Fat, Older, Tired and Work in A Factory. How Do I Fix This?

[SundayRain]

I'm way over 35. I'll be turning 46 in March. I wish there were an over 45 forum, I looked but didn't find one. I hear a lot about it is really hard if not impossible to build muscle as a middle-aged man. To make matters worse I work in a factory on an assembly line, sometimes 12 hours a day. If being tired isn't enough of a struggle there's the possibility of injury from the constant bending, lifting, twisting and turning all day then coming home to lift weights.

I feel stuck. My goals are to lose fat (I'm about 50 to 60 pounds overweight) and build strength. I'm so confused and overloaded with info I've found online that I don't even know where to start.

What can I do about the whole working in a factory situation? What is the best and safest way to train? How should I eat in this scenario?

[HanleyTucks]

I don't know what to advise you about your employment.

But as for food, the key for you will be to use your days off to prepare good food ahead of time. Get 10 tupperware containers, they're your lunch and dinner 5 days a week. If you are getting 3 cups of vegies and 3 serves of meat (or fish, or eggs, or beans) daily, then you're off to a good start. You'll have to stop drinking alcohol.

With long work days, you'll need a gradual start to lifting. Luckily, if you're just lifting for health, then the movement is much more important than the load, so it shouldn't take too much out of you.

[kimm4]

If your focus is fat loss you need to create a calorie deficit though your diet. Go on My Fitness Pal or any calorie counter app to figure out your daily calories needed. How many meals you eat or what times makes no difference. It's a personal preference so hit your calorie intake how you see fit and you're good to go. There are plenty member's around here who work long days so don't let that hold you back.

As for training start with simple 3 day full body routine focused around the important compound lifts.

Here's a few programs if needed:

Stronglifts 5 x 5 Program

http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Fierce 5 Program

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=159678631

All Pro’s Beginner Routine

http://simplebeginnerroutine.wikia.c...r_Routine_Wiki

[LMS62]

Op, the posters above have given great advice! In regards to those who are middle age not being able to put on muscle mass.....that is completely false. There are many posters in this Over 35 forum that are living proof you can make solid gains over the age of 40, 50, or even 60 and beyond. The only catch is that you have to work for it, and you have to have patience.

[ElrondHubbard]

Op, the posters above have given great advice! In regards to those who are middle age not being able to put on muscle mass.....that is completely false. There are many posters in this Over 35 forum that are living proof you can make solid gains over the age of 40, 50, or even 60 and beyond. The only catch is that you have to work for it, and you have to have patience.

^^^^ This in spades. At 46 you can make fantastic gains in muscle mass and great fat loss. All you have to do is work at it.

When you say 12 hours a day, do you mean 60 hours a week? That does seem like a lot. Even so, a good workout routine should take another 6 hours per week max. You'll have to figure out a system of logistics to make efficient use of your time, but it can be done.

[SundayRain]

^^^^ This in spades. At 46 you can make fantastic gains in muscle mass and great fat loss. All you have to do is work at it.

When you say 12 hours a day, do you mean 60 hours a week? That does seem like a lot. Even so, a good workout routine should take another 6 hours per week max. You'll have to figure out a system of logistics to make efficient use of your time, but it can be done.

So glad to hear that from people actually getting it done. As for work, the most I've worked so far is 4 x 12 hour days and one 8 in a week (56 hours). I work in the automotive industry so when the demand is high we work a lot of hours and it can be sporadic. Two or three 12 hour shifts a week is pretty typical during the busy times.

I think need to come up with a workout where I won't have to be on my feet very long for those days.

[SundayRain]

If your focus is fat loss you need to create a calorie deficit though your diet. Go on My Fitness Pal or any calorie counter app to figure out your daily calories needed. How many meals you eat or what times makes no difference. It's a personal preference so hit your calorie intake how you see fit and you're good to go. There are plenty member's around here who work long days so don't let that hold you back.

As for training start with simple 3 day full body routine focused around the important compound lifts.

Here's a few programs if needed:

Stronglifts 5 x 5 Program



Fierce 5 Program



All Pro’s Beginner Routine

My main focus is fat loss, but I want to get stronger. I lost 30 pounds mainly by changing what I eat, but gained it back again. Junk food (or rather my attachment to it) is a big culprit here. Even at the thinner weight, I was flabby though. I've read a lot about how it is hard to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, and I've also read a lot of contradictions to that. Thank you for posting those links.

[risingstarl96a1]

Looking into Investing Stocks. Get some passive income to free yourself off the stress. Then slowly build endurance and other desires for body.

