Hard Gainer, High Cholesterol, High Sugar, Fast Metabolism.
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CraigTommola
Posts: 8 Member
I'm 42 and have been dodging cholesterol medication for about 8 years. This is the year I really change my lifestyle for good. (numbers are nearing the "immediate Rx" range) I've stopped drinking beer, decreased caffeine, monitoring all of it, increase water. I've cut out PASTA for cryin out loud.
Both my cholesterol and sugar continue to increase as I age. At 6'2" and ~190# when I really commit to eating low carb/low fat I end up having to eat 4+ times a day just to sustain the ~45 minutes of daily exercise and daily activity. I'm fighting to squeeze in 2500-3000 calories a day **just to maintain weight**. If I don't eat enough or don't exercise in a day, I'll literally lose 2 pounds.
This is after I lost about 10 pounds of "comfort weight" in the first 2-3 weeks. If you truly have a metabolism and diet demands similar to me, that means you know how much this absolutely sucks. I rarely feel full, use the bathroom too much, and my guts feel like they've done multiple workouts in a day. (Yes, I'm taking small bites and chewing thoroughly.)
I've fought this my whole life. In junior high I was 5'5" and about 75#. A hardgainers' hardgainer. Proof positive from 30 years and 120# ago.
PLEASE ... share any tips, tricks, recipes, workouts, thoughts ... or just commiserate. Because no one ever wants to hear about it when your issue is trying not to accidentally becoming too skinny.
Both my cholesterol and sugar continue to increase as I age. At 6'2" and ~190# when I really commit to eating low carb/low fat I end up having to eat 4+ times a day just to sustain the ~45 minutes of daily exercise and daily activity. I'm fighting to squeeze in 2500-3000 calories a day **just to maintain weight**. If I don't eat enough or don't exercise in a day, I'll literally lose 2 pounds.
This is after I lost about 10 pounds of "comfort weight" in the first 2-3 weeks. If you truly have a metabolism and diet demands similar to me, that means you know how much this absolutely sucks. I rarely feel full, use the bathroom too much, and my guts feel like they've done multiple workouts in a day. (Yes, I'm taking small bites and chewing thoroughly.)
I've fought this my whole life. In junior high I was 5'5" and about 75#. A hardgainers' hardgainer. Proof positive from 30 years and 120# ago.
PLEASE ... share any tips, tricks, recipes, workouts, thoughts ... or just commiserate. Because no one ever wants to hear about it when your issue is trying not to accidentally becoming too skinny.
1
Replies
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(Originally posted in "Maintaining Weight" but it was suggested I might find more "kindred spirits" here)0
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To get enough calories your going to need carbs. No way around it. My theory is your body doesn’t know the difference between candy/fruit /pasta. I’m 39yo, 5’5” 160lbs, have a desk job. Work out 6 days a week. 4 days Gym lifting, 2 days cardio - usually bicycle a few hrs at a time. My maintenance calories are at about 2800 / day. Eating pretty clean this is a full time job just to hit that.
Have you tried to look into TRT, this maybe your answer your looking for.2 -
What's your training program?CraigTommola wrote: »I'm 42 and have been dodging cholesterol medication for about 8 years. This is the year I really change my lifestyle for good. (numbers are nearing the "immediate Rx" range) I've stopped drinking beer, decreased caffeine, monitoring all of it, increase water. I've cut out PASTA for cryin out loud.
Both my cholesterol and sugar continue to increase as I age. At 6'2" and ~190# when I really commit to eating low carb/low fat I end up having to eat 4+ times a day just to sustain the ~45 minutes of daily exercise and daily activity. I'm fighting to squeeze in 2500-3000 calories a day **just to maintain weight**. If I don't eat enough or don't exercise in a day, I'll literally lose 2 pounds.
This is after I lost about 10 pounds of "comfort weight" in the first 2-3 weeks. If you truly have a metabolism and diet demands similar to me, that means you know how much this absolutely sucks. I rarely feel full, use the bathroom too much, and my guts feel like they've done multiple workouts in a day. (Yes, I'm taking small bites and chewing thoroughly.)
I've fought this my whole life. In junior high I was 5'5" and about 75#. A hardgainers' hardgainer. Proof positive from 30 years and 120# ago.
