Starting over 3 day full body periodization fatter to fitter with diet overview

[Plateauplower]

Sunday 1/4/15
210.0 lbs

212.48 is the weekly average for week 3, week 2 avg weight was 214.2 (-1.72 lbs). Calories avg through yesterday were 2250 so I could go to 2500 and still be at 1lb per week at my current activity level, which would have my tdee at 3000...confused. I guess the extra cardio I've been doing and the 3 full body workouts instead of 4 days of weights is having some impact, no strength loss really yet so I'm not losing much muscle I hope.

If everything stays the same it looks like
12 cals /lb = 1lb loss per week
14 cals /lb = maintainance or close
15 cals/lb = next attempt to gain lean mass only, some time in the distant future....The ratio could change though when lean and hopefully with a higher muscle to fat ratio it might be higher.....But at 15 cals/day it would be 2700 cals/day at 180lbs which seems sustainable.

I dont think 210 is going to hold yet, the extra coffee in the afternoon was like diuretic even though I drank a lot of water. Not sure what the plan is today, might rest up for heavy day tomorrow. It's going to be another cold, wet, and nasty day outside and turning very cold this week.

M1 7:00am
12 eggs (2 whole)/3oz ham/10oz peppers,onions,wild mushrooms/multis &2g fish oil
500 cals / 66g pro / 14g fat

M2 10:00am (1000c/130p/35f)
6oz venison/1oz mozz/flax wrap/salsa/0cal green tea
500 cals / 64g pro / 21g fat

M3 2:00pm (1400c/174p/45f)
6oz ham/1slice smoked swiss/4 slices 35cal wheat/mustard
400 cals / 44g pro /10g fat

M4 5:15pm (2100c/247p/71f)
8oz salmon (6oz cooked -oven baked no foil wrap weighed before & after) / 3 servings chick peas, 14ml olive oil, 10g parmesian cheese
700 cals / 73g pro / 26g fat

Totals 2100 calories / 247g protein / 71g fat

[Flounderbout]

Latecomer to the squat PR party here, but they looked great. I have completely forgotten how to squat that much weight, so I'm pretty jealous...
Some big deads too as ever. Impressive stuff given the starvation rations... Rice cakes huh? Bleughh...

[Plateauplower]

Latecomer to the squat PR party here, but they looked great. I have completely forgotten how to squat that much weight, so I'm pretty jealous...
Some big deads too as ever. Impressive stuff given the starvation rations... Rice cakes huh? Bleughh...

You will get right back there on the squats, I'm sure your hand strength and dexterity have improved with all the knitting you've been doing . The rice cakes are emergency rations, I was really craving some crispy carbs, and if I was going to succumb to my urges and go all Cookie Monster on something I figured those would do less damage than a lot of other things . So far they remain unopened and unappetizing...They are right next to the awesome tortilla chips that I would love to stick my head in the bag and crunch away like savage beast.

[raynerd]

210!! Right on track Tim! Have a great rest day! I am going to go in and see if I can staple myself with a 185lb OHP lol.

[trickyB]

Following along on this cut, diet, caloric deficit or whatever were calling it these days.

What your end point in terms of weight?

[Plateauplower]

210!! Right on track Tim! Have a great rest day! I am going to go in and see if I can staple myself with a 185lb OHP lol.

It surprised me to see that number today, I'm sure it will be higher tomorrow going to get a good dose of carbs for dinner tonight, and already had too much salty ham today due to poor planning in the food department...good luck on the OHPs

Following along on this cut, diet, caloric deficit or whatever were calling it these days.
What your end point in terms of weight?

I'm de-fatting . I'm not sure what the end point is really. I would like to get lean enough to get rid of the lower stomach fat and have abs. If I start really tanking in the gym then I will reevaluate becuase overall I want to continue to enjoy training in order stay with it. I'm sure an overall goal would be a good idea, but honestly I don't know what weight I will be happy at in terms of size, strength, and leaness. Ideally I guess I want to be big, strong and have abs and some vascularity, it will be sub 200 for sure.

[trickyB]

I understand, It's tough to know. I go through a transition where I'm lean, vascular, with some abs. At that point I don't care what I'm lifting because I like the way I look. If I add 10lbs I don't look as good and my lifts haven't gone up enough relative to where they are when I'm lighter and look better. If I add 20lbs my lifts start moving and in clothes I look like I lift.

