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I have been kinda pondering this, ever since i kicked Ive been hard core back in the gym and more motivated than ever. Tbh Ive never had a good diet, not even a decent one. Im a testament to the fact that being extremely active, working out daily and even being on testosterone wont give you an impressive physique. On test i got way bigger and stronger but i was never lean. Never had abs. Ate like a typical american, fast food everyday and drinking basically pop only. Yeah I get it, thats bad for you. Ive ate really clean for a period of a month here and there, but apparently dont stick with it long enough because I never see a change in my appearance.
I also dont have very good genetics, fat sticks to me like static cling and its all in my gut and love handles. The only time I was really lean is when i was sick and hadnt ate in days, which obviously never lasts. Even right now, after 5 weeks my appetite hasnt came back and I eat maybe 1 full meal a day... still flabby. My best friend eats baconators and drinks mountain dew like his life depends on it and his neck is at least twice as thick as mine, 8 pack year round and arms twice the size of mine hard as concrete, without ever touching weights. Hes naturally stonger than me when im on a test cycle.
However, I was in great shape. I guess I don't see the connection between a clean diet and performing better. It seems like as much and as intense as mx riders train you could afford to indulge.
Thoughts?
I also dont have very good genetics, fat sticks to me like static cling and its all in my gut and love handles. The only time I was really lean is when i was sick and hadnt ate in days, which obviously never lasts. Even right now, after 5 weeks my appetite hasnt came back and I eat maybe 1 full meal a day... still flabby. My best friend eats baconators and drinks mountain dew like his life depends on it and his neck is at least twice as thick as mine, 8 pack year round and arms twice the size of mine hard as concrete, without ever touching weights. Hes naturally stonger than me when im on a test cycle.
However, I was in great shape. I guess I don't see the connection between a clean diet and performing better. It seems like as much and as intense as mx riders train you could afford to indulge.
Thoughts?
Edit: Plenty of good info can be found at www.bodybuilding.com
Also, talk to a nutritionist and/or personal trainer. Sometimes people need the motivation and these are the ones that can help you out.
The Shop
Did I mention I hate running?
You can't just "start a diet". If you're out of shape or unhealthy, you need to make a lifestyle change. Healthy foods, minimal booze, plenty of exercise, plenty of sleep, reduce stress. All those elements interact with eachother and if one is lacking, it'll hamper your overall improvements.
Also, stay away from supplements. Many of them can cause renal (kidney) issues, most all have not been FDA approved, and zero of them are necessary to get and stay fit. The corporate gym I used to work for made a ton of $$ selling supplements and the people behind the counter had no idea what was in any of it. GNC isn't much better. Junk science.
Talk to a certified trainer (not just some meathead at Planet Fitness) and get an exercise plan that works for you, talk to a registered dietitian (RD) or certified nutritionist and figure out a meal plan that meets your needs. Do your research.
Source: critical-care RN, former personal trainer.
I was in similar shoes (I haven't been doing anything lately other than playing hockey), where I would work out hard, 5 days a week. Mix of free weights, spinning, Insanity (which is awesome for moto), and high impact sports. I HATE running but I could go run 10km in roughly 50 minutes or less when I had to, naturally strong but I always carried an extra 20-30lbs. I got sick of putting in the work without having the aesthetic changes so I changed things up a few years ago.
I hit the Insanity program hard, and I ate damn near perfectly. If I wanted to drink something other than water, I would put a bit of lemon juice in my water. No junk food at all, but I still had carbs as part of my meals. I ate 5 or 6 small meals in a day. The only "supplement" I took was some zinc.
Every morning I would get on the spin bike and do a moderate spin for 45 minutes (just enough to break a sweat) and that would get the engine running for the day. After work I busted my ass at Insanity, or if I had done a few days of that in a row I would switch to upper body free weights. I dropped weight so fast, energy went through the roof... But then I ended up on a 6 week winter exercise in Norway and when I came home I had to start over and lost the motivation so I'm still a chubby guy to this day...
It's a mind set and you have to prepare to do it, it does take work outside of the gym. Prep your meals, and if you get hungry when you're out and about, resist the temptation to hit the drive-through.
Mountain biking is a great way to get in some cardio and work on bike skills, if you race enduro stuff, I find it helps you pick faster, smoother lines when you have to pedal your way through it instead of extra throttle.
A lot of people call BS on organic, but after years of eating it (my wife does the shopping), I can hardly eat "normal" chicken. It tastes like shit. But we are so used to our food being full of chemicals, antibiotics, GMOs etc. that it seems normal.
Just my two cents. Cutting out soda and fast food is very easy once you do it. I do like my beer though- trying to work on that.
I see performance based on two directly related aspects, healthy eating habits and training. Sure you could only do one, but you won't be the best you can be. For example, if I haven't been to the gym in a few months, but continue eating healthy, I stay pretty lean but lose muscle definition and strength. If I go to the gym, but eat like shit, I'll gain some strength but also a layer of flab. If I want to be lean with muscle definition and strength, I need it all.
Take it in baby steps, cut out the soda and start doing cardio a few days a wk. Work your way up from there.
Anyway, I already knew you cant out train a bad diet. I could def cut out pop but i cant cook, its time consuming as hell and doesnt save any money over eating out. And not mcdonalds, but say chipotle for example. Brown rice, black beans, grilled chicken... for $8 and 10 minutes of your time.
But that's trice the cost and most people don't know the meat is different. Shop organic local veg, probably 3 times what you pay at Winco.
But much better for your person.
Pit Row
Im not sitting here wondering why im not shredded. I know why im not... that wasnt my question
The 5 week thing is a reference to my clean date, for those who were confused. Was opiate dependent and got out of rehab around halloween. If anyone thinks my diet sucks now, holy hell was it pathetic then. A fudge round and dr pepper was a meal for me for the last couple years.
My body still isnt in rythm as far as sleep habits. I get maybe 4-5 hours a night but its getting better with time. The main thing I noticed is how incredible the difference is in EVERYTHING now that Im taking my testosterone as perscribed.
I almost wish i would have had someone videotape my first workout back. I did chest/tris. 2 sets of 8 reps each for each muscle group cause i was in such bad shape i knew id be out of this world sore. 95lbs on barbell flat bench lmao
Body types ARE a thing, bone structure and musculature does differentiate between people.
I know guys (and girls) that eat as much as they want, whatever they want and yet they struggle to put on weight, even if they are lazy. And then there are people that are very active, eat what would be considered a typical, healthy diet and they look like they over eat and sit around. Those people have to really be a perfectionist with their intake and work out harder for the weight to come off.
Anytime other than the last 100 years being able to store body fat would be a huge advantage...
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