Progress..Need Advice

[iamxclusive]

I have beet cutting for about 2 1/2 weeks now. I am eating about 150-180 grams of protein (low I know) and 40-60 grams of carbs cycling. I have felt weaker in the gym, but I have very motivated when it comes to cardio. I ran 2-4 miles alternating every day this week, dropped about 10lbs on the scale. Can you brahs give me some advice whether I should just stick to the lifting and eat clean or hit the cardio and keep a deficit?
What do you think my bodyfat is? Calipers say 13 but i'm skeptical.

[Geoloop]

I have beet cutting for about 2 1/2 weeks now. I am eating about 150-180 grams of protein (low I know) and 40-60 grams of carbs cycling. I have felt weaker in the gym, but I have very motivated when it comes to cardio. I ran 2-4 miles alternating every day this week, dropped about 10lbs on the scale. Can you brahs give me some advice whether I should just stick to the lifting and eat clean or hit the cardio and keep a deficit?
What do you think my bodyfat is? Calipers say 13 but i'm skeptical.

Clean eating doesnt provide any advantage on body composition, bulking or cutting... Do you know what is your total energy expenditure in a regular day, and what you currently eating (your current macros)?

[iamxclusive]

ya it said my maintenance was about 2700, I have been eating about 2000-2200 it has been working pretty well for me. I have been running more and I would not like to lose much muscle mass, or does it make a difference. The only carbs that enter my body are oats, sweet potatoes, and some nuts with raisins. I fast for about 4 hours before I go to bed and My water intake is a gallon a day.

[jasongind]

ya it said my maintenance was about 2700, I have been eating about 2000-2200 it has been working pretty well for me. I have been running more and I would not like to lose much muscle mass, or does it make a difference. The only carbs that enter my body are oats, sweet potatoes, and some nuts with raisins. I fast for about 4 hours before I go to bed and My water intake is a gallon a day.

If your worried about losing muscle then fasting before bed isn't a good idea, especially if your already not taking in enough protein. About an hour before bed eat some casein protein. Something like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or even milk (which is about 80% casein protein). This protein is slower synthesizing (about 7 hours), as compared to whey protein, so it feeds your muscle throughout the night.

[iamxclusive]

Give me some bodyfat estimates

[eladophir]

If your worried about losing muscle then fasting before bed isn't a good idea, especially if your already not taking in enough protein. About an hour before bed eat some casein protein. Something like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or even milk (which is about 80% casein protein). This protein is slower synthesizing (about 7 hours), as compared to whey protein, so it feeds your muscle throughout the night.

So much broscience i dont even know where to start. Please disregard this person - 180g of protein is not necessarily low as it depends on your LBM, from the looks of it, you dont have a lot. and there is nothing wrong with your fasted period, you can go 23h without eating and eat your daily calorie allowance in that one hour if thats what floats your boat. as long as your hitting your macros everything is fine.

Please post additional photos (side, back, flexed stomach) if you want a more accurate BF estimate.

[iamxclusive]

So much broscience i dont even know where to start. Please disregard this person - 180g of protein is not necessarily low as it depends on your LBM, from the looks of it, you dont have a lot. and there is nothing wrong with your fasted period, you can go 23h without eating and it your daily calorie allowance in that one hour if thats what floats your boat. as long as your hitting your macros everything is fine.

Please post additional photos (side, back, flexed stomach) if you want a more accurate BF estimate.

I appreciate your advice, but I don't have a lot of lean body mass? Not sure what you were trying to say but anywho, I am not trying to build muscle at this stage, I am just trying to get as lean as possible, hence the fast before bed. should I bump protein to 200g a day? My body has been plateauing, I can't seem to get under 180, weighed the same each day. I know it's bad to weigh myself everyday. Concerning my plateau should I increase cardio and drop more calories?

[jasongind]

So much broscience i dont even know where to start. Please disregard this person - 180g of protein is not necessarily low as it depends on your LBM, from the looks of it, you dont have a lot. and there is nothing wrong with your fasted period, you can go 23h without eating and it your daily calorie allowance in that one hour if thats what floats your boat. as long as your hitting your macros everything is fine.

Please post additional photos (side, back, flexed stomach) if you want a more accurate BF estimate.

Bro science my ass. Talk to any certified nutritionist, personal trainer, or read up on any published article about retaining/gaining mass and they specifically talk about consuming protein before bed to feed the muscles. Only until recently with the intermittent fasting has this been questioned, I'm not totally on board with that idea yet. And I agree 180 grams isn't low for this guy, as a matter of fact it is on the low end of recommended daily in take based on 1g per lbs of body weight. Also, since OP doesn't know his bf%, as he is asking for guestimation here, protein should be calculated using total body weight. It even specifically says that in the calculating calories stickies...

