[quote]eraser51 wrote:
I have seen that it is a hormonal issue/state which yields the most impact ( on me at least)
[/quote]
Hrmmm… your T levels are smack dab in the middle of the range. I wonder how beneficial you’d find it taking a TRT dose that would put you at the top range?
Not suggesting it, but I’ve always wondered if TRT could help make a substantial dent in the obese actively trying to drop body fat
In some cases yes, but usually as only a partial help.
I’d have more concern about the Vitamin D than the testosterone.
whats TRT? can I even buy this?! I am in germany so I wouldnt bet on it 
I already have high zinc so T shouldnt be that issue… also got quite an arsenal here but (like I said need to coach) no clue what really is usefull… already adding carnitin, ALA, VIT A+D, and stuff but I dont want to consume a huge pile of pills 
So still the nutrition issue… cant I naturally reduce oestrogen to raise T naturally?! I know broccoli but what else? what does really work?
can I do more for Vit D ?
I mean does solarium even work for Vit D or is this just for the first layers of the skin and doesnt work for hormone production?
I am quite pale 
do carrots work?
no clue
I don’t know what is available in Germany, as the EU has some restrictions on vitamins that the United States does not.
However, if Vitamin D softgels are available at reasonable strength such as 1000-5000 IU each, then 10,000 IU per day for 8 weeks followed by 4000 IU (typically) per day thereafter will take care of it.
It’s also true that strong sunlight or a tanning booth will provide large amounts of Vitamin D. I wouldn’t know exactly how much to specify, though.
OP – listen to Bill Roberts. He’s given you a bunch of good (free) advice and is more qualified than 90% of the trainers/coaches out there.
Summary: increase calories to 2500 w/ a balance of carbs, fat, protein; increase Vitamin D; lift with more TUT, closer to failure, higher rep ranges. Do HIIT cardio 1-2 times / week (it only takes 20-30 min).
Or you could just do this: Athlete Lean, Athlete Strong
[quote]eraser51 wrote:
I know this is always the first question but NO counting is accurate and to be fair … I highly doubt that our ancestors weighted the animal they killed before consuming it
I have seen that it is a hormonal issue/state which yields the most impact ( on me at least)
Being 1800kcal low fat 2 years ago with 4x 2h exercise (insulin high) and “loosing” 2kg and then switching to keto with 2500kcal and losing 35kg … so sorry… no…
I can sadly see it now also quite clearly happening again … (fool me)… even IF I reduced my BMR/RMR (which is more likely due to lowering kcal too much and for a long time!!!) that cant explain all the issues I am experiencing right now…
BTW: I am right now stalling (2000-2200kcal) and lost before on “refeeds” with higher carb and/or kcal amount… so sorry… no ;)[/quote]
Just read the book… I can only do a bad job explaining it. Just a couple of points before I’m done here:
Good luck!
[quote]canucknje wrote:
It is a thoroughly demonstrated fact that very many individuals who either are presently obese or have recently lost 10% or more of bodyweight in fact maintain bodyweight and bodyfat on much lower calories than most individuals.
It’s absolutely a fact that some stop losing bodyfat on reduced calories such as Eraser51 has been on and reports he is counting accurately. Let’s give him the respect to grant he knows what he’s talking about, he sounds like a very competent guy.
If not wishing to rely on studies, individual experimentation will often prove that it’s possible to maintain same or greater level of leanness on greater calories. Many on this site have experienced large changes in this regard.
Individual observation in many cases shows that fat loss stops at a caloric level that “should” be sufficient for fat loss.
There are many biochemical reasons for this.
You’re right that many miscount their calories, but there are also many who in fact have low intake yet after initial results do not lose further fat. In some cases, they’re even exercise fiends, doing tremendous amount of aerobics and get completely stuck at a still-substantial amount of bodyfat.
It truly is not so simple as a calorie is a calorie with regards to where your body arrives for fat loss and body composition, or that calorie counting guarantees fat loss (short of extremes such as 500 cal/day diets, and for that matter, even anorexics are often measured at surprisingly high bodyfat percentage.)
Not that you said exactly either of those.
Yoga is a great activity to add into your routine once a bit leaner but you are far too heavy to execute most poses accurately and safely to develop a leaner physique.
Diet is by far #1. But as you can tell you’ve plateaued and need to incorporate cardio and high intensity (high rep, less weight) to stimulate metabolism and protein synthesis.
