im 36 and want to go from 208 to 185, NEED HELP!

[nupemuscle]

I'm 36 and I weigh 208 lbs and want to get to 185 lbs of lean muscle. I'm not nutritionally or weight smart. I need help from real people with real results. NOTE: I'm not trying to be a bodybuilder but I want the natural muscle physique look. Can anyone help me?

[Jtbny]

I like to do forkdowns for this...it's an easy exercise to do.


You determine your calories you need to maintain your current weight...then you track said calories...making sure to eat less then that number...finally when you are approaching that targeted calorie intake you put your fork down....

Forkdowns...it's all hype these days

Good luck!

[ironwill2008]

NOTE: I'm not trying to be a bodybuilder but I want the natural muscle physique look.

huh?

[danow]

I'm 36 and I weigh 208 lbs and want to get to 185 lbs of lean muscle. I'm not nutritionally or weight smart. I need help from real people with real results. NOTE: I'm not trying to be a bodybuilder but I want the natural muscle physique look. Can anyone help me?

The first step is getting started with a weight lifting routine. Much information can be found in the stickies. Start with something simple that you can be consistent with. As far as your diet goes just try to be smart about what you are eating for now. Try eliminating the things you know are bad such as soda and snacks. This should be a good start for you.

[billb7581]

Shoot for bodybuilder, you will invariably fall short... you're not going to accidentaly get jacked LOL.

[Marius_Ursus]

huh?

I think he wants Dr. Oz.

[ironwill2008]

I think he wants Dr. Oz.

Lulz. I'll occasionally watch a little bit of that guy's show (that's about all the face-palming I can take) once in a while. It's the supposed 'experts' like him that have the general public so screwed up about their nutrition. The talk about eating "low fat," and "avoiding carbs at night," and the "importance of the GI," and all his supp-whoring make me want to hurl.

It will NEVER happen, but I'd love to see him sit down with Alan Aragon for just 5 minutes.

[Minotaur]

huh?

I think he means an athletic physique, ala Mike Mahler or the guy in the Dragon Door ad. Just a guess.

Btw, I've listened to Dr. Oz too and thought... "wtf!?"

[alex2363]

Lulz. I'll occasionally watch a little bit of that guy's show (that's about all the face-palming I can take) once in a while. It's the supposed 'experts' like him that have the general public so screwed up about their nutrition. The talk about eating "low fat," and "avoiding carbs at night," and the "importance of the GI," and all his supp-whoring make me want to hurl.

It will NEVER happen, but I'd love to see him sit down with Alan Aragon for just 5 minutes.

REpped...that guy is Dr too, i here him talking about eating 6 times a day to keep hi metabolism and to keep low fats but also to eat oats to keep the fat off...is he a tool or what?

[alex2363]

I'm 36 and I weigh 208 lbs and want to get to 185 lbs of lean muscle. I'm not nutritionally or weight smart. I need help from real people with real results. NOTE: I'm not trying to be a bodybuilder but I want the natural muscle physique look. Can anyone help me?

i was 208 on a winter bulk, i cut my calories and lifted weights for 5 times a week and in 2 weeks i went down to 195, in 2 more weeks i should go down to 190, then 185 by may....no magic formula, just cut calories and W/O

[michail71]

I'm 36 and I weigh 208 lbs and want to get to 185 lbs of lean muscle. I'm not nutritionally or weight smart. I need help from real people with real results. NOTE: I'm not trying to be a bodybuilder but I want the natural muscle physique look. Can anyone help me?

You can easily get there in about 23 weeks by staying on a 500 calorie deficit. However, if you don't do it like a bodybuilder (resistance training and proper nutrient balance) you'll just be a skinnier fat 185.

[ironwill2008]

Btw, I've listened to Dr. Oz too and thought... "wtf!?"

REpped...that guy is Dr too, i here him talking about eating 6 times a day to keep hi metabolism and to keep low fats but also to eat oats to keep the fat off...is he a tool or what?

At least most of us here know his schtick for what it is--BS intended to make money. It's just a shame that asshats like him have such a wide audience and so much influence over the sheep.


The thing about "boosting the metabolism" is a pet peeve of mine. There's no way that oz, or any other medically-trained person, doesn't know that's a load of baloney. Unless he got his medical degree from the same place he gets his car worked on.

[HoustonTXMuscle]

I think he wants Dr. Oz.

What a tool!!! Only time I'd look/listen to him is if I'd accidently get on the wrong elliptical or TM at the gym, not realizing what's on the TV monitor overhead.

[fastnoypi]

eat at a deficit and hit those weights

[Minotaur]

You can easily get there in about 23 weeks by staying on a 500 calorie deficit. However, if you don't do it like a bodybuilder (resistance training and proper nutrient balance) you'll just be a skinnier fat 185.

Agreed. He's looking @ losing 23 lbs. I lost 22 lbs in 15 weeks, avg. 1.46 lbs/week (23-25 to go). I don't think I've lost very much muscle, maybe 2 lbs (it's inevitable). I don't track calories, because WW uses points, but there's still a calorie deficit. Simple physiology: calorie deficit + exercise = fat loss.

