This follows on from my earlier blog today.
I'm now down well below 12 st and the lightest I've been since for 20 years!!! I'm really proud of that achievement, and I can tell that I'm one of the fittest people in my age group at the gym.
Having downloaded TT at the end of March and doing the fat loss program, and based on my tanita readings rather than my home scales I have shed over 5% of body fat in 10 weeks. Again something I am really proud of.
However, since downloading Vince Del Monte's No Nonsense Muscle Building, I'm just itching to build some size, particularly in my abs arms and to strengthen my right shoulder which still feels very week after injury over 15 months ago.
I am not going to abandon TT completely however, as Craig has some mass-building workouts and that is what I am going to do next. And I still want to be in this contest as I think it has at least helped me cut down on alcohol.
Ok so here are my goals.
1. To build 8lb muscle mass over the next 8 weeks.
2. Using a metabolic calculator I will need to be consuming 3,500 calories per day. Having done a nutrition log using fitday.com, I think I can quite easily achieve this. Although it will be really strange changing from eating 2 thirds of that over the last 10 weeks.
3. My ideal "ripped" weight is 175lb. I know I wont be ripped from just adding a few pounds of muscle, but that is the long term goal, and having done my reading, I may have to bulk up to 14st again and then cut down. but then that will be at least 6 months down the line, and I will see how things go at that time.
4. I will aim to keep my body fat below 21% according to the Tanita machine and to stay under 180lb by the end of the next 8 weeks.
I've been thinking long and hard about this decision, and I think it will help me get those 6 pack abs I really want. I will have more muscle mass to burn the fat, boosting my metabolism. Its just not going to happen overnight and I really think that adding muscle to my frame is the best course of action since I know I have the toolbox to really cut down when the time is right.
So, although I have done TT 2k9 today (a complete upper body workout), I will be starting TT Mass at Home (although it will be done mainly at the gym) on Wednesday from workout B (lower body). Resting tomorrow and eating big!!!
The next step will be to do TT for meatheads (god I hate that phrase) for weeks 9 to 12.
OK, its 11pm and I got the munchies so having a protein shake with some milk, and a cheese sandwich.
I can relax and get some sleep now!
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Neil, i understand your position and think you will do well on this new goal. however my advice would be to lower the calorie intake - 3,500 seems way too much. I believe that if you need more energy to build the muscle then let your body use the stored fat. That way you should acheive both goals. I am not using any fat % calculator but i can really see i've added muscle and strength while dropping fat - my average caloric intake is only 1,500.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris.
ReplyDeleteYes I've thought about this too, and this is what the met rate calculator suggests. I am finding eating to that level quite hard even after 2 days.
I probably get nearer to 3000 than 3500. In any event, I am aiming to minimize any fat gain. TT says not to do any cardio for muscle gain.
I think its also best not to chase 2 goals as you seldom achieve both.
I am still doing some cardio despite CB's recommendations, both intervals and lower intensity stuff. For me it is important for my conditioning which is something I am not prepared to lose on