Making zero gains.

My whole life Iv been very well built did a lot of press ups / sit ups as a kid but not later in life at, 21 - 27 people were convinced I was lifting weights when I never was had a natural physique most guys had to work hard for, I had my testosterone checked for possible source of depression and it was 650 ng/dl but now at 35 Iv lost all my mass, I started at the gym a year and a half ago more so for exercise for my mental health I have been a long term sufferer of depression, I'm making zero progress in weights have never moved up, when I'm at the gym I'm pumped when lifting,
I take a look in the mirror after for results and I look jacked like I have the potential to be a proper body builder if I wanted to be, wake up the next morning and its all completely deflated.

I start with the shoulder press machine 86 kg 3 sets of 10
Chest fly 20 kg 3 sets of 10
Incline bench press 50 kg 3 sets of 10
Decline bench press 50 kg 3 sets of 10
Military press 17 kg 3 sets of 10
Bicep machine 32 kg sets of 10
Bench press machine 74 kg 3 sets of 10
Barbell curl 10 kg 3 sets of 10
10 minutes of intense cardio

I'm 35, 160 lb, 5'9.

Diet is, for breakfast a bowl of special K, a double scoop protein shake, after gym another a double scoop protein shake and one main dinner meal, I also started taking a multi vitamin.

So I'm probably not eating enough but in my 20's I didn't eat any more then now and was jacked plus I was aiming to loose fat weight and lost 42 pounds since xmas, was concerned if I eat any more Id gain fat weight again but obviously not eating enough to build muscle.

Can anyone chime in on what I should be eating if that's the problem I assumed since taking protein shakes it would make a big difference it does at the gym but no long lasting results or is there anything else I'm doing wrong?, Iv also quit doing the 10 minutes of cardio as Iv read it might be eating into gains.

Since depression was brought up - the eye of the beholder is already skewed

What you look like - I have no clue


But, myself personally - I do shit that is quite similar, wtf why don't I look good(I'm 5'9""-5'10" 205+ Lbs @ under 10% Bf)


When I got myself to 600 total test or so, it wasn't enough - I jumped back on & stayed on. Running my total test at a minimum of 1k


I def feel better, but I'm still on a constant roller coaster







GL man

Kind of my point I never had to take any A.S already had 650 ng /dl naturally was lucky to have good genetics, does it all just go to shit after 30?, I read it's a 1% drop yearly so I shouldn't have lost this much muscle, should probably include for over a year I was only eating once a day to loose fat weight, I only added in the protein shakes 3 months ago and only started eating breakfast again a month ago or so, I thought adding in these extra meals would get my muscles growing again but so far no luck.

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Originally Posted by edmundo22

Kind of my point I never had to take any A.S already had 650 ng /dl naturally was lucky to have good genetics, does it all just go to shit after 30?, I read it's a 1% drop yearly so I shouldn't have lost this much muscle, should probably include for over a year I was only eating once a day to loose fat weight, I only added in the protein shakes 3 months ago and only started eating breakfast again a month ago or so, I thought adding in these extra meals would get my muscles growing again but so far no luck.

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Up the weight's and you'll see gains.

20lb barbell curl man.

I'm not able to up the weights I tried 15 lb bar curl yesterday couldn't lift it, whatever I do in the gym is gone the next day so its constantly like starting on day one after doing it a year and half, I really would have thought it's due to not eating enough or am I consuming enough calories?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edmundo22

My whole life Iv been very well built did a lot of press ups / sit ups as a kid but not later in life at, 21 - 27 people were convinced I was lifting weights when I never was had a natural physique most guys had to work hard for, I had my testosterone checked for possible source of depression and it was 650 ng/dl but now at 35 Iv lost all my mass, I started at the gym a year and a half ago more so for exercise for my mental health I have been a long term sufferer of depression, I'm making zero progress in weights have never moved up, when I'm at the gym I'm pumped when lifting,
I take a look in the mirror after for results and I look jacked like I have the potential to be a proper body builder if I wanted to be, wake up the next morning and its all completely deflated.

