Project: Beefcake

[JEPPE]

Hey cats,

Have been needing to get fit so that I can race motorbikes and win. If I can't get fit I'm not going to bother trying, so here goes. Cheers to Birds for helping structure and also plant an interest in physical fitness for fun, not just because of the sport I'm doing. Also Troy, been lurking your thread and it's inspiring, so thanks.

Age: 23

Height: 171cm

Weight: 67kg

Goal: 60kg, keep from waist up about the same mass just reducing fat and increasing muscle, hips down increase muscle but mainly reduce fat.

As per post in 'Post Your Ideal Physique' something like this:

or this:

Minus the fake boobs. (Sorry guys)

Health details:

Had Glandular Fever ~6 years ago (only found this out 2 weeks ago) causing fatigue from then till now.

Consequently I have very low testosterone, vitamin E, CoEnzyme Q10, Iron and others I will note later that I have been supplementing for ~2 weeks (although not testosterone, have food types to eat and apparently exercising should increase the levels as well).

Initially I started exercising in April '11 at 62kg's put on 6kg's in the 5 months of exercise due to exhaustion and cravings causing me to over eat. At the beginning of October and also December stressful events reactivated the fever causing me to cease exercising for this period.

Previously I've ridden and competed horses but never exercised so am pretty much starting from scratch.

Started again January 9th 2012.

Diet:

Breakfast -

Coffee

2 x Weetbix with milk

Lunch -

Toasted wholegrain tuna & cheese sandwich

Dinner -

Steak/Chicken/Fish usually with broccoli/capsicum/vitamin C or orange juice to absorb iron

Snacks -

Toast, Vitawheats, nuts

If I can't eat immediately after an exercise I will usually have a Musashi Protein shake.

Current exercise routine:

Cardio:

Run: Started with 3km run, 1km walk. Now alternating 1km walk 1km run for 7km at a higher pace while running than previous structure.

This is from last night:

Resistance Training (as of 4/2. Has been increased from beginning but won't bother with previous):

5 x 10 Push Ups

6 x 20 Squats

6 x 10 Supinated lat pull down 80lb

6 x 20 Sit ups

Note: Each rep I set as a 'lap' and only have timer going for when I'm actually exercising. Usually take a minutes break in between reps.

And this is my history that I will be posting monthly

It's a little hard to ask for advice as I have this fatigue to deal with which makes muscle recovery a lot longer and affects me mentally quite a bit, but I'll listen to anything. Just trying to keep motivated

[Trozzle]

"Lurking" - is that what you'll call it? hahaha well, happy to uhh inspire you, however I've managed to do that

I must say though, it's great to see another female actually posting in here besides Melly (who'll undoubtedly pop in here soon enough). Particularly one that's put up her own build thread - good shit!

Of course it goes without saying - pics? hahahaha

Good luck, and I hope you get great results! Will keep watch.

*subscribes*

[JEPPE]

Thanks man. Yeah you helped in the fact that by seeing your progress over the months it helps me psychologically accept that that's what this will take. Months. Patience is always difficult, but I'm keen to get results and it's awesome that you have.

Definitely agree on wanting more chicks to work out. I've almost started preaching to my girl friends even though I'm not there yet lol. More muscle less anorexia!

Might chuck up a pic, don't have any relevant ones at the moment. I think the benefit of encouraging me to prove success would outweigh the negative that goes with the fact that I'm a chick on a guys forum posting up pics of myself >.>... and that's about all there is to say about that.

[Trozzle]

Well you've definitely got the right attitude, that's for sure! Put up a conservative pic lol, Just casual clothing. we don't expect something where you're in a bikini or tights.....what do you think we are, animals? Actually, don't answer that....

Cheers though, good to see I've achieved something in the way of encouraging you to give it a shot! Even though I haven't quite achieved what I was hoping to, I'm still getting results. Just gotta sort a few things out (particularly diet, sleep, and my f**ked up spine lol)

[NickR33]

good on ya!

couple of points:

you don't get to decide when or where the fat comes off unfortunately... you just need to concentrate on changing your body composition as a whole

ditch the weetbix for breakfast and the vitawheat/toast snacks... they're all garbage... nuts are good, avocado, chicken/the sphincter of the universe breast etc

you need more protein, try eggs... also you should be eating red meat, especially if your iron is low

from looking at your diet I can tell you don't eat enough... it will help with fatigue

lastly the girls you posted made those physiques in the gym not doing cardio... more weights less running

weight training is no different for girls... don't be afraid to progress and try and lift heavier each week... learn the deadlift and its variations so you can get the glutes those girls have... my wife is 51kg and she deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, dips/pullups (assisted) and everything else I do... she has also just started on fish oil tablets and reckons they're fantastic, more energy, better recovery etc

girls don't put on muscle very easily so if your worried about looking like a bodybuilder don't be

good luck!

