Looking to nail down my diet

[RipOwens]

Here's what I got. Basically, I'm looking to put on muscle mass cause I know the things I can do naturally if i work on this. I would luv to get up around 180. For me, that would be significant. I would say I'm an ectomorph, always have been really. My stats are 5' 9", 159, BF 18%

Thanks for any help!!! -Rip

BMR 1,705
TDEE 2,558

(cals, pro, carb, fat)

1. 710, 56, 43, 35.5
Large Greek yogurt 130, 13, 19, 0
2 tbsp peanut butter 200, 8, 14, 13
1 oz walnuts 210, 5, 3, 20
Protein shake 170, 30, 7, 2.5

2. 483, 61, 53, 5
3 oz chicken breast 138, 27, 0, 3
Can tuna (or turkey breast 4 oz)
120, 26, 0, 0
*(140, 28, 4, 1)
1 banana 105, 1, 27, 0
1 whole wheat bun 100, 5, 22, 1

3. 470, 16, 68, 17
1 Oatmeal 280, 6, 54, 5
Protein bar 190, 10, 14, 12

4. 610, 44, 72, 18
3 oz chicken (or steak, or fish)
138, 27, 0, 3
(222, 21, 0, 15)
(120, 23, 0, 3)
1 cup brown rice 218, 5, 46, 2
1 cup broccoli 54, 4, 12, 0
2 tbsp peanut butter 200, 8, 14, 13

5. 245, 43, 6, 5
5 oz turkey (3 oz chicken)
175, 35, 5, 1
(110, 24, 1, 1.5)
1 cheese stick 70, 8, 1, 4

6. 360, 40, 21, 14.5
Protein bar 190, 10, 14, 12
Protein shake 170, 30, 7, 2.5

Total= 2,878, 260, 263, 95

Macro % (pro, carb, fat)
41, 43, 16

[Back In Black]

How many days a week do you lift? Do cardio?

You know bulking at 18% won't make you leaner, you think you'll be happy at ^20%? Have you considered an 8 week prime/cut before heading into a bulk?

[RipOwens]

How many days a week do you lift? Do cardio?

You know bulking at 18% won't make you leaner, you think you'll be happy at ^20%? Have you considered an 8 week prime/cut before heading into a bulk?

Hey BIB, I have considered it but wasn't sure which way to go honestly. Right now I lift 3-4 days a week and cardio honestly, is minimal. At 18% (despite being ecto), I wasn't sure whether to cut my bf down first. Is that truly the way to go ya think?

[Back In Black]

Hey BIB, I have considered it but wasn't sure which way to go honestly. Right now I lift 3-4 days a week and cardio honestly, is minimal. At 18% (despite being ecto), I wasn't sure whether to cut my bf down first. Is that truly the way to go ya think?

It depends on how you feel about carrying more bodyfat in all honesty. If you cut/prime then the initial stages of your bulk could be extremely productive as your body almost super compensates after being in deficit for a short while. You would just need to do it right.

Again, it depends how you feel about cutting down and losing some of your weight, albeit fat weight.

What are your current calories and macro's for maintaining what you currently have, do you know?

[RipOwens]

Well I've been eating roughly the above diet for about 2 months now, so I'd put my TDEE at that number, 2,558. And although I've been tweaking a bit here or there, my macros have remained around the 40/40/20 mix.

But to be honest, I would like to lower my BF% as a priority as well. I just feared I would lose muscle as well since I'm only 160.

[Back In Black]

If you don't mind losing fat slowly then you shouldn't really be losing LBM too. BTW 2500 cals to maintain your current stats is pretty high, not saying you're wrong, just saying some of don't have the luxury of eating ALOT of food to maintain that weight.

I would say that you're options are to start incorporating cardio, an average of burning 200-300cals per day. Or drop 200-300 cals per day from your total intake and take it even.y over your macro's. or a combination.

You could also then further it by incorporating some type of carb cycle if you so wish.

[RipOwens]

If you don't mind losing fat slowly then you shouldn't really be losing LBM too. BTW 2500 cals to maintain your current stats is pretty high, not saying you're wrong, just saying some of don't have the luxury of eating ALOT of food to maintain that weight.

I would say that you're options are to start incorporating cardio, an average of burning 200-300cals per day. Or drop 200-300 cals per day from your total intake and take it even.y over your macro's. or a combination.

You could also then further it by incorporating some type of carb cycle if you so wish.

I thought I calculated right, but it could be a bit high 2500.

Ok, so if I choose to drop the 200+ cals, should I be eating at a calorie deficit? Regardless, I néed to incorporate more cardio I believe. Most likely I'll go with a combination. I. In the end, is my macro breakdown suitable for what I'm shooting for here? Btw, I'm fine with shedding bf slowly.

[Back In Black]

Well, I could argue that you eat too much protein (and you do) but dropping all calories from protetein MAY make the cut more difficult.

