Lost muscle

[chadstud]

Ok I was up to 215 lbs with 250 bench press but I could never get abs so I got pissed and started eating this everyday:

Breakfast 430 a.m.

1Yogurt 80 calories 3g carbs 12 g protein 2 g fat
1 cheese stick 50 calories 2.5 g Fat 6 g protein
1 Chicken breast sandwich on wholewheat sandwich round w Swiss cheese
250 calories 30 g carbs 27 g protein 5 g fat
10 or so mixed nuts (cashews, almond, pecan)

7:15 pita bread chips and 10 more mixed nuts
200 calories 10 g protein 10 g fat 20 g carbs

8:15 1 cheese stick 50 calories 6 g protein 2.5 g fat

9:30 1 can of tuna 100 calories 23 g protein 2 g fat

11:00 1 chicken sandwich on whole wheat sandwich round w Swiss cheese
250 calories 27 g protein 5 g fat 30 g carbs
1 fruit cup 80 calories 20 g sugar

1:00 monster milk 330 calories 45 g protein 9 g fat 17 g carbs

3:00 1 can Of tuna 100 calories 23 g protein 2 g fat

6:00 supper varies but is usually 500 calories and around 40 g protein 20 g carbs 10 g fat.


Totals daily calories--1990
Protein--218g
Carbs-117 g
fat-- 48 g

I am a deputy at a jail so on my work days after work at 7:30 pm I do at least 30 min and 3 miles on the treadmill and workout upper body every other day

On my off days I workout around 11 and run 4 miles outside before I workout and before lunch.

I cheat meal once or twice a week depending on circumstance

The problem I'm having is I'm losing my size in my arms. I still have some size but not enough imop. I'm working out the same as when I had size.

So I figure it has to be in my diet.

I'm still strong but I'm really lean and I want to keep the ripped look but gain more size at the same time. I know I can get big if I eat more but I will lose my abs and I'd rather have abs and look fit than have big arms and have a gut.

Advice please

[Sgt. Hartman]

Need to list your stats man - height, weight, body fat %, etc to get your diet sorted.

You're not eating enough, my 120lb wife eats 1900cal per day.

If you want to lose fat without muscle, you need to keep your cals relatively high, at or near maintenance, and create a caloric deficit with cardio.

Just re-read you are 215lbs and eating 1900cal? WTF did you think would happen? Your muscles need fuel to stay functional or your body will use them for fuel........

[chadstud]

No I USED to be 215

Now Im 170 5'11 22 years old

[musclestack]

Ok I was up to 215 lbs with 250 bench press but I could never get abs so I got pissed and started eating this everyday:

Breakfast 430 a.m.

1Yogurt 80 calories 3g carbs 12 g protein 2 g fat Drop the yoghurt. It looks like you're trying to use this as a protein source. Problem is it's not a complete protein. You'd be much better off adding some more chicken.
1 cheese stick 50 calories 2.5 g Fat 6 g protein Drop the cheese. If you want to add some fat to this meal to slow absorption, add some EVOO to your chicken sandwich; much better fat source.
1 Chicken breast sandwich on wholewheat sandwich round w Swiss cheese
250 calories 30 g carbs 27 g protein 5 g fat How much chicken breast? Do you weigh your food? You should. Your 'guesstimated' protein intake at the end of the day could be way off, which could be the reason you're losing lbm. Bread isn't the best carb source as it's processed, but I'm going to let it slide. It's actually nice to see someone change up breakfast to something other than eggs/oats.
10 or so mixed nuts (cashews, almond, pecan) Drop the nuts. Youre tbsp of EVOO is enough fat for this meal.

7:15 pita bread chips and 10 more mixed nuts That's it? This is basically a carb/fat meal with no source of quality protein. No wonder you're losing muscle.
200 calories 10 g protein 10 g fat 20 g carbs

8:15 1 cheese stick 50 calories 6 g protein 2.5 g fat One meal at 7:15 (or should I say snack), then another at 8:15? Nope. And especially not cheese. Again, fat only meal. You need a lean protein with a healthy fat source or complex carb here. Example: 6 oz. chicken breast with 30-40g complex carbs such as brown rice, sweet potato, oats, lentils, etc.

9:30 1 can of tuna 100 calories 23 g protein 2 g fat
Protein only meal, huh? Protein alone is useless. You need to accompany it with either a healthy fat or complex carb. Examples of healthy fats are nuts, EVOO, avocado, natty PB.

11:00 1 chicken sandwich on whole wheat sandwich round w Swiss cheese
250 calories 27 g protein 5 g fat 30 g carbs Don't know how much chicken again. Measure it out.
1 fruit cup 80 calories 20 g sugar Drop the fruit, especially if you're cutting. It's full of fructose, which is basically sugar as you've clearly noted--20grams.

1:00 monster milk 330 calories 45 g protein 9 g fat 17 g carbs If you respond well to milk, then go ahead and drink it. But not by itself. This is not a quality protein source, and the carbs in it are all sugar. Replace this meal using advice from above.

3:00 1 can Of tuna 100 calories 23 g protein 2 g fat Again, with the protein only meal??

6:00 supper varies but is usually 500 calories and around 40 g protein 20 g carbs 10 g fat. Supper 'sounds' okay, but judging by your other food choices above, I'm willing to bet that the 40g of pro, 20g of carbs, and 10g of fat are not coming from quality foods.


Totals daily calories--1990
Protein--218g I bet this is wrong, but either way, I would increase it a bit.
Carbs-117 g I don't have a problem with the amount; just the foods it's coming from.
fat-- 48 g Same opinion as your carb sources

I am a deputy at a jail so on my work days after work at 7:30 pm I do at least 30 min and 3 miles on the treadmill and workout upper body every other day
No need to work muscle groups multiple times a week. Stick to one muscle group once a week for better recovery.

On my off days I workout around 11 and run 4 miles outside before I workout and before lunch.

I cheat meal once or twice a week depending on circumstance A lot of your meals in your current diet, I would consider cheat meals....at least while cutting.

The problem I'm having is I'm losing my size in my arms. I still have some size but not enough imop. I'm working out the same as when I had size.

So I figure it has to be in my diet. This I can agree with.

I'm still strong but I'm really lean and I want to keep the ripped look but gain more size at the same time. I know I can get big if I eat more but I will lose my abs and I'd rather have abs and look fit than have big arms and have a gut.

Advice please

See bold. Sorry if it seems like I'm busting your balls, but your diet needs to be dramatically improved. I only want to see you succeed bro. Best of luck to you. I'm sure others will chime in soon and give you their input.

[chadstud]

Preciate it

[Sgt. Hartman]

Didn't mean to sound like a dick but its very obvious why you're losing muscle mass.

Musclestack has given you solid advise above. Up your cals with better food sources and increase cardio if you want to continue to cut.

Good luck.

[gbrice75]

I went through this too man... (still do to some extent) it's a vicious cycle. Add mass, worry that i'm adding too much bodyfat, make a drastic cut (drastic being the key word and mistake here), lose fat and muscle, start over...

Moderation. Eat at a diet a little above maintenance to gain quality clean muscle. Gains will probably be slower than a traditional bulk, but they will also be clean and the need to cut later will be greatly reduced. To drop bodyfat, eat at or a tiny bit below maintenance and absolutely kill it on the cardio...