Quote (HotHamAndCarl @ Feb 16 2015 10:49pm)

My boy xGeArz is a trainer, and so is Lightman they are always dropping helpful advice in this forum just look out for their posts

Good luck man

Quote (mrxskyline12 @ Feb 17 2015 12:47am)

Hi guys, I don't know how to say everything so I'm just going to start asking some questions.
So I have not been to the gym in a few months, and i want to get back at it. This time I want to do it right and go hard at it. I told myself that this year is dedicated to me changing my bad habits and getting in shape.
I dont know much about the gym so I am asking for some friendly advice.
Goal is to get a 6 pack or pretty cut by the end of this year.

I want to bulk at first and then cut (definitely spend more time cutting)

My Specs
5'10''
160 lbs
male

Food
When is the best time to workout? - morning evening or personal preference (dosnt matter when) - Doesn't matter, preference. Some say they struggle to sleep if they workout too late, but I prefer afternoon or late night workouts personally
Should I eat before or after a workout? - Doesn't matter, again preference. If you feel you need energy for your workout get some food in you. There is no rush to have a post workout shake or meal.
I have no idea what to do in terms of food. how much do i eat? - Short and simple, need to calculate your BMR, apply a activity level and then adjust upwards or downwards for a bulk or cut. For a simple solution I suggest IIFYM calculator to give you your calorie and macro goals. Use MyFitnessPal App and log your food.
what food should i eat? - Eat food that will fit your macros. Try to eat some veggies and fruits to help with your micro and fiber intakes. If you struggle with getting enough veggies in, I suggest a Multi, but that is completely optional. Aim for AT LEAST 20g of fiber, but upwards of 40+ would be better.
what foods should i stay away from? - See above. Focus on hitting your macros.

Sets and Reps
for bulking and cutting- how may sets/reps would you do - Completely depends on your goals. Do you want to gain strength? Mass? Bulk? Cut? Many different opinions on this matter but there are optimal ways to train depending on your goals.
would u go for higher weight with less reps - See above. But brief answer, lower rep ranges are typical for strength oriented training.
or lower weight with more reps?

Supplements
What kind of supplements should be taken for bulking/cutting - Supplements are optional, the only one I see arguable as needed is creatine. That being said Whey protein is great and cheap, a good multivitamin and fish oil are all valuable supplements imo.
is pre-workout something i would be able to use (C4) - Pre-workout is optional, I personally dont use it. Many find caffeine pills to be a better/cheaper alternative, but to each their own.

sorry for all the questions
but thank you in advance

if any other info is needed, please let me know
and other kind of advice that i have not asked a question for is very kindly welcome

Quote (dro94 @ Feb 17 2015 12:25am)

doesnt matter what time you work out, but you might want to work out 4 hours or more before sleeping if you feel too awake at night, after evening gym sessions

i prefer eating before and after workout, the former for energy purposes, the latter because im hungry asf. but as long as you get your calories for the day, it doesnt matter.

at 160 lbs you could bulk on 3200-3500 really comfortably. that's just from personal experience, I hovered around 160 for a while and eating 3500 cals made me put on another 7 or 8 lbs.

personally i aim for 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight (or lean mass). fats and carbs are in pretty much everything anyway...i focus on the protein and usually everything else falls into place. but if you want to be more specific then there are calculators and guides online

technically there is nothing you cant eat. as long as it fits your macros. i eat chocolate daily and pizza almost daily, but it doesnt matter because i dont eat sweets or other stuff. it balances out my macros for the day

for hypertrophy (mass) gains, 6-10 reps is good. maybe 12. but it depends on what muscle group your hitting. ppl usually go for higher reps of abs, calf raises, etc... and then lower reps on certain compound movements

omega 3, multivitamin and creatine. end of story. no pre workout needed

Quote (mrxskyline12 @ Feb 17 2015 02:47am)

Food
When is the best time to workout? - morning evening or personal preference (dosnt matter when) - whenever is convenient for you
Should I eat before or after a workout? - not directly before, but if you are used to eating at least an hour before then do that. it wont hurt you to work out 8-10 hours after eating though
I have no idea what to do in terms of food. how much do i eat? - you need to estimate how much energy you burn, then eat more or less than that per day if you want to gain or lose weight respectively
what food should i eat? - eat whatever fits your needs and tastes, i eat whatever is tasty and i can prepare more or less from scratch, by myself (mostly because i dont trust many other people to cook properly)
what foods should i stay away from? - toxic sludge... a big mac now and again really wont hurt you. i eat at five guys burgers and fries quite regularly and i would consider myself above average health

Sets and Reps
for bulking and cutting- how may sets/reps would you do - lift according to your ultimate goals, the rule of specificity should really drive the bulk of your training but it never hurts to change up your work load/portioning every once in a while
would u go for higher weight with less reps - if you want to build strength and mass
or lower weight with more reps? - if you want to build mass and strength

Supplements
What kind of supplements should be taken for bulking/cutting - creatine, whey, fish oil, multi if you cant cook
is pre-workout something i would be able to use (C4) - if you want to but all those products are overpriced and overmarketed. caffeine pills or coffee work just as well

sorry for all the questions
but thank you in advance

if any other info is needed, please let me know
and other kind of advice that i have not asked a question for is very kindly welcome

Quote (cloudkicker @ Feb 17 2015 02:49pm)

there you go

Quote (Braxton11 @ Feb 17 2015 11:42am)

You said strength and mass for both high weight low reps and low weight high reps.