Thread: another mistake i think i caught in my dieting

in a more clear manner restate my question....

When i "carb up" do i stay in caloric deficit or go surplus?

Originally Posted by RedWindsor

Okay, i eat fairly clean, the most i stray is like a couple pretzels or a few chips

my calories are averaging about 1800cals for the passed 2 months, my maintaince cals are around 2900 i estimate (22, 5"11 240lb 30ishBF)

now like i said i eat clean, but i try to follow a weekend refeed schedule but when i refeed do i go into caloris surplus or simply replace all fat cals and some protien cals with carb cals? i estimate my carb intake is less then 60 grams a day for the passed couple of months, and lately less then 20 grams a day, so when i "refeed" i know that my fat should be LOW and my protien MODERATE, and my carbs HIGH but as far as calories go id say im rather lost...

i haven't shed a single pound of weight since december when i started and not 1 pound since i started dieting clean in march just a bit baffld... sorry for the long post

~matt~

Speaking from experience, your "couple pretzels or a few chips" are probably adding up to more than what you think. There is several diets that are based on high protein/low carb (anything from atkins, keto, paleo...etc.) I'm pretty sure they all work to a point. From what my understanding is, you should definately be losing weight..

Also, there is several books in the book section that is a big help.

Good luck to you bro.

Journal what u eat for a couple weeks its the only way u will no for sure.

You're starving yourself and your body is probably saying FU in response and holding on to everything.

Aside from no movement on the scale are you at least seeing any evidence of body recomposition - i.e. fat loss? Do you see your clothes fitting looser?

But generally - to keep things in perspective: I'm 5'7", female and generally start my competition prep for bodybuilding at 4 months out and usually at 165-170 lb (i.e. 70 lb less than where you are) and my standard cutting diet consists of 1750 cals. You're telling me you're dieting at 1800 cals. Given your body responds to SUFFICIENT cals and not to STARVATATION mode, I'd say your body is unable to respond as you want to this incredibly restricted cal intake. The point I'm making is that my body responds pretty well to cutting down to 6-7% on a diet of no less than 1600 cals but generally around 1750 cals w/ variations in my macros and slowly increasing cardio. 1800 cals is not enough to make your body think it is in an environment that allows it to optimally burn fat. It thinks it is in a drought scenario and has reduced its metabolism rate to hold onto as much of what it has for "known energy reserves" (aka bodyfat) as it can until the drought scenario is no longer being sensed.

IMO up your cals man!

And just generally to the comment about snacking - esp if you're trying to do a keto diet, those couple pretzels can screw you fast. If you want results and progress you need to stick to the diet 100%. Every time I"ve tried to sneak in some little snack, I find it stalls progress completely.

For ex, back in 2000 I was following a competition prep diet where I was reguarly making weekly progress of 1-1.5% bodyfat loss. Then I thought I'd found the ultimate cheat food - fat free, sugar-free whipped cream. When you're on a strict diet for the first time in your life and alreayd in 3 months, you'll do anythign to find something to break up the monotony and let yourself enjoy something other than chicken & broccoli. FAIL. My 8 weeks of consistenty bodyfat loss stalled to about .3% bodyfat loss that week. So... nope. If you want and expect consistent and forward moving progress, you need to stick to it. OTherwise lower your expectations or, in this case, you might want to change your diet to something that is more carb-oriented (i.e >20 g carb) but supports it w/ carb cycling or something. IF you're goign to do "Low carb", you need to do "low carb". Not "Sorta low carb" - it won't work othewise. YOU're just underfueling yourself but not low enough to let your body switch over to ketones as an energy source.

Originally Posted by sassy69

You're starving yourself and your body is probably saying FU in response and holding on to everything.

Aside from no movement on the scale are you at least seeing any evidence of body recomposition - i.e. fat loss? Do you see your clothes fitting looser?

But generally - to keep things in perspective: I'm 5'7", female and generally start my competition prep for bodybuilding at 4 months out and usually at 165-170 lb (i.e. 70 lb less than where you are) and my standard cutting diet consists of 1750 cals. You're telling me you're dieting at 1800 cals. Given your body responds to SUFFICIENT cals and not to STARVATATION mode, I'd say your body is unable to respond as you want to this incredibly restricted cal intake. The point I'm making is that my body responds pretty well to cutting down to 6-7% on a diet of no less than 1600 cals but generally around 1750 cals w/ variations in my macros and slowly increasing cardio. 1800 cals is not enough to make your body think it is in an environment that allows it to optimally burn fat. It thinks it is in a drought scenario and has reduced its metabolism rate to hold onto as much of what it has for "known energy reserves" (aka bodyfat) as it can until the drought scenario is no longer being sensed.

