Introduction
- Male
- 23 Years Old
- 178 cm (5’10”)
- 68 kg (150 lbs)
I’ll keep this long story short. I used to be very active in high school, mainly in martial arts and running. Once I got out of school, I stop playing sports and never watch what I ate. Before I knew it, I had a gut. My main goal was loose fat, gain muscle, and be more aware of what I’m eating.
Workout
I decided to go with a full body workout routine, where I did a full body workout 3 times a week. Every day there was an five exercises, one for each category: push, pull, legs, curl, extension. “Push” targeted chest and shoulders. “Pull” targeted the back and shoulders. “Legs” worked all the leg muscles and the core. “Curl” targeted the bicep and forearm. “Extension” targeted the tricep and backarm.
Day A:
- Run (3 Miles)
- Bench Press (3 x 5-10)
- Barbell Row (3 x 5-10)
- Squat (3 x 5-10)
- Bicep Curl (3 x 5-10)
- Tricep Press (3 x 5-10)
Day B:
- Run (3 Miles)
- Incline Bench Press (3 x 5-10)
- Seated Row (3 x 5-10)
- Deadlift (3 x 5-10)
- Hammer Curl (3 x 5-10)
- Cable Pulls (3 x 5-10)
Day C:
- Run (3 Miles)
- Dumbbell Press (3 x 5-10)
- Lat Pulldown (3 x 5-10)
- Hack Squat (3 x 5-10)
- Cable Curl (3 x 5-10)
- Overhead Extension (3 x 5-10)
I started with a 3 mile run on the treadmill for a full 30 minute cardio workout. Then I followed up with strength training, doing progressive overload for each exercise around 70%-90% of my maximum rep. If I could do 3 sets of 10 consistently on an exercise, it means it was time to bump up the weight. Strength training took about 30 minutes, which means I spent a total of one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes at the gym. Considering I was only going to the gym 3 days week, this routine provided a perfect work-life balance.
Diet
I originally tried keto for two weeks, but I was constantly hungry, tired, dizzy, and sometimes I wanted to vomit. I gave up and did some research. I came across The Harvard Food Pyramid (not the same as the FDA Food Pyramid), which gave a simple eating guide that was based on science.
Harvard University Nutrition Guide
- 3+ Serving Of Whole Grain Carbs
- 2-3 Servings of Fruit
- 3+ Servings of Veggies
- 1-3 Servings of Meat
- 1-2 Servings of Diary
- 1-3 Servings of Nuts
- Include Plant Oils and Fats (Olive Oil and Canola Oil)
- Use Sparing Sugar (Candy, Soda, Butter, White Bread)
This diet is very simple to follow. I reduced my intake on soda, beer, and candy to around once a week. I replaced my white bread with whole grain bread, white rice with brown rice, white pasta with whole grain pasta, and added oatmeal to ensure my diet was high in fiber. Fun fact: Fiber will always keep you full. I eat protein every meal, usually eggs, milk, and/yogurt. I have some sort of meat, whole grain carbs, and veggie for lunch and dinner, with dinner usually having two servings of meat (for protein) and veggies (for vitamins). And I snack on healthy foods in between meals such as nuts, granola bars, and fruit. I always make sure I stay hydrated with water.
Here is a typical eating day for me. Breakfast: Oatmeal, Eggs, Yogurt, and Banana. Lunch: Tuna Salad Sandwich on whole grain with Broccoli and Orange. Snack: Almonds. Dinner: Two pieces of Chicken Breast, Brown Rice with curry, Sweet Potato, Black Beans, and Mix Veggies. I didn’t count calories, carbs, or macros. Additionally, I didn’t do protein shakes or supplements. I just made sure that I got my servings of food and all of the important nutrition I need would fall into place.
Conclusion
Here Are My Current Maximums:
- Bench Press: 84 kg (185 lbs)
- Squat: 113 kg (250 lbs)
- Deadlift: 104 kg (230 lbs)
Overall, I am really happy with these results. This subreddit gave me a lot of useful information and seeing the transformations post keep me inspired. I may end up switching my routine by going the gym 4 days week and see what other exercises I can include. My new goal is to focus primarily on gaining muscle and build strength.
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* This article was originally published here
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