Macro/Diet critique

[ab037]

Hey Folks,
Just started on IF (day 2), and have my macros as 40p/20c/40f.
Stats
41yo
6'2"
255
32%
I had multiple back surgeries end of 2013 and was down for about a year, which led to a 30+ pound weight gain. So now I am able to lift and do everything again so am eager to back at it. Lifted for 20 years plus competitive sports.
Low Thyroid function, taking 100mg Levo, also adding in T3 hoping to increase effect. (not certain if that will work)
On TRT 150mg Test Cyp weekly.
Ran 2 weeks of clen , will start back in a week

According to calculations my BMR is about 2300.. TDEE @ light= about 3150 @moderate = 3550
I lift 3-4 times a week, and do fasted cardio 4-5 days a week.

Sample Diet:

1st meal: 6 turkey sausage links, 2 whole eggs, 1/2 cup oats = 43p, 32c, 32f, 545cal

Weight Training

PWO meal: whey shake, 1 serving almonds, beef jerky, greek yogurt = 89p, 29c, 22f, 650cal


3rd meal:green salad, 6oz chicken breast, cheese cubes, 2 tbsp PB = 63p, 12c, 38f, 610cal

4th meal/snack: greek yogurt, whey shake (sub for 6oz chicken breast depending on mood) = 69p, 16c, 5f, 380cal

Puts the daily totals at 264p, 89c, 97f, about 2200cal... which for today puts me at 47/16/37 yesterday was slightly diff but nailed 40/20/40.
Keep in mind I am doing IF (Intermittent fasting) and have an 8 hour eating window.
I realize this is a very large deficit, but I feel like I am stuffing myself just to reach this amount.

Would love any input or diet advice.
Thanks

[ab037]

I promise you wont get Ebola virus from giving input.. =)

[CharlesThe4th]

I promise you wont get Ebola virus from giving input.. =)

I'm not an expert by any means,maybe somebody else can chime in as well but your diet looks solid as far as the foods go. Your macros look like they could use some work. Personally I would lower the fat and raise the carbs. Your a big guy and need the energy! 89 carbs would kill me!!

[numbere]

I'm in agreement with Charles and understand that no one understands their body better then themselves. You're bigger than I am and 89 g of carbs would kill my energy level. During a low cab day on a prime I take in 160-170 g carbs.This is only my opinion. As long as you feel good and are obtaining results then everything is fine.

[uhit]

Looks solid

But relax on the clen usage. That's used to fine tune a body to get it through a plateau at like under 12% body fat when one is approaching the end of a cut (in my opinion). Otherwise, see how it goes every week and if the fat loss stalls for over a week (or slows down) then reduce the calories by 50-100 for the week through diet or extra cardio. But with that huge of a deficit I think you'll be fine to continue at it for the vast majority of the cut.

Also, using the mirror as a primary tool to see progress is better than the scale. As personally I've woken up looking better some days but up 0.5-0.75lbs. A bit of a mindfvck.

All the best!

[ab037]

Thanks for the input guys.
I am only about 5 days in on this diet plan, so will post updates as I progress week to week.. So far I have felt really good, I seem to have much more energy throughout the day, on this level of carbs, but will definitely keep a close eye on how I'm feeling and adjust if needed.

[ab037]

2 week update. Shortly after my initial post, I was fairly close to the Keto macros so just went ahead and switched it up and have been doing keto.
Results
According to my digital scale
248 lbs. loss of 7lbs
BF 31
Macros are around 35/5/60 @ around 2100 calories
Thanks
More next week

[CharlesThe4th]

2 week update. Shortly after my initial post, I was fairly close to the Keto macros so just went ahead and switched it up and have been doing keto.
Results
According to my digital scale
248 lbs. loss of 7lbs
BF 31
Macros are around 35/5/60 @ around 2100 calories
Thanks
More next week

Keep it going homie

[ab037]

Today's weigh in results
245 lbs
BF- 31.2
According to my digital scale.
Now I tried to post a couple of pics, so if y'all could give and BF estimate, the comparison pics I find online, I dont feel like I compare well to the 30%+, IMO it feels more like the 25% but LMK.

Macros still the same @ 60F/ 5C/ 35P (keto) @ around 2100 cals
Weight training 3-4 days a week..
Also using the myfitnesspal app to log diet and keep track of macros

Going to start tracking measurements:
Neck: 18"
Waist (belly button): 40"
Arms: 17.5"
Thighs: 25"
Calves: 18.5"
According to the US Navy Circumference method these measurement equate to about 21.2%, a big contradiction compared to my scale.
Thanks for input guys

[ab037]

Bueller

[numbere]

Nice progress so far, keep it up!

You appear to be above 25% but below 30%. It's difficult to tell until you can begin to see abs. Digital scales will give different BF reading depending on the amount of water and digested/undigested food in your system. Using a measuring tape to calculate BF also has a high amount of error. It is biased towards people with less muscle.

