I just started using an excercise ball (I do dumbell bench and flys with it once a week) the added core stability is starting to show and I am definately feeling it...I also feel that my balance has improved because of it...I am planning on getting a bosu (half ball) to start doing light squats on for balance as wakeboarding season is coming up and I hear that it does a great job of teaching you off center balance

__________________
Annoying people is easier than fishing with dynamite

Have you tried the Clif Builder's Bar? Those things have 20g's of protein and they basically taste like a candy bar.

Silver- if you want to get lots of lean muscle mass you have to lift with good form as blondboi suggested and you can't forget to stretch.

I'm also taking that marriage plunge in about 5 months, so I am in the same boat as you, only I am taller and did outweigh you by 150 pounds 5 months ago. I hit the gym at least 2 hours, 5 days or more a week and since that time I've gone from 6'4" 345 to my current 283. My goal is to get down to between 250-245, so now I still kinda look like a fat ass, but I'm a fat ass who can kick a lot of ass.

I usually take creatine (Creakic by Muscle Tech I think) which I get at GNC. It naturally occurs in your body, and studies have shown it is not harmful to you. Protein intake is important if you are lifting, and I do drink at least one of those 21g shakes per day, usually right after I lift.

You cannot overdose on protein so eat as much of it as you can.

with what you're doing, man!

__________________
JV

What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know...it's what we know for sure that just ain't so

Also I have read this forum a bit. It really goes out there with the "roids" use. But there are some good calculations about how much to eat, when, and what. Lots of people post a topic of I am here now and I want to be at X place in this time, then people respond. Not nearly as fun as X5World but might offer some info?

forums.anabolicreview.com

I would only use Suppliments as that, 'suppliments'. Nothing should be used to 'replace' real food such as lean meats, fruits, vegies, grains etc.

A protien shake or bar is o.k. as a mid-day snack/meal or after a workout, but should NOT be used to replace a meal. Eat heathy breakfast, lunch and dinners - with a shake or bar as snacks (fruit & chicken would be better though) and you'll see the best and most healthy results. Here is a typical pattern of eating:

7:00 am (prior to leaving for work) - Bowl of cereal and multi-vitamin.
9:30 am (shortly after I get to work) - Fruit and a couple slices of turkey breast (Bar or Shake as an alternative)
12:00 - Lunch. You know what's healthy - just use real food.
2:30 - Fruit ( A dense fruit such as Apple or Pear)
5:00 - Veg. sticks such as carrots or celery + a couple slices of turkey and a hand full of almonds. (Var or shake as an alternative)
8:00 (or after workout for me since I workout in the eve) - Dinner an use real food.

I hope this helps some. There is no secret to this, if you committ you can do it. I often advise people that even if you are not hungry, make sure to eat your fruit/snacks. This will prevent the desire to binge eat. Also, fruits, celery etc are generally easy to eat - even at work. If you don't have time for Lunch, you may want/need to use a shake then too, but as I've said, only use Suppliments to suppliment real food - not to replace them.

not exactly correct bro.. you can overdose on protein if you eliminated everything else from your diet... but pretty much impossible to do in the city.

ie: mountain survival where you only have rabbits to eat. extremely lean animals with little fat content. if your diet for a month was based on rabbit meat and you have no fat, you get protein poisoning. you need about 20% fat in your food. (so the way to survive off rabbits is to consume the whole rabbit to get as much fat as you can from them).

just a few things you learn from survival school...

Wow, Thanks guys and gals for all the replies. I just got home from work and figured there would be a reply or two. I mean it is a automotive website. Lots of great info for me to look through. I LOVE using the ball. It awesome for streching and keeping my core tight. So I guess alot of the plan for me should be dieting/cardo.
A couple questions that I have:
1. Before running I heard that it's best to run on a somewhat empty stomach, true? Maybe a power bar/protein shake prior? Helps to burn more Calories

2. Eating right for getting lean means small portions and foods such as Veggies, Friuts, chicken and fish. Anything else.

3. What should I take directly before, during, and after a workout.

4. The best thing for you to drink is alot of water, even during a workout.

5. Is there any down side to creatine? Also will all this extra muscle turn to fat once I stop using it?

__________________

Ok, I'm a little fat to be giving advice. But A) I'm working on it (have a trainer 3 days a week now.) B) I packed on a lot of pounds since I quit smoking..

Having said that, here is my advice.

1) Don't ever take suppliments without the consultation of a nutritionist. I have tried Creatine and have gotten very sick from it.
2) If you want to lose weight, don't look for powders, the formula is simple. Burn more calories than you intake. It's all about diet. Not diet suppliments.
3) The two best exercises for what you want to acclompish are probably: Jumping Rope (cheap and you do it just about anywhere.) and swimming.

Good luck.
B

__________________
----------------------------------------------------------

"When two people agree on everything, one of them is not necessary" - Arliss

2. Eating right for getting lean means small portions and foods such as Veggies, Friuts, chicken and fish. Anything else.
you will want some carbs...I usually use wither wild or Jasmine rice

3. What should I take directly before, during, and after a workout.
I have a very good friend that swears on taking caffine pills before a workout...something about it allowing you to push your muscles a little harder...as for the before I don't do anything, during one room temp bottle of water and after a protien shake...

5. Is there any down side to creatine? Also will all this extra muscle turn to fat once I stop using it?
Most commonly YES and very quickly! I have yet to meet a person that has had good LONG TERM success after they get rid of cretine works great as long as you are using it but the muscle built from it converts to fat A LOT easier then regular lean muscle mass

__________________
Annoying people is easier than fishing with dynamite

I workout during my lunch period, so I make sure that I eat a decent breakfast in order to have energy for the 12:00 hour. With my breakfast, I take a multi vitamin and an Omega 3-6-9 suppliment.

15-20 minutes prior to my workout, I take BSN N.O. Xplode - a nitric oxide booster. An extremely effective way to give you a massive energy boost that's necessary to put in a 100% effort when lifting weights. Stuff tastes good and it works!

Immediately afterwards, I take BSN Cellmass for the creatine load.

For lunch I have a high protein lunch (chicken, turkey, beef, etc) I will also usually drink gunpowder green tea throughout the work day.

Immediately after lunch I have a full protein shake (either CytoSport Muscle Milk or BSN Syntha6.

Afternoon, I'll have a small snack of a protein bar (there are ones that taste real good, just have to find the ones you like) or nuts.

Dinner I try to keep it relatively lean and fewer calories, but it's tough for me, I like to eat. I'm 5'9" and 170 pounds with a space saver tire around the middle.

To lean down, I will start going to the gym in the morning before work, before breakfast in order to take full advantage of the "fasting" period of the previous night sleep. The body will more readily burn fat when there are no calories to be burned from food. But that's going to be tough, I get to work at 8:00am, meaning I'll have to get up at 5:30 in order to get a fat burn workout at the gym... uggghhh

The BSN NO Xplode, CellMass and protein powders work very well for me - I have experience significant gains from these products from before I was taking them. My current goals are for increased lean body mass thus the heavy lifting and suppliments. Once I go into a more leaning mode, I will cut those supplements out.