Obese questions

[Fornwith]

Aloha everyone. I started exercising and changing my eating habits toward a better life on 10/20/19 weighing 395 at my highest. I'm currently 27. I've lost 30lbs so far and I feel better with more energy than I ever have in years. I'm relatively weak being given my size and was wondering about nutrition. I currently exercise 3 times a week one day is upper body, lower body, then both. I've been doing 4x8 for sets and reps. I recently started 5x5 in an effort to gain more mass and could lift a bit more. My workout times are roughly 70-90 mins. Albiet this is what I can lift without compromising form. I exercise at home using a half rack weider pro gym with a high and low cable. I haven't added deadlifts yet I need to buy a rubber mat or build a platform to not damage the flooring.

I use calculator.net to see my general target weight I want to be at which is 250. The site reccomend about 3300 calories with the information provided. I thought that seemed a little high so I've been sticking to about 2500 calories. I was just concerned on not losing muscle mass and having enough protein to gain. My daily intake of protein is around 110-120 or so I just started logging my food on myfitnesspal. Not entirely sure I've been doing my own research here and there, but I guess to find how much muscle mass I have I need to find me one of those scales.

Any help / tips to better myself is appreciated. Aloha from Hawaii.

4x8 - 5x5
Bench: 140 - 155
Squat: 135 - 155
DB Curls: 25 - 30
Lat Pulldown: 100 - 110
Tricep Pulldown: 40
Tricep Extension: 40
Floor seated row: 70 - 80

[Tommy W.]

2,500 is a good amount for a target of 250. Depending on your hight you may need to get below that to be happy with your appearance. you need to up your protein to 250 a day. Your success at that calorie amount will depend on weekly consistency and how accurate your counting and tracking is. It's not uncommon to underestimate calories so 2500 can become 3000+ very easily when figured on a weekly average.

[MCrow]

No offense meant, as I've been there myself but at this point and your size you don't even have to be super anal about things. Make it as simple as you can, you will lose weight. So far seems like a solid plan, 2500 calories a day and lift. 5x5 program is excellent for beginners. The higher body fat you are the less protein you need to maintain muscle mass. The one good thing about having a lot of BF when losing weight is it is muscle sparing. So if get 0.7g per pound of lean mass that should be plenty. There are calculators to help figure that out.

If you are 5'11, 350 you probably are around 160lbs or so of lean mass so 120g per day would be fine but no less.

[Tommy W.]

No offense meant, as I've been there myself but at this point and your size you don't even have to be super anal about things. Make it as simple as you can, you will lose weight. So far seems like a solid plan, 2500 calories a day and lift. 5x5 program is excellent for beginners. The higher body fat you are the less protein you need to maintain muscle mass. The one good thing about having a lot of BF when losing weight is it is muscle sparing. So if get 0.7g per pound of lean mass that should be plenty. There are calculators to help figure that out.

If you are 5'11, 350 you probably are around 160lbs or so of lean mass so 120g per day would be fine but no less.

that’s pretty low on protein but doable. When cutting extra protein is very satiating, is muscle sparing and has a TEF 5 times higher than carbs and fat. The conversation on protein while in a deficit should be what is optimum for overall results and not what the minimum you can get by with is.

[MCrow]

that’s pretty low on protein but doable. When cutting extra protein is very satiating, is muscle sparing and has a TEF 5 times higher than carbs and fat. The conversation on protein while in a deficit should be what is optimum for overall results and not what the minimum you can get by with is.

It seems low but studies have shown that in very obese people they don't need as much protein to maintain muscle mass while losing weight. They don't need the 1+g per pound of body weight that a more fit person would. As he loses weight he will want to keep an eye on the protein intake and adjust, but for quite a while here in the beginning it's not required. That's why I said "no less", that is the minimum. If he can average a little more it would be good to be safe but if he's not getting less than 120 on a regular basis he's probably going to be fine.

The point was he shouldn't be eating 200g+ of protein unless he just likes eating meat, it's not necessary for most people of any size to eat that much protein a day. Unless you're a bodybuilder and train intense like they do there's just no need for the amount of protein some people on here eat. Not to mention there is only so much protein synthesis a body can have without being on gear.

[willybrokeback]

This is a pretty good article on protein intake.

https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-lo...ou-better-know

[MCrow]

This is a pretty good article on protein intake.

https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-lo...ou-better-know

It's a good article but doesn't address obese people. In fact, some of the articles are specifically on lean people. The more obese you are the less protein(relative to weight) you need.

If you are under 30% BF, that probably applies but if you'er 40% BF it probably doesn't.

The exception would be hypocaloric diets. If you are eating at a huge deficit, yes, you will need much more protein but if you are at 1k or less deficit you don't.

[Fornwith]

I am being a bit precise on counting calories and whatnot, but this time is definitely different from past experiences of me trying to lose weight. I know I'm going to succeed by just how I feel. My diet for the past nearly 2 months have been rather close on 2500cal give or take 200 and I've been eating the healthiest I've ever eaten in my entire life. 85% water 15% milk, no fast food, only eaten home-cooked meals, no junk foods, no white rice which is a huge thing here in Hawaii along with mac salad. Trying to eat lean as I possibly can and I'm not hating what I'm eating. Eating 200g of protein naturally is quite insane. For breakfast today I had 2 servings of oatmeal 4 eggs and half a pack of bacon 12oz. came out to about 1200cal and 71g of protein. I'm trying my best to stay away from powders or supplements, while eating on the cheap for maybe $200ish a month.

[Tommy W.]

It seems low but studies have shown that in very obese people they don't need as much protein to maintain muscle mass while losing weight. They don't need the 1+g per pound of body weight that a more fit person would. As he loses weight he will want to keep an eye on the protein intake and adjust, but for quite a while here in the beginning it's not required. That's why I said "no less", that is the minimum. If he can average a little more it would be good to be safe but if he's not getting less than 120 on a regular basis he's probably going to be fine.

The point was he shouldn't be eating 200g+ of protein unless he just likes eating meat, it's not necessary for most people of any size to eat that much protein a day. Unless you're a bodybuilder and train intense like they do there's just no need for the amount of protein some people on here eat. Not to mention there is only so much protein synthesis a body can have without being on gear.

As I mentioned extra P is more about satiation and TEF rather than requirements when cutting. Hunger is a factor without a low cal diet that doesn't address it.

[MCrow]

As I mentioned extra P is more about satiation and TEF rather than requirements when cutting. Hunger is a factor without a low cal diet that doesn't address it.

I agree with that.