No not really…for my bodyweight (LBM) I need around 192gms total for the day.
Split 6 ways that is just over 30gms per meal. This equates nicely to a medium size can of tuna. 3 large eggs, 165-180 gms of steak, fish. chicken.
Most whey powders provide about 28-30 gms of protein per serve.
If you are having trouble meeting your protein guidelines whey powder like grow! + nuts/flax/fish oil can be added for a P+F meal.
I find it pretty nasty sometimes chugging down those shakes in water but it’s convenient and I am happy to pay the price for a lean body in the future.
roc, yes, I use Surge. I consider it the single most important body composition supplment I take, if you could call it a supplement. Do a search on “Solving the Post Workout Puzzle” by John Berardi. It’s a two-parter and well worth the read. Optimizing PWO nutrition is a critical aspect of dialing in your diet.
I have a calorie target number. It’s just that I’m really short on it usually. I’m just wondering if this will affect the fat burning process.
If you don’t get enough calories, your body starts slowing/shutting down and running colder. As a result, less/no fat is burned. Part of what we did with T-Bow’s diet is to optimize his metabolism via diet and exercise. Everything we did was done to protect LBM and maximize fat burning. Getting more calories ended up being needed to break his plateau.
Do you find it difficult to maintain your protein guidelines?
Roc, when you decide to get serious about your diet (and cardio and weights), I’ll help you run the numbers. But what you need to do prior is start keeping a food log and tracking what you’re eating, when you’re eating, how much you’re eating, listing P grams, F grams C grams. If you don’t track it and measure it, how are you going to know whether you’re meeting your protein (and other macro) requirements or not?
Awesome, awesome, awesome!!! Perfect P+F and P+C meals.
One thing I noticed, though, you don’t like green veggies, do you. (grin)
Calories and carbs are fairly low but I don’t think I’ve lost any LBM and my strength levels are increasing so this must be a good sign.
If you don’t get in all your carbs in on non-workout days, it would be a good idea to pick up fat grams a bit to compensate. Remember that 1g of carbs = 4 calories and 1g of fat = 9 calories. If you were 18g short in the carb department (72 calories), you should increase fat by 8g (72 calories).
Overall weight is coming down slowly but I think it’s all fat so I’m prepared for the long slog to 10%.
Remember, the weight loss may be slow, but it is FAT loss we want, not weight loss. Additionally, with Chad’s program I’d bet you’re putting on some muscle (especially if you haven’t worked out in a while or if his program is radically different from what you’ve done in the past) and losing fat.
One additional question I have is do I stay on this indefinatly or will I need to switch to maintence at one stage to get out of starvation mode?
Remember how I ran the numbers? I did it based on your LBM. So if LBM increases, you’re going to need to take in more calories (or risk a slow down of your metabolism).
It is likely that we will need to make adjustments along the way, but not for a while. Just focus on working out *hard, on getting your PWO nutrition and hitting your numbers. There won’t be anything that comes up that we can’t fix together. (grin)
Ah, it’s summer here so salads tend to be on the menu a whole lot more. Though I guess a bit of bok choy, spinach etc is not going to hurt me.
I kind of changed my focus, I was really intent on quickly losing weight but the long term approach and change in lifestyle is a lot more important.
I may take a little longer but I’ll get there keeping what little LBM I have already + more.
ABBH is basically kicking my ass but I’m enjoying it in a sick kind of way. I was more a 5x5 type person so the combination of the 10x3 and 5x5 is kind of interesting anyway. The beauty of this is I am using the cheat sheet which has everything laid out for me.
I figured it will have to change but I assume it’s only going to be perhaps the addition of another meal somewhere during the day.
Anyway it’s Friday here and the river beckons tomorrow morning so have a good weekend.
I had to address this one with some hopefully encouraging words.
As I see it you have a great interest and enjoyment in all of the nutritional manipulation you are working with. Just wait.
This is only the beginning. Once you reach your goal and are comfortable with the fact that if things start at, anypoint, to get out of hand again, you have the knowledge and resources to stop the regression and fix the problem is where the real fun starts.
