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Gain Muscle / Lose Weight Process

Regs

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OK so looking for some advice here on the best way to go about gaining muscle but also losing weight... basically turning that last chunk of fat that is driving me nuts and hitting healthy weight goals.

Background:

My journey started a little over a year ago as many of you know. Shed close to 45 pounds I think it was after 6 months of treadmill walking/jogging (and changing my diet). Then the plateau hit for about 4 months on the weight loss aspect - did not change anything except drank a few pints over the Summer. But I was becoming a stronger runner and body was changing "shape" that I could see. All good.

By late November 2021, some weight loss started again and I was down to 195. Holiday period came and by Boxing day, was back up to around 200 - kept running though.

It was at this point that I started changing things up again and decided to add in weight training (dumbells for the most part). Also started protein shakes at the same time (35g protein extra daily).

6 weeks in and seeing some progress in muscle gain/toning. Running going strong, all good.

But I cannot get rid of this fcuking layer of fat still around the waist :( Perhaps I need to be more patient...

Anyways, wondering if I am going about this wrong and should just load up on weight gain (no calorie deficit) and then after 6-8 weeks, switch back to dropping the fat?

My daily workouts consist of interval cardio 35-40 minutes, rest 3-4 minutes and then start weight training routine (these are the reps/weights I work with as of now - worked my way up to these since starting):

Even days:
3x12 23lbs dumbbell alternating hammer curls
4x15 23lbs dumbbell rows (use bench)
3x12 23lbs dumbbell chest press (use bench)
3x12 23lbs dumbbell shoulder shrugs
3x12 23lbs dumbbell incline curls (use bench)
3x12 23lbs dumbbell overhead press
3x12 23lbs dumbbell incline chest press (use bench)

Odd days:
4x25 ab crunches
3x12 23lbs lunges
3x12 23lbs dumbbell chest press (use bench)

I try to limit 30 seconds between sets of the same exercise and 90 seconds between different exercises.

23lbs is all the weights I have right now if wondering - will be adding more eventually.

Perhaps I need to cut back on the cardio portion? In the sense of not going so "hard" (I average about 3 miles per day)

PS. 6'2" 200lbs 53 years young.
 

Gurps

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Regs my thoughts...

1. You want to aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. To do this you need to eat about 500 calories a day below your maintenace calories. Thus for example if maintenace calories is 2500 calories a day you need to aim for around 2000 a day

2. You workouts etc are fine. You are at the last pounds and this is wear diet becomes very important and you pretty much need it dialed in. You workours and routine are fine. Try and get protein to one gram per pound. In you case around 200g of protien which is easy via protein shakes.


3. For me personally going low carb always helps with the last few pounds of a cut. Cut out sugar as much as possible and keep carbs low.

Example go to subway order 6 inch double meat.

4. What you need to do is cut down then when you are at a happy weight then begin to eat about 500 calories a day above your maintence calories to add on muscle slow. Right now i think you still concentrate on getting yout weight down and lean as possible then switch over.
 

Gurps

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One last thing regs...do your cardio at the end of the workout not the start. Lift weights first to use up stored energy so when you get to cardio session at the end you attack fat.
 

Regs

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Example go to subway order 6 inch double meat.
The Office Thats GIF


Sorry, couldn't resist :)
 

Dude

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1. Patience.

2. “Bread is the devil”. Cut carbs hard.

3. Intermittent fasting. 4 days a week I don’t eat till noon. Since I often eat as late as 9:00 that’s 15-16 hours.

4. Hydrate like crazy. I bought a Soda stream, flavour with a small amount of natural juice.

5. Hate to say it, drop booze altogether.

If you kept doing all else the same and incorporated ONLY #5, guarantee you’ll hit your goals.

Me, I came to a place where I was done rehabilitation of a catastrophic injury (August 2020), which coincided with some very ambitious racing goals, and finally deciding I didn’t want to lose hours or days anymore to managing around booze. Even 1 or 2 drinks once a week requires planning at our age.

Tipped the scale yesterday at 168 for the first time since university. Have been accused of being ill a lot lately, take it as a huge compliment.
 
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Regs

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No booze yet 2022. First drop next week.

Ending years of intermittent fasting starting tomorrow with 45g protein shake in the morning... gonna change that up and see where it goes as well.
 

Yoda

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Tipped the scale yesterday at 168 for the first time since university. Have been accused of being ill a lot lately, take it as a huge compliment.
Quit yer bragging
I’ve never even got to 168. Ever.
Asshole
 

akslop

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Tipped the scale yesterday at 168 for the first time since university. Have been accused of being ill a lot lately, take it as a huge compliment.

Damn. I'd be worried about my wife and kids being able to kick the shite of me if I came In that low.

You're in the I don't get out of the car if there's a group of teenagers hanging out front of 7-11 wight class now:D:D:D
 

Yoda

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Damn. I'd be worried about my wife and kids being able to kick the shite of me if I came In that low.

You're in the I don't get out of the car if there's a group of teenagers hanging out front of 7-11 wight class now:D:D:D
Hell I take the long way around Aritzia at the mall when the girls are hanging around out front!
 

Dude

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Damn. I'd be worried about my wife and kids being able to kick the shite of me if I came In that low.

You're in the I don't get out of the car if there's a group of teenagers hanging out front of 7-11 wight class now:D:D:D
I wasn't winning any fights to begin with, and obviously the wife married me for my hair, not my muscle.

Or footballing abilities.
 

Yoda

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Neither is having an ugly hooker walk all over your balls wearing stiletto heels, but after you try it once, you find yourself dialing out on the burner phone again.

AmIright or amiright?
You do raise a good point.
 

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