Concern for a friend
 

A good friend of mine has recently started (a few months ago) trying to get in shape. He's 6 foot 8 and about 270 lbs. Anyway, he's trying to "get buff" and lose some weight at the same time... which is a good thing in itself. However, I'm concerned with his methods. He goes to the gym and lifts weights 5 days a week, eats as little as possible, and is on some kind of caffeine pill. He blacks out regularly, but this doesn't seem to phase him -- he says "what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." In this case, though, I'm afraid that that old cliche is dead wrong. How can I help him?

If he's blacking out, it is definately a problem. He could be dehydrating himself - that's my first thought. I don't know much what you can do besides express your concern to him. It sounds like you've done that already. Possibly recruit some of his friends to encourage him to be more careful. They will have his best interest at heart and should be glad to approach him about this before he hospitalizes himself.

Also you could look up some reputable rescources on the subject and show him that you aren't just overreacting. One rescource could be http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_...navbar=aa72754

Another thought is if you are every with him and he faints - immediately call an ambulance. When they show up, even if he's recovered already then he's forced to explain what is happening and they can tell him what harm he's doing to himself. Maybe it will be the wakeup call he needs.

Ephedra I think it is? Nasty stuff.

You'd better inform him that he needs to eat something or he won't be getting buff, just sickly skinny. This is a case of ignorance, I'd say go to his gym and have a personal trainer talk to him the next time he comes in (if he doesn't respond to you), or a nutritionist or doctor. What he's doing is not the best way to "get buff."

2.7k calories of (nutritious) food a day (body weight x 10. not precise ase 500-1000 calories under your bmr, but fairly easy to get a ballpark number of where you should be) should do it, that way he can keep his muscle gains (if he's able to have any during fatloss) while he loses fat.

I am not a personal trainer or anything, but tell him that he doesnt have to go all out. Especially, if he went from doing nothing, to mad working out. Working out three days of week is good enough. He should get off those pills too. He doesnt need those to get into shape. To get what you want, it takes time.

MMmm, I would recommend a healthy eating diet, not starvation. Vegetables, fruits, protein. Watching the fat/calorie/carb intake.
Taking a men's multi-vitamin supplement and maybe some diet shakes. Working out 5 days can be too extreme, causing damage in the long-run. Excercising is a healthier way of maintaining body fat and getting in shape. It doesn't hurt to lift weights, but in moderation. Excercise and appropriate diet is most effective.

Yup, I agree 100% with Phaenx. You can't get "buff" without taking in some protein, and fueling those workouts with carbs.

Personally, I did a lot better with my personal fitness when I threw out the scale. Lifting 3x a week + eating better (NOT less) + aerobics 3x a week made the fat just melt off me. I ate a lot MORE, not less.

Phaenx has great advice, if your friend wants to get buff, maybe he would listen to a personal trainer or a nutritionist. Do you have enough money to give him a gift of a few sessions? Might be a great way to teach him.

Your friend should really be careful. He can be putting himself in some serious danger- especially if has already experienced blackouts sicne her started. Tell him to start of by changing his eating habbits to heating HEALTHY- not simply eating hardly anythign at all. The exercize is good- but he should ease into it. Going from nothing to pounding yourself hard can be really difficult on the bpdy to handle.

Plus, once he DOES start eating again...he's gonna go crazy, over-eat, and end up gaining most of the weight that he lost, back in a very short amount of time.

He needs to eat more, and he needs to know that he has to take those ephedra pills waay before he goes to do anything physical. Because they're loaded with caffeine as well, and that'll cause anyone to pass out whenever under physical torment at the gym...

Tell him to eat BEFORE he goes to work out, so that he has some energy while there, and to drink A LOT afterwards (to avoid getting dehydrated). But what causes most people to gain weight, is that they think that they're doing they're body good by working out all evening, and then eating tons when they get home, right before they go to bed. That food just goes straight to your ass. Once again...eat BEFORE, and only drink or eat very very little after (if it's after 7 p.m.).

Best of luck!:)

Teach him the benefits of protein,and amino acids.A good friend would....

He needs to see a Dr., a personal trainer, someone with authority of knowledge, to tell him he's doing thing COMPLETELY wrong.

To put it to him simply, you can't possibly build muscle without the fuel.

Is he in a horrible rush or something?

Tell him he can get there without jumping off a plane with no parachute.