I start with the shoulder press machine 86 kg 3 sets of 10
Chest fly 20 kg 3 sets of 10
Incline bench press 50 kg 3 sets of 10
Decline bench press 50 kg 3 sets of 10
Military press 17 kg 3 sets of 10
Bicep machine 32 kg sets of 10
Bench press machine 74 kg 3 sets of 10
Barbell curl 10 kg 3 sets of 10
10 minutes of intense cardio

I'm 35, 160 lb, 5'9.

Diet is, for breakfast a bowl of special K, a double scoop protein shake, after gym another a double scoop protein shake and one main dinner meal, I also started taking a multi vitamin.

So I'm probably not eating enough but in my 20's I didn't eat any more then now and was jacked plus I was aiming to loose fat weight and lost 42 pounds since xmas, was concerned if I eat any more Id gain fat weight again but obviously not eating enough to build muscle.

Can anyone chime in on what I should be eating if that's the problem I assumed since taking protein shakes it would make a big difference it does at the gym but no long lasting results or is there anything else I'm doing wrong?, Iv also quit doing the 10 minutes of cardio as Iv read it might be eating into gains.

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- Protein shakes are garbage. Use real food. Go to our diet and nutrition forum and read the stickies. Cereal also is junk. Right off the bat you aren't eating enough food either, no where close to it. Looks like maybe 1000-1200 calories.

- Are you taking any medication for the depression ?

- Don't think you need High Intensity cardio when you are 160 lbs. You could do some very light cardio to get blood flowing before a workout

- Don't get hung up on the numbers (amount of weight you are lifting). Strength will eventually come over time. Focus on the nutrition and sleep, priority #1.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edmundo22

I'm not able to up the weights I tried 15 lb bar curl yesterday couldn't lift it, whatever I do in the gym is gone the next day so its constantly like starting on day one after doing it a year and half, I really would have thought it's due to not eating enough or am I consuming enough calories?

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15lb curl bar? 7.5lb for each bicep to move?

I dunno man, that's going to need to be looked into.

You need to break down muscle to build muscle

Get a blood test now that you are 35. If your last one was years ago then it might have changed drastically and you may require testosterone therapy.

I would also eat more. You are very light and from the sounds of it stay very lean.

Start eating oats in the morning instead of cereal. And instead of protein powder have something like chicken and rice or tuna and baked potato. Peanut butter is a goos high calorie food. Lots of pb sandwitches if you really have too

Start eating more food and you will get stronger while you wait to get this issue sorted.

Your number one problem is diet. You need to eat enough food to grow and you want to eat quality foods so you get the proper nutrition to give your body the fuel to grow. Don't get discouraged as diet is the most difficult aspect of bdybuilding IMO.

Your second problem is most likely the hormone content n your body. Obviously I have very little to go on here but if I could place a wager then I'd bet your test levels are low. (Some men may be fine with low levels and that's ok but it's not optimal for building muscle).

My advice, first and foremost, is to make an appt with an endocrinologist to find out if you're eligible for trt. While you're waiting for your appt go out and buy several pounds of 94% lean ground beef, chicken breast, and salmon, along with yams, rice, avocado, etc (these are some of my go to foods but there are many other options). Download a calorie counting app like "my fitness pal" and plug in your values to find out exactly how much of your newly purchased food you need to eat every day to gain weight. (The quality of that weight will be determined by the quality of the foods you eat).

This will be annoying and tedious for a couple weeks and then it will become second nature. After a while you'll be able to look at a plate of food and guess within 100 cals how many cals are on that plate. It's a process and over time you will get better at it.

Once you're eating enough of the right foods, even with low test, you will start growing. Stop looking at it like you're supposed to be bigger the next day after training. We don't grow in the gym. We grow while we're resting and eating. The point of lifting is to cause enough damage to the muscle to force it to adapt by getting bigger and stronger....which only happens if your body has the nutrients to do so.

