My son and I have decided to follow my wife's example for the new year and make some changes to improve our health. I am a 43 year old man,6' tall, 238 pounds, 24% bodyfat. I travel 5 days per week, staying in hotels and work very long hours. My son is an 18 year old college freshman and also works part time. He is 6' 2" tall, 187 pounds and 20% bodyfat.
We need some advice as far as workouts, nutrition, etc to replace body fat with muscle. We have some basic workout equipment at home(bowflex, treadmill, stationary bike, dumbells, etc). My wife is very happy with the help and input she gets from Chunkybutt and others on this forum. My son and I both look forward to any advice we can get.

Good way to start off the New Year. Progress never should stop, only change in direction, constantly moving forward.

We're talking about a lifestyle change and that should start off with meal planning. All the workout you can do is ok, but the most important is understanding your diet and should match the type of workout, meaning if you decide to do higher amounts of cardio fitness or endurance training, your carb choices should be high, both complex and simple.

Use whole, clean foods, chicken cooked without skin, beef should be as lean as possible, using loin cuts. Eye of round and grind it yourself, or cut steaks.

No fast food. Why? Too much additives that can create havoc.

Both of you should begin slow if you've never used any of the equipment. First week should be a complete set of exercises for 20 repetitions, very light, one set, perhaps 3 times that week. The next week, move up to 2 sets and the following week, 3 sets. All with 20 repetitions. Once you get to the 3 sets, begin increasing the resistance, gradually moving it up. Do this for about 6 weeks.

By then there can be a break off of upper body one day, lower the next. A total of 20 sets, 4 sets of each exercise. So, select 5.

There's some input and food for thought. I have clients dropping 2 to 3 lbs per week and keep it off. My biggest loser so far has dropped 70 lbs in 9 months and now is gaining muscle.

If you treat yourself like bootcamp, you may come back gaining twice the amount you've lost. Baby steps, then run!

What is your diet like now? What is your wife's diet plan like? Do you think that you and your son could follow something similar as to what your wife is doing?? Your diet will depend on what kind of workout you are doing and how hard you are willing to work to get rid of some of that Body Fat.

both my son and I eat terribly. My wife(hazel66) is on a nutrition plan that you did for her. we wouldn't mind eating like that but without all the shakes. My son is in pretty good shape but just wants to tone up. I have a pretty good size gut. this seems to be where all my fat is. my traveling is going to be the biggest obstacle. Neither my son nor I are picky eaters so we are open to any suggestions.

quote:

I am a 43 year old man,6' tall, 238 pounds, 24% bodyfat. I travel 5 days per week, staying in hotels and work very long hours.

For you, it is important to establish both, cardio fitness and resistance exercise. Fat will shed with the combination but, most of all, it will promote optimum health. Which (cardio or resistance) is more important?

It will depend which person you speak to, if they're cardio motivated or weightlifting. To start, it is going to depend what you feel more comfortable in doing and which will keep you going back.

Since you travel, moving around is going to be important. Resistance bands can be used effectively and can be packed easily. Some hotels have gyms, others provide a gym for you to attend. Walk as much as you can for more than 10 min periods. Push ups can be one of the most effective resistance exercise as a one exercise fits all. Aim for 100 per session, whether it is 10 sets of 10 or 4 sets of 25, it adds up.

With any workout, bands, weights or isometric, I suggest working up to 4 sets of an exercise and no more than 24 total working sets. (Warm up sets don't count.).
Food choices are your goal. Dining out, pick weight watcher type foods that will have the calories listed. Do it now before you're in the hospital and have no choice but to follow Drs. instructions. Time moves quickly and you'll be late 40's where problems multiply.

No shakes? Taste? That is not a problem, but it means you have to force yourself to make whole food decisions 2 more times each day.

Your meals must be broken down into 5 to 6 servings.

This doesn't mean you can't have pizza, beer, etc. It just means limit and knowing when to throw it into the diet.

Two main things: No fast food, no wheat products. This not only stops your progress but can cause you to be set back a few days. Have you ever had a McD sandwich? Did you go back later and get one, that evening or the next day?

For your son, change junk eating habits and add a weight lifting program and start lifting. Basic three of bench press, squats and deadlifting, but deadlifting can present some problems because the form does not allow much room for error, so I suggest partial deads where the lift begins just below the knee. Add chin ups or lat pull downs. 5 sets of each of these 3 times a week with a little cardio thrown in, the added muscle will automatically begin to reduce the fat, provided there are minimal trips to McD.

In most cases, YOU have to want that fat to come off because you can follow all diets and workouts but if you don't follow through, it won't happen.

how about some suggestions for my son's nutrition plan. Does anyone have any recommendations for a whole food eating plan? He likes the chocolate myoplex deluxe shake from EAS but only wants to have one a day. He would like for the rest of his meals to come from whole foods. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

There's nothing wrong with the just one a day. As long as he can eat whole foods, nothing you buy prepared. All home cooked. Foods for protein source should be whole eggs, very lean cuts of beef, chicken, turkey. Cook without skin and remove any fat you can see. On the carbs, fruits and veggies and grains. Do not use soy, wheat or any products made with them.
Potatoes of any kind, either rice, brown or white along with beans (soak and rinse for 12 to 24 hours both rice and beans prior to cooking.

Your fats are going to be low. No whipping cream added, but you should add olive/flax oil whenever possible. As I pointed out in this http://beverlynutrition.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/71960519...371019855#8371019855 you need to have a big breakfast...both of you.

This is a sample of his meals:

1. 6 egg whites, 3 oz beef, 1 cup of oats (prior to cooking)

2. Your shake with 1 apple

3. 6 oz chicken breast 1/2 cup of rice small salad

4. Grains for this meal. Make a combination of rice, beans, split peas and barley. One large bowl about 1 1/2 cups

5. 8 oz lean meat 6 oz sweet potato topped with olive oil and cinnamon.

Food for thought. Time to prepare. It is Saturday. Sunday, foods for the week can be prepared and frozen or left in the fridge.

Whereas his eating may be a problem, in his case, the need to workout hard should be priority and adding cardio. In your case, diet is priority.