During photo...need suggestions
- Thread starter scolew
- Start date
Looks like you have a great starting point. From here, you have to decide for yourself if you want to add muscle or lose fat, i.e. bulk or cut. If I were you, I would cut for a bit, it looks like you already have decent size and if you shed some fat, I bet you would look great.
To cut, you really have to watch the diet. You should be consuming 5-7 small meals per day, consuming lean proteins, complex carbs, fibrous carbs, fruits, veggies, unsaturated fats, etc. You should be eating a slight caloric deficit, hence burning more calories then you burn each day. You should also be adding some cardio at the very least to your non-training days. I recommend doing HIIT cardio, and to learn about that, just do a search in the forum.
Good luck.
To cut, you really have to watch the diet. You should be consuming 5-7 small meals per day, consuming lean proteins, complex carbs, fibrous carbs, fruits, veggies, unsaturated fats, etc. You should be eating a slight caloric deficit, hence burning more calories then you burn each day. You should also be adding some cardio at the very least to your non-training days. I recommend doing HIIT cardio, and to learn about that, just do a search in the forum.
Good luck.
Stroutman....I do want to gain lots of mass. Being older and just starting out seems to be a disadvantage but one that I can not overcome. So you are saying just lean up first and then gain the mass. Is that much easier? What do you do to gain mass after you lean down to not put the weight on your gut? Thanks so much for the advice!!!
scolew said:
Well don't take my word as the bible. The bottom line is you gotta do what you want. No doubt you look fantastic for a 45 year old, especially this day in age.
You have to decide what you want to look like ideally. In my opinion, and this is based on what I think looks good physically, if I were you I would cut. As I said before, you look like you have a great build and if you shed the last bit of fat you have, you would look like a twenty year old!
If cutting is what you decide to do, I suggest calculating your maintenance level of calories. This is the caloric intake where you are basically eating as many calories as you burn each day and you will remain constant at your current weight and bodyfat. There are tons of online calculators out there on the web to use. I think webmd has a good one. If you have the time and dedication....I sincerely recommend going to www.johnberardi.com and clicking on articles. In the articles section go to the nutrition link, and read every article in that section. Hell, read the whole site. He is one of the best out there right now in my opinion regarding nutrition.
Once you determine your maintenance level, it is time to create a small caloric deficit. I recommend 15-20% reduction from maintenance. If you go too great in deficit, like many do, you will induce the starvation response mechanism and hit dead ends in fat loss due to a slowed metabolism. So rather, reduce calories by the 15-20% and implement cardio as well. I am not sure if you are doing cardio now, but I think I said before, HIIT is the way to go.
Once you get to your ideal bodyfat levels, then you can begin to bulk. Bulking is a very slow and planned process of creating a caloric surplus that is relatively small, and very healthy. To gain muscle, you must eat more calories then you burn each day.
This is a start, I don't want to post too long here.
ChrisJG said:Excellent site - I've just spent the last 2 hours reading various articles and will spend the next 2 hours reading some more!! Thanks Stroutman
Glad you enjoyed.....the man is brilliant!
Looking good man
Damn, looking great for 45, You inspire me, I am thirty six and trying to get in the best shape of my life. My wife thinks I am crazy and she is in the mindset we are past our prime she is (35) While I am in the mental mode of, I can get in the best shape of my life and blow other guys my age out of the water.
Another great insperation is that fighter Pilot , Terry on Survivor, he kicked all those young kids asses time after time.
Mucho Kudo's to you bro!
Damn, looking great for 45, You inspire me, I am thirty six and trying to get in the best shape of my life. My wife thinks I am crazy and she is in the mindset we are past our prime she is (35) While I am in the mental mode of, I can get in the best shape of my life and blow other guys my age out of the water.
Another great insperation is that fighter Pilot , Terry on Survivor, he kicked all those young kids asses time after time.
Mucho Kudo's to you bro!
