I have recently been put on TRT and I do not want to let this chance pass me by. I have been a very small guy for my entire life and I want to grow some muscle. I have a thin, athletic build, and I do consider myself athletic. I have lifted weights in the past but I have never been over 140lbs.
Where do you guys get your BF percentages? I tried an online “calculator” and it measured me at 0%, which I know is not accurate because I certainly have developed a belly.
EDIT: I just tried on a different site and I get between 18-19%. I am 39, 5’8", and weigh 132 lbs. My waist is 32".
I have started a 4 day split, emphasizing compound exercises. I am open to all help.
Day 1: Upper Body (Push Focus)
Barbell Bench Press – 4 sets x 5-8 reps
Overhead Press (Barbell or Dumbbell) – 4 sets x 6-10 reps
Bench Dips (Substituted for Weighted Dips) – 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press – 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Lateral Raises – 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Triceps Rope Pushdown (or Close-Grip Push-ups if no cables) – 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Day 2: Lower Body
Barbell Squat (High-Bar or Low-Bar) – 4 sets x 5-8 reps
Romanian Deadlift (RDL) – 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Bulgarian Split Squats – 3 sets x 8-12 reps per leg
Nordic Hamstring Curl (Substituted for Hamstring Curls) – 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Single-Leg Calf Raise (Substituted for Seated Calf Raises) – 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Day 3: Upper Body (Pull Focus)
Bodyweight Pull-Ups (Substituted for Lat Pulldowns/Weighted Pull-Ups) – 4 sets x 5-8 reps
Bent-Over Barbell Rows – 4 sets x 6-10 reps
Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows (Added for Extra Lat Activation) – 3 sets x 8-12 reps per side
Face Pulls (or Band Pull-Aparts) – 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Barbell or Dumbbell Shrugs – 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Barbell or Dumbbell Bicep Curls – 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Day 4 (Optional): Lower Body
Deadlifts (Sumo or Conventional) – 4 sets x 5-8 reps
Front Squat (or Goblet Squat if no barbell) – 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Nordic Hamstring Curl (Substituted for Hamstring Curls) – 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Farmer’s Walk on Toes (Substituted for Standing Calf Raises) – 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
Glute Bridges (Weighted if Possible) – 3 sets x 12-15 reps
This is my actual waist measurement. I measured around my belly button.
I intend to do 4 days but I left day 4 as “optional” because my weeks get so full that sometimes I might only fit in 3. But I will be trying my best to be doing day 4 every week.
Perhaps it would be better to select a program built around 3 days so that’s it’s a non-concern? There are many very effective 3x week lifting programs out there for building muscle.
Honestly, it’s pretty shit. It is something I have never in my life had to think about because I have been the same size since high school. The only difference now is that I have a slight lower belly pooch.
I can say, however, that since the new year I have been successful in cutting out all sodas and sweet teas. But I am probably eating pretty high fats and carbs. My wife and I meal prep our lunches on the weekends. I usually do something like a casserole and split it up.
My morning coffee is probably the worst think I have all day. Calculations show it to be around 27g of sugar and 184 calories. The rest of breakfast consists of a Kind breakfast protein bar (9g sugar, 220 cal, 8g protein) and a Chobani yogurt (14g sugar, 150 cal, 9g protein).
Dinner is hit or miss with me. Usually whatever I can find and dig up from the pantry.
My personal recommendation would be to take the easy wins now.
You’re already prepping lunch, which is a huge victory! That’s a habit most people haven’t already built. Sounds like you are probably doing big batch baking, since you mentioned casseroles? Super easy to swap out ingredients - like cheese becomes low fat/ cottage, sour cream becomes Greek yogurt, etc. You can easily knock your calories in half that way.
Similarly, just work your coffee down. I am unsure on artificial sweeteners, and don’t want to recommend cancer, but that would be my personal swap. Alternatively, cut the sugar in half.
A bit curious here: given he’s expressed interest in wanting to grow, since he’s always been slight of frame, wouldn’t that work against his goals?
Nothing is inherently wrong with this with a goal for growing, but if it means at the expense of protein, that’s worth addressing. Fats and carbs are both energy sources: it’d be good to pick ONE of those to be your primary energy source and focus on that, and while at it, try to get quality sources for them.
I’m a big fan of a single ingredient approach to eating. If it comes out of a box or a package: don’t eat it.
You are absolutely correct. I think I confused which threads I was responding to. I read “combining fats with carbs” and immediately thought “ah, we need to take care of energy sources.”
Start with some basics. Eat 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight - if you have 3 meals and a snack/shake, that’s 30-35 g protein per meal. Easily doable.
Have some kind of workout nutrition. Biotest sells some great stuff, but anything is better than nothing.
Good start. Maybe build it out to include dinners also.
This is an easy meal to tweak. Use a splash of vanilla protein instead of creamer, find a better protein bar (if it has more sugar than protein it’s just a shitty candy bar), and get the triple 0 oikos yogurt. Boom, 35 g protein, almost the same meal. Add some fruit/eggs/bacon to get some extra calories and you’re good.
At your weight and since you’re a beginner, I wouldn’t worry about this.
This is just a start, but you’ll be able to improve as time goes on. Good luck!