"1. Protein: Believe it or not - Protein intake is a bit of a controversial issue. In this, the general recommendations given in the 'bodybuilding' area are nearly double the 'standard' recommendations given in the Sports Nutrition Arena.
The GENERAL sports nutrition guideline based on most studies out suggest that in the face of ADEQUATE calories and CARBS then the following protein intakes are sufficient:
STRENGTH training -> 1.2 to 1.6g per KG bodyweight (about .6 / pound)
ENDURANCE training -> 1.4 to 1.8g per KG bodyweight (about .8 / pound)
ADOLESCENT in training -> 1.8 to 2.2g per KG bodyweight (about 1g / pound)
BUT they also acknowledge that protein becomes MORE important in the context of LOWER calorie intakes, or LOWER carb intakes.

Regardless of this, the general 'bodybuilding' guidelines would be as follows:
- If you guess your bodyfat is AVERAGE = 1-1.25g per pound TOTAL weight
- If you KNOW your bodyfat = 1-1.5g per pound LEAN weight

Read, research, and understand.

[hedrickbl]

Have you tried incorpirating reefeeds into your diet, that helps me get out of stick points.

[eladophir]

Bro science my ass. Talk to any certified nutritionist, personal trainer, or read up on any published article about retaining/gaining mass and they specifically talk about consuming protein before bed to feed the muscles. Only until recently with the intermittent fasting has this been questioned, I'm not totally on board with that idea yet. And I agree 180 grams isn't low for this guy, as a matter of fact it is on the low end of recommended daily in take based on 1g per lbs of body weight. Also, since OP doesn't know his bf%, as he is asking for guestimation here, protein should be calculated using total body weight. It even specifically says that in the calculating calories stickies...

"1. Protein: Believe it or not - Protein intake is a bit of a controversial issue. In this, the general recommendations given in the 'bodybuilding' area are nearly double the 'standard' recommendations given in the Sports Nutrition Arena.
The GENERAL sports nutrition guideline based on most studies out suggest that in the face of ADEQUATE calories and CARBS then the following protein intakes are sufficient:
STRENGTH training -> 1.2 to 1.6g per KG bodyweight (about .6 / pound)
ENDURANCE training -> 1.4 to 1.8g per KG bodyweight (about .8 / pound)
ADOLESCENT in training -> 1.8 to 2.2g per KG bodyweight (about 1g / pound)
BUT they also acknowledge that protein becomes MORE important in the context of LOWER calorie intakes, or LOWER carb intakes.

Regardless of this, the general 'bodybuilding' guidelines would be as follows:
- If you guess your bodyfat is AVERAGE = 1-1.25g per pound TOTAL weight
- If you KNOW your bodyfat = 1-1.5g per pound LEAN weight

Read, research, and understand.

You my friend are the one who needs to "Read, research and understand"

READ - HE IS 182lbs, so 180g of protein IS 1g/lbs of his TOTAL WEIGHT.
RESEARCH - I really dont care if you are "on board" with IF or not. regardless of IF or any other trend, if has been proven in multiple cases that MEAL FREQUENCY is IRRELEVANT compared to the overall caloric intake per 24 hours.
Basically meaning that it doesnt matter WHEN you eat your calories (and macros) as long as you eat the sufficient amount.
UNDERSTAND - yes, your advice is broscience.


Anyway, OP -
Make sure that your macro and caloric goals are in order - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=133163973
If they are and you are not seeing any changes, you can always increase the deficit.
I would recommend playing around with the amount of Carbs and Fats, try to increase Fat intake and reduce Carb intake.
You could also incorporate refeeds into your diet once or twice a week.
Dont make changes every week, give every change two weeks before you decide to make additional changes.

If you are still not losing fat i would personally suggest going through a week of eating at maintenance. aside from the physical aspect one of the reasons people stop losing weight is stress.
High Cortisol levels have been proven to affect weight loss, give yourself a week off, eat whatever you want (without going crazy).

Good luck.

[Geoloop]

Read, research, and understand.

loling, you should follow your own advice.

[KevinO541]

Lol at people who jugg casein before bed. Your gonna burn all your muscle away if you don't lol

[myjohnson]

Lol, I love the things found in broscience 101.

[ama828]

If your not seeing additional weight loss. Decrease your calories. Your protein intake is fine. Just keep it over 150 and lift ans you'll keep the muscle loss to a minimum.