Fat, Old, Frustrated - Advice Sought

[mr.magoo]

Here are some key stats:

51yo
6' tall
257lbs
BF% - 30%+

Desire - higher muscle mass, and lower bodyfat...something near 20% would be great.

Frustrating Issues:
1. Shoulder injury - Limits my upper body training
2. plantar fasciitis - Limits cardio work to just a few times per week.
3. High BP - Limits what compounds I can use for fat loss
4. Recent injection infection...cost $6k in emergency room.

Current Workouts:
Upper and Lower Body - 4 sets/low weights/12 reps.
Was attempting to raise the weights I was lifting, but tore up left forearm in process.
Now using lower weights/higher reps. This change is seeming to work ok.

Current Compounds:
1. Test E 200mg weekly
2. GH 2mg daily (about to run out, and likely not going to more for long time)
3. AI (waiting on sponsor to deliver...and waiting..Adex)
4. Multiple supplements and EFA's

Frustrated, as weak body parts force slow going workouts.
Foot, shoulder, and forearm. Currently have PT working on shoulder and forearm to keep me able to workout.

Diet:
Have gone from uncontrolled carbs to controlled carbs.
Working to get starches out of diet right now.

Question on possible direction to help bring about fat loss, while not killing my high BP

Injection infection quite possibly fault of gear and not myself...I have done hundreds of
SubQ over past few year...very clean, and sterile....
I have taken to doing my TestE injections subq, but that limits weekly quantity I can
inject.

If you are me...how do you work your way out of this?

 

[mr.magoo]

Sorry, should have included this in first post:

1) Age 51
2) Weight and Percent BodyFat 257lbs 30%BF
3) Years of Consistant Training experience 1 year
4) Previous Cycle experience HRT level for 6 months
5) Training routine and Diet Lift 3-4X week 4 sets/12 reps...lower/manageable weights
Superset/Pair lifts such as:
Bench/Tricep Pushdown, Leg Press/Military Press, Squats/Calf Raise(push days)
Lat Pulldown/EZ Curls, Seated Rows/Leg Curls, Preacher curls/Stiff Leg Deadlifts(pull days)
Other lifts mixed in on different days...such as incline presses, or one arm rows...etc.


6) Cycle Goals - I am open to gaining bulk, or cutting...ultimate goal is to get to leaner, stronger...etc. Taking in to account challenges listed in first post.

 

[Calves of Steel]

Lose fat first! Save muscle mass for later, as it will be much easier to build muscle when you have less bodyfat and are more insulin sensitive. Definitely stricter diet. Controlled carbs isn't enough. You can control them to 1000grams of carbs a day... There's little more you can do in the way of training if you are injured in multiple places, keep your weights low and reps high to minimize damage to your tendons, try doing twice per week test injections to get a bit more in. Don't give up on HGH if you are POSITIVE that yours is real. That stuff is very nice IF you don't have fake HGH.

Try for a diet that is 1500-2000 calories, 30% fat, 30% carbs, 40% protein. Only have carbs during your first meal of the day, and right after your workout. Avoid processed food.

 

[mr.magoo]

CoS...thank you for direction advice....fat loss first.

As for HGH, I am running out of what I bought last year, and too expensive to replace, and seems like
not much good HGH available lately. I love it by the way, even at the HRT level. Will miss it for now.

Carb control has been ongoing process, that finally became possible when I learned to manage issues
resulting from messed up adrenals. Initally was to get rid of sugar/snack cravings..and not get that
insulin ravaged feeling my body has gone through for years. Now I am cutting out starches on daily basis,
and will consider just allowing limited starch/grains 1x or 2x per week.

Based on your advice will work towards calorie controlled diet with macros as you outline.
Will see if I can run the calorie deficit you are describing. Not been easy in past.
Recent carb control has become effective by increasing the proteins and fats on purpose, and knocking down the carbs....overall
keeping at maintenance level of calories.

Thanks for input.

 

[exphys88]

You need to consider a carb cycling plan, it's easier than a keto diet w similar results. At that bf%, dropping weight should be easy to do w just some minor diet and exercise adjustments.
You need to find some other firm of cardio that doesn't affect your plantar fasciitis too.

 

[1superman]

I have a friend that had plantar fasciitis. She used a golf ball on the floor and rolled the bottom of her foot around on top of the ball every day, and has no problem now. She says it is awkward and it hurts at first, but after a while she looked forward to it every day.

