Transition from fat loss to muscle gain

A

aphidman

New member
Hi, I'm 45 yrs old 6'1" and have gone from 207 lbs to 189. Reaching 189 lbs was my inital goal and I did this by eating an average of about 1700 cals per day, riding a recumb bike for 30 min per day and weight training Mon-Fri, 45 min per day (taken about 3 months). Now that I have reached my weight goal I want to push the muscle gain. I have already put on quite a bit muscle but I want more, but I still have a little fat around my middle I'd like gone (I would like to see abs). My question: should I try to drop more weight (caloric intake/exercise status quo, drop BF down to 10% or so) and then start concentrating on muscle? or should I go ahead and increase my calories now and shoot for more muscle. I don't want to switch to a higher calorie diet and not lose the abdomenal fat. Also, for good muslce gain, how many calories should I be taking in, and should most of these calories be protein and/or amino acids?
 
aphidman said:
I don't want to switch to a higher calorie diet and not lose the abdomenal fat.
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You just answered your own question.

If you don't want to NOT lose your abdominal fat right now, then it's not time to start bulking.

Simple as that.

Prioritize your goals and make sure they aren't conflicting.

If you set out to lose the ab fat, yet started bulking, those goals would directly conflict one another.
 
Thanks for the advice. I figured that was the answer but it's nice to get clarity from someone with more experience. I'll continue with the caloric deficit until I am where I want to be fat wise before bulking.
 
I'd be interested in seeing what sort of weight training progam you have lined up.
 
Sure. Due to time constraints I use a Bowflex Extreme at home and a set of the Bowflex dumbells. 15 years ago I was an avid gym goer, which I liked better, but in my current circumstance the Bowflex works okay.

On most exercises I do 3 sets of 15 reps. Sometimes I don't hit 15 on some exercises. If it becomes too easy I increase the weight, but on quite a few, I have maxed out the Bowflex even after buying and maxing upgraded rods. On some where I've maxed out I have gone to 3 sets of 30 reps.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays:
Machine
Bench press
Lat pull down
Resistance crunches
Chest fly
Leg extensions
Military press
Leg curls

Dumbells
Standing curls (40 lbs)
Seated tricep extensions (30 lbs)

On Tuesdays and Thursdays:
Machine
Seated lat rows
Resistance oblique twists
Squats
Calf extensions
Shoulder shrugs
Leg kickbacks
Crossover pull (not sure what to call it, stand, cross arms and pull resistance in X fashion)
Extended lat pull down (again not sure on terminology, stand, arms straightout, pull down against resistance in arc towards knees)

Dumbell
Lateral shoulder raise (15 lbs)
 
See, that's why I could never use something like a bowflex. Once you max out the machine, there's no room for improvement. By improvement, I mean muscle growth and strength gains. That's rough.
 
Agree. At some point when I begin to do more bulking and not so much fat reduction I am going to have to invest in more free weight equipment. Joining a gym would be ideal, but I live out in the country and it would be very difficult manage the logistics. Although I think the Bowflex is fine for general resistance training, it really isn't good for body building.
 
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