Age and diet

[packerbacker]

Brand new to Starting Strength, I'm 32 years old. I am 5'11" 200 lbs, not looking to get "ripped" but rather just get stronger. I'm hoping to maximize the results of your program with proper nutrition as noted in your book. I read a few older posts on milk and I am particularly interested in its impact on older males. From some of the remarks I have seen you make it would appear you do not feel 32 is old, is that correct? I saw you had an article in a crossfit mag on older lifters but the link was no longer valid.

Would someone like me benefit from drinking whole milk as you suggest?
Or is this more for the younger crowd still actively growing?
I have always drank a lot skim milk, I'd estimate 32oz+ daily - is this "good enough" or do you still recommend I drink whole?
Perhaps drink less whole vs more skim?
Am i overthinking this?

Just want to get this right from the beginning.

[Mark Rippetoe]

A Clarification | Mark Rippetoe

[DieselBro]

Proper diet is going to be defined by initial body composition... if you are a "skinny" 200 lb then you need a caloric surplus to drive gains... I was a fat 275, so I used a slight deficit. Protein 1g per lb of BW, everything else is going to vary.

[packerbacker]

A Clarification | Mark Rippetoe

Perfect! Given my specific situation I read this as cut the milk altogether and follow a Paleo style diet. Funny because having not really known what exactly a paleo diet entailed I had to look it up and found that we've basically switched to these type of eating habits over the last 2 months already.

Any specific numbers I should be shooting for on a daily basis with respect to grams of carbs, protein, etc? I know every situation is different and things change but at least a general starting point?

[Dave Hahn]

Any specific numbers I should be shooting for on a daily basis with respect to grams of carbs, protein, etc? I know every situation is different and things change but at least a general starting point?

This might help.


To Be A Beast | Barbell Medicine | To Be A Beast | Barbell Medicine

[packerbacker]

Proper diet is going to be defined by initial body composition... if you are a "skinny" 200 lb then you need a caloric surplus to drive gains... I was a fat 275, so I used a slight deficit. Protein 1g per lb of BW, everything else is going to vary.

so @ 200lbs I need to be eating 200grams of protein a day?!

[crookedfinger]

so @ 200lbs I need to be eating 200grams of protein a day?!

Yes!!!!

Also, at your height/weight you shouldn't be looking to lose weight. I am 5'11", 247 and 42 years old. I regularly squat in the low 500's and pull in the low 600's.
I would anticipate running an LP until your squats are in the low to mid 300's and your deads are in the low to mid 400's. At which point, your body weight will be somewhere between 220-225. You'll look better than you do now. Just to give you some targets and expectations.

[z3nrunn3r]

Perfect! Given my specific situation I read this as cut the milk altogether and follow a Paleo style diet. Funny because having not really known what exactly a paleo diet entailed I had to look it up and found that we've basically switched to these type of eating habits over the last 2 months already.

Are you being facetious?

Any specific numbers I should be shooting for on a daily basis with respect to grams of carbs, protein, etc? I know every situation is different and things change but at least a general starting point?

Eat a bunch of stuff, mostly meat and dairy, a few vegetables to ward off constipation and a couple of teaspoons of creatine, because your getting a little long in the tooth.

What is the consensus on souse, I think it tastes great, but I like to drink vodka with cranberry juice which renders me both uncultured and deficient in the senses department.

[Smyth]

Two points:

1) 32 is not old in this world.

2) There is no reason to drink skim milk. Ever. Drink whole milk, just less of it if you're older.

[cph]

I would anticipate running an LP until your squats are in the low to mid 300's and your deads are in the low to mid 400's. At which point, your body weight will be somewhere between 220-225. You'll look better than you do now. Just to give you some targets and expectations.

I'm close in age/height/weight to the OP, and this is almost dead on to my experience, except the deadlift. (I don't see how it's possible to maintain the deadlift 50+ lbs ahead of the squat unless YNTDP.) I'd also say I'm heavier than I've ever been @220-225, but still about the same BF% as when I started at 195.