Trainning/Diet Guidance From a Male Perspective

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CallMe_SIR
CallMe_SIR Posts: 25 Member
edited December 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm 6'1" 240 lb (started at 285 nine months ago) 44 year old male that is looking for other guys, that are or were, around my age and size that are into weight training and/or crossfit. My goal is to become and maintain a ripped 225 lbs. I'm hunting for guidance and inspiration. I'm having a hard time finding guys that log their food and share exercise routines that are successful. If you are someone that doesn't mind helping a guy along, can give some good advice and guidance, PLEASE send me a friend request.

Please post a comment to keep this thread going and near the top. Maybe we can get a good network of active guys started. THANKS.
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Replies

  • Upstate_Dunadan
    Upstate_Dunadan Posts: 435 Member
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    I'm 45, lost 43 pounds to hit my goal of 185 in July. Since I've switched my workouts and now do CrossFit 5-6 days a week. I'm eating above maintenance so I can build muscle (just bumped my calories again in fact). I share my CrossFit workouts every day with results. Have a group of CF friends who do the same. Having experienced CrossFit, I'll never go back to just working out in a gym focusing on single body parts. I'd die of boredom.

    I might be a good fit. Check out my profile and then Friend me if I don't scare you away. Basically if you don't eat enough food, I'll probably drive you crazy riding your *kitten* to eat more :wink:
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,288 Member
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    You can friend me if you like. I'm 6'0 43 and 210lbs at about 17% bf. I'm trying to cut down to about 10% bf to get ripped for the summer which I figure will put me between 190-195 lbs. What is your bf% now? In order to look ripped you have to cut your bf% down to at least 13-14% to start to see some serious definition and between 8-10% to look shredded but everyone is different. To get there you have to eat at a caloric deficit but since you have a good amount to lose you might be able to pack on a few extra pounds of muscle as you lose, especially if you're new to lifting.
  • CallMe_SIR
    CallMe_SIR Posts: 25 Member
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    Yeah. My body right now is in the mid to upper 20% range. I know I still need to cut several pounds of fat for the definition I'm looking for.
  • CallMe_SIR
    CallMe_SIR Posts: 25 Member
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    Btw, I sent you both a friend request. Thanks.
  • CallMe_SIR
    CallMe_SIR Posts: 25 Member
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    @Upstate_Dunadan - If I have they much fat to cut, is it really a good idea to be consuming 3000 calories a day?
  • Upstate_Dunadan
    Upstate_Dunadan Posts: 435 Member
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    You? No probably not. You need to find your TDEE and then take about 20% off that to find your healthy weight loss goals. TDEE will take into account how often you work, and then you don't have to worry about eating back your exercise. Your goal should be losing fat and preserving muscle. I'd set your protein goal at 1g per lb of your goal weight, so 225. Set fat at 0.4 grams per lb of goal weight and put the rest into carbs. Here is the TDEE that I use -http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    Then after a few weeks, adjust your goal up or down depending on the results you see.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    OP - You have several options…

    You can cut down to sub 15% body fat and then run a few bulk/cut cycles.
    you can cut down to sub 15% body fat and then run a recomp where you slowly lose fat and add some muscle.

    Really, until you get to about 15% body fat you just need to keep cutting and follow a structured lifting program to maintain as much mass as possible.

    what is your current lifting regimen like?
  • jmule24
    jmule24 Posts: 1,404 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    OP - You have several options…

    You can cut down to sub 15% body fat and then run a few bulk/cut cycles.
    you can cut down to sub 15% body fat and then run a recomp where you slowly lose fat and add some muscle.

    Really, until you get to about 15% body fat you just need to keep cutting and follow a structured lifting program to maintain as much mass as possible.

    what is your current lifting regimen like?

    **co-sign**
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
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    45 soon to be 46. Not as tall as you guys at only 5'11". Went from a high of 226 last Feb to right around 190 now. Taking a short break from a cal deficit for the next 2 weeks and then I'll need about 5 weeks after to get to around 185ish, which should put in in the right bf% ballpark. After I'll be bulking for a while.

