I just read photomans post and i am in the same boat. I just got out of the Air Force in Jan. I knew i was going to get out so the only exercise i did for around my last 1 1/2 year in was to play racketball maybe 2 times a week. I weighed 188 when i got out in Jan and now i weigh 230. 10 days ago i started exercising again. Right now i do about 40 minutes to an hour of weight lifting and around an hour of cardio a day. I split it up so i do approx 30 min of weight lifting in the morning before work and i do a brisk walk on the tread mill for 30 min i then repeat this when i get home. I am doing 3 sets of 10 bench press's with 90 pounds. I then do bent over barbell rows with 45 pounds for 3 reps of 10. Next i move onto leg extensions i do 3 reps of 25 with around 100 pounds on it. I also do 3 reps of curls with a heavier weight and then move onto a lighter load. I am also doing wrist curls. I have about 2 minutes between reps. I then move onto the cardio portion and do 1.5-2 miles in 30 minutes on my tread mill. I have also completly changed my diet from pizza and taco bell to eating only lean meats and fruit. It worked great the first week i lost 8 pounds. But weight loss seems to have stopped and i havent really changed anything. Is there anything else i should do?

IMHO:

**Don't split like you currently are doing...hit cardio in the morning on an empty stomach (or w/ a protein shake) and save the weights for the evening.

**Sets of 25 reps don't really do much good unless you are shocking the system. Increase the weight used and do less reps..3-8rep range.

**Weight loss is always fast the first week or two. Most people diet to a point that their bodies will quit burning fat and instead store it. Lean meat is good, toss in complex carbs and cut back on fruit.

**Try to get in 6-8 small meals per day and DRINK A LOT OF WATER :)

Hope this helps you out!

Rob

Thanks for the information. What are some sources of complex carbs? I have done several searchs for information on all sorts of healthy living stuff but all i can find is crappy pay sites with weird diets. How much water should i be drinking? Right now i drink maybe 4-5 16oz bottles of water a day.

Complex carbs are lower on the "Glycemic Index"

This link should help you sort them a bit easier, Sir:

[url]http://www.matol.com/products/o2k/giindex.htm[/url]

The "green light" is far better for dieting than the other choices offered [:D]

You water intake is better than 99% of the people I know! I try to get 12-16oz per hour when work allows for bathroom runs!

Hope this helps!

Rob

Second what greenmountainpatriot said.  I'd change the suggested reps from 3-8 to maybe 5-10 since you're a newcomer.  I think you'll get more from a few higher reps since you're probably still learning the exercises.  It's hard to do a new exercise correctly with the weight you can only do 3 reps.  Also agree with cutting back on fruit.  I lost a lot of weight after cutting back on all sources of fructose.  That might be too extreme, but definitely keep them less than about 30g a day.  Since you're a newcomer, I think green's suggestion for 6-8 meals per day is a bit extreme.  While it is nice, you might have trouble living with it.  I eat between 5 to 8 million calories a day and 500g protein in 6 meals a day, and I'm having trouble gaining more than about a pound a week.  I'd suggest 5 meals a day.  That would be the normal three meals plus a middle of the afternoon protein shake and another just before going to sleep.  That would be a relatively easy diet to live with.  Having a diet you can live with is more important than having the most effective diet.  If you can't stick to the diet, it doesn't matter how good it is.  Also, I think you should eat over 300g of protein per day.  After you gain some muscle, I'd increase that amount in six months or so to about 400g per day.

I wouldn't worry too much about what the scale says.  If you're making gains lifting weights and looking better, then that is what counts.z

300grams protein over 6meals (including shakes) at 50g protein each.
I should have explained that my 6-8meals include shakes during the day when I am dieting down.

Morning Meal
Shake or Bar
Lunch
Post-training shake
Supper
Evening Shake

Definately play around w/ it...Everyone is different! I've had friends diet for shows eating more fruit in a day than I would in 2mos :)

ZOOM: What are you doing for shakes? "Weight Gainers" or straight protein like Designer, Bro? PM me if you like...would like to trade notes as I have started training hard again after a 10mos lay-off/ Healing phase! (OH yeah, got fat too! LOL!)

What are the shakes and bars? Like protein shakes? What types/brands would you recommend? Also would they hinder with weight loss? Thanks again for all of the information your guys posts have provided me with more information than i have managed to find searching.

