Dropping more weight - Testosterone Advantage Plan Diary

[MacroGuru]

Greetings,

I am going to be starting a new focus...rather a new diet, that has been created for men only.

It's goal, is to help the body produce the proper amount of testosterone to assist in weight loss and muscle gain. All through the use of weight lifting and dieting.

I will be using the following additional suppliments:

Hot Rox
Xenadrine NRG

It's a combo of a thermogenic and a metabolism booster.

Part of the TAP is to figure out what you need to eat daily in Calories, Protein, Fat, and Carbs.

As it works out, here is my chart.

Age: 30
Weight: 215 lbs
Metabolic Factor: 35%
Goal: 2 lb/wk Fat Loss (Which will subtract 1000 calories from my maintanence diet)

Maintenance Diet: 3192 Calories

Target Diet/ Daily Calories: 2192 Calories

Daily Protein Grams: 196
Daily Protein Calories: 784
Daily Protein %: 35%

Daily Carb Grams: 175
Daily Protein Calories: 701
Daily Protein %: 32

Daily Fat Grams: 77
Daily Fat Calories: 701
Daily Fat %: 32

So, there you have it in a nutshell, my daily diet plan which will include 5 meals a day will be posted tomorrow, along with a workout routine I will be using for the week,

I am going to post this here for two reasons

1) To encourage those that are true and positive in trying to better themselves

2) I will need some support as well, I have fallen in a rut as of late as work, school, family, and football are killing me as far as diet and working out.

[damnMikeBrown]

I haven't heard great things about the cost-benefit of xenadrine & hot rox. Biotest is infamous for some, well....ridiculous claims. (edit: This is assuming you're not sitting on some of the "old" xenadrine. That stuff drew raves. . .)

I wish you luck with your recomp, however. Did you consider an EC stack with some good efa's like fish oil? It's super, super cheap, and the effect is what all the designer fat loss supps try to measure up to.

1,000 calories a day seems like a lot to try and cut with and still maintain lbm. 500 is usually severe enough to generate desired results, especially when paired with muscle building activity.

I hope it goes well for you! I'm looking to throw on a few pounds in the next couple months myself. I'd been attempting a 300lb bench before spring break, but a severe illness took that opportunity away. Should be hitting it about the time I walk though. . .a little goal off the check list.

Oh, if you're interested in influencing your test levels w/o exogenous hormones, may take a look at this.

hxxp://www.nutraplanet.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=65&products_id=596&osCsid=1059cf5d6c827a7ad8d200127da2c8b2

[MacroGuru]

Thank you for the support, it's needed again. I am looking to push a few records for me.

1) Increase my bench over 270, I am sitting at 230 right now.
2) Increase my squat back to 640, right now I am sitting at 525
3) Increase my clean back to 225, right now, I am lucky to get 195
4) Increase my deadlift over 500, right now I am sitting at 415

Yeah, I have heard both the pro's and con's of them both.

I had used them before and it helped me drop the weight pretty quickly, and allowed me to recover more quickly.

I then did a combo with Tribex, I dropped 15 pounds of fat and added 10 pounds of muscle within a month, and I had to pull off of the Tribex, I was bulking up more than I wanted to.

I play Free Saftey/Strong Saftey for football, and I don't want to be too big, just cut, and lower my body fat...which is my goal by doing what I am.

I have been avg around 2200 calories a day previous to the rut I hit, and I was dropping the weight by about 1 lb a week, although I did plateu at one point in time.

I will look at this Rebound XT and see the reports on it, and talk with our teams nutritionist and program expert.

He is who I bounced this off of.

[damnMikeBrown]

Excellent! Great to have team support behind you.

Depending on when you used the Xenadrine, it may have changed its formulation. Since the ephedra "ban" at the end of 2004, all 'otc' weight loss supplements have become ephedra free. That was the -main- ingredient in them in terms of appetite suppressions and increase in metabolism. Wasn't sure if you knew they'd all changed or not, which was why I pointed towards an EC stack, essentially the same thing as the 'old' Xenadrine.

Good luck! I'll be watching!

