Hey I am new to the forum thing but I figured it'ld be good to join one. I found out I have a herniated disc recently and so I can only do very limited weight lifting. I am trying to loose fat only, not muscle. I have till May 10, then I have to start Bulkin up. What I have recently been doing is a low carb type diet. The diet consists of A and B days. On A days I have very low amount of carbs (<20) and on B days I eat normal with 1 dessert for the day. The rotation is AAB. Here is a table of my progress.

Start: Feb. 10 6' 2" 240 lbs ~20% BF

2/18/08 236.4 lbs 18.9% BF
2/23/08 232 lbs 17.5% BF
3/10/08 225 lbs 17.3% BF

Between 2/18 and 2/23 I lost 4 solid pounds of fat, so I am thinking this diet is great. Between 2/23 and 3/10 I lost around 5.7 lbs that wasn't fat and around 1.7lbs of fat. As far as working out I just do pushups everyday(100) and every other day I do wall sits and abs. Is there anyway I can alter my diet to loose fat only, not muscle. I would like to be 13% fat by May 10 and would be happy if I lost 1 pound of fat a week until then. PS: I can't run or do cardio for at least another month as well.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

First thing I would do in your situation is get a balanced weight training started. Then post your diet here so people can critique it.

Please list out your entire diet and weight training plans.

I have till May 10, then I have to start Bulkin up. What I have recently been doing is a low carb type diet. The diet consists of A and B days. On A days I have very low amount of carbs (<20) and on B days I eat normal with 1 dessert for the day. The rotation is AAB. Here is a table of my progress.

Start: Feb. 10 6' 2" 240 lbs ~20% BF

2/18/08 236.4 lbs 18.9% BF
2/23/08 232 lbs 17.5% BF
3/10/08 225 lbs 17.3% BF

Between 2/18 and 2/23 I lost 4 solid pounds of fat, so I am thinking this diet is great. Between 2/23 and 3/10 I lost around 5.7 lbs that wasn't fat and around 1.7lbs of fat. As far as working out I just do pushups everyday(100) and every other day I do wall sits and abs. Is there anyway I can alter my diet to loose fat only, not muscle. I would like to be 13% fat by May 10 and would be happy if I lost 1 pound of fat a week until then. PS: I can't run or do cardio for at least another month as well.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

How do you know what your BF% is? scales?

Why bulk on may 10, did doctor say you had to wait to go back to weights till then?

Are you drinking plenty of water? How much?:bb:

I get my next MRI around May 10 and the summer starts for me then. I can't be too small for football either which is why May 10 is my "deadline."

I drink at least 80oz of water a day.

I have been measuring my Body fat with the electrical thing that you hold in your hand, Although I have heard not accurate, I am hoping it will serve as a good change monitor.

I don't know what you guys mean by posting my diet (thought I did in the 1st post) but here is what I have eaten in the last month.

2/10/08 Sunday
Breakfast: Deli BBQ Chicken, 1 slice provolone, 2 slices double protein whole grain bread (36g carbs), 2 slices tomatoes, one piece of lettuce, 3 rings of onions
Special K bar- 90cal, 18g carbs, 1g protein, 1.5gfat
3 cheese strings
Lunch: hard boiled eggs 1 cup,
Dinner: can’t remember but no carbs.

2/11/08 Monday
Breakfast: huge omelet(green peppers, onions, mushrooms)
Lunch: 12 meatballs, some BBQ chicken poppers, 3 salads
Protein shake with 1% milk
Dinner: Three hamburger patties, veggies. Ketchup.

2/12/08 Tuesday
Breakfast: Two huge omelets (green peppers, onions, mushrooms)
Lunch: 2 cups Special K protein plus cereal with 2% milk. Half block of Colby jack cheese. Two slices of wheat bread
Dinner: cheese tortellini, small amount of lamb, small amount of pasta with red sauce, two slices of bread, small amount of egg salad. Ice cream cone with chocolate chip cookie dough, normal serving.
2/13/08 Wednesday
Breakfast: 4 cheese strings, some Colby jack cheese, Protein shake with 1% milk, special k bar(18g carb)
Lunch: Small amount of egg salad, 2 breaded chicken breast, 1 grilled chicken breast, lots of corn and some broccoli
Some more Colby jack cheese
Dinner: London broil decent amount <1lb, two servings of steamed veggies, some ketchup
Protein shake with 8oz 1% milk

2/14/08 Thursday
Breakfast: 2.5 omelets(same stuff), special k bar
Lunch: 3 cheese strings, very small amount of egg salad, turkey, steamed carrots
Bowl of special k protein plus cereal with tiny ass amount of 1% milk
Dinner: Chicken wings, big steak and veggies

2/15/08 Friday
Breakfast: 2 bowls of special K cinnamon pecan cereal with 2% milk
Lunch: Chicken wings, 8 oz flat iron steak, basket of fries, two scoops of mashed potatoes, 1 mini burger
Dinner: ??


