@eternal_life I've done a bit of IF in my time. The suggestion here though is to eat at a surplus in order to gain strength/size. Not sure that the Lean Gains protocol is in order for that.
M, 41, 5'9", 150 -- Not getting stronger on L-sit Pull-ups, dips, tucked ice-cream makers, pseudo planche push-ups
- Thread starter fanner570
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eternal_life
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@fanner570 That's actually the point, it is. Basically you are eating a surplus on workout days, and maintenance or a slight deficit on rest days. Basically at the end of the week your total calories should be a bit more than your weekly TDEE. I find it much easier to do a nice slow and controlled bulk (~.5lb a week) this way. Just something to consider.
@eternal_life Very interesting. I'll have to look into leangains more thoroughly. Thank you for the suggestion!
eternal_life
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@fanner570 There is a sub for it. Their side bar is good but the users are not super helpful.
@fanner570 As someone who feared to take back the pounds I lost on a diet, you won't get fat in a 1, 2 or 3 months doing bwf on a clean bulk... far from it. So eat eat eat, but veggies, meat and dairies, no bullshit 
@ohcean To add on to this, in particular make sure you are getting enough protein. This was a problem I just discovered; I was eating great, and even slowgaining weight, but didn't have enough protein in my diet. Once I started eating more than it felt like I should, I made fantastic increases in my workouts and lost a couple lbs.
@fanner570 Do you take weeks off/deload?
@fanner570 I'm a few years older than you also doing a lot of body weight progression work. Have you considered that your testosterone levels could be in the shitter? I haven't had mine tested but I do actively try to keep them naturally elevated. Loss of or inability to gain muscle is an indicator. Other than that I do sets of negative reps for each exercise every workout. I can muscle up on rings, but I worked to get there doing negative reps from the top. Doing the same thing with front levers now.
@gymgirl73 Well, they're probably not as high as they once were. That said, I don't think that I'm a poster boy for low-T -- no sexual dysfunction, I'm not exhausted for no reason, etc. I've always had difficulty gaining muscle though. I've got a small frame. My arm and leg muscles are pretty skinny. They look too skinny to be able to do the relatively modest workload that I describe above.
So... how do you keep your levels naturally elevated?
So... how do you keep your levels naturally elevated?
@fanner570 I supplement around 5000 iu's of D3 each day as well as zinc, magnesium and B6. The resistance training also keeps it elevated. Sex, ...with or without a partner, will elevate your testosterone as well. Sleep and diet are important too. I eat 4 eggs per day and a couple of tin's of sardines throughout the week. Its made from cholesterol, so if you are on any kind of statin that could possibly affect it.
@gymgirl73 Thanks for responding. No statins. Sounds like I should be eating foods high in cholesterol. Sounds delicious!
@fanner570 How long have you been working out for?
@fanner570 150 at 5'-9 is pretty thin. Your constant exhaustion may be from your fear of bulking from eating. Your muscles need food! Eat a little more, cutting is easy. It is as if you are cutting already.
@fanner570 Eat more. If you don't eat, you don't recovery, you don't grow. Gains purgatory. Your example of plateau with SS says it all.