Back with T-results and new start needed

[kris50]

So its been a number of weeks since I was here and Ive filled in some nagging questions.

Here's the stats again: 45 years old, 6'4", 42" chest, 6'5" arm span - 196 pounds. Biceps 13.5" arm straight out, 15" flexed. 25" quad, 17" calves.

So I had my T-tested and it came in low 200's. Just took my first shot 2 days ago at 150 T-cyn and already feel better! Wow, I had no idea it would make a difference so quickly. Anyways I've read a lot since getting the results about TRT and running/reducing BMI. Just today I woke up and my shorts seemed a little tighter and I was up 2#'s on the scale, I wonder if Im beginning water retention or something...

My goal is to stay lean, and actually lean up some more. With all the activities of the last month I pulled back my workouts to 1-2 a week. I'll be back to a normal schedule until Christmas time starting after Labor Day. I feel like I really need to plan a 3 month program for this time frame.

My thoughts are to run a higher protein and fat diet with few carbs to reduce overall body fat. I usually do this method in the past when i feel the need to cut down after Ive up'ed my body fat %.

Diet looks like this, Morning 2 slices of bacon, 2 scoops protein shake (High Health version), a few dried apple chips (Costco) and some cream in my coffee. Lunch is usually a salad with chicken or meatballs mixed with peppers/onions and tomato sauce. Dinner is usually a protein, chicken/beef and vegetables(green ones), soup or sometimes something high in fat like artichoke dip without the chips/bread. I take vitamins in the morning and drink water (and some diet Mt Dew) during the day. Snacks may be a few nuts or something similar. Looking at that diet it seems a bit lean, so Im up for any suggestions.

Here's a couple questions:

-Are the amounts of T Im getting going to make much of a difference in how this process works? I was told I will be on 200 a week when settled in. Will I respond in a similar way like I did when I was 30? Or is there a bump in T I need to take advantage of here?
-Would a cardio route to reduced body fat % be a waste of the boosted T levels, and should I go for building some muscle mass and doing shorter runs and adding other excersise like swimming or ?
-Would now be a good time to hit the weights with the elevate T levels or are the levels really not that elevated enough to make a difference?

Thanks again for any advice

 

[Serotonin101]

200/week is plenty. Add cardio to reduce fat. Weight training to build muscle. Bulk or cut, choose one and stick with it.

 

[CFC]

-Are the amounts of T Im getting going to make much of a difference in how this process works? I was told I will be on 200 a week when settled in. Will I respond in a similar way like I did when I was 30? Or is there a bump in T I need to take advantage of here?
-Would a cardio route to reduced body fat % be a waste of the boosted T levels, and should I go for building some muscle mass and doing shorter runs and adding other excersise like swimming or ?
-Would now be a good time to hit the weights with the elevate T levels or are the levels really not that elevated enough to make a difference?

Thanks again for any advice

200mg/wk for TRT is pretty high - make sure you get bloods to check you're still in the normal range.

You should do well for a while on that, but eventually your body will re-establish homeostasis.

Whether you choose to cut some fat or add some muscle is very much personal preference. Most people are more satisfied with their look when they cut fat first, so I'd go with that personally.

As for weights, you should be hitting them all the time anyway, just for general health. So yes, definitely start!

 

[kris50]

Thanks for the reply!

Question, when I looked at my diet it seemed lacking in calories. Of course Im trying to get a deficiency for the weight loss but does it look low?

If Im going to gain muscle mass what should I add to that diet? Or eliminate or etc?

The reason I ask is a few years ago I want on a specific food diet with 5 meals a day with proteins and a lot of vegetables. I remember having to force myself to eat even when not hungry. I also lost weight and felt better at the same time.

Any thoughts are appreciated. Links to specific food diets or things that have worked for you

 

[Swim15]

Serotonin is spot on.

Get your caloric baseline, may take some playing around with, and then divide up the macros across 4-6 meals.

Personally I like higher protein all around (probably about 350g) and low fat (~40-45g) for quick cutting and fill the rest in with carbs across 6 mealsGetting ready to work the Olympia expo this weekend and cutting actually.

Adjust food down or cardio up as needed in small increments (down 100 cals one week, up 5min cardio the next) until you get the response you want.

 

[CFC]

Is there a reason you're not going back to your 5-meal diet w/lots vegetables if it worked for you before? That would be a more typical kind of diet.

At present, without exact portion sizes it's impossible to say how many calories you're eating. If your weight is stable on it without doing much exercise or lifting, it's probably suitable for now for fatloss and some lean body mass gain. Lunch and dinner look relatively wholesome. For breakfast I would ditch the protein powder and have 3-4 whole eggs instead. I'd also have some fresh fruit rather than dried apple chips. To snack in the day, a few peanuts and almonds would be good (high protein, good fats).

Also, obviously a focus on consistent training frequency, lifting weights, and doing cardio would be fundamental to any effort to recomposition your body.