2/16/08 Saturday
??
2/18/08 Sunday Wake up body fat at 10:15 is 18.9%
Breakfast: 5 eggs, 2 yolks omlet with mushrooms, green peppers, onions
Lunch: ?
Dinner: Mac & cheese, 2 chicken breast with bbq sauce, broccoli, cheese

2/18/08 Monday
????
4 cookies

2/19/08 Tuesday
Breakfast: ???
Lunch: Small amount of tuna, Small amount of cheese,
3 string cheese
Dinner: Four pieces of grilled chicken, String green beans





2/20/08 Weds
Breakfast: Two cheese strings
Lunch: 4 pieces of chicken, 5 chicken nuggets breaded, Bbq sauce
Dinner: Two hamburger patties, ketchup
Bowl of Special K protein Plus, small amount of skim milk
½ block of Colby jack cheese

2/21/08 Thursday
Breakfast: ½ special k bar
Lunch: 2 BBQ breaded chicken sandwiches, 2 servings of fries, 5 cookies
Dinner: Country Fried Chicken, 1 scoop mashed potatoes, 2 bowls of pasta with marinara sauce, one small cone of butter pecan
Other ½ of granola bar

2/22/08 Friday
Lunch: two small pieces of turkey breast cutlet, cucumbers, small salad, sautéed veggies
4 cheese strings
Dinner: rotisserie chicken





2/23/08 Saturday
Lunch: 4 chicken breast and some honey mustard, steamed veggies
Dinner: steak and sautéed mushrooms and green peppers
Later dinner: Mix Grill Supreme with steamed veggies, 3 tolberines


2/24/08 Sunday
Breakfast: Bowl of cinnamon pecan special K with 2% milk. Five toblerine pieces, few chips.
Lunch: like 15 coba. A shit load of little cookies. Half a cherry coke. One glass of 2% milk. Special K granola bar


2/25/08 Monday
Breakfast: Omelet with green peppers, onions, mushrooms
Lunch: 1 hamburger patty with Monterey jack cheese. Small bowl of egg salad
Dinner: 3 pieces of dry ass fried chicken. Small amount of Colby jack cheese, 3 jellos some whipped cream




2/26/08 Tuesday
Breakfast: 2 jellos, some whipped cream, 3 packets of cheese
Lunch: a little bit of deli turkey, Salad with cucumbers lettuce and carrots-no dressing. Some steamed veggies. 1 jello and 1 cheese packet
Dinner: 6 pieces of chicken, honey mustard, steamed veggies.1 Jello whipped cream

2/27/08 Wednesday
Breakfast: Two wheat bagels with cream cheese
Lunch: 2 big scoops of mashed potatoes, 2 slices of meatloaf with gravy. 5 or 6 cookies. Some twister fries
Dinner: <1/4lb of hamburger on double protein whole grain bread. Medium DQ Blizzard in celebration for Physics and Math tests being over, carmel waffle crisp with extra brownies

2/28/08 Thursday
Breakfast: 3 Jello, whipped cream and 3 cheese packets
Lunch: 4 grilled chicken, honey mustard
Dinner: Scrambled eggs. 3 scoops of the nasty servo shit. 1 protein shake.



2/29/08 Friday
Breakfast: 2 jello, and whipped cream
Lunch: 6 meatballs,2 salads, 1 apple
Dinner: 8oz of beef and sautéed mushrooms.
Late Dinner: chicken kabob and steamed veggies

3/1/08 Saturday
Breakfast: Pasta with cheese and ground meat, 2 bowls. 6oz of steak with some sautéed mushrooms and green beans
1 bowl of pasta cheese and ground meat
8 chocolate covered pretzels
Lunch: ¾ Digorno thin crust pizza cheese
Dinner: Regular Quizno cheese steak, 5 dorito chips
Dairy Queen Oreo Brownie earth quake

3/2/08 Sunday
Breakfast: 3 scrambled eggs only 2 yolks and green peppers. 1 apple
Lunch: 5.5 hamburgers some ketchup

3/3/08 Monday
Breakfast: 1.5 hamburgers. 5 eggs with 2 yolks omelet with mushrooms, green peppers, onions
Dinner: 16oz steak with mushrooms and steamed veggies from AppleBees. House salad.
3/4/08 Tuesday
Breakfast: Milan on focaccia( grilled chicken, provolone, tomatoes, red onions, spinach
Lunch: 3 slices of cheese pizza, fries, 1.5 scoop of cookies and cream ice cream, chocolate sauce, 2 cups of 2% milk, brownie
Dinner: like 10 1 inch oatmeal cookies, some rice and potatoes and some chicken. Granola bar

