How much lean mass is too much? page

[Primal-Reconstruction]

Dear, Mark

“I read the blog every day just don’t see the need to post much. My question is how much lean mass is too much?”

Over the last year, I have been able to add some muscle mass and reduce my body fat. Though most of the fat loss has slowed down the improvement of newly acquired muscle has continued at a regular rate.
Starting 4/26/11 age 40 Height 73 inches Body fat 16.6% Lean mass 173.4 Weight 208lbs
9/07/11 age 41 Height 73 inches Body fat 11.7% Lean mass 173.8 Weight 196.8lbs
5/15/12 age 41 Height 73 inches Body fat 10.7% Lean mass 190.1 Weight 213lbs

Now I am not complaining, as I am looking fit now.

There is a down side to adding so much lean mass. I understand that the body will balance out at some point, but rite now it is starting to feel like it is a bit much. I am bigger than I was a year ago. I understand it is a better bigger me now, compared to a year ago.

The real question is what changed between September and May this Year?

Should I concentrate on cutting my body fat more, or increase the cardio to slow the muscle gain?

I walk every day, I put in 30-50 miles most weeks. I sprint about 3 times a month. I lift heavy every 7 days switching between upper and lower body. I workout at my employers fitness center and the trainers keep ask me what I am doing. I just smile and say you've seen my workouts.

Dead lifts, Bench press, Squats, pull-ups, pull downs , dips, rows.

I get my miles in walking to the gym 6.5 miles each way , Costco trips 5.5 miles each way, Trips to the butcher for meat twice a week, 4.5 miles each way big hills. Most of the time I try to keep my backpack loads to under 30lbs. Once a week I walk to work 10miles each way.

I know this sound like B.S but where I live, I can use the Inter-urban trails to walk almost anywhere I need to go. I work nights, which gives me many daytime hours to accomplish all this slow moving stuff.

“Train heavy, but keep the volume, or the total number of reps per workout low; generally if you keep your reps to ten and under your in the clear. There are exception, of course. Some alien life forms grow like weeds from one heavy set of five reps. If you are one of them, you probably ran away with the circus years ago” Pavel Tsatsouline

I am all for gene expression, but what if you want to turn it down a bit. As I do not want to active some suppressed freak gene that the SAD keep in check ,as it doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

I guess what I want to know is how much, should I be worrying about all this, as I never get sick or feel bad. I just feel like I am getting bulky, plus its getting harder to find clothes that do not need alterations.

Thanks Primal-Reconstruction

[Knifegill]

You are right to be concerned! There does come a point when too much body is too much body. Your heart has to work very hard to pump all that blood, whether it's through muscle or fat! While your biomarkers are probably amazing and you are clearly doing an amazing job of taking care of yourself, I agree you should focus on not gaining much more mass. Simply put, I think if you eat less protein, just a little less, you'll stop gaining. Are you drinking any muscle drinks? Drop those. And then, if you just want to burn some muscle away, you can always take up a little distance running for a short time, (though that's a controversial idea) it's what I used to whittle my massive bicycle legs back down to normal.

[Primal-Reconstruction]

Looking at my food logs I think I figured it out. Mark had been talking about all that intermittent fasting stuff and in In March I started my own fasting protocol twice a week. Sunday at 4pm I would stop eating till Tuesday 8am 40hr and then again on Thursday for 24 hr till Friday 8am.

I looked at my food logs this is where I started my bulletproof coffee. So on these days I would drink my special blend, plus one item I’d get at Costco in my coffee.

Looks like this item double my calorie intake, while fasting and then became a daily thing 2 weeks into my IF protocol. I’m so glad I kept a daily food log. Believe it or not that Item didn’t add any carbs or protein it was all fat, strange.

I was checking my urine with ketostix and I was in ketosis on my fasting day’s looks like it was the virgin coconut oil in the coffee being turned into ketone bodies.

I really had a lot of energy that’s probably why I was able to work out so hard. Looking at April it looks like that same item went from a once a week purchase to every four days WOW!

That’s 15360 calories extra every 8 days, I bet all that extra fat helped increase my testosterone levels as I don’t cheat on my diet at all other than the Costco Item.

[Knifegill]

Item. Bacon?

[cori93437]

No.

[IcarianVX]

Looks like this item double my calorie intake, while fasting and then became a daily thing 2 weeks into my IF protocol.

Zero doubled is still zero. If you have a "calorie intake" while fasting, you aren't fasting.

That’s 15360 calories extra every 8 days, I bet all that extra fat helped increase my testosterone levels as I don’t cheat on my diet at all other than the Costco Item.

What in the hell is this item that adds an extra almost 2,000 calories/day that you didn't realize was so calorie dense?

[Primal-Reconstruction]

Zero doubled is still zero. If you have a "calorie intake" while fasting, you aren't fasting.



What in the hell is this item that adds an extra almost 2,000 calories/day that you didn't realize was so calorie dense?

It didn't add 2000 calories a day but over the week its started by adding 7680 calories a week, and the that number dobble every 8 days for 15360. It comes in 2 quart containers.

No, it wasn't bacon.

So your rite, I guess it wasn't a fast at all just a differnt way to bulk, which makes all the sence now looking at it.

[Knifegill]

Item.

[Primal-Reconstruction]

Darigold 40% whipping cream
60 calories per serving 128 servings per container for 7680.

It used to use 1 half gallon every 7 days, as I never really count calories; I just write down what I've ate. Now its up to a gallon ever 8 days.

Now, its kind of one of my faroite thing to have everyday. I mean I crave it to the point that I get mad if I don't have it before I head out on my walks.

So, now I just need to find a way to break my addiction..

[tfarny]

So, you're approaching an absolutely ideal, perfect body composition. And you want advice on doing what, exactly? Not gaining any more muscle? Lift less! Eat less!
Talk about a 1st world problem! Congrats, man.