I'm 38 years old and just started back at the gym. I don't really consider myself a newbie though, let me explain.
In my late teens I used to work out at the gym - I did reasonably well but although I was eating 6-7 meals a day my big mistake was to cut out all fats. My diet was really clean but I never ate egg yolks, full fat yogurt, full fat milk, etc. Aside from the gym I was always a lot more active back then as I didn't drive and would often walk 5 miles a day to and from college. Looking back the lack of fat in my diet was a major downfall in my progress, however I was strong and healthy.
Eventually I gave up the gym when I qualified and started my own business. Fast forward another 10 years and I start again at around the age of 28. This time though I go all out bulking. I was eating 6-7 meals a day or more, including fats. It was all quality, wholesome foods (no soda, sweets, chocolate, etc) and if I wasn't working out I was either sleeping or eating. Within the space of 2 years I made phenomenal progress, mainly due to the fact I was eating so much and from past experience I knew exactly how to work out and what to do. I did get some belly fat during this time but the plan was to eventually start the cutting process and lose this.
Anyway, children then came into my life and other priorities took over and again I gave up the gym for around 8 years before I could start cutting. However it's worse than that, as I replaced the gym and the wholesome meals with eating sweets, cakes and drinking tonnes of soda every day. So now my muscles have gone and I have a fat belly instead. The weird thing is, through the rolls of flab you can still just about see my upper abs as my core muscles are pretty thick.
So this bring us back to the present day, and I have re-joined the gym only yesterday. Now, I know that within 6 months I could easily have all of my muscle back, but that's not going to help with the flabby belly which will either remain the same or get worse. The fact that until the last 3 or 4 years I've never been fat, I'm not really sure what to make of it or what to do. I'm a big believer that you can't build serious muscle whilst also losing weight. So I'm wondering if I should just do cardio? Which is difficult as cardio is boring and I love lifting weights. Should I perhaps lift on alternate days? Or not bother with the lifting for the next 6-12 months and just hit the treadmill every day?
Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks
In my late teens I used to work out at the gym - I did reasonably well but although I was eating 6-7 meals a day my big mistake was to cut out all fats. My diet was really clean but I never ate egg yolks, full fat yogurt, full fat milk, etc. Aside from the gym I was always a lot more active back then as I didn't drive and would often walk 5 miles a day to and from college. Looking back the lack of fat in my diet was a major downfall in my progress, however I was strong and healthy.
Eventually I gave up the gym when I qualified and started my own business. Fast forward another 10 years and I start again at around the age of 28. This time though I go all out bulking. I was eating 6-7 meals a day or more, including fats. It was all quality, wholesome foods (no soda, sweets, chocolate, etc) and if I wasn't working out I was either sleeping or eating. Within the space of 2 years I made phenomenal progress, mainly due to the fact I was eating so much and from past experience I knew exactly how to work out and what to do. I did get some belly fat during this time but the plan was to eventually start the cutting process and lose this.
Anyway, children then came into my life and other priorities took over and again I gave up the gym for around 8 years before I could start cutting. However it's worse than that, as I replaced the gym and the wholesome meals with eating sweets, cakes and drinking tonnes of soda every day. So now my muscles have gone and I have a fat belly instead. The weird thing is, through the rolls of flab you can still just about see my upper abs as my core muscles are pretty thick.
So this bring us back to the present day, and I have re-joined the gym only yesterday. Now, I know that within 6 months I could easily have all of my muscle back, but that's not going to help with the flabby belly which will either remain the same or get worse. The fact that until the last 3 or 4 years I've never been fat, I'm not really sure what to make of it or what to do. I'm a big believer that you can't build serious muscle whilst also losing weight. So I'm wondering if I should just do cardio? Which is difficult as cardio is boring and I love lifting weights. Should I perhaps lift on alternate days? Or not bother with the lifting for the next 6-12 months and just hit the treadmill every day?
Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks
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