Since new year, I have been hitting the gym more regulary (4-5 times a week) and changed my diet. I eat a lot more fat (40-50 % of my intake, unsaturated) and protein (23-25 % of my intake) and less carb (at most 30 % of my intake). I eat about 2600 calories a day.
My goal is to build muscles, but also to lose my belly.
I have gained some weight and I see some results in the mirror (a slight muscle tone), but the waist measurement still stays the same.
Is this normal? Do I need to more patient or am I doing anything wrong?
whytehorse2021 4y ago
Two words: Intermittent fasting.
FrancoAP 4y ago
Awesome, as a side not, have you tried the Eat Stop Eat method? The 24 hour fast once or twice a week?
whytehorse2021 4y ago
That's pretty much what I do.
Corneliuscaruso 4y ago
You need to cut more. Keep going to the gym though, I made the mistake of cutting without lifting and had a disproportional shape in the end.
Cut if you want to lose bf - Slower gains
Bulk if you want more mass- Body recomp
hannulv 4y ago
You didn't put your age, which is really important. Check out Dr. Layne Norton (biolayne), his books and youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uok8Itwles&list=PL4yX5OazQ_WRJtTRipFwlWETbaqm-8sgj).
Cutting primes you to gain a ton of fat whenever you up calories, so being strict and coming off diets carefully is the most important part.
Younger guys that just started lifting can sometimes recomp because they can get away with eating less protein and more carbs with the same calories. But most people can't lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, unless its very slowly. Because of that people do cut cycles and gain cycles. You need to calculate your TDEE and fat loss targets to determine your deficit which could be anywhere from 300-900 cal. Your macros are going to be largely age and activity dependent. (If you are lifting you will want more carbs than fat.)
If you aren't on TRT, you'll need to keep cut cycles (especially low-fat) to 6 weeks and then do a couple weeks at maintenance to keep from fucking up your hormones. I need 80g fat to maintain hormones, but only eat 50g on cuts. On cuts, resistance training is not to grow muscle, but to spare it. You will almost always lose some muscle, but how you eat and workout determines if you lose 5% or 40%.
On a gain cycle you usually eat 5%-10% extra calories.
Hanscheezburger 4y ago
That was 2 months. You aint gonna see much in 2 months.
Build your diet like this: 0.7-1g of protein per lb of bodyweight (do the math to get your percentage). The rest you can divide between carb and fat. There's not much of a difference whether you choose to prioritize carb or fat, except that more carbs give you a boost of energy for workouts - I tried both. https://mennohenselmans.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/
Like above, you need patience.
If you don't have muscles yet, keep lifting heavy and eat at maintenance level for a year. Your body will recompose, build muscles and lose fat.
If you already have muscles and are cutting, you want to maintain as much muscles as possible while losing fat. Depending on your current body fat level it will take a while. Took me over 18 months to lose 20kg and from >20% body fat to 10%. The lower your body fat is the slower you will lose weight and fat. This is good - losing too fast will cause muscle loss.
expired_octopus 4y ago
I think you're quite active in this topics.
What to supplement for injuries, how to approach training not to get them.
Being older, being normal slim build, but kind of sporty from regular sporting events.