Dropping Bodyfat

I am trying to drop my bodyfat level for my hols in just over a month, whilst maintaining what little muscle I have left after recovering from a broken arm.

I am 5'11" tall & 175 lbs

I'm doing 4 sessions in the gym a week, consisting of:

Monday: 30-45 mins cardio (treadmill) & upper body weights
(light sets of 20 due to recent broken arm)

Wednesday: 30 mins cardio (treadmill), legs weights
(moderate/heavy sets of 10)

Friday: Same as Monday

Saturday: Same as Wednesday


My typical daily diet consists of 6 meals, roughly 300 kcals each.

Typical daily breakdown of my diet would be (approx):

1800 - 2000 kcals

175 - 200g Protein

150 - 200g Carbs

30 - 50g Fats

Am I on the right track to achieving my goals, if not any tips you can give me will be greatly appreciated. :unsure:

Looks pretty good, is that calorie number about 300-500 below your maintance level. IMO I would up the protein and drop the carbs a little bit. But you should be safe where you are. Also do your weights before your cardio it will allow you to tap into fat stores quicker and better, plus I am sure you will get a better weight workout.

Pain

I'm not sure what my maintenance calorie intake is, how do I work it out???

I was thinking of upping protein & dropping carbs a little further as you suggest. How much carbs would you recommend I go down to, or should I just try and drop my carbs to as low as I possibly can?

After my hols, when my arm should be fully recovered, I will be looking to bulk up for the new rugby, so I may require some further guidance at a later date.

Well you need to find your maintance cals yourself, see what level of calories you stay the same at and feel good at that is your maintance. As for dropping the carbs I would drop them 30-50g a week and see where you end up. Peoples abilities to go to different levels vary, you need to find what your comfort level is.

Pain

Hey Pain....you suggest foing cardio AFTER weights??!!?? Would you mind elaborating a little more please? I am also trying to drop body fat, I do about 30 min of cardio (15 min on treadmill and 15-17 on the lifecycle bike, I do HIIT on Lifecycle) and then I do my weights. Whatever will help get this BF off.....Thanks pain!!!!

alright well... you weight 175lbs so in order to loose 2lbs of fat per week, you'll need to have a:

175 x 12 = 2,100

2,100 Calories

Carbs = 210g
Protein = 158g
Fats = 70g


but since you're tring to drop body fat in a short period of time, drop the carbs to about 10 - 15g per day and up the protein intake to about 210g and keep your calories low.

Quote:

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Originally posted by sooner45
Hey Pain....you suggest foing cardio AFTER weights??!!??

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This is because first you will have more glycogen to lift the weights with, a good thing you will have more energy and power. The lifting weights will slowly deplete your glycogen stores, when this happens you start burning fat (what you want to do when doing cardio) Therefore you will be in a fat burning mode when doing cardio, what you want. The other way around is just silly, you use up your energy doing cardio and then use weight lifting to burn fat. Not the most effecient way to get things done.

Pain

Sweet!! Thanks Pain!