[Poli]

Just curious, is there any particular reason you're using NRG vs. EFX?

I sell a lot more EFX than the NRG. We rarely sell Hot Rox.

We do sell a lot of ThermoGain, by Muscletech, and Redline, by VPX Sports. Redline contains CLA, which you might be interested in taking as well.

[Desnudo]

I haven't heard great things about the cost-benefit of xenadrine & hot rox. Biotest is infamous for some, well....ridiculous claims. (edit: This is assuming you're not sitting on some of the "old" xenadrine. That stuff drew raves. . .)

I wish you luck with your recomp, however. Did you consider an EC stack with some good efa's like fish oil? It's super, super cheap, and the effect is what all the designer fat loss supps try to measure up to.

1,000 calories a day seems like a lot to try and cut with and still maintain lbm. 500 is usually severe enough to generate desired results, especially when paired with muscle building activity.

I hope it goes well for you! I'm looking to throw on a few pounds in the next couple months myself. I'd been attempting a 300lb bench before spring break, but a severe illness took that opportunity away. Should be hitting it about the time I walk though. . .a little goal off the check list.

Oh, if you're interested in influencing your test levels w/o exogenous hormones, may take a look at this.

hxxp://www.nutraplanet.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=65&products_id=596&osCsid=1059cf5d6c827a7ad8d200127da2c8b2

I'm curious too, especially with playing a sport. 2200 calories seems very low to me, and I only weigh 170-175.

[MacroGuru]

Just curious, is there any particular reason you're using NRG vs. EFX?

I sell a lot more EFX than the NRG. We rarely sell Hot Rox.

We do sell a lot of ThermoGain, by Muscletech, and Redline, by VPX Sports. Redline contains CLA, which you might be interested in taking as well.

It's a combo that works for me thats the main reason I have been using them. However, I just got off the phone with our team nutritionist, and we decided to bypass the Supplments for at least the first month and see where I am from there.

I think the main reason you rarely sell Hot Rox is the $86 price tage associated with it. I get it online for half of that.

[MacroGuru]

I'm curious too, especially with playing a sport. 2200 calories seems very low to me, and I only weigh 170-175.

For me, I am trying to drop about 2 pounds of fat a week and maintain muscle mass. Obviously we will modify my diet if this isn't working out for me, and up the calories as well as everything else if I have to.

[MacroGuru]

As of now, I am on the new diet, and the Menu for Monday is as follows.

Breakfast
Oatmeal
2 cups of 1% Milk (One for the oatmeal, one to drink)
3 Sausage Links

Snack#1
Myoplex Protein Shake
Grilled Chicken Breast with BBQ Sauce

Lunch
Turkey Sandwhich on Wheat Bread with Miracle Whip and Dijon
1/2 Cup of Pineapple Chunks

Snack #2
Tuna To Go Pack

Dinner
Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage and Spinach
Grilled Chicken Breast

Post Workout
Myoplex Protein Shake

Daily Totals

Calories: 2202
Fat: 71.5 grams (Under by 5.5 grams)
Carbs: 172 grams (Under by 3 grams)
Protein: 204 grams (Over by 8 grams)

Not bad, but I can tell you, I spent maybe close to 30 minutes planning the meal for the day. I am going to call the nutritionist tomorrow to see if they have set diet plans somewhere if not I will pretty much keep the Breakfast, Snacks and Lunch for the week, the one thing I will modify is dinner.

I will also be buying different Myoplex shakes as we only have Cookies and Cream shakes, and after a bit, they taste like shit.

[MacroGuru]

The Workout

Duration: 2 Weeks
Frequency: 3 Workouts per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
Excersises: 12
Technique: Circuit
Number of Circuits: 3 per workout

Warm up: 10 minutes easy pace on a treadmill, 1st circuit is 3/4 of the weight I will use on circuits 2 and 3

Rest: 1 minutes between sets, 2 to 3 minutes between circuits

Reps: 15 to 20 per set, as soon as I hit 20 with a weight, it increases with the next workout.

Tempo: 4 seconds per rep. 2 seconds down, hold for 1 second, the lift for the last second.