Unfortunately, this is not a fast process and like anything in life, the more you do it the better you will get.

Another helpful tool is to set short term and long term goals because there will be days when you question why the hell you're doing all of this anyway lol and if you have goals in place it will help keep you motivated.

Good luck man. Let me know how you feel after eating properly for just one week. I assure you the difference will be apparent!

Thank you for the reply's, I know it's best to get nutrients from real foods but would an all in one bulking powder do the job?, not as good as the real thing but should be somewhat effective in making up for lost calories / carbs / fats etc, really don't see myself wolfing down 6 eggs and 4 chicken breasts daily and again I'm not aiming to be a body builder just want some decent gains to match the work I do in the gym.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edmundo22

Thank you for the reply's, I know it's best to get nutrients from real foods but would an all in one bulking powder do the job?, not as good as the real thing but should be somewhat effective in making up for lost calories / carbs / fats etc, really don't see myself wolfing down 6 eggs and 4 chicken breasts daily and again I'm not aiming to be a body builder just want some decent gains to match the work I do in the gym.

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No, bulking gainer powders are garbage. Easily the most useless supplement. If you can't eat and need to drink your calories then make your own shakes with real food (Whole Milk, Egg Whites, Peanut butter, oats, etc)

Your diet is TERRIBLE..........solve that and you will solve your problem.........

Sorry if I missed it,but how is your sleep?

My sleeps pretty decent, I reckon homemade shakes are the way forward for me, is there a specific recipe for a shake you can make for both bulking and protein?, how many calories per day am I aiming for including what I already eat for breakfast and dinner?, will I need to consume the same amount everyday or just work out days?, would be concerned all the extra calories would make me gain fat weight.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edmundo22

My sleeps pretty decent, I reckon homemade shakes are the way forward for me, is there a specific recipe for a shake you can make for both bulking and protein?, how many calories per day am I aiming for including what I already eat for breakfast and dinner?, will I need to consume the same amount everyday or just work out days?, would be concerned all the extra calories would make me gain fat weight.

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You need to read all of the diet stickies, they will answer all of your questions.

Just get your shit together - I have been working on this myself for decades. . . Relax & figure out what you want

Iv found two recipes one for 600 calories and one for a thousand both require whey protein powder though, on top of my breakfast and dinner how many more calories more would I need and could I replace the breakfast with a shake also.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edmundo22

Iv found two recipes one for 600 calories and one for a thousand both require whey protein powder though, on top of my breakfast and dinner how many more calories more would I need and could I replace the breakfast with a shake also.

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We don't know your TDEE so we have no idea how many calories your body requires. You need to read the diet stickies like I said - they will answer all of your questions and provide you a solid educational foundation to fix your problems.

Spoon feeding you answers is not going to accomplish anything for you.

Heres a gift to start:

Meal 1: 4egg whites, 2 whole eggs, 2 pieces of turkey bacon, 2 pieces of ezekiel bread
Meal 2: 1/4 cup of almonds, 1 Protein bar (I like power crunch triple chocolate, super low sugar and 13g protein)
Meal 3: 6-8 ounces of lean beef, 1 cup of Brown rice
Meal 4: 8oz grilled chicken, 1 cup of brown rice,
Meal 5: 6-8oz of Steak, 1 serving of Sweet Potato
Meal 6: 1/4 Cup of almonds, 1 String Cheese

Here I'll give you a gift too....and you can drink this ;)

(I eye all this shit out so bear with me on measurements)

~1 1/2 cups liquid chickens aka liquid egg whites (nice and clean source of fast absorbing whole food albumin protein)

6 tablespoons of peanut butter (source of healthy fats and some protein and high in cals..You wanna get the fresh pressed kind if they have it or you can get the jar but make sure it has little to no sugar in it)

2 tablespoons of flax seed oil (great source of omega fatty acids, epa, dha, all that good stuff and also adds some cals)

2 cups whole strawberries (loaded with nutrition and acts as a filler to thicken it)

2 fat handfuls of kale (loaded with nutrition)

and pour some Kefir in there or 1/2 cup of greek yogurt (good source of probiotics and some extra protein)

and you can add honey to make it taste better but that's up to you. I eat for purpose most of the time so taste isn't too important to me. With honey this tastes pretty good. But taste isn't the focus here this isn't a Chik Fil A milk shake lol it's a nutrient and calorie dense whole food monster mass shake lol or something like that haha.

