My journey Back into the GYM --- Thoughts? Help?

[Bloodyshins]

Some Advice: Don’t ever stop working out!!!!!
Why? Because making a come back is a bitch!!
I trained religiously since I was 15 years old. Personal Records were when I was 23 years old and training with two Power lifters.
Bench 355lbs. for 3 reps, Squat 600lbs for 3 reps.
At the time I was 5’10” @ 225-230lbs, approx. 16%BF.
I was making great progress and them Boom. College was over…the real world started and I got busy with my job. Looking back, I became lazy.
I worked long, stressful hours and the gym took a back seat. I trained sporadically for the first two years. Then Nothing, I was in the car a lot…yep. Ate a lot fast food. Sleep was maybe 5 hours a night….long story short..I gained a lot of weight. Ballooned to 265-270lbs. In August of this year I turned 30. I looked at my life and realized I was heading for a heart attack and I was not happy, so I decided I had had ENOUGH!! I quit my job
( A huge risk, I do not recommend that! Being Single I could do it). I fortunately found a new position in a similar industry and began a new life. As of November I have started a metamorphosis to get my life and body back on track.

My diet is Body Opus Style. Low to NO Carbs Mon-Friday. Basically eat what I want on weekends. At some point I will narrow this to one day a week instead of Two.
Someone on the boards mentioned mood effects from Low carb. I could not agree more. My mood swings are gone! Sugar is a nasty thing!
Supplements:

Morning Stack
81 mg Baby Aspirin
1 Centrum MultiVitamin
1 Cap Green Tea
25,000 I.U. Vitamin A
1g Vitamin C
100mg Vitamin B Complex
1 Cap Rhodiola Rosea
500mg Acteyl-L-Carnitine
2g CLA

Noon Stack
1 Cap Green Tea
1g Flaxseed Oil
30mg Zinc
Calcium /Vitamin D combo
1 Cap Rhodiola Rosea
2g CLA
500mg Acteyl-L-Crnitine

Evening Stack
Calcium/Vitamin D combo
1g Vitamin C
2g CLA
500mg Acteyl-L-Carnintine

Bedtime Stack
2g Evening Primerose Oil
3-6mg Melatonin
1g Milk Thistle



TRAINING

Monday, Chest Shoulders Triceps
Bench Press or Dip 3 x 6-10
Incline Bench BB or DB 2 x 10-12
Military Press 3 x 10
Tricep Push-Downs 3 x 8-10

Wednesday
Chin-Up or Lat Pull-Down 3 X 8
Row 3 X 8-10
Barbell or DB Curl 3 X 10
Abs 3 X 10

Friday
Squats or Deadlifts 3 x 6-10
Leg Press (optional if squatting that day) 2 x 15
Standing or Leg Press Calf Raise 2 x 15/30
Seated Calf Raise (optional) 2 x 15/30




Usually warm up/cool down on bike 10min.

Cardio has not been added yet.

Slowly my weight is dropping. Steady at 263lbs. Want to drop to 210-200. and then re-evaluate.

My strength is slowly coming back. I could not believe how weak I was. Deadlifted 135 for 10 and died. Now I can pull 315 for 6 good reps. Curls have doubled. It is very motivating to see my lifts going up DRUG FREE.

I guess posting this helps me stick to my guns and stay the course. Any suggestions or any real life experience in getting back what you lost would be nice to read.

In short, I feel great to be back on the boards and back in the gym!!!!

 

[oldfella]

At 30.......you are far from old! But the best advice I can give is slow and steady wins this race..........in other words, go easy, be consistant, resist the urge to get into the mind games at the gym of "How can that little guy there lift more than me?" sort of thing. Bottom line....."who cares how much the other guys lift"?? Right? Just look after your body and when you feel ready to pour it on and go heavy, then do so. Just take your time and do this right!! I would really stick to the basics that got you where your were some years ago, and then modify your training for more advanced styles. The basics never fail to produce, and they are good for all of us to go back to once in a while.

Good to hear you are back at it!!