Working to Stay Lean ~

[CrankFate]

The dedication in these videos helps me push through. Went lighter this month after not working out until getting my arm checked out. Managed to lose 11 pounds of injury fat this month, even after making this weekend cheat weekend with pizza, cookies and cream milkshakes and wendy’s (I ate a fish sandwich, though).  Finally back in the swing of the warm up run. Here’s my monthly total from the Retro Fitness app, tracked with an Apple Watch:

 

9,619 calories, 9 hours 10 minutes, 10.72 miles.

 

 

[A-Jay]

 

Today’s workout focused on Chest, Shoulders, Triceps & some Core at the end.  

Nailed it.

 

 

A-Jay

[A-Jay]

My world is finally doing more melting than freezing now.  

Each day it’s getting a little warmer and lasting a little longer.  

Bodes well for open water sooner rather than later.
  In the meantime, I’m doing what I can to be ready.
Did a solid ‘pull’ workout today and it felt pretty darn good.

A-Jay

 

[A-Jay]

While it comes with the territory, and I do prefer to be able to feel & know I trained the previous day;

I am a little next level sore to-day and laying low.

A-Jay 

 

[A-Jay]

After a couple of decent days off I’m back in the gym.

Put the walking sticks to work.  They did good.

This is a clip of the first & last set of each exercise.

A-Jay

 

[A-Jay]

While I will continue to work to be lean, the previous video will be my last offering here for a while.

#fitforlife

A-Jay

 

 

[TnRiver46]

On 4/6/2019 at 11:52 PM, A-Jay said:

While I will continue to work to be lean, the previous video will be my last offering here for a while.

#fitforlife

A-Jay

 

 

Hopefully too busy with the brown bass?

[The Maestro]

Question for A-Jay. I hope you don't take this the wrong way or get offended.

 

Are you on TRT?

 

I''ve been back at the weights for 4+ years after a long hiatus.  The gym pretty much dominated my life during my 20's.  It doesn't get any easier as we get older but I see you're still going hard and that's pretty rare to see at your age and I've spent quite a bit of time in a lot of gyms.

I'm not hating or judging if you are just wondering what I can realistically expect when I get to your age.  I'm 44 now.

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Hopefully too busy with the brown bass?

Not yet - but it's coming.

Just hasn't been much in the way of interest or traffic here.

Just me posting every other day.

It's all good.

A-Jay

 

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, The Maestro said:

Question for A-Jay. I hope you don't take this the wrong way or get offended.

 

Are you on TRT?

 

I''ve been back at the weights for 4+ years after a long hiatus.  The gym pretty much dominated my life during my 20's.  It doesn't get any easier as we get older but I see you're still going hard and that's pretty rare to see at your age and I've spent quite a bit of time in a lot of gyms.

I'm not hating or judging if you are just wondering what I can realistically expect when I get to your age.  I'm 44 now.

@The Maestro - 

 No offense taken. 

 I am not on TRT, nor have I ever been.  Never had it tested and have no clue even what my level may be.

I do know that body fat (especially excess body fat) EATS T.  So keep that in mind.

Everyone's T declines with age - it's part of the deal. 

My mind & spirit are still pretty strong, so I'm rolling with that.

I take creatine, glutamine and a few other over the counter standard weight training supplements.

I drink a couple of protein drinks a day, morning & night.

 

I have been at this since the 70's. 

There have been many & various versions of me along the way. 

The big strong super smooth me, the super lean & running several miles a week 165 lb me,

The I would eat a whole chicken at 10pm 210 lb me,

The Drill Instructor 185 lb me (that was a good me and I did that in my early 40's), btw - that's my wife behind me . . . 

 

And now the retired me.  

 

I am eating very clean; perhaps cleaner than I ever have.

By clean I mean, no breads, no alcohol, no sugar, no white flour, & way more vegetables.

And NO means NONE. This is not any harder for me than whatever I was doing previously, it's just different.

