what's the recipe for being cut?

[hdacosta]

Hey guys, sorry for neglecting the forum for a while...work is killing me, and soon enough, school will.

Anyhow, I lift about 5-6 days a week, abs about every second day, and do 16 sprints (about 20 metres each) and 4 laps (a quarter mile altogether) at a high intensity after my workouts...I eat healthy and drink a whey protein shake after my workouts, yet I can't get as cut as I want to be...any suggestions? I don't seem to get as tired as I did when I began doing the sprints about 3 weeks ago...should I try something else for cardio? What do you guys think works in order to be cut?

Another question is that if I lift for a part of my body that I want to get bigger for example: legs or biceps...would doing cardio after those workouts cut into any gains I might have made by lifting for the part of the body that I want mass on?

Hopefully you guys can help me out...

thanks for your time.

if providing my workout regimen will help in assessing the problem, let me know

[Maveaider]

You should really go easy on cardio if you want to make gains. Sprints won't benefit you at all; try cutting your cardio back to a leasurely run for maybe 15 mins and skipping rope for another fifteen mins. Although it may not seem so at first, doing less training is actually better for gains, and it's not productive to do a lot of cardio on the same day as doing heavy lifting. After all, it's the diet that puts on the mass, not just the exercise.

Don't do hardcore cardio before or after workouts; save it for another day. It's worked for me, and it works for a lot of others too I'm sure. Warming up and down are very important though, so don't neglect them. M

[Old_Fart2]

I disagree about the cardo. If you want to get cut, cardio and diet are the answer. I also advice doing cardio after your workouts, when your metabolism is already cranked up; the cardio just ups it another notch.

Take a good look at your diet: any white bread, sugar, high glycemic carbs in general, excess fat? If so, eliminate them.

If you're already doing those things and still aren't getting the results, try cardio twice a day. That's what I would do pre-contest to burn the remaining fat off.

[Killa_Z]

definatly agree with Old_Fart2 about dropping the fat from the diet and keep the protein high and carbs kinda medium, you could also try upping the cardio time to something longer because i read that your body doesnt start to burn excess fat until after 20mins of cardio, if this is the case, bump your cardio up to like 15mins and it should start t burn calories after a short time because the weight lifting as fart mentioned will increase your metabolic rate

[Maveaider]

I hear ya fart, but it's a known fact that lots of cardio isn't good for making weight gains, especially if it's done on the same day as a workout. Cardio is essential, yes; but it has to be done in proportion to everything else.

Originally Posted by hdacosta

Another question is that if I lift for a part of my body that I want to get bigger for example: legs or biceps...would doing cardio after those workouts cut into any gains I might have made by lifting for the part of the body that I want mass on?

My answer to this question would be yes, but that's just what I've learned from experience and I'm sure everyone is different. M

[Old_Fart2]

Originally Posted by Maveaider

I hear ya fart, but it's a known fact that lots of cardio isn't good for making weight gains, especially if it's done on the same day as a workout. Cardio is essential, yes; but it has to be done in proportion to everything else.

My answer to this question would be yes, but that's just what I've learned from experience and I'm sure everyone is different. M

Yeah, you're right, I didn't read the second part of the question. I was focusing on the getting cut part.

The goals are at cross purposes with each other. Better to train hard and heavy, let the muscle gains come. Crank your metabolism up that way. Back off the carido some or do on off days.

[hdacosta]

high glycemic carbs? what foods contain that?

[Old_Fart2]

Originally Posted by hdacosta

high glycemic carbs? what foods contain that?

Here's an article Manfred posted: Glycemic Index. If you do a Google search you can probably come up with a more extensive list. We used to have a huge list taped to our refrigerator door but was lost several moves ago.

[Maveaider]

Originally Posted by Old_Fart2

The goals are at cross purposes with each other.

Yeah, dead right. Building mass and getting cut have to be done independently of each other -- to an extent anyway. But I still have a fair bit to learn, so thanks for the pointers! M

[Doughboy]

Recipe for getting cut
1 part weight lifting
1 part diet
1 part cardio
and just mix them all together then in a little while maybe a few monthe depending on how much work you need youll be done.

[Tbone]

I have used this diet program [u]http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/13wee...urningdiet.php in conjuction with this workout http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/13wee...ingworkout.php, and have gotten very good results.

