New Diet , looking to go to next level with your help

[Bi6 7omo]

Hi guys , I'm wanting to take my diet to a new level , I'm willing to put the work in i just need some help getting started .

i signed up here 18 months ago thinking of steroids (stupid i know , no where near ready although iv learned a lot) and have just browsed all the forums.

i now would like your guys help to create a new diet , I'm also interested in meals times as when and what to eat prior to workout .
when to eat the fats act . if there is any good threads for me to read as i don't want to be spoon feed i want to learn as I'm here for the long run.

A little bit about me I'm 22 , 5,9 183lb and i would say between 15-20& fat no abs small amount of fat around stomach .
iv started training 3 years ago but only really learned how to train properly 18 months ago. i have made some good solid gains but they seamed to have slowed up and i know why DIET . i think my best option is to keep bulking for a while and maybe cut a little in spring .

im willing to put the time in to get it sorted , so my first question in whats the best way for me to calculate my tdee?

i see these calculators on google but are they accurate , once i have this i can try making a diet and you guys can take a look over it
as for work I'm a plumber so not sat in a office all day.

thanks in advance to who ever takes any time to help , it won't be wasted just appreciated.

[--->>405<<---]

Bi6 welcome man!

as far as tdee the best formula (and easiest) IMO that ive seen is : (LBM x 15)

u need to get ur bf% chekd accurately though and ill show u why:

183lbs 15%bf = 183 x .85(%LBM) = 155.55lbs LBM

155.55 x 15 = 2333cals (rough maintenance)

183lbs 10%bf = 183 x .8(%LBM) = 146.4lbs LBM

146.4 x 15 = 2196cals (rough maintenance)

not a huge difference but a difference nonetheless. theres a fair amt of difference between 15%bf and 20%bf. one is relatively normal (as in not lean but not fat) and the other is fat.. i suggest u get it done.

either way personally id cut but u may have different preferences if ur 20% i would cut no matter what ur preference. itll take awhile to get from 20% down to 10-12% (which is where u would prob wanna be).

if u havent read stickies i suggest doing so specifically:

dieting 101: cutting

how to bulk

[Bi6 7omo]

hey 405 , thanks for the time , well my thought behind this was I'm diet is quite dirty , high in protein and fats i was thinking that if i switch my diet up and increase my cardio i would slowly drop a few % or is it stricly put on muscle or lose weight . i know you either eat above maintenance to gain mass or slightly under to cut , but my diet is not good and I'm thinking about upping my cardio or am i just getting nowhere . And need to do one or the other ? i do have some callipers but struggle to use them il have a look on youtube
Thanks .

[--->>405<<---]

hey 405 , thanks for the time , well my thought behind this was I'm diet is quite dirty , high in protein and fats i was thinking that if i switch my diet up and increase my cardio i would slowly drop a few % or is it stricly put on muscle or lose weight . i know you either eat above maintenance to gain mass or slightly under to cut , but my diet is not good and I'm thinking about upping my cardio or am i just getting nowhere . And need to do one or the other ? i do have some callipers but struggle to use them il have a look on youtube
Thanks .

yeh man good questions. sounds like ur hoping that by cleaning ur diet up u may be able to accomplish some recomposition. it is a possibility and worth a shot. the only thing u have to lose is a little time

if ur diet has been pretty "dirty" (bad carbs, high fat meats, etc..) what u could do is build a clean diet at maintenance and run it and add in some cardio and see how u fare. the likelihood IMO diminishes for fatloss if ur eating at a caloric surplus. this may work the way ud like to a point but i think at some point u will have to choose to establish a deficit if u want to get fairly lean

[Bi6 7omo]

i see what your saying , i think my first step in to get my body fat measured accurately iv been doing a bit of research online I'm defiantly closer to 15% than 20 only a little fat over my abs, then i will be back to create a diet , I'm going to be looking at approx 2500 cal maintenance what would my , protein/fats/carb ratio be?

[--->>405<<---]

i see what your saying , i think my first step in to get my body fat measured accurately iv been doing a bit of research online I'm defiantly closer to 15% than 20 only a little fat over my abs, then i will be back to create a diet , I'm going to be looking at approx 2500 cal maintenance what would my , protein/fats/carb ratio be?

depends really. 50/30/20 mite be a good place to start. if u were gonna cut id say 60/20/20. pro/carb/fat