LeanGains - Fat Loss

[JoshDP]

So after searching through all the LeanGains posts I could find on here, and elsewhere... I'm still not sure about something. (actually a few things, but I'll start with this first question.)

My bf is at around 12-13%. Looking to shed some fat. For the pst few weeks, I have been getting used to the LeanGains IF.

I have my maintenance calorie level at 3080.

So if I am looking to cut, would I ever go above maintenance? (on training days)

Or am I always staying below maintenance since I'm cutting?

Thanks. I'm sure this has been asked before, but couldn't find the proper info. Looked on LeanGains.com site, but it's not exactly the easiest site to navigate.

 

[EasyEJL]

Honestly your best bet is to still go a little over maintenance on workout days, but go further below on off days. Maybe be 10% over on workout days, and 30% below on non.

 

[malleus25]

I would stay at maint. on training days and drop on rest/cardio only days. See how this works for you. Lean Gains takes awhile to get use to and playing with the numbers is the biggest part in my opinion, if you want I would see out MrKleen and ask him. He is one of the Lean Gains gurus on here.

 

[JoshDP]

Thanks for the quick responses. Much appreciated.
New to this site. I'm assuming I can PM, so I'll try to PM MrKleen.

 

[JoshDP]

Sorry have to do this. Need 7 posts before I can send a PM to members.

 

[JoshDP]

ttt

 

[Blergs]

I woudl say stay below mat, on worko days not much bu non workotu days a lil moreso. also MAKE SURE YOU HAVE 1-2 cheat days EVERY week where you stuff your face!
sounds bad but I have lost ALOT mor fat liek this.
google "Carb Cycling" it NOT JUST about cals. what you eatin also matters.
I would also highly rec need2slin and Rezolution from LG (REZ is a bit stimy though, if your ok with that)

 

[JoshDP]

thanks Blergs

 

[JoshDP]

Is it absolutely a must that I stay at maintenance on strength training days? What if I were to stay at maintenance 2 days a week (squat and deadlift day), maybe something like 10% below a different 2 days (bench and mil press day), then have 3 days at about 30% below. There would be a day with a few cheat meals thrown in there somewhere.

 

[EasyEJL]

The problem with going below maintenance on workout days is it may hinder recovery.

 

[JoshDP]

ok thanks EasyEJL

 

[EasyEJL]

You can try it, but make sure you are looking out for recovery issues.

 

[MrKleen73]

Honestly your best bet is to still go a little over maintenance on workout days, but go further below on off days. Maybe be 10% over on workout days, and 30% below on non.

Damn good advice Easy! I just responded to his PM with the same exact suggestion.

Some people are overthinking the weight loss with this. However you always want your training days to be over maintenance unless maybe something like an arm day. The idea is to build muscle on your lifting days and lose fat on your fat loss days. Before I ever considered dropping to just maintenance on a lift day I would have already dropped to like 60-65% under maintenance on the rest or as I call them burn days. Trust me I wont have a need to do that. Build days are for precisely that and you need to have a caloric surplus to build muscle. Recovery drastically increases the metabolism so don't think you will gain fat on a build day. It isn't going to happen if you aren't grossly over your maintenance and already saturated with glycogen. The weight loss on burn days is where you want to restrict cals. Not the build days. YOu can restrict cals to almost nothing on burn days without any negative effects regarding catabolism or anything like that. Many people continue to get leaner and gain LBM doing alternate day fasting. That is having one 350 calorie meal of protein at the end of the day on a burn day, and then eating a major caloric surplus the next day. Granted i think it is easier to gain LBM having a little more on burn days, but if the quickest fat loss possible is the goal look into ADF (Alternate Day Fasting).

 

[Bolanrox]

In all honesty, I used the LG / IF diet (along with BPS' Combustion) as a mainly cut setup. I was eating my 500 Calories less than maintenance on non training days, and about 200-300 Calories above on workout days. I ended up losing roughly 10 pounds of fat, and gained 2 pounds of LBM over the course of 5 weeks.

Depending on how much you have to loose, If you tweak your calories right you can easily pull 1-2 (maybe a little more the first few weeks) pounds a week of weight loss.

 

[seccsi]

Is it absolutely a must that I stay at maintenance on strength training days? What if I were to stay at maintenance 2 days a week (squat and deadlift day), maybe something like 10% below a different 2 days (bench and mil press day), then have 3 days at about 30% below. There would be a day with a few cheat meals thrown in there somewhere.

To be perfectly honest I wouldn't sweat the minutiae so much. Shoot for more calories on your workout days and less on your non workout days (I liked Easy's advice). If you have a little bit over on a non workout day or a little bit low on a workout day don't worry about it. It isn't like you have to be exactly 30% under to see results. Just try to hit your diet goals about 90% of the time and you'll be good. 200-400 calories here and there is not going to kill the results of your endeavor.

 

[JoshDP]

Thanks for all the responses.
The problems I've been having so far is getting in enough calories on build days. Been keeping track on fitday.com. Yesterday for example, was a build day, and got in 2931 calories, 294 grams of protein, 262 grams of carbs, and 76 grams of fat. So from what I've researched on LG, didn't get enough calories, protein was not bad, carbs a bit low, and too much fat.