My point is 10lbs can make a big difference. I hope you go low and then go 10lbs lower.

Best of luck

[Payton1221]

I'm de-fatting . I'm not sure what the end point is really. I would like to get lean enough to get rid of the lower stomach fat and have abs. If I start really tanking in the gym then I will reevaluate becuase overall I want to continue to enjoy training in order stay with it. I'm sure an overall goal would be a good idea, but honestly I don't know what weight I will be happy at in terms of size, strength, and leaness. Ideally I guess I want to be big, strong and have abs and some vascularity, it will be sub 200 for sure.

Others claim to never lose strength, but I usually do. What I found minimized it though was to eat at maintenance on lifting days; although, you might train more frequently than me. Still, you can vary your calories throughout the week. Unless you're event dieting (contest, high school reunion, etc.), then you're not on any real timetable, so better to go sideways for a day or for a week or two rather than to just throw in the towel and binge for a few weeks undoing a month or more of progress.

It's to each their own, but I've been real lean for the last six months or so, and as FOR ME, I prefer it and won't go back. And as noted in my journal, I purposefully ensure that I'm more active than "real life" might have me be so that I can eat a little more, but for all of the benefits that walking and the occasional (1X/week) bike ride provides. Of course, maintaining a lean physique doesn't happen by accident. I suppose that I could eyeball my portions and add things up in my head, but I don't mind counting macros each day. It takes less than 5 min/day for me.

[Plateauplower]

I understand, It's tough to know. I go through a transition where I'm lean, vascular, with some abs. At that point I don't care what I'm lifting because I like the way I look. If I add 10lbs I don't look as good and my lifts haven't gone up enough relative to where they are when I'm lighter and look better. If I add 20lbs my lifts start moving and in clothes I look like I lift.

My point is 10lbs can make a big difference. I hope you go low and then go 10lbs lower.

Best of luck

I don't mind giving up a little on the strength end of things, it will likely happen if I get as lean as I would like to, but the strength to weight ratio will be higher so there is that to use as a metric. I hope I can stick it out and get as lean as I want, I'm pretty good right now, but I'm also only 3 weeks in to something that's likely going to take 6 months or more...appreciate your insight though and it makes sense. As much as I would like to continue to look big in clothes (becuase I'm in them more often than not ), I know I'm going to look smaller. I noticed it when I dropped down to 203, ironically I got more compliments about looking big then so I think most of it is what we see vs reality. You see someone that looks big but soft in clothes it's not as impressive as seeing someone that looks kind of big but has musculature rippling through clothes, back/trap/arm definition etc. Goodwill better put up a fuggin memorial for me or something as it's likely to end up being the second wardrobe I donate, in two years.

Brb getting audited by the IRS for writing off absurd clothing donations two years in a row

Others claim to never lose strength, but I usually do. What I found minimized it though was to eat at maintenance on lifting days; although, you might train more frequently than me. Still, you can vary your calories throughout the week. Unless you're event dieting (contest, high school reunion, etc.), then you're not on any real timetable, so better to go sideways for a day or for a week or two rather than to just throw in the towel and binge for a few weeks undoing a month or more of progress.

It's to each their own, but I've been real lean for the last six months or so, and as FOR ME, I prefer it and won't go back. And as noted in my journal, I purposefully ensure that I'm more active than "real life" might have me be so that I can eat a little more, but for all of the benefits that walking and the occasional (1X/week) bike ride provides. Of course, maintaining a lean physique doesn't happen by accident. I suppose that I could eyeball my portions and add things up in my head, but I don't mind counting macros each day. It takes less than 5 min/day for me.

Everyone that gets lean seems to enjoy it. I'm all for getting in some extra activity to be able to eat a little more. In modern life, a little extra cardio isn't going to hurt anyone, I don't plan on running ultra marathons or anything, but my kids are getting to the age where we will be a lot more active hiking, and eventually biking etc (I was a pretty avid mountain biker, and bought a pretty tricked out bike last summer, barely road it though due to family obligations on the weekends) I don't want to live my life at my current meal plan, but I doubt I will need to, hopefully I will be able to eat a little more even at a lower weight.