Suggestion. Try briskly walking or jogging for 30 min prior to all workouts. Also add a day or two to your regimen. 4 days is not enough
HI!
sorry but forgot to ask:
how do you guys use the following at a diet:
milk, cheese, etc?
creatine?
carnitin ?
arginin = NO?
also regarding carb consumption… the muscle needs carbs for oxidation of fats right (mTor)? how long does this last and when will it restart to store carbs as fat (glycogen replenished?) ?
Milk, cheese, and other dairy can be fine on a diet. The only things needed are keeping the carbs, protein, and fat in the area you want them, as with any food, and also limiting lactose if you have a problem there.
Creatine is plentifully supplied if eating considerable red meat. If not, creatine supplementation might help but more for a small improvement in muscle rather than improvement in fat loss.
Carnitine can be a small improvement to fat loss. Again, it’s well supplied in red meat.
Added arginine has no value for fat loss so far as I can tell.
The thing about carbs “being required” to burn fat is more a matter of taking a biochemistry detail and then making far more out of it than what it is. There’s never a situation in real life in which a person doesn’t have enough carbs for fat burning. This is why the Eskimos, etc were able to have the low carb diets they did, or why various people are able to do it today. It’s a misleading fact-oid.
Going a little further into it, it’s not even a fact-oid: for example, malate will replenish the TCA cycle. This includes malate from citrulline malate.
Not that I recommend actually zero carbs, no one does, but it’s not actually a fact that carbs are required to replenish the TCA cycle.
“Fats burn in the flame of carbohydrates” is a favorite saying of carb-loving exercise physiology professors and nutritionists, but really is a misrepresentation.
sorry but I have to dig a bit deeper to get it right
Being keto so long and hoping to increased my fatty acid oxidation due to no carb/low carb… HOW can I raise my insulin sensitivity again NOW?
I heard porridge days are recommended for diabetics… should I try that ?
I mean I have to raise my sensitivity anyway and I dont want to fast… I would be back at keto style nutrition again wouldnt I ?
So do I need to raise carbs and therefore insulin sensitivity? or is it IF I raise my sensitivity I can eat carbs again? Chicken or egg…
What does the muscle actually DO with the glycogen? I thought glycogen helps to burn fat which circulates in the blood stream (due to AMPK releasing it from the fat tissue) IN the muscle right?
And insulin activates mTOR to trigger new cells right? but is that good or bad? and what happens with the circulating fat in the blood?
Bill is a bible!!!
BTW since I use all kind of training methods many of which focus on maximal strength for low reps I want to make sure that people understand that he refers to “growth factor training” which is basically keeping the muscles under constant tension (muscles never relaxing) for 50-70 seconds or even more. You can look up my growth factor shoulders article or go to my forum and look for the threads of growth factor training in which I provide many videos of possible combination of exercises.
That having been said, heavy lifting can play a role in body comp changes to help preserve muscle mass. So if you are deadset on training for strength (I would understand since that’s the way I like to train) I would suggest adding loaded carries (farmer’s walk, overhead walk, zercher walk, prowler pushing, wheelbarrow walking, etc.) for sets lasting 50-70 seconds with fairly brief rest intervals (about 1 minute). These will have a similar effect to growth factor sets.
Here’s something you could do:
DAY 1 - LOWER BODY
A. Back squat 1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 2 , 1 x 1
These are individual sets with about 90 seconds of rest in-between. The eccentric phase is done slowly (4-5 seconds). Weight is increased on every set.
B. Squat mechanical drop set
3 sets of 6-8 Goodmorning + 6-8 front squat heels elevated + 6-8 back squat
Use the same weight for all exercises, no rest in-between. In the video the goodmorning is done second, do it first (unless your goodmorning is stronger than your front squat in which case you do it second)
C. KB mechanical drop set
3 sets of 6-8 goblet squats + 6-8 KB swing + 6-8 KB squats
The squats are done under control, even slowly
D. Prowler pushing or sled pulling
50-60 seconds of work (walking speed with moderate weight) / 50-60 seconds of rest for 5 intervals.
DAY 2 - PRESSING UPPER BODY
A. Bench press 1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 2 , 1 x 1
These are individual sets with about 90 seconds of rest in-between. The eccentric phase is done slowly (4-5 seconds). Weight is increased on every set.
B. Constant tension overhead press
3 sets of 6-8 behind the neck press + 6-8 overhead press in front
Same weight for both. Do not lock out the elbows to keep tension on the muscles try NOT to accelerate the weight on the way up.
C. Squeeze press and flys combo
3 sets of 6-8 squeeze press + 6-8 regular flys + 6-8 high flys
On the squeeze press the goal is to squeeze in as hard as possible on the way up, trying to crush the dumbells.