Workouts:
Leg Press
Bench Press
Leg Curl
Underhand Grip Lat Pulldown
Leg Extension
Lateral Raise
Standing Calf Raise
Machine Row
Crunch
Seated Dumbell Biceps Curl
Back Extensions
Triceps pushdown

I will be posting the workout weights after tomorrow, so I know where I am at on everything.

Also, to increase stretching and flexibility I will be doing Yoga on Tuesdays and Thursday, trying to keep the flow going.

[Poli]

It's a combo that works for me thats the main reason I have been using them. However, I just got off the phone with our team nutritionist, and we decided to bypass the Supplments for at least the first month and see where I am from there.

I think the main reason you rarely sell Hot Rox is the $86 price tage associated with it. I get it online for half of that.
Actually, our price is more around 55 (I think). Our supplements are discounted since we're on the base. In addition, our customers get the 20% gold card discount every day on top of that.

The only thing we carry that isn't discounted, ironically, is the actual GNC products. Usually something of GNC's product is discounted, but not everything.


I'm also curious, based off the title of the dynasty, if you're going to take a testosterone booster.

[MacroGuru]

Actually, our price is more around 55 (I think). Our supplements are discounted since we're on the base. In addition, our customers get the 20% gold card discount every day on top of that.

The only thing we carry that isn't discounted, ironically, is the actual GNC products. Usually something of GNC's product is discounted, but not everything.


I'm also curious, based off the title of the dynasty, if you're going to take a testosterone booster.

No testosterone booster. I do have one I have taken in the past (Tribex), but I bulked up way to quick for my liking, I do know they work now, and if I ever need one, I will take that.

The diet itself is based off of a Mens Health (The Magazine) diet they did last year. The T of Protein, Carbs, and Fats combined with the workouts are what help create the T levels needed to become more effective for you.

[MacroGuru]

Monday April 11th, 2005

Breakfast

Up an extra 30 minutes to cook and prep meals for the day.

Oatmeal, 3 links of sausage, an 8 oz glass of milk, 12 oz of water.

Dang, I haven't ate that much of a fullfilling breakfast in a while, I already know I won't be hungry when snack time rolls around, but I must eat it.

But I am already happy, and energized, ready to go for the day.

Snack #1

The BBQ chicken breast was nice...but the shake, has something to be desired...I didn't calculate milk into the shake so I had to use water...not good, not good at all....

I need to get to GNC today and buy the premade shakes, they will help me a lot more than usual....

Lunch
Turkey Sandwich
1/2 Cup Pineapple chunks

Probably the best thing I have had all day...I had to stop at half on the pineapple chunks, but I wanted to down the whole can.


Snack #2
Tuna To Go

Not bad, one of the better quick fixins I have found.

Dinner
Penne Past with Chicken and Italian Sausage

This was a good dinner...one of the better ones I could come up with.

Post workout shake

All I can say....Nasty!

[Icy]

Awesome, i'll read this.
I have also started this week in the gym again after some months not doing any sport. I want to lose fat to cut my body, i have always been so fast gaining muscle, specially in the chest but i haven't ever been able to cut fat enought so i always end looking really big when dressed, but not cut when underessed. I'll follow some of your advice.

Btw, won't you include any aerobics like running or cyling to help the fat cut? I'm thinking on doing a 3 days per week workout rutine and then just cycling, running and abdominal exercises the two days in the middle, not doing anything on weekends.

[Havok]

i'll be following this dynasty bro.... I've been bulking for the last 6-7 months or so and lucky for me im a naturally skinny guy with a fast metabolism. So i only have a couple extra pounds of fat that i can drop in no time.

The down side of this is that im a 'Hard Gainer' at the gym so i seem to have to work twice as hard as everyone else to pack on the muscle. But i shouldn't complain since i've put on 15 pounds in the last 7 months.

Anyway, good luck with your diet!!

[MacroGuru]

Awesome, i'll read this.
I have also started this week in the gym again after some months not doing any sport. I want to lose fat to cut my body, i have always been so fast gaining muscle, specially in the chest but i haven't ever been able to cut fat enought so i always end looking really big when dressed, but not cut when underessed. I'll follow some of your advice.

