Hello everyone, new here but been on TRT since Sept 2018. Some background - 46 years old, 5’10" 178lbs, train 4-5 days a week, bodybuilding style workouts, sleep 8hrs, clean diet usually 3000-3400 calories daily, been lifting off and on since 15 years old but consistently for past 4 years. Despite having Free T levels always over 45 on all my labs, 3 of them >50, I cannot gain any muscle. I have gotten stronger, leaner and harder, but overall size and weight hasn’t really changed. My free T level was 29 before starting TRT. Heaviest I’ve ever been was 189 almost 10 years ago. My last lab 2 weeks ago had me at 1146 TT and >50 FT. Anyone else have this issue and any advice? Is it a myostatin problem? Thanks.
It’s all about food my man. Slowly up your protein intake and eventually you’ll get to the point where it doesn’t seem like a lot of food. I eat twice a day and eat two pounds of meat per day minimum. I usually get a 25lb pork but and cook it at 250.over night for 10 hours and eat that for every meal with veggies and mashed potatoes or rice. Until I really started eating enough I didn’t see real gains and my free T is a good bit lower than yours.
Why did you start TRT with a FT of 29? Off topic, sorry.
Maybe 3k-3.5k calories isn’t enough. What were you eating before you were on TRT, same?
What are your macros? Like dextermorgan said, how much protein are you getting per day?
4-5 days lifting?
If your weight hasn’t changed BUT you have gotten leaner then you are putting on muscle. For 15 months on TRT I would say 5-10lbs of LBM added is pretty good.
What are “Bodybuilding style workouts”?
Full body workouts 2-3 times per week using Bench/Squat/Dead/Press…focusing on strength progression is where it’s at. Especially for hardgainers like yourself.
My question for you guys that have been on TRT for awhile…Did your TDEE go up simply from being on TRT?
Thanks for the reply. I currently eat 5 to 6 times a day, all but 1 with either bison or steak, some fish too. White rice, spinach, carrots, avocado with it generally. Taking in 200g+ protein daily min. Each meal is between 500 and 600 calories. Maybe 4000 calories is the answer?
Yeah you need more than whatever you’re eating
Had blood work done due to usual symptoms of low T. My total T was 393 and Free T 29 after labs/pre TRT. My SHBG is on the lower side between 24 and 27, which I assume has to do with the higher FT. I was eating 2000-2500 calories pre TRT. Currently at 11.7% BF using gym’s machine, for what that’s worth.
Hypertrophy sets and reps. Splits typically quads/calves, chest/biceps, hamstrings/glutes, shoulders/abs, and back/triceps. I do squat and deadlift. Actually, happy that I finally pulled a 400lb conventional deadlift 2 weeks ago. PB squat is 305, bench is 255. Thanks for the reply.
Up the calories to 5K…
Do 3-5 sets of 5/ 3 times per week of Bench/Squat/Overhead Press and Dead ONLY…
Get Bench over 300/Squat over 400 and Dead over 500…OVerhead Press your bodyweight…YOu’ll gain weight.
What is your cardio like and what do you do for work?
Putting on weight is pretty simple. Just eat more. With your free T numbers, muscle will follow. I’d say tho, you’re 46, very strong and lean. Extra weight does not translate well as we progress in life. Muscle or not, that extra mass comes with issues. To each his own on how you want to pursue your life and body goals but why are you pursuing more mass?
3-3400k cals seems kind of low for your size.
I’m 5’4.2" and weight 165.4lbs and I have to eat 3300-3500k calories.
If I were you I would definitely raise those calories
True, the heart doesn’t exactly know whether it’s point toward fat or muscle… although being fat induced a myriad of medical ailments and induced a systemically proinflamamtory state that strains the cardiovascular system as a whole… but still, larger mass, be it muscle or fat is strongly correlated with greater cardiac mass
Three words, “Fat and happy”
Sure… there’s a happy medium… or whatever you think is best
If you’re aware of the risks but aren’t phased (like me and low dose AAS/ dangerous activities like hang gliding and whatnot) then go for it
I’m mostly poking fun, but stuff does hurt less with a little bit of extra mass. A lot of extra causes problems, but that low double digit BF% is less comfortable as a whole. I don’t know if more weight means a little more E2 so things are happier or what, I just know too low extracts a payment in aches and pains.
Low single digit BF% is also unhealthy to sustain btw… depending on the person
If you’re young with a very fast metabolism and sporty then it’s understandable
When I was 12 I was about 4’11, 95-100lbs and 6-7% bf, played soccer, lifted weights and took Ritalin daily so I didn’t eat much. bf% was about 6 percent, I have pics… skinny, but veins on my lower abs, deep cuts (did a lot of ab shit) around the abdominal area, obliques visible the whole deal etc
I honestly think it doesn’t look as good. I get the need if you’re going on stage, but just waling around mid teens usually is actually more aesthetically pleasing, and I know it is for most of the ladies. Too ripped is a thing.
Idk when I get back I’m going to cut down to 7% just to see what I look like
(Well recomp and cut down, I’m detrained from being on holiday so long) so I’ll more than likely gain a few pounds of lean tissue whilst leaning out. I want to have the same level of strength I had a few months ago while reasonably lean. I think it’ll take me about 5 months
I’ve become fat, I think I’m close to 19-20% BF now, up from perhaps a tad over 15 before I left. I couldn’t afford decent food when I was alone, so I had to buy Burger King and McDonald’s much of the time and sustain off that… either that or instant noodles from the supermarket
Going back home tommorow
I am actually surprised that you couldn’t find better food options in small eateries for decent prices. I don’t eat fast food, and certainly not when I’m in Europe, but I have seen the prices and didn’t think it was cheaper than the little hole in the wall places we look for when travelling.