3/05/08 Wednesday
Breakfast: 3 little steaks, sautéed green beans and mushrooms.
65 pushups
Lunch: 3 eggs with one yolk omelet onions, mushrooms. thin steak
Dinner: Sautéed mushrooms and green beans. One skewer of chicken kabob and one skewer of grilled veggies.
4x25 pushups

3/6/08 Thursday
Breakfast: 1 can of solid white albacore tuna
1x100 crunches, 1x100 sky touches, 1x50 2x25 knee ups.
3x90sec wall sits, 2x20 ea leg lunges
Lunch: 3 fried eggs
Dinner: green beans and mushrooms. 5 meatballs wrapped in eggplant, salad, 3 eggs w/ .5yolk and 1 hot dog.

3/07/08 Friday
Breakfast: 2 bowls of life cinnamon with 2% milk
2x25, 1x20, 2x15 pushups (100)
Lunch: 1 plain and 1 seasame bagel with cream cheese. 5 slices of gyro meat with a bun
2 scoops of marble ice cream, 2 small pretzels with white chocolete
Dinner: Chicken Fajitas with green peppers onions, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream. Some tortilla chips and some dip. Oreo Brownie Earth quake.

3/08/08 Saturday
Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs
4 eggs with 1 white scrambled with hot dog
4x25 pushups, 3x15 straight bar curls, 3x50 weightless shrugs. 100 crunches, 100 sky touches, 4x25 knee ups
Lunch: 2 skewers of chicken kabob
Dinner: 3 egg omelet with one white, mushrooms, green peppers, onions

3/09/08 Sunday
Breakfast: 3 eggs w/ 1 white omelet, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, cheese.
4x90sec wall sits, 60sec elbow push up hold
Lunch: 7oz sirloin, sautéed mushrooms, steamed broccoli, chicken breast with bbq sauce and parmesan cheese.

3/10/08 Monday
Breakfast: Bowl of lucky charms with 2% milk. 2 wheat bagels with small amount of cream cheese.
Lunch: Meatball sub (3 meat balls), and a plate of mac n cheese. 3 cookies.
Dinner: Buffalo Chicken salad(like 10 pieces of chicken) ½ a hamburger patty on wheat loaf.

4x25 pushups

I gotta feeling this is gonna be pretty harsh ha but I appreciate all critques. I only started putting in workouts in the log towards the end. I drink water with everything so I never record that. Thanks guys.

I get my next MRI around May 10 and the summer starts for me then. I can't be too small for football either which is why May 10 is my "deadline."

I drink at least 80oz of water a day.

I have been measuring my Body fat with the electrical thing that you hold in your hand, Although I have heard not accurate, I am hoping it will serve as a good change monitor.

I don't know what you guys mean by posting my diet (thought I did in the 1st post) but here is what I have eaten in the last month.



They're rubbish, you can't rely on them at all.


Measure body fat loss by waist measurements and how your pants/trousers fit.

Measure muscle loss or gain by whether your lifts are going up or down.

I for one find the Omron hand-held unit to be very reproducible - continue to use it for now, as it gives you more insight into what type of weight you are losing. As a check, I have a health screening coming up in two days where they will use calipers (i'll post the comparison in a separate thread).

Looking at what you have eaten over the past few weeks - you must recognize that you are really eating poorly and inconsistently. Lots of fat and carbs, noe indication that you even know the calories you are consuming. Are you getting enough protein? I doubt it.

Example (3/8/08): "Lunch: 3 slices of cheese pizza, fries, 1.5 scoop of cookies and cream ice cream, chocolate sauce, 2 cups of 2% milk, brownie
Dinner: like 10 1 inch oatmeal cookies, some rice and potatoes and some chicken. Granola bar"

3 slices of pizza and fries for lunch, brownies and ice cream - all in one meal? Come on, you can do better than that. That might be a 1000+ calorie meal, almost all sugar, carbs and fat. You really need to read the stickies on fat loss, and redo this entire meal plan.

I gotta feeling this is gonna be pretty harsh ha but I appreciate all critques. I only started putting in workouts in the log towards the end. I drink water with everything so I never record that. Thanks guys.

You are eating too many processed foods. All those sauces, hot dogs and bars have a lot of additives, sugar and trans-fats. Theya re no good.

I would suggest you increase your protein intake, and make sure your carb sources come from wholesome foods SUCH AS: oats, whole grain bread (though I prefer rye), sweet potatoe, lentils, beans. Also make sure you keep your carbs at breakfast and around your workouts.