I don't mind tracking and weighing food at all, it has become so automatic that I really don't even think about it anymore. I had good success in college staying pretty lean by being very strict all week and then being able to go out on the weekends drink beer, eat burritos etc..I won't be doing that now obviously but I know I will be able to slip the occasional off plan foods in as long as they don't become the norm. I havnt had any need for increasing cals yet on training days, but have been having a majority of my carbs in the evening before bed which makes me sleep better and seems to help me train hard fasted the following morning. I'm sure as I have less reserve fuel it could become more of an issue...appreciate the comments.

[trickyB]

Exactly.

Just because you lose strength it doesn't mean your lifts suck either. In fact I bet I'm stronger per pound when my weight is <170lbs. At that weight I'm twenty lbs south of looking like I lift in clothes.

We must have been typing at the same time. You faster than me

[Plateauplower]

Exactly.

Just because you lose strength it doesn't mean your lifts suck either. In fact I bet I'm stronger per pound when my weight is <170lbs. At that weight I'm twenty lbs south of looking like I lift in clothes.

I'll just make a few loin cloths out of the next deer I arrow, problem solved. Look big in "clothes" and save money on buying them at the same time. What are you weighing in the avi, look pretty big there.

[Payton1221]

I don't mind giving up a little on the strength end of things, it will likely happen if I get as lean as I would like to, but the strength to weight ratio will be higher so there is that to use as a metric.

Yeah, as long as your chins and dips don't suffer, it's all good But seriously, you may actually improve on those two exercises because of the reduced bodyweight.

[yaaar]

Cut is coming along nicely, good to see. Joining you tomorrow, not looking forward to it but it has to be done.

[Plateauplower]

Yeah, as long as your chins and dips don't suffer, it's all good But seriously, you may actually improve on those two exercises because of the reduced bodyweight.

Lol, I see what you did there and it was clever...actually both have already improved in both meanings . I was getting to the point of not being able to do either exercise very well, while I was growing the chins on my face

Cut is coming along nicely, good to see. Joining you tomorrow, not looking forward to it but it has to be done.

Good luck just get in the mindset that it needs to be done and your going to get it done is the only advice I have. Some days are hard some not so bad. When I initially dropped from 235-240 to 203 last year I found it more motivating than strength gains. I'm more motivated this time to take it further and not screw it up by trying to add strength and size at an impossible rate with excess calories (which at the time I thought were going to be slow with minimal fat, that lasted about 3months before the excess caught up and I put on mostly fat for another few months).

[Plateauplower]

Monday 1/5/15 De-fatting week 3
211.8lbs

I knew I was going to have an uptick in weight due to salt with 9oz of ham yesterday (poor planning on my part). Weight was before getting rid of the rabbit turd I managed to make, so there's that (TMI but a real fact of life when food consumption is low). Still below last week avg of 212.48 so it will be a successful week.

Heavy day today, not really looking forward to going outside with -30F windchill. Hoping for a good session to start the week off.

5:00-5:55 / 55Min/ 27 Sets
Well they can't all be winners. Lost some ground on some things today, it wasnt from a lack of effort and I'm not ready to blame it on the deficit yet. I had crappy sessions in a surplus too. I adjusted the session based on how I was feeling and lowered the volume some and just did what I could. I know I didnt lose that much strength over a few days so I will just chalk it up as a less than stellar performanace and move on. At this point The mission is getting lean with MINIMAL strength/lean mass loss there is going some and I am willing to accept that. Its kind of like diversification in an investment portfolio; Im hoping to find the right balance of leaness, strength and mass instead of putting all my eggs in one basket.

BB Bench 135x12/185x10/205x7/225x4/225x3/185x6
SS With
BB BORs 135x12/155x10/185x8/185x8/205x5/205x5

Squats 135x12/225x10/275x6/315x4/315x3
SS With
OHP 115x7/115x7/115x7/115x5

Dips BWx8/BWx8/BWx8
SS With
Alt DB Curls 40sX10/40sX10/40sX10

*****Lunchtime LISS 45 Min Walk*****

M1 7:45am
340g Grk Yog/30g whey/24g Walnuts/Multis,2g fish oil,BCAAs Intra
500 Cals/ 64g pro/ 19g fat

M2 10:30am (900c/128p/30f)
6oz cooked salmon/flax wrap/1oz mozz cheese/60g hot salsa/0Cal grn tea
400 Cals/ 64g Pro / 11g fat

M3 1:45pm (1425c/184p/49f)
6oz cooked lean porkloin/5oz chick peas/7g coconut oil drizzle
525 Cals/ 56g pro/ 19g fat

M4 5:30pm (2100c/236p/71f)
8oz sweet potato/6oz grnd venison/organic rice cake with 15g natty peanut butter /2g fish oil & multis
675 cals/ 52g pro / 22g fat

Totals: 2100 cals / 236g protein / 71g fat

[DocJekyll]

Congrats on 210 buddy. That's solid, steady progress. Your lucky that your still enjoying your current strength levels. Mine went into the ****ter pretty quickly. Currently suffering from deficit Strength decay; but boy can I run fast now. Lol.

