Exercise question

[Summa22]

Hello all.  I recently started an exercise program to try and lose about 30 or so pounds in the next 3 months.  I'm doing 30 to 45 minutes a day on a Precor elliptical machine (burning about 550 calories in 45 mins) and lifting weights 3 days a week.  Targeting my chest specifically.  I have a question to those that exercise regularly and have seen results.  Is my regimine ok?  Of course I'm going to try to eat healthy as well, not eat after dinner, and drink plenty of water.  

I want to lose the weight to make sure I have gyne and its not simply fat before I even consider surgery.  Right now I'm at 230, so I need to lose it.  Please let me know what you think about my exercise plan and if you have any added tips.  Thank you.

Aaron

[nothingworse]

Your plan sounds alright and thats enough cardio to get a good burn going. And not eating after dinner and eating healthy balanced meals is correct. Although as for the weight lifting goes I would weight lift 3 days a week but, heres what I would suggest. Work out the rest of your body as you move on and get stronger use heavier weights and tone and strengthen up. But, as for the chest area use light weights that don't strain or push your gyne. Because if you have glandular gyne and use heavy weights it will push it out more. Toning or more reps with lighter weights will help fat loss to the area and help you tone up but, again I wouldn't risk it with the heavier weights to the chest area. You should see a good amount of weight drop off and set a target weight loss for yourself. The chest area should improve and fat should be lost their but, if there is gland it will stay and some excess stubborn fat as well. Although it still is possible to lose most of the fat in the chest area and even possibly rid your gyne if there is no gland or stubborn fat. But, doing this will greatly improve your body and you should also feel much better. If the chest area still needs work after you have made some improvements then seek out surgery or if you have a hormonal imbalance then seek out an endo for another solution. Sounds great and I wish you the best of luck with your routine. Hopefully you achieve the best possible results. Good luck and hopefully I was of some help.

[HEG]

Hello all.  I recently started an exercise program to try and lose about 30 or so pounds in the next 3 months.  I'm doing 30 to 45 minutes a day on a Precor elliptical machine (burning about 550 calories in 45 mins) and lifting weights 3 days a week.  Targeting my chest specifically.  I have a question to those that exercise regularly and have seen results.  Is my regimine ok?  Of course I'm going to try to eat healthy as well, not eat after dinner, and drink plenty of water.  

I want to lose the weight to make sure I have gyne and its not simply fat before I even consider surgery.  Right now I'm at 230, so I need to lose it.  Please let me know what you think about my exercise plan and if you have any added tips.  Thank you.

Aaron

First I would highly recommend that you invest in a cheap heart rate monitor (Polar makes a good one) and train within the correct range. The caloric expenditure things on most cardio machines are a joke. I don't enjoy cardio, and to me I want to make sure that those 30-40min are spent training at the pace I need to be at (this is why I recommend the HR monitor)

I think your workout regimen (well what you posted of it) is fine. But know this, spot reduction is a myth. You cannot "burn" fat or "tone" an area of your body via resistance training. The "high reps/light weight" will tone you is probably one of the biggest misconceptions out there in regard to weight training. You will get "toned" (I never really liked that word) by dropping bodyfat which will be done through diet and cardio primarily. This is not to say you shouldnt lift weights. You should  MOST DEFINITELY be using them, but I just hate to see so many fall victim to the "higher reps/lower weight to get toned" mindset. If anything I think you should consistently focus on adding weight to the bar and getting stronger. Increasing your lean body mass will help boost your basal metabolic rate.....so hit those weights hard and don't be afraid to "go heavy."

In terms of training your chest, I can see where nothingworse is coming from, but I believe you should develop strength in your entire body. Can it accentuate your gyne? Possibly, but I don't think it would be enough to warrant the neglection of a very critical part of your body.

Hope this helps you out a bit.

[Blitz]

I'm basically on the same program.  I don't eat after dinner, I jog for 30 minutes 3 times a week and I work out with weights 3 times a week.  I would love to increase the amount of days I go to the gym but with a 2 year old son, work, house and girlfriend, it's hard to even get there 3 times a week.  

