Hey there, I would like to point out that I’m new here and that English is not my native language, so bear with me please !
I’m looking for some advice, especially on my diet to improve my physique. Altough i’ve been training for about 6 years now, I still consider myself a beginner if you look at my physique. For the first 4 years of training I did mostly a 5/3/1 template, training 4 days/week and eating basically anything in my sight. I went crazy on bench day and wrecked my right shoulder, resulting in a break from weightlifting and trying other sports such as rock climbing and boxing.
Now I’m trying to get back in shape but my problem is that I dont know if I should lose some fat or build up from there. Yoyo diet has been a big problem for me, sometimes going crazy and eating everything I saw, including sugary and fast foods, then going in a severe calorie deficit (sometimes as low as 1500 cals a day). I know I probably wrecked my metabolism doing so, but now I want to know what would be ideal for me to ‘‘restart’’ my metabolism and get in better shape.
Here are my stats:
22 year old male
215lbs (98kg)
5’10
%bf unknown… pictures coming tomorrow!
Diet is looking like this :
Breakfast : 1 cup oat + 3eggs and 1/2 cup egg whites + 30g cheese + vit D/Omega 3
Intra workout : 1 scoop BCAA
Post Workout : 2 scoops protein + banana + 5g creatine
Lunch : 200g meat (usually red meat, sometimes chicken) + 1 cup of rice/potatoes
Dinner : 200g meat + 1 cup of rice/potatoes + veggies
Snack : protein bar + magnesium
Personal Records:
Squat: 405lbs 3RM
Deadlift : 475lbs 1RM
Bench : 225lbs 8RM 275lbs 1RM
OHP : 185lbs 1RM
I’m currently trying a HFT approach, training 6 days a week on a Push/Pull template, focusing on the big lifts and isolation for a more balanced physique.
Any help would be really appreciated!
Put yourself at maintenance calories for a few months and adjust from there.
Ok so basically 215lbs x15? Around 3200cals?
That sounds about right, everybodys a bit different but thats a good target.
Youll probably have to dial it back and forth a bit as you progress.
But assuming your not going to become a slug, you wont lose any muscle if you stay there and figure it out for a bit.
I would just watch the cheat meals and youll be fine. I went on a decade long bulk once, lol, and coming out of that I started at weight ×10 and came out the other side without any muscle loss because the muscle was still being fed the whole time, and in the end the fat is the preferential fuel.
Its all time and perseverance, good luck brother!
I think you need to lose a lot of fat. 3200 calories will not only keep you fat, but will slowly make you fatter. Maybe that is what you are going for?
No actually my long term goal (1-2years) would be to be leanish (some abs showing) with as many muscle as possible lol. Im not trying to compete or anything, I just want to look like I actually train! What would you propose? Ive had some big problems with dieting in the past and any help would be appreciated
You would benefit from a cut. You look to have about 25lbs of fat you can cut. Follow a strict diet and continue to lift. I see the muscle in your back, but nothing in the front. I’d recommend 2500 calories on no cardio days. Take in more if you do cardio. Only go up to 3200 if you burned the difference on cardio. Eat lean protein, eggs, powder, naked baked potatoes, all the veg you want minus corn. Snack on lightly flavored popcorn that you pop, take it easy on nuts, no peanut butter. No cheating. You can cut that in 4 months. I’d recommend a slower pace though to maintain muscle. For me, I was willing to sacrifice muscle to make the cut. Once you get to 15% bf, you can explore options.
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Btw, i didn’t mention a weight program because it’s mostly diet to show abs. But others can recommend a weight program. Since you are young, I recommend some diciplined approach to lifting.
Thanks for the feedback, I will surely follow that slow cut approach. I guess I just need to not go overboard on cutting my Cals (in the past I used to go as low as 1500cals/day). I will give it a go and see where I end up. What about the macros? 200g of protein? How Much carbs/fat?
I am 215ish lbs. i don’t count macros per se. I make sure I get around 200 grams of protein. But i watch carbs and fat closely. I eat one or two bananas a day. One sweet potato, and maybe an apple or something else. I do take in 1 or 2 tbl spoons of peanut butter 3 or 4 Times a week, but I am lean and do a lot of cardio to offset that fat calorie bomb. I eat peanut butter with my steel cut oats once a week. I am mindful, but not anal about it because I don’t want it to be too difficult.
I’m disciplined enough where i can eat chicken breast or ground turkey meat everyday for lunch. Throw in canned tuna and canned chicken breast with a packet of chick fil a sauce and black pepper to mix it up once a week. By the time I leave work, i usually have 1000 - 1500 calories to get me to maintenance. My protein shake is about About 350 cal. So I eat whatever reasonable.
At my desk at work, i have quest protein bars, larabars, peanut butter (be careful), pistachios with the shell,granola bars, steel cut oats. I eat those things when I need them.
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im not going to be rude, but I am always straight forward.- if you want visible abs we are talking way more than 25 lbs. just start working and you will get there.
have you done any extreme diets in the past? how is your ¨weight history¨ always carried a lot of fat or was you skinny as a youngster?
first start watching your food carefully- pen, paper and a scale! do it for a few weeks, calculate and find you current intake.
- Dont fool yourself- be honest, eat like you normally do.
- Go on the scale now, and in 7 days from now, then again after 14 days.
when you have calculated your current intake its much easier to work from there.
i think a high protein , high fat and low carb diet would give you the fastest results.
waiting for your reply
Regards,
Add in plenty of greens colourful/veg
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