Lean bulk or pack it on?

[Undercover]

1. For me, even while cutting I have about 175g carbs to play with:

Macro targets at 80kg = 176P 79F = 1416.8 calories
Calorie target = 2200
Calories to eat "what you want" = 700 calories = 175g.

2. I didn't think the eat "what you want" applied only to the calories coming from non-essential calories? I thought you could generally eat as you like provided you're getting sufficient micronutrients.

However, I'll just eat my 2-3 meals and a couple of snacks during the day and then chuck in a bowl of ice cream with mango at the end of the day and fit roughly in my targets. Rather than hammering packets of chips all day, having a few protein shakes and going ta da IIFYM.

3. I agree about the skipping breakfast point, I skipped breakfast both days over the weekend and eating 2200 calories was enjoyable, it felt like eating at maintenance!

I agree, I was basically doing IIFYM, hitting my minimum macros during the day with 3 normal meals (which included 2 Protein shakes, one as breakfast and one PWO) and then after dinner would still have 200-500 calories to spare and would often have proats or a pop tart etc. But was finding it difficult as I prefer (get hungry) in the evenings at home and was going over.

I'm trying IF (starting today actually) because it's easy to manage hunger whilst busy at work and also because I lift at lunchtime, I can train in a fasted state (as per IF requirement).

So what do you typically eat with your 700 calories? 175g carbs? - I was trying to keep under 100g of carbs per day as I feel I respond better with less C when trying to lean out.

 

[Big Mick]

Realistically thou, how many calories do people have to eat "what they want" on IIFYM? A

I am currently cutting on 2200 calories a day, so that is how much you have to play with.

All foods add to your macros, even cheeseburgers, ice cream, pizza have carbs/fat/protein.

Had dinner last night (home cooked chinese food) with a can of coke and a cornetto ice cream for desert and still came in on my calories. after having had a berry and protein smoothy for breakfast and pasta for lunch.

It's all what you want to eat, good food should not be pain to eat, I generally prefer it.

2 scrambled eggs on toast this morning with a cappuccino for breakfast.....bloody beautiful, and well within my macros having mexican food for dinner with a can of coke, probably smash a berry wpi smoothy for lunch, addicted to them at the moment with the hot weather.

 

[Undercover]

I am currently cutting on 2200 calories a day, so that is how much you have to play with.

All foods add to your macros, even cheeseburgers, ice cream, pizza have carbs/fat/protein.

Had dinner last night (home cooked chinese food) with a can of coke and a cornetto ice cream for desert and still came in on my calories. after having had a berry and protein smoothy for breakfast and pasta for lunch.

It's all what you want to eat, good food should not be pain to eat, I generally prefer it.

2 scrambled eggs on toast this morning with a cappuccino for breakfast.....bloody beautiful, and well within my macros having mexican food for dinner with a can of coke, probably smash a berry wpi smoothy for lunch, addicted to them at the moment with the hot weather.

Mick a latte now would be insane. Miss my 10.30am Skinny Latte.

I'm also cutting/leaning out on 2000
Calories (down from 2200 as was not working the best).

So what are your macros? If I start having bread, home cooked meals such as Mexican/Chinese I find the Calories build up super quick.

You must not snack or nibble much to keep them that low to eat those meals right?

 

[Brick]

Mick a latte now would be insane. Miss my 10.30am Skinny Latte.

I'm also cutting/leaning out on 2000
Calories (down from 2200 as was not working the best).

So what are your macros? If I start having bread, home cooked meals such as Mexican/Chinese I find the Calories build up super quick.

You must not snack or nibble much to keep them that low to eat those meals right?

2000 cals isn't alot of food, especially if your pretty active, what weight are you trying to get too and what are you cutting from?

How long did you cut for at 2200 cals?

 

[Big Mick]

I don't snack at all mate.

Just have 2 meals a day and a shake usually. Meal one is usually small ie 1 or 2 eggs, with a slice of toast,one bacon end eggs, small serveof pasta yesterday, then a proper meal for dinner, usually with a large serve of meat. Often don't feel like breakfast. But not working today as I worked all week end so missus made scrambled eggs on toast. Probably won't eat again till dinner still feeling stuffed. Want to hit the weights but feeling too full at the moment still.

I try and aim for my protein requirement and the rest seems to be close I aim for 40% protein, 40% of fats and 20% carbs, but the carbs see to blow out a bit especially when I have coke and ice cream. Not too worried about it.

Ps my dinners are usually around 1000 calories, breakfast smoothly 400 calories, lunch can be another 4-500 calories, that still leaves me some spare for a can of coke (about 161 calories) or even a can of Mothers (236 calories) or what ever, love Coles water ice blocks after training at 55 calories. Sometimes meals during the day are smaller, and I might have some ice cream or a beer after dinner xxxx summer bright lager 98 calories for a stubby, so could easily accommodate 2-3 aftere dinner and still come in at 2200.