From that point you can start toying with all kinds of different approachs to your diet and nutrition combinations to see how they effect you.
So I would say look forward to not only reaching your goals, but also the forthcoming experimentation that may or may not lead to the reaching and surpassing of future endevours.
roc, a lot of the foods we eat have fat in them. Meat definitely does, and lean cuts and lean ground beef and chicken, fish, etc., are preferred so that you can get in some of your “good” fats; fish oil, flaxseed oil, MCTs (coconut oil), olive oil, etc.
I use a book (called a Nutritional Desk Reference) that lists the grams of fat, protein, carbs and fiber. It also lists calories. Fitday should also list the amount of fat in different sized servings of the food you’re eating. Example, the ground beef I eat lists 4.5g of fat for a 4-ounce serving.
T-Bow, Phill is absolutely right. In the beginning, tracking what you’re doing is a chore. But when you start playing around with things to see how your body responds, you really get hooked on the fact that *you’re in control.
That’s why I do what I do. I have so much fun testing different types of workouts, cardio and different dietary strategies/approaches that testing things on me isn’t enough. I end up getting my fix, so to speak, by taking on other people’s challenges. My two absolute favorite challenges are busting weight loss plateaus and working with people who have stubborn metabolisms and can’t lose weight. I used to fall into the latter category.
Hey Terry thanks for reply. I also have a food counter book, good stuff. I’ve been thinking after I reach a certain weight or BF % (not sure which one), I’m going to switch to the diet you recommend (t-dawg/don’t diet mix) and see where that leads. Also thanks for all the help.
Also you like ABBH, is this a good program for a beginner? Thank You
roc, I like to diet and train with two opposing physiolgical goals in mind; dropping BF and adding LBM. I’ve tried a couple of programs that have worked well for me while dieting, Hypertrophy Specific Training (HST) and Anti-BodyBuilding Hypertrophy (ABBH).
I tend to like hypertrophy programs with a reasonable volume. I also like lifting heavy and compound multi-joint exercises. If you have a basic foundation as far as working out goes, not a total newbie, I feel either one would be fine.
But what’s more important is that you start looking at different programs here on T-Mag and pick something the pushes your buttons. We’re all attracted to different things.
That’s why I do what I do. I have so much fun testing different types of workouts, cardio and different dietary strategies/approaches that testing things on me isn’t enough. I end up getting my fix, so to speak, by taking on other people’s challenges. My two absolute favorite challenges are busting weight loss plateaus and working with people who have stubborn metabolisms and can’t lose weight. I used to fall into the latter category.
Well get ready for this…
Stepped on the scales today and after a week of dieting/cardio/weights my weight has remained stable at 79.2kg and bf reading the same 26%.
I am thinking my metabolism is fitting into the stubborn category. I’m pretty patient and methodical but it’s starting to get to me.
Okay. We’ve got 2 weeks under the belt, and I’m willing to make minor adjustments.
Protein requirements. Let’s use LBM x 1.25g. Daily protein requirements are 161g or 27g per meal
Fat requirements. Let’s use LBM x .4g. Daily fat requirements are 52g, divided equally betweeen your P+F meals.
I have one more recommendation, but have to hit the gym before it closes. Will continue upon my return.
Answer a couple of questions for me. How are your pants fitting? How are you looking in the mirror? Any visible changes in appearance? Just subjectively.
Question: Seeing the precision with which you’ve implemented everything, I think I know the answer to this, but I have to ask anyway. Are you breaking down anywhere during the week? How precisely are you hitting your numbers?
The reason I ask is that the difference between maintenance and weight loss for me depends on how tightly I adhere to my numbers. If I grab a few nuts, “taste” something I’m cooking, lick out the bowl, sample a few “free samples” in the store or if I’m a little generous on a serving here and there, I end up maintaining, rather than losing.
