That moment when you realize......

[Dakota]

I was down to 196 this am. I am pretty happy with my cutting. Then you look in the mirror and realize...... 196 is not the same 196 as 15 years ago. A have lost a lot of muscle mass. I would have been really cut at 196 in the past. Now, it looks like I could cut another 20lbs and still not be lean.

Maybe it is time to reduce BF% by adding some mass again.

[Dakota]

Geeze, I gotta learn how to reduce the pic a little!!

[b52]

Quads have some thickness. getting ripped is a hard thing naturally bro. I've managed to shed 6 lbs in 5 weeks, which is right where it should be, but it is a slow process, and a lot of work. I refuse to mess with clen and dnp or anything like it. Stuff scares me.

[Dakota]

try again

[Dakota]

Quads have some thickness. getting ripped is a hard thing naturally bro. I've managed to shed 6 lbs in 5 weeks, which is right where it should be, but it is a slow process, and a lot of work. I refuse to mess with clen and dnp or anything like it. Stuff scares me.

I am dropping about 2 lbs a week but I have a lot higher percentage bf than you do bro, so 2 lbs is not all that aggressive at my bf. I don't mess with clen or dnp either. I am never going to compete so there is no reason to get that crazy.

[Dawgpound_Hank]

I honestly can't give much opionion bcoz of the pic - pretty dark, so hiding any quad cuts that you may have. If you want true feedback - for yourself as much as others - post a full body pic with shirt off, and in some light. Seeing the midsection tells most of the story regarding bf.

Also, don't get so caught up with the scale - let the mirror be your judge. People see you walking down the street see YOU, not a scale #. And you are right, as we age, it's harder to hold on to the muscle we had in our youth. Fourteen years ago, I was 250 before even doing my first cycle - nowdays, I can only hit 250 when on cycle haha.

[Dakota]

Hey thanks bro, I wasn't really looking for input as much as I am just bitching and moaning. I do underwater weighting to get exact BF % when I am serious. I know that I have a long way to go yet to be happy with myself again. Posting a pic of my lack of a narrow waist and good abs isn't going to make me feel any better.

I do value this board though. It has be great for my motivation to be hanging out with other ironheads again and talking shop. Great board great members. I am very happy here.

[krustus]

i feel ya brother!!!..i'm in my late 40's and started cutting last january for that summer... thought i was in decent shape..lol...i was wrong about my body fat..

i dropped 25lbs... when i thought i needed 10 or 15 ...lol... still wasn't "ripped" by our standards..

started this years cut at a much lower bodyfat ... hoping for fantastic results by summer!!

[Dakota]

i feel ya brother!!!..i'm in my late 40's and started cutting last january for that summer... thought i was in decent shape..lol...i was wrong about my body fat..

i dropped 25lbs... when i thought i needed 10 or 15 ...lol... still wasn't "ripped" by our standards..

started this years cut at a much lower bodyfat ... hoping for fantastic results by summer!!

It is funny how as we get older we think in our minds we are only 20lbs away from our former self! It just ain't so......

[Dawgpound_Hank]

It is funny how as we get older we think in our minds we are only 20lbs away from our former self! It just ain't so......

One thing that has been dramatic for me with age is the loss in appetite - I simply can't pound down the food like I used to. Twenty years ago I could go into Golden Corral and eat for an hour straight - 4-5 large plates of food. Now I am lucky to get through 2 plates. Injuries is the other thing - from lifting for close to 40 years - most of that hardcore, I have my share of joint issues. Fucked up right RC, lumbar issues time to time, and right knee issues time to time. Hence, I haven't been able to flat bb bench, squat or regular deadlift since around 2001. But I make up for it with exercises I CAN do without much pain, ie, incline bench bb or smith, flat/incline db press, leg press, hack squats, bb rows, t-bar rows, sldl. And tbh, I haven't lost any mass due to dropping the big 3. Thank you Lord above.

One thing I do now that has saved my lumbar bigtime is to stretch stretch stretch the hammies. When they are tight, lumbar issues can happen on a dime. Older guys, stretch them hammies - take it from me.

[Dakota]

two crushed discs, two laminectomies, and years of judo, boxing and wrestling. I can relate to all the injury and pain issues. Pain is my constant companion.

I have to get real creative in the gym sometimes. But I still wouldn't trade things for a life a fat slovenly couch potato with a perfect back and joints.

My son and I remote backpacked into the mountains last weekend. It was a hike that would make people half my age and some mountain goats puke. I can still grind it out when need be.