[Minotaur]

The thing about "boosting the metabolism" is a pet peeve of mine. There's no way that oz, or any other medically-trained person, doesn't know that's a load of baloney.

The closest that comes to any semblence of truth, is that muscle is the primary tissue that "burns" (what a hackneyed term) fat and calories. Muscle is hungry tissue. "Boosting the metabolism" is a phrase that runs neck and neck in the stupidity race with "muscle weighs more than fat"... totally misunderstood and misspoken concepts.

[billb7581]

The thing about "boosting the metabolism" is a pet peeve of mine. There's no way that oz, or any other medically-trained person, doesn't know that's a load of baloney. Unless he got his medical degree from the same place he gets his car worked on.

Maybe he went to Hollywood Upstairs Medical College with this guy

[ironwill2008]

The closest that comes to any semblence of truth, is that muscle is the primary tissue that "burns" (what a hackneyed term) fat and calories. Muscle is hungry tissue. .

Yep.

The way to "boost" the metabolism is to train to add more muscle.

Of course, that takes consistent hard work, something in which the public doesn't seem to be too interested.

[ironwill2008]

For anyone who might still cling to the "Eat more frequently to speed up metabolism," baloney, I'll just leave this here:


http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/res...ch-review.html

"In any case, let me sum up the results of this review: Meal frequency per se has essentially no impact on the magnitude of weight or fat loss except for its effects on food intake. If a high meal frequency makes people eat more, they will gain weight. Because they are eating more. And if a high meal frequency makes people eat less, they will lose weight. Because they are eating less. But it’s got nothing to do with stoking the metabolic fire or affecting metabolic rate on a day to day basis." (McDonald)

[Minotaur]

And I don't believe that meals every 2-3 hours stabilize blood sugar in the way people think. I think that's all broscience. Meals every 2-3 hours stabilize it at a higher level. It takes 2 hours for blood sugar to come down to normal (<99) from as much as >200 during a meal. Eat every 2-3 hours, and your blood sugar is constantly elevated; pancreas working harder and faster to produce insulin.

[ironwill2008]

If a guy is eating a balanced, mixed meal (P/C/F), and eating to his daily total every day, blood sugar/energy shouldn't be a problem at all. There's a lot of individuality that comes into play here, such as training fed or fasted, and when someone simply likes to eat, but again, if all the basic macro requirements are covered by the end of each day, there should be no problem.

There are many guys, regular posters on this site, who only eat one large meal a day, and do just fine, both energy-wise as well as gym-progress-wise, by doing so.






From a body compositional standpoint, no one has ever been able to show that more-frequent meals are any better than less-frequent.

If someone has satiety issues that are aided by frequent eating, then more power to him; that person should eat as frequently as he likes (within his daily caloric total).

If someone has such a high daily caloric requirement in order to remain at a calorie surplus that he can't cram in all that food in a few meals, then he should break them down into smaller, more-manageable chunks.

[trev71]

I'm 36 and I weigh 208 lbs and want to get to 185 lbs of lean muscle. I'm not nutritionally or weight smart. I need help from real people with real results. NOTE: I'm not trying to be a bodybuilder but I want the natural muscle physique look. Can anyone help me?

1.5 years ago, I was younger but older than you are today
5' 10.5" @ 210...

#1 - Read and follow the "Loosing fat for noobs" stickied thread at the top. This contains 3 simple rules, and they are simple, to follow.
--> http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=129247741
--> easy, you don't need to know much at all about nutrition at this point.

#2 - track your calories... track them.. count them.. do not estimate.. track that **** as you will eat more than you think. Track it via phone app.. pen/paper.. whatever.

#3 - As the 3 rules listed in the Loosing fat for noobs thread state, hit the weights 3+ times per week. I would encourage you to try one of the 'starting strength' type routines. This will help get you learn to lift... correctly... and then you can expand out.

#4 - In the Losing Fat forum area, there are ALWAYS fat loss competitions going on. Month to Month or Quarter to Quarter.. they often start on the first of a Month.. GET IN THERE.. Motivation.. and some good knowledge gets passed... you'll understand that your weight will change daily... sometimes 2-3 lbs.. and it's normal.. Get in there...

I would also guess your overwhelmed reading stuff all over this site. relax. take it one step at a time.

I was down to 175lbs... in a matter of a couple of months... really... you think you want 185.. but you'll pass that.. you have more fat on you than you realize.. I am sure of it.. we a do/did.

While your doing that, for a couple of months, continue to read here on the site, cruise the forums, start planning your next moves.. a small bulk.. whatever.. search for workouts.. read.. ask...

GL.

[Minotaur]

If a guy is eating a balanced, mixed meal (P/C/F), and eating to his daily total every day, blood sugar/energy shouldn't be a problem at all. There's a lot of individuality that comes into play here, such as training fed or fasted, and when someone simply likes to eat, but again, if all the basic macro requirements are covered by the end of each day, there should be no problem. ...

If someone has such a high daily caloric requirement in order to remain at a calorie surplus that he can't cram in all that food in a few meals, then he should break them down into smaller, more-manageable chunks.