Suggestion: An exercise option I’ll give you is 14 minutes of HIIT on the evenings you don’t lift. To get maximum benefit, you want it as close to 12 hours after your FS cardio as possible. You’re allowed a 5 minute warmup and a 5 minute cooldown. The sprints are 30 seconds, with 90 seconds recovery. That makes for 7 sprints. I do mine on a StairMaster. Low/recovery & warmup/cooldown is Level 4. High/sprint is Level 12. You don’t have to use a StairMaster. You can use the cardio equipment of your choice. And it’s not any particular numbers. It’s perceived level of exertion; i.e., “all out” for 30 seconds and 90 seconds, “slow” for recovery. Don’t worry about monitoring heart rate on this one.
I’m going to want you to check in each week as you have been. But at this point, going lower on protein and fat is not really an option. I’d like for you to give the workout program you’re following a chance to put on some muscle, which will increase your caloric requirements and thus burn more fat.
Question: Seeing the precision with which you’ve implemented everything, I think I know the answer to this, but I have to ask anyway. Are you breaking down anywhere during the week? How precisely are you hitting your numbers?
I am pretty damn close and the only thing I can think of is that maybe my actual foods differ enough from the fitday ones and that may cause an issue?
I get the “little bit of this and that” thing but I find that I am actually forcing myself to get 6 meals a day down so I dont really eat other than at these times.
I’ll re-check my portion sizes though to make sure I am not making a silly error.
Suggestion: An exercise option I’ll give you is 14 minutes of HIIT on the evenings you don’t lift.
Will do, not hard to get out and blast around on the bike hard for that period of time. I’d sprint but I have shin splits…I know I’m a mess.
I’m going to want you to check in each week as you have been.
Probably won’t be wise until after Xmas I think. My routine is going to be utterly disrupted as I’ll be travelling. I don’t plan to be bad over the Xmas/boxing day but no access to gym and no hand in meal prep will make it just too difficult to track.
However I will post my post-Xmas weight for a laugh
I am going to start using Fitday today. I noticed that there are a lot of things missing on their food list that are in my cabinet. Last night I spent about two hours tearing through my kitchen and adding my own custom foods, from everything like L.C. Grow! and Udo’s Choice and even fish oil capsules, to foods that vary slightly from their own list, such as Purdue Fit N’ Easy boneless chicken breast, 93% lean ground beef, etc. I want to be as precise as possible when I start using this today. You may want to do your own custom foods, if you haven’t already. It will certainly make a difference as the # add up. It was totally worth the time.
T-Bow, thank you for confirming that for me. You can make the adjustments I recommend before or after Christmas. We’ll work off of your “Start-Back” date; i.e, your weight the first Friday you start back at 100%.
You’re handling the holidays pretty well. As a long-time, in-it-for-the-long-haul clean eater and dieter, there are times I set my diet aside or make compromises. I refuse to diet on a cruise, for example. (grin) But that doesn’t mean I’m not right back with the program when I walk in the front door or finish my holiday obligations.
Shiggy, if you have Excel and would like a copy of my Excel food log, let me know. It’s a convenient way to keep a food log because I can do a search for a word/food, and I can Cut & Paste. We tend to eat a lot of the same things, the same types of food and the same combinations.
Instead of Fitday I use an encyclopedia type nutritional desk reference. Nutribase has a few different types of references. The one with the navy-blue cover lists all the categories I track. Corinne Netzer also has a good nutritional desk reference too. Just be sure that what you purchase has carb grams, fat grams, protein grams, fiber grams and calories.
I like a book because I can look up stuff when I’m in the kitchen and need to make a quick decision and because I can take it with me when I travel.
Ok, let me get this straight. You’re doing 45 mins of cardio seven mornings per week, training every other day with weights, and now doing HIIT on the evenings of your off days, which is 3-4 days per week?
Do I have this right? I’m hoping someone says I have this wrong.
Hey Terry I have a question for you about refeeds since you mentioned you put your diet aside on holidays or cruises.
Is having two refeeds in one week going to really set a person back? I’m asking becasue I know this week is going to be crazy (I know xmas day I’m carbing, pasta, cake etc). But I have a few other days in which I have to do things in which I will probably slip up. Any suggestions?
