Alright guys, I need advice. I’ve been at the weight training game for about a year now. 20 y/o, 132lbs (max bench press is 205), 5’7". I worship at the altar of Berardi and Lowery, lift heavy (compound lifts) three times a week… but before my question, a little history:
I dropped a lot of weight about 2 years ago when I started running everyday. I went from around 190lbs to 124lbs in a period of 2 or 3 months, maintaining a serious hypocaloric diet (1200-1500 calories a day, mostly bad refined carbohydrates). This was not HIIT. No, not by a long shot. Mostly 6 + mile jaunts 7 days a week. I lost a lot of fat, reaching around 7-8% BF according to my Tabita scale. Then I found T-Mag, and was saved.
Since then, starting about 1 year ago, I’ve gained 8 real pounds of mostly muscle. I’m around 10-11% body fat these days. I do limited cardio as I’ve come to realize that muscle mass is necessary to achieve what I’m looking for. Just once, I’d like to see my abdomen. I’m worried that I may have so much excess skin, this might be impossible without a surgical procedure, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try.
I’ve kept a detailed food log for the past six months, and it would appear my maintenance caloric intake is around 3500 calories a day. My compound lifts have been steadily increasing in weight throughout my year in training. I understand that if I simply try to cut, I’ll be losing the precious muscle I’ve gained. However, I’m afraid of seriously bulking. Whenever I do increase my caloric intake, my muscles do indeed grow, but so does my waist line. I seem to be very carbohydrate sensitive, and thus try to keep my carbs low - that whole “former fat kid” syndrome. I need help. It’s vanity, I know, but I’d like to take advantage of my youth while I have it. Any recommendations would be appreciated. I hit squats, deadlifts, lunges, bench press, shoulder press, pull ups, and dips on every visit to the gym, in addition to doing tricep pushdowns, calf raises, bicep curls, and shoulder raises.
Here’s my diet as it stands.
Workout Day:
9:00am
1 whole egg, 6 egg whites, 1 6 oz steak
1 apple.
coffee w/ skim milk.
11:30am
2-3oz of almonds
2:00pm
4 lean italian chicken sausages
heaping mounds of broccoli and mixed veggies
Workout
4:00pm
Shake of starberries, non fat yogurt, and 60 grams of whey protein
6:00pm
2 6oz steaks
Mixed greens
Apple
9:00pm
2 eggs, 2 egg whites
3oz mixed nuts
11:00pm
package of Oberto beef jerky
On average I consume 250+ grams of protein a day. On weekends, I do carb up days whereupon I increase my carbohydrate intake significantly, eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. I don’t do cheat meals. I rarely drink - maybe once every 2 months or so, and maximum 3 or 4 drinks.
Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!