Thread: hit 35 and super dense wall

Originally posted by carl68
I'm finding it more and more difficult to maintain mass,

... I have cut intake of my 5-6 meals a day routine,

seriously boosted my cardio in morning on very empty stomach,

I think your answer is right there. Cardio can be a serious muscle/LBM eater. One should not rely on cardio to lose weight but rather manipulate their food.

You say you cut your intake- how much? If you are underfed perhaps you need a refeed due to low leptin levels?

Cardio sucks. Seriously. I only do HIIT when I absolutely have to during the last 4 or so weeks of a cut. If I need to establish a caloric deficit I just do some walking outside.

Peace.

Carl,

Leslie and Premo gave you superb advice - back off on the cardio and concentrate on resistance training and nutrition.

As one of the older guys, I simply came to the conclusion that we have to work harder and smarter to accomplish our goals. Ironically, I have learned much of what I know about nutrition and weightlifting from the younger guys and gals.

For starters, you have to get your nutrition right. You may want to actually eat more, not less. That depends on how your nutrition plan compares to your caloric maitenance levels. It also depends on your current goals, whether you want to build mass or cut fat. You say you want to do both? Yeah, so do I! But I realize it's unrealistic to expect to build mass and cut fat simultaneously. You need to realize that too. Do one first, then the other. A six-month plan may go something like this; you may choose to build mass for 4 months while keeping the fat gains to a minimum, then concentrate on cutting the fat for 2 months. You'll then be ripped, lean and ready for the beach just in time for summer.

You also have to fine-tune your workouts. I think the big compound exercises are absolutely essential for building mass. I'm talking about a routine that revolves around Squats and Deadlifts. It should probably also include Rows, Bench Press, Pull-Ups and Dips.

This is very generic advice, But without knowing exactly what your workout routine and nutrition plan look like, it's not easy to get specific. If you will post your goals and current nutrition plan on this forum, I'll bet you'll get fantastic advice from some extremely knowledgeable nutrition experts. Also, post your your workout on the Training forum along with your goals and you'll get superb advice there as well. May even start a controversy!

Be eclectic! Use the advice that works for you, and discard the stuff that doesn't. Work like hell in the gym while avoiding injury - us older guys don't heal as fast as we used to. And don't forget rest. Remember, that's when our muscles grow - while we rest.

Good luck!!