Counting Calories and Nutriton Myths Debunked for noobies!

[MuzzieChik786]

Cool thread.

My story is similar, I've lost a lot of weight over the past year and a half - going from obese to normal weight. Decreasing BF% by almost 15%. However, I've been completely stuck over the past 5 months or so. I'm wondering if you can help me with that. I think I've done some metabolic damage from the extended dieting, but am not sure.

Here's a look at what I'm doing:

Calories: used to do 1200 primal diet. No processed stuff or grains. Just lean meats, fats etc. Now I'm reverse dieting up to 1700 cals a day. My TDEE is about 2200.

Workout: heavy lifting 3 days a week (stronglifts). 5 days of crossfit training which includes bodyweight exercises and olympic lifting. 3-4 days of morning fasted tabata sprints.

What am I doing wrong? Why isn't my BF% moving? I thought it was because I wasn't eating enough - but I've upped my cals over the past few weeks but still do not see a change. In fact, I GAINED 2 lbs this week. Probably because of the addition of 3+ eggs a day.

My goal is to get to 18% BF and lose the last 15 lbs that I'm stuck at. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[justsojoe]

1) This is retarded. Try working out before eating every morning and tell me about your results.
2) IIFYM is nonsense as well. If I eat only McDonalds and scoops of whey protein, I will hit my Macros. I assure you that is not optimal.. or even good.
3) Theres a difference between fat weight and muscle weight... Reading this is so painful to me.
4) 4 contradicts your point in 2... which is it? Eat real food or eat junk food and supplements?

How can you title this myths debunked when you're starting you own new myths?

1. Do you really think the food you eat prior to training is fuelling your workout?

Its pretty straight forward, if you want to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you eat.
Having all your calories for the day in one meal makes no difference than eating 5 meals a day as far as fat loss goes.
You can work out your cals for the week (lets say 14,000 =2,000 a day) it doesnt matter what day you eat these cals as long as you only eat 14,000 for the week.
People have been counting cals per day for so long they have never looked at other options.
Also you need to reduce your glycogen stores to lose weight efficiently, if you are carb loaded all the time it will be much harder to shift the lard.

A calorie is a calorie as far as fats and carbs, protein on the other hand is another story.

[justsojoe]

Cool thread.

My story is similar, I've lost a lot of weight over the past year and a half - going from obese to normal weight. Decreasing BF% by almost 15%. However, I've been completely stuck over the past 5 months or so. I'm wondering if you can help me with that. I think I've done some metabolic damage from the extended dieting, but am not sure.

Here's a look at what I'm doing:

Calories: used to do 1200 primal diet. No processed stuff or grains. Just lean meats, fats etc. Now I'm reverse dieting up to 1700 cals a day. My TDEE is about 2200.

Workout: heavy lifting 3 days a week (stronglifts). 5 days of crossfit training which includes bodyweight exercises and olympic lifting. 3-4 days of morning fasted tabata sprints.

What am I doing wrong? Why isn't my BF% moving? I thought it was because I wasn't eating enough - but I've upped my cals over the past few weeks but still do not see a change. In fact, I GAINED 2 lbs this week. Probably because of the addition of 3+ eggs a day.

My goal is to get to 18% BF and lose the last 15 lbs that I'm stuck at. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Reduce the fats and replace the cals with just eat lean protein (chicken fish) and a few fibrous green veg, the weight will come off.

[MuzzieChik786]

Reduce the fats and replace the cals with just eat lean protein (chicken fish) and a few fibrous green veg, the weight will come off.

I've just started that as of yesterday. Replaced whole eggs with egg whites. Eliminated almond/peanut butters and nuts from the diet.

Do you know how long I should stay at this before I start seeing a shift?

Thanks again.

[justsojoe]

Just give it a week and you should drop some weight, it shouldn't be water weight either bearing in mind you have been off carbs.

[MuzzieChik786]

Just give it a week and you should drop some weight, it shouldn't be water weight either bearing in mind you have been off carbs.

So previously I was doing about 70-80g of fat per day with 140g or so of protein. I should decrease fat to .. 40? Or less?

