How to stop losing muscle.

[sketchman]

I am right now about 6'1" @ 145lbs. I am naturally muscular. NOT big, but I have no fat and am stronger than people guess. Problem is, I'm skinny, but it didn't used to be quite so bad.

I graduated high school 5'11" @ 165lbs. I had a "nice IMO" torso and arms. When I started a job that is simply power walking all night while pushing around 170 or so pounds, I dropped the 20lbs fast. Is it just a matter of eating enough, or is there something else I can do to stop this and get back to a nicer build?

Note: To get to 165 took half a year, eating tons of protein, and crunches, leg lifts and push-ups every other night before bed, but this was before the job.

[Metal312]

The only way to keep muscle while doing a job that is high cardio I believe is to lift heavy on a structured routine and keep the protein up.

To get back to a nicer build you would have to bulk eating more calories then you'd burn a day and lifting heavy.

Best of luck!

[Macrobolic]

If you have a job that is taxing, make sure that you are raking in the carbohydrates everday. You sound like the classic endomorphic hardgainer, so carbohydrates are your friend. Because it is hard for you to put on weight, make sure to be eating plenty of protein, in your situation I'd recommend up to 1.5g per pound of bodyweight.

Heavy, compound movements will be a must in your routine, and I'd actually recommend not worrying about the "isolation" movements for awhile. A full body routine, 3 times per week is likely to be the best solution as training goes.