Agcsy and greenmountainpatriot, the shakes I've been drinking are just whey protein.  I buy 10# bags of Optimum Nutrition's whey protein for $49 from [url]www.dpsnutrition.com[/url].  That's the cheapest source I've found so far, and while $50 seems expensive, it will last a long time.  I have about 55g of protein in each shake.

Since I'm having such a terrible time of gaining weight, I'm going to start adding some dextrose (a carbohydrate) to each shake.  I suggest doing that for you for the shakes you have after working-out.  Agcsy even though you will gain weight from the dextrose, I still suggest it for your post-work-out shake since it will help with recovery.  I'm probably going to add 25g of dextrose to my shake, but I'll probably end-up changing that after trying it.  If you know where to shop (like a local brewery or bulk packaged from a good health food store) you can find dextrose (a carbohydrate) for $1 per pound.  If you add 22.5g of dextrose per shake to your whey protein, you can make 20 shakes per $1 worth of dextrose.  It's very cost effective.  If you can't find it locally, [url]www.thebetterhealthstore.com[/url] has it for about $1 per pound plus shipping.

I've been lifting weights now for 42 years, and I've become much more serious about it lately after having my first year of not making gains.  One day, I'm going to have to accept going downhill, but I'm not ready to yet.z

I yield to the elderstatesman->Zman[;)] I ordered the same "whey" offer he listed, I  did it after seeing "metalstorm's"[;)]jackpot[;)] listing of it @ 10#lbs for 49.00 deliveredIIRC. A good mixture Whey/amminos supp. for 50.00 / 10lbs. is a good deal. IMO

Thanks for all the info guys its really appreciated! Zoom im inc.

42 years man you are an inspiration.  People like you are a rare breed.  I hope to be able to say that one day.  Good luck on all your goals.

Some good advice here, but I'm not sure if all of it is relavent to your goals.  You sound like you want to lose a lot of fat and gain some strength and tone.

Trying to get 300 grams of protien a day is WAY unneccesary for someone trying to lose weight.  That is arguably way to high even for a serious bodybuilder.  Hell, I look like the statue of David[:D] and I only take in about 150-200 grams a day.  But, I am trying to GAIN WEIGHT.  Losing weight is ONLY about number of calories in vs. number expended.  Even excess protien can make you fat.  At 230 pounds you need to cut back to about 2200, balanced calories a day.  

I would advise doing cardio only in the a.m. on an empty stomach(besides some h2o).

Then do a longer weight session in the evening.  But don't lift the same muscle two days in a row, take a day or two off in between.

Most of all, stick with it.  Most people lose 10 pounds and just quit, and the weight comes right back. Reward yourself with some ice cream once a month or something.

-good luck

On November 14, 2002 I was 347 Lbs ,today I am 273 Lbs. I drink a lot of water and stopped eating late at night.

300grams of protein per day is not much if you are dieting, Bro. Cut carbs, increase fat/protein...300grams is pretty easy to hit without even trying. Factor in most decent shakes have about 50grams in them.

To put it in prespective, my girlfriend weighed about 120 at her last show and was eating over 300grams per day ;)
I've been well over 400grams per day and dieted down...just depends on how your body is geared I suppose.

Thanks once again for all the replies. I have changed my routine according to the information people have posted here. Now i do 1 hour of cardio in the morning and do approx 1 hour of weight lifting at night. Another question i had is because my weight lifting routine isnt super intense should i still be exercising only certain muscles on certain days? Also when should i start seeing muscle growth? I am a little bit stronger but nothing has changed.

Keep after it. The results will not be overnight.  When you feel a little more comfortable and stable in the exercises you are doing....break your workout routine down into major muscle groups.  But remember, working major groups hits smaller groups as well...ie doing chest and shoulders will also hit your triceps if doing compound or pressing movements.  Split it up where your devoting a workout to chest one day, legs the next, shoulders, back, arms, etc until you have it down and are keeping muscle groups rested a day or so between workouts.  You can incorporate abs and calves into it every day...they can take it.
Don't let your cardio slide.  I did and put on about 20 lbs more that I wanted to and am now working my ass off trying to strip back down.  Pain in the ass....literally.

Best of luck.