[fitnessbrah91]

keep it up girl

[justsojoe]

So previously I was doing about 70-80g of fat per day with 140g or so of protein. I should decrease fat to .. 40? Or less?

40 should be fine although I wouldn't get too ate up on numbers and specifics.
If you hit a plateau and cant drop weight, eating just lean protein always does the trick.

[MuzzieChik786]

40 should be fine although I wouldn't get too ate up on numbers and specifics.
If you hit a plateau and cant drop weight, eating just lean protein always does the trick.

Will give it a go. Thanks for your help.

[kylemnhn]

Great post

[Ahmed81]

Great post

Appreciate it bruddah !!

[Miido]

very useful info bro. I need your opinion on this, I'm 143 lbs with 14-15% bodyfat and want to reach 6-7%. I just started a diet high in protein, normal amounts of fat and minimal carbs (rice only if not with veggies). Cut all junk food, chips, sweets, soda, and sugar in my drinks. Started a week ago and I'm already able to see my abs however, I want to bulk up but without gaining fat. Do you think I should stay on my diet till I reach my desired BF% then increase my cals 300-400 above my TTDE?

I workout 4 times a week not doing cardio and my TTDE is about 2145. Thanks in advance, great article bro.

[MartMayhem]

Nice article man, very helpful.

I did have a question for you though. I shot up to 260 a few years ago from extremely poor dieting, no exercise, and a easy desk-job.

I've been slowly losing weight and I'm now down to 182 as of this morning. My overall goal is to hit 180 and maintain from there. I carb-cycle if that matters (M-W-F... carb up... T-Thurs. try to keep it under 100g)

Anyways, my question is... what do you keep your carbs/fats at? Do you, or did you carb cycle?

[Ahmed81]

very useful info bro. I need your opinion on this, I'm 143 lbs with 14-15% bodyfat and want to reach 6-7%. I just started a diet high in protein, normal amounts of fat and minimal carbs (rice only if not with veggies). Cut all junk food, chips, sweets, soda, and sugar in my drinks. Started a week ago and I'm already able to see my abs however, I want to bulk up but without gaining fat. Do you think I should stay on my diet till I reach my desired BF% then increase my cals 300-400 above my TTDE?

I workout 4 times a week not doing cardio and my TTDE is about 2145. Thanks in advance, great article bro.

Do you feel like you have enough muscle mass worth cutting for? No point in cutting down to 6-7% if you're going to look like a concentration camp survivor. My advice to you is to really assess your muscle mass. In my opinion, people begin cutting too shortly after their first bulk. I bulked for 2.5 years before going on my first cut and that helped me to put on adequate muscle mass that was worth cutting for.

When you do decide to bulk, you can reduce fat gains by only eating slightly above your TDEE (200-300 over).

Also, please remember that high protein diets have no extra benefit. If you're someone who prefers a diet high in protein, then awesome. But at 143 lbs you only need .8-1 g protein/lb of body weight when cutting, and 1 g protein/lb of LBM when bulking. So at your current weight, you only need to allocate ~600 calories daily worth of protein for optimal results. The rest of your intake can be composed of carbs and fat, or more protein if you desire.

Nice article man, very helpful.

I did have a question for you though. I shot up to 260 a few years ago from extremely poor dieting, no exercise, and a easy desk-job.

I've been slowly losing weight and I'm now down to 182 as of this morning. My overall goal is to hit 180 and maintain from there. I carb-cycle if that matters (M-W-F... carb up... T-Thurs. try to keep it under 100g)

Anyways, my question is... what do you keep your carbs/fats at? Do you, or did you carb cycle?

My fat intake daily, whether bulking or cutting, is at a MINIMUM of .5 g fat/lb of BODY WEIGHT. Fat intake is important for hormonal function, so PLEASE do not neglect your fat intake! I also made sure to get at least 1 g protein/lb of body weight, and the rest of my calories came from carbs....or more fat and protein. Unlike fat and protein, there is no minimum daily requirement for carbs, so it is left at your own discretion. Personally carbs help to fuel and give me energy, so I try to allocate as many calories as possible to carbs without neglecting fat and protein of course.

