Input on Clen diet

[kitteld3291]

Any thoughts on this diet while on Clen for two weeks?

6am-23g Whey/18 dextrose/5oz 1% Milk
7:30am-3 whole eggs, 4 egg whites/7oz(cooked)steel cut oats
10am-6oz 96% ground beef/5oz(cooked) Whole wheat pasta w/ sauce
12:30-6oz chicken breast/5oz(cooked) brown rice
3pm-6oz salmon/1 slice Ezekiel bread/1 activia
5-6 workout
6:30-Myoplex light plus scoop of Whey
9pm-4oz 1% Cottage Cheese/1 scoop Casein with 5oz 1% milk/10 grams fish oil.

Total numbers: 2500 cal./296g pro./193g carbs/62g fat

Workout plan is cardio at 65-70% MHR for 40min four or five times a week

I’m 39, 210lbs, 14%BF. My goal is drop back to about 10%BF. I just finished putting on about 15lbs over the last three months and I would like to retain as much muscle as I can. To me this means lots of protein and no high intensity cardio. While bulking, I usually eat about 3400-3600 cal. I've cut back to about 3050 cals to get from 215 down to 210. My strength is holding up, but I can definitely feel the energy level has dropped and my muscles don’t feel as full anymore. Then I seem to have gotten stuck at 210. My big question, is cutting back to 2500 cals risking muscle? Does anyone have any suggestions? I've spent years trying to get from 165 to my weight now; losing weight is completely new to me.

 

[MidwestBeast]

Congrats on the addition of that much weight to an original frame of 165. A couple of things sticking out to me (personally) that I'd change (but remember, there are a number of schools of thought on these subjects). First, I wouldn't want dextrose in my diet. Any sugars I'd want from fruits; so maybe have a serving of fruit first thing instead. I'd also slowly ween off of the milk; dairy isn't too helpful in cutting situations (even skim has ~13g of sugar per serving). I'd probably want my carbs just a little lower and protein a little higher on days I wasn't utilizing weight-training (again, just personal preference). I would spread my fish oil out across the day. When you have workout listed, is that just cardio? If it's ever a weight-training session, I like the protein shake ~15 minutes after workout and then a whole food meal with protein and complex carbs (less as it gets later into the day and closer to bed) about an hour after the shake.

Your meal spacing and overall macros and food choices look pretty good. Be careful with clen and your cardio (as you've mentioned the HR, I'm sure you're already aware - just monitor things). I personally would drop my cals by ~250g/week and no more drastic than that to make sure your body keeps up with things and you don't risk dipping into muscle. As long as you're losing weight at whatever total cal range you're at, I'd stay there and not worry about lowering again until you plateau (i.e. don't just lower cals weekly - only do it when you have to).

Also make sure to taper up on your clen if you haven't used it before to ensure you don't pop too much at first.

Good luck!

 

[kitteld3291]

Thank you for the great feedback.

My logic on the dextrose is probably left over from bulking up. I used it first thing in the morning to break the all night fast and then after lifting along with glyco-maze. But you would recommend fruit rather than dextrose? Would this hold true for my shake after lifting? I'm thinking thats still an important time for some simple sugars.

My workouts have gone from lifting moderate to heavy four days a week with no cardio to cardio about three times and lifting twice, light to moderate.

I should also say that Im on HRT 100mg T twice a week.

I did start off light on the clen and am now up to a 120mg dose split up between 6am and 1pm. No Ill effects. Watching BP and HR throughout the day. BP has been around 133/78 P 70 so the BP is a little high but not criticle and not any higher than it was before I started.

 

[MidwestBeast]

Sounds like you're taking all the right pre-cautions and didn't just rush into anything - I'm glad to see that, as so many people don't and that's why supplements or other compounds are frowned upon so much; from misguided use and a lack of research and understanding.

About the dextrose - like I mentioned, it's different schools of thought. I think sugar is the devil, aside from what you get in fruit. But, let me also say that I gain fat really easily, so it may be more of an issue for me than others. I completely see the logic you're going for in its use. I would still opt for the fruit in its place because you're getting nutrients along with it at least and the fiber, too (especially do this at breakfast; I think you could get away with the dextrose more post-workout, though fruit would work there as well). I think the post-workout nutrition method I laid out in the original post is more necessary following a weight session. Not to say it shouldn't or couldn't be used post cardio, but it's just not as necessary (especially volume). I personally keep simple sugars and carbs out of my post shake and save those for the whole food meal an hour later to keep from blunting any GH or fat-burning going on from my workout (this is another thing that everyone will never see eye-to-eye on, though). So, whether you bring in the simple sugars with post-workout nutrition is up to you. I'd just suggest if anything, doing it for a week, then not doing it for a week, or vice versa, and see if you notice any differences (as long as you don't change anything else). Either way, sounds like you've got your head on straight about this whole thing.