Workout Changes

[Chad Brock]

I am starting to hit that point in my life, 30 years old, where dropping the extra weight is not quite as easy as it used to be.  Also, the time I have at the gym each week seems to be gettng less and less with a new baby and longer work hours.  So, with that being said, how do I get the most bang for my buck? 

 

I am currently trying to put in 2 days a week, plus one night each week of softball, if that counts, there is usually no beer drinking as I need to get my son right after.  I am moving away from the workout I have been doing most of my life, which were geared towards football and powerlifting with little cardio.  I am spending more time on the eliptical machine and less time on the weights, usually sticking with the dumbells and doing less weight for higher reps. 

 

I am also the proud new owner of a grill, so the family is eating a lot more grilled chicken, pork and steak vs the pan or oven cooked we were before.  I have starting drinking a meal replacement shake for breakfast instead of the muffin or breakfast sandwhich on the go and have cut my lunched way down to a healthy choice panini and yogurt, I admit there is a lot more I can do diet wise, but I need to budget the extra cost associated in, and am working on it. 

 

I am here more for the workout tips for my hour in the gym, I usually spend 30 minutes on the weights and 30 on the treadmill or eliptical, so let me know how best to use my hour at the gym.

 

Thank you,

 

Chad in MA. 

[TLN Phil]

Hey Chad.

You are definitely circling around doing all of the right things to
stay fit and keep your weight in check.

Diet is key. With less activity, you need to be sure that you are not
eating beyond your means--especially extra carbs.

A simple way to gauge this is by trying to eat a gram of protein per
pound of bodyweight for your ideal weight. So if you would like your
weight to be 180 pounds. Try to eat a 180 grams of protein per day.
This sounds like a lot, but when spread out throughout the day with
meals and snacks, it really is not.

Surround the protein in each meal and snack with a favorable carb and
fat source. Well-rounded meals like this keep your energy levels in
check, which helps to prevent impulse snacking. Steady energy levels
also creates a favorable state where the body can access its own
stored bodyfat (a.k.a weight loss).

Further explanation on this can be found in this article:

http://groups.google.com/group/tlnutrition/web/tln-article-archives-40-30-30-nutrition

As far as workouts go, you are doing exactly what you can do. I have
a challenged schedule as well and learned to get my weight training
and cardio into 3 to 4 days per week. My workouts last approximately
60 - 90 minutes. To serve as my warm-up, I do my 20-30 minutes of
moderate-intensity cardio before weights. At least one day per week,
I try to do a higher-intensity, longer duration cardio activity (ice
hockey or jogging).

Keep a varied weight training routine that combines exercises for both
strength and muscle growth and maintenance. This includes using high
and low repetitions.

For a balanced, time-efficient strategy, check out my weight training
journal:

http://groups.google.com/group/tlnutrition/web/tln-weight-training-journal

Keep me posted on your efforts!

TLN Phil