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Author Topic: Working Out  (Read 12272 times)

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Offline Dennis

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Working Out
« on: June 17, 2006, 04:26:39 pm »
I'm hoping those of you that work out can help me here.  I joined a gym a little over a month ago.  I splurged for a trainer that I meet with twice week for half an hour, and we focus on upper body.  I do about 15-20 minutes of cardio on the treadmill.  Nothing heavy, just a brisk walk.  On the other days of the week I work with 25 lb dumbbells at home for my biceps.

My problem is I'm impatient. I'm not seeing any results yet.  Some people have told me because I'm so slim I would see immediate results.  Others have told me 6-8 months. 

Another thing I"m confused about is should I be doing cardio.  Since my teenage years I've always maintained a weight of around 145.  I worked all the way up to 170.  Since working out I've lost 10 lbs, putting me at 160.  People tell me that this will be replaced by muscle weight.  I'm afraid that I"m losing more fat weight (and i"m not even fat) than I'm putting on muscle weight, which is apparently none.  By no means do I wanna drop below 160.  Should I cut out the cardio even though most information I hear and read says not to?  I'm eating more than I used to and healthier foods (no fast food for 2 months!). 

It just doesn't feel like I'm doing something right.  Any advise?
 

Offline bear60

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Re: Working Out
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2006, 05:01:25 pm »
Hi
Just a few thoughts:
You are doing a GOOD thing even if you dont see results right away ( or if you dont achieve what you think you should)
How about the trainer......have you discussed with him why you are working out and what goals you have? What did he say.
I know of a trainer who is HIV poz and tailors his clients workouts very specifically.
My partner began working out about 8 to 10 years ago.  He is doing really well with his weightgain and his muscle mass. I think it took him 3 years before he achieved his goals.  He has lipodystrophy and NO FAT anywhere on his body but he looks great. ( Well, he thinks his ass is too flat, but it looks fine to me!!!)
« Last Edit: July 06, 2006, 11:18:20 am by bear60 »
Poz Bear Type in Philadelphia

Offline heartforyou

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  • I must be a survivor in many ways...
Re: Working Out
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2006, 06:20:03 pm »
Dear Dennis,

I have a fitness/wellnes Center myself.

Have you been tested ( bike-test, heartmonitored eg?)
You might be training on a fatburning level, wich is normally a bit lower then training for condition.

You mention you have stopped eating fast-food. Your body will need to adjust to that ad you might be loosing weight in the beginning.

Make sure you never leave more then 2 1/2 hours between any meals. Eat enough carbohydrates and ensure your proteinintake is suffciently high. You could go for a proteinshake after your workout.

To gain musclevolume you need to do higher weights at lower repetitions.

Don't overtrain, as you may start to burn muscle tissue instead of building it up.

And last but not least : being HIV it is important to listen to your body.
And... yes, be patient my friend.

Hug

Hermie
Infected 1983. Diagnosed in 1987 and still kicking
Dovato once daily. Hydrea

Happiness is the freedom of breathing fresh air every day.

Offline otherplaces

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  • Mutant Super Hero
Re: Working Out
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2006, 10:23:43 pm »

I can't really add any expert opinion here, just my own experience. I lost alot of weight during my primary infection. I've been working out 4 to 5 times a week for about 8 months. I fell of the wagon a little but I'm still going. I saw some quick results considering I had become rail thin. I think I've gained like 15 lbs. from my low darkest time, and it definitely doesn't seem to be in my belly. My shoulders seemed to fill out and I gained some mass in my arms. My doctor grabbed my shoulder and asked, 'Are you working out????' But I have definitely plateaued which I think caused some frustration and a period of decline in going to the gym. I quickly doubled the weights I was lifting but now the increase is much slower. Really I think it is just going to take time.  With the amount of time I was spending and being vain I wanted much better results, but I do already look much different than before. Stick with it. And really, psychologicly nothing has been better for me (aside from joining this site). I think the cardio stuff is great for my head. I love the rowing machine, but also can't deny what a good run can do for you.

brian

Offline Dennis

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Re: Working Out
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2006, 11:12:21 pm »
Wow!  3 years before noticible changes?!  I'd give up before then I think.  My trainer said it could take anywhere from 6-12 months before I see noticible changes, and then I would see it in my back and shoulders first.  I was really hoping to see immediate changes in my rail thin arms.  I do see a slight increase in my biceps, but only when I flex.  And even then it's a really small diference.  However, I can lift a little bit more weight then when I started. 

Hermie - you said have a meal every 2.5 hours.  You've gotta be kidding!  I"ve already added breakfast to my diet.  I do eat more snacks in between the major three meals.  I've been really good about laying off the junk food and haveing fruit, raw vegetables, toast with peanut butter, or even a bowl of whole grain cereal.  I think my trainer is alluding the higher weight less reps idea.  He usually sets the machine for much more weight than I can actually do.  I can usually get through the first set by myself, and then he helps me somewhat with the remaining two sets. 

