Getting in shredded up condition for the summer

**mikeloop** · 04-21-2011, 08:43 AM

Hey guys, to make a long story short, I have been training for a good 4 years now and have never really cut, I don't put fat on too easily and have basically clean bulked up until now, want to shred some extra fat off and look good for the summer! I do not think carb rotations are necessary as I am not doing this diet for competitive reasons, I am 218 lbs at 22 years old at 6'1 and want to lean up a good 15 lbs! What do you guys think of the diet below??

I was thinking of adding more protein in but am new to this and am unsure how I would change the carb macros in result of more cals coming from protein!! As well I believe my fats may be a bit low

218 x 10 = 2180 total daily calories

2180 x .40 = 872 PROTEIN calories

2180 X .40 = 872 CARB calories

2108 x .20 = 436 FAT calories

872/4 = 218 grams of proteins

872/4 = 218 grams of carbs

436/9 = 48 grams of fat

1 gram of protein = 4 calories

1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories

1 gram of fat = 9 calories

**gbrice75** · 04-21-2011, 09:02 AM

Do you have any pics? It would be much easier for us to help you. We at least need to know your bodyfat percentage. How did you arrive at 2180 calories? Not saying that's bad or wrong, just curious.

**mikeloop** · 04-21-2011, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by gbrice75

Do you have any pics? It would be much easier for us to help you. We at least need to know your bodyfat percentage. How did you arrive at 2180 calories? Not saying that's bad or wrong, just curious.

I am sitting around 13% right now, no lower than 12 and no higher than 13 as I was measured 3 weeks ago at 12.2%

**gbrice75** · 04-21-2011, 09:10 AM

Based on this ^ ^ I have your maintenance figured around 2800 calories or so. Very general, can easily be +/- a few hundred. However, I would suggest bumping your calories up to maybe 2300 to start this, monitor your progress very closely and adjust as needed. You will no doubt have to make adjustments until you're dialed in.

As for your macros split, 40/40/20 works very well for some people on a cut. Personally, the carbs are way too high for me. But I put on fat easily, you said you don't. Try it if you'd like, but i'd aim to have carbs around 150g/day and bump your protein up to hopefully spare LBM a bit more.

**mikeloop** · 04-21-2011, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by gbrice75

Based on this ^ ^ I have your maintenance figured around 2800 calories or so. Very general, can easily be +/- a few hundred. However, I would suggest bumping your calories up to maybe 2300 to start this, monitor your progress very closely and adjust as needed. You will no doubt have to make adjustments until you're dialed in.

As for your macros split, 40/40/20 works very well for some people on a cut. Personally, the carbs are way too high for me. But I put on fat easily, you said you don't. Try it if you'd like, but i'd aim to have carbs around 150g/day and bump your protein up to hopefully spare LBM a bit more.

How did you find the 2800?? I thought you have to multiply bodyweight by 10-12?

**musclestack** · 04-21-2011, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by mikeloop

How did you find the 2800?? I thought you have to multiply bodyweight by 10-12?

You don't use dead weight (fat) to calculate your daily caloric needs. A good rule of thumb to start with, and I'm sure this is what GB did, is to multiply lbm x 15. In your case, you have roughly 190 pounds of lean body mass. Multiply it by 15, again very general, you get roughly 2,800 cals/day for maintenance.

**gbrice75** · 04-21-2011, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by musclestack

You don't use dead weight (fat) to calculate your daily caloric needs. A good rule of thumb to start with, and I'm sure this is what GB did, is to multiply lbm x 15. In your case, you have roughly 190 pounds of lean body mass. Multiply it by 15, again very general, you get roughly 2,800 cals/day for maintenance.

^ ^ this.

Believe it or not, as non-scientific as it is, I find it to be more accurate than the BMR/TDEE formula's most of the time.

**tbody66** · 04-21-2011, 09:49 AM

You have to add cals for activity. Your maintenance cals are based upon your LBM, so body weight minus body fat in pounds. That will give you what your body need to maintain it's weight if all you did was sleep all day, for any activity you must add. I think my maintenance cals are 2800 and I'm lighter with more bodyfat, so I'd think yours would be even higher. Go 500 cals below maintenance for best and consistent results.

