T Nation

Nutrition to Lose Weight?

#1

I have posted a few times here about my bad lower back and recently tweaked my front deltoid doing incline and want some opinions on how nutrition plays a factor in injury.

I am trying to lose weight and I am having a hell of a time trying to cut at all, although my strength is gaining. I do not do enough cardio, although I feel like i do enough where I can still lose weight (i.e. 4 times a week, 20-30 min) Right now I am 6'3" 240 27 years old...My diet looks like this

AM: 2-3 eggs with broccoli and onion

~10 AM- Low-Fat cottage cheese, hand full of almonds

~12ish- Protein Bar

~2-sh- Workout

~4ish- Protein Shake

Dinner, usually big salad with Grilled Chx or Steak and Vegtables

Before bed, hand full of almonds, maybe some cottage cheese

This varies of course and I cheat on football Sundays. I also enjoy a few beers every now and again, and again.

I have not had problems cutting weight before and either attribute it to my metabolism slowing down or not enough cardio....this is fine because it is the winter and I don't do any activities outside of the gym.

I am concerned that nutrtion is playing a factor in my recent injuries, but how can I find a balance between trying to lose weight and getting enough nutrition to supplement workouts? Is cardio the answer?

#2

There are definite ways to train around this injury. Myself and a handful of other members here either

a.) are currently injured
b.) dealing with the injury
c.) have dealt with

It's SO common.

Things I've learned about how to train around this injury while making your back stronger.

a.) Single leg work on your leg days.
b.) front squats on a box (ditch the back squat)
c.) trap bar deadlift (ditch the straight bar deadlift for a while too)
d.) mobility work
e.) pull thrus and other hip/glute activation work

Save the cottage cheese till night time. Get more whole foods, don't rely so much on shakes and bars. Make a food log. Food logs are super tedious to start but once you do it once, you will be able to tweak your nutrition and make the gains/losses you want. I've lived by one for about 2.5yrs and have lost/gained as I want.

Cheat/Re-Feed days aren't going to kill you. Unless you take it to an extreme.

Your 27, i'm 25...our metab is going to slow. Gotta stay active; even in the winter. I just bought an exercise bike on craigslist for super cheap to keep myself going during the cold months. That and I plan on having more sex.

I wouldn't say that your nutrition is going to be the main factor in these injuries. Your lower back issue could be form, or something that your have been breeding in your posture and/or certain muscle tightnesses/weaknesses that you don't even know about.

Take a step back, and really plan things out. It might take a few weeks to get everything dialed in; but once you do...you will be set.

I also suggest that you contact some experts in these areas, I am just talking from my personal experiences.

Lower back stuff: Eric Cressey (he saved my back)
Nutrition: Berardi is always a good one to try and contact.

Good luck!!

#3

Very nice reply good to see responses like this.

#4

That's nice of you to say. What a nice guy.

#5

Regarding your back I would look towards increasing your flexibility first and foremost to prevent injuries.

#6

I hope you don't mean "do yoga"

Cressey told me today "doing yoga is like putting your back in a trash compactor"

fyi...

#7

Thanks, from time to time I like to give a good amount of knowledge. I try to break even between good information, being a wise ass and posting funny things.

#8

I'm inclined to believe the man, but statements like that seem a little sensational.

I mean, there are several million people practicing yoga all over the world, as there have been for a number of years... do they all have shit backs?

if someone can point me in the direction of some discussion on this thanks....sorry for the semi-hijack.

#9

I know Cressey, Robertson, Staley, and most powerlifters will say that yoga is no good for a lifter. Yes, it will improve flexibility. But that's the problem.

You want the back to be a stiff board, not a bendable piece of plastic.

#10

Agreed, let the girls do the extreme flexibility stuff.

Are you Cressey's client?

#11

As far as the yoga discussion goes, here is what EC sent me:

http://thefitcast.com/?p=82

I used to train there, I went there to get some help getting my back feeling better; and it worked wonders. I'd love to go back sometime after the winter. I live pretty close, so it's a tease.