Help review my workout/diet
 

Hi all,

I think its about time I changed up my routine and I was hoping for your input. I also would like some input on this meal plan. I put this together based on a lot of what I've read from other members on this board. I am trying to bulk up. I am already pretty lean and would like to gain muscle without losing definition. Here goes:

Monday: Chest, triceps, abs

Chest: db bench press, incline db bench press, weighted dips
Triceps: db kickbacks, tricep pulldowns, overhead db extensions
Abs: kneeling cable crunch, knee/hip raises on parallel bar (w/ medicine ball for added resistance), heel touchers

Tuesday: HIIT Cardio on treadmill (20 mins)

Wednesday: Back, biceps, forearms

Back: Wide-grip lat pulldown, one-arm db rows, middle back shrugs, hyperextensions
Biceps: barbell curls, hammer curls
Forearms: Seated Dumbbell Palms-Down Wrist Curl, Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl

Thursday: HIIT Cardio on treadmill (20 mins)

Friday: Legs, Traps, Shoulders

Legs: db lunges, db squats, calf raises on leg press machine
Traps: db shrugs, db upright rows
Shoulders: Military press, arnold db press

Saturday: HIIT cardio on treadmill (20 mins)???

Diet:

Breakfast: oatmeal

Post-workout snack: ON 100% Protein shake w/ milk + slice of whole grain toast

Lunch: Sandwich (turkey breast on whole grain bread w/ lettuce, tomato, pickels, + honey mustard)

snack: ON 100% Protein shake + apple w/ natural peanut butter

Dinner: chicken breast (boneless + skinless) or salmon w/ sweet potato, corn, broccoli (or some other healthy veggie :))

snack: oatmeal

Now I was wondering, I know I should take whey protein after a workout but is it alright for a midday snack as well? I really don't feel like having to buy 2 different types of protein. And is it ok to have a protein shake with milk after a workout or should I use water? I heard water will help it to absorb quicker but don't know if this is true.

Also, should I do HIIT cardio on Saturday or do you think 2 days is enough? And should I have a protein shake after a HIIT cardio workout as well or should I eat something else?

Sorry for the long post but you guys are very helpful and informative and I would really appreciate your advice.

Only thing I would recommend is do some abs everyday, there is no need to do them once a week.

I hear you are supposed to get your protein in quickly after you lift weights, for the biggest gains.

Here are a few points for you.

- I would do a 20-30 minute cardio after lifting each time. I would also do 5 minutes to warm up
- on days you do cardio only, I would do 45 - one hour, 10 minutes warming up and the rest a mix of lower and HIIT
- you diet is heavy on protein but not balanced. Men need 25-30 grams of fiber daily. You also need 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies, a serving being 1/2 cup. If you need a snack, use fruits/veggies.

Everything is about balance. If you want to be healthy, you need the right amount of protein, fiber and fruits/veggies. That's just what your body needs. Eat all that and you won't have room for the crap.

Also, your body needs time to rest and recover, which it soounds like you've mixed in. You might try a mix of push and pull excercises such as chest and bis or back and tris. That way you can work different body parts on the same day and possibly be more efficient with your time. When you do a pull after a push, you can move through faster because your push is resting while you pull, etc. If you purely want to bulk up, then don't superset like this and concentrate on one body part per day, lifting heavy. It is tough to go heavy on chest the same day you go heavy on tris as both need to work together, so one will fatigue early.

There are so many ways to do this stuff. I would also suggest you learn about heart rate monitors and how to effectively use themfor cardio. They can sure help you be more effective with cardio. Here is a pretty good link...

http://www.duathlon.com/articles/1460

http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/tri...ate-000574.php

Good luck and I hope this gives some different insight.

Hey, thanks for the replies. I forgot to mention I plan on 3 sets of each exercise with a heavy enough weight for only 4-6 reps.

Also, what else can I throw in my diet to get some extra fiber?

Thanks a lot!

Here's a good link:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fiber.html

Basically, you get your fiber from fruits, veggies and WHOLE grains. So wheat bread doesn't do it, but whole wheat does. Oatmeal along with a banana or rasins (or both) is a great way to start your day.

Hmmm..I've been thinking and think that maybe a 4 day split would be better such as:

Monday: Chest, triceps

Chest: db bench press, incline db bench press, weighted dips
Triceps: db kickbacks, tricep pulldowns, overhead db extensions

Tuesday: abs, HIIT Cardio on treadmill (20 mins)

Abs: kneeling cable crunch, knee/hip raises on parallel bar (w/ medicine ball for added resistance), side bends

Wednesday: Back, biceps, forearms

Back: Wide-grip lat pulldown, one-arm db rows, middle back shrugs, hyperextensions
Biceps: barbell curls, hammer curls
Forearms: Seated Dumbbell Palms-Down Wrist Curl, Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl

Thursday: Legs

Legs: db lunges, db squats, calf raises on leg press machine

Friday: Traps, Shoulders, abs

Traps: db shrugs, db upright rows
Shoulders: Military press, arnold db press
Abs: same as Tuesday

Saturday: HIIT cardio on treadmill (20 mins)

I copied a lot of this from plan9's routine that he mentioned in http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=44118

Also, I've added lima beans and peanuts into my meals for extra fiber and protein. And I just brought 2 loafs of whole wheat bread. I plan on keeping track of all this nutrition information in an excel spreadsheet so I can see if I need to make adjustments.

Keep the advice coming please!

Well, another thing about fruits and veggies is that you're supposed to vary the colors. Different colors provide different nutrients.

i throw a scoop of whey protein in my oatmeal and two table spoons of natural peanut butter. the protein is good for obvious reasons and the peanut butter keeps me full for much much longer.

I ask you to please try this recipe for your sake, you will not be disappointed. :thumbsup:

Erik Paulson told me about the peanut butter bit, its a great little addition.

You should take a supplement for your vegetables/fruits. I have a whey protein shake 3 times a day in addition to 3 meals.

[QUOTE=Delirious]You should take a supplement for your vegetables/fruits. QUOTE]
Why when you can eat them? Who doesn't like to eat? There's a lot to be said for a balanced diet. And don't get me wrong...I still take supplements, just not in place of fruits and veggies.