At 55+ is it even possible to show a six pack?

[wayner]

He's just like me

Except I don't have the physique OR the wife

[wayner]

Bacon and eggs for breakfast

for lunch/dinner I've been eating a lot of BK broilers, or steaks
but stopped the soda, not much potatoes and just a bit of fries
plus still hitting the gym.

Red wine and cooked veggies with every steak
about 3 beer a day
3 cups of coffee with 1 cream 1 sugar

I still don't have cooking facilities yet so I eat out for every meal.
pretty consistent diet above

May 2017 progress update

Originally Posted by wayner

Going on 54
March 5 2017 post

[kach22i]

I might post a picture at the end of summer, I would like to lose +20 lbs.

My first year of all out exercising was to boost my metabolism up and get some Testosterone flowing. I slimmed down a lot but that was just a start.

Second year about rebuilding upper muscle mass and creating a chest from scratch.

What's happened more or less is that I slim down in the summer, and bulk up muscle in the winter.

If the cycle continues as planned, my developing chest will continue to fill out and my gut and love handles will continue to shrink.

My original goal of looking good with clothes on, meaning shirts hang from my chest and not cling to my gut is just about complete. My gut is flat with my chest, except after eating when it swells out. I need a margin of safety.

At the end of summer I will decide if I want to proceed with the extra goal of looking good with shirt off. This is a huge step, how many middle aged guys look good with their shirt off? This has got to be a very small minority. I think even Jack Lalanne kept his shirt on after a certain age.

Sic pac............six pack?

I highly doubt it, that ship has sailed but I can always strive for it.

[wayner]

Kach

Sounds like some good goals
We are rooting for you!

[kach22i]

I found a photo of a plus 55 year old guy with abs.

Anthony Bourdain's Abs Come from Hard Work
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/healthtrending/anthony-bourdains-abs-come-from-hard-work/ar-AAsxkpj?ocid=spartanntp

Unsurprisingly, Bourdain, whose many interests know no bounds, appears to be sticking to one pursuit in particular: jiu-jitsu. Jiu-jitsu is a combat sport that emphasizes core strength, flexibility, and endurance. ...................

Last year, the chef/adventurer said he trains every day, no matter his location on the globe. In New York, he trains at Renzo Gracie Academy. "An hour private and then an hour and a half general population. That’s basically Fight Club," he told Nuvo.

Bourdain doesn't use machines or weights, and he also competes. "I have had my ass kicked everywhere in the world. I am a 60-year-old blue belt who doesn’t suspect he will ever make it to black belt in this lifetime," he told Men's Journal. (Bourdain is 61 years old now.)

2-1/2 hours every day?

I do 1-hour a day and a 2 or 3 hour day about once a week.

It's hard enough to get work done, how can Bourdain do anything but sleep the rest of the day?

Those are skinny legs, my legs have never been that skinny in my adult life.

If I had his money, I'd like to think that's the exercise route I would take.

[JavaBrewer]

^ yeah I don't give much kudo to TV/Movie celebrities who make a ton of cash working part time. They can afford to indulge in their own, time, money, chef, etc... Far too easy. I would love to have been blessed with athletic genes and get paid to work out. I did that for free for 30+ years...and was competitive on the amateur level. Now I have a family to support, retirement in 15 years, and no longer have the luxury. I ride my bike, go to the gym, but also work 60 hours a week and don't have visible abs. They are hidden by 30 lbs of real world. Not jealous one iota. Most of the celebs are miserable if nobody cares about them. F that duggie AB.

Wow I just ranted.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by kach22i

I found a photo of a plus 55 year old guy with abs.

Anthony Bourdain's Abs Come from Hard Work
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/healthtrending/anthony-bourdains-abs-come-from-hard-work/ar-AAsxkpj?ocid=spartanntp



2-1/2 hours every day?

I do 1-hour a day and a 2 or 3 hour day about once a week.

It's hard enough to get work done, how can Bourdain do anything but sleep the rest of the day?

Those are skinny legs, my legs have never been that skinny in my adult life.

If I had his money, I'd like to think that's the exercise route I would take.

He looks far to skinny without much muscle mass to me. Personally, not the look I want (although better than obese).

[RKDinOKC]

Have a friend that does those body builder contests. He always, always has to do a cut routine and diet to get abs for a contest. Then they fade away despite being a body builder and working out all the time. It's that % body fat thing. Everything revolves around working out for contests. Builds muscle, then tears it down cutting for definition.

I've lways worked out etc. but just to stay fit. Never had a 6 pack. Not even close. To me, sporting a 6 pack is too much work, rather have a life. Just tell others I have a keg.

[Tobra]

I think a lot of it is genetics

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by RKDinOKC

Have a friend that does those body builder contests. He always, always has to do a cut routine and diet to get abs for a contest. Then they fade away despite being a body builder and working out all the time. It's that % body fat thing. Everything revolves around working out for contests. Builds muscle, then tears it down cutting for definition.

I've lways worked out etc. but just to stay fit. Never had a 6 pack. Not even close. To me, sporting a 6 pack is too much work, rather have a life. Just tell others I have a keg.

At the time that I was a pseudo body fan, my girlfriend was a personal trainer who knew many of the competitive builders in the club.
Apparently they ate not much other than steamed Broccoli and Tuna packed in Spring water for a couple of weeks prior to the event. Very little water consumption...if any, then ice water (took calories to warm it up)... but would constantly suck on ice cubes...to get the muscles to "jump out".