Experts: Tape test has huge margin of error

[MaxxPursuit]

That is definitely a large deficit for your size man. I always recommend tapering down so you don't shock your metabolism. A direct cut can be damaging and really slow your metabolism down. Since your bf% (beginning) is higher up there, you can afford to lose a decent amount of weight initially each week. I would aim for 3-5 lbs each week until you get lower in bf% and then aim closer to 2 lbs loss. Doesn't sound like much but it adds up. You want to keep in mind your muscle tissue. If I were you - I would start closer to your maintenance level, slightly below. Then monitor your body through the week. You want to achieve the right balance between training and nutrition. You don't have to cut the calories so low to create a deficit. The overall workload of your training and cardio will put you there. Personally when I cut - I try my best to keep the food intake as high as I can but I monitor my fat loss each week and aim to keep it slow and steady. This way my metabolism is supported and I maintain as much lean muscle tissue as possible. In regards to your macro's, your carbs are pretty damn low. Your protein doesn't have to be that high. It looks like you were aiming to have around 1 gram of protein per body lb but remember you're feeding your LBM, not fat, so if your bf% is 32% that means you have around 170-175ish lbs lean muscle tissue. So you would be solid eating around 200 grams of protein and adding those extra calories to your carbs.

This is the way I approach it man - start closer, slightly below your maintenance. Keep your training consistent. Monitor your body for 1 week for change. If there is weight loss, good, keep pushing yourself in the gym and stick to your macro's & continue monitoring. If not - you have two options: 1. Increase workload or 2. Decrease calories. Workload can be something simple like a bump in your cardio. I like to track my cardio based on Calories burned to give me an idea of workload as opposed to time. So say you're doing 4 sessions a week of 200 calories burned each session. Well - a bump up in workload would be something like instead of doing 200 calories burned, shoot for 300 calories burned each session. Approaching it this way and staying consistent allows you to monitor your body based on "constant" variables. If results slow/stall, then you change 1 variable, monitor again. And you continue this (keeping in mind the 2 options noted earlier) until you see change. This lets you find out what "works" for you. Also - don't forget to have a refeed day every once and a while as you lose more weight to keep your metabolism strong and support your leptin levels. Another alternative to look into is carb cycling. Hope that helps man - Good luck!

[ab037]

Thanks for the reply!
Just wanted to clarify I am doing the Keto diet plan with a 60/5/35 macro split. I have done a bunch of different methods on BF estimates my initial stat post was probably off. I posted pics here as well as in another thread, the consensus was low to mid 20's, also several methods using measuring tape and they came out about the same.
Initially my deficit was around 27-28% which is significant, but energy levels are good and workouts are not suffering, keto is a natural appetite suppressant so no hunger pains.
I have read about the carb cycling etc, and i figured if I hit a plateau for a week or two then I would do a refeed. From what ive read seems common around the 6 week mark on keto, will see. Still losing inches and lbs.
not an official update but another 3.5lbs and 1 inch this past week. Will update friday or next.
Thanks

[MaxxPursuit]

Awesome man! Yep I actually saw your other thread too with the picture updates and caught on to seeing that your doing the keto approach. Stick with it man! Cutting can be a mental game - don't forget the refeed days as needed and keep pushing yourself - You're making solid progress!

[ab037]

Weigh in results 239.5, loss of 5.5
waist measurement 39, loss of 1"
others are the same.
This was surprising considering I spent a week on vacation, only got 1 workout in, but kept firm on diet.. I think I'll post comparison pics in 2 weeks so it will be 1 month between photos.. Already needing a belt to hold pants up.
Starting weight was 263 so 23.5 loss in 6-7 weeks..
Thx

[Back In Black]

Are you doing no refeed at all?

[ab037]

Well, I hadnt planned to do a refeed until I stalled for a week or two on the weight loss. If it stays consistent, what benefits will a refeed provide? Because getting kicked out of ketosis and having to go thru a few days of keto flu are no fun.

[Back In Black]

This is my favourite thread on the subject of keto for lifters

The Cyclic Ketogenic Diet.....

[Arete]

Awesome job ab037. I am starting a Keto diet as well after gaining back about 35# in the last year and a half. Your doing great keep it up. It'll be nice to buy some new clothes and feel great about yourself.

[ab037]

Thanks Black, some good info right there

[ab037]

Weekly Friday update
Weight 235, loss of 4.5
Waist 37.5" loss of 1.5"
Arms, Neck, Calves still same @ 18"
Still plugging along on Keto plan, macros 60/5/35, 4 workouts a week.
Been a steady 4-5 lbs a week loss..
Ill put up a couple progress pics

[MR-FQ320]

4-5 lbs a week ? Wow, great work, what's the target ? Long and short term goals ?

