(LONG) So I just found out that I will be working virtually the entire month of December, meaning I'll have a ton of free time... I have a 2 year old son so I never have much time - I do stay in relative shape by walking a lot and running, biking, or hiking at least once per week. Actual weightlifting has been very spotty in the past two years but I had a one month period in April/May where I kept it up well and saw good results. No cardio though.

I am 6'3" and 195, same as in HS. My body hasn't changed much, just a little flabbier around the waist. I can lift more than I did back then and was constantly working out for football.

Since I have 30+ days off, I want to hit the gym, the road on bike and foot, and the snow hard (I live at 7000 feet in CO). My ultimate goal is to lose the fat around my waist and see my abs again, but I'd like to build some mass as well. I eat very well and we cook most of our own food. I do not want to change my "real" food intake much as it is pretty solid.

I have a pretty good idea of what I want and can do as far as a variable, daily aerobic and strength workout and rest periods. Since it's just 30 days I shouldn't get bored. However, I am stuck on what to take as far as supplements. I know about high quality whey protein and after workout shakes, etc. However, I'd like to see as much results as possible in 30 days.

I'd like to get recommendations on supplements with my goals of losing fat from my waist while building muscle mass everywhere else. I am open to anything, pills, powders, shitty-tasting substances, etc.

A sample daily workout be along these lines...

AM: Snowshoe 2 miles. Hike or run 2 miles in regular shoes.
PM: Strength training for 30 Minutes. Kickboxing 15 minutes.

AM: Bike 12 miles at 12 MPH.
PM: Strength training for 30 minutes. 4 mile walk in one hour.

Actual strength training would likely not exceed 30 minutes per day unless I felt it could. I don't want to kill myself as the toning is more a goal than mass. Any suggestions are welcome!

10/16/2009 3:07:32 PM

I don't think you need to do anything extreme like pills or supplements or shakes. Just eat healthy, a lot of protein like lean chicken, lean beef, or fish. If you need extra calories, try to snack on beef jerky, peanut butter, beans, walnuts, healthy additives like that.

Also, I'm not sure why you're saying you want to take supplements and protein shakes, but then you make sure to mention that you don't want to do a lot of weightlifting and that "toning is your goal." If you load up on supplements and don't lift weights, you're just going to get fat from all that extra shit you're putting in your body.

Bottom line: More weightlifting. You're not going to turn into "Wolverine" Hugh Jackman in a month. You will like the way you look, I guarantee it.

[Edited on October 16, 2009 at 3:44 PM. Reason : ]

10/16/2009 3:42:40 PM

I should have mentioned that I am also open to not taking anything additional whatsoever, haha. We eat very healthy now, all along the lines of what you mentioned with very little deviation.

I'm thinking something more along the lines of energy. I don't know if I can sustain two hours of exercise daily just on my current diet and snack modifications alone. I figure I will be burning at minimum 600 more calories per day than I do now. It's been eight years since I've worked that hard for a month straight...

10/16/2009 4:03:17 PM

If you cannot sustain your current activity level...eat more (I'd recommend adding some healthy fat)

If you're eating "really good" right now, then you SHOULD have the energy to perform and supplements will not be necessary.

Just out of curiosity what does your diet look like?

10/16/2009 5:24:32 PM

Breakfast: Oats with Blueberries or raisins or a Balance bar and milk or juice
Snack: Fruit of any sort
Lunch: Sandwich, heavy on lean meat and veg. Mayo and mustard, fatty cheese
Snack: Carrot sticks, edamame, peas, any veg.
Dinner: Lean meat/fish/shrimp with at least one veg and starch. Milk
Snack: Peanuts, granola bar, or chips. 1-2 beers 5 days a week.

I am pretty strict on this 6 out of 7 days. The seventh day is when we go out for dinner and I veer, but it is rarely a gut bomb. If I am at a party/BBQ I will eat whatever though...

I very rarely snack on crap and drink no soda at all. I do have 1-2 light beers a night M-F and could cut that out.

10/16/2009 6:08:44 PM

The meal plan you posted means nothing. How many calories are you eating? Breakdown of protein/fat/carbs? Since you have so much free time, now is the time to get all of that dialed in.

Also

[quote]My ultimate goal is to lose the fat around my waist and see my abs again, but I'd like to build some mass as well.[/quote0

You need to pick one of these as your priority. You cannot do both at the same time to any significant degree. Your only saving grace is that you haven't done much, so you could see some newbie effects...but I still stand by my initial statement that you should pick one.

