Need a diet to finally do this [Forum Archive]

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Need a diet to finally do this

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Posted by: Make_it_Happen

Okay, I am a newbie here and I have tried to read posts and I found some close but not exactly what I need. So here goes.

Background: I have been lifting and running since January of this year. I have dropped over 30 pounds. I am really proud of my gains and I actually ran a half marathon this year and was never able to run a mile, even in high school.

Statistics: I am 33 year old male, between 190 and 195, 35 inch waist, 6 foot tall.

Goal: I really want to shed some fat to see some muscle definition. I have calculated I need to lose 10-15 pounds of fat. I can see faint outlines of abs and shoulder, etc.

Exercise: Currently, I am lifting and doing cardio. I have found a lifting routine that works well for me

Day 1:Tricep, Shoulders,

Day 2: Back, Abs

Day 3: Legs

Day 4: Chest and Bicep

Day 5 Rest

Day 6: Start over with day 1

Then I throw in 3 days of running for 1/2 hour

Diet: I really think this is my weak area. My body knows when I have dropped below 190 and then I am famished all the time. I am seriously self sabotaging this but for some reason I continually do this. I gain until 195 and then I diet until 190 and then the hunger and lack of control starts.

Remedy: I think I need a good cutting diet. I would really like to keep my lifting and running routines, but I am open minded.

Foods: I have no difficulty in eating the following:
Chicken, turkey, protein shakes, yogurt, string cheese, eggs, turkey bacon, protein bars, fruit, etc. breads, whole grains.

I am not a big fan of vegetables. I try and gag them down so I use nano greens (10 servings of vegetables in a powder) with my protein shake.

I really appreciate some advise to take me to the next level.

Posted by: Built

Hi there

We'll tackle this one thing at a time, but you have a few things to consider. First off, good job on the weight loss! Now, you're not fat anymore - the rules change. Your activity-level is too high for cutting as a lean person, and yes, I am serious.

The first bit, diet. Please go to FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal and enter your current typical diet, and post up what this translates to - the macros - grams protein, carb and fat and total calories.

Posted by: Make_it_Happen

Thank you for your reply. I am interested in hearing more about being too active??

Here are the "typical" percentages. I must confess that I have not been as diligent as possible in tracking my food. Also, I am not consistently eating the same foods so previously my percentages fluctuate a lot.

Anyway...

about 2700 calories with 103 grams fat, 242 grams carb, 183 grams protein.

Posted by: Built

I'm glad you gave me calories and grams, and not percentages.

Okay. 2700, plenty of fat and sufficient protein.

Your carbs are probably too high and your protein is probably too low for satiety, given your activity level.

Can you outline roughly what time of day you eat and what you eat on a typical training day? Also, indicate the time you train. I want to see what you eat before and after your training.

Posted by: Merkaba

I agree that the carbs are probably too high and protein can come up if he's gonna cut. But at least he's eating, huh! Time to find that maintenance.

Make it, where are you planning on getting your fiber? Start looking for some veggies you like. They will fill you up without the caloric and carb penalty of breads or whatever else. Good job so far!

Posted by: Make_it_Happen

Thanks everyone for your input,
Timing is difficult to answer. I am married with a blended family and four kids ranging from 6 to 19. I am a small business owners and my hours fluctuate some and I am forced to be in certain locations that require me to eat what is available once or twice a week.

On top of that my wife is trying to get fit and she has lost about 50 pounds and has a goal to lose 30-40 more. I am her motivation and her coach so it is important for me to train with her and push her.

So, to answer your question.

Food:
I try to eat a little carb or do a stack or use caffeine before lifting or running.

I do try to eat 5-6 meals a day. The problem is that I may not necessarily feel hungry when I have a morning or afternoon snack. As soon as I start to eat something then I am starving. The next thing I know I have ate much more than I should have.

My wife does great with dinner and typically it is a lean meat, chicken, turkey, salmon, and a veggie.

Exercise: I may do it in the morning, mid-day or evening. I try not to run on the same day, but sometimes that just happens.

When I first began I tried to be really ridgid and it just resulted in me delaying what I did. So I adopted an attitude of I have to fit it in.

Posted by: Built

Why do you feel you need to eat when you're not hungry? And why eat carbs before cardio?

Posted by: Make_it_Happen

Im not sure how to answer to question about eating when I am not hungry. Not sure where that come from...

I eat a little carb before working out because I run out of steam half way through. As a matter of fact, last night I found the stickies and I started following the diet plan for cutting this morning. I went to lift and I had no where near the energy to lift as much as I was. I feel more satisfied eating the chicken and protein and such. I do not feel hungry today. However, I feel a little off and have no energy.

Does that answer your questions?

Posted by: Built

You're running out of steam because your workouts are too long.

If you want to do it this way, carb cycle - eat higher carb on lifting days, lower on non-lifting days. Only eat your starches/sugars in the meal before and the meal after you lift.

What did you eat today? What macros and what did you eat before you trained?

Posted by: Biggly

Quote:

As soon as I start to eat something then I am starving

That's pretty common, though the actual cause is a little less clear cut. One known element is that simply by LOOKING at carbohydrates your stomach will start to prepare for them. Unlike the other 2 macro food groups, sugary fruit doesn't run away, so your eyes see it, your stomach prepares. That in turn can trigger rumbly tummy syndrome - and if you're not actually eating any or many carbs that can leave you unsatisfied.

