Gaining Muscle and Losing Fat (2015)

[Baron]

My friend. Talk to your doctor. If you're over the age of >50, not long before the old mast stops flying...... Get on TRT.

I recently hit 45 and decided to go on HRT myself. This past year was the first year of my life that I noticed things were feeling "different", so I decided to do something about it now rather than wait for it to just get worse as I get older. I was experiencing things like brain fog, reduced libido and a desire to fall asleep after meals. Come to find out, those are all low testosterone symptoms.

 

[Frederick Foresight]

I recently hit 45 and decided to go on HRT myself. This past year was the first year of my life that I noticed things were feeling "different", so I decided to do something about it now rather than wait for it to just get worse as I get older. I was experiencing things like brain fog, reduced libido and a desire to fall asleep after meals. Come to find out, those are all low testosterone symptoms.

Of course it varies from person to person, but it seems a bit early. Only because I'm biased against ingesting anything pharmaceutical that I absolutely don't have to, let me ask you: Are you sure there may not be other factors at play? Your workout regimen perhaps (combination of volume/intensity/duration/frequency)? Some of the other supplements you've been taking? Possible interactions? As I recall, you've reported using a number of different stuff over time.

I readily admit that, at 58, I've felt the effects of getting older, but nowhere near the point of resorting to TRT. I don't feel all that...compromised. At least not much more than usual.

So, bottom line, did you look at other lifestyle factors an consider altering them before taking the plunge? I know I'm not the go-to guy for such things but, hey, it's a discussion board.

 

[achilles28]

I recently hit 45 and decided to go on HRT myself. This past year was the first year of my life that I noticed things were feeling "different", so I decided to do something about it now rather than wait for it to just get worse as I get older. I was experiencing things like brain fog, reduced libido and a desire to fall asleep after meals. Come to find out, those are all low testosterone symptoms.

Yup. Especially guys that work hard in the gym - that can suppress levels too. Hope it's working out well. What's the dose and how long have u been on ? How are u feeeling now ?

 

[Frederick Foresight]

Yup. Especially guys that work hard in the gym - that can suppress levels too.

According to some reading I've been doing, only if you chronically overtrain. Which is why I asked. And it gets easier to overtrain as we get older because our ability to recover diminishes. That's not to say that you can't train at full intensity or high volume; just not both. And it looks like high volume is overrated anyway.

 

[wrbtrader]

Late to the thread because I didn't have any interest until now.

Long story short, I recently was in excellent condition, muscular with about 3% body fat (I stayed in top condition from my athletic days) and then I went thru a life threatening situation that resulted in spending many weeks in a coma.

The result was a 38 Lbs lost and kidney failure (both kidneys). I went thru extensive rehab (now complete) to relearn to use my muscles. They thought it would take many months or up to a year but it only took one month except for some uncontrolled twitching in my right foot...that too is becoming less as I do more thread mill work with a private fitness trainer.

Kidneys working too again. Thus, no more dialysis anymore but the issue is the extremely strict diet that I'm on...possibly for the rest of my life because of the scarring on my kidneys.

This strict diet: I basically went from a high protein diet, muscular low body fat prior to the coma to now...low protein < less than 10 grams per day of protein, lots of white pasta (wheat products not allowed), low potassium/phosphorus diet...

High in cauliflower, red/color bell peppers, onions, garlic, cranberries, blueberries, apples, cherries and the recently removed a key part of my diet...salmon except for the two fish I hate (cod and halibut).

All they listed was food products that I can or cannot eat but NO recipes. That forced me to look online for "kidney friendly recipes" considering I have to go thru a ton of blood testing every two weeks that determines my blood chemistry and kidneys condition.

The websites I've found with recipes really suck big time.

My question is this...can anyone post some links to kidney friendly websites because my own research hasn't turn up much ? Diet needs to be low in potassium, phosphorous and protein...high in antioxidants. Greatly appreciated in advance.

The goal is to put the weight back on while increasing my energy levels. Yet, if the muscularity is no longer possible the way it was before...I'm ok with that.

P.S. I did find one cool cranberry with cod recipe that doesn't require me to be a damn chef to make.

P.S.S. I'm schedule to see a private dietician in about a month (its the holiday season...hard to get an appointment)

Regards,
M.A. Perry

 

[vanzandt]

Late to the thread because I didn't have any interest until now.

Long story short, I recently was in excellent condition, muscular with about 3% body fat (I stayed in top condition from my athletic days) and then I went thru a life threatening situation that resulted in spending many weeks in a coma.

The result was a 38 Lbs lost and kidney failure (both kidneys). I went thru extensive rehab (now complete) to relearn to use my muscles. They thought it would take many months or up to a year but it only took one month except for some uncontrolled twitching in my right foot...that too is becoming less as I do more thread mill work with a private fitness trainer.

Kidneys working too again. Thus, no more dialysis anymore but the issue is the extremely strict diet that I'm on...possibly for the rest of my life because of the scarring on my kidneys.

This strict diet: I basically went from a high protein diet, muscular low body fat prior to the coma to now...low protein < less than 10 grams per day of protein, lots of white pasta (wheat products not allowed), low potassium/phosphorus diet...

High in cauliflower, red/color bell peppers, onions, garlic, cranberries, blueberries, apples, cherries and the recently removed a key part of my diet...salmon except for the two fish I hate (cod and halibut).

All they listed was food products that I can or cannot eat but NO recipes. That forced me to look online for "kidney friendly recipes" considering I have to go thru a ton of blood testing every two weeks that determines my blood chemistry and kidneys condition.

