A highly-embarrassing on-and-off streak of a little more than 20 years. We’re talking sometimes not training for weeks or months and at one point in life, I didn’t train for a year and a half, not to mention not doing what really needed to be done to look like a bodybuilder during some of the training time. However, when I REALLY tried, I got results.
I don’t know if I should really be embarrassed because I admittedly had a love-hate relationship during a lot of that time and to be transparent, hardcore bodybuilding really is incongruent with average daily life. We’re talking about serious time and energy investments while likely trying to find a mate, socialize, have spontaneous fun, go to school, have a job, and so forth, not to mention all sorts of problems that occur in life. For much of my life, I always wanted to look like a bodybuilder, but I had other concerns, priorities, and yes, problems, for much of my life. I can say that i’ve always been a big fan for all the time though; that’s how I know a lot about 90’s, and early-00’s bodybuilding.
We’re about the same height and I think around similar bodyfat level but you’re around 10 lbs lighter than I am - pretty sure you don’t need to cut calories drastically.
However, if it helps: I’ve managed to go from the low 180s to low 190s without adding noticeable fat eating 2500-2600 calories per day. I’ve only just in the last couple of days gone up to 2700 calories per day higher carb/low fat/moderate protein. I train four days per week, upper/lower two on/one off/two on/two off with a powerlifting focus but a lot of bodybuilding assistance. Fairly high intensity, high volume, low frequency.
Obviously your metabolism etc are different, but you might do well with something like 2800 cal/day and tweaking your macros slightly. The biggest positive change I’ve seen recently was when I started limiting carbs to just before, during and after training and on rest days only first and last meals - but not changing the amount and staying between 290-310 grams per day.
Damn, I actually achieved this 10 years ago but it slipped away. I was 231 lbs (exactly 3 lbs per inch at 6’ 5") with 8-9% body fat (checked by the head S&C coach at the USOC using 9 site skin fold method).
I lived on campus, worked in the weight room, was allowed to lift on the clock, and had all of my food prepared and waiting in the cafeteria. That’s how I achieved my biggest and leanest physique and I’ve been chasing it since I lost it later in the year.
It seems that playing college basketball is a good way to run some muscle off.
That would put me at 211 lbs, and oddly enough that’s what I’ve suspected my sweet spot would be at least in terms of performance. In other words, I need to add another 10 lbs of muscle and stay at this level of leanness.