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Thread: Gaining weight: where is the limit?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    232

    Default Gaining weight: where is the limit?

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    Hi everyone!
    Just returned from my vacation and really relaxed…need to train now.
    I’m going to start slowly now since 1 month of stop is enough to make my joints creak. I’m doing a short linear cycle to reach my previous lifts before Texas.
    I’ve a question for you all, especially those my age (you know I’m over 40’s..).
    I really want to improve my lifts and gain some weigh since the heavier I am the heavier I lift (it is just so, isn’t it?).
    What do you think? Should I aim to be 176-180 or is it too much since I’m short? In other words: what do you guys think is the limit?
    I don’t want to become a fat-ass just to be strong, but since I’m quite lean and I don’t give a damn about the so called six pack I was thinking about doing a “half gomad” for awhile and see what’s happen (a real Gomad I think is too much).
    Anyway I can always stop along the way if I balloon.
    Thank to all!

    Age 44 (just made – sigh)
    Height 5’5
    Weight 167
    Squat 1RM 396
    DL 1RM 450
    Press 1RM 158

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Colorado Springs
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    Good lifts for your body weight (I'd be happy with those at around 190lbs). I think you'll find it's just a typical diminishing returns scenario. You probably really won't know until you see how strong you can get. One day you'll just decide the return in strength isn't worth it (Of course you'll try some smart programming and diet changes before that day).

    I think there's a thread by Gary Gibson exploring this somewhere around here.

    Anyway, that's my non-expert opinion.

  3. #3
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    May 2010
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    Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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    There is a recent discussion on the matter here.
    http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=18490

  4. #4
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  5. #5
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    Jun 2008
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    Just to chime in and say that those are some pretty good lifts for your bodyweight.

    As a fellow oldster (39 anyways, not one of those kids who can eat, drink beer and lift more every session), I sympathize.

    I'm not sure I'd aim for a particular bodyweight, as you might have other intervening factors that aren't likely to be issues for younger lifters.

    Such as, I own a shitload of expensive suits and don't want to buy a full set a size up.

    Much more than 220 on my frame (220#) becomes a little unwieldy and my knees complain more often.

  6. #6
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    Feb 2010
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    St. Thomas, Ontario
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    I think there's been some serious point-missing in this thread. It reminds me of the folks that say "according to Kilgore's tables, i'm now an intermediate, therefor I need an intermediate program".

    Eat to support recovery. If you fail to increase strength, it is a sign you're eating too little. If you start to get chunkay, it is a sign you're eating too much (or poorly). The final answer can not be discovered until you discover it. Your height, "structure", job, hair color or testicular diameter do not determine the "ideal" weight to work up to.

  7. #7
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    Sep 2008
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    Thanks guys,
    I’ve read the Gary Gibson thread and some other stuff…
    Obviously I don’t want to gain weight per se, but I find myself more comfortable at 170, I am stronger. So, in order to make progress in my lifts I wanted to be more serious with my diet and gain some more weight. I think I can’t carry on too much more, but, considering that I easily lose weight (especially during the summertime) I’ll try to get to 176-180 and see what happens: if my lifts go really up (I aim to a 440 raw Squat and a 485 DL) then ok, if I fail, it doesn’t matter, I won’t be fired at work and my wife won’t leave me so I’ll certainly stay at my natural weight eating less, just to support my training.
    At the end, eating to be bigger and stronger is a training itself, almost a job, and seriously I don’t want to go to a movie with a refrigerator! And, if you want to be heavier and really more muscular you must eat even junk food because eating 3000-4000 cal. from “clean food” means you must eat all the time, a huuuge amount of food, every day, which is impossible in a normal adult life especially in older age (not talking about novice and Gomad)…
    I usually look at people’s squat and DL’s videos posted and I see a lot of strong guys…more stronger than me (it’s quite easy). But very often I see big and fat guys. I don’t hide and I say I still train to be stronger AND look like someone who trains.
    I’ve been gifted with a fast metabolism but on the other side I don’t want to exaggerate anything.
    Last year, same period, I was 158 and now I’m 167, as soon as I start moving my best weights, I’ll be 171 and that’s my all time limit. I want to discover what happens if I really eat more.
    I’ll start my Log (Texas) in Sept. and I’ll put there my diet too. We’ll see, to me, it’s a challenge.

