Nutrition, Cutting & Workout Critique?

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1


http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/8658/dietff.jpg

(Skip down to the bottom for questions)Well, I have not been making gains for the last year and a half because I have had a lot on my plate, along with a few injuries. I am healthy, and committed this time around.
I am 20, weigh 190 pounds, 5’10. 15-18% BF
Bench: 200-215 1RM
Front Squat: 135x5
Deadlift: 315 1RM
Military press: 135 1RM

I have been doing 5/3/1 for the longest and have not made progress on it because, well i have no excuse, except that I was not focused. My knee would get messed up from back squatting too heavy, and have switched to front squats and i feel healthier than i have in a while.

Enough background info, i have attached two photos, one of my macro %'s and the other of my diet and what it consists of on a normal day.
I have read some of shelbey starnes, nate miyaki, mike roussell, John Berardi, poliquins stuff on nutrition. With all these different stands on nutrition, I am not sure what to do.

Nutrition questions:
With all these contradicting authors points of views, I am not sure what to do. Nate miyaki says in one article to consume carbs all in one meal towards nightime, while in another he writes to consume carbs evenly within 4 meals, and I am just not sure what to do. I have never cut in my life.
Do I use a 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fat macro profile or do i do 40/20/40, 40/30/30, etc.
Also, how many calories should I be eating if my main goal is to lean out slowly while maintaining or trying to gain strength (I have read several times that its best to lean out before bulking, i’d like to at least have a 4 pack as i only have a 2 pack right now…)

Also, i feel very tired/lethargic/irritable if I don’t have carbs for a long period of time. Does this mean i have low or high insulin sensitivity?
And last question, should I be consuming high protein+carbs in the morning or high protein+Fat in the morning and center my carbs around workout time? I feel like shit if i skip the carbs in the morning(like i did today, today’s diet is attached, keep in mind i am planning on consuming one last ~300 calorie meal).

Workout questions:
I have done 5/3/1 for 1.5-2 years and made a lot of progress in the very beginning, getting my deadlift up ~90ish pounds, but my other lifts only gained around 5-15 lbs each. Now that i have my diet in check, should i stick with 5/3/1 again? I am on week two of my second cycle, and i don’t feel noticeably stronger, but have maintained my strength for the last year basically.

2

Follow the program. you said it your self, consistency is key. And what do you mean 1.5-2 years?? you dont know how long you have been on a program? if yo would have followed properly, you could have put 180lbs on your squat/deadlift and 90 lbs on your bench/OH.

For your diet, I was in a rush today and had a Angus burger with fries and coke. the burger alone is 760 calories, fries 360, coke 210. 1330 total. This is just to tell you that you are not eating enough. My breakfast is around 1200 calories (give or take 200) and dinner around 2K. My typical day is minimum 3500-4500.

As for reading to much, yeah, you are. TRY IT. See what works best for you. But you must give it 6 months minimum. No two people on this site are exactly the same.

Just follow the program

Eat to nourish and grow

Adjust as needed.

3

I understand i am not eating enough, previously i was 175-180 lbs when i posted here about a half year ago and i gained about 10 pounds of good weight, and at one point was at 195 and i felt like my bodyfat % was getting too high so i went on a deficit and have been at 185-190 for a while. I would like to cut down to 175-180 before gaining anymore weight, as I have read that it is better to start a bulk after leaning out. That is why my calorie totals are so low, normally i consume around 3500 a day to gain, 3100-3200 to maintain.

As for my diet, i would like to lose bodyfat ( don’t care too much about weight but getting down to 175-180 would be nice). Is a Keto diet a good way to go about this? Or should I try carb cycling?
I have never done a cutting diet before so i am lost.
Currently consume 190 g protein (1g/lb), and have been manipulating the carb and fat intake. Is a carb cycle like a keto diet but with 1 or 2 carb refeeds? On a carb cycle diet do you consume high amounts of fat on your low carb days?

4

Ahhhh, NORMALY you would consume 3500 a day…

Well, keep consumming, and grow.

Look, you have answered all your questions already.

You need consistency. You are not progressing in 5/3/1 because you are not consistent. If you are constantly missing the third week, you are probably underfed. What it means is that you are not eating to substane what you are doing. Be it 2000 or 4000 calories. Only you will figure that one out. If you are gaining to much fat, up the conditioning without changing your diet or program. If you are constantly missing your numbers on the program, up the calories.

But be consistent.

Carb cycling, keto, Paleo, green face, fasting, etc are ALL options (i’ve tried them all). Just choose one and do it religiously for 6 months. Tweek as needed (more calories, less calories, more conditioning, etc). Tweaking means SMALL changes. 250 cal instead of going from 3500 to 2000.

It’s the journey and it spans a lifetime.