Getting fit at 60

[maxxblue]

I need some suggestions, please. I'm 5'9" tall and started off my workouts weighing 172 lbs. I now weigh 165 lbs. Which I think is about the proper weight. But, I can't seem to lose the man boobs, roll around the waist and a bit of a gut. I work out 5 days a week on my home machine. I do planks, side planks, leg raises, crunches on a slant board, squats, leg lifts, push ups, cardio work on an elliptical machine 3 days a week. I drink a water/whey protein drink and an egg in the morning, another whey protein drink after working out, maybe have soup for lunch. No snacks, no soft drinks. Eat reasonably well at night, but not perfect. I took Hydroxycut SX7 Black Onyx for 6 weeks along with AminH2O BCAA drink while working out. When not taking the Hydroxycut I drink 12 oz. of Cellucor C4 Ultimate 20 mins. before working out. I am not wanting to put too many stimulants in my body at once. My pants fit better but I just can't make any other progress.

Is there anything I can differently to eliminate the boobs, gut and waist roll? Or, do I need to face the fact that at 60 it is what it is?

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

 

[twoton]

I can't offer any advice at all about the supplements. I've never taken anything aside from the infrequent purchase of whey protein powder.

The bottom line is the moobs and roll are body fat.
However, you might want to start weight training. The cardio workouts aren't doing what you want them to do. Time to change to something else.
Increasing your muscle mass will lead to burning more calories. More muscle tissue will help hold in the moobs and roll.

Start using free weights if you have access to them.

 

[MisterB]

@maxxblue : If at 60 you have not really worked out much, IMO, you are the perfect someone who would benefit from working with a personal trainer. I can't tell you how much my PT has helped me to achieve both my short- and long-term goals for my body. And my overall health. Which has proven to be just as important to me as what I now see when the mirror stares back.

If you hire a PT, find one qualified with some good references. The Internet is your friend here. Don't be afraid to do the research. It will be crucial to your fitness journey.

First meeting should be a sit down to talk about YOUR goals. Be specific. A good trainer will take the time to listen to you and then explain the journey required and map out the steps/timetable necessary to work toward achieving your goals. And he/she should also help you face reality; your goal may take a little longer now than it would have 20 or so years ago. Aging's a bitch, but I'm not going without a fight, lol! How about you?

He or she will teach you proper form when lifting; will put together a program for you to use IF you wish to work out on your own. Right now, IMO, lifting weights is very important; so is doing cardio and watching your diet. He or she can help you find the right balance to maximize your potential to reach your goal. It's amazing when body fat becomes supplanted by muscle. Woohoo!

A good trainer will give you honest feedback about your progress. What to change/tweak. It's why you'll spend good $$$ on a trainer; I look at mine like I look at my Doctor. They are both professionals, and I go to them because they are experts in their given fields. And they both have produced the desired results for my body.

But most crucial of all will be your stick-to-it-ness. You have to be consistent. Regular. IF you use a PT, you'll have regular appointments. If not, find a work out buddy. It's not so easy to blow off the gym if you have scheduled workouts. Find someone who will talk you off the "crap food" ledge if you need that. Someone who will encourage you when you may be weak. Or tired. Or whatever. It happens to all of us. And I speak from experience--can't tell you how many times I wanted to not go, only to feel so much better after I worked out. While there really is no magic pill to getting fit, showing up is indeed 1/2 the battle!

And that's exactly what it is--a journey. It will take time. Your body did not get to whatever shape/form it is now overnight. Nor will you achieve your desired goals overnight. You'll have peaks. Valleys. Highs. Lows. But that's what makes the journey so rewarding. It becomes part of your lifestyle.

I'm 64 now; like you, I had some man-boobs and other body fat issues; not anymore; my pecs, yes pecs, are solid and because of my genetics, round and, because of my PT, now full of muscle, not so much fat. I sincerely wish you well. Please check back with us and keep us apprised of your progress. Lots of great folks here. Let us help you as you begin your "manboobage" elimination and other body fat reductions! Good Luck!

 

[aldawg]

I need some suggestions, please. I'm 5'9" tall and started off my workouts weighing 172 lbs. I now weigh 165 lbs. Which I think is about the proper weight. But, I can't seem to lose the man boobs, roll around the waist and a bit of a gut. I work out 5 days a week on my home machine. I do planks, side planks, leg raises, crunches on a slant board, squats, leg lifts, push ups, cardio work on an elliptical machine 3 days a week. I drink a water/whey protein drink and an egg in the morning, another whey protein drink after working out, maybe have soup for lunch. No snacks, no soft drinks. Eat reasonably well at night, but not perfect. I took Hydroxycut SX7 Black Onyx for 6 weeks along with AminH2O BCAA drink while working out. When not taking the Hydroxycut I drink 12 oz. of Cellucor C4 Ultimate 20 mins. before working out. I am not wanting to put too many stimulants in my body at once. My pants fit better but I just can't make any other progress.