I asked my trainer about whey protein shakes and he told me I wasn't at that point yet.  It wouldn't do anything.  He pointed to some muscle head and said that's the type of person who needs whey protein.  This kind of against everything I've been reading which says to have a protein shake after your workout. 

I with ya Brian.  I never considered myself vain, but I was expecting rapid results due to my physique.  I guess a month really isn't that long.  Hopefully I'll see a slight difference in a few months. 

Overall, like going to the gym.  I take that back.  I don't like going to the gym, I like how I feel as I leave the gym.  If that makes any sense.  I'm still a bit intimidated when I go.  That's why I got the triainer.  That only last another month though.  Hopefully I'll gain more confidence and be able to keep it up after my sessions with him are over with. 

Offline GSOgymrat

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  • HIV+ since 1993. Relentlessly gay.
Re: Working Out
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2006, 11:28:01 pm »
I'm not an expert and I'm not sure what your goals are but it sounds like you are concerned about losing weight. If you want to gain weight and muscle size you need to eat more and do minimal cardio. If you don't want to cut out cardio completely avoid long cardio workouts and try more short, intense cardio such as sprints. Use heavier weights with 6-8 repetitions. If you have a slender build it will take longer to put on weight and size. Don't bother with expensive supplements but protein shakes can help. Don't overdo it starting out or you'll be sore and discouraged. Remember your body repairs and builds muscle when you are resting.

Offline otherplaces

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  • Mutant Super Hero
Re: Working Out
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2006, 03:32:35 am »

Dennis,

I think it was 3 months before I really noticed a difference. I'm not cut or anything but my body was definitely different. And as your trainer mentioned, my shoulders were the first to show it. I think it's good you have a trainer because I feel like I'm still teaching myself how to maximize the use of the machines and make sure I'm hitting the muscle correctly.

I joined the YMCA. There's alot of different sort of people working out there so I didn't feel too out of place in the beginning. There's a few hyper buff guys and a few hyper cute girls bouncing up and down on the elliptical with their pony tails bobbing up and down (I love them) and then all sorts of normal people fat and skinny. I feel somewhere inbetween the extremes at this point.

I think it's alot more about just feeling good about what you're doing. The rest will fall into place. And you're way ahead of me in the eating healthy dept. I have alot of bad habits I go back and forth on. It's a big struggle for me. I just try and keep my head in the game.

brian


Offline Gilles

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  • Posts: 63
Re: Working Out
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2006, 08:03:48 am »
All I can add....try to eat food with protein like tuna as well as drinking protein shakes 20 mintues after the exercise.....I dont think cardio helps building muscle either...and one month is too early to notice any dramatic change.....

Offline bear60

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Re: Working Out
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2006, 01:39:34 pm »
Wow!  3 years before noticible changes?!  I'd give up before then I think. 
.............................
Dennis....What I meant was this:  it took him three years to achieve his goal!!!! And I dont mean just a little change....I mean a BIG change. Everyone and I mean literally everyone was just amazed at how big he got. Like ....Very Very muscled. He had to buy all new clothes because his clothes didnt fit anymore.  It was like the classic skinny guy who turns into the hunk and cant keep all the girls...in this case guys ...off him.
But you know..... its done a great deal of good for him and for his sense of self worth and confidence!!
so................... maybe you see a little result in 6 to 12 months but it takes long term commitment to really get some muscles.
Poz Bear Type in Philadelphia

Offline GymBound

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  • Posts: 1
Re: Working Out
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2006, 02:45:24 pm »
I asked the same question to a couple of friends though i dont really know anyone with hiv they told me that i wouldnt see immediate results that it would take about 90 days to see physical muscle build.I to just joined a gym here in saint louis and am right there with ya lol. six to eight months I'm not no genious but i take my brothers advice seriously bc they have chiseled bodies i think thats why i joined a gym bc i look so out of shape next to all five of them in a recent picture out at the lake with my family. Just take your time most people stop working out bc they dont see immediate results and i would hate for it to end up like that with you. hoped this helped cutie:)
Eddie

Offline bear60

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Re: Working Out
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2006, 04:45:45 pm »
that it would take about 90 days to see physical muscle build... quote

..................
I think it boils down to the individual....no two of us is the same and no two of us will have exactly the same reaults.
My partner was around 40 years old (he is now48) when he started working out.  AND he had been on meds since 1980 something and had experienced wasting and had developed lipodystrophy.  The results dont come as fast under those circumstances.
You twenty somethings with no bodily damage from the meds will see quick results I am sure.
Poz Bear Type in Philadelphia

Offline CalvinC

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  • Posts: 218
Re: Working Out
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2006, 10:36:27 pm »
Hermie's response summed it up nicely.

HIV or not, it shouldn't matter as long as you are otherwise healthy. Expect results in about two to three months.  If you want mass, do free weights. And remember: FORM is everything. Master the act of various lifts, then concentrate on upping the weight. Without proper form, you will encourage injury.

