Limited Time, Max Results?

I’ve been running through the site, looking for a routine or some thoughts on how to start up a fitness program. Unfortunately, all of the workouts advocate 3-4 times training weekly, which is something I won’t be able to do until January or so. However, I want to start doing something now.

Here’s the deal: I work 2 full-time jobs. I work 7 days/week. Tuesday-Friday, I get up at 6AM and leave for work at 6:30AM to be at job #1 by 7AM. I leave Job #1 at 3PM and get to my next job at 3:30PM, where I stay until 9:30/9:45ish. So, from 7AM-9:30PM, I’m occupied. I come home and hit the sack to try and get as close to 8 hours of sleep as I can.

Saturday mornings I have free, and I only have one job on Monday where I push up my schedule to 9-6PM. I was thinking that these two days would be my workout days while I recover (erm, work) Tues-Friday.

I plan to use TBT-style training, with my compound movements centering around squats, deadlifts, bench presses, with a couple “isolation” exercises mainly focusing on biceps, triceps, and deltoids.

My legs are decently developed, especially since I sold my car last year and averaged around 20 miles/day biking until recently. I’m also a fairly active fat guy, so my legs have always been disproportionately strong compared to my upper body.

My stats:
Height: 5’10.5"
Weight: 230 pounds (fluctuates 228-232 on any given day)
Bodyfat (from the Tanita scale): 30.1%

My nutrition is pretty horrible (fast food), but I’m pretty well versed on what I should be eating compared to what I do eat (i.e., lean meats, steamed veggies (brocolli, brussel sprouts, etc), plain sweet potatos on occasion, etc). I’m actively considering working through the V-Diet to jumpstart my weight-loss. I figure losing 15-20 pounds of fat would be beneficial for when I’m able to train 3 days/week later.

Also, I still do not have a car, so I walk approximately 3-4 miles every day to and from home and both jobs.

What else can I be looking at while I plan the next step?

Any thoughts/concerns would be gladly welcomed.

First, I’ll state the obvious and say either lay off the fast food or make better choices if you do go to a fast food joint (salad salad salad!).

Next, take the days where you have off or a reduced schedule and use them to prepare foods that you can eat while on the run at work. Include some type of lean protein, vegetables, and functional fatty acids (fish oil/flax) in each meal. Finally, just use any break time during work to get in a small workout.

Do some bodyweight squats, pushups, jumping jacks, lunges, etc. This way, come January, your body will be more prepared to dive into a more structured workout plan.

I’ve been running through the site, looking for a routine or some thoughts on how to start up a fitness program. Unfortunately, all of the workouts advocate 3-4 times training weekly, which is something I won’t be able to do until January or so. However, I want to start doing something now.

Here’s the deal: I work 2 full-time jobs. I work 7 days/week. Tuesday-Friday, I get up at 6AM and leave for work at 6:30AM to be at job #1 by 7AM. I leave Job #1 at 3PM and get to my next job at 3:30PM, where I stay until 9:30/9:45ish. So, from 7AM-9:30PM, I’m occupied. I come home and hit the sack to try and get as close to 8 hours of sleep as I can.

Saturday mornings I have free, and I only have one job on Monday where I push up my schedule to 9-6PM. I was thinking that these two days would be my workout days while I recover (erm, work) Tues-Friday.

I plan to use TBT-style training, with my compound movements centering around squats, deadlifts, bench presses, with a couple “isolation” exercises mainly focusing on biceps, triceps, and deltoids.

My legs are decently developed, especially since I sold my car last year and averaged around 20 miles/day biking until recently. I’m also a fairly active fat guy, so my legs have always been disproportionately strong compared to my upper body.

My stats:
Height: 5’10.5"
Weight: 230 pounds (fluctuates 228-232 on any given day)
Bodyfat (from the Tanita scale): 30.1%

My nutrition is pretty horrible (fast food), but I’m pretty well versed on what I should be eating compared to what I do eat (i.e., lean meats, steamed veggies (brocolli, brussel sprouts, etc), plain sweet potatos on occasion, etc). I’m actively considering working through the V-Diet to jumpstart my weight-loss. I figure losing 15-20 pounds of fat would be beneficial for when I’m able to train 3 days/week later.

Also, I still do not have a car, so I walk approximately 3-4 miles every day to and from home and both jobs.

What else can I be looking at while I plan the next step?

Any thoughts/concerns would be gladly welcomed.

Hi Planetmongo,

You already know what you have to do first : fix your diet. I wouldn’t recommend going to the V-Diet straight after a fast-food intensive menu. Although I don’t speak from experience, it seems common consensus that the V-Diet is not the most forgiving one, and you should probably look to get yourself used to eating clean before trying something requiring that level of discipline. This ultimately depends on the strength of your resolve, of course, and you are the final arbiter for that.

In terms of your program, I’d agree with you in doing some sort of full body workout with the small amount of time that you have. The only difference I might suggest is perhaps including either pullups as a compound, or some sort of lat-isolation exercise. It, along with your deltoid work, will help to create an illusion of being thinner, which will probably motivate you to go further.

Hope it goes well, I’m sure other more experienced members will share their thoughts - make sure you read them all, and good luck,

-Cloth

I might need to clarify “fast food” a bit. I work in a mall, so I’m limited to the food court. Mainly, mexican (burritos & salsa), faux chinese (panda express/hibachi san), and Sbarro. :slight_smile: It’s no better than, say, McDs, but I think there might be some distinction.

I agree with you guys, I think 99% of my success is dependent upon a change in diet. Today I started trying to eat “clean” again:

Breakfast: a salad I picked up from Pavillions (imitation crab meat, lots of lettuce), only used about half the dressing (thousand Island Lite) it came with. Around 400-500 calories.

Lunch: Chipotle salad: Romaine lettuce, chicken, salsa, black beans. No cheese or sour cream.

Dinner: another Pavillion’s salad: Albacore Tuna w/lettuce. Ate most of the tuna, ate about half the lettuce, only used about half the dressing (a vinegarette of some sort).

I figure this is a decent start. I will probably be joining the gym in a week or two, until then I’ll resume some old bodyweight routines I picked up over the years (pushups, squats, crunches, chair dips), and pullups if I can find a sufficient door frame. :slight_smile: I’d like to start stretching more, as well, so, all’s going to be fine, I hope.

If I can stay motivated enough to get through this for a month or so, I’ll reconsider V-Diet for December to finish up right about time for “new year’s resolutions”. :slight_smile:

I’d suggest EDT

This might work for you - for at least a short while:

Minimal time, Maximum workout

http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1013133

AC

Your going to get sick of salads real quick if you are eating them at every meal. Try to get some variety in there, and add a couple of healthy snacks between meals. You should be eating 5-6 times/day.

Use Sundays to prepare much of your food. Grill a bunch of chicken breasts, and get several bags of pre-washed lettuce and spinach. You’ll save money on the salads.

Also, keep your protein intake high. Get a stash of tupperware and prepare everything that you can ahead of time. If you have access to a microwave at work, get some of those bags of frozen veggies, and have those with your chicken. It will be very easy to fall of the healthy eating if you are relying on the food court for all your meals.