If you're trying to get abs, you NEED to know calories levels (especially with the amount of activity you're throwing in there). Lift Heavy. Use compound movements. Be consistent and you will reach your goal.

10/16/2009 6:31:50 PM

Quote :

"I'm thinking something more along the lines of energy. I don't know if I can sustain two hours of exercise daily just on my current diet and snack modifications alone. I figure I will be burning at minimum 600 more calories per day than I do now. It's been eight years since I've worked that hard for a month straight..."

Just eat more of the same food. You'll know when you're hungry.

If you're doing, say, a 2 hour exercise, you'll want to consume calories beforehand, and then quite immediately after (say 15 minutes at most).

Also, try to eat around 6 meals per day.

Say, if you were awake from 8am to 10pm:

8am - breakfast
10:30am - 1st snack
noon - lunch
3pm - 2nd snack
5:30pm - dinner
8pm - 3rd snack

10/16/2009 7:27:59 PM

If you want some extra energy and boost through a work out then get this...



Get it at GNC or online somewhere.

It's the only thing that works. The best pre-work out supp. out there. And some protein powder. You will go crazy on that stuff. Take 1.75 scoops 20mins before you start your workout in about 4oz. of water or lemonade, then go ape shit. You'll have tons of energy and build lean mass while cutting as well. Do abdominal workouts.

Good luck.

10/16/2009 9:22:25 PM

I wouldn't advise taking that.

10/16/2009 10:52:16 PM

you'll either see your abs or die.

10/16/2009 11:10:25 PM

^^

Its the same thing as superpump 250, no xplode and all that pre-workout stuff except without all the fillers and crap that you don't need. I've been using it for a while now and have had no problems. Some may say that if you eat right then you don't need to take anything. I beg to differ. If you want that extra edge, that extra boost, that extra endurance then I highly advise taking this product. Many people suffer from committing to the gym...this product almost makes you commit. And...

I've heard this a zillion times, "You are just suffering from placebo effect" HA! Take one serving, I dare you.

Contents:
It is composed of 7 things:
Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (promotes growth hormone and anabolic effects)
Creatine Monohydrate (everyone knows what this does)
Beta Alanine (increases endurance)
Caffeine (aggresiveness increase)
theophylline (heart and respiratory support, increases blood flow for major pumps)
Geranium (stems) and intense focus
Schizandrol A (antioxidant and focus)

[Edited on October 17, 2009 at 4:05 PM. Reason : ,]

10/17/2009 4:04:36 PM

Quote :

"Its the same thing as superpump 250, no xplode and all that pre-workout stuff except without all the fillers and crap that you don't need."

all those "fillers" are the sugars that actually make the products work. taking creatine and NO products without getting an accompanying insulin boost prevents them from working like they are supposed to.

10/17/2009 4:35:32 PM

That's what Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG) is and does, it helps with insulin secretion as well. All in all that product is among the better ones that I have used.

[Edited on October 17, 2009 at 5:56 PM. Reason : ;]

10/17/2009 5:48:58 PM

that might be true if it contained about 20 times more Arginine AKG than it actually does, but it doesn't contain enough to even come remotely close to the amounts used in medical studies to create a minimal increase in insulin and GH. Even still, AAKG won't cause insulin secretion unless it is being triggered to by carbohydrate or fat intake.

10/17/2009 6:20:44 PM

I'm in a similar situation right now. I was lifting weights for an hour four or five mornings a week and biking around 25 miles every evening.

Due to a heavy workload before an upcoming deadline I've completely cut out cardio and spend about 20 minutes doing a high weight/low rep workout on one muscle group a day and eating high calorie and high protein food when I can. My abs aren't as defined because of the diet, but I've put on a good deal of mass in just a few weeks.

I'll probably get back into heavy cardio sometime after the holidays.

10/17/2009 7:25:47 PM

losing fat, gaining muscle at the same time sucks, if you're time restricted, it's easier to focus on 1 rather than the both at the same time

really, you don't need supplements, just eat at a moderate caloric deficit or surplus coupled with plenty of resting and exercise and you'll net the results you seek

since you say your ultimate goal is to see abs again, i'd just cut fat, you likely have abs under the spare tire, just cardio your ass off and eat ~500 cals below maintenance, a great deficit won't necessarily net you faster fat loss, but maybe faster weight loss, something you probably don't want. I'd say lift 3x week, doing light or no cardio on lifting days and a solid day of whatever cardio you feel like on the other days. Take a full day off once a week and enjoy life with a cheat meal though.

10/19/2009 7:59:49 AM