SRs, once I hit my goal weight I am looking to get some strength and a little lean, lean, lean mass back. I do have to say, I am enjoying the leaner me. Lots of compliments and I feel much better. Definitely takes some getting use too; but I'm starting to come around now.

Anyway, your doing great. Nice steady consistent loses while keeping some real weight moving in the gym sessions. Your gonna come out if this cut looking Diced man.
Keep the resolve.

[Jbizzlechizzle]

Good job on the cut so far. It looks like you're doing it right. I always lose muscle when I lose weight and it usually happens pretty fast. If you keep your protein that high, you shouldn't have much of a problem keeping the muscle on at a deficit.

[Plateauplower]

Congrats on 210 buddy. That's solid, steady progress. Your lucky that your still enjoying your current strength levels. Mine went into the ****ter pretty quickly. Currently suffering from deficit Strength decay; but boy can I run fast now. Lol.

SRs, once I hit my goal weight I am looking to get some strength and a little lean, lean, lean mass back. I do have to say, I am enjoying the leaner me. Lots of compliments and I feel much better. Definitely takes some getting use too; but I'm starting to come around now.

Anyway, your doing great. Nice steady consistent loses while keeping some real weight moving in the gym sessions. Your gonna come out if this cut looking Diced man.
Keep the resolve.

Thanks, ya today wasn't phenominial, but whatever. I got in and moved some weights and worked up a sweat.

Good job on the cut so far. It looks like you're doing it right. I always lose muscle when I lose weight and it usually happens pretty fast. If you keep your protein that high, you shouldn't have much of a problem keeping the muscle on at a deficit.

I'm sure I'll lose some regardless of protein, but I can always get that back. I find it more of a personal challange to get lean than to be on full-feed and get stronger. I have always struggled to stay lean where strength and size were always somewhat easier, not that I'm gifted in either just easier for me to add size/strength with a natural tendency to be heavier, genetics, food consumption whatever it is.

[Payton1221]

Still below last week avg of 212.48 so it will be a successful week.

Unless I know that my weight in the morning will be invalid (perhaps due to the occasional pigout or something), I weigh each week and then average the results once per week. My weekly averages when cutting or trying to slowly add mass is very predictable based on my calories (which I average too). I find this to be a great way to ignore the day-to-day fluctuations that are inevitable.

[Plateauplower]

Unless I know that my weight in the morning will be invalid (perhaps due to the occasional pigout or something), I weigh each week and then average the results once per week. My weekly averages when cutting or trying to slowly add mass is very predictable based on my calories (which I average too). I find this to be a great way to ignore the day-to-day fluctuations that are inevitable.

I do the exact same thing weigh myself every morning same time and get the weekly avg, and have my cals/macros listed at the bottom of each day of my paper planner journal and get the avg cals/day. I think that is the most scientific way to do it. If I just weighed once per week I wouldn't know what was going on becuase I can fluctuate 4lbs or more.

[RT1957]

Keep up the good work and try not to think about strength loss....I like the idea of being dynamic and if you're not feeling it then do what you know you can because it all adds up in the end....our body doesn't know numbers it just knows resistance at different intensities....

[PtReyesGreg]

Nice work on the cut Tim! Congratulations on hitting 210. Even though it swung back up a little today, the pendulum will swing back the other way soon. It looks like you have a nice steady cut going on.

[raynerd]

Good session Tim, despite not feeling it today. Still very jealous of those squats on your crappy days, nevermind the days you are squatting large houses for reps. Gotter dun!

[DocJekyll]

Just scrolled back up to your edit. I think your still pushing some real respectable weigh around Tim. Don't give it one moment more. Just keep on going.

[Plateauplower]

Keep up the good work and try not to think about strength loss....I like the idea of being dynamic and if you're not feeling it then do what you know you can because it all adds up in the end....our body doesn't know numbers it just knows resistance at different intensities....

