Ask away!

[Grr8 Franzini]

My Sly Brothers. I wanted to offer any help that I could to anyone who needs nutrition and fitness advice. I run a small business over at  www.MyFitConsultant.com   where we do consulting via online chat, and wouldn't mind at all sitting down and helping anyone here out, for no charge of course,  the least I could do for all the help everyone has given me here. At least get whatever questions you may have lingering out there answered.

Just throwing that out there for anyone in need.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!
Keep it Sly

Andy

[FR8TRAIN]

Thanks Andy. What a nice gesture.

[buddha]

Major nice gesture, Andy. Very generous, thank you.

[pdxtodd]

Thanks for the offer Andy!   Any suggestions on a routine for a former gym rat who's fallen away?   I've used routines out of Mens Fitness magazine with great results -- the issue is that after 6 weeks on a program I burn out.    I've also found that for me, circuit training puts me in shape significantly faster than jumping on the treadmill for 40 minutes a day.    Even when I try to do 20 minutes on the treadmill followed by a circuit training routine results in slower results than cranking up the intensity on the circuit and not doing the treadmill.    Any great routines that you can point me to?   I know there aren't shortcuts to fitness other than being faithfully in the gym.   My 5 year anniversary is coming up in May and I am taking my wife on a private cruise in the BVIs and would like to be in top shape -- meaning I have less than 5 months to get there.

[Grr8 Franzini]

Circuit training works your muscles and your cardio, where as the treadmill is cardio. Muscles burn calories...there for putting on muscle and working cardio at the same time is a great thing. You may be getting burnt out after a while because your of your eating habits perhaps. Taking in a good source of carbs before and after your workout will replenish your energy stores and help combat that burnt out feeling.

Personally, I am also getting ready to go on a vacation at the end of June (My honeymoon). I am currently doing some circuit training before I start to bulk. I work upper body one day, then take a day off, then do lower body, then day off and so on. I keep my reps in the 12-15 range and have no more than 30 sec rest inbetween my workouts. I focus on the major body parts like chest and back while I am at the gym. A sample routine looks like the following:

Pushups (40 @ no rest)
30 sec break
Seated Rows (15)
30 Sec break
Inclined Bench (12)
30 Sec Break
Standing dumbell curls (12 each)
(Longer break usually)
Tricep extensions (15-20 each)

SOmetimes Ill add or subtract more from this depending on how Im feeling that day.

Big thing is nutrition and start small so your body adjusts back to working out!

[D.A.L.U.I.]

What's the story on green tea?  I've heard it's a good addition to the diet for controlling weight gain.  If it's true, when and how much should a guy drink.  As "maturity" marches on, although I do a slew of crunches -- 150 on a weighted "crunch" machine and the elliptical for 20-30 minutes 5-6 days a week I'm getting "belly fat."  Wasn't ever a problem before I had to stop jogging because of a couple of surgeries to correct a herniated disk.  I'm on a low glycemic diet, and pretty careful how and how much I eat otherwise. 

[Grr8 Franzini]

Green tea is great stuff. Personally, I take the pill form twice a day. Its a great antioxident. It promotes good health all around.

As for fat loss, green tea contains caffeine. Caffeine is proven to speed up your metabolism and aid in fat loss. Just make sure you drink normal green tea. None of those premade tea drinks with sugar and what not. Get a good box of green tea and make it from scratch. Good stuff.

P.s. Crunches do strengthen your core, but they do not make your stomach any smaller. They make your abs harder, but do nothing to reduce belly fat. Unless you incorporate cardio in with those crunches that is .

It is really in how you eat. Six small meals a day will do the trick, just as long as they are good healthy meals and you stick to it. Just make sure what you think is "healthy" really is healthy. You'd be surprised on how many foods are bad for you...like salads at restaurants.

[GASlick]

OK, here's a question for you. 

I actually bought the Men's Fitness for January with the "Spartacus Workout" poster in it.  I have two 10 lb hex dumb bells that I'm working with.  They're just to heavy for me so I'm going to get a couple of 5's soon.

You've read my thread about the pull up bar.  SO, what I've been doing is combining the pull up bar workout with the dumb bell work out.  I do that one day, then the treadmill for 30 mins the other day.  I take every 7th day off for rest.

I've also altered my eating habits to have more fiber, lean protein and vegetables in my diet.  My friend is a dietician.  She's been  very helpful in that aspect.

Am I on the right track to "ripped" by early summer?