Is there anything I can differently to eliminate the boobs, gut and waist roll? Or, do I need to face the fact that at 60 it is what it is?

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

I totally know what you mean, dude....I started at 52, and I go to the gym and lift 4-5 days a week and have lost 30 plus pounds, but I still can't get rid of the moobs and waist roll. Pisses me off....everyone tells me I look "good for my age"....hell, I want to look good, period. A little vain, I know, but when your putting in the time and effort, you do want to see some specific results.... I feel your pain!

 

[Flexxx]

The sit ups, etc will not spot reduce fat from your mid section. Proper diet and more cardio will be your best bet

 

[Golfbuddy]

Past a certain age, around 50, losing the rolls and moobs is not a matter of working out, dietary changes or such. Your skin no longer has the elasticity it once did and no amount of exercise will bring it into line. You need skin removal surgery. Painful and expensive, but that's the only way you'll get rid of it. Your weight is great. Imagine a 400 slob who loses 200 lbs and the immense amount of hanging skin! Wish there was some magic method, but there isn't.

 

[Snarky_succubus]

Past a certain age, around 50, losing the rolls and moobs is not a matter of working out, dietary changes or such. Your skin no longer has the elasticity it once did and no amount of exercise will bring it into line. You need skin removal surgery. Painful and expensive, but that's the only way you'll get rid of it. Your weight is great. Imagine a 400 slob who loses 200 lbs and the immense amount of hanging skin! Wish there was some magic method, but there isn't.

That’s NOT the only option. Loose skin can also be filled with muscle in order to “tighten” it. At 5’9” and 165 pounds, it’s HIGHLY unlikely that he has enough loose skin to justify going under the knife.
Diet and exercise are obviously a big deal... but at 60, you might consider looking into TRT. Not just to look better, but to function better. Therapeutic doses of testosterone in combination with proper diet and exercise would very likely serve you a lot better and be less damaging than the garbage and stimulants that are in hydroxycut and C4.

 

[ryans138]

That’s NOT the only option. Loose skin can also be filled with muscle in order to “tighten” it. At 5’9” and 165 pounds, it’s HIGHLY unlikely that he has enough loose skin to justify going under the knife.
Diet and exercise are obviously a big deal... but at 60, you might consider looking into TRT. Not just to look better, but to function better. Therapeutic doses of testosterone in combination with proper diet and exercise would very likely serve you a lot better and be less damaging than the garbage and stimulants that are in hydroxycut and C4.

Agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY. I'm in my mid-40's, found I had low test, and got on TRT in hopes of regulating my anxiety. It did that and more...

When I started TRT, I was no slouch in the gym; I weighed about 220 pounds, had some abs visible, and had bench pressed over 400 pounds in competition. Yet within 2-3 months after starting TRT, I gained ten pounds and my bench press shot up 60-70 pounds. Meanwhile, I was still getting leaner.

This is on a doctor prescribed dosage, mind you. 100 mg once a week. It doesn't get much lower and it's nothing compared to the dosages of people "on steroids."

Anyhow, my point is that TRT is awesome; especially as you get older. It's the best thing I've ever done and as I get older, you can bet I'll get on even more stuff to maintain and even improve my well-being.

 

[Gj816]

Butterfly cable pulls should help with the man boobs. Increasing muscle will tighten the skin and build your pecs.

I'd definitely get myself on a diet. Leave the hydroxy and other stimulants alone. I use whey isolate protein. It also has bcaa's in it.

Weights will help increase fat burning along with cardio. You have to expect to hit plateau's when working out. Work through them.

Age is just a number. Keep being dedicated and disciplined and got the weights.

 

[socalfreak]

"age is just a number"....
Right.
So is growth hormone levels ...
And testosterone levels..
Just numbers.
Oh wait.
They're not "just numbers"... They're facts used to assess a body's ability to recover/build.

As a few other members have suggested,... Consult with a physician & see if you're a good candidate for TRT.
Or, an anti-aging place & look into HGH.
Or both.
A challenging workout routine is necessary... But, as we get older, recovery time gets longer.
So, no matter how much good food you're putting in your system, you just may not have the needed hormone levels to effectively use it to repair what you're tearing down in the gym .

I think it's really cool that you're taking such an active role in improving your health!
But, older newbies need to be smarter than guys in their 20's & 30's..or even 40's.

