I made a previous post regarding training and mentioned that my diet is basically just gonna consist of whole clean foods. Well, I think i need to legit change that too. Heres my “Story”.
Over the last year ++ iv basically given up on my health and my appearance. Which sucks cause at my prime i was 210LBS, looked and felt great. Now, I weigh around 250lbs, feel awful, have stupid amounts of anxiety, my blood pressure is up and all that great millennial bullshit. My sex drive is still as good as its ever been so no issues with that. Oh and im 28.
I wanted to run the 5/3/1 BBB workout and focus solely on eating clean whole foods (paleo style dieting). However, taking a few minutes to asses all these issues and “Goals”, maybe right now is not the time for that?
Should I hop on a eating program and workout plan that focuses more on fat loss and conditioning? i know if you’re in a calorie deficit you will lose weight with any plan but then id feel like doing 5/3/1 would be a waste?
I’ve read keto diets are incredible for people who need to lose a lot of weight (in my eyes i need to lose a lot of weight). CKD diets? t-dawg diet? AD?
What workout program? I’m stuck here and would love to find a program and a diet so i can keep myself accountable.
If losing the body fat is your main goal then yes, keto will work. So will any other diet as long as, like you said, your in a calorie deficit. I wouldnt worry so much about the training program. When dieting, we train hard to tell our bodies to keep the muscle we have. We do not expect to gain muscle or strength during this time. A powerlifting based program like the 5-3-1 is not the type of program I would suggest yo run with the goal of fat loss in mind. I’d suggest a more hypertrophic bodybuilding style program (reps 8-15) during a fat loss phase, or a muscle building phase. The only time I personally see ANY benefit to 5-3-1 is if I’m trying to build strength and get my numbers up. I never run these types of programs any more because now my goal is add quality muscle. I could care less about the numbers I put up. Hope this helps some what!
That being said (with the hypertrophic bodybuilding style program) you got any in mind? I hate just going in and doing reps and sets for certain muscle groups, etc.
I assume with the quality muscle building thing id again have to do some kind of “calorie surplus” diet?
If you want to lose weight you will have to eat in a caloric deficit. You don’t have to choose 5/3/1, I suggested it because you said you like the big lifts and volume. You can do pretty much any type of program but your weight and appearance will largely be dictated by your diet, provided your workout program isn’t stupid. But you should listen to yourself:
What you’re describing is a bodybuilder split and you’re obviously not going to enjoy it. If you like a type of training, use that to your advantage. I love bodypart splits. I’m doing one now. But if you don’t like the training what makes you think you’re going to bust your ass day in and day out? What’s going to keep you motivated? Try an upper/lower split or push/pull legs, or 3x full body, or pretty much anything other than something you say you hate.
That jumped out at me too. With BB, there is a purpose and the training style is a means to an end. Same with different types of sport specific training.
So OP, do you have any specific background or training style that you’ve done and liked?
Try starting with the goal and working backwards so that the ends justify the means.
I like push pull legs, and I find it works great for most I prescribe it to. There are a million and one different variations of this split if you type it in google, pick one that you think you will like and go for it. I agree with the flappinit, it’s important to run a program you will enjoy. But the reason most people like or do a powerlifting split like 5-3-1 is to see there numbers go up. This is unlikely to happen during a diet where your in a deficit so to me, it only makes sense to run something that isn’t based on getting stronger so that your not getting discouraged by simillar, if not decreasing, totals as the diet goes on and the deficit increases.
In the past its been body group specific days. Back day, leg day, chest day, etc. I loved it back in the day when time was not an issue and i wanted to be a beast. Now, 3-4 days a week in the gym is what I’m looking for and would ideally like what yall mentioned OR a full body program. I do enjoy the big lifts, i really do, so maybe incorporating those with higher reps and sets while adding weight to a PUSH-PULL-LEG workout would work?
I want to sweat and burn. I thoroughly enjoy those two goals. So whatever recommendations you have that incorporates both of those i am alllllllllll ears.
In the end, im NOT overly worried about my training to be honest. Its the diet. I have a battle with food, i really do and i know its all a mind game.
What style of dieting is ideal for weight loss/fat burn? Keto i hear works wonders with IF, but if im working out 3-4 days a week would carb cycling work to retain muscle mass (carb days lifting and “keto” days on non lifting/condition/cardio days) or just general carb timining (keep my carbs pre and post workout)
There is so many forms of dieting that its painful trying to “pick one”
I’ve used keto, carb cycling, IF, IIFYM, and others I cant think of atm to get lean. They all work man. It’s all about preference. Can you give up toast in the morning? Can you give up rice, oatmeal, potatoes, pasta, etc and replace those with things like oils, butter, nuts, nut butter, fattier cuts of meat, etc? If the answer is not likely to those questions than keto ie not for you. Do you have a very high appetite like myself? For me, intermittent fasting has worked wonders. In the past when I’d be eating every 2-3 hours id ALWAYS be hungry, never feeling full, never feeling satisfied. I didn’t get much sleep either due to the fact that I cant sleep when I’m hungry and that just added to the problem. This made it much harder to stay on track and not break down and go hit up an all you can eat buffet(which did end up happening a time or two lol). IF solved this problem for me. By not eating all day and saving your calories for a couple large meals at night, I am able to get a ton more work done during the day not worrying about when and what to eat all day. Then when it’s time to eat, I feel full and satisfied while staying inside my calorie allotment for the day. It is hard to get used to at first but caffeine and some times eph if I really need it, helps a ton. Carb cycling has worked great for me as well. It’s easy to get through 1 or 2 low days when you know a high day us coming. All depends on how and what you like to eat. The best diet is the diet your most likely to adhere too
Generally on keto you only take in trace amounts of carbs from fibrous veggies. But some forms or versions of the keto diet allow for 50 g of carbs from any source, just as long as you keep carbs under 50 and fats high. Adding 30 g carbs after you train should not bump you out of ketosis as long as the rest of your macros are hit correctly
For first month or two just actually do this and (IMO)don’t worry about macros or calories restriction and thanks to being in your 20s things will fall into place pretty fast.
Re training, pick something that resonates/will keep you in the gym week in week out and then hit it hard
That being said though, wouldnt that be sort of the “T-dawg diet”? Where you consume your carbs during/post workout and all other meals are proteing+veggies+ fat?