T Nation

My Background, Plan and Goals

Beginners
#1

Ok, so before I post any pictures or set any goals I just want to start off by saying - I’m not ripped, I’m not big and I know that - so all I want from this thread is some helpful advice to help me get where I want to be so thanks in advance for all of your help.

Im 16 years old. I started “lifting” maybe a year ago when my baseball team had team workouts. I went to these twice a week - but they didn’t really entail much serious lifting, more like speed and agility exersices more than anything.

Then I decided to hit the weights, I have a bench, assorted dumbbells and various other things in my basement and I started working on a straight forward routine - just trying to get a little bigger. After a while, and a tiny bit of progress I began not getting any stronger, and ran out of weight in my basement to lift.

This was when I decided to get a gym membership. I started lifting on and off at my local gym a few months ago but It wasnt until about one month ago that I really started getting serious about my diet and my routine. I read up about some things, and eventually came up with a workout and diet plan I thought would help.

Current Age: 16
Current Weight: 143 (I know, not big enough)(Edit: Got a better scale)
Current Height: 6’0’’

The Workout I have been doing for the past month is a 6 day routine where I do the following:

Monday: Chest / Back (Bench, Flys, Pushups, Incline, Lower Back Extensions, Rows, DB Rows)
Tuesday: Biceps, Triceps, Delts (Preacher curls, cable curls, tricep pushdowns, V pushdowns, skull crushers, upright rows, DB lat raises)
Wednsday: Legs (Squats, Leg Press, Leg Extensions, Leg curls, Lunges, standing calf raises, seated calf raises)
Thursday: Chest / Back (same as Monday)
Friday: Biceps, Triceps, Delts (Same as Tuesday)
Saturday: Legs (Same as Wednsday)
Sunday: Day off

Some Numbers:
Bench - 150 (3x6)
Squats - I just recently started so Im still trying to find the right weights

Along with this routine - which I now know aftre reading various things on the site, is very lacking, I also decided to start on a diet plan. I know you will all find this pathetic but I wanted to lose body fat so my abs would be more defined. I started eating around 1700-2000 calories a day, limiting carbs and maximizing protein. With me being 16 I cant totally control my eating environment but I am doing my best. A typical day for me is something like this:

Meal 1: Egg whites, wheatberry toast, water
Meal 2 (Post WO): Whey Protein, water
Meal 3: Chicken, water
Meal 4: Egg whites, onions, water
Meal 5: Chicken or tuna, water
Meal 6: More egg whites or some form of protein, wheatberry toast or wheat bread
Meal 7: Sometimes I’ll have a can of tuna later at night

With all of this info, now I want to lay out my goals and then I’ll show you my pictures.

  1. I want to get bigger while still remaining toned, and cut with well defined abs
  2. I want to drop my BFP if possible
  3. I want to get tan … I know this site isnt about that but if anyone has tips or w/e I’m open
  4. I want to bring my legs up to speed
  5. I want to have bigger, well defined muscles but I don’t want to look like a body builder, I’m doing this more for aesteics not for performance.

So, whatever you guys can help me with I would greatly appreciate it. I need help with my:

  1. Routine
  2. Diet (to lose BF but gain muscle)
  3. Tan (if you can)
  4. Form for new exersices
  5. Possible supplements etc.

Alright now that you know what I’m looking for here are a few pictures of my self at the moment … try not to laugh.

#2

[quote]beginner1991 wrote:
With all of this info, now I want to lay out my goals and then I’ll show you my pictures.

  1. I want to get bigger while still remaining toned, and cut with well defined abs
  2. I want to drop my BFP if possible
  3. I want to get tan … I know this site isnt about that but if anyone has tips or w/e I’m open
  4. I want to bring my legs up to speed
  5. I want to have bigger, well defined muscles but I don’t want to look like a body builder, I’m doing this more for aesteics not for performance.

So, whatever you guys can help me with I would greatly appreciate it. I need help with my:

  1. Routine[/quote]

you need to get on a solid routine bro since your lookinmg purely at aesthetic Id say look at some of CT’s stuff. Maybe the god old proven OVT or the newer HSS-100. Not the specialization ones but the whole body HSS-100.

[quote]
2. Diet (to lose BF but gain muscle)[/quote]
you need to eat eat enough to support growth etc, your friggin 16 and hitting your prime for just growth of any kind and your starving your self. sure make good choices but man start eating your screwing your self eating like a a school girl\

[quote]
3. Tan (if you can)[/quote]

take your shirt off and get out side have some fun your 16

[quote]
4. Form for new exersices
5. Possible supplements etc.[/quote]

nail a solid diet and training plan. be consistent for months then worry about this learn how to progress first then supplement. Other then things Like Protein Pdr, Surge, and maybe a fishoil supp like Flameout just learn to eat lift rest and progress.

