New To The Board- Help Needed!

[Premo55]

Hello,

I've been reading the board for some time now, have been making extensive use of the Healthy Recipes section and tips listed in the Diet & Nutrition section, and I decided to finally get my ass on the board as a member...

This is more of a confession than anything...I'm 5'10", 168 pounds at about 7-8% body fat, and wanna see if I can drop further...I'm guilty of not using carb-ups, though, I haven't used a single one in about 6 weeks of dieting, ever since I dropped oats and sweet potatoes 6 weeks ago. I've been dieting for about 10-12 weeks, I can't entirely remember, but now I feel like my progress in the gym has been receding thanks to a prolonged absence of carbs. I don't abstain from carbs ENTIRELY, I did insulin spikes with dextrose monohydrate up to about three weeks ago, when I replaced that with some strawberries and a 1/4 cup of oats in my post-workout shakes. Apart from that all carbs come from my protein sources, fibrous greens, and the occassional apple or peach.

So um, what I really wanna know is details on carbing up. I admit I've been really afraid of carb-ups and my body's extreme insulin sensitivity after having been exposed to sub-50g of carbs for such a prolonged period of time. Somebody change my mind, please, I wanna see if I can hit 5 or 6% in about three weeks (realistic? I've been shedding fat and gaining incredible vascularity/definition on the plan that I've been on, I just can't seem to lose anymore)...

My meals every day are pretty much the same:

Meal 1:
Protein pancakes made with a scoop of protein, 2 whole eggs and 2 whites, two tablespoons of ground flax seed meal

Meal 2:
One can of tuna/one whole chicken breast/sole fillet scrambled with 2 whites, 2 cups of broccoli/spinach/cauliflower with some mustard, 1 or 2 slices of fat-free cheese, one tablespoon of flax or olive oil

Meal 3 (post-workout):
Two and a half scoops protein powder, 1/4 cup oats, handful of frozen strawberries

Meal 4:
1 1/2 chicken breast/equivalent of sole fillet/turkey breast, 1 1/2 cups spinach/cauliflower/romaine/broccoli, 3 tablespoons ground flax seed meal

Meal 5:
One can tuna, 1 whole egg, 1 cup of broccoli/spinach/romaine/cauliflower, 1 slice fat-free cheese, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Meal 6:
100g cottage cheese mixed with 1/2 scoop protein powder, 3 tablespoons ground flax seed meal

My totals are something like
250g protein (1000 cals)
45g carbs (180 cals)
70g fat (630 cals)
1810 cals total

I do HIIT cardio about 4 or 5 times a week at very high intensity (400m sprints on a track, sometimes I experiment with 800m runs [at the highest speed available on the treadmill, which I suppose is 11 mph] interspersed with one minute walk periods on the treadmill), box a little, play basketball once a week, and weight-train 5 or 6 times a week, mostly focussing on compound movements targetting the legs, back and chest (5 sets of 5-7 has always been the formula for me, I've tried meltdown training and German Volume training, specifically for legs), alternating the three and throwing a shoulder day and an arms day as well.

Somebody help, please! I'd really appreciate the help in getting to 4-6%.

Thanks!
Preme

[Jodi]

Your diet looks fantastic but you are right. How can you lift on that little carbs. You have definately hurt yourself by not having carbs. You don't have to carb up. You have options.

1. Carb up bi-weekly
2. Cut back on the fat a bit and add carbs daily
3. Have a refeed every few days

Welcome to IM

[Premo55]

Thanks for the quick response, Jodi, I've learnt a lot reading your posts on this particular board...I really feel like my body has become used to functioning on extremely low carbs, I've been knocking carbs lower every single week, and I'm not half as hungry as I used to be, which I view as a bad sign...I'm kind of nervous about utilising carb-up formulas I've seen on this board (1/4 cups oats for every 35 pounds, 1 ounce banana for every 35 pounds, 2 ounce yams for every 35 pounds, 1 cup veg, flax)...I'm just afraid that the extreme insulin sensitivity that my body has developed will kick my ass fat-wise if I attempt to down that much carbs in my last meal....guess I should ditch that notion, huh? Maybe I'll just take my fat down and slowly incorporate more carbs as you said..

Also, after my dieting phase, how do I incorporate carbs back into a maintenance diet without stimulating lipogenesis or excessive subcutaneous water storage?

Thanks
Preme

[DaMayor]

Let's see, 5'-10".....168lbs.....7-8%BF......

What's the problem?

[Premo55]

DaMayor, I dunno, really, I mean, I managed to get this way without doing carb-ups, and I feel like I've done something wrong...like there's something missing in the puzzle that can take me to 4-6% in no time...Reading up on carb-ups I feel like I've screwed up somewhere...I didn't do keto or carb-ups or anything, so it feels kind of strange.

[Jodi]

I agree and I would suggest that you start adding in carbs slowly. Try adding in 3/4 C oats in Meal 1 for about a week. Then add in 3/4 C. of Sweet Potato/Brown Rice in Meal 3 and then another week later add in 3/4 C. of Sweet Potato/Brown Rice.........any slowburning carb will do but do you understand what I mean.

Its like resetting your metabolism which I think is needed here. When you cut back to much your metabolism gets sacraficed and your body stops burning fat. You need to slowly bring calories (which should come from carbs here) back up to a reasonable amount and get your body use to them again.

[Premo55]

Gotcha. I guess I'll take this route instead of doing bi-weekly carb-ups, unless you recommend a different approach?

[ZECH]

Just remember you can't stay at 4-6% bf for long! Several days is probably all you can stand!

[Premo55]

I hear you, but it'd be nice to see what I look like after getting down that low...

[Jodi]

Originally posted by Premo55
Gotcha. I guess I'll take this route instead of doing bi-weekly carb-ups, unless you recommend a different approach?

Yes try what I said above.

Also I wouldn't worry about 6% right now. I would be more concerned about getting your metabolism back into check then go for your 6%. You won't get there the way you are right now.

[Premo55]

Understood. I'ma put oatmeal into my meal schedule book for tomorrow. Thanks for the help guys, I knew I'd get answers here.

[Premo55]

Is incorporating carbs back into my meal plan gonna stimulate excessive subcutaneous water storage?

[ZECH]

no