 

[hagan]

I hear you with the injuries. I just turned 40 and past injuries have caught up with me. Have to find ways to work around them. For cardio im limited to eliptical. So I try to go longer to burn more, cant run any more so this is the best for me and I avoid future injuries. The most important thing is what ever you work dont go to heavy watch your form. You can get good gains from negative at lower weights.

 

[Dagger]

Start over; no judgement intended but since the HGH is a concern why not focus on diet?
2100 calories a day, low fat foods. You have to become label conscious. Read the fine print.
Low fat is not more than 2 grams of saturated fat per 100 calories. 185 pounds would meet
weight loss. There are cheap bp meds if it hasn't fallen by then.

 

[BFHammer]

Your fairly new for lifting experience it sounds. Possibly the biggest thing for you is form and technique so you don't keep getting hurt. Don't worry about heavy or even reps until you have the form correct. Your low testosterone causes insulin resistance and the extra weight converts what test you do have to estrogen. See if you can get them to bump you to the 3-600 range a week.

I'm in nearly the same boat as you except I'm fatter! That is why I'm here, for motivation, information, and a plan. I was at the 1500-2000 calorie range for a few years low carb which made things worse. I've been eating like a horse the last 3 weeks and have dropped 10 lbs as my metabolism is restarting. Go figure.

Syntheselen – Metabolic Stimulator | Synthetek I've read good things about these products and have some on order. You should check the peptide forum for GH release. You likely were eating carbs or fats near the HGH injections and killing the spikes.

Check out "think and grow Rich" by napolean hill. Affirmations and positive thinking will do more for you than nearly anything else. IF your head isn't in it it's hard for the heart to follow.

 

[FTW34]

Hey Brother! Im no expert i can only tell you what worked for me, this kind of contradicts wat BF hammer said bout his low carb diet. but here it goes

I once weighed more than you, 260, 270 was my highest, and only 5`7. Weight training wasnt even in my mind. I tried the slim fast diet, and some other fads to no avail

there was a girl i was seeing for a while and she dumped me and i knew it was because of how i looked, while we dated that month she never wanted to go out. and be seen wit me. so when she dumped me i said enough is enough and i got motivated. Its funny because now this very girl 5 years later texts me and calls me trying to link back up...

but anyway heres what i did and some people on this thread will speak against it, but this is what helped me lose 100 pounds in 1 year.

I went on a totally insane, no carb diet. no processed foods, no fried foods, no sugary drinks, i never went to the gym or excersized during this year. The beauty of this diet was i was able to eat all i want, thats right stuff my face till i couldnt move!! but the catch was, what i got to stuff my face with


Only Carb of the day is Breakfast - Big Bowl of Oatmeal (no sugar added, no butter added, no honey added, just plain oatmeal)

Snack - Apple, or other fruit as many as you want, veggies too

Lunch - Chicken breasts (as many as you want) grilled and seasoned with herbs, and Iceberg salad prepackaged and bought ( to prevent dryness you can use this condiments as they are low in carbs sugar calories and all the other bad things.....HOT SAUCE, MUSTARD, and my favorite BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Snack - Turkey cold cut slices with a tiny sald, or fruits as much i want

Dinner - Steak with big SALAD

Snack - No More Fruits for this snack, can only be veggies and some cold cuts

****EVERY FRIDAY ONE CHEAT MEAL WHICH WAS a STEAK FOR DINNER WITH A BAKED POTATO (not much of a cheat but to me it was)*****


You obviously get the picture and you can make little variations, but you get the jist of it.


STAY AWAY FROM THESE AT ALL COSTS

Soda, Ice Tea drinks, Energy Drinks, Artifically sweetners, Ketchup, BBQ sauce, Salad Dressings, ALL FAST FOOD, ALL FRIED FOOD, SWEETS, ICE CREAM.


I know you didnt ask for a diet plan, so if i overwhelmed you i apologize, i just wanted to hopefully share something with you that might help because it helped me.



About a year after the diet ended and i wasnt satisfied with being average anymore i decided to get into serious weight training and did so naturally without Anabolics for about 3 years, and finally here i am today just starting the juice. I think now would be a good chance for you to detoxify your body and introduce it to new foods, and cutting off the old ones.

