Looking for advice.

[SavageM]

Hi, I'm a 19 year old male with a height of 6 feet 4 inches and a weight of 250 pounds. Now, two years ago something I blew my back. I've tried to do anything and everything, but since I haven't been able to work out on a daily basis I lost 40 pounds of muscle or even more and gained quite a bit of fat. My cholesterol is above average and I really need to focus on getting my life back. I'm now on some basic anti-inflammatory pills which allow me to do quite the decent work out. I need some help finding the best supplements that would aid me into getting good results from a workout that will not cripple me once again. Please help me out, if any additional info is needed I will provide to the best of my ability and thank you in advance.

-mike.

[gsxr750]

Hey Mike welcome to CBB! First things first need to get you set up on a good meal plan..

[spankmonkey]

Welcome aboard Mike!
What exactly have you been told you did to your back? This would be my first question. I am assuming because you have been given anti-inflammatories that it is musclular, although sometimes stuctural issues will manifest with tight or spasming muscles.
Lets go with muscular in nature. You should be ok to start back, but start slow and build up your strength over time. With patience, good diet and rest you should be back on track in no time. As an added suggestion look up a good RMT in your area and check some of their refrences and maybe a good chiropractor. Make sure you interview these ****ers cause it is your back and some are plain butchers in it for the cash.

[SavageM]

Honestly, doctors have no explanation of what is going on with my lower back muscles. They get inflamed and cause sharp nerve type pain in my gluts, hamstrings and upper back. One of the specialist has said that one of my disks is constraining the main artery that runs along the spinal cord and that's where the inflammation starts from. As for a meal plan I do need some serious help setting up one since I know jack about what the intake should be during a workout stage or life generally.

This is what I usually eat in one day. Wake up have a glass of milk with two slices of italian bread with some deli on them. No butter or other things. For lunch I eat what ever my dad cooks, usually a soup and a main menu consisting of different types of home cooked food (pea stew with chicken mean, rice with chicken ect.) . When I get home from uni particularly late, I have a couple sadwiches with goat cheese and tomatoes or something of that kind. Usually about once or twice a day I take a bite of a bit a chocolate. I drink around 3-4 liters of water per day and usually stay off alcohol and pops. I know I'm doing some things wrong, but I am willing to change.

-mike.

[gordi]

You should probably talk with your dad about what your goals are (presumably, to lose fat and regain muscle). The two of you should make a plan together to help you reach those goals. It really helped me a ton to get my wife on board supporting my diet and exercise plans.

I also gained a lot of fat and lost a lot of muscle after injuring myself. I found that taking fish oil supplements helped bring down the inflammation that was keeping me from getting my workouts in. It sounds like your dealing with some serious pains, so it might be tough, but:You simply can't change your body without a lot of exercise, so you need to find some way to get through it. Sounds like the anti-inflammatories are working for you, which is great news.

At first glance, it seems totally obvious to me that you are getting too many carbs and not enough fruit and veggies, and that you need to get more good fats.

I can't recommend Dr. John Berardi's diet advice strongly enough. Following his advice has helped me drop from damn near 300 pounds to under 260.

I talk about it some on this thread:

http://www.canadabodybuilding.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1993

and some here:

http://www.canadabodybuilding.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2977

and there's some good advice about dieting on a budget here:

http://www.canadabodybuilding.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2523

Of course, that's just what works for me... but because of the similarity of our situations, I have hope that it might work for you, too. I can't urge you strongly enough to get your diet and exercise on track ASAP. It'll turn your whole life around!

There is a ton of good info on this forum. Look through it and see if you can find something that'll work for you.

100 per cent definitely: Get your diet in check first. gsxr 750 is right, you need to have a good plan if you want to succeed.

Also: Carefully figure out what heavy basic exercises your back can handle. Then do them regularly.

You will find, for sure, no doubt, absolutely, that combining regular exercise with a good diet will make changes. Once that starts happening, tune it in and you will make changes faster. Once THAT starts happening, then you can look deeper into supplements.

To start with, though, you might want to try: Fish Oil, to balance your fats and see if it helps with the pain. Greens Powder, to cover your nutritional bases. Protein Powder, once you are able to lift heavier weights regularly.

[Ritch]

Gordi beat me to it. Dr John Berardi. Very easy to read. On his website he has a nice list of protein+carbs recipies and protein+fat recipies. The chilli one is very good. There seems to be alot of no carb love here for fat loss ( nothing wrong with that) but if you`re an ectomorph with high insulin sensitivity like me I would not roll with it. Just start by cutting your carbs for the last 2 meals of the day being protein and fat, the others protein and carbs. After workout no matter what time it is, protein and fast carbs. Berardi explains this very well. Keep us posted!

[spankmonkey]

Honestly, doctors have no explanation of what is going on with my lower back muscles. They get inflamed and cause sharp nerve type pain in my gluts, hamstrings and upper back. One of the specialist has said that one of my disks is constraining the main artery that runs along the spinal cord and that's where the inflammation starts from.

Sounds like possible QL issue, not disc, which can exert pressure on the siatic and casue pain through glute, hams, gut, and back. If this is the case it is a relatively easy fix, but MD will not know how to deal with it.
Cheers

[SavageM]

Thank you so much guys, I really appreciate it! I have a lot of work ahead of me.

I know swimming is one of the greatest exercises for my back, but what about regularly going to the sauna? I've heard good and bad things and since I have it available to me would you recommend it.

spankmonkey:I've basically been ignored by all MD's and all sport medicine guru's of toronto. They all tell me it's because of my huge growth spurt that I had when in middle school, and that the muscles haven't adapted yet. I did about 1 year of physio and 1.5 years of chiro. My condition improved until it reached and then started to plateau to the situation I explained. I still go from time to time, and yes you are very right about interrogating the chiro's I've been through 3 of em till I found my current one.

[Musclehead]

I am not a DR, but if it was me I would find any way to deal with it other than anti inflamatories. That being said, I have no idea how much pain you're in, but I'm sure there's other ways to get through it.

My first suggestion is to look into a good mattress. I am a firm believer in memory foam, and imo it has helped cut down my injuries in a very significant way. It took me a week or two to get used to it, now I CANNOT sleep without it.

Eat high protein, moderate carbs, moderate fat (healthy fats). If I had time to write out a diet plan I would, but try to eat about 200g of protein, 200g carbs and 80g fat per day divided into 5 or 6 meals. You can check out my website for a better idea of how you should be eating if you like...there's not much info, but some basics that you could use.

Hope that helps.

[gsxr750]

^ And this is why this is board is the best. You wont get those kinds of informative replies anywhere else.

[SavageM]

very much agree, thanks.