Bodybuilding Forums

I want to start working out again. im 37, 5'11", 175lb. down from around 185-195 7 years ago.
I stopped working out after a shoulder injury using free weights, resulting from straining it at work.

I am a carpenter with my own business. i often work hard out side 8-12 hours straight per day. sometimes lifting and mixing 25 80lbs bags of concrete, lifting 25-30 30-60lb 2x12x16' boards, and a hundred different repetitious activities. hammering, digging, drilling etc. i always feel strain in my rotator cuffs and elbows, there has been minor injury, but nothing in 3 years or so. i do try to be careful and not over do it.

i am wary of really pushing myself working out and straining something.

I have had college football players say that trying to keep up with me at work is harder than football practice. And i know i am way down from 5-7 years ago.

my question is two fold.
how many calories do i need to gain some muscle mass. working 8 hours in the hot sun or freezing cold requires alot of calories and i am hungry all the time. but how many calories really? how do i figure that out?

if i was to work out on top of that, how many additional calories will i need?? Im not looking for huge size, as much as loosing my gut, and regaining some lost strength and wind.

i cannot afford to hurt myself as I have to work no matter what.

one sports ortho guy suggested a soloflex instead of free weights.


thanks for everything!!

You need to do the following to calculate your calories:
1) Calculate Lean Body Mass.
Take your weight and work out your bodyfat percentage, either use calipers or the calculator in the right column on the main Musclehack site www.musclehack.com
Multiply total weight by 100-BF% to get your lean weight.
E.g. You weigh 200lbs, bodyfat is 15%. 200 * (100-15) = 170lbs Lean Body Mass.

2) Calculate Base Metabolic Rate
Use the Katch McArdle Formula: 370 + (21.6 * Lean Weight In Kg)
If you work out your weight in pounds, then divide by 2.2 to get in Kg.
E.g. 170 / 2.2 = 77.27.
370 + (77.27 * 21.6) = 2039 Calories per day.

3) Multiply by your activity factor.
You are doing a TONNE of physical activity so it is probably 1.9.
E.g. 2039 * 1.9 = 3874 Calories in a day.

That is your base calorie requirement to neither gain nor lose weight.

Eat 200 calories above that to start with and adjust as the weeks go on depending on whether you are happy with your weight gain or not.

If you are looking to build muscle you need to make sure you get enough protein, shoot for 1g per pound of lean body mass.

If you are looking for more detailed plans search for MANS or GLAD on the main Musclehack site, they are bodybuilding diets Mark put together - They details are a little sketchy in places but come back here and I'm sure you will find help with any questions.

With regards to working out and weights etc. I wouldn't want to advise - Listen to your doctor. If, however, you feel you can lift again now then start off with lighter weights until you get back into it - You know your own body best.

With regard to calorie intake, its going to be very hard to calculate your requirements based on such a variable calorie expenditure.
I looked into working calories out more accurately using a heart rate monitor, its worth getting a slightly nicer cordless one which can log at least a day. Use that for a week, then take an average to get your expenditure. if your trying to lose weight/the gut you need to eat less than that and you probably want to get TSPA which I do recomend.
On the other hand if you want to build your muscle add 300 calories and follow either the GLAD or MANS bulking diet.

With regard to exercise, I agree with eleischner, check with a health professional first and then if thats ok start light your already working out a lot by the sounds of it.

Yes dude its safe for you but try to start with the low weight,.
With the passage of the time increase the weight,.