[ElrondHubbard]

My main focus is fat loss, but I want to get stronger. I lost 30 pounds mainly by changing what I eat, but gained it back again. Junk food (or rather my attachment to it) is a big culprit here. Even at the thinner weight, I was flabby though. I've read a lot about how it is hard to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, and I've also read a lot of contradictions to that. Thank you for posting those links.

Yes, you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, especially since you're a beginner. If you were already an intermediate to advanced lifter that wouldn't be the case, but for you it's doable.

You do have some obstacles, and the easy response is to say that what you need to work through them is discipline. Of course, that's just a word that doesn't mean much unless it's accompanied by information, commitment, organization, and a practical plan.

You need to adjust your schedule so that working out is compatible with your hours, whether that's at home or at a gym is all up to what's best for you. You need to adopt a workout plan that allows you to complete the lifting volume you need to do in a realistic amount of time. And you need to adjust your meal planning so that you don't depend on junk food at work. That may mean preparing and packing lunches in advance.

It's a bit of a big adjustment to your expectations and way of thinking, which is why it's difficult for many people. You'll need to overcome some mental and emotional inertia. But you CAN do it.

[ItalianDomenic]

All great points above, just one thing I'd like to add. Ease yourself into it. Take a few weeks going with a lighter weight without hitting failure to get your muscles use to working that way. Maybe go with a full body split to start with. I tried following the same routine I did when I was in my 20's and paid for it in spades. We don't recover as quickly as we did in our younger days.

I am a Production Manager in a manufacturing plant. 10 to 12 hours on my feet is a norm for me. Personally I go to the gym before work rather than after. It seems to wake me up, puts me in a more focused mood, and I am less likely to skip because "I've had a long day".

Best of luck on your new journey.

[blue9steel]

1) You'll have never have time to work out but if it's important you'll make time anyways.
2) You can absolutely lose weight and put on muscle at your age or any age.
3) Start slow but keep progressing and don't quit, you'll get there.

[HanleyTucks]

Two or three 12 hour shifts a week is pretty typical during the busy times.

Okay, so you have a 5-day work week.

To start with in the gym it'll be light. You can do a light workout even after a 12-hour day, you can't do a heavy one. So for now, start light, do a workout on one or two of your short workdays, then a workout on one of your days off. The other day off should have food buying and prepartion.

Later on as the weights get heavier, you might add a second light day. Later still you'd do a heavy, light and medium, with the heavy one on your day off. Here's an example of how it might look, obviously it'll vary week to week with your hours.

Month 1:
Mon 12hr
Tue 8hr + light workout 1
Wed 12hr
Thu 8hr + light workout 2
Fri 12hr
Sat off + groceries + food prep = 10 meal containers for lunch and dinner, each with 1-2 cups of vegies and 1-2 serves of meat. Add fruit or starchy stuff like pasta to taste.
Sun off + light workout 3
adding weight to the exercises each week

Month 2 is the same, but Sunday becomes heavy - you keep pushing it up a bit, keeping the light days the same. Like say you'd pushed up to a 100lb press for work sets, each Sunday you add 5lbs, but the other two days you keep at 100lb. If you only work out once during the work week, that's fine.

Month 3 you make Thursday halfway between the two. Say you're now pressing 120lb, Tuesday is still 100, but Thursday is 110. If you only get one workout in during the week, make it a light one.

During this time, each Saturday you're reassessing. You weigh or measure yourself, or take your shirt off in front of the mirror, and then sit down and think about how you're feeling - mood and sleep. If those are all going the way you want, keep doing what you're doing. If one or more of them isn't, think about changing the food a bit - maybe you need more meat (for strength and muscle) or less starchy stuff (to encourage your body to drop some of the fat). Adjust your shopping list and food prep accordingly.

Again, change the days to suit. This is just an example.

[GrouchyUSMC]

Start off slow. This approach has you training maybe 20-30 minutes a day tops, but regularly so you develop that habit. Especially if you are working long hard hours, squeezing in a small bit of activity daily seems to work better for me personally.

http://site.stewsmithptclub.com/45dayplan.pdf

[John Prophet]

maximize sleep

minimize stress...period

[MrCarrot]

I think it's easier to gain muscle and make progress after the age of 35 because:

1) You generally have more income for food, supplements and gym membership compared to your twenties.

2) You generally don't go out partying, going to bed at 5am when you have work at 9am.

3) You don't burn as much energy, so it's not such a constant battle trying to gain weight (muscle) compared to a slender youth who can't gain weight no matter how much they eat.

