Looking to get slimmer!

**Acromiller** · 10-28-2020, 08:04 PM

Hello all I'm writing this post because I just spent the last hour scouring this forum for some solid tips/advice I could utilize in my upcoming program and I've been bombarded with soo many contradicting opinions and I just wanted to make a post describing what I'm looking for and maybe someone could be kind enough to either point me in the correct direction or give me some sound advice. I've lost around 40 pounds over the past 6 months due to solely changing my diet which has been fantastic! I feel much more confidant and have more energy than ever and I haven't even started to lift yet. Which is where I'm having my troubles. I have a program I used years ago that I'm tempted to just jump in and start doing so I'm not wasting anymore time but at the same time I'd like to utilize my time wisely and maximize my results. My stats are: 27 years old, 6' tall, and currently at 200lbs. I'd really like to drop that down to around 175 and see how I feel at that weight but that's just a rough idea. I store a ton of my weight in my thighs and my buttocks and I'd like to burn that away if I could. I'm not expecting to get huge and I'm not expecting to get ripped I just want to have a nicer frame and a healthier body. I'd like to build broader shoulders and a wider back as well as increase the size of my arms, shoulders, and pecks. I don't care about abs or any of that at this point. I'd just like to increase my beauty muscles size. Hopefully once I've worked hard and obtained these goals I'll get much more serious and really trim my body down and get an amazing physique but for now I'm hopping back into working out and trying to look more appealing!

Thanks for stoppin by.

**cmacken** · 10-28-2020, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by Acromiller

Hello all I'm writing this post because I just spent the last hour scouring this forum for some solid tips/advice I could utilize in my upcoming program and I've been bombarded with soo many contradicting opinions and I just wanted to make a post describing what I'm looking for and maybe someone could be kind enough to either point me in the correct direction or give me some sound advice.

I've lost around 40 pounds over the past 6 months due to solely changing my diet which has been fantastic! I feel much more confidant and have more energy than ever and I haven't even started to lift yet. Which is where I'm having my troubles. I have a program I used years ago that I'm tempted to just jump in and start doing so I'm not wasting anymore time but at the same time I'd like to utilize my time wisely and maximize my results. My stats are: 27 years old, 6' tall, and currently at 200lbs. I'd really like to drop that down to around 175 and see how I feel at that weight but that's just a rough idea.

I store a ton of my weight in my thighs and my buttocks and I'd like to burn that away if I could. I'm not expecting to get huge and I'm not expecting to get ripped I just want to have a nicer frame and a healthier body. I'd like to build broader shoulders and a wider back as well as increase the size of my arms, shoulders, and pecks.

I don't care about abs or any of that at this point. I'd just like to increase my beauty muscles size. Hopefully once I've worked hard and obtained these goals I'll get much more serious and really trim my body down and get an amazing physique but for now I'm hopping back into working out and trying to look more appealing!

Thanks for stoppin by.

Point 1 - use paragraphs

point 2 - Congrats on your weight loss thus far

point 3 - you can't spot reduce fat

point 4 - don't neglect parts of your body - jump on a beginner program from the stickies

**kauseemcee** · 10-28-2020, 08:26 PM

Weight loss in a nutshell is basically being in a caloric deficit. Use an online calculator to get a rough idea and start counting calories with a 500 calorie deficit.

As cmacken says you can't spot reduce fat. If you hold more fat in a certain area, it might be the last part to go well into your diet.

As for programming, find one from the stickies and stick to it. Consistency will get you results. Not so much the program. But pick something you think you will like enough to stay motivated.

Anything else you'd like to know specifically, just ask and good luck to you

**Acromiller** · 10-29-2020, 11:12 AM

Alright awesome! I have a 5x5 program that I had put together some time ago and I'm excited to get back into it.

I figured I couldn't spot fat reduce but maybe building up other parts of my body would proportionally minimize the way they look.

As for specific questions my 5x5 program is basically all compound lifts with little to no isolation workouts so that's my biggest concern.

I know I want to build broader shoulders, bigger chest, and arms so I figured I should throw isolation exercises somewhere in the program but also i'm unsure of how often I should train them.

I appreciate the replies guys. I'm excited to continue on this journey to a healthier and much more active lifestyle!

**jademonkey** · 10-29-2020, 02:06 PM

I don't think you need isolations unless your compounds are missing something.

My preferred isolations are lateral raises for side delts and reverse flys (or you can do face pulls) for rear delts.
I also like adding bicep curls and chest flys - biceps get hit on pulling exercises but I tend to focus on my back so biceps can use a bit of extra work. I add chest flys because I prefer to have 2 chest exercises in a workout.

But when I'm pressed for time: bench, row, pull up, press, squat, romanian deadlift. Those 6 will hit almost everything if done right.

