Fat people

Well,
GatesOfTomorrow said:
Does anybody know the best way to build muscle mass?

I used to be as skinny as a rail, but as I'm approaching 30, I'm starting to have my metabolism slow down. I wouldn't really consider myself as 'fat' yet, but chubby definitely.

I have a book called "Weight lifting for Dummies", or "The Beginner's Guide To Weight Lifting", or something like that. I don't have a clue about it, never lifted before. I've always been a bit of a nerd, and uncoordinated...never was really much for physical sports and the like. I prefer a good book or cd.
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I'm far from an expert, BUT, I know this much:

1. You can speed up your metabolism by eating 4-6 smaller meals throughout the day, rather than the traditional 3.

2. To build muscle (muscle mass, whatev) can be as easy as doing push ups and jogging/running/riding daily. In other words, no need for the gym. to aid in that muscle building you need two things.
        a) Protein
        b) The new thing in workouts called, "muscle confusion."
Protein is easy to get, most gym rats use protein shakes, but a beef burrito works just as well in my book. Muscle confusion is just switching up your work out so your body doesn't get accustomed to the workout rendering it pointless as the muscle is no longer working.

After that is just depending what you want from your workout. If you want to look cut (look built even if you can't carry the trash out) low weight high reps (usually 2 sets of 15-20 reps), if you want to  start building massive muscles high weight low reps (usually 3 sets between 8-12).
 
Update! I've been biking 12.2 miles a day for 21 days now (just from home to work that's 256.2. I am not counting biking to friend's houses or downtown) and consistently going to the gym for about 2 months (I've been going for close to a year, but usually take 1-2 week breaks every now and then... this is my longest consistent stretch). I have to admit I feel amazing. My belly is slowly fading away, shirts are tight in all the right places haha, not to mention my pants... yeah, I look good hahaha.

ANYWAY. about the exercise itself. The biking has been amazing. It's gone from a chore, to a challenge to a pleasure. Unfortunately my iPod is in storage so I entertain myself by singing in my head, when I hit the rough uphill parts I am my own drill sergeant telling myself crap like, "Don't be a pussy, no one said it would be easy, it's just a little further..."  etc. I am no longer exhausted at the end of it, but always a great work out. This past week the weather hasn't been too bad hanging around the low to mid 90s (F) (low to mid 30s C), and with so much sun I am starting to look a bit darker. For many reasons I hate the idea of sun blockers, but my skin started getting really dry and itchy, my knees got sun burnt and recently my shoulders (I wear my track and field jerseys to ride along with all the soccer jerseys my dad has gotten me over the years), so I finally caved in and started wearing sun block. No more dry itchy skin, but I am getting a nice tan.  

I thought I was doing enough by making sure I had enough water, but just last week I came home from the gym (it is right across from my job so same distance) and I almost passed out. I realized I hadn't had any dinner, only a shake for breakfast and hadn't had anything to eat in like 8 hours. I decided that since I am doing considerable exercise I should take the proper steps to caring better for my body. I went out and got a can of powdered Gatorade (more bang for my buck), Ensure shakes (well the generic brand Equate... more bang for my buck) and I make sure I don't skip any more regular meals. Why the Gatorade and shakes?

Gatorade supposedly replenishes minerals lost in sweat and rehydrates better than water. As stated in a VERY old thread about water, SMX pointed out PURE water has no taste as it is strictly H2O. Bottled water adds few minerals for taste only. So after my bike ride to work I have .5L of gatorade and then stick to water while I am at work. Then when I go to the gym, when I get home I have one of the Ensure shakes and another .5L of gatorade. The reason I take the shakes is because research shows that no later than 30min after a workout having protein aids in the building, repairing and growing of muscles. Protein Powders, which don't taste to great, have about 17.5 grams of Protein AND NOTHING ELSE. These Ensure shakes have 13g of protein as well as 239mg of Sodium, 50g of Carbohydrates and 50g of sugar along with other crap like dietary fat and what not. They are NOT "protein shakes," but rather meal supplements/replacements. So I'm getting more out of it I think. Gatorade has 110mg of Sodium, 30 of Potassium 14g of sugar and 14 of carbohydrates per serving (240mL)

On top of that I have a glass (8floz) of V8 with lunch. For breakfast I have a "shake" consisting of two raw eggs, a little over a glass of whole milk, 3TBs of chocolate mix (that has 22g of sugar, 50 of carbohydrates 150 of Sodium and 1 of Protein) and two TBS of Coffee which has ZERO nutritional value... Great fuel to start the day I'd say hahaha.

I have been doing the Gatorade/Ensure thing for a little over a week and my body feels better. Before that, just on water my body was tired all the time. I'd come home tired, go to bed tired, wake up tired... etc. only having the weekend to rest. I'd start fresh on Monday, but come Friday I would barely make the final ride home. Now I feel my body actually recuperates between rides and after workouts.
 
Jesus f christ.

I couldn't stand two days of that kind of regime. I usually wake up, my belly is empty, then on the way to work i fetch something to eat, basically whatever i feel like eating...cheese cakes, vanilla pudding, something like that  :D Then on the lunch break i eat some meat. In whatever form i find it suitable for that day. But it needs to be adequate, especially if i consumed certain substances that can really open up the appetite.  :yey:

Then on the other hand, i can do a ball game, 20/30/40 km's with bike, 10/20 km's walking, name it.
So i really don't think about that kind of exercise. But, i plan to start with some belly / arms exercises, because 95% of sports / recreation i do is based on legs.
 
Zare said:
Then on the other hand, i can do a ball game, 20/30/40 km's with bike, 10/20 km's walking, name it.
So i really don't think about that kind of exercise. But, i plan to start with some belly / arms exercises, because 95% of sports / recreation i do is based on legs.
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You already do a good amount of exercise, 12mi is about 20K, so I know I can go further at this point, I can last a basketball game, etc. Exercising your upper body will improve your overall performance. When I use to do track and field I noticed as my upper body got stronger, my running improved as my form, endurance and speed went up accordingly.
 
I'm always amazed at what an integral part good shoes make.  I have a good pair of New Balance shoes, but decided to buy a different pair to run in (some Avia's).  After a few weeks, my knees hurt, my shins hurt, my feet hurt... so I put on the old NB shoes and felt like I was running on a cloud!  My feet, knees, and shins started to feel good almost instantly!!  So, note to self, invest in a good pair of running shoes, or you will be pouting about pain....
 
I agree. I played ONE basketball game in shitty shoes and I was skidding, tripping, my feet were blistered.... I get a pair of Nike Jordan's (on sale at the outlet store) and WOW... I could stand my ground, great traction... world of difference.
 
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