4) For me, I'm less stressed than ever now, because after 39 years I've learnt how to manage stress, particularly in the last 3 or 4 years.

The only downside now for me now, is I only have to glance at a weight to pull a muscle or sprain something, whereas when I was younger I was kind of invincible in the injury department.

I'm almost 40 and I don't profess to have the best physique there is, but I think it's better than your average 40 year old. On this forum Grubman is over 50 (https://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/grubman/) and so is Tblodg15 (https://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/tblodg15/) and they have great physiques. Also I know it's a different kettle of fish, but Jeff Cavaliere (look him up on YouTube or Instagram) is a natural and also over 40.

I do wish I hadn't pissed about in my thirties and left it this late, but you're left with the time you have and that's all there is to it.

Regarding the bending, twisting, etc, I assume this is repetitive moment and not with heavy weights. You might find that lifting heavy weights actually compliments these kind of repetitive movements that you make during the day. I had a bad back and bending over, getting into the car, etc was somewhat painful, but once I started lifting weights and strengthening my core, these types of movements were no longer an issue.

[ElrondHubbard]

I do wish I hadn't pissed about in my thirties and left it this late, but you're left with the time you have and that's all there is to it.

I think that applies to most of us. Had I not waited until I was 59 before getting serious, I would have a much better physique now. But I didn't, so I don't. The training I do is till completely worth it, though. I regret not starting sooner, but I don't regret starting eventually.

Regarding the bending, twisting, etc, I assume this is repetitive moment and not with heavy weights. You might find that lifting heavy weights actually compliments these kind of repetitive movements that you make during the day. I had a bad back and bending over, getting into the car, etc was somewhat painful, but once I started lifting weights and strengthening my core, these types of movements were no longer an issue.

Absolutely. Once I started lifting, all the joint and bone and muscle pain I used to attribute to "normal" aging magically disappeared!

[Wildtim]

As another guy with a heavy physical work schedule, Ive finally learned that the most important thing is to just get my workout done.

What I mean is, I schedule my workouts for specific days, right now Fri, Sun, Tues, and no matter what I workout those days. If I'm tired as hell after having to pick up extra work and busting my but for 14 hours I still have to work out. I might cut all my weights by half or my drop a set from all my exercises but I get in the gym and do something. Missing a day makes it too easy to miss two. Just keep doing something.

[gokite]

I'm 50. Just started working out again. 6'3" 192lbs. Put on plenty of weight since Jan 1. Lost a small amount of fat. Now at 204 lbs. So 10+ lbs muscle and lost fat. It can be done. I sat down over the holidays and developed a plan in Excel and take my phone to the gym and track my stats as I workout. I stick to the plan. I don't deviate. I don't over train. I don't under train. If I feel strong, I do the last set with 3-5% more weight. That's it. If I feel weak, I skip the last supplemental exercise. I focus on eating and sleeping to recover for the next workout in two days.

I like what others said. 5x5, etc. There's plenty. I recommend:

1) start with your overall approach. What do you think you can do? How much can you sleep? (I sleep 5-6 hrs a day, it's terrible, but apparently it's all I need most days). Make sure you can sleep and eat properly. Decide on a schedule. Don't let other events deter your schedule. Stick to saying YES to you.
2) Create a workout plan you think you can stick with. Write it down. Stick to it, the WHAT and the WHEN. When to work out. What to do. Only core lifts PUSH, PULL, PRESS, LIFT to start. Nothing fancy.
LEGS: Deadlift or Squat
CHEST: Incline Barbell or Flat Barbell
BACK: Pullups
Three times a week. Start light but be "fatigued" each day. Add some core work. Situps, Planks, Sledpush/pull, frogwalk, etc etc etc
3) Consider intermittent fasting. If your goal is health, either skip breakfast 5 days a week (workdays) and eat weekends, or do alternate day feeding. Eat one day, do not eat the next, eat, don't eat, etc. eat the days you work out if you do this. Try to work out in the morning on an empty stomach. You'll get used to it.

Most importantly track, and have fun. Don't let it bring you down. Ignore others, just focus on what you are doing and don't detract.

[wj72wc]

Since you're putting in 12 hour days, scheduling your "off" time is critical. You've gotta eat, sleep, and just relax as well.
Assuming you work 5 days per week, pick 3 days to reserve 1 hour in the evening for exercise. Plus, you've got your days off for exercise. If you work 4 days per week, pick 2 days to reserve to fit an hour in.
You're getting good advise from the other posts, you just have to create a realistic schedule to be able to implement that advise. Go for it.