**mikeloop** · 04-21-2011, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by gbrice75

^ ^ this.

Believe it or not, as non-scientific as it is, I find it to be more accurate than the BMR/TDEE formula's most of the time.

What is the best way to find LBM then, how did you find the 190 lbs?

**gbrice75** · 04-21-2011, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by mikeloop

What is the best way to find LBM then, how did you find the 190 lbs?

If you're 218lbs @ 13% bodyfat, you calculate 218 x .13 = 28.34lbs of bodyfat (I round this up to 30). 218 (total weight) - 30 (bodyfat) = 188 (rounded to 190)

**mikeloop** · 04-21-2011, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by gbrice75

If you're 218lbs @ 13% bodyfat, you calculate 218 x .13 = 28.34lbs of bodyfat (I round this up to 30). 218 (total weight) - 30 (bodyfat) = 188 (rounded to 190)

Sounds good to me!! Thank you guys!! So 1.5 g of protein for that would be around 280, which is 1120 cals. I want to have just over 200 carbs, it would be a good start to have 250 and adjust, but how do I Find out how many carbs I should be taking in to start??

**gbrice75** · 04-21-2011, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by mikeloop

Sounds good to me!! Thank you guys!! So 1.5 g of protein for that would be around 280, which is 1120 cals. I want to have just over 200 carbs, it would be a good start to have 250 and adjust, but how do I Find out how many carbs I should be taking in to start??

With a 2800 calorie diet and 1.5g protein/lb of LBM, that leaves you 1660 calories to 'fill in' with energy. Place your macros wisely. I'd eat (starchy) carbs in your first meal of the day, as well as pre and PWO - and that's it. If you want to shoot for 250g carbs (1000 calories), you're left with 660 calories coming from fat, about 73g. Don't forget your fiberious veggies, although the calories/macros will be negligible. So you're at:

285g protein
250g carbs
75g fat (rounded up)

This is your starting point. I would play with the macros a bit from here - i'd bump protein up to at least 300g, and would personally try to get carbs down closer to 200g, but this is up to you. I'd increase protein and fat (just a bit) to get carbs down. Figure:

300g protein
220g carbs
80g fat

Something along those lines, then monitor and adjust until you're nicely dialed in and slowly/steadily losing bodyfat.

**mikeloop** · 04-21-2011, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by gbrice75

With a 2800 calorie diet and 1.5g protein/lb of LBM, that leaves you 1660 calories to 'fill in' with energy. Place your macros wisely. I'd eat (starchy) carbs in your first meal of the day, as well as pre and PWO - and that's it. If you want to shoot for 250g carbs (1000 calories), you're left with 660 calories coming from fat, about 73g. Don't forget your fiberious veggies, although the calories/macros will be negligible. So you're at:

285g protein
250g carbs
75g fat (rounded up)

This is your starting point. I would play with the macros a bit from here - i'd bump protein up to at least 300g, and would personally try to get carbs down closer to 200g, but this is up to you. I'd increase protein and fat (just a bit) to get carbs down. Figure:

300g protein
220g carbs
80g fat

Something along those lines, then monitor and adjust until you're nicely dialed in and slowly/steadily losing bodyfat.

Sounds good to me, for shredding down what are the normal ranges to have the fats and carbs at per LBM?

**Standby** · 04-21-2011, 11:34 AM

here since i had the links on hand... if your interested

http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...to)&highlight=

http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...ke.&highlight=

**gbrice75** · 04-21-2011, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by mikeloop

Sounds good to me, for shredding down what are the normal ranges to have the fats and carbs at per LBM?

I don't really calculate carbs and fats per lb... I start with protein per lb, then fill in the rest in a (hopefully) strategic manner.

**mikeloop** · 04-22-2011, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by gbrice75

I don't really calculate carbs and fats per lb... I start with protein per lb, then fill in the rest in a (hopefully) strategic manner.

For sure, can never have too much protein I guess, just not enough right!? So to find your lbm its best to find bodyfat percentage and find out how many lbs of you is lean and minus that bf lb number and thats what you times by 15 to find calories right?