Could Use Some Serious Nutritional Guidance

Diet and Nutrition
1

Hello,

So I have been working out for a year now and have dropped from 300 pounds to roughly 200-205 currently. I have packed on muscle, all my lifts have increased in the past year (just hit 350 for deadlift finally) and now my real focus is building muscle-not fat loss-. Please note, I workout 6 days a week about 1-2 hours depending on the day (3 strength days, 3 circuit days alternating)

My normal dietary standards were about 200g of protein, 40-60g of carbs a day, and 30g fat

Yes I know this is no where near enough, however, I am now trying to perfect my dietary nutrition in order to reap the benefits!

Now, I am thinking about keeping my calorie intake around 2500-3000 (not looking to gain fat), my protein intake to about 200g, carbs to 150, and fats I honestly have no fricken clue lol.

So my question is this: I have read a LOT of conflicting research of when to eat what and what to mix it with, and I know to take it all with a grain of salt. However, I would focus my carb intake for breakfast (steel cut oats), post workout, and pre workout. I would split my protein up between all meals and post workout, and then fats I would increase at dinner, and snacks throughout the day (nuts)

Does anyone have any recommendations on this? Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated. Also, I have read some research on how fats and carbs together in a meal is far worse then eating them at different times. However, I read that fats and slow digesting carbs for breakfast with protein can be greatly beneficial? I am really confused lol

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE HELP!

Also this is my typical day:

Breakfast:
1/4 cup steel cut oats (uncooked)
Scoop of whey protein powder
hard boiled egg

Snack:
1/4 cup steel cut oats (uncooked) mixed with pumpkin

Post workout:
Whey protein shake (about a scoop and a half)
Half cup cooked white rice
1-2 hard boiled eggs sometimes

Lunch:
8 oz chicken, ground beef, or some source of protein
Veggies (usually broccoli or zucchini)

Snack:
protein shake

Dinner:
8 oz of some sort of protein
veggies

Before bed:
Casein shake

also most of my stuff is cooked with olive oil

2

Eat food don’t be a girl about fat gains while trying to gain muscle and lift heavy at least 4 days a week and don’t over do it on the cardio

3

thanks for the tips lol. I lift heavy 3 days and do circuit training 3 days (which is still heavy, just not maximum loads) and then do about 1 mile runs every now and then just cause I’m training for time.

1 Like
4

I mean that’s all there really is to it, people just try and over complicate things. Eat a lot and lift heavy ass weights, repeat and be rewarded

5

Well done on the weight loss and progress!

If I calculated your “current” diet right, your getting around 1300 calories right now? (200 pro/40-60 carbs/30 fat). That is very low. Bumping up your calories from this straight to 2500-3000 may not be your best bet. Try working your way up there over multiple weeks, theres a good chance your metabolism has slowed down if you’ve been at the 1300 for a while. Doubling your calories in a short time is a almost sure way to have some weight come flying back.

If you slowly (as in weeks and months, not days) bump up your calories to the amount it takes for you to start gaining some weight, you won’t have to worry about all the conflicting research about what to eat and mix it with and when to eat certain macros and at what time exactly you need to down your pre and post workout shake. I know that stuff all seems confusing and overwhelming, but I can assure you it will make a very minimal difference in your overall progress. Don’t stress out about it.

You’ve made it this far, just be patient (weight gain can take a long time), pay attention to your results, and keep working hard like you have been and you’ll be set!

6

Like the guy above me said, you wanna build back up slowly. I’d say going up around 250 calories/week would be a good place to start.

Also, as far as macro ratios go, it can vary between each person. A good place to start is 30%/30%/40% of protein, fats, and carbs and adjust your fat and carb ratios to what works for you.

What is your bf%?

7

Not sure what my BF is I think maybe 20%? maybe less not 100% sure.

Also I am not eating 1200 calories a day. Normally I hit at least 2000 because I eat a lot of fatty meats like steak, pork, ground beef ex and stuff. I bumped up my calorie intake currently to 2500-2800. Im trying to eat now 200-250 carbs between my breakfast, lunch, pre and post workout, and then eat my fats close to dinner/night

8

Oh and also, I try and track my progress daily (weighing myself every day) I know thats not the best but I do this to ensure no rapid weigh gains or anything but I think ill begin weighing myself once a week. However, my progress in the gym has been going up a little. For instance my BB rows have gone up 20 pounds in about a month which I noticed today! So at least my progress isn’t being hurt.

9

Just remember the higher your bf, the less carbs you should be taking in. You could probably go for a 20/40/40 carb, fat, protein split. And then add in carbs slowly as you lose fat

10

I am trying for about 200-250 carbs a day around my workouts to really fuel me and utilize my nutrients. Hopefully thats not too much, but from what i have read it seems to be a little less then normal. A few calculators I’ve used said upwards of 350 carbs, but I think thats far to big of a jump. I do wish I knew my BF %, just know I’m 203 pounds and don’t really have any noticeably big fat except for my stomach, which has retained a bit of loose skin.

11

It really depends on your personal sensitivity to carbs. I know when I was 20% bf I could only handle about 100 carbs a day before my fat loss slowed, and 250/day was my carb intake on my biweekly refeed days. But I had been fat my whole life and grew up eating grotesque amounts of sugar so my insulin sensitivity was shit. You just gotta find the find the perfect balance between low enough carbs to lose fat, and high enough carbs to not feel like shit