[-FIGJAM-]

^^ agree with this.

I'd also look at doing some sprint training. More high intense stuff to help strip the fat away.

There is also a women on youtube who has a lot of workouts for women which look pretty good, might be worth having a look.

Takes a long time to get to the goals. Ive been training for a few years now and the best progress ive made is in the last couple of months so get ready for the long haul.

Working out and keeping the ideal body is a life style change, there is no quick solution.

All the best and look forward to more high tech logs.

[JEPPE]

I probably should have mentioned the supplements I'm on:

Daily -

2 x Fishoil

1 x Iron

1 x CoQ10 Enzyme

1 x Vitamin E

1 x Vitamin E+Antioxidant mix

2 x Vitamin C

Magnesium as needed

ditch the weetbix for breakfast and the vitawheat/toast snacks... they're all garbage... nuts are good, avocado, chicken/the sphincter of the universe breast etc

you need more protein, try eggs... also you should be eating red meat, especially if your iron is low

from looking at your diet I can tell you don't eat enough... it will help with fatigue

Definitely avocado, I know this helps with vitamin E and testosterone levels, nuts are good for vit E as well. I do mix the diet up and add bits around this structure, this is just the basic one I try to stick to. As you can see there is steak (always eye fillet) plus all of the vitamin C rich foods and supplements to absorb the iron... Plus the iron supplements lol @_@

Carbs seem to help me keep off the cravings because it fills me up... Keeps me away from sugars and bad fats - old habits die hard

lastly the girls you posted made those physiques in the gym not doing cardio... more weights less running

weight training is no different for girls... don't be afraid to progress and try and lift heavier each week... learn the deadlift and its variations so you can get the glutes those girls have... my wife is 51kg and she deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, dips/pullups (assisted) and everything else I do... she has also just started on fish oil tablets and reckons they're fantastic, more energy, better recovery etc

girls don't put on muscle very easily so if your worried about looking like a bodybuilder don't be

I will definitely look at adding weights and increasing everything once I'm sure I'm improving fatigue wise. My tests showed that my muscles were breaking down faster than they were building (partly due to low testosterone), hence hitting the weights too soon will just be counter productive. Will need to be patient until I'm sure the supplements ai'm taking are working and my testosterone has increased. I haven't posted my initial resistance training but I have increase my push ups from 6 x 5 to 5 x 10 as an example of my progress. So am still improving, just at a slower, lower rate

You're right about the fat not being taken off where I want it, although fortunately I don't have much fat in my upper body that I need to lose anyway. Getting rid of as much as I can all over but still being aesthetically pleasing is probably the aim

Thanks for the tips ^_^

Takes a long time to get to the goals. Ive been training for a few years now and the best progress ive made is in the last couple of months so get ready for the long haul.

Working out and keeping the ideal body is a life style change, there is no quick solution.

All the best and look forward to more high tech logs.

Thanks I'm gradually getting used to that thought. No matter what happens to the bike I intend to stick to at least some kind of healthy fitness routine for the rest of my life, as long as this fatigue gets sorted!

[NickR33]

yeah I can't comment on your fatigue issues but for what its worth heavy compound movements like squatting have been shown to increase testosterone levels

I know what you mean re carbs, I'm an ex carb addict too... just remember starchy carbs ARE sugar... even though it doesn't taste sweet starch is just a bunch of glucose bound together

My wife had some fatigue issues as well (not saying they're the same as yours)... adrenal fatigue is becoming more prevalent as we work longer hours with more stress... this is why the DHA and EPA in fish oil are so effective... they help the body remove the inflammation left over after stressful events that have your adrenal system working overtime... sounds like you have had some stressful events that you may not have fully recovered from... you can even ask your doctor about DHEA supplements

just before a woman gets her period is the danger time as progesterone levels drop dramatically... this is the time to back off training... you just have to listen to your body and take it slow

Hope this helps... your on the right track I just see so many women making the mistake of thinking tonnes of cardio and yoga is going to make them look like the women on TV... weight training is not just for men!

[Birds]

Apologies for the wall of text...

I definitely agree about using weights to reach her end goals (the girls in the pictures), but for now, she's trying to lose weight so I wouldn't say she's eating insufficient amounts or that the cardio is a bad thing. This doesn't really happen pushing weights in the gym; plenty of fat and muscular people walking around. Diet and cardio are paramount here.

You can splice both, but I've always been a purveyor of the, "lose your weight first and then hit the weights" ideology. There's obviously more than one way to **** a ****, but I think this way is great for flexibility/ROM and chasing an ideal weight in the end. Trying to lose the weight after or during your weight training can be counter productive and mentally difficult - you're trying to diet while your body is calling for more energy and nutrients to fuel muscle development.

