what if being over fat is affecting your ability to “put on more muscle”
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It sounds like what you want to do in the short term is lean out, plus you’re objectively at a higher relative body fat… either factor alone would lead me to say you should probably address that first.
Are you and your coach not on the same page? That’s also something I’d want to get a handle on. I don’t think you’re setting either of you up for success if you’re having to pursue goals/ behaviors behind his back.
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Yeah to be honest its something I am addressing with him in the background.
I do want to tackle this BF definitely, just didnt know the optimal way to do things.
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Personally, this isn’t something I’d get too stressed worrying about. Lots of ways to skin this cat. If low carbs works for you and keeps you tolerating a caloric deficit, that’s the best way for you. I don’t know that I’d try too hard to stay keto if you find like 75g carbs a day is comfortable (as an example), but that will be to your own personal trial and error. I’ve also found it has changed for me over the years - I used to do better with a much higher carb/ lower fat approach than I tend to like now.
Anyway, there’s some principles you’ll want to make sure your diet can support:
- Lose weight at a reasonable and sustainable pace (something like .5-1% bodyweight a week)
- Keep your protein up (between .8-1.2g/ lbs. bodyweight)
- Don’t accept strength loss for as long as possible - like @RT_Nomad says, pick a lift to track
Beyond that, it really comes down a lot to preference. What keeps you able to sustain the caloric deficit and training intensity long enough to reach your goals?
In terms of technique, I’d just note you’ll have to adjust as you go. That being the case, I’d start with as little restriction as possible - leave yourself room to get stricter.
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Thank you for that great info! Will take note and adjust as needed!
Will update on progress in the coming weeks
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I think you need to clarify what your goals are for you and your coach. It’ll make the plan much easier. Sure, you don’t need lots of carbs to build power, but it definitely helps. It sounds like you’re at a fork in the road and you just need to decide, lean up and let the lifts suffer a bit in the short term, or be a little fat and go balls out. Either way, tell your coach and make a plan.
Edit: I missed you’re last post. Going to lean out. @TrainForPain is right on the money.
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It looks like @Anon6 is primarily training for his best Powerlifting total. IMO, the weight he should be is the weight that gives him the highest “calculated” total when the Schwartz-Malone Formula is applied.
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I hear you, but then he mentions multiple times he’s dieted pretty hard and he’s thinking about it again. I think the real goal is probably to lean out
@RT_Nomad - At the moment I was just going with the flow and seeing how I can get stronger safely without it disrupting my lower back. But at the sametime, my wright has been piling up which got me thinking its time I try and drop this weight but figure out the best method is all.
@Alrightmiami19c I think you are right too, I need to decide with my coach on what I want and not what he wants, I think I do want to lean out and build from there on.
@TrainForPain - Last time I did it, I just became skinny fat…if that makes any sense, like I lost over all weight but still had some what of a belly, I really screwed up my macros from what I understand. Going to try and do this as best as I can this time round.
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You mentioned what you’ve been eating for the past week.
What happened to your Body Weight during that week? Did you gain, lose or stay the same.
The “Optimal” way to cut weight without losing muscle and strength is to shoot for a 1.5-2 weight loss per week.
So look at how much you ate and how your weight changed. Then adjust to hit the 1.5-2 pound target.
I initially weighed in at 88kg bang on.
After a week of eating what I wrote earlier in my post (today) weighed in at 87.5kg.
Edited for grammar
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Alright! That’s pretty much right on track.
Now just do that for 12 weeks!
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I had a similar bodyfat/training history as you. I got a sleep machine and fat melted off me. I am much stronger and my body looks like i lift.
Do a sleep study
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Now, i will preface this by saying I am not a bodybuilder, i am a strength guy. But before the sleep study, here are a few pics
Now after absolutely no dieting, and my lifts actually able to go up because of recovery from sleep
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Insufficient or poor sleep is a physiological stressor that can increase cortisol. Elevated cortisol is the enemy of optimal body composition. It favors partitioning nutrients to fat cells over muscle cells.
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Thanks all.
Funny enough got my CPAP machine couple months ago, still struggling to sleep with the mask as the seal is not as tight, changed masks etc etc so still figuring this out!
You using a mask or just the nostril?
the nostril is more comfortable than a mask, for me anyways
Im using the F40 full face mask, it doesn’t cover my nose completely (always had a itchy nose on the ones where it covered the nose and mouth).
But its okay, so far I have probably managed to use this better than others.
How does the nostril one? I think I am a mouth breather so not sure that will help.
Nostril may not work for you then
As i am a nose breather
I revolve between amara full view and f20. These are tricky to keep from leaking as a side sleeper. If i get surger to clear up my nose, the n20 is the best mask i have used. I have to take afrin for it to work currently, so it is a once a month to two month thing.