200-300 calorie deficit (created either by eating less or cardio) will help maintain LBM. It's even possible that could increase on a cut if everything is order but just maintaining it is what we should be looking for. Anything that is less than your maintenance calories is a deficit, even if its only 50. It's when drastic deficits are created that we piss away hard earned LBM.

[RipOwens]

Well, I could argue that you eat too much protein (and you do) but dropping all calories from protetein MAY make the cut more difficult.

200-300 calorie deficit (created either by eating less or cardio) will help maintain LBM. It's even possible that could increase on a cut if everything is order but just maintaining it is what we should be looking for. Anything that is less than your maintenance calories is a deficit, even if its only 50. It's when drastic deficits are created that we piss away hard earned LBM.

Got ya. I will try this and tweak the diet further. Thanks BIB for your time and input, which is much respected.

-Rip

[toilet]

IMO, and this is just my opinion, nobody should bulk past 17-18%. The way your body works is that once its fat cells are 'full' it creates new fat cells and once a new fat cell is created it CAN NEVER BE GOTTEN RID OF. Thus those people that go on dreamer bulks (not that you are - your diet is quite solid) then end up having an even harder time trying to cut.

SO yeah, just another reason why you should probably cut. THe diet is clean enough but obviously you wont lose fat in a surplus. So maybe cut down to 10% then try bulk.My 2 cents.

[RipOwens]

IMO, and this is just my opinion, nobody should bulk past 17-18%. The way your body works is that once its fat cells are 'full' it creates new fat cells and once a new fat cell is created it CAN NEVER BE GOTTEN RID OF. Thus those people that go on dreamer bulks (not that you are - your diet is quite solid) then end up having an even harder time trying to cut.

SO yeah, just another reason why you should probably cut. THe diet is clean enough but obviously you wont lose fat in a surplus. So maybe cut down to 10% then try bulk.My 2 cents.

No I understand the point you're making and I think that's the direction I'm heading.

[baseline_9]

Whatever you decide to do your protein is too high to begin with.... Fats also IMO...

[Back In Black]

IMO, and this is just my opinion, nobody should bulk past 17-18%. The way your body works is that once its fat cells are 'full' it creates new fat cells and once a new fat cell is created it CAN NEVER BE GOTTEN RID OF. Thus those people that go on dreamer bulks (not that you are - your diet is quite solid) then end up having an even harder time trying to cut.

SO yeah, just another reason why you should probably cut. THe diet is clean enough but obviously you wont lose fat in a surplus. So maybe cut down to 10% then try bulk.My 2 cents.

How fat do you think you have to be to grow new fat cells? Looking forward to the studies that quote this, if you can post them.

[RipOwens]

Whatever you decide to do your protein is too high to begin with.... Fats also IMO...

Protein I agree, but should I be making all this up, including fats, in carbs?

[Back In Black]

Ha, I didn't look at your fat grams just the %. But you worked that out wrong. 50g of fat will give you just under20% fat at 2500 cals (9 cals per gram of fat).

Yes, you can make them up in carbs. My current diet (at 195lbs at approx 10-12%) contains only 225g protein.

[RipOwens]

Ha, I didn't look at your fat grams just the %. But you worked that out wrong. 50g of fat will give you just under20% fat at 2500 cals (9 cals per gram of fat).

Yes, you can make them up in carbs. My current diet (at 195lbs at approx 10-12%) contains only 225g protein.

Shit! back to the drawing board! Lol I'll rework this. Any optimal number in terms of fat grams I should shoot for?

[RipOwens]

Ok, I was way off on just about everything. My maintenance cals are more like 2000 and my fat is much too high! Damn....back at it!

[tdoe11]

For what ever it is worth I think "back in black" has some excellent advice. I was to around 18%, and I did a 2.5 month cut/prime. In those couple of months cardio daily, 30-45 mins, I was slashing my carbs, and I didn't go insane with my protein. I got down to around 15%. Then i started to bulk and this cycle has been awesome. Just like he said, the initial part of the bulk was insane. I literally put on 10lbs in about 2.5 weeks and I had a flat stomach with little to no bloating. I would go with that scenario 100 times over. Good luck to ya sir.

[RipOwens]

For what ever it is worth I think "back in black" has some excellent advice. I was to around 18%, and I did a 2.5 month cut/prime. In those couple of months cardio daily, 30-45 mins, I was slashing my carbs, and I didn't go insane with my protein. I got down to around 15%. Then i started to bulk and this cycle has been awesome. Just like he said, the initial part of the bulk was insane. I literally put on 10lbs in about 2.5 weeks and I had a flat stomach with little to no bloating. I would go with that scenario 100 times over. Good luck to ya sir.

Definitely the direction I'm going, thanks for the input. Do you recall what u kept your macro % at? Just curious.

[tdoe11]

Definitely the direction I'm going, thanks for the input. Do you recall what u kept your macro % at? Just curious.

To be honest I didn't count. I only ate carbs in the first 3 meals of the day, and lots of salads. It seemed to be heading in the right direction.