2200 Calories Enough!? Endomorph...

stevenmcom

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Hi Guys,

So for the last 3 years I have kept my daily calories around 2200. If I was cutting then I would go to 2000 and if I was bulking I would go to 2500. Now my problem is that in the last 3 years I personally see no difference in myself so I am now wondering if my calories are just too low?

Basic Meal Plan:

Breakfast
1/2 cup of oatmeal
2 x scoops of whey

Mid Morning
Banana

Lunch
1 cup rice
1 chicken breast
1/2 cup broccoli

Afternoon
Handful of peanuts

Dinner
1 Sweet Potato
1 Chicken Breast or Fish Fillet
1 cup of green vegetables

Before Bed
1 x scoop whey
150g low fat yoghurt

I would add a bowl of oatmeal to both my mid-morning and afternoon snack if I wanted to bulk a little bit but I would then instantly see my stomach bloat and switch back to lower calories.

I am 5ft 11" and probably at 20% body fat with a total weight of 175lbs. I can see the top two rows of my abs but lower stomach is definitely not defined. To make it worse my chest seems underdeveloped and gives it a flat impression.

My main goal is to add a lot of muscle mass. My main problem is that I just seem to get fat when the calories go up.

Any advice?
 
Driven2lift

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At 20% may suggest cutting first, you will see your muscle come through and look larger as well

Has your weight not moved?
 
Driven2lift

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And if its been that long have you seen weight number progression?

Are you using a proven program in the gym?

That is step one
 
stevenmcom

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I can get weight (lifting wise) progression without a problem.

I have tried the basic 5x5 routine and managed to keep the strength building but started lifting so heavy that I would spend an entire day with a migraine from straining so hard in the gym.

Currently switched back to a hypertrophy, high rep (15-20), routine on a single body part split.

For reference I always train 5 days a week. Over the past years I have gone through everything from German Volume to PHAT to HIIT to PPL and so on...
 
Blergs

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google "carb cycling for fatloss" and have a cheat day every week. and i do think maybe you need to play with your diet a bit.
 
MARK_

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Sounds like a good idea to slowly drop your calories until you start to see some changes. It seems you have found your maintenance calories intake. Now to find what is needed for your cut.
 
Driven2lift

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I can get weight (lifting wise) progression without a problem. I have tried the basic 5x5 routine and managed to keep the strength building but started lifting so heavy that I would spend an entire day with a migraine from straining so hard in the gym. Currently switched back to a hypertrophy, high rep (15-20), routine on a single body part split. For reference I always train 5 days a week. Over the past years I have gone through everything from German Volume to PHAT to HIIT to PPL and so on...
If you are progressing muscle mass is typically there too, I vote you cut for a while to see what you have earned
 
stevenmcom

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google "carb cycling for fatloss" and have a cheat day every week. and i do think maybe you need to play with your diet a bit.
Would that be a good idea, carb cycling, if I am trying to gain mass?
 
PoundThaSnooc

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Not sure how helpful this is but I'm an Endo/Meso and I bulk at 3500/day. After my Epi/tren run, I'm going to maintain for a few weeks after PCT then do a moderate cut.

I can say however that when I was at my leanest, I did a low carb/high protein diet with a High carb day on sundays.
 
stevenmcom

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That is the type of figure I am use to seeing on various forums when people talk about their bulking calories. How much fat do you put on when bulking at that amount?
 
Driven2lift

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That is the type of figure I am use to seeing on various forums when people talk about their bulking calories. How much fat do you put on when bulking at that amount?
All relative to your TDEE
If you are too far below, you will lose muscle at a decent pace

Too far above you gain fat faster

Moderation is key in those regards
 
PoundThaSnooc

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All relative to your TDEE
If you are too far below, you will lose muscle at a decent pace

Too far above you gain fat faster

Moderation is key in those regards
exactly. if i find i'm gaining a bit more fat than i would like, i do a little extra cardio to keep it in check
 
jaces

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i think you are at a point were you want to bulk but you also want to cut.. so you are stuck between 2 roads... ive been at that point and what you need to do is start a cutting diet now for 8 weeks and try and get as lean as possible then after 8 weeks go into a clean bulk program for 12 weeks no matter how much weight you lost in the cutting fase ..with this aproach you will have clearly defined goals and less debatting and confusion and this will set you up with a time frame in wich you must achieve certain goals

after that bulk you then start a new cut and continue the cycle...

this will also let you try new diet and training stratagies for each cycle so that you can find what works for you
 
stevenmcom

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I think you hit the nail on the head there. I guess it is time to suck it up and lose some muscle (cut) before being able to start piling the muscle on....
 
jaces

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yeah my friend ive been there.. but i think you are fearing muscle loss way too much.. you will lose some but not a huge amount.. but imo i would rather be smaller but se more muscle.. the aproach i gave you is the one i recommend to people starting out.. it teaches you to focus your time and energie to one goal and it teaches you to do it in a time frame.. i would use low carb for the cuts and high for the bulk thus you stay relatively insulin sensitive...
 
stevenmcom

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Think i was hoping to do it the other way around. Save the cutting for last as it were. Guess that's a no no?
 
jaces

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if you carry more than 15% fat its pointless to bulk... remember that adipose tissue effects your hormones like leptin and so on... the more fat you have the fatter you will get more easily and always try to stay as lean as possible because the fatter you get the more adipose cells are created and they can never go away,they can only be drained and refilled..
 
stevenmcom

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That is a very good point. It is funny what information you brain forgets to remind you of when you have split focus.

Guess it is back to those being hungry days and dropping back to under 2000 calories. At least it wont be keto, LOL
 
ahawk01

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Height weight body fat don't make sense. 175 would put you at 150s at 15 percent at your height that's difficult . You should not see two rows of abs at 20 percent. 10 percent would put you in the 130s. It would basically mean you have no muscle.
 
ahawk01

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Each percentage point is equal to about 4 1/2 pounds.
 
stevenmcom

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Sorry but I still don't get what you are referring to.

175lbs = weight
20% = body fat
150s = ????
 
stevenmcom

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OK. So I decided to go buy a pair of calipers to give me a better estimate of body fat percentage. According to those I am actually around 16% body fat as opposed to the 20% that I thought.

Have cut back on the total calories (reducing carbs) over the last two weeks and already lost 1kg but I know this would just be water reduction due to the lower amount of carbs. Will see how the weight goes over the next month....
 
jaces

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remember to set a date when bulking should begin
 
stevenmcom

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Maybe when I hit 12% BF as opposed to a certain date?
 
jaces

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that wont motivate you enough.. if you set a time limit then you only have a certain time frame to do it in
 

rocheey

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Just finished my first *real* cut, down to 12℅, before my bulk and glad I did. While I have the diet and macros "down", because of the varied amount of phys. Labor I do, and therefore carb demand, I end up using my ab visibility as a decent barometer for actual calorie intake.
 
stevenmcom

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Just finished my first *real* cut, down to 12℅, before my bulk and glad I did. While I have the diet and macros "down", because of the varied amount of phys. Labor I do, and therefore carb demand, I end up using my ab visibility as a decent barometer for actual calorie intake.
How far below 2200 were you dropping to hit 12%?
 
jaces

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another tip i can give is before you start droping cals.. try doing some more cardio first
 

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