Take out & dining out are kept to minimum (OK rarely)

What I eat, is far more important than what happens in the gym. 

 

  My ability to build muscle has dramatically declined over the past 8-9 years.  When I didn't diet - I was comparably strong, just couldn't see any of what I was working hard on.

Now that I'm leaner, I can and it keeps me motivated to stay at it.

 

I can not say with any certainty what you can expect at 59.  

What I do believe is that we can only do what we can do. 

Genetics has already dealt us the hand and what we do with it, how we play it, determines the out come.

I chose not to fold. 

 

We are all going to get weaker, our bodies are going to shrink, and our muscles & bones will degenerate.

Some of us will lose our hair, lose our hearing & some of our eye sight.  I've experienced most all of that to some degree.  Currently I am 5'8" and weight 160 lbs.  In the past few years I have gone from wearing mostly a size large to now, it's usually a small medium or even a small.  My pride took a hit. 

So I decided that I better take care of whatever muscle I could build, or at least hold on to.  

And it helps if I can see it. 

Over all I feel really good most days, there's some typical Old Guys aches & pains but I have solid balance, decent flexibility and enough stamina & strength to do what I ever my day may bring.  

Last week I changed two 34 inch overhead garage door springs and yesterday changed out the wheels on my truck.

All that is a serious confidence builder for me.  Without that - feels like I lost my Mojo and that is really bad for me.  

My days of dead lifting a ton and bench pressing a ton and squatting a ton - were over a long time ago.  And the more I continued to try it - the more I got hurt. 

I've completely stopped that mess. 

Quality over quantity in the gym now and forever going forward. 

Father time is undefeated, but I do not plan on making it easy for him.

 

 So there ya go - That's my version of it.

Hope this helps you. 

 

A-Jay

 

[The Maestro]

26 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 

My days of dead lifting a ton and bench pressing a ton and squatting a ton - were over a long time ago.  And the more I continued to try it - the more I got hurt. 

I've completely stopped that mess. 

Quality over quantity in the gym now and forever going forward. 

 

Hope this helps you. 

 

A-Jay

 

Those exercises aren't worth the risks. I don't think they ever were if your goal is hypertrophy. I completely ditched them and never looked back as well. I'm really careful when it comes to any type of spinal loading or lifts that put your shoulders in a compromised position.

 

You look great for any age. For 59.....mind=shattered! 

 

Do you still sleep well? I've found my sleep to be a bit hit or miss without much rhyme or reason to why it's better some nights vs. others.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[A-Jay]

25 minutes ago, The Maestro said:

Those exercises aren't worth the risks. I don't think they ever were if your goal is hypertrophy. I completely ditched them and never looked back as well. I'm really careful when it comes to any type of spinal loading or lifts that put your shoulders in a compromised position.

 

You look great for any age. For 59.....mind=shattered! 

 

Do you still sleep well? I've found my sleep to be a bit hit or miss without much rhyme or reason to why it's better some nights vs. others.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Thanks ~ 

 Funny you should ask about sleep.

 I've never been much of a sleeper, really do like the solitude and tranquility of the night air. 

And my career didn't help me there either, quite a few long & all night evolutions.

Stood many 24 hr shifts too. Next day I was toast.

Service has changed that deal, for the better. 

I thrived in that environment though, at least partly because I hated sleeping. 

Most nights I had to force myself to get 5 or even 6 hours.

 It's different now, as I know the need for sleep is real, still have some nights (especially around the big moons) where I'm eternally bug-eyed at 3AM but they are less frequent than they used to be.

Also, I'm not a napper.  If I'm in the rack during daylight hours, I'm either deathly Ill or I was fishing the night before.

 

 I do prefer to train first thing in the morning on an empty stomach - so that I'm not half pumped and trying to sleep.

 

Either way, now I try to get at least 7 hours a night.

That's the target but I miss it at least a third of the time I guess; especially if the bite's hot.

I tried a few OTC sleep aids, melatonin & Benadryl but I was a Zombie the next day.