This is true and one of the only benifits of self made programming, I have an idea what I want to do and know exactly what I did in the last session some days I feel great and break new ground beyond what I was hoping for and somedays (like today) I just have to do what I can to get the work done even if it means dropping a few reps or sets.

Nice work on the cut Tim! Congratulations on hitting 210. Even though it swung back up a little today, the pendulum will swing back the other way soon. It looks like you have a nice steady cut going on.

Yea I will be all over the place based on food, etc as long as the trend and averages are going down its a win. At my current deficit im more concerned about losing faster than 2lbs per week than not losing at least a pound or more. It will all workout over the weeks/months.

Good session Tim, despite not feeling it today. Still very jealous of those squats on your crappy days, nevermind the days you are squatting large houses for reps. Gotter dun!

I have a feeling you will be passing me by on the squats very soon teh way you are going after them. Everything felt very heavy today, almost got stuck on my 225 sets on bench...I gained a rep on da curls though

Just scrolled back up to your edit. I think your still pushing some real respectable weigh around Tim. Don't give it one moment more. Just keep on going.

Its alright, I had just as bad of sessions in a surplus everything just felt heavy, I was moving set to set pretty quickly in the biggining but the Squats/OHP SS had me against the ropes. Gonna have some sweet potatoes ready for Tuesday night

[trickyB]

I'll just make a few loin cloths out of the next deer I arrow, problem solved. Look big in "clothes" and save money on buying them at the same time. What are you weighing in the avi, look pretty big there.

I was 178 after a big carb up in the AVI picture. Weight day of carb up was 173 lbs. I'm 5'10" so in regular clothes I look pretty thin.

Keep after it.

[Plateauplower]

Tuesday 1/6/15
210.4 lbs

Cardio and ab work is the plan today, maybe some stretching if I have time, might go to the purple gym today as it has better cardio equipment and is generally pretty empty, opens earlier and allows me to be more efficient by drinking my coffee on the road. Slept great last night a solid 7hrs, it was needed.

Cardio (light)
Treadmill & Elliptical
45 Min Total / 575 Cals
Situps BWx20 (3 sets)

M1 6:45am
10oz cooked steel cut oats, whey 1, Casein 1/Multis&2g fish oil
525 Cals /58g pro/12g fat

M2 9:30am (1050c/126p/23f)
7oz cooked salmon, flax wrap, 1oz mozz cheese, 40g salsa/0cal grn tea
525 Cals /68g Pro/ 11g fat

M3 12:30pm (1450c/172p/35f)
6oz blk forrest ham/1 slice smoked swiss/4 slices 35cal wheat/mustard
400 Cals/ 46g pro/12g fat

**Very Hungry today and macros are all screwed up so far, need more fat & less carbs...

M4 5:00pm (2200c/241p/67g fat)
6oz grnd venison/3 servings chick peas/15ml Olive oil
750 cals / 69g pro / 32g fat

Totals: 2200 calories / 241g protein / 67g fat
Days like today make me wish IF would work for me (tried it last year and didn't like it) I really would have liked a giant dinner, I was hungry pretty much all day anyway.

[DocJekyll]

Sounds like a plan. Nice and efficient. Nothing wrong with the purple palace for some cardio and abs.

Coffee your only stim right now?

[Plateauplower]

I was 178 after a big carb up in the AVI picture. Weight day of carb up was 173 lbs. I'm 5'10" so in regular clothes I look pretty thin.

Keep after it.

I was telling my wife I'm not looking forward to looking small in clothes, she wasn't very helpful, she said I could borrow her yoga pants . Im learning it would be pretty hard naturally to have it both ways of being lean and looking big in clothes. Oh well, its going to be awhile before I need to worry about being that lean .

Sounds like a plan. Nice and efficient. Nothing wrong with the purple palace for some cardio and abs.

Coffee your only stim right now?

It was nice the place is always empty. Might even get some machine work in there sometime. Its pretty new and underutilized so the equipment is good. I tried a few sets on various machines just to get a feel for them (I was sick of doing cardio today, couldnt get in the groove) and like some of them.
Yes, coffee is the only stim. Didnt even have very much of that today, the Thermos travel mug keeps it too hot to drink fast and the roads were pretty bad so I was dodging cracked up cars on the road shoulders

[yaaar]

I thought the purple place would be pretty crowded right now?