Anyway, that should give you in the ball park of 1,200 calories and it's healthy. It takes a little bit of effort but will be a far better option than a cheap weight gainer loaded with sugar and you'll feel and look a lot better, too.

Thank you for the recipes and meal plan, Iv figured out how many calories I'll need by multiplying my body weight in pounds by 15 - 16, final question, I'm not actually thin have lost 42 pounds since Xmas but still have fat around stomach and on my behind, will all the extra calories cause me to gain extra fat, is it possible to burn fat while bulking?, I only work out three days a week so will I need the calorific surplus every day of the week?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edmundo22

Thank you for the recipes and meal plan, Iv figured out how many calories I'll need by multiplying my body weight in pounds by 15 - 16, final question, I'm not actually thin have lost 42 pounds since Xmas but still have fat around stomach and on my behind, will all the extra calories cause me to gain extra fat, is it possible to burn fat while bulking?, I only work out three days a week so will I need the calorific surplus every day of the week?

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This is not how you determine how many calories your body requires. You don't seem to be interested in taking my advice even though I am trying to help you. Good luck.

Well I also used an online calculator that gave me the same result as multiplying body weight, the other factor to consider is I'm not working at the moment which would mean I might need less calories then calculated, just had my first 600 cal oat peanut butter protein milk shake, tasted delicious, only have to drink 4 more will take some getting used to.

There is no pure science to this. Its trial and error and each person is DIFFERENT......I lose weight faster with eating more food, if I eat too little my body naturally stalls. Also I am carb sensitive. These are things as you go along, its basically a science project. If you want to lose fat, eat at maintenance level or deficit and workout and do HIIT. If you want to build muscle eat in a surplus. Its that simple.

Just get in the gym more, train harder, do more cardio and eat more food. Come back in month and report back.

Well according to the calculator and the multiplying thing I need to consume 2600 calories, Iv drank 2000 so far feeling nice and sick, would 2000 not suffice?

Enough with the questions everything was answered. GO try something and workout.

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Originally Posted by edmundo22

Well I also used an online calculator that gave me the same result as multiplying body weight, the other factor to consider is I'm not working at the moment which would mean I might need less calories then calculated, just had my first 600 cal oat peanut butter protein milk shake, tasted delicious, only have to drink 4 more will take some getting used to.

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You're missing so much from that shake. The reason you're not making gains is because you keep trying to do things your own way. Try taking suggestions and start applying the things people are telling you and I assure you you'll start growing.

Eat fucking chicken breast or fish,don't drink every food lmao.

I'm seriously growing!!, what a difference an extra 1200 calories makes, Friday consumed 2600, worked out, my muscles have grown quite a bit especially today and I'm only getting started, Saturday didn't sleep enough woke up in a depression hole didn't have the will to consume extra calories said fuck it so the growth I'm seeing right now is just from one 2600 calorie day, will get back at it tomorrow now I'm feeling better, my test levels must still be pretty decent after all, will work on my diet get the nutrition correct, thanks again for everything glad I made this post, with actual solid results it's a huge motivator to do even better at the gym.

LOL welcome to the concept of carb loading. The size difference you see if simply from your glycogen stores filling up giving your muscles a fuller appearance. As you grow this will become more and more noticeable. Once you have some muscle on you it's crazy to see how much your size can fluctuate from one day to the next depending on carbs, water, and sodium intake.