Diet guidance

[Dadof2]

Here is the situation.

I just started working out again after a 4 month layoff during my wife's pregnancy. I came back swinging with a twice a day cardio routine(heartrate in the 65+ range for 40 minutes in each session) and a morning weight training session (low volume weights at the moment, I have to work myself into the intense workouts these days).

My goal is to lose 30 lbs of body fat while maintaining my current level of musculature.

My stats are:

Height: 6' 1.5"
Weight 273 lbs.
Body type: Endo-Meso, heavily muscled with fat accumulated primarily around the abdomen


Where I need some assistance is in the diet department, specifically calories.

I noticed last summer that it seemed a though my metabolism drastically changed, literally from one day to the next. I have always been carb sensitive and had a slower metabolism than most, but now it is just rediculous.

To maintain my current body weight I should be able to consume approximately 2,700 calories a day. I can tell you right now that if I ate 2,700 calories a day I would look like a "Biggest Loser" contestant within a couple of months.

Even now if I eat between 2,300-2,400 calories a day I find myself flirting with fat gain. The last time I successfully dropped any fat was while keeping my daily intake of calories at approximately 1,700-1,900 calories daily (while aggressively training).

I cannot even flirt with carbs. I try to keep my carbs limited to some pre-workout cereal, and a piece of wheat bread to go with my post workout meal. I have recently been trying to keep myself restricted to 1 additional piece of wheat bread to go along with another meal during the day to help my feeling satisfied after eating.

Is anyone else in a similar situation, and if so what are your pointers?

 

[wearedbleedblue]

Have you kept a food log on any of this? Basically, what are your breakdown of macros ie, PRO FAT and CARB? Another thought, though it may be a shot in the dark, why not get your thyroid and other hormones checked? Maybe there is something wrong with your t3/t4 levels.

 

[Dadof2]

Have you kept a food log on any of this? Basically, what are your breakdown of macros ie, PRO FAT and CARB? Another thought, though it may be a shot in the dark, why not get your thyroid and other hormones checked? Maybe there is something wrong with your t3/t4 levels.

No, I hadn't started a food log, because to be honest I didn't expect to find myself 10 days into such a cardio intensive routine and see no positive progress. Essentially I have been keeping carbs low, protein high, and fats moderate.

Monday I will start a detailed log, because if this keeps up I am going to take this info to my doctor to see about bloodwork.

 

[wearedbleedblue]

Well, you might also be burning up muscle in addition to that fat. Maybe you could try out one cardio session of 30-45 min in the morning on an empty stomach or even interval training or HIIT. Sounds like too much cardio unless you're training for some kind of aerobic endurance event.

 

[Dadof2]

I am stopping the twice a day cardio for now. My initial plan was to drop a few lbs of fat before I started my high volume weight training program, but that didn't work out.

Instead I am opting for 2-3 weekly sessions of HIIT cardio. The only thing is that I haven't done HIIT before, how long does an HIIT session have to be to be effective?

 

[wearedbleedblue]

Its about intensity, not time. If you're starting, try treadmill running with 30seconds of 10-12mph run followed by 5-6mph jog for 14-20 min. The other thing, be careful not to overdo it. I know you want to lose weight fast, but you could easily push yourself in to overtraining and/or lose the drive or motivation to work out at all. Get in to it easily, not full on and I think you'll lower your chances of burning out and injuring yourself. If you add a little at a time you can adapt better and you'll also feel the sense of accomplishment versus taking stuff out and feeling like a quitter. Good luck!

 

[Space]

You may find yourself being so carb sensitive because you have been on low carb diets for extended periods of time.

You should try the traditional dieting approach proven by decades of bodybuilders rather than the immensely popular low carb diets that virtually everybody is using.

Try approximately 2200 calories a week divided into at least 6 meals with the macro nutrient ratio of approximately 50/30/20 (carbs/protein/fat). Also get at least 25 g of fibre a day because fibre helps you feel fuller.

You may find your body responds completely differently when you try different foods and eating habits. So don't maintain any set beliefs about how your body responds unless you have tried it giving your 100% effort.

 

[Dadof2]

I dropped the twice daily sessions of cardio in favor of a 20 minute HIIT session after weights (although I won't be doing cardio tomorrow, as today was leg day). I also have kept my carbs at approximately 30 grams daily.

As of today I have lost 4 lbs, however I noticed that the low carb, high protein, moderate fat, diet that I am on makes me urinate often, so I am sure that the majority of this weight lost is water. That being said, it is nice to see the scale moving in the right direction.

I also noticed that since dropping the cardio twice daily that my muscles are a lot harder, so at this point there is little doubt in my mind that I was doing too much cardio.

Interestingly enough I have noticed what I think is an increase in my testosterone. My libido is up and I have been a bit "testy". The feelings aren't much different than how I felt on past pro-hormone cycles.

 

[wearedbleedblue]

Weird, when I went low carb, as I am now, my libido has really dropped. Although I'm taking in relatively low fat also (40-50g) while you're staying high which I think may account for the surge in libido. Fats help with hormone production and mood.

 

[Dadof2]

Weird, when I went low carb, as I am now, my libido has really dropped. Although I'm taking in relatively low fat also (40-50g) while you're staying high which I think may account for the surge in libido. Fats help with hormone production and mood.

Once when I was younger I had to get in shape real fast for a trip to the beach. I went on a no carb, almost no fat, and high protein diet and I had low everything. I felt like I had been hit by a truck for the first week. That being said, it worked really well for the cut I was on.

The diet that I am on now, which I am just finding out is essentially the Anabolic Diet (the only difference was that I hadn't planned on doing two days of carb load up), is more of a long term way of eating for me from now on.

 

[wearedbleedblue]

Is the anabolic diet a cyclical ketogenic diet?

 

[Dadof2]

Is the anabolic diet a cyclical ketogenic diet?

No.

The Anabolic Diet doesn't call for you to enter ketosis, and as a rule of thumb calls for you to consume 30 grams of protein daily (which apparantly is enough to keep one out of ketosis).

However, I haven't found the appropriate amount of carbs to eat to go along with my training program, and I have found myself in ketosis. This isn't a diet killer though, as the AD needs you to get the metabolic shift from burning carbs to burning fats.

Here is a good link explaining a lot about the AD:

http://anabolicdietresults.com/anabolic-diet-resources/