Old Man Trying to Get Back Into Shape

Hi by way of introduction I am 48 years old turning 49 this month. I have been a bag of sh!t for the last dozen or so years. Stuck behind a desk married, divorced, remarried with two kids. Gained too much weight, currently 225. Been in and out of the gym working like an idiot with no real plan. Doing cardio (Spinning and Elliptical) using a mix of machines and free weights.

Had a series of injuries while trying to get back in shape. Tried to run and developed plantar fasciitis; IT band issues; knee issues; and multiple micro tears in my calves. Tried Crossfit, I liked it but I continually injured myself pulling muscles, ripping skin off my palm, tearing my calf, and eventually I strained a disk.

So I PT’d the back issue and was ready to start again. I learned from Crossfit that I liked working out and I liked barbell training. I knew I wanted to be strong and fit. However my body was not ready for Crossfit. It was too intense for my terrible condition. The fast paced workouts were just too much and too dangerous for me in my current flabby and weak state.

I did some research and started up with SS 5x5 in October 2014 to May 2015. I started with the empty bar and worked up in my weights. I stalled a few times, took a couple of weeks off due to vacation and illness, and ended up:

Bench: 170 5x5
Press: 130 5x5
Squat: 205 5x5
Dead: 225 5x5

I enjoyed 5x5 but found as the weights got heavier I was not recovering as well as I would have liked. I ski in the winter and there were more than a few times where my legs were dead and made skiing a chore. I needed more recovery time.

5/3/1
In April I bought the book and started 5/3/1. I like the 4 day split and have been doing that. The deload week gives me a break and I feel like I am making slow steady gains.

April 2015 Start Calculated 1RM:
Press: 145
Dead: 275
Squat: 215
Bench: 205

Current Calculated 1RM:
Press: 165
Dead: 315
Squat: 255
Bench: 225

The first three cycles I only did the basic lifts with no accessory work. I did do some conditioning like box jumps; pushups; air squats; and a biking outside. In July I started doing Boring But Big. This is all in my garage not at a gym so I don’t have access to cable equipment or sleds.

I know I need to add in more conditioning. My goal is to lose the body fat and get strong. I am not a cutting queen but I don’t want to remain a fat f^ck.

I have a couple of questions. Everything I read tells you to eat and eat again. What is the general caloric intake I should be targeting to continue to make gains but still lose the fat?

I have been averaging 3,000 to 3,500 calories per day. Is that too much?

My average day is:

Breakfast - two scoop protein shake with milk, plain Greek yogurt and fruit.
Midmorning - 2-3 Eggs
Lunch - Big salad with kale, carrots, cukes, peppers, and protein (steak, tuna, or chicken). Olive Oil and vinegar dressing.
Snack - Protein shake with milk or cheese and crackers
Dinner - Protein, vegetable, sometimes sweet potato, potato, rice.

Cheats include several beers on the weekend. 4-5 Oreos 1-2 times a week or Ice cream 1-2 times per week. A burger and/or hotdogs on the weekend. Sometimes fries but rarely.

How does my nutrition look? Am I a disgrace? Should I cut back? Am I eating enough to make strength gains?

I know I need to do more conditioning but diet is also a key factor. So is time. I can only lift from 5:00-6:30 am due to work and family constraints.

Thanks!

At a BW of 225#, and working out 4 days/week, I would ballpark your maintenance cals at ~3000/d (21,000/week). So if you want to lose bodyfat, you’ll need to average <3000 cals/d. How you should achieve that deficit is a matter of personal preference; mine is to eat near maintenance on lifting days, and run a significant deficit on nonlifting days. If you’d prefer to eat at a more modest deficit every day, that will work just as well.

How much of a deficit should you run? Tough call, and there’s a trade-off to consider. What it boils down to is this–greater deficits produce faster fat loss, but will slow progress in the weight room (if not stop it entirely). Smaller deficits will allow you to continue enjoying weight-room gains, but you will lose fat at a much slower rate. Pick your poison.

As far as macros are concerned, there are a few guidelines I would recommend. First, try to maintain a reasonably high protein intake–somewhere between 200-240 g/d, which is 800-~1000 cals/d. How you get the rest of your allotted cals is another matter of personal preference. I like to stack carbs around lifting; ie, immediately before, during and after, with a bias toward ‘after.’ On nonlifting days I avoid carbs, for two reasons: Doing so may promote insulin sensitivity, and it is a convenient way to cut cals. Hope this helps.

Thanks ED that was exactly what I was looking for. One question. Are you suggesting <3000 net exercise or total?

Thanks!

In my (admittedly very rough) calculations, 3000 cal/d includes your four weekly workouts. So if I understand your question correctly, it would represent your ‘total’ baseline cals. IOW, if you averaged 3000 cals/d, I would predict your bodyweight would not change appreciably (other than perhaps going up a few pounds/year as a result of muscle gain).

Thanks! Wll cut back to @3000,.

Been reading people’s logs so I thought I would start logging my training to keep me honest and motivated.

