I am 64, 6’1” and 193 pounds with 22% body fat. On May 30th I weighed 204 and I was at 30.2% body fat. Since that time, I have gained about 9.5 pounds in muscle and lost 19 pounds of fat according to my DEXA scan results. I started on my fitness journey 5 months ago on April 1st - back then I weighed 225 pounds with an estimated 32.4% of body fat (I did not take a DEXA scan at this time).

A little backstory, in March of 2024 I overheard some friends planning on engaging in the 75-Day Hard program and I asked if I could join them on a whim. I was in horrible shape at this point. I never really got back on my feet after undergoing a knee replacement 3 years earlier, coupled with a disc replacement in my neck 3 years before that.

The basic 75-Day Hard program rules are:
- Follow a nutrition plan – Choose a diet that's structured for physical improvement, but you can't cheat or drink alcohol.
- Do two 45-minute workouts a day.
- Drink a gallon of water.
- Read 10 pages of nonfiction.

I had already stopped drinking alcohol, so that part wasn’t difficult for me. I picked a Keto/Intermittent fasting diet and started the 75-day hard program in April 1st. For the first month I did 30 minutes of HIIT cardio in the morning and a month later I added an hour of weightlifting in the afternoon. I was super careful with the weight training, only using machines or body weight in the first 6 weeks. I lost 20 pounds in the first month.

After the first month I started getting super motivated. I invested a lot of time learning about weightlifting and listened to exercise and hypertrophy podcasts whenever possible. My weight loss stalled during the month of May, even though I was only consuming 1300-1600 calories per day. I was also consuming 180 grams of protein a day and was tracking everything I ate. My motivation increased every time I lifted weights.

On May 30th I had a DEXA scan performed and was at 30.2% body fat. My objective became very clear – lose fat while trying to lose as little muscle as possible. I made some key adjustments starting in June:

1) I hired a personal trainer for weight lifting.
2) I shifted to a “3-day split / rest / 3-day split” weight lifting routine (Day 1 Chest/Triceps. Day 2 Legs/Shoulders, Day 3 Back/Biceps. Rest a day and repeat cycle.
3) I continued my 30-minute cardio but also started working on my abs and stretching in the morning.
4) I increased my TRT from 200mg every other week to 200mg a week. I had been on TRT therapy for 10+ years but decided to go with a modest increase and my blood work remained great throughout.
5) From July 1st to August 1st I started using Tirzepatide to break my stalled weight. I realize this is a bit overkill, but I was really frustrated and impatient for results.
6) I continued at 1300-1600 daily calories with 180 grams of protein but went off Keto. I was ingesting 180 grams of clean protein, I only ate egg whites, chicken, fish, whey protein, Greek yogurt, complex carbs, and drank Karbolyn during weight lifting sessions.

Staying on this low-calorie diet was very difficult. I was often weak during my lifting sessions. I was definitely adding muscle and losing fat, but my muscle gains were modest. Two weeks ago, after I reached 193 pounds, I decided to increase my calories to 2400 a day. I am scheduled to get a resting metabolic rate exam in a week to better dial in my numbers and plan. I know I need to lose more body fat and will hopefully land between 10-12% body fat in the future

I soon want to increase my testosterone intake and add steroids to start my first cycle. . It appears that Primo or Deca are fairly safe steroids to start with. I am trying to decide whether I should go on a calorie surplus for a while to gain muscle and then focus on fat loss or stay on a modest calorie deficit with less muscle gains. I realize these two options would guide me toward the right gear. My blood work is solid, and I’ll get tested every 3 months. I have no calcium build up in my heart. I think I am at a good place to ramp up.