Diet, Nutrition and SupplementationPost here for supplement reviews or nutritional advice. If you're trying to get "ripped abz" THIS is where you should be.
Hi guys,
I would really appreciate some feedback on the following information. I'm am pretty lean, but due to new sedentary job (used to be a farm hand) I'm cutting to get rid of a little body fat. While don't know my BF% exactly, you can see my full six pack so I know that I've got to be no more than 10%. Anyway, if you wouldn't mind critiqing my diet and execise program, I would appreciated it.
6:15 am
1/4 mixed nuts and 1/2 raisins (450 Cal)
or 1 1/2 C cottage cheese and 1/4 C raisins (425 Cal)
6:30
run 5 miles in 33 minutes
9:30
2 C skim milk with 2 servings of whey protein (350 Cal, 56 gm protein)
12:00 pm
1 1/2 C cottage cheese and 1/4 C raisins (425 Cal, 48 gm protein)
2:30
chicken breast, tuna, or protein mix as above
5:00
piece of fruit, skim cheese, chicken breast
5:30
workout - 5 day split following program posted on jpfitness.com
6:00
15 minutes HIIT or running
7:30
large green salad with cottage cheese or chicken, low fat dressing
11:30 lights out
Total caloric intake is around 2200 - I know this is low, but anytime I seem to bump it up I start adding on fat. I guess I should also include by specifics: age 26 weight: 150 lbs job: desk job height: 5'8"
Any comments - I'd really like to tweak this out so that my fat loss can be as effecient as possible without losing too much strength.
This could be fun! There's a number of tweaks that may do the trick.
First, things don't really look all that bad, but you're training a lot for a lower caloric intake. When you increase calories what are you using? Carb, pro, or fat? You may find that adding some healthy fats (don't drop the nuts though) maybe via your dressing may help.
If you're doing the 5 miles every day it's going to be a bit much, but you may be able to offset any negative effects by shifting some more carbs in your AM post-workout shake. It's possible that your aerobic training is halting your lean mass gains and stifling your fat loss.
Raisins...think tablespoon rather than 1/4 cup.
Try doing only one session of energy system training, either in the AM or PM, not both.
How's the stress level? If you're high stress, you'll hang onto some stubborn belly fat. This would require some creative carb intake.
As you can see there's a number of things you could do...
If it were me, I think I'd increase calories just a tad with a healthy oil based dressing and/or reduce energy system training. Cutting back on activity is like increasing calories. Make a small adjustment and monitor things for a week. You're already pretty lean from your description so you should be able to identify any changes.
Bill,
Thanks for the reply. I appreciate you comments. I'm just wondering if I can get a few clarifications on some points and ask another question or two?
First, I guess I'm a little puzzled as to why daily running will impede my cutting? I know that when I was at my leanest I wasn't running but I was working as a farm hand (very physical labour). Now that I am sedentary most of the day I thought that a good run every morning would help keep my metabolism going and get me going for the day. Plus, I just like to run. But I have noticed that even when I was pushing high miles everyday, I just couldn't cut down as much as I used to be. So should I drop running so much, decrease distance, mix it up with stationary cycling?
Second, it seems as if you don't care for raisins as a carb source. Is this because they are high GI and cause an insulin spike?
Third, you mention that I shouldn't do HIIT or any cardio in the PM after my workout. I've heard that this is the way to do it, as the workout has depleted your carb source and the HIIT will be accessing fat immediately. Does there hit a point though where stressing you body too much just causes it to slow fat loss?
Fourth, I guess this relates to my first question but can quicker fat loss result from ceasing aerobic exercise, and just working out moderately while closely watching diet. It would not be my choice, but I just can't seem to tweak my current training and eating system to get the results I want (and I know they are obtainable as I have been there before).
Sorry for the length of the post, but I really appreciate any information you can give. Feel free to answer only a question or two if you don't have time.
You kinda answered your own question when you talked about farm work. You weren't running, but you were leaner. Ah, the power of anaerobics! You were essentially doing interval type activities with what was most likely a fairly high density of activity (lots of calories).
Too much aerobic activity tends to dip into protein stores (think muscle) for energy and enzymatic needs because of the high demand for immediate energy beyond what carbs can provide. That one of the reasons marathoners don't carry a lot of muscle (it's also damned inefficient). You also have to look at the post exercise period after rather intense aerobic activity. If you're underfed (think carbs) in the post workout period, you're body would rather give up muscle than body fat (it's protective).
If you're really enjoying the running, shift a bunch of carbs into your a.m. post workout drink. It will impede the catabolic activities associated with the aerobic activity.
Do the same after your second workout and then minimize carbs the rest of the day (mostly veggies).
Dried fruits tend to be calorie dense and your liver only holds about 100 grams of carbs. Once the liver is full, fructose will be converted to triglyceride. Fruit is okay, just watch the amount.
Remember to eat enough to support your activities.
Linear Mode
