Thread: 2000 cals

Welcome back

What's the purpose of consuming 2000 calories for a month?
What's your height?
What are your semi-long term goals? Are you looking to put on 10 pounds or 50?

Originally Posted by Marat

Welcome back

What's the purpose of consuming 2000 calories for a month?
What's your height?
What are your semi-long term goals? Are you looking to put on 10 pounds or 50?

I used to eat alot of dirty cals and got alot of power ab body fat stored and started retaining water too, been going to the gym for a year and thought id start over with 2000cals as a base, see what results I had after 28 days, and the up them to 2800 and see what results I got after another 28 days. I am 5 ft 8 and a half. My semi long term goals are to put on bulk, but to keep myself lean. I am looking to put on a much bulk as I can without adding too much bodyfat.

What is you maintenance? With that in mind, what results are you expecting at 2000 calories? At 2800?

What's your training look like?

My maintainence is around 2300 cals, im hoping to drop some bodyfat by going down to 2000 cals, then hope to add mass whe i up my calls to 2800. My training splits my body parts up, training 5 days a week, a mix of weights and cardio. No two workouts are the same as I constantly change days to keep my body guessing.

I think 140 is pretty good for 5'8 no need to try too hard. 150 would be ideal probably

I would ideally wanna see what I look like at 200lbs

Originally Posted by leg_press

im starting over...I am still 140lbs

Have you lost a lot of fat recently?

If not:

Based on the quoted statements, I'm going to assume that you haven't been successful in your previous bulking attempts.


You may want to reconsider your training protocol. What are your current 3RMs in the squat, bench, and deadlift?

Never calculated my 3rm but every workout I do I make sure I drain every last drop from the muscle, the last 2-3 reps are difficult, then last 1-2 reps of the last set on each workout are near impossible

Have you grown quantifiably stronger with this programming?

If 2,300 is maintenance and you're eating 2,000 then you're on a deficit, and you won't build new muscle tissue. Moreover, you're programming is NOT geared towards a proper cut. You'll lose weight, but very likely also muscle and strength. On the other hand, your training won't be very effective with a bulk either.

Decide whether you want to build muscle or lose fat; you can't do simulataneously. Once you have a direction, change your program to cater to your goals, and not just flow in random, generic sequences.

Tip: ditch muscle group training. Focus on major, full-body compounds like squats, deadlifts, and cleans, and build around that with other major compounds like bench press, military press, pullups, and rows. Then supplement with accessory exercises where needed/desired.

Make a plan. Set out long term and short term goals, and be specific. Don't say "build mass" -- say, for instance, "squat 200 lbs for 3 reps by June, 2011; weigh XX lbs by this day; increase squat depth to parallel by this date, etc..."

Also, you can bulk with little fat gain. It's known coloquially as "clean" bulking. Basically, track your calories, and don't create a massive surplus like so many guys do. I would exceed no more than 500 calories in that case.

Originally Posted by Phineas

If 2,300 is maintenance and you're eating 2,000 then you're on a deficit, and you won't build new muscle tissue. Moreover, you're programming is NOT geared towards a proper cut. You'll lose weight, but very likely also muscle and strength. On the other hand, your training won't be very effective with a bulk either.

Decide whether you want to build muscle or lose fat; you can't do simulataneously. Once you have a direction, change your program to cater to your goals, and not just flow in random, generic sequences.

Tip: ditch muscle group training. Focus on major, full-body compounds like squats, deadlifts, and cleans, and build around that with other major compounds like bench press, military press, pullups, and rows. Then supplement with accessory exercises where needed/desired.

Make a plan. Set out long term and short term goals, and be specific. Don't say "build mass" -- say, for instance, "squat 200 lbs for 3 reps by June, 2011; weigh XX lbs by this day; increase squat depth to parallel by this date, etc..."

Also, you can bulk with little fat gain. It's known coloquially as "clean" bulking. Basically, track your calories, and don't create a massive surplus like so many guys do. I would exceed no more than 500 calories in that case.

The idea behind my 2000cals is to shed some fat and see whats underneath, (ie yes cut), after 1 month of 'cutting' i am then going to add 800 cals too my diet and therefore 'bulk'. I am sorry if what I have said in the past doesnt make sense.