Stay the course or eat more?

[jasone]

I am about 14% bodyfat and trying to get to 10%. I currently weigh 190. I have read articles on the topic and have used some of the advice successfully. Some of you are eating 4000 + callories a day and staying lean! I am eating around 2000 callories a day and seem to be stuck in a rut. I weightlift daily and follow each workout with 30minutes to 1 hr of interval training (swimming).
I am a bit concerned with how few callories I am eating. If I drop to 1700 a day I am afraid of loosing muscle mass. Do I need to gradually increase my callorie intake and work from there. Or do I need to stay on course and be patient. I feel great on my current program. -2000 callories seems a little low. I keep my carbs and protein ballanced at 40/40 with 20 in fats.
Thanks

 

[jasone]

I spelled calories wrong, no wonder no one responded.

 

[NeilPearson]

Everyone's metabolism is different. For me a cut is around 2000 calories a day.

Are you losing weight on 2000... if you are losing about a pound a week, I would stick with it. If not, you might want to slowly drop it down a little. I wouldn't jump right to 1700 though. Try 1900 for a couple weeks, if there is no loss, try 1800... just don't lose weight too fast

 

[Jeffreyk]

Everyone's metabolism is different. For me a cut is around 2000 calories a day.

Are you losing weight on 2000... if you are losing about a pound a week, I would stick with it. If not, you might want to slowly drop it down a little. I wouldn't jump right to 1700 though. Try 1900 for a couple weeks, if there is no loss, try 1800... just don't lose weight too fast

stay on low re even lower end.....trust me

 

[AKIRA]

I spelled calories wrong, no wonder no one responded.

Thats not all thats misspelled.

Anyway, you might want to post up your diet. The calories youre taking in might be lousy calories plus you might not be eating them at the right times.

 

[tucker01]

How long have you been dieting?

as Akira Stated post up your diet.

 

[jasone]

I try to eat approx. 400 calories per meal.
Meal 1
7 egg whites, 1 cup whole grain oats, 2 tbsp wheat germ, 1 tbsp honey, serving of yougart (434 cal total)

Meal 2
1 Chicken tit, 1 red potato, crown of Broccoli, serving of sliced lowfat cheese (400 cal)

Meal 3
1 chicken tit, 1 red potato, crown of Broccoli, serving of sliced lowfat cheese (400 cal)

Meal 4
7 egg whites, 1 red potato, serving of lowfat cheese, ketchup (300 cal)

Meal 5
Can of tunafish with an apple before bed (230 cal)

Other: 2 servings of milk after workout = 180 cal
1 serving of lowfat yougart with 2 tbsp wheat germ (150 cal) for a snack


Total cal = 2094 approx/day

94 more than I realized.

I hate to call this a diet, I feel satisfied all day. I started making changes to my diet at the beginning of the year.

 

[AKIRA]

I try to eat approx. 400 calories per meal.
Meal 1
7 egg whites, 1 cup whole grain oats, 2 tbsp wheat germ, 1 tbsp honey, serving of yougart (434 cal total)

Meal 2
1 Chicken tit, 1 red potato, crown of Broccoli, serving of sliced lowfat cheese (400 cal)

Meal 3
1 chicken tit, 1 red potato, crown of Broccoli, serving of sliced lowfat cheese (400 cal)

Meal 4
7 egg whites, 1 red potato, serving of lowfat cheese, ketchup (300 cal)

Meal 5
Can of tunafish with an apple before bed (230 cal)

Other: 2 servings of milk after workout = 180 cal
1 serving of lowfat yougart with 2 tbsp wheat germ (150 cal) for a snack


Total cal = 2094 approx/day

94 more than I realized.

I hate to call this a diet, I feel satisfied all day. I started making changes to my diet at the beginning of the year.

 

[tucker01]

So you have been eating like this for 6 months?

If so take a week or so at higher cals (still clean) then resume.

Diet lacks alot of fat.

 

[jasone]

I do take my efa's 3 times a day and a multivitamin. I have made progress from 17 percent to 14 since the beginning of the year. It seems to have slowed somewhat. I am starting to think a refeed is what I need after the last post.

 

[AKIRA]

Refeed?

 

[tucker01]

Refeed?

http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/diet-nutrition/25250-refeeds-leptin.html

 

[lojasmo]

You need a refeed, then resume your diet with higher fat (steak, pork, maybe) Also add some natty peanut butter.

Move the tuna in meal five to meal four.

Add cottage cheese (2%) at meal five.

Your calories are going to end up a little higher. I think you're on the right track.

Refeed.

 

[Big G]

Everyone's metabolism is different. For me a cut is around 2000 calories a day.

Are you losing weight on 2000... if you are losing about a pound a week, I would stick with it. If not, you might want to slowly drop it down a little. I wouldn't jump right to 1700 though. Try 1900 for a couple weeks, if there is no loss, try 1800... just don't lose weight too fast

I think this is great advice. The only thing I would add would be to swap swimming with an eliptical running machine instead. An hour of that, especially first thing in the morning before breakfast (I know, I know, but it's the best time because your blood sugar is already low) and keep your heart rate around 140bpm. Don't kill yourself. Just keep yorself in a good fat burning range. Don't go too fast. You shouldn't be getting out of breath.

Oh! And buy Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle by Tom Venuto. The more you know, the faster the fat will go. You should be able to lose 2lb/wk safely without too much change in your plan.

Refeed, increase your fat w/PB and swap the potatoes with sweet potatoes, I'd say. Oh yeah, and run! Run, run, run!