The good news is that will pass, as you wean yourself off a high carb (ie "normal") diet. Right now you're gearing up for sugar and not getting it; after awhile your body stops expecting it.

Regarding feeling run down and with no energy for working out, how long are you leaving it between eating and hitting the gym? While carbs will wack your system almost immediately, fats and protein take awhile longer to build your energy. Typically I'd insist on a full hour between eating and working out, preferably an hour and a half. If you're used to swallowing carbs then working out 20 mins later then yeah, you'll hit a wall if expecting fats and protein to do the same.

Generally I'm a great fan of small frequent meals, as it satisfies both the belly and the mental obstacle of "dieting". In your case, as the process of eating is making you hungry, I'd suggest dropping back to 3 or 4 larger meals, not 5 or 6. As you're dropping carbs you won't need much "topping up" anyway. Let your tummy tell you when you're hungry and make some notes, study your intake, timing and spread across the day. As you notice patterns you can tackle or benefit from them.

Overall you're doing great but you do need to watch your fiber and get plenty of water, especially in the mornings.

Keep it up

Posted by: Skib

Quote:

Originally Posted by Built

Your activity-level is too high for cutting as a lean person, and yes, I am serious.

can you elaborate on this? how can an activity level be too high for cutting? are you not trying to burn off calories?

or is the idea behind a cut to eat less carbs so you tap into your fat stores faster?

i'm confused!

Posted by: bigsahm21

I think cutting is more effective when you "diet" the fat off instead of "burn" the fat off through excess exercise. I hear it burns less muscle.

Posted by: Biggly

If your nutrition is adequate you're not going to burn off muscle. I suspect what Built is referring to is that to grow muscle you need plenty of rest?

Training 6 days a week is a sledgehammer approach that works well at shrugging off excess bodyfat but you soon hit a point of diminishing returns. Those last stubborn 15lbs or so will cling on as your body adapts to the high exercise level.

Basically if your 45lbs overweight losing the first 30 is relatively easy. Shifting another 10 is not so bad but you need to figure out what best fits in with your personal physique, lifestyle, eating habits and so on.

MIH, you've been doing this 6 days a week thing for a year now? Have you tried varying it?

When you say you're famished below 190, is that all the time or a matter of hitting the munchie wall in the evening? Wake up starving?

30lbs over a year, ie over half a pound a week, is a good steady and effective rate. You say as soon as you hit below 190 you bounce back again, so I'd say you're asking too much of your body. It needs food to recover, working out 6 days a week, where's the recovery? To help your body get past this barrier I'd say reduce your workouts to 3 days a week, maintain the same calories, see what happens?

B.

Posted by: Built

Quote:

Originally Posted by Built

Hi there

We'll tackle this one thing at a time, but you have a few things to consider. First off, good job on the weight loss! Now, you're not fat anymore - the rules change. Your activity-level is too high for cutting as a lean person, and yes, I am serious.

The first bit, diet. Please go to FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal and enter your current typical diet, and post up what this translates to - the macros - grams protein, carb and fat and total calories.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skib

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsahm21

I think cutting is more effective when you "diet" the fat off instead of "burn" the fat off through excess exercise. I hear it burns less muscle.

This has been my understanding (and personal experience) as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggly

If your nutrition is adequate you're not going to burn off muscle. I suspect what Built is referring to is that to grow muscle you need plenty of rest?

No - he's not going to pack on size, he's on a cut. I meant he needs to reduce his activity level while cutting so he can drop fat, not muscle.

Quote:

Training 6 days a week is a sledgehammer approach that works well at shrugging off excess bodyfat but you soon hit a point of diminishing returns. Those last stubborn 15lbs or so will cling on as your body adapts to the high exercise level.

It's also when you start dropping muscle if you push though and keep undereating and over-training. Unless of course, you're assisted.

Quote:

Basically if your 45lbs overweight losing the first 30 is relatively easy.
<snip>
I'd say you're asking too much of your body. It needs food to recover, working out 6 days a week, where's the recovery? To help your body get past this barrier I'd say reduce your workouts to 3 days a week, maintain the same calories, see what happens?
B.

Exactly - at first, you're so juicy ANYTHING you do will work - you'll drop fat and gain muscle on the shitiest programme or the best.

As you lean out, the rules change. And I agree with b, you need a break - let your body recover a bit, stop trying to lose for a while and rest up for the next round of attacks - for which you need a very different strategy from what you have used in the past.

Posted by: Biggly

Quote:

you're so juicy

lol, that's a lovely way of putting it

Posted by: Skib

so how many days a week should one be training with weights while on a cut? i typically train on a 4 day schedule... should cardio be added and if so, how much? and when?

Posted by: Built

Four days can be fine - just watch the volume. Keep the rep range moderate and do your best to keep the heavy stuff on the bar - drop rep range before you drop lifting weight.

I wrote an article on the cardio question: Got Built? » How to do Cardio if you MUST!

Posted by: seems

I am also new here. All I do is try to eat in limit and do some workout like 4 times a week.

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