The body is smarter than people give it credit for as long as it gets enough in the long run it should be fine.

 

[Undercover]

2000 cals isn't alot of food, especially if your pretty active, what weight are you trying to get too and what are you cutting from?

How long did you cut for at 2200 cals?

Was 105kg and dropped to about 95kg quite quickly on about 2600-3000 Calories. Over last 3-4 months started seriously counting everything that passed my lips (always hitting macros) and played around with 1900, 2500, 2200 but have stalled on 87-88kg. But I pile on weight so quick. Just over w/e had a few cheat meals. Nothing overly bad or massive yet was 90kg this morning. But I know come Wed I'll be 87kg again, I guess that's just some water, salt and turd but.

But I tend to go over that on weekends thus Mon-Fri I keep low and try to bank some Calories.

Trying to get to around 82-85kg. I'm 185cm.

It's hard to know as I used to weigh 135kg a few years ago, so even now at 88kg I have quite visible ables, veins but left over pockets of lard and loose skin (spare tyre, chest, legs) from my 135 kg days.

 

[Undercover]

I don't snack at all mate.

Just have 2 meals a day and a shake usually. Meal one is usually small ie 1 or 2 eggs, with a slice of toast,one bacon end eggs, small serveof pasta yesterday, then a proper meal for dinner, usually with a large serve of meat. Often don't feel like breakfast. But not working today as I worked all week end so missus made scrambled eggs on toast. Probably won't eat again till dinner still feeling stuffed. Want to hit the weights but feeling too full at the moment still.

I try and aim for my protein requirement and the rest seems to be close I aim for 40% protein, 40% of fats and 20% carbs, but the carbs see to blow out a bit especially when I have coke and ice cream. Not too worried about it.

Ps my dinners are usually around 1000 calories, breakfast smoothly 400 calories, lunch can be another 4-500 calories, that still leaves me some spare for a can of coke (about 161 calories) or even a can of Mothers (236 calories) or what ever, love Coles water ice blocks after training at 55 calories. Sometimes meals during the day are smaller, and I might have some ice cream or a beer after dinner xxxx summer bright lager 98 calories for a stubby, so could easily accommodate 2-3 aftere dinner and still come in at 2200.

The body is smarter than people give it credit for as long as it gets enough in the long run it should be fine.

Thank for that Mick, your diet sounds basically like mine the last 3/4 months. I was having a basic shake at breakfast, latte at 10:30am then lift at lunch then would eat my first solid meal at 2-3pm at work. Usually a 185gm Sirena in oil can of tuna and 300grams of veggies. So when I got home that often left me with 1000-1200 Calories for a big dinner (chicken, salmon, mince with salad or more veggies) and then having 500 left to have proats, peanut butter, milk coffer with an Oreo etc and still be under 2200.

I fucking scan everything with my fitness pal. Even if I have a beer etc. Made for a funny sight at a wedding I went to on the weekend. Got some serious WTF you doing?

Do you eat under to save/bank for weekend blow outs/outings etc?

Come Friday night, raging for fish n chips and the family is to. Love a potato cake. And at 150 calories they are pretty good

 

[Stiffy]

Most of you guys are training moreso as a lifestyle rather than for comp aren't you.

I train heavy whilst not as a PL or BB but I know that when I want to cut a bit, I just eat "clean" when hungry, limit my carbs and sugars and up the protein and training intensity and within weeks up come my abs.

Rather than all this counting cals.

 

[Bazza20]

My cutting diet is on 3800 calories.

Usually eat

Wpi and fruit for breakfast

Lunch
9-10 scrambled eggs, toast plus fruit and veg.

Dinner can vary but usually meat, veg and ice cream for dessert.

I aim for 200+ protein but usually get a fair bit more and 100g fat.

My tip for weekends is still count calories so you can see what range you are in and how many you can consume while still losing weight.

Also start off a cutting diet on calories higher than you think. You can always lower it if you need to and give it time to see if a certain calorie amount works before dropping it.

People, especially chicks want to drop there calories way too low way too quick. Family member asked about losing weight. Told her the basics, said start on 2000 see how you go. If after 2-3 weeks no weight loss lower it. Saw her few days later, first thing she said is doing so well only eating 500 calories a day. Just ignored it and walked off.

 

[Undercover]

Most of you guys are training moreso as a lifestyle rather than for comp aren't you.

I train heavy whilst not as a PL or BB but I know that when I want to cut a bit, I just eat "clean" when hungry, limit my carbs and sugars and up the protein and training intensity and within weeks up come my abs.

Rather than all this counting cals.

Yep, thats me in a nutshell. That's how I have always pretty much trained/lost big kilos. But being a bit of a perfectionist and OCD I think I have been over thinking and trying to hard. Mind you the last few months I have been quite at work/home so it's been a great thing (learning, applying, researching) to keep me occupied.