Phill

#3

First off your #1. You are WAY too skinny to think about dropping body fat. At your stage you can and will gain some muscle mass while maintaining your “sexy abs” BUT, you will be limiting your potential progress drastically. PICK A GOAL! (Please pick increasing strength and mass!)

Next, what is up with your diet!!! Are you kidding??? No complex carbs except toast. NO HEALTHY FATS?!? Not enough calories to support an anorexic schoolgirl.

The timing of your meals is good but the macronutrient breakdown and quantity of food needs to be changed. Drink protein shakes or milk instead of all that water. Add fast digesting carbs (i.e. sugar) to your post WO drink (don’t worry, it will replenish glycogen stores at that time, not go to fat).

Get some fish oil supps and a variety of nuts to pick on throughout the day. And… Find the PRODUCE section in your supermarket and start pounding down the vegetables. Add them to all your meals (raw is fine), snack on them all day with a piece of beef jerky or some cheese. Make salads with olive oil. etc. etc.

Your workout routine looks pretty good despite the lack of posterior chain (hamstrings/glutes/spinal erectors) work. Focus on squats for one leg workout and deadlifts (and variations) on the other.

Bottom line: You have good potential. Don’t be afraid to eat more and lift heavier. Study up here at T-Nation, keep us posted and let us know if you have any more questions.

#4

Alright so from what I’ve read I need to work on both my diet and routine. Routine first:

"you need to get on a solid routine bro since your lookinmg purely at aesthetic Id say look at some of CT’s stuff. Maybe the god old proven OVT or the newer HSS-100. Not the specialization ones but the whole body HSS-100.
"

what is OVT or whole body HSS-100 and where can I find a layed out routine that I can start working on?

For my diet:
I get that I need more complex carbs (fruits and veggies right?) and to add sugars etc to my Post WO meal. Kruiser suggested nuts etc to snack on during the day so I’ll try that out … and of courser I need to be eating more. As Krusier said I need to pick a goal and I think now that I’m reading more and more of these forums Ill go for increasing strength and mass and that from that the aestics will fall into place. I think especially with fall and winter coming up this would be a great time to start getting a lot bigger and then later on worry about lowering the body fat etc.

So with all of that said - can anyone help layout a daily diet plan for me that is somewhat adjustable day to day. All I need is a meal by meal template and calorie limit etc and I can work with that. Also, in regards to the routine can some one enlighten me on those two routines Phill brought up?

Oh, and Im gonna start eating more … right now - Im hungry.

Thanks for all your help guys - and Ill post more “before” pictures and hopefully with some help I’ll be on my way.

#5

ALright … using the search feature I found the articles about both HSS-100 and the OVT and from what I found I REALLY like the OVT training program and I think its perfect for me.

http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459276

The article layed out exersices and routines for one four week block and then another with what I thought was a great philosophy and idea. I think I’m going to try this routine out right away but of course with a change in diet as well.

Now that I have my basic routine figured out - I still need help fixing my damn anorexic school girl diet. I realize if I want to add mass and get big I need to eat alot more but I need someones help laying out a day by day template that I can kinda’ work off of. Thanks to both users who responded already you both already helped me ALOT. Gotta say Im pretty physched to try out this new routine and can’t wait to see the results. I think if I can fix my diet and work with this new program I should really progress.

Once I get my diet in order I think Ill be posting back every day with workout numbers and diet info just to keep myself honest and help me really keep track of whats going on.

So anyone with diet help please post back I really appreciate it thanks!

#6

This is one of the many articles in the diet and nutrition section of T-Nation. There is a great recipe for a protein shake that you can use as a template to invent your own. Check out anything written by Berardi. He is the nutrition guru around here.

It’s hard to create a diet for someone but here are some basic guidelines to follow:

  1. Determine your daily caloric needs. There are several calculators to help you but since metabolisms vary you will have to experiment. I suggest you start high (3500-4000), then lower it if you begin to accumulate too much body fat.

  2. Determine your macronutrient breakdown. I’d keep this simple 40/30/30 [Protein/Carbs/Fats]

  3. Divide your daily calories by the number of meals and then apply the macronutrient breakdown. Remember that protein and carbs = 4 cals/gram and fats = 9 cals/gram.

Eat 5-6 smaller meals a day.
Get in at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Eat protein with every meal.
Take the bulk of your simple carbs (sugars) upon waking and post WO.
Take in some slow digesting protein before bed (cottage cheese and Low carb Metabolic Drive is great, believe it or not!)
Choose foods in their most natural state. Avoid processed, packaged crap.
Fruits and especially Veggies should be consumed anytime.
“Eat the Rainbow” - A variety of colors means a variety of nutrients.
Emphasize Omega 3 fatty acids over Omega 3 types. (i.e Fish oil, salmon, nuts, olive oil, flax seed, etc.)