[descarado]

guys, very useful information. major props to all of you!

[hdacosta]

I echo descarado, thanks for info guys...notably old fart for that whole glycmeic food table

[Italianangel]

Its probably your diet, I posted this at another similar post
You need to decrease carbs a bit, sugars, sodium and if you drink, that too! You need to eat every 2-3 hours, something like this:
Meal 1 - Oatmeal, plain with water or a protein powder and water mix shake
Snack 1 - chicken or tuna or protein powder again
Meal 2 - protein (chicken, turkey or fish) and a cup of veggies that are dark green such as green beans, spinach, broccoli with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice or small yam.
Snack 2 - same
Meal 3 - same as lunch but maybe more
Snack 3 - 1-3 hours before bed protein again.

The protein servings can be big, get full and use grill method, roast or bbq, no frying etc.
You need 2-3 liter of water per day - nothing else. Follow this strictly and see how fast you get tighter!! No other liquids, no juices, no other foods, no coffee.
Try this with minimal 20 mins cardio 3 times per week this way you only drop fat and not muscle. If you do too much cardio you risk muscle losses so its better to do it with diet rather than 2 hours cardio daily for a few weeks just to lean down - the muscle loss risk is not worth it!!

Your sprinting looks okay actually, anaerobic work is great and can be better than aerobic for avoiding muscle loss if that is a concern for you.
Linda

[hdacosta]

that's an interesting diet Linda...simple...but interesting.

How long do you think it would take me to see results?

I'm 5'7, 155 lbs with an athlectic build (think soccer player) and I work out approx. 5-6 days a week...one body part each day without conflicting body parts being worked consecutively

ex. Monday- biceps
Tuesday- triceps
Wednesday- shoulders
Thursday- back
Friday- chest
Saturday (or next available day)- legs

how intense should these min. 20 minute sessions for 3 days a week be? what machines or aerobic/anaerobic exercises would you advise?

thanks for your help thus far and any further help would be greatly appreciated

[number1point]

man another thing is if your doin cardio for long periods or time it will dwindle your muscles away while mostly just giving you endurance.....if i wanted to be cut i always ran short distances as hard as i could go....say.....6 - 20 meters 4 - 40 meter and 2 - 60 meter....and get your blood goin and everything like your doin only it doesnt burn away at your muscle either...

[ntnfdvd]

I posted an oldie but goodie in the Nutrition forum... http://www.extremefitness.com/forum/...827#post383827

[Italianangel]

Originally Posted by hdacosta

that's an interesting diet Linda...simple...but interesting.

How long do you think it would take me to see results?

I'm 5'7, 155 lbs with an athlectic build (think soccer player) and I work out approx. 5-6 days a week...one body part each day without conflicting body parts being worked consecutively

ex. Monday- biceps
Tuesday- triceps
Wednesday- shoulders
Thursday- back
Friday- chest
Saturday (or next available day)- legs

how intense should these min. 20 minute sessions for 3 days a week be? what machines or aerobic/anaerobic exercises would you advise?

thanks for your help thus far and any further help would be greatly appreciated

Do you play soccer now or is that just your physique type? That would make a difference.
EAch person is different so to get detailed I need detail but in general we need to show a calorie deficiet to get fat loss but also need to remove the right items to get leaner or onion skin look to show more tone and cuts but by diet more than exercise.
For your cardio, if you already to play soccer or practice then that factors in!
Otherwise, 20 mins jogging at 5mph with no hills......nice fat burn pace, non stop.
Sprints are great but if you already do that you need a shock, change.
Leaning is mainly diet though so you would need to stick with a tight meal plan like so:
meal 1 - plain oatmeal made with water or protein powder and water
snack 1, 2 and 3 - protein and water again or tuna or chicken breast grilled plain
meal 2 and 3 - protein (chicken or fish, tukey) and a cup of green beans, spinach or broccoli - raw or cooked - with 1/2 cup brown rice or yam.
snack 3 is 1-3 hours before bed

simple, plain boring but you will see results in the first week or 2 if you go strict!!
Meals and snack are every 2-3 hours, protein powder should have no carb or fat or be very low in it.

Your lifting is fine.