Btw, won't you include any aerobics like running or cyling to help the fat cut? I'm thinking on doing a 3 days per week workout rutine and then just cycling, running and abdominal exercises the two days in the middle, not doing anything on weekends.

Right now, I am following the diet and workout plan they provide in the book and as it stands they haven't rolled into there. I might have missed a section as I thought it was weird not to see it.

But I think I will be ok with Football practice and games that happen there.

[MacroGuru]

i'll be following this dynasty bro.... I've been bulking for the last 6-7 months or so and lucky for me im a naturally skinny guy with a fast metabolism. So i only have a couple extra pounds of fat that i can drop in no time.

The down side of this is that im a 'Hard Gainer' at the gym so i seem to have to work twice as hard as everyone else to pack on the muscle. But i shouldn't complain since i've put on 15 pounds in the last 7 months.

Anyway, good luck with your diet!!

Thank you...support is always welcome and needed.

Congrats on gaining the pounds, and always the hard work will pay off, I started to see it after working hard from shoulder surgery in December up until the last 3 weeks, but I had plateued at the weight loss....time to alternate something for me to drop more.

[MacroGuru]

Leg Press
Bench Press
Leg Curl
Underhand Grip Lat Pulldown
Leg Extension
Lateral Raise
Standing Calf Raise
Machine Row
Crunch
Seated Dumbell Biceps Curl
Back Extensions
Triceps pushdown

Wow...I went through 2 circuits, it's all I had the time for....which is fine according to the workout.

I also did the dry sauna and steam room combo when I was done.

First day down....more to go.

[JeffNights]

The Workout

Duration: 2 Weeks
Frequency: 3 Workouts per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
Excersises: 12
Technique: Circuit
Number of Circuits: 3 per workout

Warm up: 10 minutes easy pace on a treadmill, 1st circuit is 3/4 of the weight I will use on circuits 2 and 3

Rest: 1 minutes between sets, 2 to 3 minutes between circuits

Reps: 15 to 20 per set, as soon as I hit 20 with a weight, it increases with the next workout.

Tempo: 4 seconds per rep. 2 seconds down, hold for 1 second, the lift for the last second.

Workouts:
Leg Press
Bench Press
Leg Curl
Underhand Grip Lat Pulldown
Leg Extension
Lateral Raise
Standing Calf Raise
Machine Row
Crunch
Seated Dumbell Biceps Curl
Back Extensions
Triceps pushdown

I will be posting the workout weights after tomorrow, so I know where I am at on everything.

Also, to increase stretching and flexibility I will be doing Yoga on Tuesdays and Thursday, trying to keep the flow going.


Not to sound condescending or anything, but ACk!

Who taught you this routine? Its flawed, if i'm interpeting this right the above order is how you do it in the gym, thats off, backtracking across muscle groups and such....there is more but hell, its your workout.

[Havok]

i'd last about a week on that routine.....

I personaly split my routine up over 4 days(and 1 day of cardio).

Monday - Back/Bi's

Wednesday - Chest (My chest is struggling so i gave it its own day for now)

Thursday - Legs

Saturday - Shoulders/Tri's

I do no more then 5 exercises per day(not counting abs) with about 3 sets per exercise (sometimes 4 for major muscle groups). Im making solid gains with this routine(15 pound gain in 7 months) and it doesn't totally kill me at the gym or the next day.

Im no where near an expert, so take what i say with a grain of salt. But i do alot of reading at different websites and forums. This is probally my favorite forum http://www.heavyweights.net/forums/ alot of good info there from guys who know what the hell they are talking about.

[Poli]

i'd last about a week on that routine.....

I personaly split my routine up over 4 days(and 1 day of cardio).

Monday - Back/Bi's

Wednesday - Chest (My chest is struggling so i gave it its own day for now)

Thursday - Legs

Saturday - Shoulders/Tri's

I do no more then 5 exercises per day(not counting abs) with about 3 sets per exercise (sometimes 4 for major muscle groups). Im making solid gains with this routine(15 pound gain in 7 months) and it doesn't totally kill me at the gym or the next day.

