Need some dieting/cutting advice

[Psch91]

Some information about me.

Two summers ago, summer of 2003, I started doing cardio and lifting a little bit, because I weighed 202 pounds (6'2") and I wanted to lose the fat. I did cardio about 5 times a week, and watched what I ate (soda, fried food, etc) but I didnt know as much as I do now about dieting. Over the summer and most of my junior year in high school, I managed to get my weight down to 165.

Over the next year (senior in HS and college) I stopped my good eating habits and went back to eating like I did before I weighed the 202. Needless to say, by the summer of 2005 I weighed 185.

I joined a local gym again, and started lifting weights, and moderate cardio. I also read up a lot on nutrition and what not. Ever since then, I started eating 6 meals a day, drinking only water, no more fast food, etc, etc. Needles to say, today I weigh 161.5, so I lost rougly 24 pounds in about 4 months.

Main concern---
2 months ago I started to really look at my intakes of calories, fats, carbs, sugars, etc. I am currently (moderately) cutting, trying to eat 6 meals a day, each consisting of about 300 calories. I try to eat every 3 hours. However, I usually only have the 3 hour window to eat, 5 times a day, so my bed meal is kind of my 6th meal (in order for me to take in 1800 cals). My question is, do I have to consume 1800 cals during the day + my bed meal, or can my bed meal be my 6th meal? I stay away from high fat foods, but started eating peanut butter before bed to get more fats in (not sure if I get enough). I also really watch my sugars, and stopped snacking. I eat lots of fruits, not too many vegetables, lots of protein (whey, lean meat, etc).

I stopped lifting weights a month ago because I found out I have a fracture in one of the lower vertabraes, so I do cardio 3 times a week, 30-40 mins each, burning around "350-500" calories (as on the ellipitcal display). I was just wondering, since I am burning those off, do I consume more than my 1800 to make up for the loss? I am trying to lose the 1-2 pounds a week. I am trying to go for a six pack. I am 6'2 but dont look sickly at my 161 pounds (some of you might bring that up) I have some fat to lose around my stomach, sides, chest, and butt- and thats what im trying to do. Once I hit the 150, I plan to start lifting seriously (if my back allows me at that point). I was just wondering about my meals, and if I should eat every 2.5 hours so I can have my 6 meals + bedtime meal.

Today I ate:

Breakfast:
Bowl of Kashi Golean + scoop of ON whey + nonfat milk + fish oil/multi vitamin

Meal 2:
Sandwhich (2 pieces of toast + peanut butter + 3 slices of turkey) (in school at this point)

Meal 3:
Chicken breast + half of liption pasta side + fish oil

Meal 4:
Rest of lipton pasta side

Meal 5:
3 pieces of thin sliced meat

Meal 6/Before bed:
Tuna and/or 2 tablespoons peanut butter

I dont eat the same thing everyday, but thats what today consisted of. That was rougly 1600 cals, and my bedmeal would make it 1800 cals + around 100 to count for the night. I had less than 3 grams of fat for breakfast, which concerns me a bit. I am 6'2 currently weighing 161.5 and was checked at 165 to have 13% body fat (on that handheld digital scale, my la fitness doesnt have calipers all of the time...)

 

[myCATpowerlifts]

I'm 6'1" and weigh 185 at about 13% or maybe less bf.
You weigh 24 lbs less than me and are taller, I really don't think you should be trying to lose weight. Just my opionion.

BUT I know for a fact that 1800 cals for a young male that is 6'2" is WAY to small.
I am starting to cut to lose about 10-15lbs and I eat at least 2600 cals.
You should be getting a minimum of 2000 even with a slow metabolism.

 

[Psch91]

I'm 6'1" and weigh 185 at about 13% or maybe less bf.
You weigh 24 lbs less than me and are taller, I really don't think you should be trying to lose weight. Just my opionion.

BUT I know for a fact that 1800 cals for a young male that is 6'2" is WAY to small.
I am starting to cut to lose about 10-15lbs and I eat at least 2600 cals.
You should be getting a minimum of 2000 even with a slow metabolism.

I was just 'estimating' I was getting 2,200 - 2,400 calories before my cut, so I made it that I eat around 1,800 with a 200 calorie window to make it upwards of 2,000 cals a day.

I am not fat by any means, but since I cant really concentrate on lifting hard (my back injury), I figured I could get my bf% down, and cut, and try to get more defenitition. I just have the hard fat around my belly, lovehandles (I have a wide waist bone structure so its more apparent, chest area and butt) that I am trying to lose. I really dont get hungry when I eat every 3 hours 300-350 cal meals, so I figured that was ok. I guess ill atleast step it up to 2,000.

 

[Gordo]

www.nutritiondata.com or www.fitday.com. PLug in your meals for a week or 2 to get a true sense of what 2000 cals looks like, then back off from the number crunching (if you want) and do it weekly just to make sure you're in line). Don't estimate, most people are really bad at estimating portion size etc...

Use measuring cups to get a sense of quantity because it's amazing how different sized bowls and plates screws with your perception of portion.

 

[Psch91]

www.nutritiondata.com or www.fitday.com. PLug in your meals for a week or 2 to get a true sense of what 2000 cals looks like, then back off from the number crunching (if you want) and do it weekly just to make sure you're in line). Don't estimate, most people are really bad at estimating portion size etc...

Use measuring cups to get a sense of quantity because it's amazing how different sized bowls and plates screws with your perception of portion.

I dont estimate what I am currently eating, I just estimated what I ate before, because it included lots of fast food, candy, and all kinds of other stuff. I am currently getting around 1,800-1,900 cals, because I closely look at what I am eating.

I mean, ill have a fruit here and there which I loosely account for, and I take one chicken breast and count that as what it says on the packaging, I dont weigh it, but that should be close enough. I look at the milk im getting, see that I get one cup of cereal, etc...

 

[Emma-Leigh]

I am not fat by any means, but since I cant really concentrate on lifting hard (my back injury), I figured I could get my bf% down, and cut, and try to get more defenitition. I just have the hard fat around my belly, lovehandles (I have a wide waist bone structure so its more apparent, chest area and butt) that I am trying to lose. I really dont get hungry when I eat every 3 hours 300-350 cal meals, so I figured that was ok. I guess ill atleast step it up to 2,000.

Dieting (esp if you are doing low calorie with not enough protein) + doing cardio + not lifting weights is not a good way to cut - it is a good way to lose muscle.

I would bring your calories back up to maintainence (and esp increase your protein intake) and hold steady until your back recovers.

 

[Psch91]

Dieting (esp if you are doing low calorie with not enough protein) + doing cardio + not lifting weights is not a good way to cut - it is a good way to lose muscle.

I would bring your calories back up to maintainence (and esp increase your protein intake) and hold steady until your back recovers.

Alright, I will do that. I really didnt think I was going that low for my caloric intake, since I was eating garbage before and gaining weight, I estimated what "good" I should/was eating and then taking off 400 cals. I usually have 3 whey shakes a day, plus lots of chicken, meat, etc, so my protein (not sure) isnt 165grams a day, but its more than I used to eat. And cardio is only limited to 3 days a week.

I will however start eating more, and start lifting as soon as I can again.

What if I eat like 2,500 calories and up my protein a bit more, and do my 3 days of cardio, can I atleast go to 150lbs or I shouldnt do that unless I do a bit of lifting to combat muscle loss?