I did not carb cycle, however while cutting, I included a bi-weekly refeed. A refeed is a day when you increase your intake to maintenance or slightly above, and you increase your carb intake. You can also lower your fat and protein intake for that day in order to make room for more carbs. It is recommended that a refeed only be used when sub 12% body fat though. A refeed can help to initiate a "whoosh" effect helping you to actually see the weight you've lost. You'll notice after prolonged deficit your fat will begin to lose texture. It feels almost like small marbles under your skin. A refeed can help to flush the water from your fat cells giving you a tighter and more dry look. A refeed will also help you if you see your strength declining in the gym.

"A refeed is like one step back, but two steps forward"

[richk19]

Hey man awesome thread. I have done a lot of research my self been through similar situations, regarding starvation and cardio. I agree with everything. I'm a big believer in eating the foods you love. Really great man.

[Bstrongfitness]

nice post man.

[musicman725]

Solid post. I'll admit the idea of no "dirty" vs "clean" foods is somewhat new to me. I think so many people see "if it fits your macros" and jump right in with criticism, and they miss the point that the frame of mind also requires hitting fiber and quality micro counts. The hypothetical diets like "nothing but pop tarts" that they base their arguments on aren't valid because they don't take into account the need for fiber and vitamin rich foods. In reality, someone truly adhering to IIFYM is most likely eating a sensible split (60/40-80/20 maybe) of what we consider "clean foods" with less nutrient dense stuff that offers some relief for the cravings and social isolation that come with strict diets.

When the average person (who doesn't count cals) switches from eating "dirty" to eating "clean", they're likely to lose weight. This is because "clean" foods on average are more dense in protein and fiber, which will give the person the same satiety with fewer calories. Boom, weight loss and along with it, the misconception that sugar and fat automatically make you fat.

[marcusbondi]

Pretty sound post - good job!

One thing I'd add (IMHO) is that you can also avoid imbibing a ton of calories by drinking only water.

Stay right away from fruit juices, soda/pop, alcohol, etc etc -They all contain way too many calories that go into your stomach way too easily. One big swig can be a couple of hundred calories. Also, you don't even taste the juice/soda that's in the 'middle' of your mouthful...! (And 'diet' drinks have horrific chemicals in them and can create/perpetuate a 'phantom sweet tooth'.)

(Cold-pressed/blended green veg juices are so low in cals they are OK)

[Skinnygorilla]

I find that once you begin eating only whole, plant based foods, none of the rules apply. Your fat will naturally plummet, no matter how much you eat, and your muscle mass will definitely increase (as long as you train).

[Ahmed81]

I find that once you begin eating only whole, plant based foods, none of the rules apply. Your fat will naturally plummet, no matter how much you eat, and your muscle mass will definitely increase (as long as you train).

COMPLETELY false. Total caloric intake is what governs weight loss/gain. Just because you eat foods dense in micronutrients, doesn't mean you can eat as much as you want.

[dyslexia0skucs]

Hello fitness world, my name is Ahmed Zaid. As someone who struggled with obesity growing up, I decided to make a change for the better and dedicate my mind and body to the fitness life. I like to call myself the guinea pig, because I spent the first 3-4 years of my fitness lifestyle experimenting with different methods and acquiring knowledge on the way. Using my body as the test subject, I learned the proper way to go about the overwhelming topic that is NUTRITION! Following the popular method of weight loss (no fats or carbs and cardio cardio cardio!), I endured metabolic damage and severely hurt my blood work. I now wish to give back to society as I look to deviate beginners from that dangerous path.

In order to really take your fitness to the next level, I highly recommended that you begin to count calories and, of course, compliment your diet with consistency in the gym. Counting calories IS NOT EASY AT ALL. IT WILL CHALLENGE YOUR MENTAL TOUGHNESS AND SANITY. I don't say this to discourage you, but rather to let you know what you're up against. You know what they say, nothing worth having comes easy. Ok so in order for me to teach you this, I'm going to have to rock your world a little bit by debunking a lot of the nutrition myths that society has come to believe.

