Need advice on diet/strength gains

[dustinp]

Alright, let me start off by saying that I was 253 lbs(6'1). I was never fat and i've always been able to gain strength very quickly, so i've always been, "Big" you could say never really fat. Well eight months ago, I decided to drop the fat off of me(or attempt to). I started off by cutting all soft drinks out, and eating alot less fatty meals and started eating smaller meals and drinking 120 ounces of water a day. I did this for two months and lost almost 28 lbs. Well I was fairly pleased with this, there was not even a visible loss of fat besides the obvious (38-34 pant size). This was great but I was looking for the cut look. Or as close as I could get. Well my friend who works at GNC told me about thermogenics. So I decided to try this. So I started taking Xenadrine RFA-1 and started working out hard, and combining a high cardio training session five days a week. I was dropping weight(2-4lbs a week). Well I've been doing that for six months now which brings me too my current status (187lbs. / waist is at 32 and my height has went up to 6'2). Now some back ground is this. Two years ago I could bench 275, squat 450, and deadlift 505. Right after tenth grade my ACL ripped in half and all the cardalage broke in my left leg and I had more or less a total knee replacement. So for almost two years I didn't exercise or workout I just sat around and ate what I pleased. I figured that's why I had that "BIG" look but it was mostly fat. So here's the present, i'm benching 225lbs, squating 330, and deadlifting 350. My calorie intake a day is around 1250 and I eat below 10 grams of fat a day and my carbs are at 70g a day, and protein is around 75-80 grams a day. I take vitamins and i'm still on the thermogenic. As I said I started working out again six months ago for four months I did nothing but light weight on everything, hoping to tone up or get my muscles used to the work again. I've only recently(2months) started lifting heavier again. So I don't see my stats that I'm at as of now that bad, actually i'm impressed. I wanna know if there was something wrong with the way I went about this, and what I can do to pack on my muscle without gaining more fat weight????? I'm not saying i'm perfect and I know that i've done things wrong with my diet but I guess i'm looking for a logical solution for the future as to what I need to improve.

Oh i'm currently using MUSCLE DRIVE protein shakes.

[fitnessman]

Okay if I read your post right, you are taking in 1250 cals. a day at 187lbs-ouch! That's like less than 7 calories per pound of bodyweight. I dont go below 10 when cutting. You may be losing muscle by not eating a little more.

Here is my recommendations:
Increase calories to 10 per pound of bodyweight. That will put you at 1870 per day. Divide that up into 4-6 meals and you still are not eating a whole lot at all.

10 grams of fat a day is insane! Add some more healthy fats to your diet. The body needs fat and it keeps you fuller longer. You can 20% of your diet from fat and that would put you a little over 40g a day. Try it and see how your energy level increases.

Your numbers dont add up on your diet also. 1 gram protien=4cal, 1g carb=4cal, 1g fat=9 cal. so if you add up what you think your intake is it equals 690-again ouch!

Get a notebook and write down what you eat for a couple weeks and shoot for 35%protien 45% carbs and 20% fat.

By uping the calories you will not get fat 10 calories per pound is pretty meager.

Add some ZMA at bedtime.

Lastly, good job on the weight loss. With some better nutrition you make even better progress!

[dustinp]

Okay, like I said i'm taking a thermogenic (xenadrine). Will ZMA have any negative affects when used in conjunction with the thermogenic? Also if I up my calories and fat intake will this still make weight loss as significant as it is now, or will it slow down? The only reason why i'm still dieting is because I have like an 1/2 in. to 1 in. pad of fat over my abs. And it's really bugging me, and i'm not wanting to gain more fat along with this, but the zma sounds good! I just hope it wouldn't have a bad affect because of the thermogenic..

Thanks and I appreciate the reply

[fitnessman]

You have to remember that if you lose weight too quick you will also lose hard earned muscle. Yes you will lose weight a little slower, but it will be worth it in the long run. It is even possible that you may lose weight quicker by adding some calories. If your info was correct, you were darn near a starvation level. At those levels anything the body takes in it doesnt want to let go of.

The ZMA you will take before bedtime. You should not take thermo's that late. They might keep you awake.

ZMA is one of my favorites. I cant find anything bad to say about it. So no it will not affect or be affected by a thermo.

Again, at 10 calories per pound of bodyweight getting fat would next to impossible!

[Original Poster]

Bump Fitnessman's post.

If you starve yourself (ie. to low caloric intake), your body adapts by lowering you BMR (slowing matabolism) causing you to burn less calories when at rest. When cutting you want to do the opposite, raise your BMR. I think this can be achieved by eating 5-6 meals a day, using the 10 cal per pound as a total caloric target for the day and resistance training. Cardio is good to.
I read a study that suggested that after cardio you body continues to burn cals at an elevated rate for only about an hour or so. But after weight training the body continued to burn cals at the elevated levels for as long as 24 to 48hr after the session.

Good luck !

[dustinp]

Okay I just did a calorie count for today, and it only came up to 1450, so i'm almost there. My problem is that whenever I consume more calories/food it makes me feel very full, should I eat smaller meals with more calories in it, or what? I don't like to workout with the feeling that i'm full. I like my stomach flat like it is now, but if I consume more it makes me feel like it's all poked out or is this just something i've gotta deal with? Oh I would like to ask about grapefruit............How many calories and what's the benefits and downsides to eating this fruit......I started throwing one in for breakfast, along with my all fibre ceral???

Thanks
Almost there

[fitnessman]

Add some more small meals... And I think you got it!!

Grapefuit's cool.

Try not to eat like 1 1/2 hrs or so before you lift.

I think once you adjust your metabolism, the full feeling will go away....Keep in mind you have been almost starving yourself(no offense) so your body will take a couple weeks to adjust.

Keep up the great work!

[dustinp]

Alright, one other question what does ZMA do? And also I've counted my calories for this morning and it came up to 918...8 grams of fat, and about 54 grams of protein......I work out at 12:00P.M and I don't eat again untill about 1:15-1:30.......My question is, is that more calories than I can burn to start off with.....And how am I supposed to know how many my body burns per day.....I'm trying to adjust to the extra calories, and I feel like I'm kinda sluggish and full???Is this natural.....

[fitnessman]

ZMA is zinc magnesium asapartate. Most people bodybuilders are deficient in these minerals. Take 30-60 min before bed on a empty stomach. It will help you sleep better and help boost testoserone levels. Its cheap and one of the best supplements on the market.

You may have it in your multi but that is not enough and most multi's have calicum in the them which doesnt work well with zinc and magnesium.

As far as calories being burned, its tough to judge because everyone's metabolism is differnt. There are charts that will give you an approx. idea.

The sluggish feeling may be from the really low calorie's that your body had gotten use to. It may take a week or two for your metabolism to adjust.

For a weight trainer its darn near impossible to get fat or NOT lose bodyfat at 10 cal. per pound of bodyweight. Unless there is an underlying medical condition.

[dustinp]

Alright i'm eating the right amount now but god I can actually feel my stomach poked out.....But if this'll help then i'm all for it.....I got one more question......It seems the more I eat the more I lose is there something wrong with this......I'm still taking the thermogenic and i'm still eating right....But saturday and sunday and monday I ate stake, cake, beef jerky, and mexican dip....And I still lost 31/2 pounds over the weekend does this sound good? Thanks