    I run Jim Wendler's 531 program but add a few more sets for volume. Running 531 as a 4 day but I usually throw in and extra day for some kettle bell swings, aerobics (just 20 mins or so) and usually some mobility drills. Every once in a while I'll also throw in a Sat session of weights if I'm trying to bring a lift up.
  • CallMe_SIR
    CallMe_SIR Posts: 25 Member
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    I haven't done any serious lifting in 20 years and wasn't sure where to start. So, yesterday I officially started the Strong Lift 5X5. I felt kind of rediculous lifting so light to start, but I know with the fast progression of this program I'll be where I need to be in a short period of time.
  • CallMe_SIR
    CallMe_SIR Posts: 25 Member
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    CallMe_SIR wrote: »
    I haven't done any serious lifting in 20 years and wasn't sure where to start. So, yesterday I officially started the Strong Lift 5X5. I felt kind of rediculous lifting so light to start, but I know with the fast progression of this program I'll be where I need to be in a short period of time.

    As far as the amount of weight I'm lifting anyway.
  • BPCycler
    BPCycler Posts: 92 Member
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    We're really close. I'm also 44, 6'2" and started at 265 a couple of months ago. Through (so far) just walking a total of 4-5 miles a day and making sure I burn 500-750 more calories a day than I consume, I am now at 253. I plan to add exercise now, but gradually. Will start with resistance bands and dumbells.

    My goal is to reach 230, but I don't care to be "ripped." It's not practical to maintain, especially the over-rated "six-pack" abs. I just want to look and feel good, and not be embarrassed at the beach.

    I sent you a friend request.

    CallMe_SIR wrote: »
    I'm 6'1" 240 lb (started at 285 nine months ago) 44 year old male that is looking for other guys, that are or were, around my age and size that are into weight training and/or crossfit. My goal is to become and maintain a ripped 225 lbs. I'm hunting for guidance and inspiration. I'm having a hard time finding guys that log their food and share exercise routines that are successful. If you are someone that doesn't mind helping a guy along, can give some good advice and guidance, PLEASE send me a friend request.

    Please post a comment to keep this thread going and near the top. Maybe we can get a good network of active guys started. THANKS.
  • Upstate_Dunadan
    Upstate_Dunadan Posts: 435 Member
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    I got down to 13-14% BF (InBody had me at low 14s but I weighed a few pounds heavier so it impacted the %) when I hit 185, and to be honest, I looked pretty thin. Unless you're walking around without a shirt on all the time (or are competing) nobody is going to be able to tell how ripped you are and all they will see is how gaunt your face looks. I was happy I hit the goal I had set for myself, but that was too lean. I'm bulking of and happy to the scale and muscle slowly increase. No doubt I'm getting stronger at the same time. At the end of my deficit eating, despite best efforts, I was losing strength.
  • CallMe_SIR
    CallMe_SIR Posts: 25 Member
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    Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I'm going to work with a few of these and see how it goes. Thanks.
    Keep them coming.
  • CallMe_SIR
    CallMe_SIR Posts: 25 Member
    edited December 2015
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    :)
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
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    Are you sure you want to be a "ripped" 225 pounds? You're going to have to do some serious hypertrophy training and several (years) bulk/cut cycles. You may find you'll appreciate your physique when you get to the 190-200 pound range.

    I'm about the same height as you and in the 185-190 pound range. You're welcome to look at my diary. (I don't track exercise)
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
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    kwtilbury wrote: »
    Are you sure you want to be a "ripped" 225 pounds? You're going to have to do some serious hypertrophy training and several (years) bulk/cut cycles. You may find you'll appreciate your physique when you get to the 190-200 pound range.

    I'm about the same height as you and in the 185-190 pound range. You're welcome to look at my diary. (I don't track exercise)

    Agreed. Schwarzenegger is 6'2" and competed at 235. OP is unlikely to be "ripped" at 225 without substantial help from PEDs and years of lifting. 195 is probably to upper limit to "ripped" for a natural 44-year-old at 6'1".

