muscle gain - body fat loss - same weight

2010-05-03T01:03:00.003+01:00

Well, it's time to report my progress. I'm still the same weight, but I seem to have gained a bit of muscle replacing fat.

The perspectives are slightly different so it's not an exact comparison, but there is definitely more muscle.
If I didn't have the comparison, I would have been disappointed with the lack of weight gain. However, this is visual proof of improvement.
This has given me the incentive to ramp up my exercise for the next month. Arthur De Vany says that muscle gain takes time, so I will stick at it, and report progress at midsummer. That gives me around six weeks to gain what I can. There's no excuses, it's down to me.

muscle gain or lack of...

2010-03-25T20:50:00.021Z

I have been on a paleo diet since March 2007.

Take a look at the about me and paleo page for my journey up to now.

So here I stand with my arms raised, at 6 feet tall and 141 lbs.

As you can see I have low bodyfat, the veins on my lower abdomen are visible for the first time in my life, but I'm low on the muscle mass.

After extensive medical tests to see if there was any undiagnosed reason for my weight loss, I have had the all clear. I can easily gain weight (fat) with extra carbohydrates. I've come to the conclusion that I have to put work into building my strength and muscle mass.

As the years have passed, I realise now that I have not worked to maintain muscle mass. When I have been heavier, the weight has disguised this gradual muscle wastage as I have aged.

Now I've stripped away the fat, it's obvious at 141 pounds that I am under muscled. I reckon that I have 5 pounds less of lean muscle compared to when I was 30. I weighed 150 pounds then, but at least 4 pounds was bodyfat compared to now.

I was 10 stone 10 lbs (150 pounds) in 1984 after 5km run. 30 yrs old, at what I consider to be my fittest, (in retrospect, back then, I should have worked on gaining strength, especially my upper body) and that was my target weight, when I adopted a paleo lifestyle, which I now know will be for the rest of my life.

I have been on a Doug McGuff, Body by Science, weekly routine since January, and I have gained 2 pounds of muscle. This book has helped me to understand about slow and fast twitch muscle, the best way to gain strength safely, and at a steady rate.

Here is an excellent review of Body by Science, written by 70 years old Michael Allen on the benefits of this type of exercise for the older person.

My aim is to ramp up my workrate for the next 5 weeks, and see if I can gain 4 pounds of muscle by the end of April. Then do a comparison photo.

If I can get to my target of 150 pounds by the end of the year I will be very satisfied. If I maintain my current bodyfat level and gain 9 pounds of muscle, that will be 4 pounds more muscle than when I was 30, 26 years ago! I am not that bothered about gaining muscle for the look, I want it for overall strength into old age. I'm hoping that going public with my goals, will give me the added incentive I need.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Paleo for Life

2010-03-02T23:03:00.000Z

A blank canvas. Hopefully not for long.