what I do and what works for me. Everybody is different. Experiment with your body and figure out what is best for you. Hope this helps.

 

[gibby]

i have found it easy to get into the swing of eating better by just putting my mind to it. the first two weeks were tough but now i am in a routine. i allow myself to eat something i really want once every two weeks (thats generally when i get an ice cream). it gives me something to look forward to and a goal. i don't consider myself to be on a "diet" i am instead on a complete lifestyle change. I cut out fast food and junk food. i try not to eat processed food. i have added more green veggies and sweet potatoes into my everyday diet, more fruits and cut down red meat to maybe a few times a month. it is almost always chicken/turkey or fish. i sleep better, have more energy during the day and generally i just feel better. also it is amazing how gross things you used to like taste now. i had some french fries at a restaurant on my b-day last month and couldn't believe how salty they were. i even make my coffee with no sugar and milk instead of sugar and cream. i didn't drop everything at once, but gradually stopped eating certain things.

Wow, sounds like one heck of a lifestyle change! Awesome and congrats!!!

A quick question - did they do a body composition test at your physical? I don't think it's routine at most offices, but sometimes they will do it upon request.

175-170 is a realist goal I think. Once I hit it, it'll be interesting to see all the calories I get back from maintaining my weight and not trying to lose.

You'll be ok, bro, and if not, I'll make sure to come down there and kick your butt back into shape!

Better yet, maybe Ski should go down since he seems like a great motivator!
Maybe I'll just tag along to check out your speeder bike.

 

[VASith]

Wow, sounds like one heck of a lifestyle change! Awesome and congrats!!!

A quick question - did they do a body composition test at your physical? I don't think it's routine at most offices, but sometimes they will do it upon request.



You'll be ok, bro, and if not, I'll make sure to come down there and kick your butt back into shape!

Better yet, maybe Ski should go down since he seems like a great motivator!
Maybe I'll just tag along to check out your speeder bike.

I think one workout with Ski would literally kill me.....I'm not looking to bulk up...just to get back into medium and large shirts.