Alright, I need some guy friends that lift, no offense girls

if you're looking to cut weight, I would suggest not taking as much protein at first. I'm not much of a lifter, so this could be completely wrong, but I know when I was taking protein and lifting, I was actually gaining weight which I was trying not to do. Also, it may take a bit for the weight to come off. Just keep at it, and you'll be good! Once I stopped taking protein and all the supps and all that crap, that's when my weight loss started.

Also, how do you like Osan? I'll be out that way in November and trying to get more info on it.

Cheers,
Jared

Also, what's your primary goal? Is it to lean out or build muscle? If you are looking to lean out you will need to run a caloric deficit. If you want to build muscle you need to maintain a surplus. Both can be done at the same time but your diet would have to be perfect which is not realistic for most people.

I have lifted weights my entire life, but recently I started MFP and that has changed. I am 47 years old, 6'0" tall and typically weighed 200-205 of solid muscle. I also followed an atkins diet so I ate huge protein and very little carbs. Everything was fine until about age 45, then I just put on about 20 extra lbs of weight - most of it muscle - but some fat. I worked out like crazy! Hardcore, full-body weight training with daily elliptical. Note: For about the last 12 years I have been borderline on cholesterol and very high in triglycerides. In January of this year I really felt like I had tried everything to get back to 200lbs without success. A friend introduced me to MFP and I started. Today, I weigh 190 and I am on my way to 180. How did I do it? I stayed within my calorie limit and that entailed making decisions like: do I want two servings of pasta or 1.5 meatballs - cuz, they have the same calorie load. I went with the carbs and the weight has fallen off. I have cut my protein intake by 90% and increased my carbs by a huge amount. I am eating lots of beans, rice, pasta and vegetables and minimal meat - minimal. Some days, I am full vegan, but virtually everyday I eat less than 6 oz of meat. In was not un-typical in my past to eat half a chicken for lunch and a 20 plus ounce steak for dinner with broccolli - no potato - no bread. My blood work is normal now and my weight is waaaayyyy down. Oh forgot to mention, 30 pushups, 30 situps, 24 minutes of lifecycle - per day - everyday - that's it. Takes me a total of 30 minutes and I am in a full body sweat. Burning about 260 calories from exercise and I am lean and muscular. The moral of the story is - lifting a lot will make you crave protein and you will grow. At 47 years old, I am no longer trying to be the strongest guy around - I want to be the leanest, lightest, 47 year old guy around. Try it - it works!

Hold on Mills - weight is not just a number! That number equates to more tissue for your one heart to pump blood to. That number is what your feet, knees, hips, spine - full skeletal system has to support. All of those things wear gradually over your life. And - as much as I hate to admit it - my blood work has been transformed by going from 224 to 190.

I would really consider switching to some sort of calistenic exercise rather than weights - if you want to lose weight. I have gotten to a point in my life that if I pump - I grow - big time. But what do I need huge muscles for - nothing. I don't get in bar fights anymore. In fact, I have found that I can really lose weight quicker by not exercising at all and that keeps my appetite way down. If you think about it - most skinny people don't work out at all. Anyway, I hope you start seeing some progress cuz that is what keeps a person motivated. Hang with it!

I would really consider switching to some sort of calistenic exercise rather than weights - if you want to lose weight. I have gotten to a point in my life that if I pump - I grow - big time. But what do I need huge muscles for - nothing. I don't get in bar fights anymore. In fact, I have found that I can really lose weight quicker by not exercising at all and that keeps my appetite way down. If you think about it - most skinny people don't work out at all. Anyway, I hope you start seeing some progress cuz that is what keeps a person motivated. Hang with it!

Lifting weights is healthy; it builds muscle, tendon and bone strength as well as provides many other health benefits. Being 40+, you should be lifting weights; not bodybuilding routines but strength routines. I know since you have lifted in the past and are 47 that I am not going to change your opinion, and I don’t care, but telling others not to lift weight because of your experiences (which could have been effected by many other factors) is just plain bad advice.

Reset your goals to 40/35/25-protein/carbs/fat

Next get serious with your weights. up the weight 3-4 sets, first set do 12, second 10, third 8, fourth 6 reps.

When you have reached your last movement per body part to a set to failure, then drop set it so for instance

Bi-cep curls is your last workout for biceps that day, start with 30lbs, do as many as you can, once you hit the point where you physcially cant do it anymore, drop the 30's and pick up the 25's as(NO REST INBETWEEN), do as many curls as you can with 25 till you cant, then do the same but with 20's and then lastly 15's.

Now do this same thing with your last tricep workout.

I have a protein smoothie for breakfast. It is about 600 cal with 80g of protein. I do 2 days of lifting per week and at least 2 days of cardio--usually more.

I was 220 with muscle. But the fat has come off--now I am cut. It really is all about calories. The exercise helps, but you have to control how much you eat and the quality of what you eat.

It seems to me that you are killing it on the protein--overkilling it.

I would also emphasize higher reps (I do 1 to 2 sets of 15 to 25 reps of every exercise). IF you have to reduce the load, do so. Focus on the calories. Do your workouts. The weight will come off and you will see improvements in strength, stamina and definition.

Good luck.

PS: Wear a heart rate monitor for all exercise (including weights) to accurately log calories burned. I think Polar makes the best units.

ausbb.com
t-nation.com (just ignore some of the marketing stuff), the trainers on thier know thier stuff, especially Chad, Shelby, and Jim.
bodybuilding.com

Best sites.

Just remember, if losing fat and getting strong are you're goals, then dont waste time with fluu exercises.

Stick to the big basics:
Squats
Bench
Deadlift
Overhead press

then just add assistance movements that will help you with these lifts.
SL 5 x 5 is excellent for this.
you should be doing things like pullups/chinups, dips, stiff leg deadlifts, good mornings, GHD situps, incline/decline bench, and row(standing bent, or one arm DB)

you dont need bicep curls and tricep extensions and other crazy isolation exercises...waste of time unless you are a serious bodybuilder type. You want compound stuff.

"want bigger arms?? do some heavy squats and eat lots..."

regards to the scale. i agree with being rid of it, lol.
tape measure is what you need.