Eat normally, but avoid things like fries, pizza, chips, and candy bars. When I started working out about 8 years ago, I left these behind and don't miss them. Sugar (eg, a few licorcie, sugar in the coffee, etc) will be burned off naturally, so I drink Coke instead of Diet Coke.

Experiment and find what works for you. Keep a record. Smile. Get to know people where you work out.

cal

Offline lydgate

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Re: Working Out
« Reply #12 on: June 19, 2006, 10:15:55 pm »
I'm naturally skinny, a "hard gainer." If you're looking to put on muscle mass, yeah, you need to eat six to eight meals a day, high in protein. I drink two protein shakes a day. A common recommendation: 1 gm of protein for every pound of bodyweight. So if you're 160 to 170 lbs, you're recommended to take in that many grams of protein; and the only way to do that without eating protein-rich foods non-stop is to use protein powders/supplements. I've also used creatine in the past -- put on four lbs in one week! When I started working out, I saw "results" in a couple of months. I also tried to get at least eight hours of sleep every night, and stopped drinking anything alcoholic on gym days (I did a fairly intense MWF routine -- chest and shoulders, legs and triceps, back and biceps). Limited cardio -- five minute sprints. God, I miss the gym!

Jay
Her finely-touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible. Her full nature, like that river of which Cyrus broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

George Eliot, Middlemarch, final paragraph

Offline CalvinC

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Re: Working Out
« Reply #13 on: June 20, 2006, 04:37:36 pm »

And the gym misses you too Jay. It's never to late to bond again!   ;)

cal

Offline Dennis

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Re: Working Out
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2006, 11:46:58 pm »
Thanks for all your feedback, everyone. 

Jay, what kind of protein do you take.  I've been researching and the three most common appear to be Whey, Soy, and Designer.  Would you recommend one over the others.  And if so, why.


Offline lydgate

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  • Virgin, can't drive
Re: Working Out
« Reply #15 on: June 21, 2006, 12:15:02 am »
Since my goal is to put on (muscle) mass, I use a weight gain protein supplement, Prolab's N-Large II. It's mostly whey protein (two scoops mixed with water=26 gms of protein) but also contains carbs. Two shakes a day, that's four scoops, 52 gms of protein and 600 "easy" calories. I take one shake right after working out (that's when your body is craving protein), one before bed. Many people use plain whey protein, because they want additional protein, not additional calories. I experimented with a few brands, and I have to say that N-Large II is by far the best-tasting (I use the vanilla flavor, it's better than the chocolate and the strawberry is gross), and I have no flatulence/digestion problems with it. Easy to order from www.bodybuilding.com (I have no affiliations with that site) and cheaper than buying it at places like GNC.

Whey protein is rapidly absorbed by the body, so it's ideal for post-workout. (The two most important meals of the day if you're looking to bulk up: breakfast and post-workout protein drink.) Soy lasts longer in your body; I've never used it. Casein is the longest-acting, slowest-absorbed kind of protein, so it's good for pre-bedtime shake -- it'll be absorbed over several hours, not causing a protein "spike" as happens with whey. Some people use a casein-whey blend couple of times during the day and also before bed; that makes scientific sense but it's too complicated for me. I'm happy with my one weight gain whey-based powder. And I take one teaspoon of creatine, dissolved in water or apple juice, a half-hour before my workout. Can't wait for this damn hand to heal so that I can go back to my routine; it really helps me stay relatively sane -- I feel better, look better, sleep better, drink less... and I get to check out all the hotties as they pump iron.

I'm surprised your trainer said that protein supplements were only for muscleheads. Strongly disagree. Frankly, building a better body is largely about nutrition (some people say it's mostly nutrition). If you want to see realistic results relatively quickly, the way to make it happen is to plan your meals -- timing, calories, protein -- with as much care as you plan each workout. It's possible, with planning and dedication, to gain twenty pounds of muscle within six to eight months; I did, and gosh, if I can do it, anyone can. Let me know if you have specific questions, though judging from the picture and handle, GSOgymrat might be better qualified to offer advice.

Jay
« Last Edit: June 21, 2006, 12:35:25 am by lydgate »
Her finely-touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible. Her full nature, like that river of which Cyrus broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

George Eliot, Middlemarch, final paragraph

Offline lydgate

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Re: Working Out
« Reply #16 on: July 06, 2006, 05:25:44 am »
Hey Dennis,

Want to give us an update on your gym routine -- workout and diet plans, what you've achieved, the extra looks you've been getting etc?

Jay
Her finely-touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible. Her full nature, like that river of which Cyrus broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

George Eliot, Middlemarch, final paragraph

Offline bobik

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Re: Working Out
« Reply #17 on: July 06, 2006, 05:36:01 am »
Hey Dennis,

a thought on cardio,
if you are on meds cardio is very good because it brings you in better condition to cope with side effects like high bloodfats, cholesterol etc......... it might make you loose weight again but the other effect is very important too!

Coen
Coen Honig at Facebook

 


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