JB: Once again, you provided me with about a month’s worth of information to chew on! Your recent “Appetite For Construction” was simply outstanding! One question related to recalculating calories when losing fat: In your experience, have you found it best to either a) Simply subtract calories from carbs (many in the Mags advocate this, but I wonder if they do simply because its “easier”), b) Subtract calories accross all three macronutrients or c)Totally recalculate your meals so that you maintain your pre-determined macro-nutrient ratios? As always, thanks!
Lion King…hey, buddy. Just couldn’t stand NOT dropping a post on ya in while. Thought I could be of assistance to you. I remember when JB was dieting he gave some detailed posts about his regime for calories and cutting calories. I don’t remember specific numbers, but as the weeks progressed I remember seeing that he would take off about 50g of carbs a day. You might want to run a search or two and hopefully you can come up with something. Otherwise, just stick around, I’m sure the guru will be more than happy to help ya out. Later, buddy.
Thanks, Lil’ Bro! I THOUGHT it may come from carbs, but just wasn’t sure. I’ll search and see what JB says! (50 grams of carbs is 200 calories, so that would certainly make for an “easier” way to calculate and cut cals…)
Hey, Mufasa,The wealth of information floored me,too. What about
the 30% conversion rate of flax oil to EPA/DHA. I’m a big consumer
of “Barlean’s” flax seed oil, and never thought someone would
answer that equation…or the precentages of fat to lean muscle gain
on a massive eating program and how it’s predicated to one’s original
body fat %…When the hardcover hits the bookstore, I’ll be first in line!!!
(Joey Z.)
I second y’alls compliments on the John Berardi article. Its good stuff; just what I needed. One question I had on the calorie calc – regarding step 4 where 0.1 or 0.15 is multiplied by the RMR and added back to the RMR plus activity factor number. Maybe I’m missing something, but this step was not included in the calc in the Massive Eating article (before adding in cost of exercise). This step makes a difference for me of 400 calories needed per day. Am I off here? Did y’all read it different?
BTW, Massive Eating has been great fun. Here’s some stats – I started at 188lbs at 10% went to 205 lbs at 15% in 2 months. This is a 5 lb gain in lean mass (no supps except Surge). This isn’t ideal trade-off for fat vs lean mass. As JMB explains in his latest article, it would have been better to be leaner before bulking. Now that is the goal. I’ll also mention here that I’m using Ian King’s programs, which I can’t say enough good things about.
MBH…I pulled out the 'ole notes…the calculation is there in both “Massive Eating” and “Don’t Diet/Modified Massive Eating”. It’s the TEF or "Thermic Effect of Food. You use .10 for moderate protein intake (1gm/lb of bodyweight) and .15 for high protein intake (more than 1gm/lb of bodyweight). Hope this helps…
The part about “Don’t Diet” was fantastic. After just completing my modified Fat Fast (down 3.5% body-fat in 18 days, NO muscle loss, carb-up, no cheating), I’m now doing two days of P+C meals only (my carb-up, following DD cals), before going the 3 P+Cs and 3 P+Fs.
A question about the caloric calculations: For "Don't Diet", should I consume the same number of calories on non-workout and workout days? Doing so would mean replacing my post-workout meal with a normal P+C meal on non-workout days rather than having the additional p/w meal.
Big Bruva…congratulations on your diet success, bro. Kudos on sticking to your guns and goals and doing what it took to get where you wanted. I also like the plan of carbing up using good, quality grub (p+c meals). I think you’re right on about Don’t Diet: same calories on training and off days. This will provide a deficit on training days, and depending on activity level, a slight one on recovery days–or at worst, maintenance. Kind of a built-in metabolic booster/zig-zag type thing.
Cheers, Timbo. My goals for the last three weeks were to lose as much fat as possible while maintaining all the muscle I’d built up over the past few months. I did that exactly as desired. Now, I’m hoping “Don’t Diet” will allow me to do the impossible: lean out gradually, while gaining muscle, gradually. A pipe dream? Maybe, but Massive Eating feedback seems to be incredibly positive.
Lion King…I pulled this gem off an old oatmeal post (another classic–I suggest everyone go back and look at those wooly mammoths). This is what JB had to say about his dieting and carb intake:
*Finally, matt, this post isnt about how many calories/carbs to eat when on a diet. You're burstin my bubble here. Post about cheat meals or a yummy recipe or remain silent!!! Na, just kidding, kind of. But no more questions about that after this one answer. It's variable man. I diet for about 6 weeks per year. During such time I start with higher carbs and just eliminate some each week. I dont change anything else so protein and fat stay the same throughout and only the carbs elimination leads to calorie elimination. Here is an example for training days. Week 1 350g carbs, week 2 300g carbs, week 3 250 carbs, week 4 200 carbs, week 5 150 carbs, week 6 100 carbs. Then on non-training days I will keep a constant low carb intake of like 100-150 carbs all 6 weeks. During this time I will increase cardio from week 1 (20min per day) to week 6 (40min per day).*
Add that one to the archives, King!
Big Bruva...pipe dream??? I think not. Go for the gold, bro. After all, the Don't Diet/Massive Combo could be the holy grail of bodybuilding...
OUTSTANDING! As always, thanks, ‘Lil Bro! I tell you, Timbo…sometimes when I ask questions on this Forum, I sometimes feel that they may seem “picky” but I really don’t think so. If you are an average guy like me, who puts on fat just by smelling food and has to be concious of almost every morsel of what I eat, these “little” things can mean the difference between a successful cycle or total failure and frustration. When someone post on the board (and we’ve all seen it!) that they are "doin’ everything, man, and I can’t (gain weight, loose fat, etc. etc.)", you can almost bet the Farm that their workouts, and most certainly their diet, are lackadaisical at best and totally ill planned and executed at worst.
This was a case in point. JB pointed out in this weeks "Appetite For Construction" that RE-calculation of "Don't Diet" Calories is a MUST or you could litteraly end up with a HYPER caloric diet. And let me tell you from someone who knows; mess up your manipulation of carbs and all your dieting efforts can be lost in a few days.
I also agree with you that "Massive Eating/Don't Diet/Nutrient Pertitioning/Taper-Stagger Nutrient Partitioning Timing will be the standard from which to measure all other Mass Building/Fat Loss Diets. Will other diets work? Yes. But this regimen has the making of being the Standard. Now...if we could just get this one last piece of the puzzle straightened out...the workout drink!
Dang!..I sometimes forget my nic! I guess you probably knew that the “OUTSTANDING” post was from me! Again…thanks, 'Lil Bro…
King of the Jungle…some very thoughtful and interesting comments as always, oh wise one:-) I always read what you have to say and pay particular attention to it, so don’t sweat what other T-Peeps think, big dogg.
Right on about “doing everything right” It busts me up when someone says they can’t gain/lose, whatever, then Shugs chimes in, in an oh-so-helpful manner, and says well how many cals, how much protein, and what’s your diet like…then the mofo vanishes into thin air!
I also think that some people "think" they are training "hard"...but there's always another notch, there's always a new level to take one's training and physique. And if you're not striving to reach higher, then you're just cheating yourself. I think some people place perceived limitations on themselves.
I have thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from all JB’s writings and look forward to his marvelous work–can’t wait for those books he co-authored.