Need Help Please Very Confused

[evandallas]

All in all I do not understand my macros. I am 182 lbs now when i started my "pre contest diet" 6 weeks ago I was 188. I am now stuck and gaining weight again. I have been lifting for ten plus years and always been decent shape, but never contest ready. I am now weighing food and eating 245p/130c/30f mon-thurs. Fri high carb day and Sat and Sun almonst no carbs all pro. and fats. I lift and do cardio 6 days a week, and during cardio i burn 500-600 cal. I am only eating bewtween 1900-2200 cal a day. I feel like I am burning more than enough cal to lose weight but i cant lose anything now? I have been dieting for seven weeks and now gaining weight? So i started really carb depleting and only taking in 50-70 carbs a day with 250g pro to see if that helps, but i just cant figure out what i am doing wrong. Will someone who has done a contest please help me figure out if i am taking in to many calories or burning to many cal? I also play sports two times a week including basketball, and soccer which i dont count into my cardio. My diet consists of egg whites, oatmeal, sweet potato, chicken breast, steak, green beans, brown rice, spinanch, really everything that is posted on this site that allows eating during cutting. Thanks. I have been spinning my wheels like crazy trying to understnad why i am gaining when i know i am burning a ton of cal and only eating barley at my maintance level. Really appreciate all the help. If i need to post pics i will.

[TheNaturalOak]

do you have a competition planned? or a date u have to get "contest ready" by?

only reason I ask is you probably stalled ur metabolism by doing too much work and not eating enough. I too did this my first time dieting and ended up going down to 1500-1700cals to get ready for my comp and I wasnt even impressed by my conditioning. This time around I am just under 6wks out from competing and hitting 2500cals/day with a weekly refeed.

alright enough about me :p
kind of curious how tall you are? but ne ways, first problem was calories too low, then I think you started out with too little fats. Optimal growth hormone/testosterone requires ~30% cals coming from fats. Then out of frustration you dumped ur carbs out so energy is probably pretty low.

if you have time, which you might want to think about, try to start upping ur calories. Little by little. Protein seems to be at a good spot for now, but I suggest going back on ur 245/130/30 .. then upping fats by 10g/weekly until u hit 60g total (wld take 3wks)

I am just giving advice as if I was in your position, with limited info, I dont really know what is best for you. Pay attention to the scale, how you're feeling (energy, libido, gym intensity, strength) and make necessary changes.

/endrant sorry

[evandallas]

First thank you for responding. I was worried it would just get lost.
I am 5’11. When I first started the diet I was eating natural pen butter and and raw almonds. It looked like this.
Mon-thurs 2240 cal. 306p/138/c/58f
Fri- 3200 cal 242p/500c/52f
Sat-Sun 2240 cal 290p/51c/98 f
But I was told I was getting bigger. I think b/c for the first time my muscles were finnaly getting proper nutrition and I was filling out more, but I got nervous and then did the drastic cut in carbs and cals to 1900. This week I figured I would try a 45% pro. 45% carb 10% fat and see if that works. I have always been in fairl good shape, but never could get extremely lean which is my goal. I have always been able to have a decent chest and shoulders and a 4 Pack and my ribs will be showing, but never can I get the full six!!!
No contest in mind just wanted to get contest ready and maintain maybe a 6% bodyfat. I can stick to the diet easily, I actually enjoy it.
For example today I lifted back and did cardio and now going to do tris and more cadio. I did 500 cals this morning session not counting lifting and prob do maybe another 300 tonight after tri’s. Can I be doing too much cardio? Cause I don’t feel like my fat is coming off and the scale is not moving. I know I am burning 3500 cal easy a week just on cardio and I am eating at maintace level so what the heck? I really do appreciate all the help. Everytime I ask someone about contest prep diets they wont speak like it’s a huge secret. If you need more info let me know.