Low Carb or Just Eat Cleaner?

Diet and Nutrition
1

I took a bf test today using one of those game boys looking testers u hold out in front of you. I was told I was at 30% bf. I have heard these can be wrong, some ppl I know have been told they are at 1%bf with these but still. If anything I’m atleast 20%. I’ll add pics at the bottom for u to decide. The thing is I want to go down to atleast 15%.

I’m stuck between 2 methods. A low carb diet or using the 7 healthy habits and just eating cleaner. I know low carb is great but I was on it for like a month or so and lost like 10lbs or so but my workouts SUCK, I was so unmotivated. The other choice is to just eat clean, this is what I’ve kinda done now.

I’ve been eating every 2-3 hours but healthier foods. I will also start to do cardio 2-3 times a week. So what do you think is the best method, I rly like the second method. I have good workouts with the second method. I have heard with that I can still add lean mass while getting down to 15%.

I haven�??t counted calories since it confuses me but is it possible to lose this bf by having the same or possible slightly higher caloric intake? It seems possible with cleaner food and keeping anabolic. What do you think? Is 15% achievable with the second method, and what do you think my bf is now?

2

idk how to add more images in one thread so here are the rest.

So can I use the second method and just straight up eat cleaner, no couting, no micros, ect. Add cardio (currently none) and get down to 15% bf while gaining some muscle? I have been told its possable to gain LBM and lose fat with a higher bf.
Please help me out.

3

anyone on this topic?
What do u think my bf% is?

4

This is not the rate my physique section of the form no one can look at your pics and tell you your bodyfat that is a ridiculous question but… YOU ARE FAT… and hairy… you answered your question on your second post you need to eat cleaner and add cardio into your training HOT-ROX and high doses of fish oils would help as well…

T-Dawg diet search for it, it will do you good dont eat carbs that have been processed so stick with fruits and veggies… do your cardio in the mornings…

5

so let me re-cap, just to double check I can do this by just cleaning it up and adding cardio. I’m dont have to count calories do I? That gets kinda complicated, especially when food changes and with school. The thing is that with the diet I will probably be eating more but it will all be good food. Thats ok right? So here it is…

-Carbs only from fruits and veggies
-Eat cleaner/ add cardio
-Get some high dose fish oil
-Buy some HOT-ROX

am I correct? Also, do I have a limit on the type or amount of fruits and veggies I can eat?

Thanks.

BTW: I’m 5’10, 210 lbs

6

T-Dawg 2.0 article might be perfect for you given what you said.

Yes, you have to count calories. Most veggies are fine.

7

[quote]moofs wrote:
…I know low carb is great but I was on it for like a month or so and lost like 10lbs or so but my workouts SUCK…[/quote]

you work out?!?

8

[quote]catone wrote:
moofs wrote:
…I know low carb is great but I was on it for like a month or so and lost like 10lbs or so but my workouts SUCK…

you work out?!?

[/quote]

yes, 2 times a week.

9

That diet looks good but I got other factors to play in. I’m still in highschool and I dont have that much cash. Thats why the counting calories is hard. I usually buy a salad and fruit or somthing when I’m in there but it changes around. This is what worries me. I also have trouble getting some stuff in since classes wont let me eat in them.

I guess Ill just try to eat cleaner, get carbs from fruit and veggies and run more. I’m sure this can atleast get me to 20% or like 15 if I’m lucky. My friend did it that way so I think I have a shot.

10

You’re not even that fat. You need to put some meat on your bones. I’d grab a more frequent training regimen designed for beginners, work it HARD and eat six small quality meals a day. You’d lose fat and build some muscle that will burn even more fat. At least for a while. I’m not saying don’t do any cardio, but lack of cardio is not your problem. Having insufficient muscle mass to burn that off and poor eating habits is.

Of course you could just run and diet and you’ll wind up a scrawny toothpick which is fine if that’s what you. Unless you are putting in 2 herculean training days a week you need more. In fact 2 days is not enough at your age and experience level in any case.

11

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
You’re not even that fat. You need to put some meat on your bones. I’d grab a more frequent training regimen designed for beginners, work it HARD and eat six small quality meals a day. You’d lose fat and build some muscle that will burn even more fat. At least for a while. I’m not saying don’t do any cardio, but lack of cardio is not your problem. Having insufficient muscle mass to burn that off and poor eating habits is.