1. MEAL TIMING: Lots of people think you have to eat breakfast, or you have to eat post workout to see results; they also tell you not to eat before bed time. The truth is, meal timing is irrelevant in terms of body composition. Total daily caloric intake is what governs weight loss/gain. Ex: I eat 2350 calories daily, and 1500 come immediately before bed time. Meal timing is all personal preference bu it IS relevant to your daily performance. If you're someone who needs breakfast in the morning, then go ahead. If you need the majority of your calories two hours before you hit the gym (a.k.a. a pre-workout meal) in order to have an optimal performance, then meal timing is relevant in that sense. But there's no extra benefit to eating six small meals a day or depriving yourself of a bed time snack. Eat when YOU want to!

2. JUNK FOOD IS NOT BAD FOR YOU: Total caloric intake is what governs weight loss/gain, not specific food items. In order to lose weight, you have to eat 10 - 20 % under your TDEE (total daily energy expedenture). Your TDEE is how many calories you burn in a day, so you have to burn more calories than you take in (hence why you eat 10 - 20 % under that). You have to hit certain numbers in regards to macronutrients. 1 g of protein/lb of bodyweight, and .45 g of dietary fat/lb of bodyweight, and you can fill the rest of your calories with carbs, or more protein and fat. WHATEVER food choices you use to hit those numbers (as long as you don't go over your caloric intake for the day) will result in you losing weight. For example, I use pop tarts to help me out with my dietary fat goal daily. A lot of people avoid dietary fat in their diet, and that's absolutely horrible. Fat intake helps to regulate hormonal function in men and women, and without it, your blood work will suffer. In order to meet your caloric goal without going over, you'll have to have "healthy" foods too. Ex: If I wanted to get 50 g of protein from the McDonald's menu, I would need at least 600 calories (because their food is so caloricly dense). But to get 50 g of protein from home made chicken breast, I would only need ~200 calories. So as you can see, in order to only eat 2350 and hit my protein and fat needs, I would have to have "healthy" foods, I can't just have 2350 calories worth of pop tarts and McDonald's because I wouldn't have hit my protein intake. It is also vital that you consume a wide variety of foods that are rich in micronutrients (fruits, veggies, minimally processed foods). These serve a major role in preserving your general health including, but not limited to, your cholesterol, blood pressure, and sodium levels. This method of fitting your favorite foods into your intake is called "if it fits your macros" (IIFYM).

3. CARDIO: Cardiovascular exercise, contrary to popular belief, is NOT the most efficient way to burn fat. Being in a caloric deficit is what is optimal. But cardio exercise plays a major role in heart health, so it's VERY important that you pay attention to it. A healthier heart leads to better breathing, better breathing leads to better stamina, which will help you in the weight room. The beauty of fitness is that everything comes full circle. In order to calculate your TDEE, you first have to calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate). Your BMR is the amount of calories you burn if you literally laid in bed all day and didn't move a muscle. Because we don't live like that, we take our BMR and multiply it by an activity factor, which ultimately gives us our TDEE. If you want to incorporate more cardio into your regimen, that's absolutely fine, but please make sure you account for that when you consider the activity factor you multiply your BMR by. Some people choose to eat more and rely strictly on cardio to put them in a caloric deficit. For example, John estimates his TDEE to be 2800. John consumes 2800 calories worth of food/drink daily, and does 30 min worth of cardio to put him in a daily deficit. Because it is difficult to track how many calories one burns during a cardio session, I recommend that you do not SOLELY rely on cardio to put you in a deficit. To reiterate, cardiovascular exercise is extremely important to one's health, and it should be accounted for in your weekly regiment. Just make sure you are not over-doing it!!

