LeanGains Diet Plan and Questions

[T50]

I plan on starting the Lean Gains approach to dieting on Monday and am just trying to work out any kinks in my plan. Right now, I am around 190 at 12% and looking to be around 8% by the end of August before I start my next cycle. Here's the plan as of now.

Goal is to cut fat and retain muscle. My weight is about 190 at i'd say around 12%

Overview
 16 Hour Fast = 9pm - 1pm
 8 Hour Feed = 1pm - 9pm
 Workout 3x Week = Mon/Wed/Fri
 Cardio 6x Week = Mon-Sat
 Workout Day Calories = 2800 Calories
 Rest Day Calories = 1800 Calories

WO Days
 1pm - Pre-Workout Meal (20% Daily Calories = 570) = 10g Fat, 60g Carbs, 60g Protein
 3pm - Workout + Cardio
 5pm - Post-Workout Meal (60% Daily Calories = 1680) = 40g Fat, 200g Carbs, 130g Protein
 8pm - Final Meal = 20g Fat, 20g Carbs, 80g Protein
 Totals = 2830 Calories, 70g Fat, 280g Carbs, 270g Protein
 Notes
o Eat some fruit with Pre- and Post-Workout Meals
o Post-Workout Meal can include carb-dense treats such as low fat ice cream, cereal, etc..

Rest Days
 1pm - Pre-Cardio Meal (35% Daily Calories = 660) = 20g Fat, 20g Carbs, 100g Protein
 3pm - Cardio
 4pm - Post-Cardio Meal = 20g Fat, 20g Carbs, 75g Protein
 8pm - Final Meal = 30g Fat, 20g Carbs, 75g Protein
 Totals = 1870 Calories, 70g Fat, 60g Carbs, 250g Protein
 Notes
o Final Meal must contain slow digesting protein such as casein or meat with fiber and fat

How do my macros look for a cut? Less carbs on WO days maybe?

Also, what workout would be good with Lean Gains? I normally do 5x5 during my cuts but i'm looking to switch it up. Was thinking maybe going with DC but i'm not really sure. What do you guys think?

 

[RickRock13]

I would cut the carbs down on workout days a bit to around 200g and see how that is.

Also DC training or full body workouts would be great with lean gains

 

[Red Dog]

Since this is a dedicated cut, I would agree with RickRock that cutting the CHO back a little bit might be beneficial if you find yourself failing to effectively lose fat. But personally, I would scale back the fat on workout days first -- specifically in the post-workout meal. It will lower your total calories for the day a little bit, but you should still be hovering near maintenance (which is totally fine in this case).

Everything else looks solid though!

 

[T50]

Appreciate both responses guys. Thanks a lot.

 

[soontobbeast]

why do you have a pre cardio meal? seems like after the 9th or 10hr mark, it would be idea for fat burning ( i think martin says 12-14hr )

ive been doing all of my cardio during the fasted state with some leucine in my water bottle, but rick didn't say anything about it, so maybe i'm nuts.

 

[T50]

I guess I could do cardio before I break my fast and just have BCAA or Leucine beforehand. What do you guys think would be better to take throughout the fast and pre fasted cardio: Leucine or BCAAs?

 

[Red Dog]

why do you have a pre cardio meal? seems like after the 9th or 10hr mark, it would be idea for fat burning ( i think martin says 12-14hr )

ive been doing all of my cardio during the fasted state with some leucine in my water bottle, but rick didn't say anything about it, so maybe i'm nuts.

****, you're totally right; I must have spaced when I read over that as well. I agree with Beast here though; I would break your fast right after your cardio session as opposed to right before it given the option.

 

[Red Dog]

I guess I could do cardio before I break my fast and just have BCAA or Leucine beforehand. What do you guys think would be better to take throughout the fast and pre fasted cardio: Leucine or BCAAs?

Leucine is cheaper so I usually go 50% leucine + 50% 4:1:1 BCAA when my BCAA stock is healthy. The combination essentially just increases the ratio up to 8:1:1 or something around there I think. But I've also used just leucine on multiple occasions and never seem to end up worse for wear. I think most people like the BCAA approach (I believe isoleucine plays a role in promiting glycogen resynthesis) but I've seen Layne Norton and others say leucine solo "works just fine" as well.

 

[T50]

Good posts Red Dog, thanks man. I'm tweaking my overall macros and meal macros right now. I'll post them up a little later.

 

[RickRock13]

I guess I could do cardio before I break my fast and just have BCAA or Leucine beforehand. What do you guys think would be better to take throughout the fast and pre fasted cardio: Leucine or BCAAs?

If you are able to do your cardio fasted, then by all means do it. Some peoples schedules don't really allow that though, but there is an advantage to fasted cardio.

I use BCAAs preworkout, post workout, and through the fast. The Luecine would be the cheaper route by itself and that is what you really need, but 4:1:1 BCAAs in bulk aren't that bad on price. The luecine is certainly the most important though and could probably reap nearly the same benefits alone.

 

[chuntley]

Great thread guys, enjoying the info.

 

[And]

T50, how did you come up wit your calories you are going to consume? Is it roughly maintenance on workout days and then -25% on non wo days?

 

[RickRock13]

T50, how did you come up wit your calories you are going to consume? Is it roughly maintenance on workout days and then -25% on non wo days?

It looks like his calories are very close to how I am doing mine. Lean gains recommends +20% calories over maintenance on workout days and -20% on cardio or rest days. Those numbers can be altered a little to cater your goals but that's the target