Of course you could just run and diet and you’ll wind up a scrawny toothpick which is fine if that’s what you. Unless you are putting in 2 herculean training days a week you need more. In fact 2 days is not enough at your age and experience level in any case.[/quote]

THAT is exactly what this thread is about, seeing if that is possible. I’ve actually been training for a year and a half and I do it 3 times a week, not 2, typo. I bench 210, squat 330 and DL 385. My arms are 14’s so I see what u mean by no muscle when I’m done cutting. That’s what has held me back before.

But what you said is my main question. Can I eat in a healthier fashion and loose the weight. I’ll improve though, I plan to try to eat like 6 meals a day. Add in some cardio and just cut out the junk and replace with fruits and veggies. I dont see how that cant atleast get me to 20%. Can you?
So does anyone else think this is possible?
Thanks

12

If you are having trouble getting your fruits and veggies, I recommend a mix of milled flax seeds and some of the new Biotest Superfood.

13

[quote]Merlin7777 wrote:
If you are having trouble getting your fruits and veggies, I recommend a mix of milled flax seeds and some of the new Biotest Superfood.[/quote]

I cant rly order off line but when I have a problem I started to make it into a shake. I take a bunch of mixed fruit, add a banana and some OJ and then I blend. I drink that some times during the day to help with the intake.

14

How long have you been training and making an effort to eat better?

15

[quote]moofs wrote:
That diet looks good but I got other factors to play in. I’m still in highschool and I dont have that much cash. Thats why the counting calories is hard. I usually buy a salad and fruit or somthing when I’m in there but it changes around. This is what worries me. I also have trouble getting some stuff in since classes wont let me eat in them.

I guess Ill just try to eat cleaner, get carbs from fruit and veggies and run more. I’m sure this can atleast get me to 20% or like 15 if I’m lucky. My friend did it that way so I think I have a shot. [/quote]

Think portable, cheap foods. Why not bring a couple tins of tuna to school? Mix up a huge bag of raw nuts and keep those in your bookbag to grab between classes. Buy a couple of cheap shakers, add a couple scoops of protein powder to them, and you can add water to them from the drinking fountain at any time. Get greens at the grocery and make your own salads to take for lunch. You don’t have to be dependent on the cafeteria if you plan a little bit and get creative!

16

If you’re still in high school, how about joining a sport? It doesn’t matter if you suck - it’s all about the practice.

17

Don’t take what I’m saying as an insult because I don’t mean it that way, but you need to forget everything you ever thought you knew about weight training and start over.

You need to get around some guys who know what they’re doing and soak in their experience. Forget numbers, body comp percentages, cutting, bulking, any of that for now. Somebody needs to show you what a truly productive, face bursting workout looks like.

There is no way you have been eating and training in anything like a productive manner for a year and a half. Which I’m taking it you know and is why you’re here. It’s one thing to give somebody advice and quite another to be able to know whether they’re actually doing it without seeing them in person. Most guys really believe they train like animals, but I’m promising you as sure as I’m typing this that in a year and a half I (or a hundred other guys) could have gotten you 10 times the results you’ve gotten on your own.

You could easily take a few inches off your waist and gain 20 plus pounds of muscle in the next year if you got your head screwed on right for the task which begins by marrying your mirror and divorcing the body fat tests. They’re an automatic distraction and usually not very accurate anyway.

You need to find out what you’re actually eating and how much at least until you have a grip on where you’re at. You have clearly been eating more than is required by whatever your activity level has been to this point. Not just more, but probably faulty planning as well. However it may not be as simple as that. You may have just not been working hard enough to justify the intake. I suspect it’s both.

None of this makes you an incurable dumbass, you just don’t know what you’re doing and I doubt if internet advice is really going to do it. You need to get yourself in the company of some people who can get you steered in the right direction. Saying do this or that routine is useless if you think you’re busting your ass doing it and actually aren’t.

On another note, a low carb lifestyle takes significantly longer than a month for your energy levels to stabilize, but may be a good choice if you had the patience.

18

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
Don’t take what I’m saying as an insult because I don’t mean it that way, but you need to forget everything you ever thought you knew about weight training and start over.