Good luck to you!
I hope you succeed in reaching your goals ☺

 

[maxxblue]

I totally know what you mean, dude....I started at 52, and I go to the gym and lift 4-5 days a week and have lost 30 plus pounds, but I still can't get rid of the moobs and waist roll. Pisses me off....everyone tells me I look "good for my age"....hell, I want to look good, period. A little vain, I know, but when your putting in the time and effort, you do want to see some specific results.... I feel your pain!

Yes sir! I don't know how many times I've heard the "You look good for your age" comment. Or, "I hope I look as good as you do when I'm your age". Nice, but that's not what I'm after. I hate getting old.

 

[deleted972421]

Abs are made in the kitchen. (So I've read from a model with great abs)

 

[1134199]

You're well into what's known as andropause, the male version of menopause. Your manly hormone levels have been slowly dropping since you were 45 or so, and this causes hypogonadism, which leads to estrogen dominance. Classic signs of estrogen being too high in men is belly fat and breast tissue formation. This is far from just needing to do cardio and take fat burners. The high estrogen in your system will maintain that belly and the man boobs, even though you think you're working hard. You're working hard doing the wrong things. What I suggest you consider is totally avoiding dairy, it's PACKED with pregnant female cow estrogen, not to mention synthetic estrogen which ramps their milk production through the roof. Dairy is nasty. Avoid all soy products (worst food on earth). Avoid flax products(2nd highest levels of phyto-estrogen of all foods) Men only need a little estrogen, we produce what we need, we don't need to be consuming it daily in our diets. I'd avoid testosterone replacement therapy, even though many will suggest it, including most doctors. Look into the darkside of TRT, it's a nasty vicious cycle. Go for the natural route, as nature intended. Herbs like tongkat ali, pine pollen, ashwagandha, mucuna pruriens. Look into the various iodine protocols. Iodine testicle painting(with the co-factors) is very powerful at bringing testosterone up. Doing long grueling cardio sessions has been proven to lower your androgen levels. Do sprints instead, they jack your hormones up big time. Compare the body types of sprinters vs long distance runners, it's obvious. Do heavy compound exercises like bench press, squats and dead lifts, they are incredible for boosting hormone levels. 4-6 rep range, not 12-15 reps. Warm up accordingly, of course. Cheers.

 

[sodominsane]

Agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY. I'm in my mid-40's, found I had low test, and got on TRT in hopes of regulating my anxiety. It did that and more...

When I started TRT, I was no slouch in the gym; I weighed about 220 pounds, had some abs visible, and had bench pressed over 400 pounds in competition. Yet within 2-3 months after starting TRT, I gained ten pounds and my bench press shot up 60-70 pounds. Meanwhile, I was still getting leaner.

This is on a doctor prescribed dosage, mind you. 100 mg once a week. It doesn't get much lower and it's nothing compared to the dosages of people "on steroids."

Anyhow, my point is that TRT is awesome; especially as you get older. It's the best thing I've ever done and as I get older, you can bet I'll get on even more stuff to maintain and even improve my well-being.

Wow 400 bench is a big bench....especially comp rules

 

[sodominsane]

Yes sir! I don't know how many times I've heard the "You look good for your age" comment. Or, "I hope I look as good as you do when I'm your age". Nice, but that's not what I'm after. I hate getting old.

Don't hate getting old.....the alternative is much worse

 

[lookn4horsehung]

@maxxblue " Or, do I need to face the fact that at 60 it is what it is? "
Hey bud, Thanks for starting this tread. When men turn 60 there can be also be psychological issues related to the body changes. I just turned 60 and unless you have experienced it, it's difficult to understand. I am not having all the same issues you are having but some. I have been extremely thin most of my life. I do not have subcutaneous fat zip- zero- nada, but I have visceral fat that is causing my abdomen to extend. I do not have the fat that is associated with "love handles" I had that liposuctioned years ago and I do not have the fat associated with man boobs, BUT my skin elasticity is diminished in both of those areas and my butt vanished. I have been on just about every supplement and/or diet out there.over the years. I've been to doctors, nutritionist, trainer, cosmetic surgeons, read voraciously on the subject...I think you get the picture. I follow a very clean diet, small amount of testosterone replacement, and human growth hormone for several years now and it makes a difference for me. I have an excellent team of professionals that are around the same age, so they totally understand what I am experiencing. I know I look good for my age, but to be honest with you, accepting the fact that regardless of what I do I will not look the same as I did once, is a hard pill to swallow.

 

[ryans138]

Wow 400 bench is a big bench....especially comp rules

Thanks. I guess it's all relative. I've trained with world record holders and had training sessions where there were half a dozen guys who could bench 500-550 raw. It really messes up your perspective on what's considered big and strong.