 

[BFHammer]

Hey Brother! Im no expert i can only tell you what worked for me, this kind of contradicts wat BF hammer said bout his low carb diet. but here it goes

I once weighed more than you, 260, 270 was my highest, and only 5`7. Weight training wasnt even in my mind. I tried the slim fast diet, and some other fads to no avail

there was a girl i was seeing for a while and she dumped me and i knew it was because of how i looked, while we dated that month she never wanted to go out. and be seen wit me. so when she dumped me i said enough is enough and i got motivated. Its funny because now this very girl 5 years later texts me and calls me trying to link back up...

but anyway heres what i did and some people on this thread will speak against it, but this is what helped me lose 100 pounds in 1 year.

I went on a totally insane, no carb diet. no processed foods, no fried foods, no sugary drinks, i never went to the gym or excersized during this year. The beauty of this diet was i was able to eat all i want, thats right stuff my face till i couldnt move!! but the catch was, what i got to stuff my face with


Only Carb of the day is Breakfast - Big Bowl of Oatmeal (no sugar added, no butter added, no honey added, just plain oatmeal)

Snack - Apple, or other fruit as many as you want, veggies too

Lunch - Chicken breasts (as many as you want) grilled and seasoned with herbs, and Iceberg salad prepackaged and bought ( to prevent dryness you can use this condiments as they are low in carbs sugar calories and all the other bad things.....HOT SAUCE, MUSTARD, and my favorite BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Snack - Turkey cold cut slices with a tiny sald, or fruits as much i want

Dinner - Steak with big SALAD

Snack - No More Fruits for this snack, can only be veggies and some cold cuts

****EVERY FRIDAY ONE CHEAT MEAL WHICH WAS a STEAK FOR DINNER WITH A BAKED POTATO (not much of a cheat but to me it was)*****


You obviously get the picture and you can make little variations, but you get the jist of it.


STAY AWAY FROM THESE AT ALL COSTS

Soda, Ice Tea drinks, Energy Drinks, Artifically sweetners, Ketchup, BBQ sauce, Salad Dressings, ALL FAST FOOD, ALL FRIED FOOD, SWEETS, ICE CREAM.


I know you didnt ask for a diet plan, so if i overwhelmed you i apologize, i just wanted to hopefully share something with you that might help because it helped me.



About a year after the diet ended and i wasnt satisfied with being average anymore i decided to get into serious weight training and did so naturally without Anabolics for about 3 years, and finally here i am today just starting the juice. I think now would be a good chance for you to detoxify your body and introduce it to new foods, and cutting off the old ones.

Not a contradiction at all. I went atkins and dropped 40 lbs. 2 years later I quit smoking and gained all back. I simply stayed low carb too long and anything chronic leads to you body doing crazy things to compensate.

 

[mr.magoo]

The priority is made clear by the responses....Diet First!

Within all of the comments is definite control of Insulin spiking foods.

Resulting from the excellent and greatly appreciated comments my priorities
shift to this:
1. DIET
2. Excercise/Workouts modification
3. TRT...hopefully HRT again.
But avoid focus on compounds until I am at lower BF%.

Having gone through many different types of diets including Atkins, Zone, HCG..MD administered....etc.
I have learned a few things about myself that work and don't work. The first is that extremely low carb
of the Atkins does not work, in that I cannot function through the brain fog. Second is saeity matters most
for sustainability....so significant calorie restriction won't work long enough via will power to be effective.

Fortunately I have found a way of eating very recently that seems to be helping.
Which is to have my Protein/Chia Seed/Flax Oil drink before breakfast and dinner.
Totals about 500 calories, very low carb. Allows me to eat more of a veggie and protein
meal comfortably. Also allows me to function well between meals without crawling up the walls.

I am starting this as of yesterday in fact.
But here is my key to dropping the fat lbs....Zero Grains, No Fruits, Very modest carbs, high protein and fats.
Modest Carbs will be less than 200g per day. Mostly from veggies, quality drinks, and veggie/protein meals.
One exception to the carbs is about 4oz of juice first thing in the morning...this helps counter my adrenal low function,
and allows me to get moving like a normal person.

I will consider starting a log on this, as I get feeling there are alot of guys in similar circumstances, and perhaps some of my
journey will be helpful.

Thank you for responding to my seeking advice. I have been putting too much focus on products to assist me, and not enough on diet.
I hear you loud and clear. As I move down the road, and other modifications become possible and sustainable, I will reach out for further
advice.

Thank You!

 

[mr.magoo]

FTW34, thank you for your extensive comments and sharing how the extra fat cost you in your personal life.
Your journey is inspiring. And congratulations on your success.