My current stats:
5’9"
224

Goals are to build strength and size. Increase mobility and flexibility. I am not looking to compete just want to be able to keep up with my 2.5 year old son.

Thursday 08/06/15
90 Jumping Jacks
400 Jump Rope
20 Air Squats
Light Stretching

Back Squat
Bar x 10
95x5
120x5
145x3
165x3
190x3
215x4

RDL
135X10
155X10
175X8
185X6

[quote]OldGlory wrote:
I am not looking to compete just want to be able to keep up with my 2.5 year old son.
[/quote]
Great reason to stay in shape. And welcome!

Thanks KPSNAP!

Last few nights sleep has been terrible. Yesterday I missed my Squat Rep PR. Last night my daughter was in a play which was awesome, but I did not get to bed until 11:00. 4:00 am came way to fast!

08/07/15

100 jumping Jacks
400 Jump Rope
20 KB Swings 44lbs
Light stretching

Bench 2 minutes between sets
Bar x 12
85x5
105x5
125x3

145x3
165x3
185x8 PR
205x2

Press BBB 2 minutes between sets
90x10
90x10
90x10
90x10
90x10

Was tired but it felt good to get that PR. Two weeks of vacation coming up. Hope to catch up on some sleep and get in some quality lifts.

welcome and congrats on your PR… 4AM is the only time of day to rise !! good luck with your goals…

Thanks Old Goat!

Bike Ride today for conditioning
12 miles
18 MPH Average Speed
39 minutes
780 calories

[quote]OldGlory wrote:
Bike Ride today for conditioning
12 miles
18 MPH Average Speed
39 minutes
780 calories[/quote]

780 cals in 39 minutes (=1200 cals/hr) is equivalent to the output of an elite cyclist while racing; eg, it is roughly the rate at which Tour de France riders burn cals. So while I don’t doubt you had a productive workout, I wouldn’t put much stock in the accuracy of whatever device provided that estimate. Jes sayin’.

[quote]EyeDentist wrote:

[quote]OldGlory wrote:
Bike Ride today for conditioning
12 miles
18 MPH Average Speed
39 minutes
780 calories[/quote]

780 cals in 39 minutes (=1200 cals/hr) is equivalent to the output of an elite cyclist while racing; eg, it is roughly the rate at which Tour de France riders burn cals. So while I don’t doubt you had a productive workout, I wouldn’t put much stock in the accuracy of whatever device provided that estimate. Jes sayin’.[/quote]

Ha Ha…The device, “Map My Ride” App on my phone, actually read 1032 calories I knocked 75% off of that. When I entered it into “Lose It” as an exercise it was at 785. I agree it was probably over counted. I have also used a heart-rate monitor with GPS for cycling and it was usually 200 calories lower than Map My Ride. Like anything they are all estimates. There are several pages on cycling forums discussing the accuracy of these things. Most agree they over estimate the calories burned and said to take 70-75 percent of the number.

The most accurate method of calculating calories is with power meter but I don’t have one. They are +/- 5%.

The next is using a heart rate monitor with specific inputs based on age, fitness, VO2 Max, etc. This is generally +/- 12-20% accurate.

Measurements based on time, distance, and average speed are the least accurate with a +/- 20-60% differential.

Went away for a long weekend to start vacation. Way too many beers and lobsters. Tough getting motivated.

Warm Up
100 Jumping Jacks
500 Jump Rope
20 KB Swings 44 lbs
Light Stretching

Press
Bar x 10
60 x 5
75 x 5
90 x 3

115 x 5
130 x 3
145 x 5 Rep PR

BBB Bench
125 x 10
125 x 10
125 x 10
125 x 10
125 x 10

Felt a little tug in my abs yesterday. Hopefully nothing serious. Not really painful but need to be careful. No deadlifts this week.

1000 m Row
20 KB Swings 44 lbs
20 Air Squats

Back Squat
95 x 5
120 x 5
145 x 3

180 x 5
205 x 3
225 x 4

Bench felt good. Off to the Beach.

2000 m Row
500 Jump Rope

Bench
Bar x 10

85 x 5
105 x 5
125 x 5

155 x 5
175 x 5
195 x 7 Rep PR

Press BBB
90 x 10
90 x 10
90 x 10
90 x 10
90 x 10

Bummer at the beach. My boy loves the beach but is at the age where he won’t sit still. Runs down to the water and gets knocked over by the waves and laughs but it is scary because Plum Island has a bad undertow and the tide was going out. We had to constantly watch over him. He decided to bolt and ran about 300 yards with me chasing him. I pulled up lame with a strained calf then carried him to our blanket limping and silently cursing. I sat down on my beach chair and it broke…aggravating my back.

So much for a relaxing day at the beach…lol.

Are you from MA?

Yes North Shore. Spent vacation going to Parker River Reservation and Good Harbor. You from around here?

Rough week. Definitely tore something in my calf and wrenched my back. Took the week off but did do some bench and some presses at the end of the week. I need to still go easy but will start a new cycle next week. Sucks being old.