Now another reason I'm against the weight training straight up, is more case specific and difficult to understand without JEPPE writing pages about it. Her CFS, which results from a decent amount of exercise/activity coupled with glandular issues and low testosterone levels, makes her muscles take twice as long to recover as your average person and mentally she ends up very drained. It's not just a case of "harden up princess". She has previously attempted to resolve this with diet changes and supplementation, to not much avail. Recent introduction of certain vitamins appear to be helping, but difficult to pinpoint it given her recent progression with exercise could also be responsible for it.

In the mean time I've set her up with a cardio routine and some basic resistance exercise, not too intensive on the body but enough to see some changes to core strength (which we are already seeing with repetition increase). I'm hoping that the slow and steady entry into regular exercise and conditioning will aid the CFS, stimulating muscle repair and some hormone production in her body. And yes, I think she should definitely hit the weights...just later on when resistance becomes "easy" and she has dropped the weight that she desires. As Nick said, heavy compound movements have been shown to increase testosterone so these will be good to adopt when the body is ready for more intense exercise.

Good luck JEPPE

[NickR33]

I understand what your saying but I maintain, too much running especially if you have CFS... short, sweet, full body weight sessions and maybe some sprinting/plyometrics... even just 30mins 3 times a week at first

CFS is linked to adrenal fatigue, my wife went to a great doc in Middle Park who put her on DHEA supplements, I recommend it as an option to consider... he is Chinese and mixes some of the eastern philosophies into the western medicine, very holistic approach

She does 0 cardio apart from circuit training once a week (kettlebells, medicine balls, bodyweight exercises and some sprinting)... she eats like I do and has hardly any fat (yes its annoying)... in fact we've actually been trying to put weight on her

If you want to lose the fat and are worried about fatiguing yourself why not try fasted walks? first thing in the morning before breaky grab a protein shake and go for a slow 20-30 min walk... you must walk slow enough that you do not get out of breath

my old man trains a lot of women and specialises in older people, many of who see him due to health issues... he starts everyone in the weight room... fat, skinny, young, old etc... he trains a group of old women once a week, including my 94 year old grandma

anyway just some suggestions, its great your tackling your problems head on and not just lying in bed feeling sorry for yourself!

[Hadouken]

Might chuck up a pic, don't have any relevant ones at the moment. I think the benefit of encouraging me to prove success would outweigh the negative that goes with the fact that I'm a chick on a guys forum posting up pics of myself >.>... and that's about all there is to say about that.

??? Pictures make threads haha.

Good luck with you're goal. I am sure with you're current enthusiasm that you will succeed.

[Tangles]

For muscle recovery surely a large dose of BCAA (branched chain amino acids) during & post weights workout would be ideal in Jeppe's case?

Ive found them to be invaluable - not one 'day after' where my muscles feel spent still; everyday Ive been ready & raring to go for a fresh 90+min session.

I too have had low energy levels for a long long long time, due to v.strong medication, low motivation, lack of sleep & high levels of pain. What a turn around... while Ive never been diagnosed with glandular fever (I doubt it, sure it was the meds & the situation my body has been in for many years now) my energy levels have gone through the roof since getting off the meds last Sept and starting the weights on 20Dec, same goes for my mental health.

Get into the weights slowly, get your body adjusted to the increased workload you are demanding of it, and over time gradually ramp it up - you'll reach your goals with hard work, sensible eating & exercise, & determination.

[Trozzle]

I think this picture is relevant to the thread:

Although I'm sure Jeppe already knows this, given her physique goals pics are somewhat....ahem....yes.

[JEPPE]

lulz.. I think the majority of girls are just lazy :3

If you want to lose the fat and are worried about fatiguing yourself why not try fasted walks? first thing in the morning before breaky grab a protein shake and go for a slow 20-30 min walk... you must walk slow enough that you do not get out of breath

How effective is this? I have trouble going slow but generally don't get out of breath when walking my normal ~6km/h. When I was given my initial exercise plan it included 2 hours of walking all at once. So super low intensity but still pretty substantial. I think I could manage a 30 minute walk most mornings of the week as well as my current stuff but would appreciate understanding why and how much it would benefit.

For muscle recovery surely a large dose of BCAA (branched chain amino acids) during & post weights workout would be ideal in Jeppe's case?

These might already be in my vitE+antioxidants mix as there's a heap of stuff in there I haven't gone through. I might see how I go for a few more weeks to see if there's an improvement with the stuff I'm already taking but will definitely look into it.

Currently it takes about four full days for my muscles to stop hurting but still making the next session harder than the last.