(May not have helped that I was only going to bed for 4 hours either) 

 I do OK now I guess.

 

A-Jay

 

[CrankFate]

After taking it easier on the weights and watching diet more closely, got down 19lbs from the winter weight after injuring my arm. Spent the past few weeks doing at home rehab on my arm and by the grace of god the dent where my tendon started to pull out of the bicep muscle is almost gone and my bicep doesn’t roll up anymore. It was absolutely terrible repping 70-100 reps with the gripper followed by 5 and 10 lb dumbbell curls. But it had to be done. Went back to the gym missing my normal glycogen stores and lifted light. Felt good to be back. I’m not injuring anything again. Whenever I say that I feel like I’m 22 with a hangover saying I’m never drinking alcohol again. Hopefully now, I’m at the equivalent of 5 years of saying that and really won’t be injuring myself ever again now. Still got in a lot of calories, while in a serious deficit.

 

 

[A-Jay]

11 minutes ago, CrankFate said:

After taking it easier on the weights and watching diet more closely, got down 19lbs from the winter weight after injuring my arm. Spent the past few weeks doing at home rehab on my arm and by the grace of god the dent where my tendon started to pull out of the bicep muscle is almost gone and my bicep doesn’t roll up anymore. It was absolutely terrible repping 70-100 reps with the gripper followed by 5 and 10 lb dumbbell curls. Butting had to be done. Went back to the gym missing my normal glycogen stores and lifted light. Felt good to be back. I’m not injuring anything again. Whenever I say that I feel like I’m 22 with a hangover saying I’m never drinking alcohol again. Hopefully now, I’m at the equivalent of 5 years of saying that and really won’t be injuring myself ever again now. Still got in a lot of calories, while in a serious deficit.

 

 

There ya go.

Anything and Everything that does or does not happen is on you.  Always has been.  Make good decisions and learning from bad ones is part of the process.

Stay motivated & disciplined.

You're worth it.

A-Jay 

btw I am knocking out total body workouts every other day.   Feels good.

#fitforlife

 

[CrankFate]

2 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

There ya go.

Anything and Everything that does or does not happen is on you.  Always has been.  Make good decisions and learning from bad ones is part of the process.

Stay motivated & disciplined.

You're worth it.

A-Jay 

btw I am knocking out total body workouts every pther day.   Feels good.

#fitforlife

 

I plan on going back to every other day, too. It’s true it’s all about making it happen.

[Koz]

About 14 years ago when my now ex-wife was pregnant I gained weight along with her. It didn't make it any easier when I took a job coding and sitting at a desk all day plus running my own SEO firm in the evening. About 7 years ago I got more active coaching baseball and doing things with my son but it wasn't enough and I was not eating as healthy as I should have been. What can I say - I love pasta, bread, pizza, and potatoes.

 

Almost 3 weeks ago I was disgusted with the way I looked and made a change. No more breads, pasta, potatoes, sugar, or processed foods. It was actually easier than I thought it would be to give those things up. I've lost about 10 pounds but more importantly I feel a lot better. I can go bank fishing for hours and cover a ton of ground walking and I'm no longer tired and achy when I get home.

 

Other than walking I haven't started working out yet but I'm ready to give it a go. I'm in my 50's now and I realize it will be much harder to bounce back but I'm determined to make it happen. The surprising part is that I'm not missing or craving any of the stuff I used to eat. There are still snacks and "bad foods" in the house for my growing teenage son but I'm not tempted by them. That surprised me. I'm not even tempted when I go grocery shopping. I figure now that I made it 3 weeks it should be pretty easy to stick with my new meal plan. I set a goal from now through August and I'm looking forward to those results.

[A-Jay]

6 hours ago, Koz said:

About 14 years ago when my now ex-wife was pregnant I gained weight along with her. It didn't make it any easier when I took a job coding and sitting at a desk all day plus running my own SEO firm in the evening. About 7 years ago I got more active coaching baseball and doing things with my son but it wasn't enough and I was not eating as healthy as I should have been. What can I say - I love pasta, bread, pizza, and potatoes.