You need to get around some guys who know what they’re doing and soak in their experience. Forget numbers, body comp percentages, cutting, bulking, any of that for now. Somebody needs to show you what a truly productive, face bursting workout looks like.

There is no way you have been eating and training in anything like a productive manner for a year and a half. Which I’m taking it you know and is why you’re here. It’s one thing to give somebody advice and quite another to be able to know whether they’re actually doing it without seeing them in person. Most guys really believe they train like animals, but I’m promising you as sure as I’m typing this that in a year and a half I (or a hundred other guys) could have gotten you 10 times the results you’ve gotten on your own.

You could easily take a few inches off your waist and gain 20 plus pounds of muscle in the next year if you got your head screwed on right for the task which begins by marrying your mirror and divorcing the body fat tests. They’re an automatic distraction and usually not very accurate anyway.

You need to find out what you’re actually eating and how much at least until you have a grip on where you’re at. You have clearly been eating more than is required by whatever your activity level has been to this point. Not just more, but probably faulty planning as well. However it may not be as simple as that. You may have just not been working hard enough to justify the intake. I suspect it’s both.

None of this makes you an incurable dumbass, you just don’t know what you’re doing and I doubt if internet advice is really going to do it. You need to get yourself in the company of some people who can get you steered in the right direction. Saying do this or that routine is useless if you think you’re busting your ass doing it and actually aren’t.

On another note, a low carb lifestyle takes significantly longer than a month for your energy levels to stabilize, but may be a good choice if you had the patience.[/quote]

good point, My biggest problem is diet, for the first year or so I rly didnt have one. I’m gonna just clean it up though for now and get more active. I’ll look for ppl to train with but I’m not sure if there are rly any bodybuilders around me. I dont rly have money for a personal trainer either. Theres an Xsport by me with a competitive bodybuilder but like it said, no cash. I think there are a few power lifting teams here but I was never rly big on that. I’ll look though.

this was my diet today…

-2 whole eggs and veggies with EV olive oil
-School salad with no dressing, water, fruit, cookie
-Protein shake with PB, whey and some oats
-Chicken breast with bbq sause and veggies
-Yogurt and some cottage cheese.

But yes, I need training help but dont know where to get it.

btw: on the low carb diet, I planned to do it for 12 weeks but I just felt so crappy on it and I didnt always have the right food available. With just eating cleaner I have had more energy. I also never did cardio. This is all stuff I need to add in that I hope will turn me around atleast a little.

19

Heres my new workout, what do you think? Its a slightly modded 5x5. I’m just trying to keep it basic. Like mentioned above, I’m pretty much trying to start over.

Monday-

Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Rows 5x5 (bench)
Hypers 2x8
Ab plank

Wednesday-

Squat 4x5
Military Press 4x5
Deadlift 4x5
Hamstring work
Ab plank

Friday-

Squat 5x5
Bench 4x5 1x3 1x8
BB rows 5x5
chins 5x5
Cable rows 3x12
DB rows 3x12
Face pulls 2x15
Dips 3x5
DB bar curls 3x8
Triceps extensions 3x8

As for training with people. There’s not that many kids in my schools workout room. I Emailed a local power lifting gym but they haven’t got back to me. I was thinking of maybe getting a trainer over the summer.

Right now I think I need the diet help, I started bringing mixed nuts to school between class as well. I’m also gonna bring that protein shake.
Anyone got any other tips?

20

You have alot, I mean alot of carbs in your diet. Im an ecto like you, and I see great success on low carb diets. Key being LOW! as in less than 100 and even less than 50 a day. Youre nowheres near low. Start with reading your nutritional labels and familiarizing yourself with what your eating. Second, with regards to what your eating, cookies!?!? you want to loose weight and you honestly ate a cookie? These little things add up and are probably why you think youre eating well but not. Also, the bbq sauce, the yogurt (unless its plain no-fat, but even then isnt very low on carbs), the oats and cottage cheese all contain carbs which add up when having more than 1 serving of them.

Try measuring out servings to actually see what a serving looks like, youd be surprised. I bet if you add your carbs up, with fruit and veggies you probably were well over 150, maybe 200 carbs with that diet you posted, nowhere near low carbs.