[Trozzle]

lulz.. I think the majority of girls are just lazy :3

How effective is this? I have trouble going slow but generally don't get out of breath when walking my normal ~6km/h. When I was given my initial exercise plan it included 2 hours of walking all at once. So super low intensity but still pretty substantial. I think I could manage a 30 minute walk most mornings of the week as well as my current stuff but would appreciate understanding why and how much it would benefit.

These might already be in my vitE+antioxidants mix as there's a heap of stuff in there I haven't gone through. I might see how I go for a few more weeks to see if there's an improvement with the stuff I'm already taking but will definitely look into it.

Currently it takes about four full days for my muscles to stop hurting but still making the next session harder than the last.

There are plenty of BCAAs in protein powders. If you were taking a protein supplement, you'd likely be getting plenty already.

Though I see you aren't, so yeah....I'm unsure, so I'll let someone else comment on it. Most information I've come across on BCAAs outside of SAU have been pretty sceptical - though almost entirely because they believed that there's already enough in protein powders so extra is really just marketing gimmick. They never commented on the POV for someone who isn't taking any protein supps.

[Birds]

She did mention that if she can't eat straight after exercise then she'll have a protein shake. I think a lean protein shake on the regular would be a good idea.

[Trozzle]

Yeah definitely. 90% protein WPI with water would be the goods taken regularly.

[NickR33]

some good articles on walking (more aimed at strength athletes and bodybuilders but still some solid info there)... the main benefits being you can get the fat loss you desire without breaking down the muscles and fatiguing yourself... then when you get fitter/stronger and get the CFS under control then you might bring more running into the program

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/get_ripped_get_walking

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_ultimate_cardio_solution_disclosed

ok I've spammed your thread enough, you know your own body better than anyone else so this is just my 2c... I hope you get over the fatigue, sucks to be young but unable to enjoy life fully

[Tangles]

some good articles on walking (more aimed at strength athletes and bodybuilders but still some solid info there)... the main benefits being you can get the fat loss you desire without breaking down the muscles and fatiguing yourself... then when you get fitter/stronger and get the CFS under control then you might bring more running into the program

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/get_ripped_get_walking

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_ultimate_cardio_solution_disclosed

VERY interesting articles. Im going to try it - wont use the bikes again (no-knees dont like them anyway) but instead add in 1hr beach walks a few times a week once I wake up, with a 1:4 L-leucine/casein shake mix to drink as per the 2nd article.

There are plenty of BCAAs in protein powders. If you were taking a protein supplement, you'd likely be getting plenty already.

Though I see you aren't, so yeah....I'm unsure, so I'll let someone else comment on it. Most information I've come across on BCAAs outside of SAU have been pretty sceptical - though almost entirely because they believed that there's already enough in protein powders so extra is really just marketing gimmick. They never commented on the POV for someone who isn't taking any protein supps.

Mate, BCAA's are essential for cells to harness energy, do the activities they are programmed to do, and obviously to split and multiply.

Your cells break down the protein (shakes) to produce simple amino acids to then use as needed. By adding in plenty of BCAA's the extra protein you take in can be used for the muscle cells you have broken down though training. By taking BCAA's you will ensure minimal muscle tissue is stripped away as a source of body cell food, and will recover very well from previous activities you have performed (weights, sport, cardio; life stresses, etc).

Take in as much branched chain amino acids as you can, as in this instance more is better than less, ie take in little and your body will scavange muscle & break it down for cell energy, take in more than needed and your body will expel what isnt needed ensuring other body cells (such as muscle) arnt broken down.

BCAA is energy food for your cells. I recommend to JEPPE to buy a tub and have a protein/bcaa shake 2x a day.

[Trozzle]

VERY interesting articles. Im going to try it - wont use the bikes again (no-knees dont like them anyway) but instead add in 1hr beach walks a few times a week once I wake up, with a 1:4 L-leucine/casein shake mix to drink as per the 2nd article.

Mate, BCAA's are essential for cells to harness energy, do the activities they are programmed to do, and obviously to split and multiply.

Your cells break down the protein (shakes) to produce simple amino acids to then use as needed. By adding in plenty of BCAA's the extra protein you take in can be used for the muscle cells you have broken down though training. By taking BCAA's you will ensure minimal muscle tissue is stripped away as a source of body cell food, and will recover very well from previous activities you have performed (weights, sport, cardio; life stresses, etc).

Take in as much branched chain amino acids as you can, as in this instance more is better than less, ie take in little and your body will scavange muscle & break it down for cell energy, take in more than needed and your body will expel what isnt needed ensuring other body cells (such as muscle) arnt broken down.

BCAA is energy food for your cells. I recommend to JEPPE to buy a tub and have a protein/bcaa shake 2x a day.

I didn't say they weren't essential; I said from what I've been advised by multiple sources, if you're taking a protein shake regularly then you're getting all you need and don't require taking further BCAA supplement. *Most* shakes will contain ~5g of BCAAs per serve these days.