Don’t over think this too much. You know what’s healthy and what’s not. You’ll never get fat on broiled chicken breasts, steamed broccoli and brown rice. Hit the supermarket and get lean meats, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats. Also get some of those cheap tupperware containers to prepare meals in advance and store.

Keep on lifting, eating, resting, and LEARNING!

#7

Alright I’ll think on the whole diet thing and try and put something together when I get back from FL this weekend. Thanks for all the help so far guys … and here are some more pictures of me before starting this whole thing.

#8

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#9

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#10

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#11

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#12

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#13

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#14

Alright what im getting from reading lots of articles about eating cleaner, and eating more - heres a daily list of meals that I through together - Im gonna do all the numbers for calories, servings, etc later but for now here it is - lemme’ know what you think.

Meal One:
Oatmeal
Egg Whites
Fruit

Meal Two (Post WO)
Protein Shake or Smoothie (whey protein, milk, peanut butter etc.)
Fruit (complex carbs for after the workout)

Meal Three:
Chicken
Veggies of some type (with olive oil)

Meal Four:
Protien Shake or Smoothie (Same or similar to other one)

Meal Five:
Chicken or other protein form
Veggies (With olive oil)
Fat free cheese?
Some form of carbs? (need help with this one)

Meal Six:
Salmon or Chicken
Veggies (with olive oil)

Meal Seven (Right before bed):
I read that you should take in long digesting foods reight before bed like cottage cheese, but also get some good fats like PB so tonight I messed around and concocted a shake with cottage cheese, Peanut butter, milk, ice etc so this will be my pre bedtime meal

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated - I figure Il lend up calculating that I should be getting somewhere around 3000 calories each day with possibly more on workout days.

#15

You really didn’t need to post those pics. You could have kept them to yourself and then after a year or two of some good lifting and eating had a nice before and after show.

For now, just eat and lift. Alot. A whole lot. And I’m being real nice right now.

#16

[quote]beginner1991 wrote:
Alright what im getting from reading lots of articles about eating more - heres a daily list of meals that I through together - Im gonna do all the numbers for calories, servings, etc later but for now here it is - lemme’ know what you think.

Meal One:
Oatmeal
6 Whole Eggs
Fruit
Bacon and sausage
Whole Milk

Meal Two (Post WO)
Chocolate milk, half a gallon

Meal Three:
3 Chicken breasts
2 Baked potatoes (sweet or regular) with all the fixins’
Veggies of some type (with olive oil)

Meal Four:
Protien Shake or Smoothie (whey, milk, half a tub of ice cream)

Meal Five:
Red meat! Big f’in steak!
Veggies (With olive oil)
A block of full-fat cheese
More potatoes

Meal Six:
Salmon and Chicken
Veggies (with olive oil)
More milk

Meal Seven (Right before bed):
Cottage cheese, veggies w/ olive oil, protein shake.

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated - I figure Il lend up calculating that I should be getting somewhere around 3000 calories each day with more on workout days. [/quote]

I fixed some things for ya’.

#17

there ya go arms afire … hopefully you wount remember them in two years.

and thanks for the help so far guys … i realize im a real beginner so thanks for not completely ripping me to shreds

#18

thank you for not arguing with sound advice.

#19

Ok, today was my first day of my new routine and I plan on reporting back here everyday to record my day’s diet and workout numbers. For today I forgot about recording specific quantaties but I will start doing that tomorrow so I can be much more exact.

7/23/2007
Meal One: Oatmeal, fruit, 5 eggs, milk
Meal Two: Peanut butter, lots of fruit, tomato juice
Meal Three: Chicken, lean ground beef, veggies w/ olive oil
Meal Four: Fruit, peanut butter, block of cheese
Meal Five (Post WO - a little late today): Protein Shake w/ half gallon of chocolate milk, PB, and 1 scoop whey protein
Meal Six: Chicken, veggies w/ olive oil, tomato juice
Meal Seven: Steak (lean cut), veggies / olive oil
Meal Eight: Cheese, PB, tomato juice

Workout Day #1 (Chest and Back):

Superset #1:
Bench Press - 5x105,5x115,5x125,5x125,5x125
Flat DB Fly - 5x30,5x30,5x30,5x30,5x30

Superset #2:
Incline Bench - 5x95,5x95,5x95,5x95,5x95
Incline DB Fly - 5x25,5x25,5x25,5x25,5x25

Superset #3:
Lat Pull Down - 5x60,5x60,5x60,5x60,5x60
1-Arm DB Row - 5x55,5x55,5x55,5x55,5x55

Superset #4:
Bentover BB Row -5x80,5x100,5x100,5x100,5x100
Seated Cable Row - 5x60,5x60,5x60,5x60,5x60

#20

I’m really impressed (and I don’t mean that sarcastically). Someone actually listens.

Good luck.

Oh, keep an eye on saturated fats. That is if your family has a history of heart disease.