TweetWhat is your ht, wt, and current bf?

My first observation is that you kcal seem a little low if you want to gain muscle and lean down. Reason being - you are taking in a lot of protein but I think you could add some more carbs in the source of yams or even more brown rice.

TweetOMG!!! Absolutely THE most embarassing question at this point! LOL! I'll preface by saying I've been eating like crap for several months, and my job kept me out of the gym for 5 wks (just back in last week). So.....I'm 5'6", 143, sitting at around *gulp* 30% BF, most of which resides between my boobs and my mid-thighs! Hubby does 9-pt caliper measurements for me, but sux at it, so I have him measure each site three times and we take the average. That's were the "around" 30% comes from.

The number on the scale is not the number I'm most concerned with. When I was at 135 but only 18% BF, I felt pretty good. Still not where I wanted to be, but getting there. So my focus is more on BF than weight.

Ugh. OK, new to the site and embarassed myself right out of the chute. Well, that's over with, so now...on to the solution! Thanks!

(Oh, and did I mention I've got a big trip at the end of April that will require a bathing suit?!?! )

Tweetwith those meals, youll be back in shap before you know it!! i love the yams part! yams and broccalli for me! i love those!!
o2

TweetOh yeah, and if it matters...I'm 47 y.o.

Tweetwell im 36.....lets do some math!!

how many times will 36 go into 47??
o2

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Originally Posted by O2BESOHUGE

well im 36.....lets do some math!!

how many times will 36 go into 47??
o2

ROTFLMAO! Never been good at math but my abacus says at least once...LOL!

IG

Tweetoh puhleese - don't be embarassed! Just remember:

A) we are always a work in progress
B) we all have "good" years and "bad" years - (last year was bad for me, my stats are horrible)
C) Think about how great you'll feel when you can say "I am 18% bf but just 6 months ago I was 30%"

With that said, you probably know that to gain muscle you need 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. So you are definitely getting enough protein.

(FYI - I think his calibers may be off because I have seen pics and you look much leaner than that.)

TweetAlso - if you are doing good amounts of cardio, you should shed any unwanted lbs quickly!

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Originally Posted by O2BESOHUGE

well im 36.....lets do some math!!

how many times will 36 go into 47??
o2

I am shocked and appalled O2!!! (NOT! )

Oh, and way to trash my perfectly legitimate, asking for help thread. :p

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Originally Posted by SUGARBABY

oh puhleese - don't be embarassed! Just remember:

A) we are always a work in progress
B) we all have "good" years and "bad" years - (last year was bad for me, my stats are horrible)
C) Think about how great you'll feel when you can say "I am 18% bf but just 6 months ago I was 30%"

With that said, you probably know that to gain muscle you need 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. So you are definitely getting enough protein.

(FYI - I think his calibers may be off because I have seen pics and you look much leaner than that.)

Awww...thanks for the encouraging comments. And thanks tons for the comment about the calipers being off! I like that one the best!

So what's a reasonable expectation to set for myself at this pace? There must be some guide of x number of pounds or x percent of BF over x period of time? I guess the real question is, how will I know when it's time to tweak something?

And I have to admit, I HATE this meal plan. Which I think is why I have trouble sticking with it. The main thing I miss is sweets (oh, ok...ice cream!) Does this mean it's out always, forever, kaput? I know some people have cheat meals or cheat days. Does that help or hinder progress?

Lastly, it sounds like what you're saying Sugar is that yes, this plan is the way to go. There's no easier, softer way to do this. Just gottta suck it up and pay the piper. It's just that I see others who look great with a much more lax meal plan. I suppose subconsciously that's what I was hoping for!

Oh yeah, and those fat grams look ok?

TweetIMHO,

I think your calorie count and nutrient breakdown are fine.

I'm 46, and been doing this for eons.

gotta find foods you like, so what do you like?

also, find supplementation more important than ever, reccomend lot's of bcaa's and vitamin c, which helps suppress cortisol, which is good at our age cause recuperation and test levels are lower

the other thing, again, lot's of water, flush's out toxins, again, I think is more important as we age

other is your cheat stuff, this is a little more difficult, yet, find the best to do is allow yourself to do it, yet, small small portion, go for the tast and try and savor it and then be done with it, okay, easy to say, yet, it's really the taste you crave not the treat iself cause nutritionally your fine

mine is crunchy stuff, like that crunch

also, don't try for 30 days perfect eating, set up a goal that's more attainable to build confidence like only eat ice cream 4-5 times, focus on what's setting you back

you've got good discipline, training habits, etc.

good luck

TweetHow bad do you want it? And I can put 23 into 47 more, so I win the contest!!!!

Anyway, always a rule of thumb for building muscle mass, you need to take in 16 times the body weight in calories. This being 50% protein, 40%carb, and 10% fat. Make sure you are eating good carbs and not bad. Yams are great for this. It is alot of eating, and alot of eating the right thing. Set a nice pace for your self to follow, along the way make goals for yourself. Fixxing the food and making your meals I believe is the worste thing: You get tired of eating the same thing. You get tired of having to fix all the right stuff to eat. So plan in advance, know what you are going to eat, and make alot of it. But also change it up. Make sure before you hit the gym to get some good carbs in. This will give you more energy in the gym. Like honeyis very good for this.

Do you have your workout routine planned out.or wrote down?

Do your meals the same way. Put it on the calender. And stick with it. All though changing it up is good so your body want get used to the same old thing. I see people at the gym everyday doing the same thing they have done for a year. You know what, they look the same!

What motivates you? What motivates you to work out?

What motivates you to eat right?

How are you going to get there?

We are here, and when you feel like you can't do it anymore, let us know.


Oh and the last time I checked 23 goes into 47, as many times as you need it to!!!


Bicep

TweetThanks for the input guys! Keep it coming! I really appreciate it! So let's see now....supps. I do take all the regular vitamin type supps - multi, E, C, Calc+D, then glucosamin/chondroitin, milk thistle, EFAs by way of Udo's, flax caps, fish oil caps, and the l-glutamine in cycles. Bad liver, so creatine is out.

As fas as planning and logging, I am anal as hell. I keep spreadsheets that calculate my nutri macros and spreadsheets to track my workouts and personal records. I do tend to fall into a comfort zone with my lifting sometimes (except for my brief try at powerlifting), but that's another topic!

Trip - you're so right about the cheats. I read somewhere that's it the first bite you really want, and it's still enjoyable at the second, but after that the brain/stomach rush is gone and it's just "eating." So I need to keep that in mind. I also like the more attainable goal concept. Maybe if I allowed myself that ice cream (or that latte! lol!) twice a month or something, I wouldn't feel so deprived. Good things to think about, so thanks.

Bicep - you don't think 10% fat is too low? I thought you needed to eat fat (good fat of course) to burn fat. And that the fat/fiber combo is what slows the digestion of protein which, most of the time, is a good thing as it provides a more constant flow of amino peptides to repair/rebuild the muscle. Or is that just scientific gobbledy-gook? I do know that a bit more fat seems to reduce my cravings though and help keep my blood sugar a bit more steady. Though I'm not exactly sure why. lol! Hmmm....as you can see, still much to learn.

I think I just need to get back into the zone. I've been out of it for awhile and I'm having a hard time getting back in. This board's stance is so different from what I'm used to as far as cardio goes (yay!) that it caused me to second guess my nutrition as well. But it seems from what I'm hearing here that I'm pretty much on track with my numbers. I just need to kick my own arse into gear and walk the talk. I do appreciate y'alls willingness to jump in and offer advice and support! Thanks a bunch!