IMO up your cals man!

And just generally to the comment about snacking - esp if you're trying to do a keto diet, those couple pretzels can screw you fast. If you want results and progress you need to stick to the diet 100%. Every time I"ve tried to sneak in some little snack, I find it stalls progress completely.

For ex, back in 2000 I was following a competition prep diet where I was reguarly making weekly progress of 1-1.5% bodyfat loss. Then I thought I'd found the ultimate cheat food - fat free, sugar-free whipped cream. When you're on a strict diet for the first time in your life and alreayd in 3 months, you'll do anythign to find something to break up the monotony and let yourself enjoy something other than chicken & broccoli. FAIL. My 8 weeks of consistenty bodyfat loss stalled to about .3% bodyfat loss that week. So... nope. If you want and expect consistent and forward moving progress, you need to stick to it. OTherwise lower your expectations or, in this case, you might want to change your diet to something that is more carb-oriented (i.e >20 g carb) but supports it w/ carb cycling or something. IF you're goign to do "Low carb", you need to do "low carb". Not "Sorta low carb" - it won't work othewise. YOU're just underfueling yourself but not low enough to let your body switch over to ketones as an energy source.

whoa, good explination there, i know that i can cut the snacks out, i know it sucks too cuz i literally will have MAYBE a pretezel before bed just to occupy my self before i pass out...

my body, none of my clothes fit looser, but everyone is saying i look more "defined" my chest is bulking out more, a bit more vascular all around, my strength is most definately up...

ill try upping the calories to maybe around 2400 calories and ride that out for a couple weeks see what happens, thanks!

Originally Posted by sassy69

You're starving yourself and your body is probably saying FU in response and holding on to everything.

Aside from no movement on the scale are you at least seeing any evidence of body recomposition - i.e. fat loss? Do you see your clothes fitting looser?

But generally - to keep things in perspective: I'm 5'7", female and generally start my competition prep for bodybuilding at 4 months out and usually at 165-170 lb (i.e. 70 lb less than where you are) and my standard cutting diet consists of 1750 cals. You're telling me you're dieting at 1800 cals. Given your body responds to SUFFICIENT cals and not to STARVATATION mode, I'd say your body is unable to respond as you want to this incredibly restricted cal intake. The point I'm making is that my body responds pretty well to cutting down to 6-7% on a diet of no less than 1600 cals but generally around 1750 cals w/ variations in my macros and slowly increasing cardio. 1800 cals is not enough to make your body think it is in an environment that allows it to optimally burn fat. It thinks it is in a drought scenario and has reduced its metabolism rate to hold onto as much of what it has for "known energy reserves" (aka bodyfat) as it can until the drought scenario is no longer being sensed.

IMO up your cals man!

And just generally to the comment about snacking - esp if you're trying to do a keto diet, those couple pretzels can screw you fast. If you want results and progress you need to stick to the diet 100%. Every time I"ve tried to sneak in some little snack, I find it stalls progress completely.

For ex, back in 2000 I was following a competition prep diet where I was reguarly making weekly progress of 1-1.5% bodyfat loss. Then I thought I'd found the ultimate cheat food - fat free, sugar-free whipped cream. When you're on a strict diet for the first time in your life and alreayd in 3 months, you'll do anythign to find something to break up the monotony and let yourself enjoy something other than chicken & broccoli. FAIL. My 8 weeks of consistenty bodyfat loss stalled to about .3% bodyfat loss that week. So... nope. If you want and expect consistent and forward moving progress, you need to stick to it. OTherwise lower your expectations or, in this case, you might want to change your diet to something that is more carb-oriented (i.e >20 g carb) but supports it w/ carb cycling or something. IF you're goign to do "Low carb", you need to do "low carb". Not "Sorta low carb" - it won't work othewise. YOU're just underfueling yourself but not low enough to let your body switch over to ketones as an energy source.

When you refer to low car and ketones, would that mean under 100 carbs or does it depnd on individual bf % and maintanence calorie level? Thanks.

Originally Posted by sassy69

You're starving yourself and your body is probably saying FU in response and holding on to everything.

Aside from no movement on the scale are you at least seeing any evidence of body recomposition - i.e. fat loss? Do you see your clothes fitting looser?