 

Almost 3 weeks ago I was disgusted with the way I looked and made a change. No more breads, pasta, potatoes, sugar, or processed foods. It was actually easier than I thought it would be to give those things up. I've lost about 10 pounds but more importantly I feel a lot better. I can go bank fishing for hours and cover a ton of ground walking and I'm no longer tired and achy when I get home.

 

Other than walking I haven't started working out yet but I'm ready to give it a go. I'm in my 50's now and I realize it will be much harder to bounce back but I'm determined to make it happen. The surprising part is that I'm not missing or craving any of the stuff I used to eat. There are still snacks and "bad foods" in the house for my growing teenage son but I'm not tempted by them. That surprised me. I'm not even tempted when I go grocery shopping. I figure now that I made it 3 weeks it should be pretty easy to stick with my new meal plan. I set a goal from now through August and I'm looking forward to those results.

Good for you.

There is not a decision that I make during any day that is more important than what I chose to fuel my body with.

The right amount to High Test chow always serves me better than a tank full of low grade processes foo-foo.

Keep it up

A-Jay

[A-Jay]

Still Grinding ~

A-Jay

[CrankFate]

On 4/8/2019 at 4:22 PM, The Maestro said:

Question for A-Jay. I hope you don't take this the wrong way or get offended.

 

Are you on TRT?

 

I''ve been back at the weights for 4+ years after a long hiatus.  The gym pretty much dominated my life during my 20's.  It doesn't get any easier as we get older but I see you're still going hard and that's pretty rare to see at your age and I've spent quite a bit of time in a lot of gyms.

I'm not hating or judging if you are just wondering what I can realistically expect when I get to your age.  I'm 44 now.

I’m 43. The secret to natural test is one thing. Cholesterol.

 

That’s what your body makes test from. The testosterone level in America has been dropping for the last 40 years because of the nonsense claim that cholesterol causes heart disease, even though no medical study has ever proven any link. In the last 4 years or so, cholesterol has been recategorized as something that cannot be over consumed by diet and that does not cause heart disease.

 

http://time.com/3705734/cholesterol-dietary-guidelines/

 

If you want testosterone, eat a lot of broccoli, butter and protein (especially red meat). Then exercise.

 

The processed carbs and sugar are the thing that’s bad for you. The “science” that made everyone believe fats are bad for you was a fraudulent claim that caused a massive increase in heart disease and diabetes. Throw out the sugar and eat butter, beef and drink milk.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/13/493739074/50-years-ago-sugar-industry-quietly-paid-scientists-to-point-blame-at-fat

 

Type 2 diabetes and heart disease skyrocketed after this fraud study became the foundation of the food pyramid. This study is also one of the key causes of declining American testosterone levels.

[A-Jay]

3 hours ago, CrankFate said:

I’m 43. The secret to natural test is one thing. Cholesterol.

 

That’s what your body makes test from. The testosterone level in America has been dropping for the last 40 years because of the nonsense claim that cholesterol causes heart disease, even though no medical study has ever proven any link. In the last 4 years or so, cholesterol has been recategorized as something that cannot be over consumed by diet and that does not cause heart disease.

 

http://time.com/3705734/cholesterol-dietary-guidelines/

 

If you want testosterone, eat a lot of broccoli, butter and protein (especially red meat). Then exercise.

 

The processed carbs and sugar are the thing that’s bad for you. The “science” that made everyone believe fats are bad for you was a fraudulent claim that caused a massive increase in heart disease and diabetes. Throw out the sugar and eat butter, beef and drink milk.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/13/493739074/50-years-ago-sugar-industry-quietly-paid-scientists-to-point-blame-at-fat

 

Type 2 diabetes and heart disease skyrocketed after this fraud study became the foundation of the food pyramid. This study is also one of the key causes of declining American testosterone levels.