**Acromiller** · 11-02-2020, 12:26 PM

This is what my workout schedule looks like:

Monday:
Squat 5x5
Bent over Rows 5x5
Flat Bench Press 5x5
Push Press 5x5
Cable Rope Tricep Extensions 3x10
Lateral Raise 3x10

Wednesday:
Deadlift 5x5
Pull Ups/Lat pulldown 5x5
Incline Bench 5x5
Overhead Press 5x5
Barbell Curls 3x10
Bent over Reverse Flies 3x10

Friday:
Front Squat 5x5
Pendlay Rows 5x5
Chest Dips 5x10
Single Arm Dumbell shoulder press 5x5
Single Arm Dumbell tricep extension 3x10
Cable Front Raises 3x10

I also have a bowflex M5 that I was gonna train on for either a warmup or cardio on the in between days.

The exercises I left blank I can't recall how my set/reps were but i'll figure them back up sooner or later assuming this plan is alright.

It's just a 3 day a week workout plan for now and possibly running the M5 every day of the week until I can figure out the most beneficial schedule that'll
end up meeting my goals of just losing another 20-30 pounds of fat and then going from there.

Thanks for any advice on my program there may be certain exercises that would be great to use but I'm working out of a home gym. It consists of a power rack
that has a pully system on it that allows for multiple cable workouts and different points of pulling like rows, or pull downs, etc. I have the M5 bowflex thats solid for cardio work
and then I just have your standard bars, curling bars, adjustable dumbells, bands with different resistances.

**Acromiller** · 11-18-2020, 10:05 AM

Just a little update. I figured i'd ask this question just too get a little feedback. This is my 3rd week I've been following this program and the first week was basically a week to figure out what my starting weight should be and then I've had the next 2 weeks to build on that. I'm just curious to know if it's normal that my weight hasn't increased much, if at all on my different lifts. I'm not too worried about increasing as much as I am on building a solid foundation on my form. Some days I feel good with the weight and other days it seems to kill me! Is it normal for a beginner to struggle moving up in the early stages because I've often heard you get much stronger much quicker in the early stages.

**air2fakie** · 11-18-2020, 10:16 AM

It's perfectly normal for a beginner who makes up his own program to not make any progress.

**CommitmentRulz** · 11-18-2020, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Acromiller

I don't care about abs or any of that at this point. I'd just like to increase my beauty muscles size.

How do your "beauty muscles" look, though? (Follow the advice from others on this thread and drop your made up routine and follow a real plan.

**NomadNA** · 11-18-2020, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by Acromiller

I'm just curious to know if it's normal that my weight hasn't increased much, if at all on my different lifts. I'm not too worried about increasing as much as I am on building a solid foundation on my form. Some days I feel good with the weight and other days it seems to kill me! Is it normal for a beginner to struggle moving up in the early stages because I've often heard you get much stronger much quicker in the early stages.

Regarding your workout template generally. Alot of plans say you'll get your core stronger by doing compound lifts. However, in my experience core breaks down faster than quads. So recently I'm favoring Arnold's old advice of core every workout. My compounds are feeling much better now.

Regarding not making gains in an "untrained" state. So you can do X weight for 5 reps, but at X+10 you're doing how many reps? You really need to analyze this by individual exercise. Which one would you like to start. What's breaking down in that exercise.

Regarding inconsistencies by day. This is usually due to inconsistency in fuel-macro intake, macro timing relative to workout, or inconsistencies in sleep/rest. Regarding rest/sleep. Are you exercising at the same time, are you getting 8 hours sleep. Do you tend to start the week strong and finish weak (could be an indication of over-programming).

Under the starting strength program I think you're generally supposed to ad 5-10 lbs per week, per core movement. The exercises later in the workout will be harder to progressively program, because they'll vary alot by how hard your earlier movements were.

**Acromiller** · 12-01-2020, 01:50 PM

Ok I've considered to go with a program on this forum as best as I can with my home gym. It's called "Fierce Five" and I'm pretty sure I can mimic all of the exercises minus the face pull.

I have a Valor Fitness BD-7 power rack that has a pulley system for high and low pulls and was considering doing seated rows in place of face pulls but that would fall right after pendlay rows so I figured they'd clash. I know it says I can substitute face pulls with reverse flies but I've read nothing but bad things about bent over flies. Like how they don't activate full range of motion of your rear delts. I'm fine with using the bent over flies if that's what it comes to. I also have bands that I could use and anchor them to my power rack but again I've read about how the hardest part of the band stretch is at the end where you really need to get that extension of the rear delt. So either I do seated rows after pendlay rows, swap out for reverse flies, use bands for face pull, or sub for another exercise. Any suggestions?

Workout A
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Pendlay Rows 3x8
Face Pulls 3x10
Calf raises 2x15/Tricep pressdowns 2x10 Superset

Workout B
Front Squat 3x5
Overhead Press 3x5
Romanian Deadlift 3x8
Lat Pulldowns 3x8 (any grip)
Ab work 2x15/Bicep curls 2x10 Superset (I don’t care what ab work you do)

**Aguisa92** · 12-02-2020, 07:28 AM

If you're looking to lose 25 lbs or so, and you haven't lifted, then body recomposition is the best way forward.

You will add muscle and lose fat at the same time which combats your concern about "utilizing your time wisely"

If you can commit to training four times per week this would be ideal.

I have researched and designed a free body recomposition routine which you can check out on my YouTube channel.

I put a lot of work into this and believe this would suit your requirements.

I'm also around on the comments on the channel to answer any questions

Hope this helps!

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