    I know what my limits can be and my goals are what I think I can achieve with a year or two of dedication. Then I’ll stop thinking about being stronger…
    Maybe I’ll post my pics at 50 y.o. in the master B.B. forum (just kidding).
    Thanks again.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Thanks for making this thread, this is something I've been thinking about as wll recently.

    I'm 6'0 and 40, started SS in earnest in March at 200, dropped down to 195 after a month (but progressed well enough on lifts), then got serious about eating and am now at 215. My body seems highly inclined to stay at this point, as I have had numerous days where I ate to the point of pain for multiple meals, and I still haven't gone over 215 in the last month. My wife is alterately amused and outraged by how I weigh 215 at bedtime, then wake up and weigh 210, and have to struggle to get that 5 pounds back :-P

    I suppose if I eat a bunch of junk food and increase from 1/2 GOMAD to a full (which it appears Rip does not recommend for someone my age and weight), I could go higher, but should I? I mean, my lifts are not as good as the OP, but if I could reach kinda where he is and stay at 215, I'd be thrilled.

    Just a note - my press/bench/squat/dead numbers are 145, 202.5, 310, and 365 respectively for 3x5 (1x5 for deads). Still haven't gone to Texas method yet, though I've had a couple breaks for illness/injury that knocked me back several steps (grrr....)

  9. #9
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    Sep 2008
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    Yes, I think this eating stuff may be interesting to some older guys that are serious about their training as the younger but that cannot compare to them...as age goes on we (older guys) need to adjust some things in order to feel comfortable with what we are doing. We can't compare to a 20 y.o. boy and therefore we have to keep on training as he does with our little limitations. But, I am stronger now because now I know better what I'm doing (especially after discovering SS and Mr. Rippetoe). My Deadlift has improved a lot and I think that's an indicator of the overall body strenght. I'm not so concerned about my weight in fact as I start moving big weights I feel kinda hungry, more than usual and then I simply eat more. My concern is only because I don't think I'll endlessly try to make new PR's in the years to come since I fear that at 45+ age I could be looking for trouble, then I'm not a powerlifter and I don't compete in anything. I want to give myself tha chance to do my best in 2011 and I mean eating really more and
    training as well. I've set my goal and I'll reach them because I know I can make it if I do everything well. I decided to do half Gomad and see if that helps me with my lifts. I too can lose weight quickly, it's strange because it's not the same when it's time to gain. To gain some mass I really need to eat 6-7 times a day.
    One question on full gomad tbennet: how do you feel and how do you drink all this milk?
    Thank you!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    starting strength coach development program
    I feel great :-P I am the strongest I have ever been in my life, and I'm a lot less stressed over my diet - I LOVE to eat, so any exercise plan that *enourages* me to stuff my face is a gift from heaven :-P Blood pressure and lipid profile have all improved since I started lifting, even with a big jump in my fat intake. I have more energy during the day, I don't "crash" around 1-2:00 p.m., and I sleep like a brick (esp. on days where I lift).

    The milk thing is easy for me, actually - I've always been a big milk drinker, would go through 2 gallons a week anyway, now it's 3.5 to 4 a week (I haven't gone to full GOMAD yet, my post above was speculating on how I could do it if need be). Two big bowls of cereal for breakfast, a glass of milk when I get home from work, protein shake before bed, and usually a shake while lifting. It's spread throughout the day pretty evenly, no episodes of having to guzzle a quart at once. If I wanted to do GOMAD, it really wouldn't be hard - just add big glasses of it between breakfast and lunch, a second one at getting home, and a second one before bed. I also have a fridge in my office, and I keep milk in there at all times.

    MAJOR caveat, however - the whole reason I started this lifting business was that my doc put me on testosterone replacement therapy in January or so. He recommended that I take advantage of it and start exercising however I saw fit. He noted that guys on TRT tended to gain a few kilos of muscle even if they sat on their rear ends, so the effect was likely to be even better if one exercised.

    I am happy to report that he was right - even though my weight has been stable for the last month, my shirts are tighter every week. As toddmr mentioned above, that's actually a concern - I don't want to have to buy a whole new wardrobe for work, I like my suits I have now. That was another concern of mine that led me to read this thread...

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