PLEASE ... share any tips, tricks, recipes, workouts, thoughts ... or just commiserate. Because no one ever wants to hear about it when your issue is trying not to accidentally becoming too skinny.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I am trying to set a baseline, so my training isn't very rigorous at the moment. 5 days a week I do a 5km row, 100 each air squats, pushups, situps. Sundays I do half that. After this week (one month of that plan) the plan is to shift one of the movements per day to a bodyweight barbell with a heavy powerlifting set on Saturdays.
I'm eating about 2500-3000 calories a day on my best days, 2000-2500 when I'm rushed / busy etc.1 -
dusty_demolition wrote: »To get enough calories your going to need carbs. No way around it. My theory is your body doesn’t know the difference between candy/fruit /pasta. I’m 39yo, 5’5” 160lbs, have a desk job. Work out 6 days a week. 4 days Gym lifting, 2 days cardio - usually bicycle a few hrs at a time. My maintenance calories are at about 2800 / day. Eating pretty clean this is a full time job just to hit that.
Have you tried to look into TRT, this maybe your answer your looking for.
I've not looked into TRT and honestly don't know if I'm low ... maybe? I will bring it up with the doc next appt. Can testosterone levels impact how your body handles cholesterol / fats / sugars??0 -
Craig,
At your age there is no doubt your low T. Having a optimal level will greatly impact your body’s ability to allocate nutrients in a way more efficient manner. With your health condition described though I would definitely follow doctors recommendations in regards to TRT. But as the questions
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I understand that you have an issue with high cholesterol and high sugar levels. But that you're NOT on cholesterol lowering medication and have NOT been diagnosed as a diabetic.
So one question that comes to mind is: are these levels on a trajectory that is of actual concern? High normal and/or markedly increasing from year to year? Have any other changes taken place in your life that could explain the issue?
I also understand that you: "rarely feel full, use the bathroom too much, and my guts feel like they've done multiple workouts in a day. (Yes, I'm taking small bites and chewing thoroughly.)".
Have you even been referred to talked with a registered dietitian? While exercise might help with cholesterol and sugar levels I don't see how KETO would help you lower cholesterol if you're not trying to lose weight, which you state that you're not.
In terms of weight gain, your statement: "I rarely feel full", has a higher probability of being connected to statements such as "I lost some weight" than to "I gained some weight".
Have you looked into the total glycemic load of the totality of the food you tend to eat? If it is higher than you would like, have you tried timing some of your higher carb intakes around exercise thus enabling both the intake and exercise to take place?5 -
If at all possible get all your endocrine functions checked out. Find a medic who knows what they are doing..0
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Well yes since testosterone is derived from cholesterol. But high cholesterol is usually more hereditary especially if you're not overweight or obese.CraigTommola wrote: »dusty_demolition wrote: »To get enough calories your going to need carbs. No way around it. My theory is your body doesn’t know the difference between candy/fruit /pasta. I’m 39yo, 5’5” 160lbs, have a desk job. Work out 6 days a week. 4 days Gym lifting, 2 days cardio - usually bicycle a few hrs at a time. My maintenance calories are at about 2800 / day. Eating pretty clean this is a full time job just to hit that.
Have you tried to look into TRT, this maybe your answer your looking for.
I've not looked into TRT and honestly don't know if I'm low ... maybe? I will bring it up with the doc next appt. Can testosterone levels impact how your body handles cholesterol / fats / sugars??
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
0 -
Endocrinology and metabolism 101, all carbs are broken down to the simplest form. The body doesn't distinguish if you ate fruit or a candy bar when it comes to the breakdown to mono or disaccharides.dusty_demolition wrote: »To get enough calories your going to need carbs. No way around it. My theory is your body doesn’t know the difference between candy/fruit /pasta. I’m 39yo, 5’5” 160lbs, have a desk job. Work out 6 days a week. 4 days Gym lifting, 2 days cardio - usually bicycle a few hrs at a time. My maintenance calories are at about 2800 / day. Eating pretty clean this is a full time job just to hit that.
Have you tried to look into TRT, this may be your answer your looking for.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
2 -
I know this. My point was that I eat a lot of pasta because I like it, and even cut that.
I'm watching ALL carbs. I don't eat sweets. And I eat more veg than fruit.0 -
It's going to be MUCH HARDER to gain muscle weight without enough carbs. There are signal pathways that keto or very low carbing that aren't addressed when it comes to muscle hypertrophy.CraigTommola wrote: »I know this. My point was that I eat a lot of pasta because I like it, and even cut that.
I'm watching ALL carbs. I don't eat sweets. And I eat more veg than fruit.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
2
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