Need a training regimen

ncc74656m said:

Hey guys!

It's been a while since I've been on here. A long while. Anyway, I've been entirely lax all last season on my riding since moving to the city (NYC). I was not an avid rider, but I loved it, particularly when I was in good shape. The inactivity has caught up with me though, and now I'm paying for it. 🙁

In the last year or so, I've gained at least 15 pounds, maybe more! I haven't measured recently, mind you, so this is an estimate. I'm 6'4", and weigh in at probably around 230. Three years ago, I was the same height and 180!!! :eek:

So with that, my goal for this year is significant weight loss (I want to try to get back under 200, since I know if I cut the fat, I can be down to 180, and with the musculature, I could go up to 200).

Basically, I need an agressive training schedule to start soon. Here's my basic performance stats right now:

I can do maybe 10 pushups before I die. My arms have ALWAYS been weak, so I want to build them up, and my stamina, strength, and metabolism in the process, the first and last part being most important. I can do probably four sets of 20 crunches if I'm on a bed. I do them on the bed because I have minor scoliosis and my spine sticks out on the bottom enough to really hurt like hell on a hard floor. Do the crunches still do me good if I do them on the bed, or do I need a workout mat?

I can probably run two city blocks before I start breathing hard, which is rather a short distance in the scheme of things. Too short to be of much use to me biking.

I have a Trek 4300, which is freshly repaired and oiled, ready for a season once it gets warmer out here. I'd like to use it this year guys! 😄

And who knows, if i get into good shape, I might treat myself well and look into a CF road bike and go for that 60 mile trip at the NMSS ride this year!

Plenty of internet coaching available out there if you are looking for a personalised training plan!

the brother said:

Plenty of internet coaching available out there if you are looking for a personalised training plan!

Indeed. You (or anyone) could always try us, the forum sponsor - Richard Stern Training. Surf on over to www.cyclecoach.com

Ric

ric_stern/RST said:

Indeed. You (or anyone) could always try us, the forum sponsor - Richard Stern Training. Surf on over to www.cyclecoach.com

Ric

I admit, I am looking for free advice. If I paid, I would really need to have someone who I can meet with in person, because of the way that I tend to learn, and my general will power. Once I get going, I could easily continue under my own volition, it's just the start off that I need help with. Also, once it gets warm, I can probably ride every day, with some running and gym stuff on the side.

What I'm more asking about is general nutritional advice, such as foods I can eat with lowered fat content, probably lower calories, smaller amounts that I can eat while still feeling fuller, stuff like that.

As far as the workout goes, what can I do to quickly improve metabolism and start working out my stomach fat? From there, how do I build stamina and begin translating that into muscle.

Ric, I'd be happy to pay you for a couple of e-mail consultations, if you can provide a good price. I'm in the US, so I can talk to your man here if you'd prefer. What I need is generic advice to get my diet in order, and then start in on workouts.

ncc74656m said:

I admit, I am looking for free advice. If I paid, I would really need to have someone who I can meet with in person, because of the way that I tend to learn, and my general will power. Once I get going, I could easily continue under my own volition, it's just the start off that I need help with. Also, once it gets warm, I can probably ride every day, with some running and gym stuff on the side.

you can always fly me over to wherever you are...

Quoted post said:

What I'm more asking about is general nutritional advice, such as foods I can eat with lowered fat content, probably lower calories, smaller amounts that I can eat while still feeling fuller, stuff like that.

fruit, veggies, starchy carbohydrates (e.g. pasta, rice), low-fat protein sources (e.g., beans, fish, lean meats).

certainly i know a few people who eat a vegetarian or mediteranean type diet and this seems to be quite bulky/filling for them while minimising excess protein and fats. cutting out or reducing alcohol is also a worthwhile idea, along with cutting down or out 'junk' type food, such as candy, sodas, cakes, biscuits etc.

Quoted post said:

As far as the workout goes, what can I do to quickly improve metabolism and start working out my stomach fat? From there, how do I build stamina and begin translating that into muscle.

start exercising, and/or (if suitable for you) increase the amount and/or the intensity of it.

You can't specifically, spot reduce fat, for e.g., off your stomach. fat is used during exercise and is drawn from everywhere. doing, e.g., sit-ups/crunches wouldn't specifically reduce fat over your stomach. You should endeavour to do exercises that use large muscle groups such as cycling, running allowing you to work out and create a negative energy deficit (and thus lose weight).

Quoted post said:

Ric, I'd be happy to pay you for a couple of e-mail consultations, if you can provide a good price. I'm in the US, so I can talk to your man here if you'd prefer. What I need is generic advice to get my diet in order, and then start in on workouts.

I don't have a man (or woman) in the US at present. Please feel free to email me and i'll try to help you,

cheers
ric

[email hidden]

ncc74656m said:

I admit, I am looking for free advice. If I paid, I would really need to have someone who I can meet with in person, because of the way that I tend to learn, and my general will power.

Getting a coach of any description tends to help in terms of willpower. Once you have someone else who knows what you are supposed to be doing (training wise) then it is another person that you are letting down if you don't follow through with it. Certainly the people I coach over the internet say that the very fact that they are following a program, instead of just getting out when they feel like it, makes a huge difference in terms of regular effective exercise. It is often just that first step of laying all your cards on the table and saying this is what I want to do and I need some help to do it. It is too easy to make excuses to yourself but quite a bit harder to back up when you have to say them outload to someone else.ie your coach.
Telephone calls, e mails and HR/power files mean that actually seeing someone in person really isn't necessary 99%of the time. If you then decide not to follow the advice that you are paying for then it is your own money that you are wasting. That is often another good stimulus to get your butt out the front door. If you got an appointment with a dietician then the two of you would be able to work out what should work for you. There aren't any secrets to losing weight, you simply need to be burning more callories than you ingest. The complicated thing is knowing how many calories you are ingesting/burning and keeping the difference significant enough to lose the weight that you want but not large enough for you to feel like you are on a diet or that you don't have the energy/motivation to train.
All the nutritional advice that ric gives is logical, simple and right on the button. If you bump up the amount of veg intake in relation to those foods that you know yourself are high in calories then you can lower your calorie intake without ever thinking you are starving yourself.
Think of it more as eaing healthily than trying to follow 'A diet' and I'm convinced it is a much realistic way of getting to your ideal weight long term.