    But OP could potentially be"well-built" at 225, depending on his natural build.
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,288 Member
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    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    kwtilbury wrote: »
    Are you sure you want to be a "ripped" 225 pounds? You're going to have to do some serious hypertrophy training and several (years) bulk/cut cycles. You may find you'll appreciate your physique when you get to the 190-200 pound range.

    I'm about the same height as you and in the 185-190 pound range. You're welcome to look at my diary. (I don't track exercise)

    Agreed. Schwarzenegger is 6'2" and competed at 235. OP is unlikely to be "ripped" at 225 without substantial help from PEDs and years of lifting. 195 is probably to upper limit to "ripped" for a natural 44-year-old at 6'1".

    But OP could potentially be"well-built" at 225, depending on his natural build.

    Yeah, to be ripped at 225 you'd have to look something like Simeon Panda that is 6'1", 225 at around 8% bf and he's freaking huge with the smallest waist I've ever seen on a natty bodybuilder. He just may have some kind of freakish genetics but I'm suspecting cycles of roids. It's possible to be a natural that big at that low a body fat but it's going to take many years of bulking and cutting to get even close. I'm suspecting to get to the 10% bf I want, I'm going to have to drop down somewhere between 190-195 and I know I'll look pretty thin at that size in the waist with some abnormally looking broad shoulders. OP, if you eat right and you are a newb to lifting and you do progressive overload, you'll probably gain some muscle during your deficit. As crazy as it is, I gained about 10lbs of muscle during my first 6 months of weight loss but I was hitting heavy weights crazy hard. There's a nice article (I'm not sure who it was written by but I know it was by a nutrition specialist that is a pro fitness competitor) that talks about how it is possible to gain muscle on a caloric deficit if you have plenty of fat to burn because your body has the stored calories to do so. It was an interesting read.
  • CowboySar
    CowboySar Posts: 404 Member
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    OP- I am 5'11" 41 yrs old and have lost 48 lbs in the last 4 months or so. I just ate clean, and turned into a cardio bunny for the first few months which grew tiresome. As an ex bodybuilder I was itching to add in the weights, so 3 weeks back I started Stronglifts 5x5 3 days a week with 20 mins of cardio after, the other 2 days of the work week is 45 min cardio. Weekends are open so I may go for walks, hikes, the gym for cardio or nothing at all. I am looking to get down to 190-200 and have my BF at about 10 or so.

    There are lots if us out there lol, feel free to add add me as well

    CallMe_SIR wrote: »
    I haven't done any serious lifting in 20 years and wasn't sure where to start. So, yesterday I officially started the Strong Lift 5X5. I felt kind of rediculous lifting so light to start, but I know with the fast progression of this program I'll be where I need to be in a short period of time.

    I know it felt super awkward doing the same, but in 3 weeks I have surpassed where it says I should be. For now I increase 10lbs every time and plan to do this until I am struggling with the weight. Believe it or not you find that spot quick, also easier adding 5 a side then finding 2.5. I very much like this workout and as its progressive the gains are quick.


  • Liebo34
    Liebo34 Posts: 3 Member
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    I am 5'11", 35 year old, currently weigh 211. I was down to 206 in September but have since gained a few pounds with the holidays and all. My weight has been up and down my whole life but I was usually heavy. My high was about 250 my sophomore year of college and my low was 185, just after college when I decided to get into really good shape. I got into the best shape of my life and am trying to get back there now. I have been consistently at the gym pretty much for the past 2 years. I picked up running a couple of years ago but got more into it this past summer. I pretty much stopped going to the gym and j ust ran. I ran my first 10k this past September and plan on running a half marathon in the spring. I really want to get back into the gym too, but am having a tough time getting back into it. Would you guys recommend Strong Lift 5x5? Is 30-35 minutes long enough? I have a 16 month old daughter so my time at the gym is very limited. I have about 30-35 minutes that I can spend in the gym, otherwise it's running outside for that amount of time (longer on weekends). If not Stronglifts, then does anyone have an effective weight training program that can be done in 30-35 minutes?

    I too have been looking for the guys on myfitnesspal as most of what I read I feel is catered to women.