4. PROTEIN: As far as protein goes, you want to try to hit your daily protein goal from whole foods. Only incorporate a supplement when you need a quick and convenient fix, or you need something that is low-cal and protein dense (120 calorie scoop worth 24 g protein). Getting your protein from whole foods will not only give you more energy and help with satiety, but will also help to ensure MICROnutrient sufficiency. Really try to get most, if not all your protein, from whole foods though, as taking the "recommend" 3 scoops a day of supplements will drain your wallet rather quickly

Another common misconception that people have is that they think they are sacrificing results by using IIFYM, false! Rather you are excelling by tracking your intake and making sure that you hit your numbers. Following a "broscience" diet where you only eat brown rice, veggies, and chicken breast will likely leave you deficient in one of the macronutrients (protein and fat), if not BOTH. More so, depriving yourself of the foods you love can lead to binge eating and eating disorders. It's neither necessary, nor realistic to go through life avoiding the foods we enjoy. Many in our society begin a weight loss "diet" by dropping their carbohydrate intake, avoiding all fatty foods, and severely under-eating overall. Unfortunately, that approach has become rather popular, and it does your body harm in both the long and short term. Under-eating can cause severe metabolic damage, and that can make it harder for you to lose weight correctly in the future. Such a method is highly detrimental and neglects the science involved in weight loss, so don't fall into the trap!!


I hope this article has removed the uncertainty or fear for anyone thinking about entering the fitness lifestyle. Speaking from experience, I can relate to how overwhelming making such a drastic commitment can be. Process the situation, take a deep breath, and shoot for the stars! As always, for any questions/comments please do not hesitate to contact me here on the forums!


- Ahmed Zaid

Awesome thread man, i agree with everything but just wondering, are you saying its ok to take in half your calories before bed because lately ive had too

[Miido]

Thank you for answering my question Now I know what to do.

[Ahmed81]

Awesome thread man, i agree with everything but just wondering, are you saying its ok to take in half your calories before bed because lately ive had too

It makes no difference in body composition, its personal preference.

[6Connor6]

Hello fitness world, my name is Ahmed Zaid. As someone who struggled with obesity growing up, I decided to make a change for the better and dedicate my mind and body to the fitness life. I like to call myself the guinea pig, because I spent the first 3-4 years of my fitness lifestyle experimenting with different methods and acquiring knowledge on the way. Using my body as the test subject, I learned the proper way to go about the overwhelming topic that is NUTRITION! Following the popular method of weight loss (no fats or carbs and cardio cardio cardio!), I endured metabolic damage and severely hurt my blood work. I now wish to give back to society as I look to deviate beginners from that dangerous path.

In order to really take your fitness to the next level, I highly recommended that you begin to count calories and, of course, compliment your diet with consistency in the gym. Counting calories IS NOT EASY AT ALL. IT WILL CHALLENGE YOUR MENTAL TOUGHNESS AND SANITY. I don't say this to discourage you, but rather to let you know what you're up against. You know what they say, nothing worth having comes easy. Ok so in order for me to teach you this, I'm going to have to rock your world a little bit by debunking a lot of the nutrition myths that society has come to believe.

1. MEAL TIMING: Lots of people think you have to eat breakfast, or you have to eat post workout to see results; they also tell you not to eat before bed time. The truth is, meal timing is irrelevant in terms of body composition. Total daily caloric intake is what governs weight loss/gain. Ex: I eat 2350 calories daily, and 1500 come immediately before bed time. Meal timing is all personal preference bu it IS relevant to your daily performance. If you're someone who needs breakfast in the morning, then go ahead. If you need the majority of your calories two hours before you hit the gym (a.k.a. a pre-workout meal) in order to have an optimal performance, then meal timing is relevant in that sense. But there's no extra benefit to eating six small meals a day or depriving yourself of a bed time snack. Eat when YOU want to!