I should have qualified my comments by saying that it's usually the ones who overestimate their needs and activity. Sure, if you are training hard, you'll use up the glucose.

I once did a hard cardio walk fasted, and by the time I got home I was staggering like I was drunk. I checked my blood sugar... 74. I ate a couple of cookies, and felt fine after that.

[suprchgtnt]

"185 lbs of lean muscle" I'm on the path to this goal now. My advise....

1.You need to really, I mean..... REALLY commit to making this happen.
2.Audit a few local gyms and decide which one works best for you. I'd suggest you visit them at or around the time you plan on working out.
3.Recruit or make a friend at the gym. Work is always better if you have someone to share in the misery.
4.Find a diet and workout plan. There are hundreds if not thousands of articles on this site. Kris Gethin's has a decent 12 week plan covering both.
5.Browse this site. There are a ton of folks on here that have made your goal their reality. They can help you avoid common pitfalls.
6.Get out a sheet of paper and commit to a start and finish date. Snap some before pic and get after it.
Good Luck

[TopherFLHX]

First off don't pay attaention to a weight scale. Get your Body Fat Percentage checked instead!
Building Lean Muscle and having a Low BF% is going to give you the athletic look your after. Get on a plan, theres lots of good free ones on here. Good Luck!

[2tonescrew]

You're going to have to find what works for you. As far as your nutrition, I agree with the above post...you have to count your macros. You'll have a better idea of what you're really taking in and can then make better choices. I like MyFitnessPal over FitDay...MFP has alot more foods already listed by other members so you don't have to enter so many custom foods. It's a learning process so just take it day by day and eventually you'll have enough info and will find what works for you.

I was in the same boat as you, 37, 205 as of Feb (I think) and I'm down to 194 with a goal of 175. I haven't had time to hit the gym in a while so alot of my excersise is on a treadmill at the house. I do an hour of fast paced walking and some occasional jogging about 4 times/week first thing in the morning before I eat. I was doing this while eating as clean as possible through out the day, for a couple of months and lost about 9lbs. I would've seen better results but I'd eat too many cheat meals...it's hard not to when you have a wife and kids. Now I'm having to change it up to break through my plateau so I throw in some p90x in the mornings. If you can hit the weights at the gym, that's great, but if you can't, cardio is still your friend. Just keep at it and find what works for you.

If you need support, feel free to hit me up here or on myfitnesspal - good luck

[garagelifter]

I am 52 and recently (December 28, 2011 - March 28, 2012) went from 196 down to 170. For me the key to success started with being honest with myself about the volume of food I was eating, activity level, etc and weighing EVERYTHING and WRITING IT DOWN to track caloric intake. There are lots of free things on the web to help you estimate your basal metabolic rate, so you can set and initial caloric intake and go from there. If you over-estimate your activity level, you'll always be eating more calories than you should to loose weight. It is easy to disregard small cheats - a few peanuts here, a few baked potato chips there, a swig of milk etc, but those "quickies" can easily add up to 300+ calories a day. Keeping an accurate log of what you eat and what you do in your workout will help you keep track of what works and what doesn't. If you aren't totally honest with yourself, you'll never be able to make accurate adjustments. I did 30-45 minutes of cardio (running because that's what I like to do) three days a week and lifted weights three days a week to maintain muscle mass. Like you, I wasn't trying to be a bodybuilder, but I didn't want to go from 196 with 22% body fat to 170 with 22% body fat. I ate five small meals a day and tried to eat to 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight. I varied my weight training almost every week to keep it interesting, but made sure I trained everybody hard at least one day per week. I lost 4 inches off my waist, now have definition in my shoulders, biceps and legs and most importantly simply feel better and with more vitality. When I started I could barely do 4 wide grip chins, did 20 today. This regime may not work for everyone, but it worked for me. For me the key was to be honest with myself, finding what I liked to do AND worked, and being able to stick with it. Hope this helps

[MontyMagpie]

I'm 36 and I weigh 208 lbs and want to get to 185 lbs of lean muscle. I'm not nutritionally or weight smart. I need help from real people with real results. NOTE: I'm not trying to be a bodybuilder but I want the natural muscle physique look. Can anyone help me?

Have you tried eating less? I've gone from just over 200lbs to 186 in about 4 months, a slow loss by cutting calories.

I counted every calories I ate down to fine precision and monitor the weight loss on the scales. I'm eating around 2300calories a day from 3200-4000 before. Furthermore, I'm getting stronger in the gym.

[Brackneyc]

And I don't believe that meals every 2-3 hours stabilize blood sugar in the way people think. I think that's all broscience. Meals every 2-3 hours stabilize it at a higher level. It takes 2 hours for blood sugar to come down to normal (<99) from as much as >200 during a meal. Eat every 2-3 hours, and your blood sugar is constantly elevated; pancreas working harder and faster to produce insulin.

Unless there are medications involved. Then we are talking about a whole different game altogether. I know that is not the focus of this thread, but there are times when meal frequency IS a valid consideration. This applies to a specific portion of the population, but a growing population to be sure.

[crupiea]

why not go to 208 lbs of lean muscle?