[ab037]

Thanks! i would like to get in that 10-12% BF range.. will be a first for me, also attempting a restart (2 yrs TRT) will see, fingers crossed.. Had a couple back surgeries in late 2013 so I was out of commission for felt like a year, just happy to be lifting again and dumping the excess. Will look to keep gains lean for the future, pretty amazing what happens from exercise and a really clean diet..

[MR-FQ320]

pretty amazing what happens from exercise and a really clean diet..

THIS !

If you can really screw those numbers down and figure it out, you're on a winner.

Glad keto is working for you, I'm not a lover of it myself, I like my carbs to much, be careful enough when / if you reintroduce them

[ab037]

Will do! I have heard about what happens if you just do a sudden increase after a good stretch of carb restriction. Will switch up to CDK as suggested by Black once I get BF lower (10-12%) and see if I can work on lean gains. I am missing me some carbs though. Haha.

[MR-FQ320]

Will do! I have heard about what happens if you just do a sudden increase after a good stretch of carb restriction. Will switch up to CDK as suggested by Black once I get BF lower (10-12%) and see if I can work on lean gains. I am missing me some carbs though. Haha.

Again, CKD is not an area of my expertise, but if weight loss stalls then think about mixing things up, and I can't see anything wrong with throwing a carb meal in now and again

[Arete]

Keep up the great work. Nice consistent weight loss. Congrats

[ab037]

Thanks brother

[ab037]

Update,
officially at a 30 lbs loss in 7 weeks, which I am happy with, BUT I noticed some strength loss the last few days so am pretty sure I am starting to sacrifice LBM which I want to prevent. I have been at a pretty huge deficit, so am adding 300-400 cals back into diet and upping protein intake.. I was running right at my BMR when I started all this, but my workouts where nowhere near what they are now.
Lifting heavy at 4-5 days a week. Still sticking with the Keto macros for now..
6'2" 233 lbs estimated BF 17%ish
Which puts LBM @ 195, BMR @ 2032, TDEE @ 3150 (@ moderate)

protein intake @ 195g
carbs @25g
fats @ 170g
@ 2400kcal This puts me at a 500-600 deficit or 24%
How does this look for now? I figure I need to add cals back in slowly to reverse any possible metabolic damage from running a huge deficit..
Still want to continue cutting fat to that golden 10-12%..
thanks!

[numbere]

If you're beginning to burn LBM then you should consider following a more cyclic strict keto diet with reload day. Muscle is more difficult to put back on than it is to burn.

[MR-FQ320]

If it were me I would recalculate macros;
1.1g/lb/lbm protein
0.35g/lb/lbm fats from nuts and fish
Rest from starchy carbs, first brown rice then oats
No sugar, no dairy, no empty calories.
Thats a transformation diet right there.

[ab037]

I may switch it up to CKD before long. Being Carb sensitive, just really reluctant to put em back in.

[ab037]

Weigh in today 232 lbs drop of 3 from last week. All measurements remained the same however. Very lethargic, low energy, libido gone. With that, I am thinking that hormone levels are low, leptin, T3, etc.
Figure its time for a refeed! already smashed some oats this AM, been missing em! =D looking forward to the next 12-18hrs, and hopefully get a wee bit of supercompensation, and get my levels reset to go at it again. Its been a 7 week cut so far. Shooting for about 350g-400g carbs, trying to keep fats minimal, protein around LBM 195g ish. Will try to get to TDEE or above (without hurling =D)..
Any thoughts greatly appreciated.
Thx!

[MR-FQ320]

^^^^^ sounds like a great plan to me

[ab037]

Workout intensity was crazy, pump was off the charts... just wow. felt like the energizer bunny today, what a difference

[Arete]

Sounds like you had a great refeed especially with the pump with your last workout. Doing great sticking to the plan and CKD to the way your body feels as you did. Keep at it.

[ab037]

Thanks bro.
Yeah the day of felt great, the day after ( yesterday) not so much. Lol.

[ab037]

Wanted to update, pretty much have had a stall out for 2 weeks at same weight and measurements. Considering my deficit was very large and it had been 7-8 weeks, I figure that my metabolism adjusted down to the lower fuel source..
Current stats: 6'2" 230 lbs Lifting heavy 4-5 days a week, compound lifts mainly.
During cut, was eating "keto" macros @ around 2100 calories..
With all that being said, I figure it was time to " reverse diet" back up to find and push TDEE, then hit another deficit to continue cutting to 10-12%.

Any thoughts or opinions will def consider all. It will be a nice experiment to find my "real actual" TDEE versus estimates..
thanks

[MR-FQ320]

Are you introducing carbs ?

[ab037]

I did do a refeed after stalling for a week.. the stall continued after that as well. Been adding carbs back in around workouts.. still keeping under 50-60 on training days, and 25 off days