Diet Suggestions for an Overweight Male

[TechX]

Hello all,

I just registered up, though I have been around reading articles for the past few days. I am hoping to determine the type of diet that would be best for me. Here are my stats

20yr old
5' 6"
229lbs

Sorry, I don't know my bf%

I am wanting to finally get rid of the tire around my waist that has plagued me all-through my teenage years on up to the present. I wrestled in high school and also studied martial arts but was never able to get rid of it. 220-230 has been my constant weight for 5-6 years now. Other than my waist I don't have all that much excess fat in other places. I have very muscular legs with just a little fat towards the inner thigh, 52 inch chest measured around the shoulders and 17 inch biceps. This is prob more information than you need to know i'm just trying to give you an idea of my body type.

I've lifted weights on and off for years, but have started seriously about a month ago, I seem to put on muscle fairly easily when I compare it to some of my buddies. I also do 30 mins to an hour of cardio everday.

I try to eat 6 or 7 times a day, protien shakes and bars(yes, i just recently learned that these are not that good for you from the posts here ) lean meats and complex carbs, small portions etc etc.

I don't really know all that much about nutrition and was hoping someone would help me pick a diet plan that would be good for me.

I was looking at the keto diet post, but it seems to me that one would not be able to add that much muscle during this diet, and I have a long road ahead of me as far a weight loss goes. I would like to get on a plan that would allow me to continue to put on mass while I still have a workout partner so I can take my sets to failure.

Oh, i've also been taking Xenadrine EFX for the past week, seems to be working good, i sweat like a horse.

I am sorry for the length of this post, just trying to give you as much info as possible.

Thank you for any information you may have,

Sincerely,

Matt

 

[Jodi]

Hi TechX and welcome to IM!

Please post your current diet and what you find works and doesn't work for you. Also, you can go on a slight caloric deficit and still be able to put on muscle. I wouldn't suggest too low though or your workout will suffer.

 

[TechX]

Hello Jodi. Thank you for your reply

Well, I havn't really formulated a diet yet, just have been replacing meals with bars or shakes and trying to eat at home and stay away from the fast food joints.

So, to determine your body's daily caloric intake you take body-weight and multiply times 12?

So 12 x 230 would be 2760 calories for the day, I could be wrong on this calculation. How much would you say to cut? Down to 2200 or so, or more?

Also, when working out the abs, I've been working them once every 4 days or so, so that they have time to heal up and rebuild the muscle etc etc... But some people work them high reps everyday, would this be more beneficial to pulling the weight off?

Thank you once again for your input,


Matt

 

[Jodi]

I think starting at 12xBW is great to begin a cut. So that would mean to start you want the 2760 calories per day. I know it sounds like a lot but if you start to low too fast you have no room for movement to reduce cals when fat loss slows down.

I work abs twice per week. Its a muscle just like the rest and needs time to recover.

Why don't you formulate your diet and post it. We can critique it then and provide some input to help you.

 

[trinsdad]

Also post what you like to eat. When you decide to lose fat you have to give up many of your favorite things. For me...it was a matter of chosing what I could do for life.

www.metabolicdiet.com was the solution for me. I like eating beef, chicken, cheese, salads and fats...even more than carbs.

Some really need carbs, so they go for a more balanced approach.

So far with the awesome encouragement you will get here ...I personaly have dropped 20 llbs into a 110 lb transformation.

I wish you all the best. The folks here are incredible.

 

[TechX]

Thanks for all the help so-far! I have been really busy the past couple of days and havn't got to put together an eating plan just yet, but definately by this weekend I will have it posted

I've tried a low/no carb diet before trinsdad, and while I love the foods I always seem to feel really bad especially during my cardio workouts. Course there are lots of different variations on that diet also, isn't there? I could have been doing it wrong. I will check out your link. Best of wishes to you also,

Thanks,

Matt

 

[trinsdad]

There is carbs on this plan. I hit cardio at least 8 times a week on it. High intensity Interval training works well...but its intense.

Also the program it light on carbs during the week but 350 grams on the weekend. However, it works for me. Your mileage may vary.