This is a good regimen you're on but take it from a guy who has lost 23 pounds over the last year and maintained his weight for the duration (I weigh 190 now and I don't want to lose anymore).  It starts in the kitchen, not in the gym.  As soon as I changed my eating habits, I really started to see the benefits of my gym workouts.  

I'm eating more protein (protein build muscles), lay off the bad carbs (everything I eat is of the whole wheat variety...eat good carbs), more fruits and vegetables and water.  Very important, I'm having breakfast now which has really helped me throughout the day (plain oatmeal has become my new best friend).  I cannot stress the benefits of eating breakfast.  It is without a doubt, the most important meal of the day.  

You're doing the right thing by just getting out there and getting active.  Whether or not this will get rid of your gyne, time will tell but if it doesn't, do what I did, get the operation (it was a piece of cake).  I'm over 40 days post op and I'm feeling great.  

Good luck.

[Worrier]

Your regime sounds fine. It is a good way to start. I have found cardio is the key to getting rid of thhe chest fat and the muscles you will put on will help hide the gyne and make you more in proportion.

As someone else said diet is the just as important although  I would not say it is more important. Just stop eating rubbish like chocolate ,fizzy drinks , sweets etc. Eat plenty of fruit and veg and don't overload your plate when eating.

I have mainly fatty gyne with a bit of extra gland in one side and I am lsoing weight both for my appearnace and getting a job I want to do. At the Mo I am running four time s a week, one of them fartlek , doing circuit training three times a week and going to the gym three times a week.
I have done this amount for a  few months and Iam looking better although Iam not completely happy yet. I was sixteen and a half stone and six ft  two when I started and Iam now fourteen and a half.And I still have some belly and chest fat to lose.  Belive me you can at least make the Gyne    better to a large extent if it is mainly fat.
         Regarding chest exercises I have laid off flat benches but have been doing heavy incline . I have also been doing a huge amount of pressups and I have not seen the gyne getting pushed out.  I would be careful of doing heavy flat benches as that would bulk out your chest more I would think and might make it worse although Iam not totally sure.
Keep it up m8 .

[Raven]

I think everyone will have different method that will work for them... But overall, the same usually applies to most.
I can't tell you what will work for you, but I can tell you what has worked for me.

I lost 45lbs in January 2005 and have maintained it for 8 months now.
My current weight is 180lbs.

Water is the only thing I drink.. No exception..
No milk, no juice, Definetely no soda, thats the worst thing you can feed your body.

I do have a morning coffee, but thats it.
Water is your best friend... If you're hungry, try drinking a bottle of water, you will be suprised at how much it will help your hunger. Dehydration is often misinterpreted as hunger.

In terms of food and nutrition, I eat Salmon at least 3-4 times a week for supper. The other times I eat Chicken.. Once in a blue moon I will eat red meat.
For lunch it's a sandwich, with some fruit.
Breakfast is High Fiber cereal, like All Bran Buds.
And fuit, or cereal bar.

When you need carbs, Whole wheat bread/Flax Bread etc.. Never ever white bread at any cost. It is loaded with sugar.
Sweet Potatoe, no regular potatoes.

Do not eat after supper.

Excersize heavily for the first 3 weeks..
Work out with free weights, do crunches and bike 10-15kms a day
And you WILL lose weight. alot of it quickly.

I lost my weight so quickly and it was so drastic, that I had Cristalized Uric Acid accumulation in my baby toe.
It turned a slight purple and was very painful.
I could no wear my shoe on the right side. It lasted for 2 months.
You should not starve yourself.. Be sure to eat your protein as your body will need it. Thats what part I screwed up on.. I let my body starve in terms of protein..
I would eat some, but not enough.


I barely exercize anymore, and maintain 180lbs weight.
I just continue to follow my good eating habbits..
I have never felt better in my life. I feel great.
My back no longer hurts from carrying around a big gut.
The first week or so, you will not notice anything.. But come the 2nd week and so on, you will be amazed..

I don't know if this works for everyone, but certainly has worked well for me.

Good Luck with your program, whichever way you chose.!