[2porscheguy]

Originally Posted by fintstone

He looks far too skinny without much muscle mass to me. Personally, not the look I want (although better than obese).

Totally agree! He really has no muscle mass....but he does have a six pack! I'll give him that! And the GF with all those GD tats?!?.I mean what is that? Jesus with wings flying out of her S N A T C H?!?...definitely NOT my type!

Not to brag here guys but I'll take my physique over his any day...and the wife concurs!

[2porscheguy]

Originally Posted by 2porscheguy

Seeing as Marv stepped up to the plate, as the OP it's only fair that I do the same:



NEXT?!?

I can’t believe that I posted that pic almost 9 years ago!


Update! Still at it at 65..not a whole lot of change I don’t think! Weight is at 169 and still @ 5’11”…more or less!

[Evans, Marv]

Alex, you look great. Keep it up. I'm 83 now and the results aren't good. I've lost almost 20 lbs. of muscle and general weight as well as over an inch in height, but I decided to take the same picture and post it to show how the years take their tole. It seems that you begin to change faster the closer you get to your expiration date, which is a reverse to the changes you go through growing as a young kid. I hesitate to post this, but I think it's a good picture of how a person changes at a fairly old age. I'm still lucky to be able to maintain my place with 2.5 acres and went on a four mile hike this morning with my wife.

[kach22i]

Thanks for sharing guys.

I worked out and exercised for +1-hour six days a week for about 12 years. More or less reached my goals, of course always wanted more.

Working for myself meant I could work part-time often, and work extreme hours for short periods of time to meet deadlines. This flexibility lent itself well to daily exercise with a few breaks.

About 4-1/2 years ago took a full time job working for someone else and just tinkered with exercise but it was a slow slide down, and I could not maintain altitude.

For the past year I've been swimming several times a week, but I'm convinced that unless it's an everyday routine my genetics determines my shape. I see my dad in the mirror, and it's not very pretty. I am feeling stronger and have more energy, but it takes more time than any actual dedication.

I am focusing more these days on building and maintaining muscle mass, and less on weight loss (swimming is good for strength and burns calories).

I've noticed that if a male has a certain amount of muscle he gets "a pass" from society.

Example-1, take a typical male frame; add muscle or subtract muscle and the probable reaction will be "he's in shape" or "he's not in shape".

Example-2, take a typical male frame; add fat or subtract fat and the probable reaction will be "he's fat" or "he's skinny", both of which are code for WEAK.

If you are taller or shorter than average the perception of weakness is magnified 2-fold.

My point, I've rarely heard a heavy set guy with muscles called fat to his face, called out of shape maybe, but not fat.

If you suffer from occasional bloating after eating and or fluctuations in weight gain/loss, muscle mass seems to level out the swings in both how you look and feel.

Just my observations of life and my own body - results may vary.

At some point I'll give up on the chase for muscle and focus on just the health, but at 65 years old they are tightly related.

[wdfifteen]

At 75 (and a half!) I'm holding on to aabout a 2 pack.

I'm amazed, and somewhat perplexed, at how my body is changing. Things - fat I guess - keeps moving around. I've actually lost weight, down from 226 to 220, but my gut is larger and apparently my ass is smaller because I've gone down a pants size. It's weird.

[Evans, Marv]

Welcome to the dynamics of old age. I've gone the same route. It sure would be nice to be able to turn back the clock, but time only goes in one direction. Hang in there and keep doing your best. I've also noticed my body and digestive system is much more affected by what I eat and drink.

[2porscheguy]

Good on you Marv and good to see other Pelicans respond here! Like you, I enjoy being active outside doing "chores and projects". We also live on an acreage and also have a lakeside cabin in central British Columbia that keeps me busy doing stuff. I'm still finishing off the lower level and the landscaping (have posted some pics of our build in another post..you might have seen it?). Wouldn't want it any other way!
We recently went to Spain for a 2 week holiday which was great! With so many sites to see we would end up walking about 15 to 18 Kms per day which I enjoyed.
I still weight train fairly regularly 4-5x per week as I am fortunate enough to have a full gym at home. AND I still enjoy my wine and the odd sip of rum...BUT...I should cut back?!
Cheers to all and a very Happy 'Merican Thanksgiving!

[Dixie]

No lie, I keep seeing this older guy whenever I go to Walmart. He has a rippin' set of six-pack abs. Then again, he's also a homeless meth-head.

My point is, y'all are welcome to spend your time and effort chasing perfect abs, but I promise you that we don't care. Not as much as you think. As long as you aren't obese I'll take kind, considerate, and patient, over 6% body fat all day, every day.

[Evans, Marv]

Most guys up in the years don't work out to impress women or other men - not much anyway. They mostly do it for themselves. They - many times - start watching their calorie intake & outflow at some point when they realize they don't want to lose the ability to be active and do things they want as long as they are able to. They may change their diet to eliminate or reduce things (sugar, fats, etc.) they know they shouldn't eat regularly. The same goes for alcohol. I think at some point lots of men and women realize they want to keep on keeping on as long as they can.

[2porscheguy]

Not to worry Dixie! Most of us here realize that we would have absolutely zero chance of courting....such a fine southern gal, such as yourself!
This is more about old dude braggin' rights!