Exercise more, eat less, lose muscle, gain fat

ARGH! So, I'm 10 weeks into changing my fitness lifestyle: diet, exercise, sleep, the works! And here is my tale of woe:

week 1: 177 lbs/20% BF (5'11", 38 yo)

week 4: 175 lbs/17.5% BF

week 10: 177 lbs/20.5% BF!

So the gains I made between weeks 1-4 went away between weeks 4-10 (week 9 was my week off from the gym btw (but not the diet)).

My PT looked at my diet and decided, given the numbers above and that I was getting stronger in my lifts, that I was calorie deprived (despite my 6-7 meals per day). I was averaging about 2200-2400 calories a day for weeks 8 and 9--which is when I started keeping track religiously of everything that went in my mouth. He suggested that I must eat at least 3,000 good calories a day.

What do forum members think? It seems counter-intuitive, but then again, what I was doing wasn't working either, so that's not right! Since he's (the PT) the boss for right now, I'm giving it a go and hoping I don't blow up like a balloon. Also, dang, that's a lot of good food (instead of one visit to McDonald's!). Anyone have similar experiences?

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

First, calculate your daily caloric expenditure....
Then write down all your food intake, # of servings, calories, fat, carb, fiber, sugar and protein.

If you want to lose weight, deduct 500 calories from your expenditure.

I have you at 2549 calories a day for being sedentary. 2049 for the deduction of the 500 calories.

Do you do any cardio, if so, how much? cardio plays a part in your caloric expenditure.

Forum Rules & Guidelines

[image]http://www.bodybuildingjournal.com/bodybuilding/images/bbjbanner.gif[/image]

Hi Misanthropy,

My routine is to lift 3 days a week for no longer than an hour, each body part getting a workout once a week. Cardio is prescribed 2X, for 30 min. I usually do Precours for 30 at Mets = 10-11; today I tried a wimpy version of HITT, with a 30 second burst with Mets = 14-17 (pant pant) every 5 minutes (5X).

Since the weather is starting to warm up, I'll be biking to work about 2-4X week (just started, yeah!), depending on heavy my class load is in the evening (those damn law books are heavy). As a sparrow flies, that's about 4 miles one-way in flatland Chicago.

Otherwise, my job is sitting at a desk and being stressed out by unreasonable clients (ok, that last part is only occasionally!) and thinking a lot.

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

For just the cardio 2x a week, your expenditure is: 2761 - 500 = 2261

With the extra biking per week, i have you at: 2974 - 500 = 2474.

Breakdown per calories based on 2474 a day:

Fat (20-30%): 55-83 grams
Carbs (40-60%): 248-372 grams
Protein (20-40%): 124-248 grams

If you fall somewhere in these number ranges, you will see results in 2-4 weeks. 15-25g should be fiber, but this will deduct from your total carb intake since you cannot digest it.

Forum Rules & Guidelines

[image]http://www.bodybuildingjournal.com/bodybuilding/images/bbjbanner.gif[/image]

Thanks! I take it that diet plan would be to lose weight...In your opinion, should I be aiming for that first, or bulking up, or is it at my option? Greg

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

That was based on losing bodyweight, but mostly fat.

What are your goals?

Let me guess.....lose fat & gain muscle?

Forum Rules & Guidelines

[image]http://www.bodybuildingjournal.com/bodybuilding/images/bbjbanner.gif[/image]

ORIGINAL: Misanthropy

What are your goals?

Let me guess.....lose fat & gain muscle?

To fit in 32" jeans and look hot! So yes, both. But I've reconciled myself to not being able to do both at the same time. What do you think, what would you go with first? I'm tempted to go with gain muscle for 6 months, reassess, continue for another 6 months probably, then cut. So maybe next year's swimsuit season I'll be ready....

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

It's been awhile since you last posted.  Have you had any success over the summer?  Also, what method are you using to measure your bodyfat?  I've read that it is hard to get an accurate reading, and if you use a different method or even a different person taking the reading, the result can vary wildly.

ORIGINAL: calvin43215

It's been awhile since you last posted.  Have you had any success over the summer?  Also, what method are you using to measure your bodyfat?  I've read that it is hard to get an accurate reading, and if you use a different method or even a different person taking the reading, the result can vary wildly.

Well, let's see.  I've gone on to cut phase since, I think, mid-June.  I was stalled after the first 10 lbs (I was up to a little over 190#), but looks like I've gotten through that as I now weigh about 178# at waking up (the trick was to make sure I was getting enough calories).  BF is around 15%-16%.  And yes it does vary.  At the gym, the PT uses the same device (impedance) and takes two different measurements (holding the device with arms extended (always the very high reading), and then close to my chest (always the very low reading)).  At home, I use the 1-pinch caliper method, which has me closer to 12-13%.  Looking in the mirror, I have to say that I think the impedance device is closer to reality (alas).

I lost some muscle (not a lot) during this phase mostly because of tendonitis in my left arm--I was unable to do any weight training whatsoever, but I upped my cardio and did legs 1X-2X a week instead.  Today I tried a weight training routine; I've definitely gotten a little weaker in the upper arms; we'll see how my elbow feels tomorrow.

My dimensions have stayed about the same where you want them to, and have shrunk (albeit much more slowly then I like) where you want it.  Interestingly, my chest measured almost an inch more last week, so maybe it just needed time off.  So it's working . . .

We're going through the end of August cutting.  I'm hoping to be at a solid 15%, even with variation, or lower.  Given that I'm close to that, I'm optimisitic I'll hit the goal easily--as long as I keep close track of my food (which I wasn't doing too well before) and avoid too many social events, when I tend to eat improperly.  We'll bulk for a short period starting September, and cut again.  I would like to be around 10% or so--enough to show some abs (which I definitely feel these days under the flab).

My long-term objective is to be able to go into bulking phases and not go past 12-13% BF.  I'm not interested in going from 22% again!  Ugh.

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

When I started doing cardio every AM, about 4-5 days a week.. sometimes cardio 2x a day.

That is when I went from 17% to 13% in about 8 weeks.  I used Cardio Coach stuff to spice it up.  I didn't do any more then 40 minutes of cardio in any given session.

That was by far the biggest thing that just ripped the fat off around my midsection.  Diet was good and that was fine and all but when I started the cardio... that was the the trigger being pulled.  Everything changed quickly after that.  I'd say within 1.5 weeks I started to notice a difference.

Went from a 36 waist to a 32.

Still at 32 now.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com