Interesting perspective.

While I consume my fair share of fresh green vegetables, including broccoli, butter is never on my training table. I get my required fats primarily from Safflower and Avocado oils.   And while I do enjoy a steak very occasionally, considering my daily protein requirement, it's not practical for me budget wise.

I eat a ton & a half of poultry; Turkey & chicken all kinds (no skin) thighs, breasts, & ground.  

  I could never maintain my current level of lean, dipping red meat in butter 3 times a day.  Never.  

btw - at last check (Jan) my HDL & LDL levels were right where I want them.

A-Jay

[The Maestro]

28 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Interesting perspective.

While I consume my fair share of fresh green vegetables, including broccoli, butter is never on my training table. I get my required fats primarily from Safflower and Avocado oils.   And while I do enjoy a steak very occasionally, considering my daily protein requirement, it's not practical for me budget wise.

I eat a ton & a half of poultry; Turkey & chicken all kinds (no skin) thighs, breasts, & ground.  

  I could never maintain my current level of lean, dipping red meat in butter 3 times a day.  Never.  

btw - at last check (Jan) my HDL & LDL levels were right where I want them.

A-Jay

What do you do for carbs? I know some people advocate cutting out carbs but I don't think i could function on no carbs.

[CrankFate]

47 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 

  I could never maintain my current level of lean, dipping red meat in butter 3 times a day.  Never.  

btw - at last check (Jan) my HDL & LDL levels were right where I want them.

A-Jay

Yeah, I know. Because I have a layer of subcutaneous fat! But my cholesterol is about 20-25 points better than my first test at 19. My VLDL is almost nonexistent, because I eat a lot of nuts, cheese and vegetables and I take fish oil.

 

[A-Jay]

4 hours ago, The Maestro said:

What do you do for carbs? I know some people advocate cutting out carbs but I don't think i could function on no carbs.

Food Ratio  on a plate is 40% protein 40% vegetables (which carry carbs) and 20% standard 'carbs'; sweet and white potatoes, tons of brown and basimati rice, whole wheat pasta.  No bread, white flour or sugar.  It works for me.  The secret is portion control.

I do not require anywhere near what I thought I needed and previously ate.  I need to be hungry in 3 hours so I want to eat again.  Will not happen if I eat a pizza !

A-Jay 

 

 

 

[CrankFate]

5 hours ago, The Maestro said:

What do you do for carbs? I know some people advocate cutting out carbs but I don't think i could function on no carbs.

I can’t do no carbs. According to my doctor, the no carb diet usually doesn’t work, for a few reasons. He said your brain can only run on simple sugar. That makes it even harder to go no carbs if you have a job that requires concentration. He also told me that it takes a long time for your brain to get used to less carbs. And every other part of your body, too. He said it’s the equivalent of trying to run a marathon without working your way up to it over time and that’s why most people can’t do it for any amount of time. But he also told me what Dr. Atkins diet says is something all doctors know is true and the diet does work. That eating natural, nutrient rich foods and no processed sugars and starches is best for human beings. He said you have to slowly work your way down in carbs. Not go cold turkey. When I want to get leaner, I limit my carbs to earlier in the day. Just cutting the carbs down by about 70% and eating them before about 1pm makes a huge difference.

 

I say all this during a terrible week of eating more fast food than I’ve eaten in a single week in at least 10, maybe even 20 years. This was my worst diet week since my early 20’s now that I think of it ?

[A-Jay]

I am FAR from No Carbs ~ 

My requirements are met with portions that offer little to no excess.

As I've mentioned a few times, for a long time, like a couple of decades, I was under the impression that I needed this mountain of food.

I'd eat a ton and then bust my chops trying to burn it all off with crazy cardio.

Turns out, if I don't consume excess, there's little to nothing left that needs to be 'burned off'.  And I still have plenty of gas to train & live my life.

I was far more fatigued from all the cardio than I am with sufficient / not excessive portions.

A-Jay