re: Can you realistically build muscle in your 50's?

Thank you for sharing this, and prayers sent for your wife and yourself.

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So I started out doing the same weight lifting exercises but with no weight or just enough weight to activate the muscle that I wanted to develop much like the bodybuilders of my youth did. I incorporated an appropriate amount of protein as recommended to maintain or build muscle mass. I started taking creatine monohydrate and a pre-workout and a recovery protein drink. Well long story longer I have been successfully doing this since around Mardi Gras and I have never in my life put on muscle mass like I am now. I can’t believe it. I should’ve done this a long time ago.

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I wonder how much is from the change in lifting vs the introduction of additional protein plus Creatine.

Not to discount your personal experience, as I only have applause for what you’re trying to do, I’m just interested in this idea that you are gaining a lot of muscle mass without lifting heavy weights.

I would think the bodybuilders you mentioned were lifting heavy weights at some point to put on the mass.

When you lost the 50 pounds, likely at least 12-15 of that was lean body mass which was probably 10% of your total muscle mass, and then when you gained 20 back, most of that was probably fat if you weren’t working out or focusing on protein.
So you were in a position of weighing 193 at 5’7 after a quick and significant loss of muscle mass. In those conditions, I wouldn’t be surprised by pain in joints.

Sounds like you’re in a good spot, so congratulations, but I would bet you’d have to start adding weight to your workouts to keep progressing.

Here's some data for what happened to me. 62 yr old man



From 01/01/2022 - 05/10/2022 I was sick with covid and unknown to me I had uncontrolled diabetes. No exercise, no diet. I was just losing weight because of the diabetes.

05/10/2022-11/15/2022 I was eating low carb and walking 1.5 miles/day, 7 days/week

11/15/2022-02/01/2023 I was doing 30 minutes of elliptical 6 days/week and weight machines 3 days/week

01/15/2023 I reduced my cardio to 20 minutes Tue/Thur/Sat and resistance on M/W/F. I also started eating more protein.

I lost about 15 lbs of muscle while losing 80 lbs of weight. Due dietary/exercise changes I have stopped losing weight/muscle. I look a lot more muscular and vascular now but I have less muscle.

I'm not sure what the takeaway here is...don't get fat or let work dominate your life. Eat right, exercise and enjoy life.

I want to get down to 20% BF. Not sure how I'm going to do that. I think age is working against me now when it comes to building muscle.

Episode #222?

Sweet. Thanks! Will listen to it at lunch in just a bit.