2. JUNK FOOD IS NOT BAD FOR YOU: Total caloric intake is what governs weight loss/gain, not specific food items. In order to lose weight, you have to eat 10 - 20 % under your TDEE (total daily energy expedenture). Your TDEE is how many calories you burn in a day, so you have to burn more calories than you take in (hence why you eat 10 - 20 % under that). You have to hit certain numbers in regards to macronutrients. 1 g of protein/lb of bodyweight, and .45 g of dietary fat/lb of bodyweight, and you can fill the rest of your calories with carbs, or more protein and fat. WHATEVER food choices you use to hit those numbers (as long as you don't go over your caloric intake for the day) will result in you losing weight. For example, I use pop tarts to help me out with my dietary fat goal daily. A lot of people avoid dietary fat in their diet, and that's absolutely horrible. Fat intake helps to regulate hormonal function in men and women, and without it, your blood work will suffer. In order to meet your caloric goal without going over, you'll have to have "healthy" foods too. Ex: If I wanted to get 50 g of protein from the McDonald's menu, I would need at least 600 calories (because their food is so caloricly dense). But to get 50 g of protein from home made chicken breast, I would only need ~200 calories. So as you can see, in order to only eat 2350 and hit my protein and fat needs, I would have to have "healthy" foods, I can't just have 2350 calories worth of pop tarts and McDonald's because I wouldn't have hit my protein intake. It is also vital that you consume a wide variety of foods that are rich in micronutrients (fruits, veggies, minimally processed foods). These serve a major role in preserving your general health including, but not limited to, your cholesterol, blood pressure, and sodium levels. This method of fitting your favorite foods into your intake is called "if it fits your macros" (IIFYM).

3. CARDIO: Cardiovascular exercise, contrary to popular belief, is NOT the most efficient way to burn fat. Being in a caloric deficit is what is optimal. But cardio exercise plays a major role in heart health, so it's VERY important that you pay attention to it. A healthier heart leads to better breathing, better breathing leads to better stamina, which will help you in the weight room. The beauty of fitness is that everything comes full circle. In order to calculate your TDEE, you first have to calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate). Your BMR is the amount of calories you burn if you literally laid in bed all day and didn't move a muscle. Because we don't live like that, we take our BMR and multiply it by an activity factor, which ultimately gives us our TDEE. If you want to incorporate more cardio into your regimen, that's absolutely fine, but please make sure you account for that when you consider the activity factor you multiply your BMR by. Some people choose to eat more and rely strictly on cardio to put them in a caloric deficit. For example, John estimates his TDEE to be 2800. John consumes 2800 calories worth of food/drink daily, and does 30 min worth of cardio to put him in a daily deficit. Because it is difficult to track how many calories one burns during a cardio session, I recommend that you do not SOLELY rely on cardio to put you in a deficit. To reiterate, cardiovascular exercise is extremely important to one's health, and it should be accounted for in your weekly regiment. Just make sure you are not over-doing it!!

4. PROTEIN: As far as protein goes, you want to try to hit your daily protein goal from whole foods. Only incorporate a supplement when you need a quick and convenient fix, or you need something that is low-cal and protein dense (120 calorie scoop worth 24 g protein). Getting your protein from whole foods will not only give you more energy and help with satiety, but will also help to ensure MICROnutrient sufficiency. Really try to get most, if not all your protein, from whole foods though, as taking the "recommend" 3 scoops a day of supplements will drain your wallet rather quickly

Another common misconception that people have is that they think they are sacrificing results by using IIFYM, false! Rather you are excelling by tracking your intake and making sure that you hit your numbers. Following a "broscience" diet where you only eat brown rice, veggies, and chicken breast will likely leave you deficient in one of the macronutrients (protein and fat), if not BOTH. More so, depriving yourself of the foods you love can lead to binge eating and eating disorders. It's neither necessary, nor realistic to go through life avoiding the foods we enjoy. Many in our society begin a weight loss "diet" by dropping their carbohydrate intake, avoiding all fatty foods, and severely under-eating overall. Unfortunately, that approach has become rather popular, and it does your body harm in both the long and short term. Under-eating can cause severe metabolic damage, and that can make it harder for you to lose weight correctly in the future. Such a method is highly detrimental and neglects the science involved in weight loss, so don't fall into the trap!!


I hope this article has removed the uncertainty or fear for anyone thinking about entering the fitness lifestyle. Speaking from experience, I can relate to how overwhelming making such a drastic commitment can be. Process the situation, take a deep breath, and shoot for the stars! As always, for any questions/comments please do not hesitate to contact me here on the forums!


- Ahmed Zaid

Hmmmm.....

Op is trying to hit us with some guru $hit.

We have one of two options here

1. Take his advice and see how far we get.

Or

2. Keep pertaining to "written in stone" rules of bodybuilding that every IFBB pro sticks too

Thats a tough one guys... Hmmmmm, OP is 185lbs, Phil Heath is 280lbs 5% bodyfat. I wonder who I should listen to in regards of nutrition for gaining muscle.