Also, eat more than three meals. If you want to loose weight you need to speed up your metabolism, to do this, eat 4-6 small meals a day. Get some protein in there (fish, meat, whey, whatever) and some vegetables. If it's a carb meal add some from the aforementioned carb sources. The trick is to not stuff yourself, but keep hunger at bay.

Going along with Cold Fresh here try to cut out the processed stuff. No BBQ sauce, no fast food, etc. Also try and cut back on the cheese and pasta. :tu:

I am quite loose on what people eat but calories count. You aren't going to do anything with your diet. But I don't think you lost muscle in that ratio. But you will never see 13% real measure eating the way you ate in example. Get serious, if you want success.:cool:

hmm. Well i am trying to eat better. This is what I had today, hopefully I am headed in the right direction. Instead of Having extremely low carbs on A days and splurging on B days, I am going to try to have low carbs on A days and on B days I will eat healthy but try to get more carbs then I get on A days.

Today I had. 152g Protein 92g Carb 59g of fat.

Taking the advice I am going to start being very strict so i can get to my goal. I am going to make a more detailed Food log for this week and Ill post it up at the end of the week. I will also start eating more meals a day to keep the metabloism going.

Thanks for all the help so far.

Today I had. 152g Protein 92g Carb 59g of fat.

Thanks for all the help so far.

608 cal protein/ 368 cal carbs/ 531 calories fat.

So you only ate 1507 calories of which 40% is protein, 35% fat, and 24.4% carbs.

Did you choose those ratios?

Between 2/23 and 3/10 I lost around 5.7 lbs that wasn't fat and around 1.7lbs of fat.

I honestly don't think it is even possible to drop nearly 6 pounds of muscle in 16 days. No way. You couldn't do it if you tried.

In the Army I have at times been forced to take months off from lifting heavy while just running and doing light calisthenics. I've also spent 16 days out in the field with minimal food and water, unable to do any real exercise at all. I never lost muscle mass like that.

A normal human body simply doesn't atrophy like that.

I can only guess that most of the "not fat" weight that you lost was water. Or your measurements are just wrong.

Tim

608 cal protein/ 368 cal carbs/ 531 calories fat.

So you only ate 1507 calories of which 40% is protein, 35% fat, and 24.4% carbs.

Did you choose those ratios?


I did not choose these ratios. I just recorded what I ate comfortably through out the day.

1500 calories at your current weight of 225 lbs is too little - you need to be eating closer to 2200 calories (others will say more than this, but this is where I would be if I were you). At that low an intake, you risk catabolism of your muscle and protection of your body fat.

EAT CLEAN. No cookies, no brownies, no pizza, no Quiznos, ... you get the idea. I would eat

M1: egg whites and oatmeal for meal 1,

M2: a high protein snack (6 oz of chicken breast for example) before lunch,

M3: a turkey or roast beef sandwich w/ lettuce and tomato for lunch

M4: Another protein rich and carb rich meal pre-workout

M5: A protein shake PWO, or a well-balanced meal with veggies for your carb source if this is your dinner

M6: 12-16 oz of cottage cheese before bed.

This is just a quick framework, but you see the differences between what I do and what you do.

Count your calories, manage your protein intake, and work out. Lift to maintain muscle mass, eat to lose fat, and do cardio for overall health (and fat loss).

Today --> 148g Protein 116g carb 46g fat

Some PT work and light lifting

1500 calories at your current weight of 225 lbs is too little - you need to be eating closer to 2200 calories (others will say more than this, but this is where I would be if I were you). At that low an intake, you risk catabolism of your muscle and protection of your body fat.

EAT CLEAN. No cookies, no brownies, no pizza, no Quiznos, ... you get the idea. I would eat

M1: egg whites and oatmeal for meal 1,

M2: a high protein snack (6 oz of chicken breast for example) before lunch,

M3: a turkey or roast beef sandwich w/ lettuce and tomato for lunch

M4: Another protein rich and carb rich meal pre-workout

M5: A protein shake PWO, or a well-balanced meal with veggies for your carb source if this is your dinner

M6: 12-16 oz of cottage cheese before bed.

This is just a quick framework, but you see the differences between what I do and what you do.

Count your calories, manage your protein intake, and work out. Lift to maintain muscle mass, eat to lose fat, and do cardio for overall health (and fat loss).

Just want to add make sure you track the condiments and extras - a roast beef sandwich on whole grain bread is great, but slathered in mayo or bbq sauce defeats the purpose.

Eating clean is a little difficult at first, because excess calories & fat sneak in when you aren't looking. Allow yourself ONE cheat meal a week, but keep within the above plan will reap great rewards over the long haul.

Good point - I never put mayo or mustard on foods, so I often forget to mention this.