D. Lateral raise medley
3 sets of 6-8 incline lateral raise + 6-8 seated lateral raise + 6-8 partial incline lateral + 6-8 partial seated laterals + maximum front raise
E. Overhead walk
Walk with a weight held overhead. Either use a barbell or dumbbells. Walk for 50-60 seconds rest 50-60 seconds do 3-5 sets.
DAY 3 - PULLING UPPER BODY
A. Bent over barbell row 5 sets of 5 reps with the same weight
B. Mechanical drop set pulldown
3 sets of 6-8 behind the neck pulldown neutral grip + 6-8 pulldown in front neutral grip + 6-8 pulldown in front supinated
*Do not fully extend the arms, keep tension on the muscles
C. Mechanical drop set mid-back
3 sets of 6-8 “I” + 6-8 “Y” + 6-8 “T” + 6-8 face pull
D. Farmer’s walk
Walk with a heavy dumbbell in each hand for 50-60 seconds, 50-60 seconds of rest, do 3-5 intervals
DAY 4 - LOWER BODY
A. Deadlift 1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 2 , 1 x 1
These are individual sets with about 120 seconds of rest in-between.Weight is increased on every set.
B. Deadlift mechanical drop set
3 sets of 6-8 Romanian deadlift + 6-8 sumo deadlift + 6-8 deadlifts
C. Leg curls 15/15/15
3 sets of 15 full reps + 15 top half reps + 15 bottom half reps
D. Prowler pushing or sled pulling same as day 1
thanks for the info!
what can I do with the nutrition?
carbs? porridge? low GI?
[quote]eraser51 wrote:
thanks for the info!
what can I do with the nutrition?
carbs? porridge? low GI?[/quote]
As Bill already pointed out, your nutrition isn’t likely the reason why your fat loss has stalled. You seem to be deadset in believing that some small (or large) nutritional change will suddenly make your body mobilize fat like crazy. If what you are saying about your nutrition is exact, then it’s not the problem. Your body is simply inefficient at mobilizing fat and it is your exercise program that will improve that.
When I used to prepare people for physique competitions (I still do from time to time, but I work mostly with performance athletes) lowering calories or cutting out stuff from the diet was always the last thing I did (well once the client was already on a rational fat loss dietary plan). I always used exercise first to stimulate fat loss and only lowered calories or cut out some stuff from the diet when I had no other option.
Doing more exercise isn’t only about burning more calories, in fact it isn’t THAT important. To me, doing intense exercise improves your capacity to mobilized energy stores. And the more you have to mobilize them, the better you become at that task and the easier fat loss becomes.
Dr.Berardi once wrote about G-Flux. By analyzing tons of athletes he found that those who were the leanest had the highest energy turnover… meaning that they had both a high caloric intake and high activity level. Basically turning your body into an efficient energy mobilizer.
So I’d first look into increasing activity level and easy cardio wont do it. You need an intense activity like Bill and I already talked about.
Longer duration sets (which can be done after your strength work), cardio intervals (e.g. 30 seconds all out, 30 seconds moderate), loaded carries, etc.
Of course there is a limit to how much exercise we can add. But I’m guessing you are nowhere near that, and the exercise you are doing isn’t that great at mobilizing energy. Good for preserving muscle while on a deficit, yes. But if your problem isn’t holding on to your muscle mass, it’s mobilizing stored energy then you need to address that issue first.
Now some people would rather believe that they are simply missing out on the proper nutritional approach… truth be told most people (especially those who are overweight, in all due respect) prefer to deprive themselves somewhat at the kitchen table than to really suffer in the gym. Sadly when you are a bad mobilizer of energy stores cutting out calories, food types etc. wont work for long; you need activities that improve your capacity to mobilize the store fat. Otherwise you’ll simply store less (because of the lower calories) but not mobilize enough to reach your goal… your body will adapt to the caloric intake before you made the changes you want.
Wow…Bill Roberts and CT in the same thread
You struck gold eraser51
[quote]butcherman7 wrote:
Wow…Bill Roberts and CT in the same thread
You struck gold eraser51[/quote]
Agreed!
sorry to push this again
just read the nutrition article… is it useful for me to pre workout eat a shake or drink something??
also could someone please coach me (Bill? Chris?)? at least for 1 month or so?
will pay of course
someone has time?
think this will give me more confidence and a person for questions
I am totally confused… asked a personal trainer/nutritionist at my gym; and he lowered my kcal to 1700 (low carb) and 2000kcal (high carb) with HC: 200protein and 180carbs 50 fat // LC: 200 protein 50 carbs, 50 fat
this is really confusing
dont know why everybody suggest eat much less than before