But generally - to keep things in perspective: I'm 5'7", female and generally start my competition prep for bodybuilding at 4 months out and usually at 165-170 lb (i.e. 70 lb less than where you are) and my standard cutting diet consists of 1750 cals. You're telling me you're dieting at 1800 cals. Given your body responds to SUFFICIENT cals and not to STARVATATION mode, I'd say your body is unable to respond as you want to this incredibly restricted cal intake. The point I'm making is that my body responds pretty well to cutting down to 6-7% on a diet of no less than 1600 cals but generally around 1750 cals w/ variations in my macros and slowly increasing cardio. 1800 cals is not enough to make your body think it is in an environment that allows it to optimally burn fat. It thinks it is in a drought scenario and has reduced its metabolism rate to hold onto as much of what it has for "known energy reserves" (aka bodyfat) as it can until the drought scenario is no longer being sensed.

IMO up your cals man!

And just generally to the comment about snacking - esp if you're trying to do a keto diet, those couple pretzels can screw you fast. If you want results and progress you need to stick to the diet 100%. Every time I"ve tried to sneak in some little snack, I find it stalls progress completely.

For ex, back in 2000 I was following a competition prep diet where I was reguarly making weekly progress of 1-1.5% bodyfat loss. Then I thought I'd found the ultimate cheat food - fat free, sugar-free whipped cream. When you're on a strict diet for the first time in your life and alreayd in 3 months, you'll do anythign to find something to break up the monotony and let yourself enjoy something other than chicken & broccoli. FAIL. My 8 weeks of consistenty bodyfat loss stalled to about .3% bodyfat loss that week. So... nope. If you want and expect consistent and forward moving progress, you need to stick to it. OTherwise lower your expectations or, in this case, you might want to change your diet to something that is more carb-oriented (i.e >20 g carb) but supports it w/ carb cycling or something. IF you're goign to do "Low carb", you need to do "low carb". Not "Sorta low carb" - it won't work othewise. YOU're just underfueling yourself but not low enough to let your body switch over to ketones as an energy source.

This is why nowadays when people say "I eat clean, whats the problem"...i always mention that one could be eating too clean. I lost a pound last week. I had one day where I ate 1000 calories of krispi kreme.

Originally Posted by cdan19

When you refer to low car and ketones, would that mean under 100 carbs or does it depnd on individual bf % and maintanence calorie level? Thanks.

To really know if you're in ketosis, you should use ketostix. But generally the easiest reference to make to illustrate is the Atkins Diet - they set 20g /day as the max to stay in ketosis. I don't think it really matters what your bodyfat is, etc. It is just very simply at what point your body has consumed all its available carb-based energy and has gone long enough to encourage the switchover.

The thing is that if you aren't low enough to push your body to switch over to ketones as an energy source, but not high enough for the carbs to provide sufficient energy source, then most likely you'll start stalling out.

Originally Posted by Merkaba

This is why nowadays when people say "I eat clean, whats the problem"...i always mention that one could be eating too clean. I lost a pound last week. I had one day where I ate 1000 caloires of krispi kreme.

Clean eating is all opinion...Kane Sumabat comes to mind when you said krispy Kream lol.

Originally Posted by sassy69

To really know if you're in ketosis, you should use ketostix. But generally the easiest reference to make to illustrate is the Atkins Diet - they set 20g /day as the max to stay in ketosis. I don't think it really matters what your bodyfat is, etc. It is just very simply at what point your body has consumed all its available carb-based energy and has gone long enough to encourage the switchover.

The thing is that if you aren't low enough to push your body to switch over to ketones as an energy source, but not high enough for the carbs to provide sufficient energy source, then most likely you'll start stalling out.

Thx

yesterday i down about 2300 calories, this morning im starting off with about 500 calories for breakfast, ill report back in a couple weeks to see if i notice anything.

well well, i upped my calories a bit in the passed couple of days and what do you know in the 4 days ive been eating like this, less then 20gs carbs 240ish protiens and 120ish fats at ABOUt 22-2400 cals im down about 6 lbs, water weight of course but fucken ey im finally losing cant wait to start logging 1-1.5 lb losses of fat per week, i dont think ill lose my muscle mass with my diet and excerise routine, im actually up in strength a bit as well as i set a new decline bb press PB today

HOLEY EFF! It works! Cool congrats. RE: losing muscle - personally I've lost muscle on a keto diet but it was an aggressive diet and over several months. I wouldn't worry about it. YOu have to expect to lose some on any cut bu tI think you'll be fine.

lol my reaction exactly when i woke up yesterday morning stepped on the scale i was like WTF whered 5 lbs just go lol, thanks so much other wise i woulda probably kept eating like a schmuck