[WuchiCasey]

Just give it a week and you should drop some weight, it shouldn't be water weight either bearing in mind you have been off carbs.

Dont listen to this guy. There is no point in reducing carbs. Being in keto does not affect weight loss in any way nor benefit. Its all personal preference. I eat 200g carbs daily and can monitor my weight changes during my cutt. Eat similar macros from day to day, shouldn't be much difference unless you eat high sodium foods

So previously I was doing about 70-80g of fat per day with 140g or so of protein. I should decrease fat to .. 40? Or less?

Fats are good for you. Aim for .82 grams per BW for protein and .45 grams of fat per BW then fill remaining calories with carbs

[Ahmed81]

Hmmmm.....

Op is trying to hit us with some guru $hit.

We have one of two options here

1. Take his advice and see how far we get.

Or

2. Keep pertaining to "written in stone" rules of bodybuilding that every IFBB pro sticks too

Thats a tough one guys... Hmmmmm, OP is 185lbs, Phil Heath is 280lbs 5% bodyfat. I wonder who I should listen to in regards of nutrition for gaining muscle.

"Written in stone rules"...such as what? Don't eat past 7pm and take three scoops of a protein daily? The rules that lack science and common sense? It's only Guru stuff to those who are too blind to recognize common sense

You probably still run red lights on your way home from the gym to eat your chicken breast. "Officer I was speeding because if I don't eat within 30 minutes then I wasted my entire workout!! ZOMG ZOMG"


And absolutely LOLed at the Phil Heath comment. You must be trolling, no way you could be that ignorant



Edit: Join date: Dec 2011?!?!? Nevermind you aren't trolling, just ignorant

[odinseye84]

6connor, im sure the OP doesn't have unlimited access to every steroid, growth hormone and insulin under the sign with professional help. OP probably is natural anyways...

OP, love the article but I think its irresponsible to say "junk food is not bad for you". There are countless reasons that overly processed, refined, loaded with growth hormone, antibiotics, preservatives, fake colors and preservatives, added sugar, artificial sweeteners, HFCS, chemicals, etc. etc. are "bad" for you contributing to a myriad of long term health effects. Perhaps "junk food wont make you fat" (if you stay in your macros) is a better title.

[Ahmed81]

6connor, im sure the OP doesn't have unlimited access to every steroid, growth hormone and insulin under the sign with professional help. OP probably is natural anyways...

OP, love the article but I think its irresponsible to say "junk food is not bad for you". There are countless reasons that overly processed, refined, loaded with growth hormone, antibiotics, preservatives, fake colors and preservatives, added sugar, artificial sweeteners, HFCS, chemicals, etc. etc. are "bad" for you contributing to a myriad of long term health effects. Perhaps "junk food wont make you fat" (if you stay in your macros) is a better title.

The title may imply one thing, but the explanation in that paragraph clearly shows that junk food in MODERATION isn't harmful. It also clearly states that the majority of your caloric intake needs to come from micronutrient rich foods

[robasol]

I'm a newbie and though I'm on the right track I need to ask just to be sure. If my BMR is 2300 and workout burns approx 800 cals as per my Polar watch; if I'm trying to cut do I eat 2800 cals to end up at 2000 which would be a 300cal deficit or do I eat the 2300 burn the 800 which would put me at a total of 1500cal total per day? I apologize, but this is a bit confusing to me. Thanks in advance.

[Ahmed81]

I'm a newbie and though I'm on the right track I need to ask just to be sure. If my BMR is 2300 and workout burns approx 800 cals as per my Polar watch; if I'm trying to cut do I eat 2800 cals to end up at 2000 which would be a 300cal deficit or do I eat the 2300 burn the 800 which would put me at a total of 1500cal total per day? I apologize, but this is a bit confusing to me. Thanks in advance.

All the exercise/cardio you do should already be accounted for in your TDEE. Why? Because you multiplied your BMR by an activity factor, which is the sum of all your physical activity.

Eat at a 10-20% from your TDEE, not your BMR