And to your point, as I have done some yo-yo on my weight going from 210....up to 265, I noticed that not only
did women not notice me anymore, I noticed in business meetings my opinions no longer mattered, and in groups
my comments were ignored. And when I went from 265 down to 220...I gradually became smarter and more attractive.
The 'smarter' part is what really amazed me.

If I could go pure Atkins again, I would. But that is not viable anymore for me.
But I shall post up my diet, my efforts, and ellicit comments as I follow what I believe
will work for me.

 

[mr.magoo]

As advised I will add a golf ball in to my PT routine...which currently includes a tennis ball.
Thank you!

 

[Ezskanken]

What ever you do Mr. Magoo, don't lose focus and determination. There will always be someone here that has a good word to say to keep your spirits high brother. Some are straight up and blunt about it, while others might be a little softer in their approach, but it's all meant the same. Which is to get you motivated to succeed. Many knowledgeable members in different training methods, diet, and supplements. It's never to late, just remember that. You have come to the right place to further educate yourself, the reads on here is endless...

 

[BFHammer]

actually I'd put the TRT even with diet and exercise. Insulin resistance and testosterone have an inverse relationship. If low T has your body putting everything into fat from the insulin resistance instead of burning it it will be much harder to drop weight.

 

[mr.magoo]

Ezskanken I shall maintain focus as you suggest. Been long journey back to health. My determination grows, but also my willingness to be flexible also grows.
At my age, I can no longer just force things to work....got to find what works and exploit it.

 

[BigMikeCO]

What ever you do Mr. Magoo, don't lose focus and determination. There will always be someone here that has a good word to say to keep your spirits high brother. Some are straight up and blunt about it, while others might be a little softer in their approach, but it's all meant the same. Which is to get you motivated to succeed. Many knowledgeable members in different training methods, diet, and supplements. It's never to late, just remember that. You have come to the right place to further educate yourself, the reads on here is endless...

Awesome post here. Magoo-- here is my advice and some may say it's too vague and some of my suggestions are the same as above.. but you gotta start basic or you may become overwhelmed. Here are some good places to start or tips to follow:

1. Eat lean meats only and green vegetables at EVERY meal.
2. don't eat any carbs after 6pm.
3. eliminate sugar.
4. low weights, high reps.
5. no gear right now- focus on losing the fat the natural way or it won't stay off.
6. get the bodyfat down to a reasonable number before worrying about building muscle mass.

 

[delcapone]

omg your stats were almost identical to mine in 09. I weight trained my whole life, in 05 I blew 2 discs had surgery, etc. etc. depression. nov. of 2009 I seen a pic. of myself and said fuck this I gotta get back to the gym. I went from 253 @ 6'1 -31% b.f. @ 50 yrs .(48 in 09) i'm now 238 12% b.f. I can see my obliqes and all. just did 600 mgs of test a week. had 1 cycle with a tren-a chaser. just ordered tne/100 and i'm sure i'll do tren again in the future. the muscle i have was built years ago, just had to go gettum. So YOU CAN DO IT MGoo!!! just got want it ! stay hungry bro. Respect Del

 

[Curt James]

You need to consider a carb cycling plan, it's easier than a keto diet w similar results. At that bf%, dropping weight should be easy to do w just some minor diet and exercise adjustments.
You need to find some other form of cardio that doesn't affect your plantar fasciitis too.

Would a Life Fitness cycle work?

And many machines eliminate forearms and grip. Can you work around your injuries?

 

[exphys88]

Would a Life Fitness cycle work?

And many machines eliminate forearms and grip. Can you work around your injuries?

yeah, any non weight bearing activity should be good. Bike, swim, weight training, circuit training with machines, even an arm ergometer.
I've had patients with plantar fasciitis and it can be debilitating, but we always found ways around it.

The 3 risk factors for it are being ioverweight, lack of flexibility, and lots of hours on your feet. Weight loss and stretching can do wonders for it. Icing it after workouts works too. We would freeze small water bottles and have the patients roll their arches over it for 15-20 minutes after exercising.

 

[hypno]

2. plantar fasciitis - Limits cardio work to just a few times per week.

If you are able to use an upper body ergometer you may be able to increase your cardio. Upper body ergometer is like a stationary bike only with the peddles for your hands. You use your arms. You can sit or stand. Whatever works best for you.

 

[Millslane]

the little big guy!!