The websites I've found with recipes really suck big time.

My question is this...can anyone post some links to kidney friendly websites because my own research hasn't turn up much ? Diet needs to be low in potassium, phosphorous and protein...high in antioxidants. Greatly appreciated in advance.

The goal is to put the weight back on while increasing my energy levels. Yet, if the muscularity is no longer possible the way it was before...I'm ok with that.

P.S. I did find one cool cranberry with cod recipe that doesn't require me to be a damn chef to make.

P.S.S. I'm schedule to see a private dietician in about a month (its the holiday season...hard to get an appointment)

Regards,
M.A. Perry

This guy was Bill Clinton's personal chef. Tell him your story via facebook or twitter or whatever and tell him a fellow "Bear/Troy Hater" sent ya and "says hi to Barb and Foster". He'll get it.

He'll hook ya up with something easy. Best chef in the world . Don't mention where you heard it please. vz is lowkey.

http://www.chef-opedia.com/Andrew_Selz/profile Good luck. Keep up the fight.

 

[sle]

I'll chime in. keto diet is the way. I am 5'10", weigh 137 to 140 depending on what I am training for and my BF is about 7-8 percent. Before Keto I was about 143-144 with 15 percent body fat

 

[Frederick Foresight]

Late to the thread because I didn't have any interest until now.

Long story short, I recently was in excellent condition, muscular with about 3% body fat (I stayed in top condition from my athletic days) and then I went thru a life threatening situation that resulted in spending many weeks in a coma.

The result was a 38 Lbs lost and kidney failure (both kidneys). I went thru extensive rehab (now complete) to relearn to use my muscles. They thought it would take many months or up to a year but it only took one month except for some uncontrolled twitching in my right foot...that too is becoming less as I do more thread mill work with a private fitness trainer.

Kidneys working too again. Thus, no more dialysis anymore but the issue is the extremely strict diet that I'm on...possibly for the rest of my life because of the scarring on my kidneys.

This strict diet: I basically went from a high protein diet, muscular low body fat prior to the coma to now...low protein < less than 10 grams per day of protein, lots of white pasta (wheat products not allowed), low potassium/phosphorus diet...

High in cauliflower, red/color bell peppers, onions, garlic, cranberries, blueberries, apples, cherries and the recently removed a key part of my diet...salmon except for the two fish I hate (cod and halibut).

All they listed was food products that I can or cannot eat but NO recipes. That forced me to look online for "kidney friendly recipes" considering I have to go thru a ton of blood testing every two weeks that determines my blood chemistry and kidneys condition.

The websites I've found with recipes really suck big time.

My question is this...can anyone post some links to kidney friendly websites because my own research hasn't turn up much ? Diet needs to be low in potassium, phosphorous and protein...high in antioxidants. Greatly appreciated in advance.

The goal is to put the weight back on while increasing my energy levels. Yet, if the muscularity is no longer possible the way it was before...I'm ok with that.

P.S. I did find one cool cranberry with cod recipe that doesn't require me to be a damn chef to make.

P.S.S. I'm schedule to see a private dietician in about a month (its the holiday season...hard to get an appointment)

Regards,
M.A. Perry

Sorry to hear about your medical ordeal, but it's good you're on the mend. I don't know any suitable web sites like the ones you're looking for, but I would imagine the National Kidney Foundation would be as good a place to start as any:

https://www.kidney.org/

https://www.kidney.ca/

If you don't mind my asking, I'm curious to know what caused your kidney failure.

As an aside, I don't think 3% body fat is sustainable. I know that amped up bodybuilders shed crazy amounts of fat for competition, but even they don't stay at those levels year round. Trying to maintain such levels messes with your body chemistry and poses serious risk.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Bench press. Incline, flat, decline. If you could only pick one, which one and why?

 

[wrbtrader]

Sorry to hear about your medical ordeal, but it's good you're on the mend. I don't know any suitable web sites like the ones you're looking for, but I would imagine the National Kidney Foundation would be as good a place to start as any:

https://www.kidney.org/

https://www.kidney.ca/

If you don't mind my asking, I'm curious to know what caused your kidney failure.

As an aside, I don't think 3% body fat is sustainable. I know that amped up bodybuilders shed crazy amounts of fat for competition, but even they don't stay at those levels year round. Trying to maintain such levels messes with your body chemistry and poses serious risk.

3% to 10% is my natural body fat since 21 and I'm now in my late 40s. I usually sit around 10% in the winter months. 3% was where I just happen to be at when I became ill from the pneumonia...normal eating habits and activity...not a diet. Could have been an early symptom of my illness considering I was not eating much leading into it.

One doctor said my excellent condition prior to falling ill probably saved my life and reduced the amount of time in the coma. My mom believe it was God's intervention considering I had stopped breathing twice prior to the doctors decision to induce me into a coma.

The kidney failure, I was told was caused by the sudden drop in blood pressure in combo with the type of illness...same reason why I fainted...twice.

The biggest fear when someone suddenly have a drop in blood pressure is cardiac arrest (heart attack).

Interesting that you say 3% body fat is not sustainable. I don't know what duration is sustainable to you but I've been that low before for up to a year a few times since 21 but not intentionally. For example, when I was younger and traveling Asia...I was first measured at the body fat and just thought it was the types of Asian foods I was eating...healthy eating but I did lose a lot of weight in that year.

Thanks for the links...didn't know there was a kidney.ca but I'm only interested in recipes.

Regards,
M.A. Perry