Will just take some getting used to. Today, so far, I just had my first meal, which was a PWO meal; shake and a meal. 1771 calories, 36 grams of fat, 216 grams of carbs, and 145 grams of protein.

 

[EasyEJL]

Hmm I haven't read all his recommendations for macros, but that seems pretty low on fat (both days). Fats are required for normal hormone synthesis

 

[JoshDP]

Someone posted a link on a different thread recommending 50 grams of fat on build days and 80 grams of fat on burn days. Is this not correct?

They also recommended 300-350 grams of protein every day and 300-350 grams of carbs on build days and around 100 - 150 grams of carbs on burn days.

 

[JoshDP]

That's the problem with the LeanGains site. Pretty sure he doesn't post macro %'s. (I guess by not posting all info this will have more people buy his book when it comes out. Which is understandable.)

 

[EasyEJL]

Someone posted a link on a different thread recommending 50 grams of fat on build days and 80 grams of fat on burn days. Is this not correct?

They also recommended 300-350 grams of protein every day and 300-350 grams of carbs on build days and around 100 - 150 grams of carbs on burn days.

Unless you are lean and weigh over 275 pounds, that much protein is largely a waste. Overall I think for most men you need to hit pretty close to the 80-100g a day range in fats from healthy sources for optimal hormone synthesis (so that means including saturated fats). The carb amounts don't sound too bad.

 

[EasyEJL]

That's the problem with the LeanGains site. Pretty sure he doesn't post macro %'s. (I guess by not posting all info this will have more people buy his book when it comes out. Which is understandable.)

macro "ratios" are mostly a joke, its not relevant to the way the body uses nutrients. the amount of protein you will use for muscle growth is a finite number. the amount of fatty acids you need for optimal performance is a finite number. On top of that, so long as we aren't talking about raw sugar or high fructuse corn syrup, where the rest of your calories comes from hardly matters. If you weigh 200 say, and got 200-250g protein in a day, and got the 80g of good fats whether the rest of your calories came from peanuts or sweet potatoes or coconut oil or chicken breast hardly matters.

 

[JoshDP]

80 - 100 grams of fat every day? Or is 80 grams for build days and 100 grams for fat burn days?

 

[EasyEJL]

80 - 100 grams of fat every day? Or is 80 grams for build days and 100 grams for fat burn days?

I'd say 80-100 a day regardless of a burn day or not.

 

[JoshDP]

ok sounds good. I'd rather get more fat in there. Thought wasn't supposed to

 

[EasyEJL]

I'm all about whats been documented scientifically for health + optimum performance, and high fat is better for both than high carb.

 

[JoshDP]

So basically the only thing you're really manipulating is your carb intake?

 

[EasyEJL]

So basically the only thing you're really manipulating is your carb intake?

well, yes and no. Those are minimum threshholds on protein + fats. more (as your calorie source) isn't bad, just it isn't necessary for muscle growth or hormones. So if you want to take in 300g protein and 150g fat that should be fine so long as total calories are in line. But thats why I say macro ratios don't matter, because a wide range of ratios all have the same effect.

 

[JoshDP]

ok. makes more sense.

 

[mattrag]

well, yes and no. Those are minimum threshholds on protein + fats. more (as your calorie source) isn't bad, just it isn't necessary for muscle growth or hormones. So if you want to take in 300g protein and 150g fat that should be fine so long as total calories are in line. But thats why I say macro ratios don't matter, because a wide range of ratios all have the same effect.

great info.

Protein for muscles, Fats for hormones, Carbs for activity, Fruits and Veggies for living longer (though I don't really think eating veggies all that important as humans aren't born with the enzyme to break down vegetables effectively, or so I've heard).

 

[SemiBulimic]

Great info here. Have been doing LG for about 2 weeks now and I learn more everyday. 4lbs down since I started and getting stronger still. Loving it

 

[JoshDP]

jeez... so since I started this thread, I've had 2 days that I've been strictly following my macros while on LeanGains. Had 1 build day (calories at around 3300) and one fat burn day (cal = 2200). Weighed myself 2 days ago first thing in the AM and weighed in at 220 lbs. This morning I'm weighing in at 208 lbs. I know that's obviously a lot of water weight, but is that normal?

 

[scherbs]

It's also one data point--I wouldn't freak out

 

[JoshDP]

Had a horrible day training today. Deadlift 5/3/1 today. Couldn't even move my last set of deads. LIke I mean didn't ****in get 1 rep on my last set. Pissed. This has never happened. Also coming off of 2 days of fat burning so carbs have been very low. I'm guessing this had something to do with it?

 

[lfawcett44]

Unless you are lean and weigh over 275 pounds, that much protein is largely a waste. Overall I think for most men you need to hit pretty close to the 80-100g a day range in fats from healthy sources for optimal hormone synthesis (so that means including saturated fats). The carb amounts don't sound too bad.

I agree, gotta keep the fats in the 80-100g range.