Back Again

I'm back again. Let me explain. Due to financial concerns (my bank account had hit rock bottom), I wasn't able to renew my gym membership and I didn't have the gas money to travel to the gym where I have trained since the early '80s.

I haven't weight trained for about two and a half years.

When I don't train, my body cannot maintain muscle and size. I literally shrank.

I didn't do any exercise during that period - no push ups, no chin ups, not even abdominal crunches. I stagnated.

I lost about 40 pounds of muscle ending up at a weight of 168 pounds.

I took measurements of myself on January 5, 2013; here is the tale of the tape:

Weight: 168 lbs.
Left arm: 14.25 inches
Right arm: 14 inches
Chest: 41-3/8 inches
Waist: 34-7/8 inches
Hips: 37.5 inches

I lost so much muscle from my chest that I now have stretch marks; my arms shrank from over 17 inches to an embarrassing 14 inches.

I finally was able to start a new gym membership at a gym not too far from where I live. My official start date was Wednesday May 1, 2013.

I am under no delusion that I'll be able to regain the look I had when I was in my thirties (I am now 61 years old). But I do want to regain as much muscle and size that I can.

Since I am no longer a 'throw caution to the wind youngster', I have to train intelligently. I have to train in a manner that respects my age and the physical limitations that accompanies all seniors.

But I am still a hardgainer. That means I have to train hard and use heavy weights.

But after a two and a half year hiatus, I have to begin slowly.

My muscles have to slowly be reacquainted with the stress of "pumping iron". After an absence from the gym that I have experienced, my muscles have "forgotten" the torture they went through for years.

This means starting each muscle group and exercise with lengthy warm-ups periods and very light weights. When you lose muscle, you lose strength.

But there is something working in my favor called "muscle memory". Muscles "remember" their former condition and will work towards regaining that condition in a relatively short period of time.

I am actually embarrassed that I have been unable to train for this length of time. I began bodybuilding in 1978 and until now haven't missed more than a few months of training.

Exercise is important towards living a healthy lifestyle. The other component is nutrition. However in terms of impact and overall importance, nutrition outweighs exercise by a percentage of 80% nutrition to 20% exercise.

I began changing my nutrition plan about two weeks before I started my gym membership.

In order to gain weight, I need to consume in excess of 4,000 calories a day. I have to increase my consumption of protein too./p>

I am now drinking 3 to 4 whey protein shakes a day; I also supplement with creatine which is great for building muscle.

I am also eating a variety of raw nuts, bananas, Nature's Path organic cereal, raw vegetables covered with extra virgin olive oil, and organic beef patties.

Stayed tuned. I will keep you informed about my progress and will include photographs.

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