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Help keeping weight up and cholesterol down


kv2
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Hello All,

 

I really could use your help with trying to gain weight and keep my cholesterol down. I'm going to post my story and I apologize in advance if it's long!

 

I'm 37 and have been working out on and off since I was about 24. I'm 5'11" and naturally very skinny. The most I ever weighed was 170 lb. But 160 was more my average when I was working out consistently and eating a typical bodybuilder diet (lots of meat, protein powders, protein bars, weight gainers, etc.).

 

I also have been "cursed" with very high cholesterol, and I tried being vegan once about 5 years ago. However, I cheated a lot, and ate a lot of sugars and oils. My cholesterol stayed high, my weight dropped down to about 145 and I gave up.

 

About 4-5 months ago I tried it again, but this time I did it right. I followed the McDougall/Esselstyn diet: No meat, eggs, dairy, oil, refined sugars. My total fat calories are less than 10% of total calories, I get almost no saturated fat, and obviously no dietary cholesterol. This time my cholesterol dropped -- from 265 to 177 and I hope to drop it down to 150.

 

In the process, though my weight dropped from about 150lb to less than 135! There are definitely some things I like: my waist is only 30in (was about 33 before), I have little to no fat on my body and I am starting to see my abs. But the disadvantages outweigh the advantages: I lost a lot of muscle, my arms are very skinny. I am much weaker than before and can’t lift nearly as much weight. At my strongest, I could bench 225. Now my one rep max is probably around 165. Also, I play music in a band and I’m constantly moving around large amplifiers and speaker cabinets. It’s becoming more and more difficult.

 

My typical daily meal plan is:

Meal 1: 1.5 cup vanilla almond milk, 1 cup berries, 1 cup frozen bananas, 4 slices whole wheat toast.

Meal 2: 1 cup black beans, 1 cup brown rice, ½ bag frozen veggies, 1 apple

Meal 3: same as meal 2

Meal 4: 2 cups vanilla almond milk, 3 cups Kashi Go Lean cereal

 

This only gets me about 2500 calories, but it’s really hard to eat that much, believe it or not! Also, I am just very very reluctant to change anything because I feel I’ve found the answer to the cholesterol problem and I don’t want to screw it up while trying to build muscle.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Thanks!

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Nothing against veganism but I avoid legumes, all they do is burn fat and shrink muscle in my case. It's like fighting to keep muscle on. Legumes are perfect for a person trying to loose body fat.

 

I think a lot of people on this forum would disagree with you. We have many a bodybuilder, powerlifter, strongman and figure competitor on this forum who have built their muscle on a legume-based diet. My deadlift had gone from 135 to 300 in just over a year, and the vast majority of my protein comes from legumes.

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I ain't saying to eat meat. I'm saying grains, tropical fruits, and nuts keep muscle mass on.

 

Food of any kind does not keep muscle on. A human body will grow and keep muscle only as a response to stimulation: exercise/physical stress.

 

If that stimulation is stopped the muscle will atrophy away.

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Before this turns into a flame war, I think the important message to take away here is that each person does better on each diet that is tailored to them. 2097 has had bad luck with legumes, and he is passing that information on to the OP. Others here haven't had bad luck, and they are passing that on as well. Ultimately the OP will try different diets and find what works best for them. Nothing is 'one size fits all' and nobody is more 'right' than anyone else when it comes to what foods work best and worst for each person. To each their own!

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