Im no where near an expert, so take what i say with a grain of salt. But i do alot of reading at different websites and forums. This is probally my favorite forum http://www.heavyweights.net/forums/ alot of good info there from guys who know what the hell they are talking about.

That's fairly close to what I've been doing as of late, but since softball season is upon us, I've been going more with what indoor has set up. Since I consider myself "in season", I'm lifting more as if I were just maintaining instead of building. That said, since I'm going home for 2 weeks, and won't have much softball opportunities, I may lift heavy for the first week on a Havokish routine, and return to normal the next week.

Indoor's routine is similar to football workout plans described in books such as "52 Week Football Training." Which, of course, is where I got my information.

[MacroGuru]

Not to sound condescending or anything, but ACk!

Who taught you this routine? Its flawed, if i'm interpeting this right the above order is how you do it in the gym, thats off, backtracking across muscle groups and such....there is more but hell, its your workout.

Yeah....The routine is what comes with the diet.

I did modify the order slightly, mainly to keep everything close in the gym...if not, I would be moving completely across in some areas.

It isn't that bad, and because it is only 2 to 3 times a week....you are working all your areas out.

The main goal for the next 2 weeks are to get your body used to working out, for me, since my body is used to it, I am able to do more weight.

[MacroGuru]

i'd last about a week on that routine.....

I personaly split my routine up over 4 days(and 1 day of cardio).

Monday - Back/Bi's

Wednesday - Chest (My chest is struggling so i gave it its own day for now)

Thursday - Legs

Saturday - Shoulders/Tri's

I do no more then 5 exercises per day(not counting abs) with about 3 sets per exercise (sometimes 4 for major muscle groups). Im making solid gains with this routine(15 pound gain in 7 months) and it doesn't totally kill me at the gym or the next day.

Im no where near an expert, so take what i say with a grain of salt. But i do alot of reading at different websites and forums. This is probally my favorite forum http://www.heavyweights.net/forums/ alot of good info there from guys who know what the hell they are talking about.

Almost standard to what I have been doing, except my legs get the extra day...Chest for me combines with the Backs/Bi's

However, I have plateued as well, so the new change of routine should help.

Also, as Ardent says, I am now in season, it's more about keeping the muscles actives and pumping than anything...

[Havok]

Almost standard to what I have been doing, except my legs get the extra day...Chest for me combines with the Backs/Bi's


ohhhh how i hate leg day!!! But i'll NEVER be one of those big guys walking around the gym with chicken legs. They are a joke :)

[MacroGuru]

ohhhh how i hate leg day!!! But i'll NEVER be one of those big guys walking around the gym with chicken legs. They are a joke :)

I have to laugh at those guys, but I am the opposite almost....I focus on my legs, because they are all I ever use playing football....So, they upper compared to the lower is a little off.

[MacroGuru]

Tuesday April 12

I basically ran the same diet as the day before however, I tossed the chicken breast with my Snack #1 and I did not need a post workout shake, so I beefed dinner up some.

For Dinner it was

Steak
Potatoes
Asparagus

I also managed to do some Yoga this night....I think I am more sore today from the Yoga than from lifting...

[MacroGuru]

Wendesday April 13

Alright, Daily diet was the same, I had a Chinese Chicken Stir Fry I made that was excellent, I am within 10 on all my measurements which are good.

Workout was a little lighter than I would normally go, but this is due to the practice I will be having Thurs (Today). More running and hitting than anything....Friday is going to be a rest day on the lifting, and I will more than likely do some Yoga later on in the night.

[MacroGuru]

The workout program will be twice this week as I have practice on Tues and Thurs and will be travelling to Colorado on Friday for a game.

As it stands now, the diet is going ok, but I don't think I am not getting enough potassium in the system, I need to eat more apples and banana's

[MacroGuru]

Alright, update....

I am down to 208, and feeling much better, but have hit a small bump this week.

I have slightly seperated my shoulder from the last game, and I am taking it easy this week on the upper body lifting, I will however be running on Arm days, and hoping the cardio will help me drop weight quicker.